Completed Learning the Birds' Ways (Lavira)

[Syveris]

50th of Fall, 513 AV

It had taken a while for Syveris to reach the Mud Flats, and she hoped it would be worth it. The Avora had been working when Virat had told her she was going to take falconry lessons. It had surprised her greatly. She loved birds, of course, but she was a glassworker, and she couldn't see herself working with the animals, not right then and not in the foreseeable future. Syveris had asked him why, but her mentor had refused to talk. He only ordered to go, because he would find her an instructor to at least get her started, and it would be rude if she didn't show up.

So there she was, on the meeting point in the Mud Flats. Syveris had tried in all possible ways to make her mentor tell her what he was planning, but Virat hadn't said a word. Thinking about the smile that had been on Virat's face when she left, she realized her mentor was probably searching for some way to keep her focused on something and out of trouble. Due to the strange things that were happening in Wind Reach, Syveris was sure Virat thought that, if she was focused on something, she might stay out of harm's way. She huffed. The Avora had been on her best behavior all Fall, exactly due to all the storms and strong winds, and she doubted there could happen something bad with her. Well, for the duration of this season, at least.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she looked around, trying to find the person who would teach her falconry. She didn't even know if they would come, and, if they did, she didn't know who they would be, but she trusted that Virat had really talked to someone and wasn't trying to fool her. However, there wasn't anyone to be seen that looked like they were also waiting someone. Syveris sighed. Either she was early and hadn't noticed, or the instructor wouldn't come. She wouldn't give up yet, though. Tightening her green katinu around her frame, she kept searching, trying to find whomever it was. The Avora wished she hadn't been so anxious and had talked to Virat before going to the Flats. That way she would've some idea of what the instructor looked like, or if they would show up at all. Now, she would have to search for them, and hope that they did come.

x Poppy

[Lavira]

It was an off day for Vira, for once, or that was what she'd thought when an Avora man approached her in the market place as she was looking at some new falconry gear. So when the man began to go on and on about something or someone, the Endal had to stop him and ask him to back up, her arms crossing and a frown forming on her scarred face. "Hold up, what do you want me to do?"

"An apprentice of mine needs some training in Falconry and Meera is not available. I heard from the aviary that you might be able to help some and-"

Vira held up her hand, the frown deepening even more. "When exactly did you want this to happen?" When he said 'today' a nerve in the falconers face twitched violently. "You're joking right? This is the market day I've had to shop and restock in since the second. I really just wanna get my shopping done and go home." But the glassworker was insistent (and quickly getting on her nerves). "Puh, fine...where is this apprentice of yours?" When he said down at the Flats she damn near snapped at him.

"She's not even a hunter and she just randomly wants to learn hunting? No, wait, falconry? She's your apprentice for a reason, not a hunters pupil." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Vira reached out to Mohya.

Mohya, some Avora wants me to teach their apprentice some stuff...can you find a dek to saddle you up and meet me here in the courtyard?

~...~

I know...I'm going to make him pay for this. This better not be a complete waste of my time. I've got training to do at the ranges this afternoon.

~Alright. Tell him his apprentice owes me a groom for taking up your time.~

Vira nodded and spoke to the artisan. "Seeing as my bird is off duty right now, I will need to get another, which will be taking up more of my time that I could be spending doing my petching job." She extended her right hand towards him. Whatever happened at the flats, Virat was going to pay for it out of pocket. "Twenty Miza. You better hope she's worth it, Avora, or I'll have you reported." Grudgingly, Virat fetched the coin and dropped it into her hand before hurrying away.

It took another ten chimes for Mohya to arrive, Vira waiting at the edge of the Market for the giant bird. When she arrived, the teen mounted up and told her to go to the Bay shops first to see if anyone had a bird they could use. The flats were half a bells walk from there so it wouldn't be hard to reach.

They landed and Vira dismounted, asking Mohya to go hunting is she wished or rest at the flats while she looked for a bird she could borrow. Thankfully, this would not take too long as no sooner had she landed, she spotted Phaurd talking adamantly with another hunter who had a peregrine on their sontav. The petite dive-bombing bird looked ready and raring to go and she hastened to interrupt them.

"Hey, Phaurd, I'm terribly sorry for intruding here, but I need to talk to your friend. Excuse me for a moment." Knowing that the woman was an Endal meant he couldn't exactly argue as she pulled the man with the peregrine aside and explained the situation quickly. He looked as disgruntled now as she already felt but he grudgingly handed over the seven year old bird, explaining the animals experience to be medium to high; he would obey her well enough. He even offered some treats to the endal before going back to Phaurd to continue the discussion.

With that settled, Vira hurried along the trail to the Flats, hoping against all odds that this girl, this 'Syveris' was ready and there; and that was when she stepped from the dense brush lining the flats and spotted the young glassworker, Mohya having landed at the edge near the bay, watching the girl intensely. There were no other birds around and the girl looked completely out of place. The marred teen pursed her lips and approached across the sand, keeping the peregrine steady. Once in range, she called out loudly.

"Please tell me you just accidently let your bird's jess go and it's flown off...And if you didn't bring one, tell me that your name is not Syveris."

[Syveris]

Syveris was still searching around, when she heard the sound of wings. Looking for the source of it, her eyes fell on a Wind Eagle. Syveris looked, dazzled as always by the powerful bird. However, when the Eagle kept watching her, she started to feel uncomfortable. She didn't want to be disrespectful and keep staring at the Eagle for much longer, but she also didn't want to turn her back while being stared at. Syveris passed a hand through her head, before looking around, trying to see someone who could be the Eagle's rider. She didn't know how this would help, but at least it would tell her mind that the Eagle was not trying to kill her.

And then, a voice called out. She turned, looking at the approaching woman with relief. Wind Eagles could unsettle her very easily, and she didn't actually enjoyed the experience of being watched like that by one. However, when Syveris understood what the woman was saying, her relief went away as quickly as it had arrived.

Oh, petch. A bird. Now, it seemed obvious, but before, she assumed she just had to come meet the instructor, without actually taking anything with her. The tone of the other's voice made her only more nervous than she already was, and for a tick, she considered lying and saying that the bird had got away. And just as the thought crossed her mind, she wanted to slap herself for even thinking it. Lying was no good, and it would do her no good. Even if the woman never knew if it was the truth or not, Syveris would. And she wasn't really willing to lie.

"I... I'm sorry, I didn't bring one." she admitted, sending an uneasy glance at the Eagle once more, wondering if this woman was the rider. "And my name is Syveris, so..." she trailed off. The woman seemed angry, for some reason. The Avora frowned. Why would she appear so frustrated already? The Avora might have forgotten the bird, but she wasn't a complete idiot. Syveris was sure she could learn what the other had to teach.

When the woman got closer, Syveris could finally see her face well. There was a scar, and it was obvious that her left eye was blind. But what caught her attention was how young the woman was. Syveris was expecting someone older, when Virat had told her he would get someone experienced. She trusted that her mentor had kept her word, so her respect for the other grew a little. The woman could be young, yes, but apparently she was very experienced. It only made it harder to admit she had committed such a silly mistake.

"I could go and..." she stopped talking. She could go and what? Search for a bird? She doubted that it would take less than two bells for her to find one and come back, and that was her being incredible optimistic. And the other woman didn't seem like she would enjoy waiting. "It'll be too bad if we use only one bird?" she asked, unsure. The Avora couldn't know if it was possible or not, but she sure hoped it was.

Syveris felt her cheeks become hot from embarrassment. Young or not, the other was a falconry instructor, someone Syveris would respect, if only for that. And now, she was looking stupid and incompetent in front of her. It would make things even worse if she was an Endal.

"I'm sorry for my mistake." Syveris tried again. "I understand if you don't want to teach me anymore, but... But I really, really do want to learn! And I promise I'll try my hardest." the plea felt weird, even for her, but Virat had gone to all the trouble to find her a falconry instructor, and she wouldn't want that to be for nothing because of her stupid mistake.

x Poppy

[Lavira]

Her face went red as the girl tried to explain and it took a marked measure of control for Vira not to yell at her. The season had been hard enough already and now she'd begun to be recruited into teaching roles. The teen was still just trying to find her niche in the Endal caste and they wanted to her teaching rookies too? It felt so absurd, especially for how little skill she had in actually teaching.

"Well, Syveris, let this be a lesson to you then. Next time you want to learn something unassociated with your job, make sure you're prepared. I can't even let you handle the bird, Avora. You don't have any supplies to protect yourself or it. Do you understand?" Vira frowned even more at the other girl, chewing in the inside of her cheek as she considered what to do about this. "No treats, no sontav, no hood, no jess, no leash....How were you planning on handling the bird?"

Sighing, she approached the other and shifted the peregrine onto her left hand, wincing as the claws pinched at her skin. "Unlace mine and put it on. It may be a little big. I've got longer arms than you." She waited for the other to do this, walking her through how to safely lace it back so that it wouldn't unwind when you began working with a bird. "Clearly, you know nothing about birds so I'm going to keep this as simple as possible for now." After Syv was ready, she moved the peregrine onto the others wrist and looped the jess into the others hand and around her first two fingers.

"Keep a good hold of that. So there's a variety of birds of prey but do you know what three things identify them as raptors?" Fetching a treat from the bag she got the falcons attention and held it for the time being as she waited for a response from the avora.

[Syveris]

Syveris waited as the other's face went red and she began to scold her. She was used to it, actually, but it didn't make the scolding agradable. Syveris didn't understand why the girl was angry, after all. She had forgotten to bring what she would need, but in truth, Syveris didn't even know that she would be handling a bird right on the first lesson. Nevertheless, she should have prepared herself. But it still didn't sound as something that should anger someone so much.

"I understand." Syveris answered the first question, but chose to stay quiet after that. She wans't actually planning on handling the bird, but that may be her stupidity taking her over again. Besides, she was under the impression that the woman would become easily angered again if she said something wrong.

Syveris almost winced with the other, when she saw the woman shift the peregrine to her other arm. That must have hurt a lot. So, when she instructed the Avora to take the sontav, Syveris tried to unlace it as quickly as she could, following the instructions of how to lace it in her own arm. It was a slower process than she would've liked, and It was a little big, but she wouldn't complain. Making a quick mental note to buy falconry gear next Market Day and to try to learn how to put the sontav faster, she made the final adjustment.

The woman moved the falcon, and when Syveris felt the weight of the bird on her arm, she couldn't help but smile. She took a strong hold of the jess when she was ordered to, almost automaticaly. It felt incredible already, and she was not even doing anything. Syveris knew that she got excited over nothing, but she could't help it. Looking at the falcon in her arm, feeling it, everything felt so incredible. She was glad that she had been given the chance to learn how to work with the birds, even if the instructor wasn't so eager to help. The woman was helping, and Syveris would make sure that she would thank her for her trouble in the end. It was only when she heard the question that her look returned to the other's face.

How to identify raptors? They taught that at them when they were Yasi, did they not? Biting her lips, Syveris tried to answer. "They have sharp and hooked beaks... And curved claws. That are very sharp too." she sent an apologizing glance at the woman's wrist, where the peregrine had been. "These are the ones I know..." Syveris wasn't even sure if she had answered correctly, but she had remembered two characteristics, and hoped that they were right.

x Poppy

[Lavira]

All of the hunters were under a lot of pressure already because of the storms and low kill-counts per hunt. It had become well known among those ranks that resources were getting scarce and the food storages were getting low. It was going to be a hard winter if they couldn't get them at least half filled. Worse if not...So, Vira was justified in her frustrations that this glassworker wanted to waste her time by being unprepared for something she wanted to know and for the girls mentor to waste her time by not directing her properly, let alone contact someone sooner. Virat was going to get reported for this incident, that was for sure.

Keeping the falcons attention with the food in her fingers, she wiped the blood from the pricks on her wrists on her bryda and replied, "That is two of them. A sharp-pointed, curved beak and long, sharp talons are both key factors, but they mean nothing when not coupled with excellent eyesight. Wind Eagles can spot whales fifty feet below the surface from over a mile up. Once you know that it is a raptor, you can classify it further."

Vira reached and gently opened one of the falcons wings. This was when the food came in handy for the peregrine reached to beak her in reprimand for handling it this way but it was more interested in the food than punishing the handler and was rewarded thusly. With the wing open, Syv would be able to see the angled blade like curve of the wing. "Each type of raptor has a specific wing shape." Her mind reached for Mohya's, and on the flats nearby, the giant bird extended her wings upon request, straightening up tall to show off the broad, long-fingered appendages. "See how hers are long and broad? Tailshape can help identify a little, but usually you're going to know what it is based off the shape of the wings. Maybe not, say 'harrier', or 'red tail', but you'll know if it's a hawk, or eagle, or owl or something.

"As for this little girl-" She released the wing and rewarded the bird once more. "What do you think her classification is? Falcon, kite, or hawk?"

[Syveris]

"Could you tell me your name?" Syveris asked, quickly, before the other replied to the answer she had given. It wasn't a related question, and the Avora wasn't sure if the woman would be annoyed by it or not, but she felt like she had to ask.

When the other woman began teaching her again, Syveris paid attention to what she was saying. So the third characteristic was eyesight. It made sense, and it seemed simple to remember. The Avora nodded, showing that she had understood, and watched as the girl opened the bird's wing, showing her the angled shape. The bird didn't seem very happy, but was easily distracted by the treat. It was actually cute. Syveris smiled, and then looked at the Wind Eagle when the woman told her to. The Eagle had her wings open, as if she was helping with the lesson too. Well, she probably was. It looked like the girl really was her rider.

The Eagle's wings were majestic, huge and beautiful. Syveris could clearly see the difference between the angled wing of the bird that was on her arm and the broad and powerful wings of the Eagle. However, when she was asked what kind of raptor the smaller bird was, Syveris had to stop once again to think.

The Avora had assumed the bird was a falcon, but she had to admit it was a wide guess, and she wasn't so sure anymore now that the other woman had asked her. Syveris watched the wing carefully, trying to remember if she had ever learned about their shapes. But after a while, the only thing she could remember was that hawks had rounded wings. It was different than the bird's, but it didn't exactly helped her right then.

"I would guess she's a falcon." Syveris answered, a little unsure. "Actually, I can only say she's not a hawk, but I don't really know if she's a falcon or a kite."

x Poppy

[Lavira]

The peregrine on the others arms remained captivated by the sight of the treat, screeing softly in anticipation. She was ready to get into the sky and hunt like she was accustomed to doing, but this woman instead wanted to manipulate her and touch her and feed her. At least the treats were tasty.

“My name is Endal Lavira, and you are right. She is a falcon. See how her wings are long and pointed? They are like blades, made to cut through the air. When she dives, they tuck in close to create a perfectly streamlined projectile that can kill on impact. These little falcons in particular can even outdive a wind eagle though they cannot fly as high.” Vira offered the raptor a treat once more. “Now, because this one is well trained, I’m going to walk you through some unleashed exercises that will help the animal familiarize herself with you.”

The teen moved behind the other, now, and crossed her arms. “Give her a toss, like you would a ball, and relax your fingers on the jess so that it just slips from your grip. Watch how she takes off and heads straight up. Peregrines, like her, have superior eyesight, enabling them to fly very high without being noticed by prey. For this reason, we use visual commands for her as well as auditory. “

Once Syveris had let the bird fly, Vira watched the peregrine closely as she rose and circled overhead, making wide loops above the pair and larger bird. Her white and black-flecked underside made her almost disappear into the sky above, further perpetuating the understanding that she was built for surprise power-dives. The falcon then caught a thermal and altered her wing position until she rose well out of sight.

“Alright, we’re going to have to improvise now since you didn’t bring supplies and your mentor did not give me time to prepare.” Vira turned away now and walked through the mud to where Mohya waited.

I need to use some of the straps from your harness, Mohya. She explained to the bird then pulled off one of the cinches that usually just held kills against her breast. It was approximately twelve feet long so it was large enough that she could use it without fear of getting struck by the bird herself. Vira took this and worked with it as she walked through the mud again to Syveris. The hem of her bryda was now very dirty and her feet had turned nearly black with silt from the flats. Thankfully, though, the sandals were waterproof and would not wear because of the exposure.

Once she made it back to Syv’s side, the young Endal offered the strap to her. “Put your hand through the hoop and I’ll thread some meat through the eyes.” She indicated the holes, like a belt had, on the opposite end of the hoop previously described. “She’s going to come down hard and fast, but you’ll notice something when she hits the target. Watch her body shape, if you can see her and then watch how she takes the ‘kill’ to ground. A well-trained bird is not going to eat what they kill, only catch it and wait for the trainer. Now-“

Vira stepped further away, speaking once more. “Start spinning the strap so that the meat-end is swinging in a wide circle overhead. She won’t strike you, so don’t fret. And then, get ready. Her handler said this is a common exercise they do to train on moving targets. I like to call it the arc-hit because the birds will usually grab it at the peak of the arc before taking it to ground. She’s going to come in fast once you start it spinning.”

[Syveris]

Lavira. She would make an effort to remember the name. Syveris wondered for a short while how Virat had managed to convince an Endal to teach a complete novice like her, and she hoped her mentor wasn't in trouble because of this. Maybe she could do something to repay Lavira's kindness after they were done.

She shove the thought to the corner of her mind, though, paying attention to the lesson. "A Wind Eagle? Really?" Syveris couldn't help but ask, looking at the bird with wonder. After Lavira had told her why the wings had the shape they did, it made sense that this falcon could fly really fast. But Syveris would never have thought it would be that fast. "It's amazing!" she exclaimed, keeping her voice just slightly above a whisper.

When the Endal moved behind her, Syveris became nervous again. Unleashed exercises? She trusted that the other would be able to control the falcon, even if she wasn't able to, but still... Biting her lips, she focused on the instructions, not wanting to do anything wrong.

Syveris moved her arms, relaxing her grip on the jess at the same time. The Avora felt the pressure of the bird's talons disappear, and, like Lavira said she would, the falcon flew, describing circles in the air, almost invisible against the sky. Syveris watched the peregrine change her wings' position and disappear in the sky. Worried, the Avora send a glance to the other teen, but she appeared calm and unworried, so Syveris relaxed, realizing that this was what it was suppose to happen.

The Avora watched as Lavira walked to the Wind Eagle. The scene was really impressive in Syveris' eyes, Endal and Wind Eagle. They seemed to fit so well together that it made her ache with need of finding a Wind Eagle that would take her for a rider. She knew it probably wasn't going to happen, so she was happy to only watch, the scene that always brought up admiration in her.

Once Lavira started to walk back, Syveris turned her attention to the sky. She knew it was futile, but she tried to search for the peregrine nevertheless. As expected, she saw nothing, and returned her gaze to the Endal when she reached her side again.

Following the instructions once again, Syveris adjusted her hand through the loop. It already made her anxious, the fact that the bird would dive to strike the target. So she took a deep breath, calming herself before she did anything. After a moment, she rose her arm, spinning the end in a circle. Her doubts if she was doing it right ended when she saw the peregrine strike. It was surprising, and the Avora almost lost her hand. She strengthened her grip, though, managing not to stop spinning.

Syveris saw the peregrine almost as a line, her wings seemed to be glued to her side. She looked, bewildered, while the bird gained velocity. Finally, she opened her wings, stretching her claws and grabbing the meat-end. The Avora was still amazed at both the speed and the precision of the bird, and watched as she landed. Syveris forced herself to turn to Lavira, not really wanting to stop watching the falcon.

"It's... It's really amazing!" she repeated, sure that the Endal didn't need to be told that, but unable to hold the comment back. She tried to hide the silly smile that she knew was on her face, waiting for further instructions.

x Poppy

[Lavira]

"Heh, yea, it is." She replied with a smile, watching the missile grab the target with such speed and precision before landing on the ground nearby, nipping at the meat bits caught in the leather holes. "Keep in mind, this is just training-strikes. A bird on the hunt is going to act a little differently, but not that much. If taught well, the bird is going to be able to recognize the mark, or prey immediately. And wild raptors will show no hesitation in eating what they caught. But this little girl has been well-trained, from what her handler told me."

Vira waved Syveris forward to where the falcon sat waiting, her wings partly opened around the kill in a 'ready to fly' state. "Did you happen to hear the bell when she struck the mark?" The Endal asked, gesturing that Syv should extend her arm and crouch down beside the bird so that the raptor could step back onto the sontav again. "It's mostly used for field-location if the animal gets out of standard range. They'll walk around where the kill is and it will jingle and help the falconer get to them. If the bird is in danger, it's not going to stick to the ground." Unless you were Tulaj, in which case that stupid harrier would remain on the kill until every last bone in his body had been broken and the kill already consumed by the threat.

"So anyways that's a simple free flight or unleashed target training. Normally, you would use a treat stick, but since you came unprepared, I had to improvise. There are other tools of the trade you should familiarize yourself with as well." Once Syv had the falcon back on her arm, Vira turned and faced her, gesturing some as she spoke. "A raptor on the hunt with his handler should always wear a jess. Jesses enable the handler to control the bird on the arm without containing them. Jesses are secured around the foot of the bird as you can see-" Vira pointed to the leg of the peregrine. "-and then held in the hand. The Aviary has beginner falconry gloves newbies can wear, but sontav's work fine for an experienced bird. Sontav, lontav, and falconry gloves all serve the same purpose and that's to keep your bird on your arm without your arm having a bunch of holes in it. For archers, the sontav can actually double as an archery glove."

She indicated the bracer-style of her own for a moment then went on. "Next you have a leash. Leashes vary in length but I prefer at least a twenty foot lead so that larger raptors will still have enough room for leashed mark training. Finally, you have hoods. Hoods, like jesses and leashes, are for safety. They help to keep the bird calm if it is not accustomed to humans. These items usually have a ridge of leather that let you simply slide it over the birds head, effectively blinding them. If they can't see, they're less likely to bite you. It's usually true for most animals."