[The Forest Of Light]Wielding the Dagger That Made You A Man(basic dagger/Shadowface)

[Shadowface]

*~Junctior, in the Season of Autumn, Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum.~*

The autumn air was crisp with signs that the last cycles of Junctior were exiting, letting in the cold winds of winter as they left. For dorins, though, this was nothing more than a minor set back. Hunting would be a little more difficult as the grazing animals would move to where grass would be abundant and easy to find. On the other hand, it would be difficult for the animals to cover their tracks, making tracking that much easier, even for a novice.

That time had not come yet, though. There was still time to enjoy the grasslands. Shadowface made sure he spent his time galloping as fast as he could gripping the silky mane of Swifthoof tightly in his paws with the cool wind streaming through his fur. "Alright, It's time we went back, Swifthoof. Father said he has something he wants to teach me." Shadowface said to his galloping horse.

The young dorin always rode bareback, he figured in a time of crisis he wouldn't have time to saddle up his warhorse. It made him feel more like a warrior, with his bow and leather quiver slung across his back and he rode like the wind on his Nachakya mare.

The horse gave a responsive neigh and flashed across the grasslands, kicking up puffs of dust and grass in their trail. Their home was just over the grassy hill on the very outskirts of the Forest Of Light. It was a small village of about twenty dorins, all who played a part in the pack. Shadowface's father was the chief of the pack, and some brightening would hand the title down to his son. Shadowface was still much to young, he had only entered manhood recently but partaking in the Graw'lak ceremony. The flint dagger that he used to cut his right pa for the ceremony was tucked into his bearskin loin cloth.

The jet black dorin gave a slight tug on the horse's mane as they neared the village to slow him down to a slow trot. "Where have you been, Shadowface, the chief wishes to speak with you." A young dorin boy asked the mounted rider as he entered between some leather covered hovels.

"I know, I was out with Swifthoof, enjoying the Gracelands... Father knew that." The son of the chief replied, keeping Swifthoof at a slow walk.

"Will you ever take me for a ride on Swifthoof? He's the fastest mare here, I want to see how fast he goes!" The little dorin shouted excitedly, jumping up and down.

"Heh heh Some day, young one... perhaps when you receive your namebrightening." Shadowface promised, looking down on the young pup with a smile on his face.

He kept riding for his father's hovel and dismounted his mare. He wrapped his large arms around the horse's neck and gave him a hug, whispering in his ear. "You are such a good horse, Swifthoof. I'll get some water for you." The dorin grabbed a near by wooden pale and dipped it in the water trough. The water was fresh from River Lylles and refilled every couple brightenings. He placed the bucket in front of Swifthoof and wandered inside his fathers tent.

Chief Reddagger was a big dorin with jet black fur he had passed down to his son. A bright red braided beard hung from his chin along with a red braid on each side of his face. He was decorated in leather strips around his large arms and calves that had small bells hanging that jingled when he walked.

"There you are. I was wondering when you'd get back from your ride." The chief said as he turned to see his son enter through a leather flap in his hovel.

"I had Swifthoof run as fast as he could to get here, father." Shadowface answered as he kicked out his legs a bit to loosen them up from the long ride. "What is it you wish you show me?" He asked, sparing no time to guess.

"May I see your Graw'lak dagger, son?" Reddagger requested, holding out a large paw, that has a similar faded scar from his ritual of manhood from patterns past. Shadowface pulled the flint dagger from his loin cloth and handed it to his father hilt first. "Do you know why they call me Reddagger?"

The young dorin nodded. "Yes, because you were a great warrior who's dagger never dried." It was true, Reddagger engaged in combat defending his tribe and pack on several occasions, gutting his enemies with a simple flint dagger, much like his son's.

"Was?! Ha ha! I still AM a great warrior!" The chief said straightening up and sticking out his chest. "Which is why I want to teach you how to wield one. You are skilled at the bow, but what happens when you run out of arrows, or you are engaged in close quarter combat? That is where this comes in, my son." Reddagger's tone was serious but concerning for his son.

Shadowface could see his father's point and gave a nod as he was handed back his flint dagger. "Follow me outside, I had some leather targets stuffed with grass made." The chief said, leading his son outside to an open practice area.

[Shadowface]

In a clearing covered with dead stamped grass just outside the village, where the dorin practiced there various combat styles, Reddagger had two life sized grass stuffed practice dummies with leather covering attached to some wooden poles for stability. Reddagger pulled out a flint dagger, much like Shadowface's, only slightly larger and worn from use.

"First I want to show you how to hold your dagger." The large dorin told his son, demonstrating on with his own dagger. He held the dagger in the palm of his paw with his fingers wrapped around the hilt. "This is your basic grip for the dagger. It's good for making quick by stabbing your arm forward like this" With a quick movement, Reddagger jutted his arm out towards the belly of the dummy and stuck the blade in the leather, before quickly recoiling his arm back.

Shadowface watched his father in action. He'd seen the chief make a kill by hunting, but never in an actual fight. He was glad about that. "Ok, son, now I want you to give it a try." Reddagger told his son, stepping back to allow him to try it. Shadowface held the dagger in his paw like his father had shown him and got up close to the dummy, he jabbed his arm forward and stuck the dummy, quickly recoiling to prepare for the next attack.

"Like that?" The young learner asked walking back to his father. "It looked good to me, son. The dagger is not a hard weapon to wield. It all balances on your reflexes and foot work more than anything. You want to use your feet to build up the momentum that drives your arm forward. If I stand with my left foot forward and my right foot back, I can drive my body forward putting the momentum in my arm." The chief lectured as he demonstrated in slow motion so his son could see.

Shadowface gave it a try jabbing at the air, trying to build up the momentum into his strike. "I'll show you the next strike with the dagger. Keep the same grip on your hilt but this time you will swing your arm from right to left in a downward diagonal slash." Reddagger told him as he walked over to the target he stabbed earlier and brought his arm from the right to the left slicing a long gash in the chest of the dummy. Grass spilled from the slash, floating to the ground.

Shadowface mimicked his father and did the same, he brought his right hand over from the right and slashed it to the left spilling grass stuffing out of the dummy. "That's it! Your a natural, but remember, grass dummies are one thing, but a living moving target is another." His father warned him.

It felt good to attack the dummy. Personally, Shadowface enjoyed firing an arrow from Swifthoof's back, but there was something invigorating about being up close and personal... it seemed less cowardly to get the blood on your hands rather than shoot from afar. Either way, the young dorin was determined to learn the ways of various weapons.

Reddagger began to lecture on the next attack. "Now I wish to see you do another slash, only this time you will bring your right arm from the left to the right, like a back slash." Once again, the chief swirled his right arm from the left to the right, tearing a wound in the targets neck sending grass ascending in a puff.

Shadowface held onto his dagger tight and twisted his torso to the side like he watched his father do, his arm followed from the left to the right slashing the leather as if it were flesh. "It feels natural for me to slash a dagger, father."

Reddagger gave a laugh and replied. "You are one step closer to becoming a man then. Hah hah!" Shadowface smirked at his father's teasing. "I am a man, remember?" He held out his right paw to show off his scar from the Graw'lak ritual.

"By our standards, yes you are a man, my son. But that scar will not be proof to your enemies. If you want to prove you're a man, then you have to display your enemies head on a stick for all his comrades to see." Reddagger said in a cold tone. He did not wish to sound harsh, but he didn't want his son to be naive in the real world either.

[Shadowface]

Shadowface gave a nod, understanding what his father meant. He tried to listen to every bit of knowledge his father had because he knew it was coming from the mouth of a powerful chief, a chief that he would become one day himself. "I will become a powerful warrior father. The name Shadowface will be known throughout the lands." The young dorin proclaimed as he placed a fist on his chest.

Reddagger gave an agreeing nod and smile. "I know it will, son. You will make a great chief one brightening, but that is why we must prepare you, now let's get back to your dagger training." The older dorin held out his dagger, but this time he was holding the hilt with the sharp end pointed down. "This grip is for when you wish to make a powerful gash. It is used to make a downward strike that will bury the flint deep within your opponent's flesh, possibly breaking bone." He demonstrated this by raising his hand high above his head and slammed the dagger into the head portion of the dummy with a thick thud!

All these maneuvers were the very basics of wielding a dagger, and for a combat orientated dorin to catch on, would not take long. Shadowface did the same as his father. He grasped the hilt tight and raised his arm up, bringing the blade slamming down into the head portion of his dummy. "That is a powerful strike!" The young warrior exclaimed as he tore the blade from the dummy.

Reddagger gave a laugh at his son's excitement and explained. "It is. Had that been a real opponent you would have had to kick his head off your dagger to retrieve it, it would have been snugged in the skull. There is also a slash you can do with that grip, I'll show you..." The chief walked over to his dummy and hooked his arm across his chest from right to left, slashing the neck of the dummy, causing the head portion to sever right off. "The way I brought my arm across my chest works well for a defensive position. I use my forearm to block any attack he may have, and if my enemy were to bring his arm down to strike at me, I would use my forearm to block, then bring my dagger back from the left and slash or stab him." Reddagger demonstrated in slow motion, using his son as the imaginary attacker.

"So the dagger is more than just a weapon for attacking, it can be used in blocking as well?" Shadowface asked, practicing the block and strike his father had just shown him.

"That is right, Shadowface. If you have the hilt of your dagger in the palm of your hand, it can also be used as an aid in punching, making your fist so much harder, then when your opponent is recovering from the blow, you can move in and stab him." Reddagger mentioned, again showing his son what he meant. "Let's try an exercise. I will attack you, slowly with my dagger, I want to see you dodge my attack, then counter attack, but for the love of Aslan, do not cut me!"

[Shadowface]

Shadowface snorted a laugh at his father and nodded his head. Reddagger slowly came at his son with the dagger, aiming the blade towards his son in a jabbing motion forward. Shadowface moved to the side, pushing his father's arm away from him, then came in with his own dagger and aimed it right for his neck, stopping before making contact.

Reddagger's brows rose. He was impressed with his son's decision to do so. "Very good, young one. Let us try again." The chief said as he recoiled and changed his grip. This time he held the blade upside down and swung his arm downward, a little faster this time towards his son's head. Shadowface used the hook cross over and blocked his father's arm with his forearm and brought both their arms back across with Shadowface's dagger aiming at his father's neck.

"You have learned quick, my son!" His father said, proud of what his son had learned from him. This time Reddagger sidestepped to the left, catching his son off guard and wrapped his arm around his son's neck, putting him in a headlock, holding the blade at his throat. "But there is still much to learn!" He released his son and grinned.

Shadowface was disappointed that he let his guard down, but it did not stop him from trying again. This time Shadowface came at his father with a forward slash from right to left. His father jumped out of the way and counter attacked, knocking his son's dagger arm out of the way and bringing his blade to his stomach. "You are not letting yourself relax and let the fight be fluid, you must move with grace and speed, not power and clumsiness." His father lectured him, tossing him back a few steps.

"Ok, I see what you mean. I must not be in a hurry to make an attack, I must be ready to defend and counter." He said to himself, but loud enough for his father to hear. "No fight is carved in stone, son. There is a certain maneuver for each situation, you must learn from each one as you go along." Reddagger replied as he came in again, this time side stepping to the right. Shadowface parried his father's arm with his own and and ducked to one knee making an imaginary slash across his stomach. Shadowface looked up at his father and smiled. "I see what you mean father... I just have to practice hard and know my enemy."

Reddagger gave a nod and replied. "Now, you are thinking like a man." Shadowface stood up, happy to hear his father say that.

[Shadowface]

After the two of them sparred for a few more rounds, Reddagger halted the training. "Let us see how well you wield your dagger when we hunt." He told his son, pointing to the Forest Of Light. There were always plenty of animals that roamed in the forest and Shadowface knew of this because he would take his bow to capture a deer or boar... but never with just a dagger.

"I will do my best, father." Shadowface assured the chief as they made their way to the outer woods. Reddagger placed a large paw on his son's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "May Aslan give you strength and courage, my son."

"Praise be to Aslan, Father. I will not let you down." The young dorin tucked his dagger into his bearskin kilt and marched silently through the first line of trees. His black fur quickly set into the shadow from the high canopy of the forest, leaving a trace of his red mohawk barely visible.

This would be his ultimate test with his dagger, he had no bow to help him out now. Only his natural instincts as a dorin and a sharp piece of flint that he would proudly use to bring back food for his people.

[Haywire]

The Forest of Light was a dangerous place for those who didn't know it well. It was filled with the unknown, the shadow cast down by the canopy of the forest hiding things that did not want to be seen. Shadowface however was brave, much like his father and determined to prove himself once and for all that he could hunt like his ancestors did.

Relying on his instincts and his wits, Shadowface ventured off into the forest, seeking a target to practice his new found skills on. The walk through the brush was quiet and filled with random noises in all direction, nothing too frightening however, at least for the time being. The odd 'coo' or chatter of an animal or bird echoed amongst the branches as the Dorin stepped through ferns and over moss-lined logs.

A good half a candlemark passed before Shadowface even ran into anything lifelike. He rounded a large tree, it's base a good ten feet wide and as he did, he smelled something familiar, very familiar, from when he used to go hunting with his bow. A harsh snort and few stuttered grunts sounded from around the tree and as Shadowface crept around the base, he saw a large boar, with two sharp ivory tusks jutting out from it's maw. It was munching on some fungus that was jutting out of a log next to the tree. It's back was turned to Shadowface as it was eating its mid brightening meal. It hadn't noticed the Dorin, at least not yet as its nose was dug deep into its enjoyable meal but if the hunter waited too long, he might lose his chance. He would have to act fast to take down the large, dark skinned boar.

They were known for their fast tempers after all.

[Shadowface]

Shadowface's ears perked up and swiveled back and forth, detecting the various sounds of life from within the forest. He was in the thick of the trees before he came across a familiar scent. The young dorin raised his snout in the air and quietly inhaled the fumes. He moved his feet slowly, inch by inch, pressing himself against the wide base of the tree until he saw his prey.

He could hear the wild boar digging his pug face in the ruffles of moss and fungus form an old tree stump. He stopped for a moment to make sure the boar did not hear him approaching. The black dorin narrowed his dark eyes on the swine as he reached behind him and drew the flint dagger from his bearskin kilt, crouching low. Aslan, may you guide my blade and grant me the speed and strength I need to draw the life blood from this creature, and may you ease the pain of it's wounds and grant it the courage to pass from this life, for the survival of my people. This I ask unto you, Aslan, God of honor. Shadowface gave a mental prayer as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other as silent as he could, never taking his eyes off the dining beast.

With the dagger in the grip of his palm, as his father had shown him, Shadowface leaped from the tree base, aiming the flint dagger at the boar preparing to jab him in the side, just under the ribs.

[Haywire]

OOCSo sorry for the delay man, I am getting beat down by RL still and it doesn't seem to want to let up.

The stealthy aslanite hunter crouched and readied his blade. The thrill of the hunt instilled adrenaline into his veins as Shadow face ushered a prayer to the honour bound prince. No answer came however it was absorbed into the heavens above as the sound dissipated, hopefully heard by the open ears of the gods themselves.

Maneuvering into position, Shadowface kept his stance steady and shifted his weight upon the balls of his feet. The boar was unsuspecting still and before it could realize what was happening, Shadowface had crept around the base of the tree and leaped onto the creature, digging his dagger in deep to the boar's ribcage.

The enormous boar reeled back in pain and squealed in an ear piercing tone, the noise echoing through the forest. It however did something that Shadowface didn't exactly expect but could have foreseen happening. It bucked and bucked and bucked and then took off into the forest, with Shadowface still upon its back, the enormous beast trying its best to ignore the pain and kick Shadow off of its frame. The dorin was holding on for dear life, his dagger still dug solidly in between bone and cartilage. The boar bucked again and the Dorin found himself bouncing up and to the left and ended up smoking his left leg against a tree trunk. He wasn't going that fast, but as the boar started to pick up speed, Shadowface was finding himself dragged further and further into the woods.

[Shadowface]

So much for the silence of a hunter and the graceful death the boar was suppose to endure. Shadowface's eyes shot open as he was being towed by the wild pig deeper into the forest grasping one paw around the mussy mane on the boars head and back and another on the blood soaked hilt of his flint dagger. Had the dorin been attentive he would have pulled the dagger out and stabbed him again, hopefully ending his painful death, but with the thrill of being pulled around on the boar's back, Shadowface could do nothing more than hang on tight and yelp when his leg cranked the side of a tree.

Now that the pig was gaining speed and Shadowface had some time to collect himself as best he could, he made the attempt to pull his dagger out of the rib cage and stab the beast again, aiming closer to it's heart. This would hopefully kill the poor beast and allow Shadowface to return back to the village in one piece.

[Haywire]

The boar that carried Shadowface squealed as it ran through the forest, its feet carrying its massive bulk, crashing through bushes and jumping over small logs. Shadowface was flung about like a rag doll in a child's arms as his furry body collided with the boar's and the surrounding shrubbery.

Grabbing hold of its mane, the dorin got a firm grip and withdrew his dagger, only to plunge it in again into its body. Remembering his teachings, he punctured the boar's stomach again, this time deflating a lung and the boar squealed again in pain as it continued to run but it was starting to slow down and shadow could feel its resistance waning.

Slowly but surely the boar began to give up and came to a walking trot as it had begun to lose a lot of blood from the deep wound delivered by the Dorin. It's breathing became laboured and soon it just collapsed on its side and Shadowface could feel its pain by just looking in its eyes as they closed. It had given up a fight but one that was not good enough to fend off its attacker.

A pair of eyes watched Shadowface from the bushes not far off, they were crooked and dark green, the muscles around them twitching. "You stole my meal....Dorin!" A smaller figure stepped out of the bushes and revealed himself. It was a Cether but he seemed to be...slightly deformed, perhaps by having lived in the Forest so long, the magics that worked their ways had warped his mind and figure. Either way, his wretched skin and dark baggy clothing were quite eyesores as Shadowface could see that the curly haired cether was also wielding some sort of weapon; a dagger. The cether flipped the dagger between his hands and hissed at him. He was angry that the Dorin had stolen his meal, he'd been tracking the boar all brightening and the Dorin had come and ruined his kill. Klem didn't like it when people ruined his kills.

"Noisy dorin! Get!" He thrust he dagger menacingly into the air, quite a far ways away from Shadow but he seemed as though he would fight the Dorin if provoked.

[Shadowface]

Shadowface was relieved to see the boar slowing down to enter the spirit realm. He felt bad to have caused such suffering to the poor beast, but was glad that he had now found peace. With a sore leg and a blood soaked hand, the dorin propped himself off the corpse and knelt beside it to offer a prayer.

Before he could even mutter a word, a voice called out, accusing him of stealing it's meal. dagger still in hand, Shadowface turned to see a strange looking creature that was unfamiliar to him and potentially hostile.

In his best common the dorin gave a nod with his head and spoke up. "Forgive me, I did not know this boar was to be your meal. My name is Shadowface. Would you like to come with me, back to my tribe, and we will share our food and water with you?" Shadowface tried to sound as pleasant as he could, hoping the Cether would accept. He was always taught to be a strong warrior, but also that many situations could be tamed by using words and friendship, which the dorin was attempting to use right now.

[Haywire]

"Klem don't want your charity!" The cether now approaching a little closer to Shadowface as his glances seemed to switch between the Dorin and his food now laying in the dirt.

Flipping his dagger back and forth a little more, Klem circled around, still wary of the Dorin's presence and came in further.

"Klem no like Dorins...They furry and stinky..." His nose wrinkled as he came a little closer, his tongue darting in and out of his mouth. He eyed the boar, almost if he'd become more primal than most of the animals already living in the forest. Looking at the bloody dagger that Shadow was holding, he hesitated, still wondering if the Dorin posed a threat.

Frustrated that the Dorin had taken away his fun he hissed once more and flipped his dagger a third time. "You give me the boar, Klem no hurt you, furry Dorin!" It sounded like an ultimatum. If Shadowface delayed anymore, it looked like the malformed midget of a man was going to pop and not in a good way.