7th Day of Spring, 515 AV
Morning
Despite having only been stationed at the Mithryn Outpost for a short time, Eren felt he had already made some important discoveries about the place. First and foremost, the people there were busy. Always. During the day, most of the population ventured outside the outpost's protective walls to work, and they didn't return until nightfall. Farmers farmed, hunters hunted, and the knights did their best to keep everything from falling apart. Compared to the perpetually tight-pressed throng of bodies that was Syliras, Mithryn felt so... empty. Eren sighed; he was still struggling to adjust, it seemed.
With Farkus' duties confining him to Syliras, Eren was expected to continue his training away from the constant scrutiny of the older knight. Of course, if he was reported slacking off then the squire held no doubt his patron would devise an appropriately terrifying punishment. With that in mind, he made his way towards The Garrison's multi-purpose yard, a place where knights and squires alike could hone their skills. Slip followed his master playfully, moving in a way Eren considered to be more of a waddle than a walk. Every morning the squire had to fetch Slip from the kennels, and caring for the dog was proving to be one of the most challenging tasks of Eren's young life. There was a lot of trial and error involved, most of which ended in frustration and self-scolding, but he was learning.
For one thing, he'd solved the problem of trying to grab the pup's attention when it decided to wander off. Not surprisingly, a sharp whistle was more effective than a string of curses. When Slip decided to ignore the whistle, Eren quickly learnt how naturally gifted at hiding the Bozderon Shadow Dog could be. True to his breed, Slip seemed to blend unnaturally well into any type of shadow, rendering the dog almost invisible. More than once, Eren had to use his evantia aura to track the animal down, a task made particularly difficult when the pup decided to stay still. Through it all, the squire endured, holding onto the hope that Slip would eventually grow out of the behaviour.
Eren found the training ground empty. Unlike in Syliras, the knights and squires of Mithryn rarely had time to make use of the facilities. The previous day, Eren had watched an elderly knight coach a page in basic sword stance, and that was the busiest he'd ever seen the place. Spring was a busy time of year though, and Eren wondered if the grassy yard saw more use in less demanding times.
"At least I've got you to keep me company, right Slip?" he asked the pup, who was busying himself stalking a small beetle. Despite being so young, Slip was able to move in near silence when he wanted to. It was an odd contrast to the animal's usual, clumsy gait. With a shrug, Eren removed his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. The Spring thaw had started in earnest, but an unmistakable chill still lingered in the air. Fortunately, Eren's patron had once taught him a sure-fire way to warm up.
Morning
Despite having only been stationed at the Mithryn Outpost for a short time, Eren felt he had already made some important discoveries about the place. First and foremost, the people there were busy. Always. During the day, most of the population ventured outside the outpost's protective walls to work, and they didn't return until nightfall. Farmers farmed, hunters hunted, and the knights did their best to keep everything from falling apart. Compared to the perpetually tight-pressed throng of bodies that was Syliras, Mithryn felt so... empty. Eren sighed; he was still struggling to adjust, it seemed.
With Farkus' duties confining him to Syliras, Eren was expected to continue his training away from the constant scrutiny of the older knight. Of course, if he was reported slacking off then the squire held no doubt his patron would devise an appropriately terrifying punishment. With that in mind, he made his way towards The Garrison's multi-purpose yard, a place where knights and squires alike could hone their skills. Slip followed his master playfully, moving in a way Eren considered to be more of a waddle than a walk. Every morning the squire had to fetch Slip from the kennels, and caring for the dog was proving to be one of the most challenging tasks of Eren's young life. There was a lot of trial and error involved, most of which ended in frustration and self-scolding, but he was learning.
For one thing, he'd solved the problem of trying to grab the pup's attention when it decided to wander off. Not surprisingly, a sharp whistle was more effective than a string of curses. When Slip decided to ignore the whistle, Eren quickly learnt how naturally gifted at hiding the Bozderon Shadow Dog could be. True to his breed, Slip seemed to blend unnaturally well into any type of shadow, rendering the dog almost invisible. More than once, Eren had to use his evantia aura to track the animal down, a task made particularly difficult when the pup decided to stay still. Through it all, the squire endured, holding onto the hope that Slip would eventually grow out of the behaviour.
Eren found the training ground empty. Unlike in Syliras, the knights and squires of Mithryn rarely had time to make use of the facilities. The previous day, Eren had watched an elderly knight coach a page in basic sword stance, and that was the busiest he'd ever seen the place. Spring was a busy time of year though, and Eren wondered if the grassy yard saw more use in less demanding times.
"At least I've got you to keep me company, right Slip?" he asked the pup, who was busying himself stalking a small beetle. Despite being so young, Slip was able to move in near silence when he wanted to. It was an odd contrast to the animal's usual, clumsy gait. With a shrug, Eren removed his coat and rolled up his shirt sleeves. The Spring thaw had started in earnest, but an unmistakable chill still lingered in the air. Fortunately, Eren's patron had once taught him a sure-fire way to warm up.
