An Issue of Wolves [Attn: Becky; Jeremy; Bella]

[Roan]

It was past high, and the sun shone brightly over the Yards. Riahana stood at one of the further firing lines on the archery range, and set an arrow on her bow string. The Gaidar was aware of the slight breeze from behind and to the right of her, and aware of footsteps approaching. She had grasped the Void, though, and focused on the target so many yards away. With slow, deliberate breaths, she bent back slightly at the waist, raised her black yew bow to aim, and drew the string back in one fluid moment. Perhaps a second later, there was a thwump as the string snapped forward, launching the arrow in what seemed an impossible arc.

"Gaidar Ferria?"

Riahana did not take her eyes off the track of the arrow, and saw it sink into the target so far away. She wasn't sure exactly where on the target, but she would soon enough. Only after she was sure her target hit its mark, did she turn to see the Ji'alantin who approached her. He was one of her archery students in the class she just started teaching "Yes Cedric?" she asked, arching a slight brow as she saw he carried a scroll.

"I was asked to deliver this to you, and wait your instructions," the young man offered. He was nervous around her, and she wasn't going to do anything to put him at ease. Those who wore the fancloak hadn't been coddled by their predecessors, and knew full well it did no good to coddle those in the learning ranks now. Guide them, sure, help them, advise them, of course. . .but coddle? No. . .the life of those wishing to earn the Fancloak was not an easy one. She wouldn't be outwardly cruel, nor go out of her way to make their lives hard, of course, but. . .tough love went a long way in the Yards.

Riahana took the scroll from the young man, and read it over, arching a brow as she saw the request to assist a farmer who was losing livestock. Such requests were not uncommon, and they could be good opportunities to train the learning ranks outside of the Tower walls. She looked up, "Fetch Lysira Gaidar, and the Drin'far'jis known as Muireen do Morny a’Lordeine and Cynric Emry. Have them meet me in the class room we use for class. I'll head there now."

"Of course, Gaidar. I will see to it at once," the Ji' answered.

As he walked off, Riahana un-strung her bow, and checked the range to make sure all was clear before moving down to her target and retrieve the arrows she'd fired. All of them hit, though not dead center. Close...a little low and to the left. Something she could easily correct for the next time she practiced at the range. For now, though, she had to meet up with an old friend and a couple of young Drin' to see how they might handle a potential wolf issue.

[Bella]

When the Ji sent to fetch her finally found her, Lysira was in the stables.

"Mother," Cade said with a disconcerted frown, "I think I can travel as far as the town without being besieged. I can't keep to the Tower like a prison cell, you know. I'm not training here. I'm just trying to live." He shared his father's intensity in his dark green eyes while he stared her down, willing to go toe to toe with her as an adult now but still respectful of his mother and that she was his mother.

I never said it was a prison, she signed back pointedly, but I want you to stay safe, and I'm sorry, but I'm your mother and wary of your traveling outside the Tower without some sort of protection.

His lips twisted. "I didn't say I'd be going alone. Gilynn Gaidar and I..."

Lysira's dark brows rose, but they were interrupted by the arrival of a Ji'alantin. Not wanting the entirety of this discussion to be overheard by the trainee, she held a hand up to Cade and then gestured for the Ji to come forward. She signed for him to speak, but he frowned at her without the ability to understand. Fright filled his eyes as he worried he wouldn't be bale to fulfill his task, but Cade translated.

"Yes, Gaidar," the Ji said with a bow. "Riahana Gaidar has requested your presence." He told her where and then showed her the revelant message, which she read and then nodded. Handing it back to him, she signed that she would be there, and Cade translated. The Ji scurried off and Lysira turned back to her child.

We're not done with this talk, she said. But you are an adult and I cannot trap you. If you're going with a Gaidar, I trust that as protection. Just promise your nervous mother that you'll be careful?

Cade smiled and again, Lys saw his father in him. Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek. "I promise," he said.

Lysira just shook her head with a silent laugh. I may be gone a few days on a task for the Tower, she added. So if you decide to do anything foolish, wait till I return?

"I promise," he repeated. "You'll be careful too?" She nodded. They hugged. He left.

Putting her hands on her slender hips, Lysira laughed again and shook her head. Decades as a Gaidar, and some very notable martial engagements, but it was likely to be her child that brought about her end. She supposed that wasn't necessarily unusual, of course, and so she reflected that she had to trust he could take care of himself with a little Tower-trained help, only so far as Hama Valon.

She left the stables and headed for the classroom where Riahana would be awaiting her.

[Roan]

Riahana arrived at the classroom, and set her bow on the desk at the front of the room. As she'd been making her way to her appointed meeting location, the Gaidar had been going through a mental list of things to do. Pack was an obvious one, along with talk to Gareth and the twins to let them know she might be gone for a few days. She couldn't help her smirk as she thought of Gareth playing the role of single parent. He would be more than fine, of course, given that the twins were still into exploring the Tower and the near by town. They were old enough not to need constant supervision. . .and well behaved enough not to get into too much trouble.

Reading through the scroll again, Ria started to think about potential scenarios. A farmer was losing livestock to something, and the first assumption was wolves. He called on the Tower to assist because he hadn't been able to put a stop to his losses. If it was wolves, what was driving them towards livestock? Was it a matter of easy prey, or perhaps something else? It would not be a simple hunt and kill assignment, though in her experience, there was no such thing as a simple hunt and kill assignment.

A young woman entered the class room, and Ria set the scroll down on the desk. She had seen the Drin'far'ji in the yards, and was aware that both she and the other trainee Ria had summoned could use experience in the field. Offering a small smile and tilting her head slightly, Riahana greeted the woman, "Welcome. You must be Muireen do Morny a’Lordeine?" She hoped she got the pronunciation right, but didn't let her uncertainty on the matter show. "Have a seat. . .we are waiting for Lysira Gaidar and another Drin, Cynric Emry. I will explain why I've summoned you all once everyone is present."

As the woman took a seat, Ria heard something from the hallway and looked over her shoulder in time to see Lysira reach the entrance to the classroom. Offering a warm smile, "Welcome, Lysira. I was just explaining to our Drin'far'ji that we are still waiting on one more. Once the other Drin' arrives, I will explain why I've called upon you all."

[Stasia]

Muireen do Morny a’Lordeine Muireen did not like to be singled out. As a general rule, she avoided notice in the Yards. She lurked. If she was truthful, she was probably near getting kicked out; training was a privilege and she was not doing anything to earn it. And so when her summons came, she broke out in clammy sweat. Riahana Ferria Gaidar? Who is she? Someone Mistress Bryne has hired to beat me?

They were fond of beatings in the Yards. They built character. If that were true, Muireen's character was entirely comprised of sweat and tears. And stolen cookies, she admitted ruefully. She'd never eaten so many cookies in her entire life. But they worked her so hard that she didn't put on a whole lot more of weight - she remained rail thin and all-around pointless for a Warder.

Someone had assured her she'd be good at stealth, but stealth only went so far when there were hulking giants learning how to use battleaxes.

"Do you know if I'm getting kicked out?" She finally asked, the question falling from her lips before she could stop her tongue, and the Ji leading her to the meeting point didn't dignify her with an answer. Muireen played with her hands as she walked. She had plenty of money left, she could make the trip back to Lugard... But she was not fond of the idea of facing her family. Not only would she be a failure of a well-bred lady, she'd be a failure of a Warder, too!

Perhaps she could take up some sort of skilled labor in Whitebridge - no, not Whitebridge, Daev lives there, Light burn him - - or Baerlon. It was an excellent plan, if only she knew how to do something aside from properly sit and the correct way to eat soup.

Light, I'm a lost cause.

The Ji unceremoniously left her at the entrance of a classroom - which would have been empty and silent, for not the woman in the fancloak that stood in the center. She radiated intimidation. Muireen tried to shy - but she swore that all these Warders had better hearing than hawks, and she was met with a piercing stare. "Welcome. You must be Muireen do Morny a’Lordeine?" She nodded stiffly, ignoring that the syllables of her surname had been sloshed around by a mouth unused to Murandian words - surnames didn't matter, and Muireen was all that she was at the Tower, anyway.

"Have a seat. . .we are waiting for Lysira Gaidar and another Drin, Cynric Emry. I will explain why I've summoned you all once everyone is present."

"Thank you, Gaidar," Muireen said quietly, and was a little taken aback by the offer. Riahana wasn't going to run through unarmed stances or... Anything? Muireen took the seat nearest to the door and very conspicuously did not look to the Gaidar, as if she might shatter the small moment of mercy.

[Roan]

Hurry up and wait. . .sometimes that was the call of the Yards, and it was something all recruits learned to tolerate. As they were waiting, another Drin' stepped in and handed Ria a note before making a hasty exit. I'm not that intimidating, am I? the Gaidar thought as she watched the trainee leave. She then turned her attention to the note, "Ah. . .so it seems Cynric will not be able to join us, as he is required elsewhere."

Setting the note aside, Ria looked to the other two, "Which means it is down to us. We have a farmer on the outskirts of Hama Valon who is losing livestock. It is his belief that he is having issues with wolves, and he has asked the Tower for help. This is where we come in. We are to investigate his claims, and do what we can to make sure he loses no further livestock." It seemed so straight forward, but was it? Something tickled the back of Ria's mind, and she couldn't help but wonder what they might find.

"I do not know how long we will be gone, so I would suggest packing a light bag. . .bring enough for a night or two away from the Tower, but not so much that you burden yourself or your mount," Ria suggested. "Any questions?"

((OOC: I figured I would get this thing rolling if you were still game to continue without Jeremy. I will have to go back and edit one of my posts since I think in one I suggested Lys arrived and in another said Lys was due to arrive.))

[Bella]

((OOC: Ladies, do you mind if I bring in an NPC to be a replacement for our fourth? I'd like to bring in Ani from the archery spar to get a little more "air time" with her and Lysira.))

[Roan]

((OOC: No problem here...the more the merrier.))

[Bella]

Ani Imirwyn The Ji'dar hurried through the corridors, knowing that she was perilously close to being perilously late. Her summons to assist Riahana Gaidar in place of another who was unable to attend had come at rather the last minute, but when there was a woman of such rank needing assistance and training to be had, one did not dispute it for their own convenience.

Her boots all but skidded her along the floor as she came to an abrupt stop outside the room. She tried to catch her breath and straighten herself out as she opened the door and stepped through. The sight of not just one Gaidar but two was unnerving, but she held herself high and walked up. "Riahana Gaidar," she said, still slightly out of breath as she bowed and held out a note explaining her assignment.

[Roan]

The newcomer's arrival coincided with Ria's question regarding questions, and thus she'd missed the briefing, brief as it was, in its entirety. The Gaidar Captain took the note, and read that the Ji'dar would be joining her party in place of the unfortunate Drin' who was needed elsewhere. Offering a warm smile as she raised both brows and looked back to the young woman, Ria replied, "And it seems we are once again a party of four."

Ria nodded to the others in the room, "The four of us have been asked to assist a farmer who has had an issue of missing livestock. As I've mentioned to the others, I do not know how long we will be gone, but I suggest packing enough to sustain you for a day or two away from the tower. A bed roll would be advisable, of course." She smirked, "So...questions?"

[Bella]

Lysira smiled a little as she listened to Riahana, remembering them both when they were younger.

Wolves, the diminutive Gaidar thought. It seemed likely to be a little something more than that if someone from the Grey Tower would need to be in attendance. Then again, maybe it wouldn't. One never really could be sure. Plan for battle and find peace. Plan for peace and find mayhem. The Wheel Wove as the Wheel Willed, as in all things and for all time.

Looking between the Drin'fari'ji and the Ji'dar, the latter of whom she recognized a little, Lysira stepped forward and looked at Riahana. 'Only when and where do we meet for departure?' she signed, her lips still curved in that small smile.