HOME | DD

Description

Featuring Dearg & Ajandi
Year 755 of the New Age, Summer

Silverthorne, west of the Silvervale

Dearg made his way eagerly through the forest, head held high and ears pricked eagerly as he tried to determine just far off the meeting place was.

It was a few months into his intensive training as a soldier, and up till this point he had spent practically all his time sparring with his fellow trainees. However the other day he had come across his mother talking to an older stag, an ex-general who had only recently retired. Though Dearg had been eager to try and entice the stag into a spar, the stag had refused, making a dry comment about the state of his old bones. However after a long conversation about Dearg's passion to learn how to be the best soldier he could be, the old stag had gotten a contemplative look on his face before he told Dearg to be at the second largest clearing west of the Silvervale if he truly was serious about learning.

And, well. It really was no surprise that Dearg had immediately mentally filed away the place and the time the stag had given him, and was now on his way there. Dearg knew what he would find - likely the stag was willing to take him on as a personal student; a great honour indeed. To learn from a soldier that had managed to prove himself enough to become a general... Just the idea of it had Dearg giddy.

As he neared the clearing, he slowed his pace and took a few deep breaths, trying to slow his excited heart. Doing a few crowhops to expel nervous energy as he made his way down the last few metres before the end of the treeline, Dearg finally stepped out into the clearing, trying to look regal and like prime soldier material.

However... There was nobody in sight; no familiar ex-General, not even an unfamiliar stag who might have been a substitute trainer. Frowning, Dearg half wondered if he had gotten the time or location wrong, however a voice from behind him cut into his thoughts.

"You are Dearg?"

Startling at the odd voice - one that was deep and throaty, but still seemed oddly soft - he turned to look at the stranger. And paused and narrowed his eyes at the sight before him.

A doe. A very raggedy, ugly doe covered in scars.

Laying his ears back, Dearg raised an eyebrow and tilted his chin up, puffing out his chest subconsciously. "Who's asking?" He asked brashly, trying to intimidate the odd doe with his size and appearance.

The doe snorted and rolled her eyes, pushing past him as she walked into the centre of the clearing. "That's a yes. Now hurry up, I don't have all day." She said briskly, turning and staring at him expectantly as she reached the centre of the ring.

Dearg frowned, further confused by the doe's words. "All day to do what?" He asked dumbly, staying firmly where he stood near the treeline. The doe narrowed her eyes at his words then lifted her own head up further, casting him a look of disdain. "What do you think? Why are you here, Dearg son of Eialt?" She asked slowly, as if she were walking him towards the answer. Which she, indeed, was.

Dearg stared a little longer before laying his ears flat against his neck, backing up a step. "Oh no. No no, I'm here because Dolandjion told me to meet him here. For training." He said, looking irritated. The doe huffed out a sigh and raised an eyebrow. "Did he say he'd meet you here?" She asked almost boredly, not bothering to move closer to the younger fawnling. Dearg paused and frowned angrily, tossing his head in agitation. "No! But... He implied!"

The doe snorted and smirked slightly, tilting her head. "Yes... He does that." She said dryly before turning around. "Again, hurry up. You can have your crisis of faith later, for now get in the ring and show me what you've learnt. I may be doing this at the bequest of an old friend, but that doesn't mean I'll simply stand here for however long it takes you to get over your issues." She said, irritation colouring her tone.

Dearg let out a harsh laugh, flinging his head up proudly. "You expect me to believe I was sent here to train with a doe? No, forget it. I'm leaving." He said snarkily, turning to make his way back to the forest.

A sudden impact sent him staggering as the doe barrelled into his side faster than he could've anticipated. Shaking his head to clear the fuzziness, he turned his head to glare at the ridiculous femme, however his angry words were lost before they could form as he caught sight of the golden amulet that lay at the doe's feet.

Now mad with anger, because how dare she, Dearg pinned his ears and half reared. "Give that back! That's mine." He snarled, past the point of entertaining the infuriating creature before him.

The doe simply continued to watch him with disinterested eyes, her scarred mouth arranged into a disapproving frown. "I knew your father. He was a good soldier, but more than that, a good stag..." Kicking the amulet gently away towards the opposite treeline, she then arranged herself into a defensive position, her sharp eyes focused on the red buck before her. "Now come. And prove to me you deserve to wear his amulet."

With an angry cry, Dearg rushed forward.

+

Dearg panted, head hanging low between his trembling forelegs as he tried to catch his breath. For the past hour or so he had been trying to overpower the infuriating two-toned doe however, despite his best efforts, he had been unsuccessful. Oh he had gotten some lucky hits in, antlers grazing against her side and there had been a moment when his hoof had come down delightfully hard upon her shoulder... Yet the doe had simply shrugged the injuries off, and parried and evaded all further attempts at hurting her, striking him when he barrelled past her - all while watching him with her hawkish gaze.

"Are you done yet?"

Dearg snarled and laid his ears back as he heard her voice somewhere above him, however though he wanted desperately to raise his head up to glare at her, he simply did not have the strength to spare - and his rack, the one he usually was so proud of, was now little more than a hindrance. A weight pulling him down.

In that moment, Dearg couldn't have been more disappointed in himself.

Lost in his self-berating as he was, he barely hear the soft sigh from the doe above him. "Okay, I think that's enough for today. Go home, get some rest."

Dearg ignored her mulishly, knowing somewhere deep down that he was being ridiculous, but suffering from far too much pain and exhaustion to care. Thinking the doe had left, he allowed himself to collapse to his knees, face pressed to the ground as his breathing slowly evened out. A cheery metallic sound from beside him made him startle, and he looked to his left where his father's amulet now lay.

"Chin up, son of Eialt. Every soldier must fall in a fight at some point in their life. How else do you expect to learn to get back up?" The soft, gruff voice trickled in one ear and out the other.

Ajandi frowned at the buck below her, trying to quell her disappointment at his attitude. When her old mentor Dolandjion had approached her with his request, that she train the only son of Eialt, she had been hesitant but willing - driven by her memories of the calm, respectful stag she had once called friend. She had expected his son to be similar to him, however clearly that was not the case.

Stubborn. Mule-headed and hopelessly prejudiced.

Shaking her head mutely, she turned away from the defeated young buck and began to make her way towards the treeline. A voice from behind her, however, made her halt in her tracks.

"So... Same time tomorrow?"

Brow furrowing, Ajandi turned back to cast an inquiring look at Dearg, who was now standing - albeit with a tired slump in his shoulders. The boy shifted nervously under her sharp gaze, but said nothing further, turning the silence almost awkward before Ajandi slowly lowered her chin into the barest of nods, her face expressionless.

Dearg returned the nod awkwardly, still not quite able to bring himself to look in her eyes. Moving to make his way out into the woods, he paused before turning back to Ajandi, the doe still watching him with a blank, guarded look. A muscle twitched in Dearg's jaw as he hesitated, then finally moved forward to drop something at Ajandi's feet.

The amulet.

As Ajandi looked down at it in confusion, Dearg cleared his throat awkwardly and pointedly looked everywhere but at her. "Just... What you said. Give it back to me when I've earned it."

At his words, Ajandi was startled into smiling at the boy, but by that time he had already turned tail and fled.

Gazing thoughtfully at the point of the treeline Dearg had disappeared into, Ajandi let out a curious hum and bent down to ever so carefully pick up the amulet.

Maybe there was hope for Eialt's son after all.

Description

Featuring Dearg & Ajandi
Year 755 of the New Age, Summer

Silverthorne, west of the Silvervale

Dearg made his way eagerly through the forest, head held high and ears pricked eagerly as he tried to determine just far off the meeting place was.

It was a few months into his intensive training as a soldier, and up till this point he had spent practically all his time sparring with his fellow trainees. However the other day he had come across his mother talking to an older stag, an ex-general who had only recently retired. Though Dearg had been eager to try and entice the stag into a spar, the stag had refused, making a dry comment about the state of his old bones. However after a long conversation about Dearg's passion to learn how to be the best soldier he could be, the old stag had gotten a contemplative look on his face before he told Dearg to be at the second largest clearing west of the Silvervale if he truly was serious about learning.

And, well. It really was no surprise that Dearg had immediately mentally filed away the place and the time the stag had given him, and was now on his way there. Dearg knew what he would find - likely the stag was willing to take him on as a personal student; a great honour indeed. To learn from a soldier that had managed to prove himself enough to become a general... Just the idea of it had Dearg giddy.

As he neared the clearing, he slowed his pace and took a few deep breaths, trying to slow his excited heart. Doing a few crowhops to expel nervous energy as he made his way down the last few metres before the end of the treeline, Dearg finally stepped out into the clearing, trying to look regal and like prime soldier material.

However... There was nobody in sight; no familiar ex-General, not even an unfamiliar stag who might have been a substitute trainer. Frowning, Dearg half wondered if he had gotten the time or location wrong, however a voice from behind him cut into his thoughts.

"You are Dearg?"

Startling at the odd voice - one that was deep and throaty, but still seemed oddly soft - he turned to look at the stranger. And paused and narrowed his eyes at the sight before him.

A doe. A very raggedy, ugly doe covered in scars.

Laying his ears back, Dearg raised an eyebrow and tilted his chin up, puffing out his chest subconsciously. "Who's asking?" He asked brashly, trying to intimidate the odd doe with his size and appearance.

The doe snorted and rolled her eyes, pushing past him as she walked into the centre of the clearing. "That's a yes. Now hurry up, I don't have all day." She said briskly, turning and staring at him expectantly as she reached the centre of the ring.

Dearg frowned, further confused by the doe's words. "All day to do what?" He asked dumbly, staying firmly where he stood near the treeline. The doe narrowed her eyes at his words then lifted her own head up further, casting him a look of disdain. "What do you think? Why are you here, Dearg son of Eialt?" She asked slowly, as if she were walking him towards the answer. Which she, indeed, was.

Dearg stared a little longer before laying his ears flat against his neck, backing up a step. "Oh no. No no, I'm here because Dolandjion told me to meet him here. For training." He said, looking irritated. The doe huffed out a sigh and raised an eyebrow. "Did he say he'd meet you here?" She asked almost boredly, not bothering to move closer to the younger fawnling. Dearg paused and frowned angrily, tossing his head in agitation. "No! But... He implied!"

The doe snorted and smirked slightly, tilting her head. "Yes... He does that." She said dryly before turning around. "Again, hurry up. You can have your crisis of faith later, for now get in the ring and show me what you've learnt. I may be doing this at the bequest of an old friend, but that doesn't mean I'll simply stand here for however long it takes you to get over your issues." She said, irritation colouring her tone.

Dearg let out a harsh laugh, flinging his head up proudly. "You expect me to believe I was sent here to train with a doe? No, forget it. I'm leaving." He said snarkily, turning to make his way back to the forest.

A sudden impact sent him staggering as the doe barrelled into his side faster than he could've anticipated. Shaking his head to clear the fuzziness, he turned his head to glare at the ridiculous femme, however his angry words were lost before they could form as he caught sight of the golden amulet that lay at the doe's feet.

Now mad with anger, because how dare she, Dearg pinned his ears and half reared. "Give that back! That's mine." He snarled, past the point of entertaining the infuriating creature before him.

The doe simply continued to watch him with disinterested eyes, her scarred mouth arranged into a disapproving frown. "I knew your father. He was a good soldier, but more than that, a good stag..." Kicking the amulet gently away towards the opposite treeline, she then arranged herself into a defensive position, her sharp eyes focused on the red buck before her. "Now come. And prove to me you deserve to wear his amulet."

With an angry cry, Dearg rushed forward.

+

Dearg panted, head hanging low between his trembling forelegs as he tried to catch his breath. For the past hour or so he had been trying to overpower the infuriating two-toned doe however, despite his best efforts, he had been unsuccessful. Oh he had gotten some lucky hits in, antlers grazing against her side and there had been a moment when his hoof had come down delightfully hard upon her shoulder... Yet the doe had simply shrugged the injuries off, and parried and evaded all further attempts at hurting her, striking him when he barrelled past her - all while watching him with her hawkish gaze.

"Are you done yet?"

Dearg snarled and laid his ears back as he heard her voice somewhere above him, however though he wanted desperately to raise his head up to glare at her, he simply did not have the strength to spare - and his rack, the one he usually was so proud of, was now little more than a hindrance. A weight pulling him down.

In that moment, Dearg couldn't have been more disappointed in himself.

Lost in his self-berating as he was, he barely hear the soft sigh from the doe above him. "Okay, I think that's enough for today. Go home, get some rest."

Dearg ignored her mulishly, knowing somewhere deep down that he was being ridiculous, but suffering from far too much pain and exhaustion to care. Thinking the doe had left, he allowed himself to collapse to his knees, face pressed to the ground as his breathing slowly evened out. A cheery metallic sound from beside him made him startle, and he looked to his left where his father's amulet now lay.

"Chin up, son of Eialt. Every soldier must fall in a fight at some point in their life. How else do you expect to learn to get back up?" The soft, gruff voice trickled in one ear and out the other.

Ajandi frowned at the buck below her, trying to quell her disappointment at his attitude. When her old mentor Dolandjion had approached her with his request, that she train the only son of Eialt, she had been hesitant but willing - driven by her memories of the calm, respectful stag she had once called friend. She had expected his son to be similar to him, however clearly that was not the case.

Stubborn. Mule-headed and hopelessly prejudiced.

Shaking her head mutely, she turned away from the defeated young buck and began to make her way towards the treeline. A voice from behind her, however, made her halt in her tracks.

"So... Same time tomorrow?"

Brow furrowing, Ajandi turned back to cast an inquiring look at Dearg, who was now standing - albeit with a tired slump in his shoulders. The boy shifted nervously under her sharp gaze, but said nothing further, turning the silence almost awkward before Ajandi slowly lowered her chin into the barest of nods, her face expressionless.

Dearg returned the nod awkwardly, still not quite able to bring himself to look in her eyes. Moving to make his way out into the woods, he paused before turning back to Ajandi, the doe still watching him with a blank, guarded look. A muscle twitched in Dearg's jaw as he hesitated, then finally moved forward to drop something at Ajandi's feet.

The amulet.

As Ajandi looked down at it in confusion, Dearg cleared his throat awkwardly and pointedly looked everywhere but at her. "Just... What you said. Give it back to me when I've earned it."

At his words, Ajandi was startled into smiling at the boy, but by that time he had already turned tail and fled.

Gazing thoughtfully at the point of the treeline Dearg had disappeared into, Ajandi let out a curious hum and bent down to ever so carefully pick up the amulet.

Maybe there was hope for Eialt's son after all.