Ouroboros Spine symphony of bones

For @Rodyn when you have time! set for 12/13 in the early morning <333

with the engagement of samani and rodyn, there was certainly a time for celebration within the village. shikoba, trying to be as polite as she could, wished to not disturb the couple if she could avoid it. young love is something that differs from other types of love, shikoba certainly knew this at her age. so, she'd let the two enjoy their time together and try her best to give them all the time they needed.

however, the woman knew that she could not keep away forever from rodyn. the trader had stepped into his role of sivullik quite easily, though he would need to do more than just pick the hunts and protect his wife. shikoba would ensure that she would make rodyn into a fine sivullik, just as she was. perhaps not just for herself, or even the village, but for the comfort of sun man and moon woman that the man who would protect their daughter was capable.

and so, with that in mind, shikoba would call for the man to join her at the borders.

I always have time for you <3

Rodyn had kept a quiet existence since calling to Samani. He couldn't help the lingering doubts that he had cornered her too soon. And with that he felt like a heel. So he pushed himself into doing what was needed, when he wasn't with her.

A howl resonated over the mountains and he trotted towards it a small smile on his maw for the star hunter himself.

Shikoba! It is good to see your face. How can I be of assistance today?

Then he waited patiently, quietly. Wondering if his lessons for Sivullik were beginning.

rodyn was swift onto the scene and shikoba was sure to send a smile to his when as he came forth.

"i am glad to see you, sivullik. today, we will start your training." shikoba had little doubt when it came to rodyn for many things. the man had proved to himself time and time again that he was worthy of the trust and responsibility. and while shikoba would never want the man to change himself for the role he possesses, shikoba does know that the basics must be instilled in order to ensure a job well done.

she looks out to the lands beyond the spine for a moment. "first hunter includes many responsibilities, hunting being one. and i am sure rodyn is capable of such." she's seen this with her own eyes. "but first hunter also protects his village." the title meant much to shikoba and she was sure that it meant just as much to rodyn. hopefully, he would see the value in her words and her teachings.

"what does rodyn know about fighting?" a very general question to see what level he was comfortable with. shikoba could only hope that the man would not lie in order to avoid coming off as weak. shikoba needed him to be honest in order to truly assess and correctly teach him anything.

Shikoba offered a smile to the hunter and then he listened.

The new title of his that rolled of her tongue felt strange, but it also filled him with pride. He had done it. He had made a home of his own. He was with wolves he cared deeply for.

Russet paws stepped into position behind her as she overlooked the domain of theirs. A bashful smile lit up his yellow eyes. He did indeed love to hunt and was capable at it. He didn't always succeed, as was the way of things, but he always tried.

He had to think about her question. He had been taught the basics he supposed, and he had play fought with his brothers, but he had never been in an actual fight.

Honestly not much. My father taught me basics, how to defend, vital spots. And I would play fight with my siblings. But I've never put my knowledge to use, other than the one time I wrestled with Aiolos and it was a draw, though it proved difficult for me to gain footing.

she listened, nodding her head to the words that caught her attention. rodyn was a sizeable man, with much to lose if a challenger approached. surely, another lesson on the basics would serve him well. if the trader was unable to find the upper hand, shikoba knew that he would have to learn how to maneuver himself to allow this. It would hopefully guide him to other victories in his battles, should he ever find himself in one.


"the basics most important," she would say to him, walking so that when she turned, she would fully be facing him, "review is always good." shikoba hoped that she would not come off as patronizing the man, but if he wanted to protect his wife and children, he'd have to allow himself to fully grow into his position as her pupil. 

"first step, good stance." shikoba would show him first, lowering herself a bit to ensure her legs were steady underneath her, as well as tucking her head to protect her windpipe. "rodyn must be able to stand strong first. if not, rodyn falls and is pinned." she widens her legs a bit more, hoping that his eye is closely watching her. "a wide stance keeps you still. rodyn might find this... difficult since taller. makes it even more important." this was perhaps the only perk shikoba had for being on the smaller side. she could run fast, she could hold her ground, but she couldn't come up with as much strength as some. 

she soon relaxes and straightens up, now beckoning for the man to try himself in his posture.

Shikoba listened closely. Learning what it was he had to share. He hoped she could take what he was saying and use it somehow. The last thing he wanted was to make her job harder, because he was hopeless or something.

Shikoba moved as she spoke and Rodyn tilted his head to listen. Her words were infused with wisdom. Proof that she had been doing this for many years. So he tried his best to pay attention to what she said, because it seemed that Shikoba never said anything that didn't offer some sort of result.

Practice makes perfect as they say. He smiled at her.

Rodyn watched her movements, mirroring them only slightly as he tried to pay attention to her words and her actions both at once.

Rodyn tried to mirror her movements. He was able to bow his legs forward, and plant his center of gravity, but when he went to cover his windpipe, he realized that some of his leg and shoulders were easy targets for those who were smaller. So he had to readjust. It took him a few tries, but finally he had a semi good stance. It reminded him a bit like hunting, though he had to cover his throat more than his face, which is what he was used to doing for flying hooves and claws.

she would watch him closely, circling around a bit to see where there could be possible weak points. she was pleased with his first self-correction, noting the readjustments he made within the body for better protection.

"good correction," she would say to him as she finished her path and came before him again, "you must be able to change positions if needed." strength certainly made up a large portion of fighting, though it was a technique that often swayed others in the direction of winning more than anything.

"now, let's see if rodyn can stay standing. stay strong, try not to move." the woman would back herself up a few steps off to the side before picking up speed towards him. she would push her shoulder in as a bit of a [polite sparring] shove to see if it would unsettle the man in his position. her shove lacked the power the bruise him, but was just enough over the threshold to knock someone over who was not prepared.

now there were 2 tests going on. one was to see if the man would be able to stay standing. if he failed, then shikoba would see how good he is at rebounding and saving himself from toppling. recovery was just as important as anything else.

The position felt awkward and unstable, but he knew that was in part, because he wasn't used to it. He was used to laying low to the ground and stalking forward. Something that was useful in hunting, and tracking, but not so much in a fight.

Rodyn could use his brute strength if he needed too, but that felt a bit like cheating. Not to mention, there was no way it would work everytime. Someday someone would topple him if he wasn't careful if he only relied on one thing. It was why he did many things in hunting, if he used the same mindset at least.

He saw her coming and though he wanted to hold firm, when she hit him, his body swayed and bowed, but he used all his years of hunting to correct his legs and used the same momentum to move to the side and then back.

So he wobbled, and almost toppled, but managed to save himself from falling on his butt at least, but it was by no means perfect or concise. Mostly he imagined was probably luck and muscle memory.

she was quick to pull herself back and watch the trader swing to and fro, yet he did not fall. a bit more work in developing a strong base, and the man would eventually find himself standing still, even against the largest of opponents. With a swift nod of the head, rodyn had passed this test practically with flying colors.

"a good place to be," she would tell him, "being able to be still and to recover. you will be a strong opponent to someone." considering the man had been able to wrestle with the other guardian of Moonglow and remain at a draw showed the fact that rodyn was capable to protect himself. now it would be a matter of learning the other techniques that would keep him well-versed in the colliding of teeth.

"how will rodyn prepare next time to avoid wobbles?" now she would put his own knowledge to the test once again to see if he could concoct an answer that would be suitable to the warrior woman's ears.

Shikoba pulled herself back so as to not topple him further, which he appreciated. He was a little, irritated was not the word. No, he was driven now to do better. But he would need to correct many things. He had only learned to hunt, had put all his energy, all his drive into that. And it was biting him in the rear so to speak.

Rodyn chuckled. That comes from having large beasts charge me during hunting, but in that quickness comes into play.

Rodyn frowned at her question, but not in reproach or irritation. It was merely in thought. He was trying to figure it out.

I need to work on firming my base. Also being more observant and aware of what is coming. Think ahead. So that I am prepared to tighten should I need.

his answer was clear. she liked how he thought.

a strong base was only a single part of the battle. but perhaps she could save her lessons for future dates. "rodyn is correct," she would say with an approving nod, "thinking about these things is good, helps us see what we lack and what we are good in." it was just as important to know strengths as it was to know a weakness to shikoba. besides, it helped make for a bit of a confidence boost when confronted with the more challenging aspects of learning.

"try again," she'd encourage him, "when you feel pressure, push against it." this exercise would include shikoba walking around rodyn as he stood and pushing her nose or shoulder against him to see if he would budge. if he remained still, she'd consider it a job well done. but if he needed practice, there was always more time to fix the problem.

Shikoba seemed happy with his answer, which pleased him. Because it meant he was on the right track with her. And on the right track to learning to be a better First Hunter. He would need a reminder of the name again. The language was still difficult for him.

He shifted and paid attention to how he stood. The looseness of his muscles and the like. She pressed in different parts of his body and he pressed back. It wasn't easy, but it was easier than the first time. So he counted that as a win. And he was able to keep his stance.

he does not sway as easily under her pressure.

shikoba certainly finds herself pleased with his lessons today. and while she'd love to continue, she also knows that lessons require repeated exposure rather than a single day filled to the brim with knowledge. in fear of flooding his brain, shikoba tells herself that this was probably enough for today. poor rodyn would probably prefer if he didn't have the weight of another crashing into him again anyways!

so, she comes and steps away with a pleased look. "well done, sivullik." she says to him, quite happy at the fact that rodyn was quick to learn and apply what he knew. "this is your first lesson, we will practice more later. but for now, think of what you did, what you learned."

there was always time to learn, but breaks were needed too! rest and fueling were large factors in training and becoming stronger. so with this in mind, she comes to say "come, let us go eat and rest." whether from the caches or a fresh hunt, it was a different activity that was a little easier to enjoy than being poked and prodded. 

seems like a good place to fade if you're okay with that! i thought this was such a good thread between them! <3

It was still difficult for the hunter to keep his stance, but he managed with only minimal movement.

His muscles burned, but he held an ember of pride deep in his chest for how he had done. And he knew that Shikoba wasn't his mother, but the want to make her proud drove him to do better in her lessons.

I will do my best, Star Hunter. He shook out his limbs, ears forward to catch what else she was saying.

He nodded and followed behind her, happy to do as he had.

It was. I love her so much <3