Kala Ree

((Sorry for the late entry. Family business was a lot tougher to deal with than I imagined at first))

Kire was late. She knew she was. She just hoped that there was still a spot for her around the fire. She knew the meeting was for initiates, but there were bound to be others. And she wanted a spot near the fire, as did Sullar.

After landing, Kire grabbed a hold of her heavy bushel of wood and rushed towards the pit, her black feathered Kyrka closeby.

Kire had changed quite a bit over the years. She had always been a stout woman, but her diligent training she had become a broud shouldered and toned woman. Her garb was that fitting of a warrior as well. Cloth, bound by leather and adorned by bones of multiple kills, she was the walking example of a huntress, though some found the inscribed bones she wore rather macabre.

Her demeanor had changed quite a bit as well. Before Sullar had chosen her, she was a timid girl who was afraid of accidentally saying the wrong thing. Now she was more open, less scared as well as a lot more strong worded. Sullar's influence, all that. Their time together had changed both of them.

Once at the pit, Kire dropped her bushel of wood, catching her breath quickly as her bone covered tail swept."Forgive us, friends." She began, swiping her thick, unkept auburn hair out of her small face."We would have gotten here sooner, but someone insisted on getting some food first." She spoke.

At her words Sullar would suddenly cough up half a badger out of his beak. The comedic timing was on point, though in this situation, not really appreciated. The girl rubbed her temple with a weary sigh."Really, Sullar? Chew your food for crying out loud." The bird picked the remains up again, swallowing them whole this time."Bah. I don't like it when my prey rolled in the mud first. I wanted something different, but no, we were late. We had to hurry up. Psh." The black feathered Kyrka replied.

"Please, don't let us interrupt you, keeping going. I'll just store the wood away and join you fine folks silence." The girl said as she hurried to bring the wood to pile up with the rest of it.

(Skipping Kirryllu this round )

When Lillua questioned Sarasha's worried look, the alpha fluffed up indignantly. Quiet, and listen, she told the younger gold, her tone curt yet not harsh. Karah--and by extension, Lillua--enjoyed a bit more familiarity with the alphas than was considered proper, but it was nonetheless obvious that Sarasha wasn't going to entertain that line of personal questioning. Not here, at least.

If Laylar noticed Karah repeating the curse, or Taarka's nervous look afterwards, he didn't let on. He simply continued to stroke the top of his Tenki's head and gaze deep into the flames, waiting for the young riders-to-be to fully grasp the gravity of what he was saying. Karah was enthusiastic, Lillua looked worried, Raikinu was trilling like a kyrlet ... and Kette and Kayna didn't react much at all. The young male took a deep breath and shared a look with his bondmate, no flashes of emotion betraying his thoughts. Both then returned their full attention to Laylar, and Kette nodded. The intensity of the fire seemed to be reflected in her eyes three-fold.

Kire's entry drew Laylar's gaze for a moment, forcing the other trainees to wait with bated breath for the reveal. Red streaks flashed across Sarasha's jewel as she regarded the flippant Sullar. Unfortunately for Kire, she wasn't about to let them slip in without interruption. With a low squawk she told Sullar off, mind-voice raised such that the other Kyrka in the room might listen as well. Are you still a chick, handling your food as such? You should have eaten and been here with plenty of time to spare, like the others. Or do you not take this seriously? She didn't wait for an answer before adding, Now be silent and take your place!

Laylar cleared his throat after his bondmate gave the teal-feathered Kyrka the rough side of her tongue. "... yes, well, both of you have a seat. I was about to tell you the terms of your trial, so that you may become full Kyriders. Then, perhaps, it will not be quite so crucial that you stick to Sarasha's schedule."

I will consider being a little more lenient, the gold mused.

Laylar stood up now, setting Jewel down on Sarasha's claw. He began to pace by the fire, not looking at the trainees. As many times as he had practiced giving this very speech, words seemed to fail him for a moment.

"You are to venture into the mountains. Kire will go with Kette to the caves past the Broken Tors, and Lesa'ah, you go with Karah into Southcrag. Kirryllu and Anma have determined these to be the locations of two feral Kyrka nests ... from each one, an egg is to be taken."

Laylar recalled his own trial--he had to fly Sarasha clear to Farport while keeping a flame alive. It had come close to going out during a storm, but he managed to save it. Even if it had gone out, lying about it simply was not an option. He couldn't live with the dishonor.

Kette stared, wide-eyed, at the alphas. The task being asked of them was dangerous, potentially even lethal. "Alpha ... are we to fight the Kyrka themselves?"

Laylar shook his head. "Not if you can help it. They will be fierce as wolverines, just as big as your bondmates, and seasoned. Devise some other means of acquiring the eggs, and hope it doesn't come to a fight. You will have time to form a strategy with your partner."

Laylar didn't say what would happen should they fail. It wasn't unheard of for trainees to die during trials, though the thought of losing one now was abhorrent to both him and his bondmate--there were just too few of them. The trials were meant to be tailored to fit each clutch, anyway, and if that meant making them easier than the brutal trials of yore, then so be it. And if they failed to procure the eggs ... ? No, he thought. He believed in them--he had to.

"If you have other questions, speak them now."

Lillua's head would droop a bit in silent apology to Sarasha which Karah would notice and promptly mimic her bondmate's gesture in apology as well.

Karah's expression would turn from excited to crestfallen, but not out of fear, but from compassion. She didn't like the idea of stealing the Kryka eggs from their parents, it seemed so cruel to her. The child knew that kyrider numbers were painfully low and there hadn't been a clutch since she had bonded, but she still couldn't help feeling bad for the Kryka they were going to steal from. That didn't mean that she wasn't going to do it, but she wasn't going to like it.

When asked for questions, Karah would quickly proceed to ask several. "Alpha Laylar, I have some questions. First what is going to happen to the eggs? Will they be bonded to new trainees? Then what is the time limit on obtaining the eggs? Are we allowed to go to the nests before the trial? Lastly when does the trial start?"

She already had an idea of making a fake egg to switch with the real one. After all Kryka didn't have a very good sense of smell and doing so would hopefully lessen the chance of the parents pursing them after the swap. Not to mention it would ease her conscience a bit that way the parents would just think that the fake was a dud instead of knowing that one had been stolen.

Karah would look over at Lesa'ah with a thoughtful expression. She used to be a wood-crafter, maybe she could make a hunting call that could lure away one of the parents.

(What is a wild Kryka's favorite prey? Nunu? It mentioned that they ate all kinds of land mammals, but I assume they eat some more then others.)

Taarka's eyes widened and the man leaned forwards, setting aside his work, though it was coming along nicely. It was rather clearly Sarasha's head but needed polishing down to be perfect, perhaps even painting. Taarka forgot about it for now though, his body tense and his eyes fixated on Laylar.

They were going to steal eggs. He'd never even considered it an option, but it all made sense. It was only after the Kyrka hatched did they either bond or go feral. Perhaps that was why he'd never met his Kyrka, even, perhaps one of those many eggs out there were his bonded waiting for him. Call it madness or obsession but one could easily tell he was full of rash thoughts and decisions as his eyes darted over the riders and then back to Laylar.

He wanted to go. With every fiber of his being he wanted to go and risk his life for this. If there were ever a cause he would die for it was this one. But he was an outsider, but he was mad enough to try, perhaps soon to get himself snapped in twain by the alpha female sat a short distance away.

The outsider stood up and set aside the wooden bust, squaring his shoulders and flicking his tail as if to show off his physical fitness for the task before he spoke "Let me help" he insisted, intense eyes fixed on Laylar, trying not to convey anger, but if this was a viable option why had he waited so long? Laylar knew how they needed ranks. No-no he respected the alpha, musn't be angry with him. "There must be a way, Alpha." he was either in serious trouble right now, or not, but he couldn't sit by without saying it.

It took Lesa’ah a few seconds to absorb Laylar’s words. While she was still wrapping her head around the probable whys and wherefores, Kette spoke up, beating her to the first question that had occurred to her. Laylar’s answer made her kinking tail sweep the ground in relief. Even if they were wild, the idea of possibly killing a Kyrka was instantly repugnant.

Karah leapt in immediately with questions, some that Lesa’ah wouldn’t have bothered asking, but some that were actually useful. Yes, it would be good to know how long they had to plan, and if they had a chance to scout things out. Lesa'ah nodded to Karah, giving her trial partner a smile. "I'd like to know those answers too," she said, leaving out any criticism on the useless questions for now--it seemed immediately obvious to her that part of her job in this trial was to support their youngest Kyrider. We'll have to look out for Karah, she told Raikinu.

But she has Lillua, Raikinu answered, with a confused chirruping sound for emphasis. I mean, we will, we will! But she has Lillua, like you have me. However fascinated she was by Karah's maturation rate, Raikinu didn't fully understand how Lesa'ah could think of Karah as somehow younger than Raikinu and the other kyrlets. All the same, she looked over at Karah and Lillua and gave them a friendly chirp.

She threw Taarka a startled look when he stood up, side-eyeing him, but didn't let this interruption keeping her from voicing the next question she'd formed herself. Like Karah, she was thinking of distraction, but her ideas ran in an entirely different direction; she wasn't sure if she could keep Raikinu's exuberance from ruining a stealth attempt, but maybe there was a way for another Kyrka to draw the parents away. "Alpha, how clever are wild Kyrka? I know they can't speak mind-to-mind like our bonded, but are they as smart?"


((This may be a question that should have been answered in training but I didn't see it on the Species page, so. ;)

Kire sat down in silence, as did Sullar. He was known to be a wise ass and a loud mouth, but he was taught when to shut up when needed. This was one of those times. They were already late and disrespectful. More words and it'd only stain their honour further. Instead they took their seat by the fire and listened.

Kire's eyes widened at the assignment they were given. The egg of a rogue Kyrka? She immediately looked towards Kette, her look already that of a protective mother. She seemed rather frail, but if there was anything to be learned from her trials it was that nothing was what it seemed. She offered the girl a genuine smile, but Sullar was less than convinced."She'll slow us down. You know this." Kire just shrugged."I doubt that, big guy." She mumbled back at him.

Karah raised a good question, though."Are rogue Kyrka truly that big of a threat that we are to halt how rapidly they reproduce?" She asked, adding her inquiry to that of Karah. She would do the assignment, regardless of the reason. She just liked to know.

Laylar folded his arms across his chest as the questions started to pour in. He had expected as much--this sort of expedition wasn't entirely unheard of in sanctum history, but due to the risks and the unpleasant implications of egg theft, it was rarely done. Karah's barrage came first, as usual, for she was a very attentive girl, but he waited for her to finish while keeping track of her questions. "Sarasha will care for them in the hot springs and, with luck, they will be bonded. You have no time limit and you can leave when you wish, but once you do, you aren't permitted to return to the sanctum until you have the egg or you claim failure." The older Serra thought that he addressed all of them ... he hoped, at least. At Kire's interjection, he shook his head. "No, they aren't--this is only an attempt to bolster our own ranks."

Laylar was about to focus on the next question, but it came from someone he didn't expect--and, for that matter, wasn't even a question at all. His eyes met Taarka's and he frowned, but before he could say anything, Sarasha heaved her burly form upright and loped over to him. Laylar had little time but sent her a strong mental impulse, a wordless plea for mercy. Whether or not the Kyrka listened to this plea was unknown, for her reaction was swift and harsh nonetheless. Whether or not Taarka stepped down, the Alpha raised her wicked claw and tried to shove him square in the chest with enough force to topple and pin him. All the while, her jewel had been nearly overcome with streaks of scarlet, so intense they seemed to smolder. Her eyes were very nearly the same color, fixed on the Serra's face. She could not speak to him directly, but her message was clear: you are out of line.

Kette's eyes went wide when she heard Taarka speak up. He didn't wait, he didn't ask permission, and worst of all, he made a demand of the Alpha, not a request. As Sarasha lashed out at him, the little Serra nodded to herself. He deserved as much ... or worse.

Laylar's lips thinned during his bondmate's display of dominance, but he returned his gaze to the trainees, hearing out their remaining questions. "They are smart," he told Lesa'ah, "but still wild beasts--they do not possess the sense of mental clarity that we and bonded Kyrka do." After a moment's pause, he went on--mostly for Taarka's sake, but he didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. "And I should mention that we may yet fail ... wild chicks do not take to the bond as readily as sanctum-bred ones do. But my hopes are high and we must pray to the spirits that it is a success."

Kette finally looked over to the older Serra, Kire. The woman had a wild appearance about her that Kette found appealing. Should she catch Kire's gaze, she wouldn't smile, but she would nod. She had a serious and intense feeling about her for someone her age--it was clear she was desperate to prove herself.

(Yes, wild Kyrka are clever but not sapient--though Laylar wouldn't have that vocabulary And Karah, they are opportunistic hunters and aren't choosy at all, but do most of their hunting in the mountains unless prey is scarce. Nuru are native to the grasslands further down in the foothills, so wild Kyrka wouldn't hunt them often ... but they would be pretty easy pickings.)

Taarka was quickly down on his knees in submission as Sarasha rose up in her fury, hands up only to find himself immediately on the ground beneath a cruel and piercing claw. He gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs, reaching up to grasp nervously at the claw for the fear that it might pierce his heart at any moment.

The Serra stared up at the Alpha females eyes with his own wide with fear, seeing the swirling scarlet in her gem. He turned his eyes away to avoid confrontation. He got the message whether or not he could hear it "Please- forgive me Alpha. I only wish to serve you" he pleaded, hoping that she'd release him and not end his journey there and then. His pride and dignity were battered, but he'd rather that than death.

At Sarasha's display of dominance, Karah would start to silently cry in fear for Taarka. Despite having bonded at such an early age, she could somewhat understand his desperation. After all she had spent her earliest years desperately counting down the days to her seventh birthday. For only once she had reached the age of seven would she have a chance at bonding, a chance to escape her loveless home. She had been lucky, she had bonded at her very first trip to the hot springs, but Taarka hadn't been. Already even then he had been overly three times as old as her, but he still didn't get to bond. in all honestly, if they are successful, the eggs could represent his very last chance to bond.

However if Karah wanted to help Taarka, she would have to do so very carefully, so before Laylar spoke up, she did herself with a very humble suggestion to Sarasha. "Alpha Sarasha, you know, I believe a couple of nuru are due to be slaughtered and butchered. Perhaps, you could send Taarka to do it and then when he is done, have him bring you some fresh nuru liver?" Karah took great care to speak with a submissive as well as humble tone of voice, not at all questioning Sarasha's right to punish Taarka however she saw fit. That the only thing she was doing, was merely offering a suggestion that Sarasha had every right to ignore. To tell the truth, she hated when it was time for nurus to be killed so for her to actually bring up the subject was quite painful. However she was hoping that the the idea of spending him out of the hall to do such nasty work well would please Sarasha. Not to mention the idea of super fresh nuru liver as well couldn't hurt.

However that would be her only attempt to help the unfortunate Serra as she had to worry about the trial and thus her own hide. Once Laylar had finished speaking, she would head over to Lesa'ah and softly ask. "I know you are good at woodworking. do you think you could fashion a lost nuru call whistle?" Nuru weren't normally found in the mountains, but a lost one would make an extremely tempting target to wild Kryka.

Sarasha's reaction was no surprise to Lesa'ah; she'd trained under the authoritative alpha Kyrka long enough to know that she didn't brook impudence. She still winced when Sarasha went after Taarka, hoping he wouldn't be hurt for his interruption, but she tore her gaze away when Laylar responded to her question. She wouldn't help either Taarka or herself by letting those events distract her attention from Laylar and the matter at hand.

She looked down at Karah in surprise when the girl spoke up. Without even thinking about it, she took a step closer, so that she was standing a little bit between Karah and the irritated alpha; Raikinu, though equally unconscious of the protective movement, scrambled closer in reaction and gave a staccato series of excited chirps at the mention of slaughtering and Nuru liver. She leaned in to listen with interest when Karah dropped her voice, the indigo tones that her jewel had taken on shot through now with flashes of green.

Looking down at Karah, Lesa'ah looked briefly startled at the girl's idea, then nodded, frowning thoughtfully. "I've carved flutes before," she answered, her voice equally soft. "I might need a couple tries to be sure the sound matches, but I could do that. Are you thinking of luring them away from the nest?"


((I'm really sorry for the delay, guys! I was pretty sick for a while and then had an out-of-town job interview. I'll try not to go so long without posting again, though.}}

Kire was not a woman who valued tradition over availability. Taarka simply wanted to offer aid. It was not as though they were in a position to turn down able bodies. For as far as she was aware, the Kyriders weren't exactly at a surplus. But this seemed to be the folly of the older generation. At a certain age, tradition suddenly gains much more value. She'd offer to take Taarka with her, but she had been out of line once. It wouldn't be wise to give the Alpha more reasons to be angry with her and Sullar.

"Well, if it gives the chicks a chance to bond with a new generation of riders, there's not much harm in it. The laws of nature and all that." She spoke softly. Sullar nodded in agreement. These were his species, but the proud and large Kyrka stood above his wild counterparts. Or at least that was what he believed in his arrogance. The savage looking woman would smile as she looked at Kette. She seemed eager, that was easy to tell. If Kire could help her reach her full potential, she'd be one happy Serra.

When the initial conversation would die down, Kire would ask yet another question."When do we start?"

Sarasha stared down at Taarka for a long moment after he uttered his plea. An onlooker might think she was deciding whether or not to kill him, but her jewel told all--the thick scarlet streaks faded back into neutral burgundy, indicating the settling of her temper. Karah's suggestion fell on deaf--or, at least, unlistening--ears. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, Sarasha lifted her claw and set it back onto the stone. She returned to the fireside and sprawled out next to Kaarikai as if nothing had happened. Laylar said nothing more to Taarka, allowing him time to nurse his battered pride without being gawked at.

Instead, he looked out at the trainees. Lesa'ah and Karah had begun to discuss their plan of attack, and Kire and Kette were sizing each other up a bit first. At the huntress's question, Laylar said, "You may leave whenever you think you are ready--but remember, you cannot return until your task is complete ... or you claim failure."

Kette finally permitted a cocky little grin to curl her lip. "Well, Kire--any ideas? One of us could run interference--keep the adults at bay while the other steals the egg. Or we could lure a predator down out of the mountains--some darayns, maybe? That would certainly keep their attention long enough for us to do the deed."

Taarka waited a moment, reaching up to touch his chest where those deadly talons had been before he slowly sat up and slowly got to his feet. It was with a strange silence he gathered his tools and headed out of the hall, avoiding eye contact with the gathered trainers and especially Laylar.

Perhaps he'd forgotten the unfinished bust of Sarasha in his hurry to leave, but it remained on the nook where he'd been sitting. One look back from the tunnel he left through before Taarka turned his head away and sneered to himself out of sight, fangs bared in a mix of negative emotions as he headed down the tunnel back to the small node he called his home.

[OOC: and with that post you can exclude me from the post order!]

Karah winced when Sarasha ignored her, but there was nothing more she could do. She would watch the Alpha's jewel and would feel some relief when bright scarlet faded into burgundy. Finally after what felt like an eternity, Sarasha would finally release Taarka who would then leave the firepit grounds. She felt really bad for the older Serra, but she couldn't linger on that, she had a trial to worry about after all.

"Yeah I was hoping the sound of easy prey would make an excellent lure. Perhaps we could wait until one parent is away and then try to lure the other with the call. I could try during the luring, after all. I'm small so I wouldn't be very much help lifting the egg anyway. Maybe we could even ask Sarasha if she thinks the call could fool a wild Kryka or would that not be allowed?Anyway do you have any ideas? I forgot to ask if you did, so I'm sorry."

Though she hadn't expected it, Karah's plan seemed sound, at least the basic premise. Lesa'ah listened to her with interest, the tip of her tail twitching thoughtfully. Her immediate instinct was to start poking holes in it, of course, though she had enough forbearance not to start with her instinctive reaction to letting Karah play 'bait.' Karah was right about being smaller, after all, and, as Raikinu had pointed out, she did have Lillua. "We'll have to make sure the other parent is going to be gone for a while," she said. Then she glanced uncertainly at Sarasha. "I don't know if that is allowed. I don't want to... break tradition," she said, temporizing away from the unspoken 'make her mad again.'

Raikinu gave a loud trill from beside her, to remind both of the Serra that she was there, and rested her feathery chin on Lesa'ah's shoulder. Lillua and I can test it! Lillua, you know what Nuru sound like, right? She looked over at the brighter Kyrka with cheerful optimism.

"Raikinu's right, we can see what she and Lillua think of it," Lesa'ah said. And she'd have to make sure that they thought the imitation was perfect. "I didn't have an idea as good as yours," she said, smiling at Karah. "I asked if wild Kyrka were as clever as ours because I was thinking that Raikinu might be able to distract them. But that might lead to a fight, and the Alpha said that wasn't a good idea. I think your idea is better. We do need to look at all the details, and make sure neither of us gets hurt doing it." Both the person blowing the whistle and the person sneaking into the nest would be in some danger, but Lesa'ah was determined to make sure that there was as little as possible.

"We need to find out more about Southcrag," she said decisively, after a moment's thought. "If there's a map we'll have to find it, and maybe we can talk to someone who's been there. And Kirryllu." She hoped that was allowed.

Poor Taarka. That was quite cruel, but nothing could be done about it. Perhaps in time she'd have enough pull and power to allow the fellow Serra his chance later. But that was possibly a prospect she could enact only in the far future.

She had other things on her mind. Kette seemed very enthusiastic and came up with good ideas. Even Sullar didn't have a sly remark about her."Eager little mouse, isn't she? Might be she'll manage to avoid the wild beast's beak." Sullar spoke as his rider got up to join her teammate. Kire nodded in response.

"A lure would be safest. A hungry beast is willing to fight to the death. I wouldn't be able to sleep another night knowing I allow either of us to be in such danger." The huntress spoke, her engraved bone effigies rattling a little as she sat down next to her."A lure is an excellent idea! It's clear this isn't your first time planning a hunt. If we scout the area, find out what the Kyrka eats, we could spread the scent of the prey in a certain area, draw her from the nest as we swoop in. How fast are the two of you in flight? Think you can keep up with the likes of Sullar here?" The woman spoke in jest as he jabbed his elbow against the large bird's body.

"Don't be silly, they can't." Sullar assured her.

As the trainees began to plan out their tactics, Laylar headed to Sarasha's side and sat down. The harsh firelight deepened the lines on his face, making him look far older. I'm worried about them, he thought.

Don't be. They will be fine--even Karah.

Sighing, Laylar leaned against the bank of fluffy red fur. Sarasha swung her head around to drag her beak through his hair a few times. She could have broken his neck in an instant if she wanted to, and yet she preened him with a delicacy that was reserved for him alone.

Meanwhile, Kette crossed her arms as she looked up at Kire. "It's a trial, Kire--there's always going to be some danger."

But if it can be minimized ... Kayna thought, feathery crest flattening against his head. Kette's ears went back, but her anxious bondmate was right. Anyway, she wasn't sure how they would lure a Darayn out of the mountains in the first place.

"Kyrka can't smell well, not like Alkaws or bears ... say, do you think we could scare prey away from the nest? That would force the Kyrka to fly out farther to find food. If we can choose our moment to strike when one of the parents is far away our task will be easier. We could set a fire, maybe ..." It seemed that the young Serra didn't shy away from destruction. "And don't you worry ... we're great at flying."

Well ... good enough, at least.

Karah nodded at the mention of the other parent. "Maybe we could try studying them for a day or two to see what we can learn about their habits. Then we could use that info to choose the best time to put our plan into action. I mean Laylar did say there was no time limit on the trial, besides it could be fun, roughing it out in the wild. I use to spend lots of time on my own with only animals for company before Lillua hatched for me." Clearly a bit of her youthful exuberance had managed to sneak in towards the end, but it wasn't a bad idea.

However she would seem to be a little bit embarrassed at the mention of Sarasha and tradition. "Your right, I'm just so used to asking for help when I needed it and Sarasha has helped me so much that I just thought about asking her again. However if I pass the trial, I'll be a full kyrider so I have to to try depending on on myself and Lillua more. I want to be a kyrider everyone can be proud of after all!"

The child would then clench her right hand into a fist and then look at Lillua with a determined look who would nod in response. "Raikinu and I can test the lure just fine on our own, no need to worry about that Karah. Though it might be a good idea to listen to the sound we are trying to replicate both before making the whistle and before testing it. We wouldn't want to go off on memory and end upstarting the trial with a shoddy lure." Lillua would way to Karah, but also to Raikinu to pass onto Less'ah.

"Good idea Lillua, we definitely wouldn't want to end up like that." Karah would say approvingly before asking Less'ah a question. "Are we allowed to ask Kirryllu or would that be the same problem as asking Sarasha?"

Lesa'ah smiled at Karah's idea, though the smile faltered a moment when Karah mentioned her time alone in the wild. However well the girl had turned out, it still distressed Lesa'ah, who had been cared for by loving parents, to be reminded that the girl had been so neglected. Pulling the smile back on her face with an effort, she nodded her approval. "My parents were hunters, and I went into the wild with them as a child. I remember how to make a camp. It would be fun, so long as we were careful."

Karah's determined declaration brightened her smile, and Raikinu gave a loud, enthusiastic chirp of affirmation. Lesa'ah, Lillua says we should listen to nuru before you make the whistle, and before we test it. Can we go do that? Can we listen to some nuru? Her eyes glinted, and her jewel spiked briefly with violet. And then eat them?

Of course I'll listen to nuru calling before I make the whistle, Lesa'ah said, her shoulders stiffening at the thought that she wouldn't. A tool for a job this important had to be perfect; she'd put her best effort into making it, and of course that would involve knowing well the sound she wanted it to produce. At Raikinu's follow-up question, though, she cast her Kyrka a sideways glance. This isn't an excuse to raid someone's herd.

At Karah's question, her ears flattened against her head, though she hadn't expected Karah to know what she herself hadn't. "I don't know," she admitted, sighed, and reached up to run her fingers through her hair, the thin braids slipping through her fingers. "I'll find out." Ears still a little flat, she turned and walked over to Kirrylu. She'd noticed his quiet, but since she had no notion of the reason for it, she'd just assumed that he, like Laylar, was giving the trainees room to plan. "Since you helped scout these nests, are you allowed to tell us anything about them?"

Kirryllu's silence had resulted from a combination of curiosity about how the young trainees would react to the news of the trial, and the sudden news that Kaarikai was to clutch. He knew that the trial was more important, though could not help worrying about his Kyrka. Lesa'ah's question broke him from his anxious thoughts, and he was glad for it.

"Ah, yes..." he muttered, "the nests." He flashed a half-hearted smile at Kaarikai, knowing how heavily the news was weighing on her as well. "The most important thing you can do to prepare for this undertaking - all of you, wherever you're going - is to study the terrain, the environment as long as you need to know everything. And I mean EVERYTHING. First and foremost, you must be sure to take as many supplies as you need for a long expedition. Weeks, not days. Watch and wait, learn and plan before acting. The Southcrag is very high, and surrounded by open air. A direct flight into the area will surely end in violence. I suggest climbing the cliffs, else the wild Kyrka will spy you a mile off. They are fast, too. Do not think you can easily escape with an egg - they won't have Serra on their backs, after all."

Kirryllu grimaced, thinking back to when he learned how quick wild Kyrka can be. He hoped to help these potential Kyriders from learning it the hard way. "The cave..." he continued, "I know less about. You certainly won't be seen coming, but it is like a maze in there. You never know what's around the bend. I do a lot of snooping for mushrooms, but I never stay long there. I suggest you do not linger within the dark for long, though you will certainly need to explore before making your moves. As I said: watch and wait, learn and plan."

Kirryllu smiled at the trainees who were listening intently. He knew they were taking this quest as seriously as they should. "Certain potions can help with a fear of heights, as you know I suffer from. Others can improve your eyesight in dark, damp places... like caves. Of course, I can offer you none of these potions. Some of their ingredients are readily available throughout the valley, of course. I will tell you that simply chewing on Canopy Flower petals can calm your nerves a bit. And eating Black-Cap mushroom caps helps your vision a bit, in the dark. But don't eat the stalks," he smirked with a wag of his finger.

"And if you are worried about the fate of these wild Kyrka, or their offspring when you steal their eggs - don't be. I've studied wild Kyrka extensively, and they are more than capable of bolstering their own ranks. Much more capable than we are. We need those eggs more than they do. But I implore you, do not engage them. It will be dangerous for you, and for them. Stealth is of the utmost importance on your mission, and is why I implore patience for all of you. Prepare before you leave, I cannot stress this enough."