Iron Chef: Wherling style! {Lesson}

[S'yal]

Z had just been released from the detox area, having been forbidden from leaving even when he grumbled about needing to teach his class. So, all the wherlings so far had been instructed on was feeding their wherlets... which was not good. Granted it was only a few days into the young whers lives, but their handlers needed to know how to make their food and care for the young beasts. Thus, Z had sobered up for once in his life and set off to the wherling barracks, Zalmask lumbering in his wake. It would be painful to see the wherlets, but this was something he had to do. He needed to teach them, and teaching would distract him. It'd let him forget, at least for a little while.

"Zalmask." He whispered to the wher as he slipped into the wherling barracks. The sun had just set, and it was unlikely any wherlings were awake. "Do the honor." Zalmask nodded, a strange gesture for a wher, before pulling her head back and letting loose a mighty roar. Z swaggered into the middle of the room, putting on his best drill sergeant face. "Alright, you little tunnelsnakes, get up! Sharding hell how lazy are you little brats? Do you WANT your whers to starve? Get up!" He spared a wink to Bujare and Annette if either were awake, but otherwise kept his serious face. He was having fun, but it felt so wrong. He shouldn't be having fun, so soon after Zalsk died. He pushed it from his mind.

"Everyone up. Be ready within five minutes!" He announced, Zalmask snarling and sending the mental command to all the wherlets to get up. Even Bellatrisk would be compulsed to obey her, with the young gold being not yet mature and the youngest and thus lowest ranked gold in the compound. "Bujare, Annette, don't think i'll go easy on you two just because you've double impressed!" He gave Bujare especially a serious stare, silently telling her that she'd be treated just like all the other wherlings. Lover and grown woman or not.

Once the wherlings were awake Zalmask would lope around them, rounding them up as Z moved out of the room and out of the compound. He was heading towards the area outside the wher complex, which was a pen for wherries. The full grown whers hunted from the feeding grounds, like dragons, but this pen was for the wherlings. It would also be for Lucisk, once she grew large enough.

"Alright. Here's the first lesson. It's more like two lessons in one." Z climbed over the fence as Zalmask easily leaped it, holding out his hand to help any wherlings that might be more out of shape then the others to get over. Once the wherlings were over, he calmly waited for the young whers. "Don't help them, they can climb it... er, except Lucisk." He muttered the last part, before turning to the panicing wherrys. They were of the small, turkey sized variety... though if the young whers got in their face they could easily do some damage. "You've got to catch some wherries. Take one and drain it's blood" He gestured to the pots of porridge on the side of the pen. "into those. Then stir well until it turns pinkish. Then, you feed your wher. Sound easy? Wrong. During this, you have to keep your wher under control and keep them from attacking the wherries. If they do, you have double chores for a sevenday. Got it?"

Zalmask sat to the side, looking smug. What's she got up her sleeve.

"By the way, if your wher goes after a wherry, they will get hurt. They've got no teeth and wherries are shardin' strong. If you don't have your knives, oh well. You'll have to figure out a way to do this without any. Once you've killed the wherry and drained it's blood, just give it to Zalmask. No use wasting it."

[nemix]

Druen was finding the shift in sleeping pattern a little hard to get to grips with. True he was used to dropping off for short bursts throughout the day and night, but sleeping solidly through the day was proving taxing. He tried napping when he could the first day, but Drusk had been awake solidly through the night and Druen hadn't been able to keep awake. It didn't seem right, because Drusk would just stand there and watch him sleep until the man woke up. He didn't leave his side, but it made Druen a little uncomfortable that every time he opened his eyes Drusks head was right there.

He was trying, really trying, but he still hadn't mastered sleeping right through the day. Drusk had and was sleeping deeply when the call from both Zalmask and Z cut through the barracks. The man strutted about, shouting and generally confusing things to the point where even basic tasks would be difficult. Well this could make things interesting. Used to being up and doing on not much notice, Druen rolled from his bed and shoved on his boots. A shirt followed, his belt of various pouches and objects and, there, he was ready to roll. He'd feel the lack of sleep later he was sure, having woken up fairly early but for now he was good. Unfortunately, Drusk was not.

Gently, Druen knelt down by the couch and shook the stocky blue shoulder of his Wher. Drusk sleeps.[/i] Came a grumbly reply, the blue squeezing his eyes even more tightly shut. Druen smiled but shook his head. "Nope, Drusk gets up now." He said simply, shaking the shoulder again. Drusk. Sleep. Drusks can be up.[/i] The wherlet informed him simply, curling his head further into his body with a snort. Druen frowned, standing up and folding his arms.
"So you don't want to work with me?" He said quietly, sounding slightly sad, watching the wherlet. That did it. Drusk lifted his head, staring at the wherling with a fearful look. Drusk's is upset with Drusk?[/i] He questioned quickly, struggling to get himself off the couch as quickly as he could. Drusk bad wher.[/i] He said mournfully and hung his head. Druen sighed inwardly but outwardly he shook his head.
"You're not a bad Wher, I just hoped you'd want to work with me." Druen said gently. "Work is good for you, shows your worth, we should always be working if we can." He said cheerfully, patting the blue's shoulder encouragnigly. "I know we will make a good team."
The Blue fidgeted, swirling his talons on the floor for a moment. If Drusk's says so.[/i] He finally affirmed, lifting his head up and looking about.
"Come on then, lets keep up with the others." Druen said and set off briskly, Drusk marching along behind with a fairly enthusiastic step. He peered curiously at the other wherlets, snorting and grumbling thoughtfully to himself as they made their way outside.

Joining the group, Druen pulled himself quickly over the fence and eyed the group of wherries. Fairly small, and an easy job from the sounds of it. He wasn't a master butcher or anything of the sort, but culling and draining he could do. Taking note of the task, Druen eyed his belt for a moment and then selected a knife from it, eyeing the blade thoughtfully. It should be sharp enough but he'd have to work on the blade after today. Turning about he smiled at Drusk, ready to begin. "We'll have you some food in....Drusk?" He trailed off, then eyed the wherlet who was now peering at him. "Why are you on the other side of the fence?" He asked after a moment, watching the blue look around at the group who had all made it inside the pen, save him. Fence tall.[/i] He said simply, as if this was a blindingly obvious. Druen sheathed his knife again and took a deep breath. "Come join the rest of the group." He said carefully, still trying to learn how much sternness he needed in his voice to get the wherlet to listen without becoming distressed. Drusk approached the fence, eyeing it for a long moment and then looking forlornly at Druen. Can't make it.[/i] He said in a hopeful fashion, fidgeting on his feet again. Druen folded his arms and looked at Drusk with a no-nonsense stare. "Over the fence." He said again firmly. "Or you wont get to work with me."

Reluctantly, the blue scrambled over the fence, plopping down the other side with a heaved sigh. "Well done." Druen said with a smile, rubbing his bonded's snout fondly. Drusk puffed himself up, lumbering after Druen as the man eyed the flock of wherries. "Now, you watch and count how many wherries it takes to make your food." He said, deciding that giving Drusk a task during the lesson would be good. After all, that way they'd be working together. Drusk rumbled his agreement to the matter and then, followed Druen about on his heels. The man would have sighed, but Drusk was watching every move he made as he selected the first bird and after a rather sloppy attempt at catching it, almost flattened the thing as he collapsed on it and got ahold of its legs and head. Hauling the struggling thing over to the side of the pen he positioned it near one of the bowls and slit the creature's throat cleanly, holding it over the bowl to drain. "Thank you for not going after them." Druen said cheerfully, receiving a confused look. Drusk not chase flappy wherry. Drusk's job.[/i] Drusk informed him, as if this was obvious. Why oh why would he run about like a mad thing, chasing down something that wasn't even ready to eat? That made no sense an sounded far too tiring. One.[/i] Drusk informed him helpfully after a moment, watching as Druen tossed the carcass to Zalmask and then eyed up the rest of the flock again.

[nozomi]

Siata had been dreaming of that guard. The pretty one, from just before the Hatching? Hard not to, curled up on her little bed, face buried in the pillow with drool coming out of the side of her mouth. Siata snored, had to with her nose crooked and compressed against pillow and the thick arm under it. Unbothered by her handler's loud sleeping habits, Siatask had crawled onto her handlers bed and somehow managed to flop onto Siata's body. The Wher wedged herself between wall and human, legs pressed down Siata's side and the other two sprawled over her. Siatask's long neck stretched out comfortably against the curve of Siata's back, large skull resting just between her shoulder blades.

Siata snored; Siatask wuffled, growling a little in her sleep.Then-- "SHARDING NAKED WOMAN WHERE WHAT?!" Siata flailed even while lying down, waking up her snoozing bondmate. Siatask yelped in alarm when the human fell to the ground in a tangle, bright eyes staring up at Z in something akin to surprise. Confusion. Then to her feet, clothing being pulled on this way and that, with Siatask still dozing in their sleeping area.


She did not chide Siata for her behavior, not a bit, and allowed herself to be herded off by her mother. In fact, the green kept quite close to the older female, sleepy as she was, still half-awake from being jerked from a deep sleep. Zalmask, after all, was the strongest of them all, demale, and quite the fierce beast herself; Siatask would stay with her thank you very much. Or as near as she'd be allowed.

Play nice, pretty.

Always. Siatask let out a mighty Wherling yawn, her squat frame stretching just as they reached the fence. While Siata clambered over the damned thing like a terrian monkey, the honey badger of a Wher stared up at the fence with slowly red-swirling eyes.

Siatasks.

You have to do it, pretty girl.

Yes, she was pretty, wasn't she? She still wasn't going to climb it. No climb. Not big.

Siata, unphased, stretched and listened to Z as he spoke. Catch the birds, kill the birds, drain the suckers, and feed it to the babies. Yes, Z. Yes, that did sound easy enough. Since my Wher thinks she can't climb a small sharding fe--Good girl.

Siatask snarled, toothless and thus without fear, and slammed her large claws against the fence. With slow deliberation, the green started her climb over the fence. She perched herself on the top of it, delicately balanced with her short tail straight out to keep herself from falling.

One-two- and she jumped, feet outstretched for a clumsy tuck-and-roll. Siata somehow managed to keep from grinning, her thick fingers waving to keep her girl at bay.

That was lovely. Thank you, Siatask.

But Siatask paid Siata no mind. Her eyes focused in on the noisy birds, the red a solid mass of desire to hurt and bleed the creatures herself. Siata felt the bloodlust in her brain just as surely as her bondmate, could almost feel her eyes changing color (although, of course, they did not). She hissed and turned on her heel, pointing a finger straight at her baby.

"None of that!" The sharp reprimand, both outloud and through their bond, made Siatask flinch back. Annoyance and anger seeped into the desire, the short Whers muscles bunching under her dented hide. Siatask paced, near vibrating with her low growls. Three feet to the left, almost pressed against the fence, a turn, and three feet to the right. Another turn. She kept with the pacing, eyes fixed on Siata with a mighty hunger. From her, Siata received no words, simply hunger, reigned in violence. For Siata, she kept to the fence, claws digging at the ground with each firm step.

Her Wher in check, Siata focused in on the birds. She scouted them much as her Wher did to her that fateful day only one or two back. Counting the nights as day confused her, already. Whatever. When she focused in on one, an older looking creature in the far corner, Siatask snarled. Siata let her be, approaching the horde of wherries, tensed and fingers partially curled in anticipation.

The smith gave chase. The bird ran. Twice, she dove, and twice the bird managed to squirm out of her arms. "You little sharding--"

And that third time, Siata grabbed the bird by the throat. The bird pecked at her, or tried, grazing Siata's arms with it's beak and her stomach with it's arms and legs, wings flapping. Siata growled at it, and crushed the damn things windpipe with one of her large hands. Behind her, near to that fence, Siatask roared as loud as a little Wher could. The Wher whipped around, clawing at the fence as if it were the werry she was not allowed to chase, even with her handlers vantage point of the dead wherrie, and the scent of blood in the air.

"Crazy thing." The smith glared at the bird, as if the poor thing did anything more than protect itself. SHe stalked to the porridge and slit it's throat, allowing the blood to pour into the pot she'd chosen for her girl. Once she was sure it was drained, Siata stirred the porridge, huffing as she went about it. Pretty. Food.

Siatask's bring.

That isn't how it works, Siatask.

Yes. Is.

And... Siata gave in. Of course she did, she always went back to her Siatask. The handler in question ignored that smug satisfaction, and how Siatask's approval swept through her, filling her mind with happiness at having the simple 'request' obeyed. The happiness quickly left, pressed back by that arrogant little mind. Siata felt it, though, and neither of them felt the need to bring it up once that small pot clunk down before the Wher.

Siatask lurched to eat, the wherries death fresh in her mind and fueling the hunger. Siata grabbed her, hauled the girl back. The two of them growled at one another, and it wasn't until Siata sat down behind Siatask, and dragged the Wher down onto her lap, that Siatask backed down. It took some manuvering but from that position (with her legs going numb), Siata was able to feed her damned bondmate.

Fraggin' wherry.

[lithle]

Annette had bonded Annesk at fourteen. They'd been together for twenty years and while Annette certainly defined Annesk, the opposite was equally true. She was, admittedly, a lot of things. One of the things she wasn't was a 'little tunnelsnake' who'd starve her own wher. Yes, even obedient, dutiful Annette bristled at being addressed so. It didn't even seem to suit the wherleader, who had previously insisted she call him Z.

One moment it was 'don't call me sir' and now it was 'little tunnelsnake'? She wondered if the loss of the green had somehow addled him, then put it out of her mind as she dressed. If he wanted to play the tyrant, that was fine. Her job was just to get through this so she could get back on guard duty where she belonged.

Ask had roused instantly at Zalmask's roar, and Annesk had woken as well, though with considerably more anger.

Stupid babies

No, that's Zalmask. Younger, yes. Not a baby. She stroked the brown hide with strong hands, "Sleep," she said allowed. "You're getting some time off while I see to Ask. May as well enjoy it."

She made her way to the wherry pens with the others though she didn't scramble over immediately.

Ask? She knelt and placed her hands on the small blue wher. Good whers obey. They obey their handlers. They obey those who outrank them. You are to wait. Do not chase. Later, I will teach you to hunt.

Ask is good! Ask listens to Ask's. Ask watch others. Make sure bad whers listen. A pointed look toward the already arrived Siatask, there.

That established, Annette quickly made her way over the fence. Ask had more than a little trouble following. He was a little thing, delicate. Annette winced as he hit the ground with an ooph, but could feel no lingering pain through their bond.

It'd been a long time since she'd had to catch a wherry. But with Siata rousing some of the birds into a frenzy with all her pouncing, Annette didn't have too hard a time grabbing one of the already frantic ones. She slit its throat with an efficient gesture, stirred the blood into the porridge, and settled the resultant mess in front of Ask.

Good work. Eat up. Scrawny thing.

Mean. Ask's not say. Ask sounded less hurt at the insult than he was offended that Annette would ever stoop to such a level.

She ran a finger down his too soft hide. "Truth. Mean or no. Not going to lie to you."

Ask began to eat, but with extreme care. He wasn't going to get messy over this! Bath soon. he complained. Climbing and falling in the dirt had got him dirty.

[Spiffy]

Bellatrix, for one, was having no such problems sleeping through the day as some of he other new handlers. She was, quite naturally, a night-owl, had always preferred moonlight over sunlight, as could be seen by her pale complexion, unusual for the average pernese. She liked her night round as a guard, ad had been most disgruntled when the hatching occurred at mid-day. So the former guard slept soundly, the only problem she'd had drifting off being Siata's snoring. Bellatrisk and Bellask were equally unconscious.

All that changed with a roar. Bellask awoke with a blat of alarm, jerking upright and promptly falling over in the opposite direction as Bellatrisk also stirred, woken by Zalmask's roar and the green claw that nicked her side. Ugh, Bellask was curled against her?! No, that was far beneath her! The young queen stood, glaring down at Bellask with a hiss, then up at Zalmask with an even larger hiss, before she was silenced by an arm reaching out of the adjacent bed's covers and clamping gently on her toothless maw. Quiet now, Princess.

Bellatrix removed her hand from her gold, stretching and yawning as she looked blearily up at the raging Z, frowning. Ugh, she hated mornings. Or evenings, in her case. Whatever, waking up wasn't her strong point. "Five minutes?" she grumbled quietly (well, quietly for Bella), before rolling groggily out of bed and onto her feet, automatically clawing on what clothes and boots were within reach, slipping her knife to her boot without a thought, born out of a habit of many nights of guard duty. Bellatrisk spat at the mental command from Zalmask, but even she was too groggy to do anything else. Bellask just complied, even less better off that her sister.

The two were less impressed by being rounded up by their mother, Bellatrisk glaring at her with orange eyes as she stalked her way proudly to the front of the little group, just behind Zalmask, glaring briefly at Siatask who was also close to the front, Bellask sticking close to the gold's side. Bella followed after Z, scratching her unkempt head, hair unbrushed as normal, consciousness coming slowly to the goldhandler. Thankfully, for her at least, she was pretty much awake by the tim they reached the compound.

She eyes the fence, her injured leg, and then her two injured wherlings. Bellatrisk should be alright, it was mostly her wing that was injured broken when her mother had beat her away from her handler at the hatching. Bellask may have slightly more trouble, her shoulder still being tender after the slash given her by Moriosk. She'd manage herself. Approaching the fence, she braced her arms on the top rail and pulled herself up, swinging her good leg up and over the fence, injured leg following slowly after, then dropped down the other side, landing mostly on her good leg but still wincing as her other twinged in protest. She wasn't going to accept Z's help, oh no.

She turned to her two whers. Bellatrisk seemed to have gotten the idea on her own, balancing shortly on the top rail, having leapt up in one jump, and dropped almost gracefully down the other side. Come on Sweetling, your turn. Bellask eyed the fence from the other side. Fence big. Bellask not big like Bellatrisk. You can still make it. See, Ask made it. Take a run up. Or scared? Bellatrisk added mockingly. The stocky green gave the two a look, then backed up several paces, putting on a bit of speed, using her bottled up anger as fuel as she leapt at the fence with a snarl, not quite making it to the top and scrabbling with blunt claws (filed down by Z for the safety of the other handlers) for purchase. With a struggle she finally managed it, dropping down the other side and landing in a heap as her bad shoulder gave way. She stood growling at it as Bella dropped down to give her a scratch. "Well done, Sweetling." Then she turned her attention back to Z.

Catch the wherries, and keep her whers under control? Was he having a laugh? She had two of the most blood-thirsty whers in the class! No, he looked perfectly serious. Shells, she thought to herself, looking down at the whers to see Bellatrisk already crouching, eyes fixed on the nervous flock. Bellask took a little longer to notice, having been distracted by her shoulder, but her burning eyes soon followed her sisters. Bella sighed quickly, then stepped in front of the pair, Bellatrisk not looking at her and moving her head to get a better look at the wherries past Bella's legs.

"Right, you two. Neither of you, and I mean neither, is going to go after one of those wherries. You will both stay right here. Got it?" Bellask growled, wanting to go after the wherries but obeying. Bella gave the gold a mental prod. Got it? she repeated. Grudgingly the gold sat down, though her eyes never left the wherries. "And you're to make sure that Bellask doesn't do anything stupid, Princess," she said as she turned to the wherries, part of her mind still focussed on the two whers. They were already all over the place, running from the handlers that were already going after them. Bella saw Annette quickly dispatch one of them, having a lot more success than the others. Pfft, easy, she thought.

Wrong.

She lunged after a wherry and it sped away, not even close enough to touch. She tried again, and the same thing happened. Trying another tactic, she went after a small group gathered in one corner. She got close enough to touch them alright, as they flapped and clawed frantically at the air to escape, Bella ducking as she reached out for one and caught nothing more than a grazed arm, the cloud of wherries leaving her far behind in the corner, seething. This wasn't going well. Spotting a rather fat looking one, she began to stalk toward it, getting close enough to make a grab, and... tripping on a lump of dried dirt that she hadn't seen in the dark, landing in the dirt with a furious roar, sounding almost like one of the wherlets themselves.

Finally, at the end of her tether, she grabbed her knife out of her boot, searched for a target that wasn't surrounded by flailing humans, flipped the knife so that she was holding the blade and threw it forcefully at the wherry. The blade buried itself in the wherry's breast, the feathery thing going down with a pained squark, Bella giving it a triumphant "HAH!" as she stood and made her way over to dispatch it for good by snapping its neck. She dragged her prize over to the troughs, not having the strength to lift the turkey-sized carcass off of the ground for long like some, dumping it next to one as she caught her breath. "No help for those of us who've got to catch two of the buggers," she muttered, not altogether quietly, then gave up, deciding she get the other one in a minute, when she'd run out of food.

Slitting its throat, she hung the severed neck over the trough and hefted the bird up, leaning on the fence for support as she did, only then noticing that she'd been joined by the two wherlings, who were gazing hungrily at the porridge. Bellask came forward, but was quickly sent scuttling back at a command from Bellatrisk, who hissed and flared her single wing, the one that wasn't bandaged tightly to her side, not prepared for the green to get first pick at the food. "The both of you can wait until it's ready," Bella told them, which ended the argument as the two sat and waited, none too patiently, as Bella finally dropped the carcass to the ground, swinging it toward Zalmask. She stirred the porridge bowl until it turned pink, then dragged it a little away from the others, batting away any noses that tried to get into it prematurely, and began to ladle it into their waiting maws. The single bowl probably wouldn't go around the two whers, so she'd have to get another when this one was done. Joy.

[S'yal]

Zalmask was very pleased by the food coming her way, crooning with thanks to everyone who gave her food- even Bellatrix. Bellask's crimes had not been forgiven when she allowed her claws to be clipped, but for a moment Zalmask growled at her golden daughter for the treatment of the smaller green. Zalmask hated both- one for the death of Zalsk, one for the attack on an already mourning Z. But one was supposed to protect their bondpartners. She scoffed as she glanced over Bellatrisk, sneering.

Good queen protect little pack members. Bellatrisk bad queen. Bellatrisk need learn. She remarked privately to Z, who merely shrugged. She'll learn, Zalmask. I distinctly remember you were quite similar was a wherlet. Zalmask scoffed, her tail twitching like that of an angry cat. Two-bonds having hard time. Hard catch flappys, hard feeding two. Zalmask remarked softly, eyeing the wherlings that had double bonded. Z paused, looking at her. Some already fed. Need something to do.

"Alright. Next part of the lesson, for those of you already finished." He stepped towards the gate to the pen, which he hadn't let the wherlets or their handlers use because he was a jerk. "Don't let the wherries escape. The babies need food, after all!" He threw open the gate with a flourish, and the panicked birds spilled out as a sadistic grin covered his face. "But you can't chase them to bring them back. Your whers have to herd them back into the pen without hurting any of them"

There was a point to this. He had to teach the wherlets self control and teach their handlers how to guide them and control them. The wherlings would be useless as guards if the young whers attacked everything they wanted to- the prisoners would all be dead within a matter of days. Z somehow doubted the dragonguard would like that. Thoughtful eyes turned to Rynn and Bellatrix, realizing they would probably have trouble feeding their whers. Bellatrix especially so, having a gold as well as a green.

"Lucine." He said audibly, knowing that Lucine had the smallest wher and thus the easiest to care for. Lucisk didn't require half as much food as the others. "When Lucisk is done eating, help Rynn and Bellatrix. Since you can't use her in the herding, you can help the others."

Z, satisfied by the distraction the wherlings were facing and feeling himself reaching the edge, pulled out a flask of alcohol. He'd added a little fellis when the healers weren't looking. Not enough to knock him out of play, but enough to make him a bit delightfully dazed. So sue him, he was unknowingly copying the warden. Sitting by the bench, he sighed audibly.

"I hate wherling training." He commented to Zalmask, who snorted in agreement. "Zalsk should have been here..." He should have been chasing wherries too... Z had never felt fragile before. He'd never felt as if he was going to break from the slightest wrong word. But now he felt like he would. Zalmask had mostly been hiding the trauma underneath the formidible wall of her mind, supporting Z... but he still felt it.

[leanansidhe]

Mori woke with a flash of pure adrenaline. Her heart was pounding so hard that she could feel her pulse everywhere in her body. Stress followed, sinking in, knotting her muscles and making her curl into a ball on her bed, eyes closed, feeling faintly sick with the tension. This wasn't a good omen; there was a way she liked to wake up, more slowly, calmly, wrapping the absolute peace of the night around her. That was ruined. It was gone, elusive as a shadow, and Moriolle sought it without much hope. If she started the day stressed, it was only going to get worse.

A snub snouted little face poked at her at the same time as Z's words, which dug in deep. She wasn't lazy; she wasn't starving her baby! She had drawn the blanket up over her head, and thought blearily out to Moriosk, Starving you?

So hungry, Moriosk's voice was positively mournful.

Moriolle threw back the covers and lurched out of bed. She'd already used up three of her five minutes lying in bed, trying to calm down. Her heart had calmed, but there was a jitteriness that she couldn't shake. It would be with her all day, probably.

Moriosk strutted his stuff with the rest of the Wherlets, perfectly at his ease as Zalmask herded them out to the Wherling pen. He never even gave a pause at the fence; he could see the Wherries at the other side. He swarmed up the front, gliding on the strength of his confidence, and launched himself fearlessly into the air on the other side.

Moriolle was having more of a problem. She wasn't entirely lacking in grace, but she was definitely lacking in experience. She took Z's hand with a slight blush, needing his help to get over the fence with as much speed as was required of her. Upon reaching the other side, however, she found a sudden battle on her hands.

Don't! Moriolle yelled. Moriosk was already rushing the Wherries, toothless jaws gaping, fully intending to catch one himself. He pulled away from her order, irritated and hungry.

Starving! Moriosk snapped thoughtfully at a Wherry, though it was several feet away. It was more of a wistful action than a serious one.

I'll get it, I'll get it, Moriolle looked around and licked her lips nervously. There were so many, and they were rushing around, screaming when some of the other Handlers, more collected than she was, were hunting them down. She felt totally outnumbered here, but Moriosk's impatience pushed against her will. If she took too long, she had no doubt that he would give chase again. Being the only Handler incapable of controlling their Wherlet seemed a fate worse than death at that moment; she kept sneaking glances at Z, who currently inhabited a rank something akin to a god. She didn't want him to yell at her again. He may have been yelling at all the Handlers, but Moriolle could remember every word he'd said that morning. She didn't want him not to like her...

She all but dove into the crowd of wherries. She kept trying to herd them into a corner, but she was overweight and the wherries knew the corners were a trap, and they were faster than she was. She was breathing hard, cheeks flushed (not entirely with exertion; in all probability, no one gave two thoughts to what she was doing, but she felt like everyone must notice the difficulties she was having) by the time she got one by one wing, and then the other. It screamed, and she flinched. It pecked at her, and scratched, and Mori fought to be able to hold it with one hand while the other reached to her pocket.

She had to check everything three times before she was able to admit to herself that the knife just wasn't there. She stared at the Wherry, mind numb, and the image swam before her eyes; it was by her cot. She'd taken it out of her pocket to get undressed last night; she could even remember thinking she should grab it when she first got up. But she didn't; Moriolle blinked repeatedly, the sudden, pointless frustration momentarily overwhelming her.

Moriosk, sensing his chance, had pressed closer, stalking his Handler and the beast she held up off the ground. He chose that moment to strike; with an effort, he sat back on his haunches and stretched as far as he could.... and his toothless gums chomped down on the Wherry's dangling leg. He dragged it down, out of Moriolle's hands, as the Wherry screamed with pain and turned to flail at the Wher.

"Moriosk!" Surprise, scolding anger, and frustration combined in a shout that shamed the Wher into releasing the Wheery. Unfortunately, this was also a mistake; the Wherry, terrified and in pain, went squawking back into the flock, dragging the leg Moriosk's weight had snapped.

Defeat settled on Mori like a shroud. Misery and shame were her only companions. She would have to ask someone for their knife; she supposed she could ask Z, but she shied away from that thought. He was already moving on, telling others what to do once they had finished (people had already finished?!) feeding their Whers.

She shuffled uneasily towards one of the Handlers feeding their Whers; Siata. Bella was closer, but she was feeding two Whers and probably wouldn't want to be bothered. Moriosk skulked at her heels, head hanging because he disappointed his dear Moriolle, but his tongue still tasted the blood from the abortive attempt to bite off the wherrie's leg; his gums and crushing power had burst it, at least.

"Siata..." Moriolle stood awkwardly to the side, shoulders hunched. "If you're not using it right now, and, um, it's alright, if you are, I mean, I just... Could I please borrow your knife? I... I left mine at home."

Moriosk stood behind her, lumpy body pressed to her leg, watching Siatask eat with unmistakable envy.

[nozomi]

Siatask settled quite firmly on her handler's lap, the large smith hardly heard Z as he talked. Chatter chatter - at least he was a pretty thing. Only when the gate flew open and the wherries ran out did she look up. The smithcrafter blinked a few times, hissing when Siatask gummed at her hand in her agitated hunger. The feeding calmed her somewhat, even when Siata started to laugh.

"Think you can round up some wherry butt with me, Siatask?"

Food. Food after food. The whers tail swished, and she adjusted her bulk to be sittingsideways on Siata. Like an overgrown canine pup, the green leaned into her handler, half-limp even as she ate her food. Contentement swirled in her eyes, even as those wherries ran free and Z smiled like one of the prisoners. As they reached the end of the pot, though, up came the cute round thing! Moriolle. Siata remembered her (and Siatask, Moriosk). Siatask growled her displeasure once her handler stopped feeding her. The instant that bronze walked upm the green bristled, though she did not growl. Oh, no. THe green leveled her clutch-sibling with the reddest eyes she could, her small frame taunt.

Siata rubbed her girls shoulder in appreciation for this sort of cold-anger, the threatening sort that didn't mean people were attacked immediately. Moriolle spoke, adorable and looking for all the world as if Siata would beat her over the head for the mere question. Siatask scoffed to her Handler. Weak. Siatask eat. The green paused, eyeing the human with cold disdain, before she added: Eat if wherry.

Manuvering Siatask's chunky butt to the ground, the large Smithcrafter managed to stand. She wiped off the slightly dirty and bloodied knife on her pants, nose wrinkling with the stick of the already drying liquid. Siata eyed the knife for a long moment, and flipped it so she held the small blade, handle out to the younger woman.

"No worries, Moriolle." Siata smiled as charmingly as one could with occasional streaks of dirt on ones nose, and hands that smelled of wherry. "I never mind helping out the pretty girls, don't worry about it. Okay?" She held out the knife, ignoring the slow press of heavy Wher baby against her legs. Only when Moriolle took it did she pay Siatask any mind, rubbing at her Whers headknobs even as she grinned. Poor girl looked all flustered. "It's okay! Just breathe, you know? I promise I don't bite for, like, another Turn or so. Something like that."

Another grin, wider then before, and Siata pushed at her green gently. "C'mon, pretty. Let's go round up some wherry and let Moriolle and her boy get some food."

Siatask eat.

No, no, pretty - not until we catch them like Z said to.

Siatask stretched, swiveling on her heels to tromp after her Handler. Moriosk eat Siatask food, Siatask bite.

"That's a girl."

[nemix]

Druen watched the others and eventually decided against another wherry. One seemed plenty even for the larger wherlets. Quickly mixing the food, he patted Drusk's head gently and settled against the fence to feed him. Drusk ate and watched, and ate and watched, taking in the rest of the group. It seemed he was thinking about things, mostly the others. He was a little more cheerful than usual, content to eat and rather happy to be with others. He didn't leave Druen's side though, merely gulped down his mix and eyed up everyone else.

Hearing their lesson wasn't over, Druen watched from his spot on the ground. He groaned inwardly as the gate was flung open, wondering whether it was really necessary to do that. They were stubborn creatures, panicky creatures, herding them was never fun when a team of fully grown adults tried it; let alone a group of wherlets. This, was going to take a while.

Drusk watch.[/i] His Blue informed him when Druen turned an expectant glance on his new bonded. Quietly, Druen shook his head. Drusk licked at his muzzle a moment, then snorted, turning an almost pleading look on his handler.
"Everyone else has to, you'll be fine." He reminded him, then gestured to the others. "Besides, everyone else will be helping too." Drusk seemed to consider this, turning his head one way, then the next, observing the others. He fidgeted a little on his feet for a moment before finally lumbering off after the frantic flock of birds.

The Blue attempted to keep up, lumbering towards his charges, looking a little lost.
You need to go round them. Druen informed him, watching as Drusk stopped and waited for a moment. He seemed to be sizing up the group, and Druen was hopeful that he'd picked up on his handlers intention. Drusk....sort of had. The wherlet lumbered after a wherry, ignoring as it squawked and tried to run away, he finally got behind it and stopped between the wherry and the rest of the flock. The Blue snorted proudly, looking to Druen who was wondering exactly how to put his response.
A wonderful effort, well done. We just, need to get all of them. He supplied, watching Drusk swing his head round to peer at the flock. His singled out wherry wasted no time in tearing away and slipping round to join its brethren.

"He's, going to need some help." Druen mused out loud, looking around the group. Some were still feeding their wherlets, others were just about done. "Can we get a line going? We should be able to get most of them moving together if they can get behind the flock." He said, peering evenly across the group. "Stragglers should be easy enough to steer with enough bodies later. Just, can't let them get too close or they'll scatter." He said, attempting to be helpful. Drusk meanwhile was looking confused and unsure whether he should be sagging in disappointment or not, so currently looked a little, lopsided.
If you can get a single wherry on its own, you can certainly help round up a group of them with help. Now, head round the flock and wait on the other side for the others. Druen said calmly, watching Drusk brighten a little with this new task. The Blue found the flappy things interesting, they would be fun to chase, if he were inclined to that kind of thing. Currently, he was standing up as tall as he could, keeping his gaze fixated on Druen as he stopped behind the flock.
Drusk here.[/i]
I see that, well done. Just hang on there.
Drusk did well?[/i]
Yes, you'll be able to do even more in a minute.
Drusk good Wher.[/i] The blue replied proudly, trying to puff himself up on his stocky legs.

[lithle]

Annette hardly looked up when Z released the birds. Her attention was on other things, namely, that Ask was getting enough to eat. Ask was scrawny, no way around it, hatched from an egg that Zalmask herself hadn't expected to survive. With his delicate skin and his adorable extra toes, it was hard to miss the fact that he wasn't exactly average. And Annette intended to see he got the care he required.

Ask dirty! Ask complained, having finished his food. There was actual anxiety in his voice, not simply complaint. Annette could feel it thrumming on her nerves and she frowned.

Just dirt, tiny.

Dirt bad! Ask no be dirty!

Alright. She pulled a handkerchief out of her belt pouch, giving the wher's mouth and sides a quick wipe. He wasn't clean, really, but he wasn't dirty either. Now after the wherries.

Not clean. The wher stated. But he began chasing after the birds, moving at a reluctant pace.

Ask! This is work. It's important.

Ask didn't reply but the honorable little creature began moving at a faster pace. He was a bit miserable, dirty and not understanding why he had to run after the birds. He didn't like them, they were loud and messy and senseless. What he wanted was a bath. But he had to obey. So, off he went. He picked one of the largest birds out of the group to chase.

Not that one. Pick a small one.

Ask veered, choosing a smaller bird. But not small enough. When he lunged at the creature, trying to chase it toward the pen, it turned on him, all claws and anger. He was only a small wher, and the bird, frantic with the smell of the blood of its fellows, wasn't very sensible. It lunged.

It even got a scratch in before Annette, rushing forward, reached down and grabbed the creature by the neck. She tossed it away, and knelt to examine Ask's scratch.

Hurts. Not important.

No. This is important.