Aftermath of the Great Phoenix's Demise...

[Embri]

Embri makes sad faces at Angel, but when her heartsister refuses to give in, she sighs heavily and plods off towards the field.

"Just as well," Silverfox comments, "or you'll end up with a sausage on legs instead of a horse for a partner! I swear, she must have extra stomachs, to pack away so much food." The Tayledras shakes his head.

"No time like the present." Firesong comments with a laugh, hopping down from his perch.

The Adept leads the way down a cobblestone path, away from the Companion's Field. The wide road loops gently around the Palace grounds, over a stream and towards a large, unusually shaped building. It resembles a big barn, except the top half of the tall walls are glass windows. The near end of the building holds a brick oven and the unmistakable sounds of weapon forging. Hammer blows ring on hot metal, and sparks fly from the darkened overhang.

"This is the Training Grounds. All the trainees, regardless of College, be they Herald, Bard or Healer, come here to learn self-defense at the bare minimum. Many go on to learn other skills as well."

Inside, the hall is laid out for weapons practice. The walls are lined with exceptionally tall mirrors, and the sandy floor is freshly raked smooth.

"Alberich?" Firesong calls.
"In here." The healer follows the voice to the equipment room. An older man, with rough features and several impressive scars, is mending leather armor.

"I've brought our outlander guest for some sparring practice, if you're up to it." Firesong leans up against the door frame.

"Oh? And here I thought you had finally decided to learn how to not get killed." The weaponmaster's low voice rumbles, as he looks up and grins.

"Me? Oh no, I'm a lover, not a fighter!" Firesong backs away hastily, shaking his head. "Try to leave her in one piece, okay? The Healers don't need any more work." Firesong retorted as he slipped out the door.

[Angel]

she is going at thirty times usual! but your right, she is putting on weight.

*she can smell hot metal on the wind as the training centre comes into view*

they forge with hammers oh my... i didnt realise. it has been many years since i have seen a hammer forgeing, but that will have to wait.

*she smiles at the weaponsmaster and bows*

thank you, my swords are lonely, oh and by the way, i suggest you duck.

*her eyes sparkle as confusion clouds his eyes, in moments her armour and weapons sail through the air, stopping around her as she stands, arms outstreached. they quickly and silently fit themselves, buckles pulling tight and scabards holding firm. once all is in place she gives an odd shrug and a twist, with the noise of cut silk the blades on her arms and legs slip from their holes.*

where can i begin?

*she asks the approving weapons master*

[Embri]

"Well," Alberich eyes Angel with an apprising eye, "Now if only my trainees I could teach to suit up so quickly." The Weaponsmaster sets aside his mending, and joins Angel in the arena. He eyes her up and down, walking a full circle around her.

"Well, the armor will do, nothing here that will fit your ah, wings do I have." Alberich shakes his head. "What every kingdom in Velgarth wouldn't give for a single squad of soldiers like you. "

"Even if you can't fight, which I have no doubt you can, flying troops incredible stratigic value would they have..." The weaponsmaster trails off. "Apologies, I drift off track. Your weapons, I am afraid, you must set aside. Only wooden blades we use here. Something similar to yours, I am sure I can provide."

Alberich walks over to one of several large racks, each neatly hung with many different styles and types of weapons. All of them are padded or made of dense wood.

[Angel]

ahh. whould that there where others of my kind, but there are none.
my blades... they must not be touched, by you or your students, lest they be burned or darkened. all bear strong enchantments to chanel energies and fire.

*she draws her katanas in a moment, her hands moving with incredable speed, once they are in her hands she swings them once with expert skill before setting them down. she places all four of her daggers beside them, followed more slowly by the blades on her arms and calves.

after picking up a pair of the clumsy swords from the rack she turns back to the weapons master*

these will be adequate.

[Embri]

"More the pity, only one of you there may be." Alberich inclines his head.

"Handle other's weapons, I do not make a habit of, but appreciate the warning, I do; students will not be here for some candlemarks."

The Weaponsmaster picks up a wooden longsword and shield, assuming a fighting stance. He settles the worn, heavy leather armor more comfortably across his shoulders. "Attack when ready, you may."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Come on, Embri, don't drag your hooves.~ Rolan calls cheerfully, overseeing his human helpers and the herd of young fillies and colts gathered around him.

~No drill. Drill dumb. Embri go eat delicious Hertasi food and sleep. Drills for babies.~ The unicorn lays back her ears in frustration, eying the half grown competition.

Rolan ignores the mare's irritation and nods his satisfaction at the course setup. When the human helpers had cleared the field, he led the dozen or so young Companions and Embri out into the middle.

~A Companion's duty is to protect his or her Herald. To prepare for the day that each of you will go out on Search for your destined partner, we practice the skills that will make us the fastest, smartest, most agile creatures on four legs. ~ Rolan rears, stomping the ground for emphasis.

~Two groups, please. Embri, I want you to watch first. This is one of our obstacle courses. I'm sure you'll do quite well, if you try.~

Embri snorted, tossing her head from side to side. ~...dumb...~ She watched with mild interest as the two half-grown Companions tackled logs, dirt hills, tall fences, weaving poles, and embankments.

[Angel]

that is good, time is not always abundant in the field either.

*she assumes an easy stance befor launching into a lesurly attack, bringing a sword in a neat arc at his head, aiming to occupy his sheild, whilst bringing the second in a thrust at his side. her feet move nimbly on the sand and baerly make a sound or scuff on its raked surface.*

you remind me of someone i met long ago... skilled he was, even though small and green. *he eyes sparkle in amusement as she brings her weapons into position for defence or attack*

[Embri]

"Find me in those dammable white "oh-shoot-me-now" Herald uniforms, you will not." Alberich agrees, "My armor I prefer greatly."

Instead of raising his shield, Alberich sidestepped the attack, grabbing a bucket with his toe and booting it towards Angel's face. His broadsword catches her second attack, using the momentum to pull him through a complete rotation.

"Green? Small? Ho, I hope a Hertasi I remind you not!" Alberich stands to Angel's side, sweeping his sword down towards her ankles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Duty, drills, yakity yak. Talk boring.~ Embri pushed her way through one group of Companions, shouldering the smaller yearlings out of her way.

~I go, I finish, I leave and eat.~ Embri stated in no uncertain terms.

Rolan ignored Embri's attitude. ~Ready? GO!~

Ears pinned back, Embri lunged forward, charging for the first obstacle. The weaving poles flew left and right as she kicked them down, ripping out the last with her teeth. With a rapid twist of her head, Embri speared the next obstacle, a swinging set of grain sacks, to the fence post. A quick glance behind her showed her "competitor" well behind.

A widely spaced set of logs didn't slow her down either. Stepping up onto the first, Embri snapped her wings open, a single downstroke carrying her over the jump and the soggy ground in between. A set of hops cleared the final gates, and Embri finished the course with a smug look of satisfaction on her face.

~See? Drills for babies. No challenge.~ The young stallion struggling behind her on a similar course bared his teeth, whinnying.

[Angel]

*Angel laughs delitedly as she bats the bucket away, it hits the wall and shatters. with a nimble spin she jumps over the second attack, landing firmly before taking off into a back flip. she keeps her swords crossed in front of her to cover the weak spot exposed by the manouvre.

she lands with a little puff of sand and takes a wooden dagger from the bench. flicking it with phenominal speed towards Alberich she charges, planting her boots firmly. she sweeps her blades together and slightly downwards, trying to force him to block on either side, leaving his midsection open to attack.*

[Embri]

The wooden throwing dagger shatters as it hits Alberich's shield, breaking off a corner for good measure. "Quite an arm you have." The Weaponsmaster nods, as he watches Angel charge.

Alberich rolls to the side, shoving his shield up to block the sword sweep. Uncurling out of the roll into a crouch, Alberich swings his longsword around at Angel's side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The defeated young stallion glared at the source of his frustration - the fire maned unicorn who had made him lose face. Embri glared right back, stamping her hooves in challenge.

~Embri, you weren't supposed to destroy the course...~ Rolan looked at the remains of his obstacles in dismay. Sighing, the lead stallion called off the drills for the day.

The young stallion nodded his head up and down, mock charging and stomping his hooves. ~You wreaked it! You're a bad mare!~ He cried.

Eyes flashing in anger, Embri laid back her ears, teeth bared. She closed the distance between them in a few short strides, lashing out with her hooves. The foolish yearling held his ground, despite being half of the unicorn's size, flailing his front hooves at his aggressor.

Enraged, Embri took out her frustrations on the young stallion, kicking and biting savagely. The youngster quickly realized his mistake, and tried to break off the conflict, backing away with a submissive posture.

The fire unicorn wasn't interested in appeasement. She followed the young stallion, raining blows and kicks on his sides. Squealing first in indignation, then in pain, the young Companion bolted, followed by Embri, viciously tearing hair out of colt's tail as she ran after him.

~Embri! Embri ENOUGH!~ Rolan tried to call her back, but the mare wouldn't listen. The lead stallion galloped off in pursuit, sending a call of distress to Angel.

~Angel, the field, quickly. Embri's angry, and I don't know why. She won't listen to me!~

[Angel]

*Angel nods in acnowledgment of the weaponmasters coment . as her sword is blocked she keeps pressing, forcing the shield back.

as she recieves Rolans missive she freezes, her eyes unfocused, she had been blocking Embri out... now her concentration is broken by worry the link flies lose, agner floods through her. as she battles for control the longsword thumps painfully into her side, sickening cracks signal for pain later on.

she ignores the burning and leaps clean over the weaponsmaster. after mentaly throwing the metal bound doors wide she launches into the clear sky.*

had to hit between the plate... *she grumbles, but the wind steals her words and hurls them away. after a few minutes the field comes into view, she sees Embri tearing after the young stallion and gulps, she is furious...

Angel dives as steeply as she can, all the time yelling franticly at Embri, trying to make her stop. though she dosent relise it Angel is also getting angry, through no effect of the link, but rather someting more biological.

she begins to gain ground on the galloping unicorn and grabs a handful of her mane. she continues to fly above her back but slows slightly, effectivly reighning her in.*

[Embri]

Alberich pulls his blow against Angel as he too hears Rolan's cry of distress.

Kantor, Alberich's white Companion, stands just outside the door, eyes rolling in concern. The Weaponsmaster runs after Angel, vaulting onto Kantor's bare back. He gallops after the winged form flying above, hooves pounding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Embri thrust her head as far forward as it would go, slashing her teeth across the colt's flank. Squealing in fear and pain, the young stallion kicked out at his attacker, with little effect.

~FURY PREY CHASE!~ Embri ignored the hooves beating at her chest, hot blood dripping down her muzzle. Angel's anger fuels her own, burning brightly.

Rolan was gaining on the pair, but they had a huge head start on the lead stallion, and he was not close enough to intervene.

~Torri, STOP RUNNING!~ Rolan sent futilely. He watched with relief as Angel flew above him.

Embri didn't notice Angel grabbing onto her, intent as she was on her quarry. She does notice the tug on her mane, becoming quite insistent. Snarling, the fire unicorn watched as the frightened colt pulled away from her, gaining distance. Screaming in anger, Embri bucked and twisted, trying to throw off her restraints.

Kantor, still carrying Alberich, and Rolan moved to protect young Torri from any further attentions. The Weaponsmaster slid down off the back of his Companion to inspect the colt's injuries.

[Angel]

*grimly, Angel lands on Embri's back, clampig her knees down and wraping her arms around her neck. dimly she notices Alberich arrive and Rolans move infront of them.

she forces herself to be calm, finding it more difficult than usual, and opens the link wide again, pushing against the tide of fury, making little headway but some. she struggles to keep calm and clear, at the back of her mind a though naggs at her, how much does she hate being ridden in this form? she banishes the though, what will happen will happen, this was the only way, she assures herself. *

~come on Embri... this isnt you, this is the mood swings we talked about! you're alright, shhh, you're alright...~

*she keeps reassuring her, trying to calm and settle her raging emotions whilst battling her own.*

[Embri]

Embri laid back her ears, trying to back out from under her rider. Finding that it didn't seem to work, she kicked up her heels and bucked, previous target all but forgotten. Angel's calm slowly brings her around, and she gives up trying to remove her rider by force.

Sides heaving with lather, Embri settles reluctantly.

~...moods?...~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alberich examined the colt's wounds, shaking his head. "Worse it could be, better it could be as well. Stitches, he will need. I have summoned the Healer, arrive shortly she will. More shock than anything else, ails him."

Torri shivered, eyes showing white. Several of the Companion mares had caught up with Rolan and Kantor, and supported the young one on all sides.

[Angel]

*Angel hangs on grimly, her legs get plastered in foam nd by the time Embri calms she is breathing heavily*

~thats ma girl... yeah, moods... i'll tell you later...~

*she slips of Embris back and leans heavily on her, hand on her side and infinatly glad the Alberich had pulled the blow. it still hurt like hell though.*

~damn...~ *she hugs Embri's neck and burries her face in her mane.*~what did he do?

[Embri]

~... Alberich ... Alberich? ... Herald-from-Karse-Captain-Kantor friend.~ Embri relays, thinking hard.

~...Angel hurt?...~ Embri's feelings went straight from alarm to anger. Had Angel's arms not been wrapped around her neck, she would have charged there and then.

A single form in green, accompanied by several in white were running across the distance between the Palace and Companion's Field.