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INDUCTION: Wave Three
Mirad licked his paw as he waited for training to officially start, the novices themselves were all there but it was his fellow legion heads that he was waiting for.
Tataki was usually of the punctual type so her absence was confusing to him.
He hoped nothing had come up.
The male Chimera swished his long, thin tail in irritation and forced himself upon his lithe paws. Taking what he hoped looked like confident steps, he strode towards the novices, not feeling the weight of his battle armor.
Part of him felt like he was overkilling it by arriving in full blown armor (save for the helmet) since it was highly unlikely an attack would occur on this side of the forest, however the other side of him knew the novices needed some kind of reference or motivation for when they headed off to the Fallen Forge to pick up their temporary armor.
And besides, what was a Warrior without his armor?
He knew the plan for the first day was simple, yet he felt nervous as if it were his first day as a legion head, instead of this wave being one of the many he had introduced during his lifetime.
He wished he could chalk it off to rustiness but he knew it was because he hated talking in front of crowds.
Regardless,he made his way towards the small crowd and observed the youth.
It was odd, he thought that even in a Glide as small as Aralia, it was still divided in little social circles, it reminded him of his own adolescence, and of his own social circle with Vishnu and Keleam.
He purred at the bittersweet memory, a time before The Corruption even began.
So long ago.
Those ideas made him feel older than he was.
Shaking his head, the vaporeon hybrid stood in front of his wave.
"I know that my fellow legion heads have yet to arrive, but we have no choice but to start the induction without them." He gazed over the novices as he spoke, seeing their confusion.
"So, why don't we get to know each other?"
Mirad's fins twitched slightly, feeling embarrassed at the lack of vocal response from the novices but he quickly pushed it away. He allowed his bright orange gaze to harden and tried to take on a more serious approach towards the Wave.
"I am going to call out your names, you have to reply with 'here' or 'present'. If you don't reply I will mark you as absent and you will have to wait at least another 6 months to be eligible for training again. Understood?"
The novices replied in a sync of Yes and Mirad called out the first name on the list he had memorized.
"Reeinee."
A response was heard from the novice crowd and Mirad took a look at the source of the reply -a male glaceon- and Mirad softened a bit recalling how he and Vinny had rescued the dying vulpine in the middle of a blizzard. There was a gleam in his green eyes, one that was disturbingly similar to the one Keleam held, and Mirad immediately knew the ice fox was enrolled in hunter training.
He started with the second name "Torns-" only to be interrupted by a distraction.
The bushes surrounding the Mossy Hollow rustled and Mirad instinctively took a battle stance forcing some of his water type energy into his mouth, ready to defend the inexperienced novices. However,much to his relief, out of the foliage popped a black cat followed closely by a leafeon.
With the attendance abandoned, Mirad dispelled the hydro pump he was forming and rushed up to the duo.
"Where have you both been!?" He hissed, his large fins closing and flattening against his skull.
Tataki looked unfazed by her fellow legion head's anger and gave him a small tired smile.
"Pearl was having some issues."
Mirad's anger was replaced by icy fear and he vividly recalled the distraught sobs of Chaos as his mate miscarried their first litter.
The black she-cat moved past him and muttered under her breath "-why does every pregnancy she has, have to be so risky?"
"What about you?" Mirad inquired turning to the male leafeon, noting that he too was wearing his custom battle armor, helmet included and Mirad felt out of place with his lack of one.
Although he knew he had good reasons to not wear his: The helmet was uncomfortable due to his large mobile fin ears.
Keleam shrugged and walked at the same pace as Mirad.
"I Was helping Tataki. Caylx still can't produce sleeping powder, so i was there to provide." the grass fox explained simply.
"I see," it was the best reply the blue skinned chimera could muster, he felt that maybe he was being too nosey, diving into the private matters of Chaos and Pearl. Granted he hadn't asked for them to be told to him but still it felt deeply personal to know that Pearl's third pregnancy was not going well.
He just hoped that no kits died this time.
He shook his head briskly and thought back on what he had been doing, what he was supposed to do.
He stood idly while Tataki wrapped up the attendance, confirming that indeed all the novices had arrived, it was unusual for a novice to not arrive but still they checked, just in case.
So now Mirad found himself standing next to Keleam as Tataki started her speech. He wondered how the she-cat could keep her composure when her purple eyes were shining with pride at her three daughters.
The chimera tapped the finned tip of his tail against the grass as he listened to the feline speak, he always thought Tataki had that natural leadership in a more notable way than Rurses. However, Rurses’ history as one of the major war commanders and Head of the Arial Striker troop had more weight than Tataki’s maternal and confident nature in the eyes of Aralia.
“-Induction will last two weeks and mainly serves the purpose for you to meet and get to know your Glidemates and fellow soldiers, but it also reinforces our culture and some of our basic war strategies.” Her long fluffy tail twitched “-Once the Induction is over you will be split according to your LOB and sent to start the actual training, now what is included and how long that will take depends on your legion head but our goal here is that you can all make it to OJT and eventually have your Honoris.”
“Any questions?”
“What is OJT exactly?” a small accented voice piped up. It belonged to a chimera Mirad was not familiar with. He assumed this new addition to the Glide was a former loner or merchant.
“OJT, stands for On-The-Job-Training, If you are a hunter or warrior, during OJT you will be sent in groups of four to perform basic duties like patrols, these groups will be consisting of two hunters and two warriors and are always supervised, its just to see how you would fair in a more realistic environment. As for healers, OJT starts from day One whenever you assist with treating a patient.”
There were sounds of understanding among the novices and Tataki smiled with a soft purr of approval. “Now I understand most of you choose your Line of Business when you did your examination, however I do want to ask if there is anyone who wishes to change LOB before we start or that hasn't chosen one yet."
Much to his surprise there weren’t any paws raised or last minute cries of regret. Although he did see one or two faces in the small crowd that seemed insecure, Mirad kept his eye on a particular ginger feline who stuck close to the previously mentioned Reeinee. Mirad recognized him as the warrior drop-out from Wave Two and found himself growing curious in regards to what was going through the tom’s head.
Was he trying for warrior again?
He was most definitely going to interrogate him if he happened to be his legion head again.
“No one?” Tataki asked with slight surprise to her voice, with no replies she got up and stood back as Keleam made his way to the front.
His steps were filled with confidence and purpose and not a part of his leafy body seemed to twitch with panic. The elaborate and delicate patterns on the helmet and the petal shaped shoulder blades only added to his visual confidence and power.
Mirad found himself envying the leafeon's attitude,for a first time legion head, he was doing well beyond what was expected, like he had done this his whole life.
"So, with the basics down, I'll be taking you all to get your battle armor!" Keleam exclaimed and Mirad saw the murderous gleam in his blue eyes. Even though they had known each other their whole lives, Keleam's murderous enthusiasm still terrified Mirad.
Keleam led the way to the Fallen Forge, a happy chitter of young felines, eons and chimeras behind him.While Mirad allowed himself to fall back at the end alongside Tataki.
"I saw your daughters are in this wave." He said to the older she-cat
The black feline perked up at the mention of her three kits and beamed with pride.
"Yes, indeed they are each going to a different LOB."
Mirad blinked, his fins jumping up slightly.
"I'm surprised to hear that, seeing how close they seem to be, I assumed they all were going to the same LOB."
Tataki laughed and shook her head, "Neio Neio,-" Mirad noticed her accent as she spoke those words "-they're too distinct to go into the same LOB, Nyx and Vee perhaps but Juno has always had her eyes set on the healer's post."
"So you got the approval to train her?" Mirad inquired, remembering all the drama that had occurred over a mother training her own child.
"Yes, it was stupid to not be given the approval." Tataki said simply with a flash of anger in her purple eyes. "I was taught healing by my mother back in the Harp Guild and I consider myself quite good at what I do, I can not see how training and passing my knowledge to my offspring would be an issue."
"Some stupid paranoia from another glide I assume….I mean, in the case of warriors a mother might be too soft on her child." Mirad suggested tentatively, he didn't want to enrage the healer afterall.
Tataki's gaze softened . "Perhaps…after all, a mother never wants to hurt her kit, but still this is healing, they have a right to be taught. "
Mirad shook his head, the fins on the side of his head flattening as he did. This she-cat had some very strong opinions and he admired that. She was as fierce as she was loving and either way she stood firmly for her beliefs.
He imagined Tataki had fought out of sheer stubbornness.
Their pace slowed as they arrived at the Fallen Forge.
The Fallen Forge was at the very edge of The Glide of Aralia's domain, but it was a safe place unlike other areas.
It was a clearing, with a scattered mess of materials such as crystals and tools with a large structure as the centerpiece. The structure itself was made of many small evenly shaped gray stones, the top was shaped a bit like a dome, if domes were more box-like than round. The base was more of those grey rocks piled and held together by some kind of hardened rock like glue, the center of the structure was hollowed out.
Mirad had heard Vishnu call it an "Oven" once and he had seen it in action multiple times before, whenever The Merchants of Roz would use it to work on their blacksmithed weapons.
However the structure was not Keleam's goal, instead he pushed one of the large stones surrounding the "Oven" with his slender muzzle and paws and expertly opened a hidden chest.
"This,-" he began addressing the novices "-is the Fallen Forge,among the many things we use this place for, is storage of spare armor and weapons. Today you will all receive your temporary armor that will be used during your training- save for OJT- once The Roz arrives however we'll work on getting better fitting armor for you. Now I want you all to make two lines and we'll give you your armor."
The novices that were supposed to have armor, hunters and warriors made their line eagerly.
Realizing that was his cue, Mirad opened up another box that was hidden under a pile of logs and ushered the warrior novices towards him. He felt a bit disappointed when Gingerwhisker was not among them but quickly returned to focusing on his task.
He dug out the smallest piece of heavy armor and assisted the first in line with putting the metal clothes on, it was a small gray cat and Mirad noted how large the armor fit her.
"If you want, I can help with adjusting that in a bit, just sit tight ok?"
The she-cat who had been wearing a montone serious face during the whole training only nodded curtly and replied "Yes, sir." Before she got out of the way, the armor looked awkward as she moved and Mirad focussed on the next one in line.
Overall, there were 5 warrior novices and now Mirad was just helping the she-cat get the armor to fit a bit more properly.
This help came in the form of him hammering it as she wore it to mold it a bit more to her body.
He needed to ask Rurses when Roz was going to arrive.
It needed to be soon or else this poor cat would never be able to see OJT.
Across the small glade he listened as novices exchanged words and compliments and how Tataki's two kits- a almost identical looking black cat and an eevee- argued over who was supposed to be showing their mother first.
He finished up with the adjustment of the right leg and the feline nodded to him with a brief 'thanks' before she left and sat down a fair distance away from the rest of the novices.
Mirad wondered if she was ok.
Her icy attitude was concerning.
Closing up the chest, the Vaporeon hybrid glanced around noting the two healer novices, lingering a bit away from the rest. Tataki's kit Juno seemed to have no issue with the exclusion; but there was a look of longing in the other novice's yellow eyes that made Mirad wonder why she hadn't changed her LOB when given the chance.
He considered talking to her and asking if she wanted a last minute change, but decided not to.
Something told him not to pry into it.
The day had continued with more details about the training, a small offering to the god Epyotil in hopes of protection while in the woods and at long last ended with a lengthy walk back to camp, with the poor novices wearing their armor.
The novices had been instructed to leave their armor in The Camp's Storage and get some good meals and rest up as tomorrow starting at Sunrise they would receive a proper tour of the territory.
There had been some groans and complaints but at the end of the day, the novices had nothing they could do about it, this was after all the life they had signed up for.
At the end of an admittedly long day, Mirad found himself sitting in the hollow nook of a Memory Tree. He looked around at the scattered trinkets and photos -A tattered flag with the Aralian Crest on it, a kit's rag doll, a few musty books that he assumed belonged to Vishnu,and well over a dozen framed pictures depicting Matrimonium, some old and paled by time and others, like Tataki's; bright and new. His own picture was on that wooden wall and he smiled looking at himself and his mate Suli, posing in bliss while covered in white flowers.
He gently took a particular photo between his blue paws.
It was a photo taken years ago,showing heavy signs of damage, smudged and blurred were Vishnu, Keleam and himself alongside others like Tataki, Rurses and Ace. While now almost illegible the text scrawled over the photo had once read "Aralian Army Wave One"
He set the framed picture back on the wooden shelf and after making a small prayer to Aztlil, respectfully backed out of the hollowed tree.
He made his way into camp nearly undetected by his Glidemates (he had been stopped by that night's camp guard at the entrance) and slipped into the Main Den, picking his way through the warm sleeping bodies of feline, demon and hybrid alike until he finally got to his occupied nest.
Settling down beside the soft form of his sleeping wife, Mirad placed his head on his paws and wondered if the New Wave 3 would be more successful than the New Wave 2.