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Post by Madeline on Mar 6, 2021 21:01:54 GMT -5
**The day was sunny, with a few clouds flitting by, cottony white against a periwinkle blue sky. A gentle breeze soughed through the trees, making the mid-Spring leaves talk in rustley whispers. **Madeline turned her face to the sky and closed her green eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on her grey and black-striped fur. She listened as various woodland birds joined the conversation of the trees. The growing grasses and flowers of the Abbey grounds nodded to each other in a friendly way around the young wildcat. **Madeline sighed and opened her eyes. She was old enough to become a Novice, as, indeed, was expected of her. But she wished not for such a peaceful life. Her older sister was still out there, somewhere, and Madeline knew that she must be stopped before she set her sights on Mossflower. But where was her sister? She hadn't heard word if her since...well, since she came to the Abbey, actually. But she knew if her sister still lived, conquering innocent creatures was all she had on her mind. She had never told anybeast of the plans her sister and their late father used to make to bring terror and pain to those weaker than themselves. That was a fearful secret Madeline wasn't sure she could share. **The cat turned her gaze to the straw-filled dummy before her. She had managed to convince various woodland Warriors to teach her how to use a sword, and every day, after she had finished her chores in Redwall, Madeline faithfully practiced with a wooden sword in a secluded place on the Abbey grounds, waiting for the day she could get a real one. She had to be the best sword fighter she possibly could be if she had any hope of defeating her sister someday. The cat had promised to protect her home, and she intended to keep that promise. **Madeline raised her wooden sword and attacked the dummy. Thwack! Thwock! Whack! Her face declared her grim determination and concentration. This was no time for contemplation.** (OOC: I'll try to not do any more OOC notes; I apologize for any typos i missed -- I will probably be typing most of these poses on my phone, and i had to turn autocorrect off because it made me want to throw things; I hope I did this right I read the rules and FAQs and the beginning of someone else's spar, but still.... BIC)
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Post by Fyri on Mar 7, 2021 6:14:49 GMT -5
**The pleasantly warm breeze not only rustled the leaves around her but ruffled Fyri's freshly trimmed fur as well. As the weather had grown warmer so had her fur grown shorter and the fabric of her capelet thinner. Though more appropriate for the season, its more feeble texture had made Fyri climb up the tree she was currently lounging in much slower and more deliberate, afraid that any branches that might snag into the cloth would tear it apart. She wanted it to last at least a couple days before it required repair or replacing.**
**Fyri stretched out on the branch, lying lazily on her belly, paws dangling on either side. Birdsong twittered around, a melodious duet of answer and reply not meant for her ears yet sung aloud unashamed and unobstructed.**
Aye, I am a marten
but flying I take nae part in
yer song tis nae mine
for a marten I am of pine!
**Fyri murmured to herself, attempting to match the words to the avian beat. As she was about to enter into another verse, the symphony of spring gained a new player.**
Thwack! Thwock! Whack!
**A woodpecker came to mind but the impact of beak on bark had a distinct noise that did not match this. She pulled her paws in and lifted herself up on the branch, ears perked to listen more closely. Curiosity getting the better of her, Fyri moved to the end of her branch and peered through the foliage. There, below in a mostly abandoned part of the Abbey grounds, she spotted a feline fighting a hapless hay victim. Though Fyri could not see her face from the vantage point, she seemed to be very concentrated on her task. The way of the sword was not the pine marten's speciality but she enjoyed some combat every now and again. It was good exercise.**
**Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, she left her tree and snuck back into the abbey and unto the secluded training ground, picking up her wooden spear - which for all intents and purposes was merely a long stick - on the way. Before she was close enough to strike, Fyri dramatically raised the weapon and let out an exaggerated**
HYAH!
**that warriors seemed to enjoy doing despite it usually betraying their position and intent.**
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Post by Madeline on Mar 7, 2021 19:37:58 GMT -5
HYAH!
**Madeline had not been expecting that. Honestly, she hadn't been expecting anybeast to be around. I mean, she was in the most secluded part of the Abbey she could find. Why should she have been watching for anyone to practically attack her? To say the least, the shout startled her. The wildcat's tail poufed up considerably as she spun around. Unfortunately, while she was a cat and thus innately graceful, she was also basically a teenager and thus innately a klutz. Her feet tangled together and threw her in a heap on the ground. She rolled to one side, then scowled up at the pine marten.**
"What in the seasons possessed you to scare me like that?! I fell on my sword! If it had been a real sword I coulda died!!"
**The young wildcat stood and started brushing dirt off her tunic and pants. Grabbing her tail, she strove to smooth it back down to normal. Fyri had better not laugh.** "Sorry....I just wasn't expecting anybeast to be around here. I usually practice alone." **Madeline glances shyly up at the pine marten, hoping she would accept her apology for yelling. The wildcat has always been a nervous, shy creature.**
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Post by Fyri on Mar 8, 2021 8:53:05 GMT -5
What in the seasons possessed you to scare me like that?! I fell on my sword! If it had been a real sword I coulda died!!
**Twist and shout!**
**A yelp, a jump, the bushy tail; that is what Fyri had expected to receive but Madeline had gone a step -albeit a misstep- beyond that. All the while answering the burning question the pine marten had been entertaining for at least one heartbeat and a half: Why warriors far and wide, in stories, song, and in real life, screamed to announce their attack from the top of their lungs. So this was why. Very useful technique to avoid dirtying your own paws and still getting out on top. You needn't even lift a paw. Simply yell and the enemy will put themselves out of commission! Another mystery solved.**
**That being said, Madeline's counterattack in the form of an indignant shout of her own, left the pine marten largely unperturbed. She was far too amused by the elegant twirl and drop performed by the wildcat. Lowering her weapon to one side, Fyri muffled her laugh in a paw yet her eyes still had a spark of mirth in them.**
Sorry....I just wasn't expecting anybeast to be around here. I usually practice alone.
Nae problem. **She waved the comment away airily.** Didnae mean tae startle anybeast tae death. **She grinned slightly.** Or tae be making ye dance!
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Post by Madeline on Mar 9, 2021 17:17:56 GMT -5
**Madeline was staring at the ground. She had never fully gotten over her shyness, and now that she'd gotten older, she also had to deal with the natural insecurities that beasts her age usually endure. As such, her confidence was sorely lacking. She thought back to when she was a kitten, before she was rescued by woodlanders and brought to the Abbey. Her parents constantly shouting at each other. The yelling and orders given to their small band of vermin. Everyone yelling at her. And Madeline getting punished for yelling back.
**The Abbey was always so much nicer than that. The wildcat couldn't remember ever getting shouted at here. But the memories of her early Dibbunhood still remained.**
"Nae problem."
**As the marten started talking, the cat glanced up again, trying to remind herself that not everybeast was like her old family. But at the comment of her dancing, Madeline's head jerked up, and she gave Fyri an offended look.** "You're laughing at me!"
**The indignant wildcat scooped up her wooden sword, turned, and, grabbing her straw dummy, started to march off.** "I won't stay here to be mocked by....by impertinent beasts who laugh when others fall to their deaths!"
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Post by Fyri on Mar 10, 2021 5:31:01 GMT -5
**Fyri was aiming for a smile or a small laugh from the young cat. She had fully expected that to be the result. It had been rather comical, after all. The jill opened her mouth to add another joke about cats and landing on their feet, but she was shut up when Madeline’s head snapped up. The sudden motion, as well as the indignation in her green gaze, caught the pine marten by surprise.**
You're laughing at me!
**She recoiled ever so slightly at the accusation. The cat’s reaction had been so beyond her conjecture that all she could do in response was blink. The dummy left in the cat’s paws, and with a flash Fyri felt like she’d been left here standing like one in its place. A fur dummy. The grip on her wooden spear tightened at the familiar feeling. She never learnt, did she?**
I won't stay here to be mocked by....by impertinent beasts who laugh when others fall to their deaths!
**Her mind returned to the present, and the smile to her face. She bit her lip to hold back an audible chuckle, but the statement had been so dramatic and funny to her that it was taking great effort. A stark contrast to the dark cloud that had briefly overcast her mind. Her mood had oft been described as fickle. A trait that had only been enhanced in recent years. To the exasperation of most beasts, no doubt, yet it was also a boon to the pine marten. Fyri did not dwell long on a downer.**
I wasnae mocking ye, verily! **She made a twirl herself, holding her spear horizontally, and ended with it in front of Madeline to bar her path.** Ye’re nae gonnae haunt me now, are ye?
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Post by Madeline on Mar 10, 2021 19:35:52 GMT -5
**Haunted.
**Madeline could relate to that word. She often used it when telling her diary about the memories of her old life, as she called it. Haunted by fear, and wishing her old family had been as loving as the one she had here in Redwall.
**It was this haunting that made her overreact with mostly uncalled-for indignation. And that had brought tears to the young wildcat's eyes.
**Having missed the marten's twirl due to the fact that her back had been turned, the cat had no reason to expect anything to suddenly cross her path. Surprised, Madeline halted when the pole appeared in front of her. Striving to not cry, the wildcat glanced again at Fyri.** "No, how...how could I haunt you? I'm not dead...I'm not a ghost." **She dropped the straw dummy and scrubbed at her eyes with the back of her paw, trying to make it look like she had allergies, and not that her eyes were filling with tears.**
**Unlike the pine marten, Madeline excelled at holding on to down feelings. Even after all these seasons living in the Abbey, she still tended to expect the worst out of situations...or, at least, not the best.**
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Post by Fyri on Mar 14, 2021 11:17:52 GMT -5
**Unease prickled her skin, making her fur stand slightly on end. Was Madeline crying? Had she said something wrong? Again, her mind added unhelpfully. The pine martin tried to ignore it but she felt more awkward with each passing heartbeat. Comforting other beasts wasn’t her forte. Whenever something bad happened, her instinctual response was to wave it off. Banish the thought, joke about it, anything but dwell on it. She had learnt over the years that this tactic was not always appreciated. Yet try as she might, words of condolence and comfort came to her more rarely than soap to a searat’s tail, and usually were just as effective as well.**
**Unconsciously, her tail twitched, her footpaws shuffled over the ground. She held the pole in its position as she answered.**
Then it isnae an issue for me tae laugh, is it?
**Even to herself, the follow-up felt flat and her previous ones hadn’t been much of a success either. Not wanting to upset the wildcat any further, Fyri changed her approach and quickly carried on.**
Yet if I hadnae been a goodbeast, ye could’ve been. **She finally lowered her training weapon, holding it in one paw, as she picked up the dropped dummy with the other.** Nae every foebeast’ll warn ye afore he assaults yer rear.
**That at least had the ring of sound military advice, Fyri thought, and seeing how serious the wildcat had appeared when training, she was pretty sure Madeline would appreciate such advice.**
Gottae keep yer wits about ye at aw times!
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Post by Madeline on Mar 20, 2021 19:06:56 GMT -5
**Madeline sniffled and took a deep breath. She didn't know how she could keep herself from being hurt by the present reminding her of the past. She was always told she was emotional, and her old family always treated that like a bad thing. But she did know that the pine marten spoke truth.**
"You're....you're right. I'm sorry." **Again with her ubiquitous apologies. The wildcat inwardly winced, remembering her mother shouting at her for apologizing. The feline shook her head slightly, trying to make the memory go away.**
"I'm not sure how to keep a wary eye out for danger -- I've lived in Redwall my whole life." **While not fully true, Madeline preferred to be known as a Redwaller more than anything else. She refused to be identified by her parents or sister.
**The young cat looked down at her footpaws, hesitating to ask for help, yet deeply desiring it.** "Do...do you think you could help me? All the woodland Warriors who've been helping train me are gone for a few weeks, and I could really use the practice." **Peering up at the jill, Madeline's green eyes held a mostly hidden fear of rejection.**
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Post by Fyri on Mar 24, 2021 13:24:26 GMT -5
**Though life at Redwall Abbey was on a whole a safe and secure one, away from the dangers that lurked outside its walls, it had done its fair share to train Fyri to be vigilant. Perhaps not for roving raiders or bandit baddies, but certainly for fellow devious dibbuns that could decide you’re the next target for the day’s mischief. Or, when on the other end, for the watchful gaze of the brothers and sisters of the Abbey that were seemingly always on the lookout for a dibbun out of bath or bed. While not as life-threatening as the perils posed by the wide wild world, at least to her dibbun self it was certainly a form of danger to be weary of.**
Do...do you think you could help me? All the woodland Warriors who've been helping train me are gone for a few weeks, and I could really use the practice.
**Fyri had come down from her tree with the intention of joining in on the feline’s training session. It would be good exercise. However, she wasn’t a wizened warrior, not by a long shot. The little nugget of knowledge she’d just shared had been fairly basic stuff that she was sure Madeline knew already deep down. Though Fyri knew she wasn’t authorized to give the wildcat any real military training, there was nothing wrong with a friendly spar to help them both improve, was there? It seemed a passable way to pass the time, and the pine marten was sure she could scrounge up a few more tips to dole out along the way.**
Aye, I isnae carrying ‘round this-- **She tapped the ground with the bud of her wooden spear.** --as a walking stick!
**She gave a smile that she hoped was reassuring as she leaned on the dummy she’d put back in the ground.**
Ye want tae spar? Or, ye want tae practise sensing danger?
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Post by Madeline on Mar 27, 2021 21:04:57 GMT -5
**Unfortunately, Madeline had spent quite a bit of time by herself during her Dibbun years, and thus didn't have much experience avoiding being a target. Additionally, when she was getting into the shenanigans with her peers, she had never been on the lookout. She was always too busy being carried away in the fun and ridiculousness. (And unlike her fellow DABers, she didn't really mind baths too much -- she'd really rather stay clean.) And she hadn't stayed with her old family and their small horde long enough to learn anything valuable there...other than don't make people angry with you.
**Madeline relaxes slightly and smiles back at the pine marten.** "I think maybe training to keep a lookout for danger would be helpful." **She looks down shyly, but this time she's not worried about what Fyri thinks.** "Some of the Warriors who've been training me have said I'm really good with my swordfighting...but I obviously need help with staying alert," **she adds, glancing back up at the jill.**
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Post by Fyri on Mar 28, 2021 5:49:30 GMT -5
Let’s get dangerous then!
**Fyri said with a grin, pleased at the choice. Secretly, she’d been hoping that was what the young wildcat would pick. Her mind was already spinning with possible ways to go about this special training. She’d never given instructions to another beast before but she’d observed others do it, as well as read about it in those grand epic tales of yore. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem. The pine marten straightened up and used her free paw to adjust her capelet so it fell down her shoulders neatly. If she had a nice, fancy uniform, she’d almost look the part of a military commander!**
**Twirling her wooden spear, being careful not to hit either herself or Madeline in the process, Fyri slowly circled around the feline fighter, regarding her with a serious and pensive expression on her muzzle, as if she were sizing up her opponent. In a way, she was. After her staff had made a full rotation or two, she slapped it into her other paw. Her face cracked slightly at the action; it was hard to stay serious. Yet she had already gathered that to the wildcat this was very serious business. Fyri didn’t know her reasons but it was obvious something was bothering Madeline, something that spurred her on to become a good warrior, yet that same something was holding her back as well.**
Maybe it isnae sae, but I think ye may be thinkin' overmuch.
**She said as she continued her rounds around the other. Thus far her amateur assessment of the wildcat’s performance. There wasn’t much else to go on. Neither from what she’d seen, nor from some vast well of experience that lay hidden deep within the jill just waiting to be tapped for wondrous wisdom. If only! It would make for a good song or poem.**
Take a page outtae the Brothers’ en Sisters’ book. Calm yer mind. Leave yer worries behind en bide in the present.
**With a slew of rumbustious dibbuns about, that was probably a lot easier said than done for the goodbeasts. And a whole lot more necessary to stay sane, as well, Fyri thought amused.**
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Post by Madeline on Apr 5, 2021 17:13:09 GMT -5
"You're probably right," **Madeline agreed with a sigh. She was always thinking way too much. About her past, mostly.** "I have...a lot on my mind."
**The wildcat held her sword at the ready, holding still as the pine marten circled her. The cat's ears twitched and flattened, following the sound of her opponent as she circled. Madeline took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Clearing her mind was much harder to do that to say. But she thought about Martin, one of her favourite Warriors. He had to have cleared his mind when facing Tsarmina or Badrang. He had a goal, too, and that was to free those around him from slavery and tyranny. Madeline had no way of knowing that her sister is still alive, not only with the goal of conquering, but also now seeking revenge on all woodlanders for the deaths of their parents. Madeline just wanted to prove to them that she wasn't the coward they always told her she was.
**The young cat half closed her eyes, focusing on the sounds around her, not even really noticing that her mind was calming as she focused on the present moment, and on what was happening around her. Only her ears and the very tip of her tail moved.**
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Post by Fyri on Apr 16, 2021 5:54:33 GMT -5
**The young feline stilled, her breath evened out, her posture became less strained; Fyri could see it clearly and felt satisfied her instructions were already paying off. What was not so clear was whether the young cat was actually paying attention to her surroundings or merely dreaming off about less worrying things than her usual considerings seem to be. With her half-closed eyes, she looked more pleased than anything. Idly, Fyri wondered what expression she herself wore when she was dreaming off in a tree, thinking of a tale, or musing about a poem, as she was wont to do.**
**With another slap of her weapon in her paw, Fyri brought herself back to the present task. There was one very obvious way to test Madeline now and the pine marten decided to take it. A soft breeze ruffled her capelet, it flapped gently, like a flag lazily staking claim to a piece land or building. Her pawsteps were audible; the only consistent sound in the otherwise tranquil quietude of this secluded part of the Abbey. Not even the sound of mischievous dibbuns reached them here.**
**Without pausing her circling motion, she twirled the wooden spear in the air when she passed by Madeline’s left side. It made a satisfied swoosh as flew in an elegant arc downwards towards the the grey cat. This time, Fyri did not announce herself with a hyah! or any other startling tactic.**
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Post by Madeline on Apr 26, 2021 14:51:04 GMT -5
**Madeline had managed to (finally) quiet her mind. No thoughts of her past. No worries about where her sister may be. Not even any hopes that her sister had changed for the better over the seasons since Madeline was rescued. Just listening and concentrating. So when her ears picked up the whistle of the pretend spear whizzing through the air, she was prepared.
**The cat ducked and rolled under the stick, her eyes snapping open and her sword going flat on the ground under her paws. She hopped up, facing the pine marten, sword held at the ready. The wildcat smiled.** "Hey, that wasn't so bad." **She looked more relaxed and happy than she did before Fyri came over.
**Madeline twirled her sword in her paws. Thoughts of her old family were in the back of her mind, but she wasn't focused on them like she was most of the time. She was actually in the present. It was a nice feeling, even though it felt so weird to not be worried about anything....but maybe she should try this more often. She liked it. She almost felt happy.**
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