Like Father, Like Son.
Tirius trudges through the forest, the air seeming to clear as the haze seems to grow more thin as he continues on, soon enough, the green haze is gone and he's surrounded by beautiful tree's which seem alive and growing every second.
I've never been so happy to see Ashenvale in my life... Now to find that bastard Talos...
Tirius continues on in the forest, his stomach growling, his head still seems to be a bit woozy, he manages to stumble to a lake, drinking as much water as he can, he sighs heavily, feeling the pure water slide down his throat, he stands back up, his ears twitching as he drops on all fours once more, he prowls silently through the forest, sniffing every now and then, each time he changes direction, he seems in deep concentration, almost like he's a different being completely. He finally finds what he's looking for, there is a group of stag grazing, Tirius stays low, prowling around, looking for the best opening. He sits back, waiting, he inspects his ribs, he gives them a light poke, groaning lightly, they still seem quite inflamed. His ears twitch as his gaze darts back to the group, he moves back to all fours and rears down, pouncing. He lands in front of the stags as they turn around and begin to run. His eyes quickly scan the group as he darts for the closest one, he manages to grab the stags leg, pulling it back, he brings his hand up, digging his claws into the stags side and tearing right across the stags side, the stag groans loudly in pain and drops to the ground. Tirius slams his fist on the stags head, as it finally dies, he lowers his head, sinking his teeth into the stag. He doesn't seem to care whether it's raw or not anymore, he growls as he fiercely tears the meat off with ease, his fangs sinking deep into the stag with each bite.
Soon enough he finishes his meal, he stands back up, gazing around. He looks up at the sky noticing it's still quite sunny, he heads off, finding a quiet lake and finally resting, he is finally for once, well nourished, his eyes close as he lays on his back, his hands on his ribs. His breath still heavy from breathing the gases back in Felwood, his eyes finally close. A screech is heard, he groans looking up. It's a stormcrow, it swoops by Tirius dropping a note. He reads it, a smirk spreading across his face as he lays back down, closing his eyes once more and drifting off to sleep.
Quote:Tirius and his father Torose are sleeping under the stars, like all the other nights they have for hundreds of years now. Tirius is now a teenager, moving ever so closer to adulthood. They lay there talking and laughing.
"I'm sorry Tirius, but it was pretty funny when you ran head first into the tree, chasing after that stag... You need still patience my son."
Tirius Groans, smirking, his gaze not breaking from the sky above.
"Hey, sometimes i honestly can't be bothered alright...? Sitting and waiting is the boring part." He yawns loudly, his head slowly moving from side to side as he gazes upwards.
Torose chuckles, his gaze also at the sky. "Some things never change huh... Y'know, soon enough you'll be on your own in this forest... I wonder how you'll cope sometimes."
Tirius frowns, his gaze quickly snapping from the sky to his father. "What the fel is that supposed to mean...? You think i don't make a good hunter?"
Torose shakes his head, his expression still calm, his gaze still at the skys above, he yawns loudly stretching out towards the night sky. "Tirius I think you'll make a great hunter... But you have one problem... You don't take things seriously sometimes, I used to be the same... There's a time for work and a time for play, If you spend too much time goofing around. You'll get nowhere in life..."
Sighs, looking back up at the sky. "I know... But I still have a while until I'm on my own..."
"Tirius, you don't know that, I just wonder... When I'm gone would you remain in the forest... Or be seduced by civilization."
Tirius shakes his head. His expression looking troubled. "I'd stay in the forest... Become just like you one day."
Torose chuckles, gazing over at his son. "Tirius, you should try experience all aspects of life, I love the forest and always will, but most things should be tried once... Just don't get sucked into it. I only hope you don't make the same mistakes i did..." He sighs looking back up at the sky. "Even a graceful panther can tear your heart out..."
Tirius blinks, frowning at that notion. "Graceful panther..." He thinks back to one of the times his father told him stories from the symbols on the blade. "So Who-"
Before Tirius could finish his sentence his father sits up fast, his ears twitch as he stands up, grabbing his blade. He sniffs the air, his ears twitching as a roar is heard. Soon enough a group of Satyr emerge from a nearby mound. Torose quickly glances to Tirius. "Tirius. Run!"
Tirius shakes his head. "Bu-"
"Please! I'll see you soon, alright?!"
Tirius, nods once and reluectantly turns around, sprinting off. In the distance he can hear roaring and a scuffle, he trys to ignore it as he pelts off in the direction of Astranaar. As he runs he hears a deathly roar. It doesn't sound like a satyr, he tries to keep it out of his mind and continues running.
Tirius wakes up, yawning loudly. He gets to his feet gazing around the forest, it's night time. He stands up, rubbing his chest and wincing as he moves on. As he walks through the forest, his minds seems to drift in thought, he realizes he doesn't view the forest the same, almost like he has more control over it. He drops on all fours and feels like he's something completely different, taking every aspect of the animal he has learned in. His gaze snaps to a nearby tree as a screech is heard, it's an owl... His owl? The owl swoops Tirius twice and flies off low, Tirius chasing after it. The owl leads him to a lake, flying up the water fall and landing on a fairly large branch towering over it, he squints, gazing upwards, noticing that there is someone else up there. It's Talos. He growls, raising his voice and shouting up to him.
"Talos you traitor! I'm gonna kill you!"
Talos looks down at Tirius smiling broadly, he chuckles, yelling back.
"Stop acting like a baby and get up here!"
Tirius groans and makes his way around and up the waterfall, he slowly balances across the branch, sitting down near Talos. He growls at him.
"What's stopping me from trying to kill you right now?"
The owl sitting on Talos's shoulder screeches, Talos chuckles, giving the owl a pat on the head, he looks back to Tirius, shrugging.
"You're going to kill me over a lesson...?"
Tirius roars, his eyes wide with anger. "
You beat the fel out of me! Made my ribs worse! And dumped me in felwood, for a lesson!?"
Talos nods, casually, not really fazed by the yelling.
"I wanted you to learn a few things... One, I put you in one of the worst situations possible to see if you used instinct. And two, you're alive because of our friend here..."
Tirius pauses, he gazes at the owl, looking back to Talos.
"How does a simple animal know all these things...?"
"Because, the owl perches high above and watches the creatures of the forest, it views each animals mistake, and learns from it. Unfortunately not a lot of people think that listening to an owl is anything... In fact people would think you're crazy, but those fools don't know what they're avoiding." Talos ruffles Tirius' hair.
"You did good... You see, some beasts cannot be mimicked... Like the owl, we cannot fly... We can never do what they do, or try and look through their eyes. So instead, we master this animal. We learn to befriend it, and learn from it... Not only do we mimic beasts, but we value our animal friends highly, they are not just protectors... They can be tutors as well."
Talos stands up, and begins walking off the branch.
"Come."
They make their way back down to the bottom of the waterfall, Talos stands near the edge of the lake and gestures for Tirius to stand beside him and look into the water.
"What do you see young Cloudbreaker...?"
Tirius gazes into the water, he see's the reflection of Talos next to him, a big buff Kaldorei, looking quite rugged, his clothes torn, his hair long and wild, going down his chest and behind his back, all dreaded up, he has claws, and fangs, he also appears to be growing horns... Tirius then gazes at his own reflection. He see's a rugged buff Kaldorei, with green hair, it has twigs, bloodstains and seems to be dreaded a little, and stretches down his shoulders and back, his hands appear to have claws as well. Tirius opens his mouth slightly, noticing his canines have sharpened and grown... Fangs. He runs his hand across his forehead, feeling small two small lumps. He looks back to Talos, confused and shocked.
Talos smiles brightly, giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder.
"My little Thero'shan, you have taken your first steps into Beastmastery... You are effectivley a Beastmaster."
Tirius looks over himself then back up to Talos, his shocked gaze seems to fade slowly, followed by a smile.
"I did it...?"
Talos nods briefly, grinning. "Yep, you have learned an aspect, you have learned how to communicate, and seem one with the wilds. You know to handle situations with animals which a simple hunter cannot, when you first ran into me, you froze at the sight of the pack i was in... Now, i wouldn't be surprised if you casually strolled in and tried to befriend them." He chuckles, walking off to a nearby hollow tree. He kneels down pulling out a blade. He walks over to Tirius. "I remember this blade... I actually watched your father etch some of these symbols into it... Anyway, You've completed your training, here's your weapon... Although i doubt it'll get much use now..."
Tirius takes the blade, holding it up, he gazes at the symbols, his fingers running by the few he knows. The feather, the wise owl, the small saber paw...
The graceful panther... He looks back up to Talos.
"What happened to my father when he decided to spend time in civilization?"
Talos chuckles, he smirks slighty, turning to the water and sitting down.
"He had you... His reason for returning to the wilds..."
Tirius frowns, heading over to the lake and sitting down.
"I thought he spent all his life in the wilds."
"He did, but like all Kaldorei we wonder about other things... He spent a few years of his life living in civilization..."
Sighs, his eyes looking back down to the lake, he gazes at himself, feeling like he's looking at a completely different person.
"So, what happened to my mother?" His gaze shifts back up to Talos, looking for an answer.
Talos gazes at Tirius, he shrugs looking back down at the water.
"She died giving birth to you, your father had no reason to stay in civilization... And he didn't want his son growing up like that, so he took you into the forest to raise you like a Cloudbreaker."
Tirius nods, his gaze seems to move around the forest, he seems to sink deeper into thought from that.
Talos chuckles.
"If you're heading back in to civilization, let me give you one advice, stay out of partnerships... They just lead to trouble..."
Tirius sighs, his gaze moving once again back to the pond, his hands seem to drum on his leg, as his gaze moves around the water.
"Yeah... My father says the same thing, i know..." He looks back up to Talos, frowning.
"Why would i go back though? I still need training."
Talos bursts out laughing, standing up, he gazes down at his claws, picking a bit of dirt out of it.
"Are you kidding? I taught you all you need to know. It's up to you to learn the rest, there are many animals out there to study and mimic, even some -I- don't know yet... I stick to the ones here... All I'm saying is that you've reached the point where you know how to handle situations in the forest, the rest of the aspects and the rest of the animals if you choose to dwell deeper into Beastmastery are out there, and it's up to you to learn those specific aspects." Talos turns around and begins to walk off.
"Ah, by the way. Try learning the aspect of a wolf... Unfortunately there are none in Ashenvale and the ones in Darkshore are diseased... Wolves are known to be the most loyal friends, one of the best animals to have with you. They know the dynamics of a pack better then a Moonsaber."
Tirius stands up, walking over to Talos, he holds his hand out to shake.
"Thank you Talos for taking the time to train me."
Talos chuckles and without warning gives Tirius a bear hug, squeezing him tight.
"Anything for a Cloudbreaker... We are practically family."
Tirius groans as he's bear hugged, finding it a bit hard to breath, as Talos releases, he chuckles and gives him a nod.
"Well anyways... Thanks Talos..."
Talos chuckles, he begins to walk off.
"Y'know something little Cloudbreaker? You truly remind me of your father now... You're getting much closer to his potential... Stay safe. Beastmaster, Tirius."
Tirius chuckles as Talos walks off, disappearing into the forest once more, he turns around to the lake, kicking a stone in, he gazes at his reflection.
I need to clean myself up...
[Complete]