darkSpyro

"And risk being sucked down by that portal? No thanks." Angora answered Raclaw, not wanting to go near the gem. Hyperspace bags were one thing. You could simply put stuff in there and that was it, but the gem seemed to inhale things towards it. As she did the comment, she heard what Shade said. She didn't like the idea of leaving him alone with Latnok, but if that was his wish, she was willing to fulfill it this once.

"Ok Shady. Whatever you say. We'll be out here in these woods in case you need us." Angora said as she went away with Raclaw carrying the remaining bags, staying clear out of the fur dragon's way in case he continued using his unique magic.

With the others leaving, Shade had piqued Latnok's curiosity. "So I take it you're not just looking to discuss the weather," he said. "What do you need to talk about?" Latnok figured that Shade would be asking him to ease up on the limitations - but he wasn't going to do so until he felt comfortable doing it.

Quote: Felines

"And risk being sucked down by that portal? No thanks." Angora answered Raclaw, not wanting to go near the gem. Hyperspace bags were one thing. You could simply put stuff in there and that was it, but the gem seemed to inhale things towards it. As she did the comment, she heard what Shade said. She didn't like the idea of leaving him alone with Latnok, but if that was his wish, she was willing to fulfill it this once.

"Ok Shady. Whatever you say. We'll be out here in these woods in case you need us." Angora said as she went away with Raclaw carrying the remaining bags, staying clear out of the fur dragon's way in case he continued using his unique magic.

"Don't worry-- it's harmless. It won't close with any living creature inside and you would have to practically drop yourself in for that happen.," Raclaw said with a slight smile as he helped put many of the remaining packages through the portal. He used the previously made up technique once again and opted to use to his tail to place the box in-- causing the artifact to briefly form around the edges of the item and leaving the packages secured on his back free of any harm that might be caused by him using both his front paws. The fur dragon was pleasantly surprised on just how well the new technique worked, leaving him more options to deal with unwieldy or human-made items. Finally only one very small package remained and Raclaw remembered Latnok's warning not to overstuff the stash. "Here-- we have just one package and its best to leave the stash some breathing room. You may carry it if you wish, otherwise we can get Latnok to secure on my back like the others.," he finally said leaving just one package untouched and this time audibly closing the portal to confirm that it was safe. "Collar. Close stash.," he said as the small portal soon ceased to exist in the current dimension-- and everything inside.

Angora offered herself to carry the package, staying far away from the portal despite Raclaw's assurance. After he was done with the remaining equipment, she couldn't stop thinking about the reason Shade wanted to speak to Latnok alone.
"I wonder what Shady wants to talk about with Latnok. That Guardian better be gentle. Shade is very sensitive. But then again, so is he. Everything I say and do is always bad to him, but of course, always blame the troll." Angora said bitterly, feeling like she needed to vent that little time now that Latnok was quite far away distracted with Shade and she was now in the woods where the sound was drowned. She wasn't so fond of Raclaw given how he never stood up to her, but she didn't hated him either and trusted him enough to express how she felt.

"Do I thtink you did it deliberately? No," Latnok said. "Do I think you were highly irresponsible, and your selfishness and lack of control led to the death of hundreds and widespread destruction?"
Latnok shook his head. "You knew that you had difficulty controlling your powers. You knew that you were under orders not to fly. And yet, you still flew to a heavily populated area, and lost control of your powers. You are culpable, regardless of whether you want to accept that or not.
"You have a history of losing control of your powers when you're experiencing negative emotions. What I will teach you is something I've been trying to teach Angora - discipline. You will learn to act appropriately for the situation, rather than just how you feel like acting. You will learn to listen to others, even if you don't want to. You will learn that, and accept it - and once we are convinced that you have accepted that, then we will feel comfortable enough to start freeing up some of your power.
"Do you think that I get to act however I feel like? No - there are things I have to do - things I don't like, but have to accept. I don't lose control in those scenarios. And that is what I want out of you." Latnok looked at Shade expectantly, being prepared for any follow-up questions.

Quote: Felines

Angora offered herself to carry the package, staying far away from the portal despite Raclaw's assurance. After he was done with the remaining equipment, she couldn't stop thinking about the reason Shade wanted to speak to Latnok alone.
"I wonder what Shady wants to talk about with Latnok. That Guardian better be gentle. Shade is very sensitive. But then again, so is he. Everything I say and do is always bad to him, but of course, always blame the troll." Angora said bitterly, feeling like she needed to vent that little time now that Latnok was quite far away distracted with Shade and she was now in the woods where the sound was drowned. She wasn't so fond of Raclaw given how he never stood up to her, but she didn't hated him either and trusted him enough to express how she felt.

"I've found-- I've found that Latnok can be strict, but gentle at times. At his core, he is an Guardian and behaves as most Guardians do. Given time and patience, however, and he will begin to warm up to you. I don't think he blames you as a troll, but rather the unpredictability that you interject into his otherwise normal routine. Guardians like structure and expect a certain degree of control over the situation. This is why they specialize in capturing creatures and helping contain others' powers via the use of collars. This is also why they have a chain of command and why they expect a certain degree of respect. First and foremost, they are a military presence and the best protectors you could ask for. This comes at cost to them, however, and that is a small part of their humanity. In order to gain the powers they use on a daily basis, they must give up a fraction of their raw emotions-- replaced by discipline and order. Latnok.. Latnok is slowly beginning to feel some of those emotions again and has warmed up to the idea of a companion-- of a friend. Perhaps in time, he may do the same for you as well. And perhaps in time--.," Raclaw said pausing and looking out into the woods as if expecting the Guardian at any moment. "Just.. just give it time and I'm sure he will get past whatever past grievances lie between you too.," he then said with a certain tone of regret or sadness. He thought about physically comforting the troll somehow, but also knew that he was already putting himself at risk of getting infected by the Hexphage. Unlike Angora, he needed his abilities and wouldn't be anything without them.

Back on the ship-- Risar remained busy with the prisoners, actually somewhat impressed at how clean the post-Chester washroom was getting. And speaking of the little dog, the 1'06" tall Beagle was just awakening from his long nap. Spotting Maverick sitting somewhere on the deck and looking rather lonely, he trotted over to where the hybrid was sitting and merely laid down next to the hairy human. At least together, they wouldn't be so alone as they waited for their friends and dragon companions. He was both happy and lucky to have Raclaw as a protector, even if he could do very little to help protect the tall fur dragon in return. Chester knew that he could be a great source of comfort, however, and that he could still help in other regards-- such as hunting. He would never forget the day that Raclaw and Latnok had found him, saving him from a terrible fate.

"Why? I honestly couldn't tell you," Latnok said. "But then, you're not exactly like most other creatures. I don't know how long your kind typically live, but many creatures often have their power grow as they enter adulthood.
"Regardless of why your powers act the way they do, however, we have to enable you to take full control of them. Now - here's where discipline comes into play. Discipline is important - but it isn't just about taking orders and not saying anything. There's more to it than that. Discipline is all about self-control - being able to act appropriately in spite of your feelings. With that, there are many facets - both physical and mental. Physically, there is pushing yourself despite being tired, because there is a job to do. You put those feelings aside - the urge to just stop and rest - and keep pushing.
"Mentally, there are several things. Being able to control your expression, even when you just want to cry or scream. Being able to give respect to someone else, even when you don't want to. Knowing when it's inappropriate to just jump into action, even if the situation seems threatening.
"Once you have those aspects down, you will be in much better control of yourself - and likely, by extension, your powers. Remember, your feelings and emotions are just one facet of you. You can't let them overcome your reason - use them as a guide, but at the end of the day, you need to do the right thing, even if it goes against what your emotions want you to do."
Latnok was done explaining the concept behind discipline; however, he figured that it may do Shade well if he made it more relatable. "Now, look at me. Do you think I was taught magic before I was capable of controlling myself? Definitely not. When I first joined the Ardent Guardians, I was given all sorts of terrible tasks, and I was kept constantly busy. There were times I just wanted to run off, or to punch the person ordering me around; however, both of those things would probably not end well. Eventually, I got used to the treatment. It became something I just learned to deal with. Once they felt that - then I was allowed to start learning magic. Because I could control my emotions, magic was easier to control. And that is what I intend to do with you. This isn't just me playing some dumb games and trying to make your life miserable. I have a goal - and I will perform actions that are conducive to that goal."

Leoquin was out and about, in the sea. He had his chum ready; he just needed to get to the appropriate waters. Once he was there, he would toss the chum out, and use a small spell to make it easier for sharks to smell. As long as it was just one shark, he wouldn't be too worried...
"Going to get us a nice shark, yep. A nice shark for Latnok to cook. Here, sharky sharky! Come and get it!"

Ilasi was wandering the deck, having grown somewhat bored in her room. When she saw Maverick, however, she froze, being quite unsure of how to act around him now. At the very least, Maverick wasn't hostile to her - so there would be no reason for her to be hostile to him. Still, she was reluctant to approach him, considering how their last conversation went; if he still felt like talking after that, she would let him initiate.

Angora wasn't very convinced with the explanation. She still believed Latnok had it against her the most.
"I can understand discipline and structure to prevent a disaster, but he and his boss go to the extreme. They go to practically slavery and inprisonment. Sere was the most pleasant of the two and even he started to hate me! But of course, it was all because of Ilasi. The cute and gorgeous mermaid, so beautiful and slim, and the tiny, plump, ugly troll always gets the thorns. When Latnom was giving us the magic class, she did worse than me yet she was the one most complimented, all because I was supposedly was rude? I don't even use the same tone of voice as before and he still treats me like crap!" Angora vented, already starting to get teary eyes. She even let it slipped how resentful she was of Ilasi. Even though she had wanted to forgive the mermaid, the possibilities were lower now after what she did to Maverick.

Before letting the tears flow, Angora rubbed her eyes dry, not wanting to show her sensitivity. And not wanting to hear Raclaw's opinion about her last comment, she spoke again.
"But you know what? I should be used to it. Almost everyone I have come across hate me! Even my own parents hated me! My PARENTS Racaw! The ones that are suppose to love and protect you! Only Maverick cares for me because he's too stupidly kind for his own good! Shady too, but I think it's more out of gratitude. Other than those two, who else do I have? If it wasn't for them, I would've let myself get killed by that behemoth so I could've been out of the misery... and never get into anyone's way again." Angora said, with dry eyes this time but with a heavy frown and clenched fists, turning her back to Raclaw to prevent herself from finding comfort and risk placing the hexphage on him. She didn't know why she was being so open to Raclaw, but since Maverick has listened to her for too long, she felt like somebody else could listen to her.

Quote: redwes

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Back on the ship-- Risar remained busy with the prisoners, actually somewhat impressed at how clean the post-Chester washroom was getting. And speaking of the little dog, the 1'06" tall Beagle was just awakening from his long nap. Spotting Maverick sitting somewhere on the deck and looking rather lonely, he trotted over to where the hybrid was sitting and merely laid down next to the hairy human. At least together, they wouldn't be so alone as they waited for their friends and dragon companions. He was both happy and lucky to have Raclaw as a protector, even if he could do very little to help protect the tall fur dragon in return. Chester knew that he could be a great source of comfort, however, and that he could still help in other regards-- such as hunting. He would never forget the day that Raclaw and Latnok had found him, saving him from a terrible fate.

Maverick was feeling rather depressed, having thought about many things, in particular his conversation with Ilasi. Spending time with Alya got him in a great mood that morning, but now that he was alone, the reminder of the mermaid really made his heart sink. Did she really thought of him as such a pathetic loser that let others push him? Why was she so insistent on him abandoning someone as sad and needy as Angora?

His gloomy train of thoughts was interrupted with the approaching beage, and his mood somewhat improved.
"Hey boy! Awake I see. Is Raclaw on the island? Come on! Wanna play?" he said with the cutest kindness and goofy smile, patting and tickling the adorable beagle. Now he really wished he could have a dog of his own, even if Dahlia got jealous.

Raclaw listened and was about to respond, when Angora turned her back and continued. "Angora-- I'm.. I'm so sorry...," he started to say almost putting a paw out-- but quickly withdrawing it. "Listen, I'm sorry about your parents and I'm sorry about how the others have treated you. For what it counts for-- I believe in you and I believe you can make a difference on this world. And no matter what happens, that will never change. Latnok, the others-- they may not see it yet, but they will. I don't hate you Angora and I never will.," he then said trying to comfort the troll and former traveling companion. He felt bad for not really talking to Angora once she boarded the ship, other than once via direct telepathy.

Part of him still recalled the caves and what had happened the last time they had truly spoken. Latnok had been relatively comfortable with the conversation just prior, but perhaps that was more the exception than the rule. He still remembered the strong reaction that his now Guardian friend had and how he had attempted to use his own bond against him. of course, Latnok had been corrupted by the darkness at the time and himself to a degree. Still-- it was something to consider when it came to reforming some kind of relationship with Angora. Despite the growing bond between him and Latnok, he couldn't quite shake the feeling off when interacting with Angora. Some part of him had been deeply hurt and hadn't fully resolved the incident.

MEANWHILE...Quote: Felines

Maverick was feeling rather depressed, having thought about many things, in particular his conversation with Ilasi. Spending time with Alya got him in a great mood that morning, but now that he was alone, the reminder of the mermaid really made his heart sink. Did she really thought of him as such a pathetic loser that let others push him? Why was she so insistent on him abandoning someone as sad and needy as Angora?

His gloomy train of thoughts was interrupted with the approaching beage, and his mood somewhat improved.
"Hey boy! Awake I see. Is Raclaw on the island? Come on! Wanna play?" he said with the cutest kindness and goofy smile, patting and tickling the adorable beagle. Now he really wished he could have a dog of his own, even if Dahlia got jealous.

Chester gave a happy bark-- running around Maverick and happily accepting the attention. Beagles were an active breed that had a lot of energy to expend and even more so after a good nap. Thanks to Maverick, Raclaw, and others-- Chester was certainly making up for lost times having previously been cooped up in a small house by his old masters. He only wished that Maverick could understand him other than when in Raclaw's presence, although that didn't deter any from the fun activities presented by the lovable adorable child-like Maverick. He was almost as fluffy as Raclaw himself... almost.

Maverick played a little tug-of-war with the beagle to make him release the excessive energy the adorable doggy had, but less than ten minutes later, he was exhausted. He was already tired from cleaning Veris' enclosure, so playing with Chester made things worse. He had to sit down on the floor.
Ok Chesterito. Para. Let's stop here. Poor me is too tired to keep going." he said to the beagle, panting and sweating, needing to catch his breath immediately. This would've been a fun game if he had skipped the last chore. As he breathed, Maverick wished that, like with Dahlia, he could understand the pup. In the research he has done about his non human side, he has found out that fawns could understand the language of many creatures, but either it was a simple rumor, or the mixed genetics denied Maverick the chance to have such an unique ability.

Quote: redwes

Raclaw listened and was about to respond, when Angora turned her back and continued. "Angora-- I'm.. I'm so sorry...," he started to say almost putting a paw out-- but quickly withdrawing it. "Listen, I'm sorry about your parents and I'm sorry about how the others have treated you. For what it counts for-- I believe in you and I believe you can make a difference on this world. And no matter what happens, that will never change. Latnok, the others-- they may not see it yet, but they will. I don't hate you Angora and I never will.," he then said trying to comfort the troll and former traveling companion. He felt bad for not really talking to Angora once she boarded the ship, other than once via direct telepathy.

Part of him still recalled the caves and what had happened the last time they had truly spoken. Latnok had been relatively comfortable with the conversation just prior, but perhaps that was more the exception than the rule. He still remembered the strong reaction that his now Guardian friend had and how he had attempted to use his own bond against him. of course, Latnok had been corrupted by the darkness at the time and himself to a degree. Still-- it was something to consider when it came to reforming some kind of relationship with Angora. Despite the growing bond between him and Latnok, he couldn't quite shake the feeling off when interacting with Angora. Some part of him had been deeply hurt and hadn't fully resolved the incident.

Despite Raclaw's attempts to make her feel better, like the fur dragon, Angora recalled those times in the caves. Latnok treated her so badly those times, yet Raclaw didn't stood up to her. She didn't care if it was out of fear or insecurity, Raclaw's attempts to reason with him were too weak. Angora was about to reply something when she saw Shade looking at them from above the foliage. It seemed like he was done. That was a fast conversation, but then again, it was most likely better that way.

As Angora made her way to him, she recalled everything she just said to Raclaw... and believed it could spell big trouble. She got terrified. She turned around to look at the fur dragon.
"Don't tell Latnok of this..." Angora mouthed, using no voice, not even a whisper. She didn't want to risk Latnok being nearby. If Raclaw cared as much as he claimed, he would keep this conversation between them. The last thing he needed was Raclaw telling on her and Latnok misinterpreting their talk as her badmouthing him and Ilasi, just as Sere has done when the mermaid told on her. That event lead to the awful mess they were in, and Angora now feared that opening up so to Raclaw so much would cause a similar scenario.

Chester gave a slight whine at the game being so abruptly stopped, but understood once the hybrid explained. Instead of pushing the matter further and insisting on Maverick's continued participation, he instead laid down next to the tired Mav-- allowing him to pet him or even use him as a pillow if he saw fit. Sniffing the hairy hybrid told the little Chester all that he needed to know about Maverick's prior activities. 'Veris... or what was left by Veris. Probably cleaning his stall or something.,' his senses told him as the less-than-appealing scent soon made it up his nostrils to his sensory receptors.

Quote: Felines

Despite Raclaw's attempts to make her feel better, like the fur dragon, Angora recalled those times in the caves. Latnok treated her so badly those times, yet Raclaw didn't stood up to her. She didn't care if it was out of fear or insecurity, Raclaw's attempts to reason with him were too weak. Angora was about to reply something when she saw Shade looking at them from above the foliage. It seemed like he was done. That was a fast conversation, but then again, it was most likely better that way.

As Angora made her way to him, she recalled everything she just said to Raclaw... and believed it could spell big trouble. She got terrified. She turned around to look at the fur dragon.
"Don't tell Latnok of this..." Angora mouthed, using no voice, not even a whisper. She didn't want to risk Latnok being nearby. If Raclaw cared as much as he claimed, he would keep this conversation between them. The last thing he needed was Raclaw telling on her and Latnok misinterpreting their talk as her badmouthing him and Ilasi, just as Sere has done when the mermaid told on her. That event lead to the awful mess they were in, and Angora now feared that opening up so to Raclaw so much would cause a similar scenario.

As Angora mouthed her fears, Raclaw immediately understood and gave the slightest nod in return. Indeed-- the conversation had been a brief one, but it was a conversation at least and any longer might have gotten even more awkward. 'Still-- it's progress at least.,' he thought to himself and he prepared for Latnok's quick return right behind that of Shade. Angora would be someone that he would have to pursue very carefully and very gently, less they want a repeat of numerous past incidents including the caves. He feared both for Angora herself and for the potential negative reaction on Latnok's part. He and Latnok had become best friends, while he and Angora had become something much more awkward. The cave incident was something that had continued to butt into their relationship, but was also something that Raclaw wasn't particularly keen on bringing up again. He wanted to somehow help Angora and her relations, but felt as if he had to tiptoe around his own beloved Guardian in order to do so. 'Best to wait for now...,' he thought to himself.

Angora walked to Shade, and gave him a meek smile.
"Hey Shady. Ready to go?" she greeted, wishing they could be in the ship already and not wanting the dragolet to feel pain. She carefully climbed to his back with the small package Raclaw left her in tow, and started to hug behind the black dragon's neck, looking like a scared little kitten. She didn't see if Latnok was behind him or somewhere else, but wherever he was, Angora was in no mood to see him. Her conversation with Raclaw reminded her on how much the younger Guardian had hurted her, and fearing Raclaw may say something, or Latnok going as far as to interrogate him, Angora needed some comfort. Shade was the only one she could touch after all.

Quote: redwes

Chester gave a slight whine at the game being so abruptly stopped, but understood once the hybrid explained. Instead of pushing the matter further and insisting on Maverick's continued participation, he instead laid down next to the tired Mav-- allowing him to pet him or even use him as a pillow if he saw fit. Sniffing the hairy hybrid told the little Chester all that he needed to know about Maverick's prior activities. 'Veris... or what was left by Veris. Probably cleaning his stall or something.,' his senses told him as the less-than-appealing scent soon made it up his nostrils to his sensory receptors.

Maverick didn't like disappointing the little beagle. He wanted to do something, but was too tired. Perhaps there was something in his spacious bag that could serve as a toy? As he was about to search, he quickly got up, not wanting the sailors, especially Leoquin, to mistake his rest as him being lazy, even if he had just played roughly with the doggie.
"Hey Chesterito, I'm going to my room for a while. Wanna come? It's not so spacious, but it can still hold us quite well. I may have a few toys here." Maverick suggested, really hoping the playful canine would accompany him. His two companions were away and Alya was at her house, and given the new strain among him and Ilasi, he was feeling very lonely.

Raclaw prepared to follow right alongside Latnok and back towards the ship, cargo in stow. The immediate conversation had certainly stirred up emotions-- some new and some simply long buried. However, he couldn't let that distract from what had developed between him and and Guardian; nor allow it to jeopardize what little was left between him and Angora. He doubted that much more casual conversation would come out of the long walk back, although he did wonder what Latnok and Shade had discussed in their absence.

Quote: Felines

Maverick didn't like disappointing the little beagle. He wanted to do something, but was too tired. Perhaps there was something in his spacious bag that could serve as a toy? As he was about to search, he quickly got up, not wanting the sailors, especially Leoquin, to mistake his rest as him being lazy, even if he had just played roughly with the doggie.
"Hey Chesterito, I'm going to my room for a while. Wanna come? It's not so spacious, but it can still hold us quite well. I may have a few toys here." Maverick suggested, really hoping the playful canine would accompany him. His two companions were away and Alya was at her house, and given the new strain among him and Ilasi, he was feeling very lonely.

It didn't take long for Chester to decide-- giving a happy bark and a tail wag in response. He missed Raclaw and the others, but wasn't going to turn down some kind of play date with his favorite hybrid on board. The little Beagle happily followed, continuing to keep the fawn hybrid company. Both he and Mav were hairy furry creatures that strived on keeping others happy; and they could at least keep each other happy for the time being. It would only be matter of time until the group returned and the two hairy shipmates could continue to please their primary friends and companions. Mav had Angora and Shade-- while he had Latnok and Raclaw. He was also looking forward to seeing the hybrid's room and curious as to what kind of toys he had.

Angora knew Shade was right, but so many hurtful things happened that they were hard to leave behind. Not only the past, but also the present. She still believed the Guardians hated her and her two companions, and that them badmouthing them made the sailors, who didn't even know them, be mean to them as well. Carrying the small box, resting on Shade's back and trying to forget the pain, she waited for them to return to the ship so she could help Shade heal.

With the conversation with Shade being over, Latnok returned before too long, after readjusting his load. The others were clearly waiting for him. "Well, let's get a move-on," he said. "We'll get there. Just keep pushing yourself forward." Latnok didn't know what Raclaw and Angora were talking about while he was gone - nor did he really care.
"These things - components for powerful, mobile weapons. They'll give us the edge both at sea and on land. I don't know if anyone else on the ship knows how to use a ballista - if not, I'll have to teach them."

Angora remained quiet and still for the rest of the way, her mood slightly improving. She has seen a ballista in action, but didn't seem very hard to use. It practically looked like an automatic bow. With her equipment, and resisting the temptation to take a peek, she couldn't wait to arrive on the ship, not to navigate, but to rest along with Shade, and hopefully, get the hexphage cure.

On the voyage itself, Maverick walked to his cabin, feeling so different from Alya's room. He hadn't seen this cramped space since yesterday, and it felt weird returning. As soon as he opened the door with the beagle in tow, he put his hyperspace bag on the table, searching for anything the dog could use as a toy. It was hard to search for something in particular, since in order for a hyperspace bag to work, one had to think of the object. The bag was full of many stuff, so it was difficult for Maverick to remember each and every trinket he had in there. In the end, he managed to take a small ball with a bell in it, a girrafe toy a girl sold to him a long time ago, and a ball of yarn, even though the last one was mostly for cats. Still, maybe the beagle would accept it.
"This is all I have for now Chesterito. You can play if you want. I'll take a little nap for now, but don't tell anyone. It'll be our little secret." Maverick said jokingly to the beagle, leaving the three toys on the floor for him to choose.
"I'll leave the door half open to you if need to go out." he concluded, using a small wedge to hold the door and prevent the wind from the window from closing it. He left a small space where Chester could fit. He didn't want anyone to see him, though with the remote location of that cabin, he doubted many sailors would pass through there. Nobody knew he cleaned Veris' pen all by himself, so this sleep could be misunderstood for sure.

"An ballista-- I'll admit. I've heard of them, but never seen them in action.," Raclaw said familiar enough with the basic concept. His limited life experienced meant that he had heard of many such things (via traders and the like), but was only just now experiencing them for himself. He briefly recalled the Guardian ball sport he and Latnok had played and how he had used his horns to project the ball forward in momentum. The ballista was a similar concept, only much bigger and much much deadlier. As the group walked back, he let Angora be-- not purposely inviting the troll into the conversation unless she wished to be.

Back on the voyage, Chester happily followed Maverick and listened as the hybrid explained his options. Letting out a single grateful bark-- he inspected the three toys left out for him and allowed the tired Mav to go to sleep. The first appeared to be a clear small ball with a gold colored bell inside, reminding him somewhat of Raclaw's artifact before it adapted into the form of the fur dragon's tail band. The second appeared to be some kind of stuffed animal somewhat resembling an african animal, although he couldn't recall which one. The third and final toy was a simple ball of yarn, something cats were said to play with. Looking at the three options-- he was most interested in the the first one (both due to its similarity and shiny bell), but took the fluffy Mav into consideration and opted for the ball of yarn. It was soft, but still tangible enough to grab and throw around. In addition, it could be chewed on and wouldn't make too much noise so as to not wake up his host. Picking up the small somewhat colorful yarn; he proceeded to play with it throwing it against a ball and catching it again. He kept an eye on the open door, just in case Mav got an unexpected visitor be it Godfather Sere or Latnok's group returning.

Maverick went to sleep almost immediately, being notorious among his friends for sleeping like a rock. He had been thinking of doing the dishes after waking up if nobody had done them, and immediately afterwards visit Alya if it turns out they would leave the island today.

Back on the island, Shade, Raclaw, Latnok and Angora were finally arriving to the ship, with the little troll watching Shade's leg constantly. He wasn't limping as much as before, but his walking was still wobbly. She really prayed the fur dragon didn't tell Latnok what she said about him and I,asi, being completely certain he would overreact like his boss has done before him.

As the ship came closer into the view and was now only just a few feet away, Raclaw knew that both Shade and Angora would be very relieved-- the former for the much heavier load he had been burdened with and the later for the awkward conversation that surely still haunted her mind. The later half of the journey back had been a mostly quiet affair as expected, with the fur dragon growing quite comfortable with his balanced load. While he didn't normally wear or carry much on his back -- he could get used to it when he had to. Reuniting with and walking alongside Latnok improved his overall mode, with the Guardian's presence bringing some degree of comfort to both the physical load and the mental load. The caves were a long time ago and surely Latnok had been well past the idea of his interactions with the troll being a very bad thing. And besides, Latnok had treated him better than he could've ever asked for. At least when it came to him, his kind, and the world at large -- the Guardian had good intentions. He gave a slight smile as they walked, thinkings of the better moments with his beloved Latnok. As he walked, he gently swayed his tail enjoying the peaceful moment for what it was.

Meanwhile in Maverick's quarters-- Chester was happily keeping himself entertained, while keeping a watchful eye on both Maverick and the cracked open door. After getting bored of throwing the ball, he eventually started rolling it and then gently chewing on it. Elsewhere, someone else was having a much less pleasant time and that was Henry the prisoner. Risar gave a big grin as the still punished prisoner had gotten the washroom nearly completely clean. "Am I.. am I done sir?," he asked with very tired and slightly scared tone. "Risar-- impressed. Follow me.," the large minotaur said as he went to check on the other prisoners and their various chores. Henry had done surprisingly well and well suppressed his initial expectations.

As Angora and her much larger companions arrived on the ship, Mvaerick continued dozing quietly on the bed. Despite sleeping very profoundly, he never snored, instead replacing his breathing with a very soothing sound.

Once the group had embarked on the ship, Latnok gently set his load down on the deck. He would follow this by taking the load off of Raclaw, before beginning the process of taking everything off of Shade.
"Good job," he said. "You pushed through despite your condition. Demonstration of good control over your own body. Willpower. That sort of thing will go a long way to helping you control your powers." Once Shade was perfectly capable of demonstrating his ability to control both his body and his mind, then, maybe then...
Ilasi couldn't help but notice the group as they came in - all except for Angora, who, with the hexphage, blended in perfectly with Shade. She had no doubts that Shade would manage with whatever Latnok had him do - both because she figured Shade was capable of meeting a challenge, and because she figured that Latnok wouldn't push him harder than he needed to. Seeing them come back without any major issues was just an affirmation of her intuition. She came over, somewhat hesitantly but doing so nonetheless. "Welcome back, everyone," she greeted. "Do you need a hand?"
"No thank you," Latnok said. "I think we have it plenty covered. We'll leave things out here for Godfather Sere to see. Once that is settled, we can move the parts to storage, if he's not looking to set up the equipment immediately. Angora here is going to try to find something to patch up Shade - the rest of us will see what other tasks are left. We will be setting sail soon, I believe - most of the sailors should be back within the next few hours. Speaking of which, where's Leoquin...?"
"Leoquin... he mentioned something about shark hunting," Ilasi said, as she tried to ignore the mention of Angora. "I didn't think he would actually do it..."
"Well, he needs to be back here before long," Latnok said. "If he's hunting a shark, then maybe, just maybe, I can cook it..." Latnok hadn't cooked a shark before, but he would most certainly be willing to try.

"Mr Latnok? If it isn't much to ask, can you bring the materials to cure Shade? I would search for them myself, but I don't want to risk infesting anything." Angora asked, in such a increasingly polite matter that if it wasn't for the fact that it was her voice and her mouth moving, nobody would've believed it. Just like Ilasi was doing to her, she completely ignored the mermaid, still very much angry at her. Angora wasn't even upset about what happened in Redwater anymore. She was furious with the way she treated Maverick. A gentler man didn't exist.

At the small cabin, Maverick continued sleeping, though his slumber wasn't as deep as other times. He was still somewhat paying attention to his surrounding, and ocasionally having a few thoughts. What Ilasi told him was still hurting him, and he felt like it would be a long time before he could completely heal. He was somewhat glad that he hasn't seen her today. Ironically enough, he hadn't noticed that less than an hour earlier, she was nearby on the main deck when Chester greeted him. The beagle had distracted him enough to not pay attention to his surroundings back then.

As Latnok took the load off his back, Raclaw was somewhat relieved to feel the breeze gently blowing down his now exposed back. Briefly scanning the deck for any signs of Chester, he wondered where the little dog had wandered off too. Notebly-- Maverick wasn't in deck ether and Chester usually spent time with him when he wasn't with Latnok or himself. 'Probably off playing somewhere.,' he thought to himself as he telepathic senses came back empty. It was rare for he and the little Beagle to not be near each other and he had grown rather fond of the little guy. "Shark huh? Well-- there's a first time for everything. I wonder if he could bring back one alive-- kidding.," he half-joked giving a smile and somewhat curious as to rather or not he could actually speak to a shark. He recalled the merman's offer and might have to take Leoquin up on that offer one day. He watched as Latnok carefully unloaded Shade; the Dragolet having carried a much heavier load.

"It's just Latnok," Latnok insisted. "As for Shade, he isn't getting cured right now - he needs to prove himself mentally resilient. He must be stoic; he must show himself capable of exercising good judgment. Once he shows that he can take any situation, endure it, and do the right thing - regardless of his initial gut instinct - then we can trust him enough to remove the hexphage. To control his abilities, he will need to have complete control of himself; if he can't control himself under normal circumstances, there's no way we can trust him to control himself when his powers start acting up.
"Remember all that talk about discipline? It isn't something I keep bringing up just because I like how the word sounds. It helps you in many other ways; such as with things requiring self-control and logical thinking. It is something we will enforce here." Latnok really hoped his words would actually mean something to Angora this time; he wouldn't, however, be surprised if she just completely ignored them.

Back on the shore, something was beginning to surface; first a fin, then soon, the rest of the dead shark's body. The shark - a species of requiem shark - had suffered a visible eye wound, having been pierced there. Below the shark was Leoquin, pushing up.
He managed to get as far as the shore before he had to stop. Though the shark wasn't heavy, its size made it unwieldy; Leoquin would have a rather awkward time carrying it on land before his legs came in, due to his proximity to the ground and inability to support the creature on his back. He would have to get someone else to do it.

Angora almost acted up, upset that Latnok would be willing to let Shade suffer a broken paw for longer unecessary. Discipline was one thing, but letting others endure a physical pain was just plain cruel. She said nothing though, knowing way too well Latnok was beyond reasoning. It was his point of view and nobody else's, so in silence, she proceeded to get off Shade and putting away the box Raclaw entrusted her. It should be labeled or something to let others know it had hexphage. She was about to lead Shade away when she saw what Leoquin had brought. She wasn't impressed. Maverick was afraid of sharks, but found them fascinating St. the same time, so wherever he was, he hoped he didn't see this catch.

After nearly an hour of sleeping, Maverick opened his eyes again, feeling too guilty for leaving Chester alone. He woke up to find a mess of yarn around the room. He couldn't help but to smile at the beagle's playfulness, and find it unfortunate that he couldn't see a dog playing with what was usually a cat's toy.

Just as Raclaw was thinking about Sharks, his eyes soon noticed something peculiar coming out of the water-- Leoquin. 'And is that a shark?,' he thought to himself as he noticed that the merman (and his trainer) was having some trouble getting the unwieldy fish off the shore. His 'legs' were no doubt still adjusting to the land and he wouldn't be able to get the large fish onto the ship alone."Hold on-- I'll be back.," Raclaw quickly said taking off into the air and landing near where Leoquin had surfaced. Using his tail artifact to help aide him, he placed his tail under where the shark had entrapped Leoquin-- listing it just enough for the merman to get out. Adapting the artifact into something that could briefly grab hold of the shark, he proceeded to lift his tail up and 'drop' the fish causing it to roll down onto his exposed backside. "Come on-- let's get you aboard.," Raclaw gently said allowing Leoquin to ether grab hold of him or even climb onto his back if need be.

Elsewhere, Chester noticed Maverick waking up and looked up with a playful smile. Indeed-- the little Beagle had found that the little ball of yarn had served many purposes.. until it ceased to exist in a usable form. Meanwhile, Risar had returned to the main deck having given Henry the day off and the other prisoners a break at least for the time being. He looked over at where Raclaw was and gave a big grin, knowing that the fur dragon had given him the perfect excuse to work poor Henry. The washroom was now spotless and possibly cleaner than it ever had been before.

Angora glanced at Raclaw in an almost accusing matter, seeing how he was perfectly willing to let the rude Leoquin climb and mount him without trouble while he made such a big fuzz when she did it herself. Was it her the only exception for being a troll? Did he changed? Or did time with the Guardians made him wimpy? She didn't cared. Even though Angora wanted to be over that silly incident, she felt undignified that Raclaw allowed that fish man to touch him while he had been so rude to her back then.

Maverick smiled again as the beagle greeted him.
"Hey boy. How long was I asleep? Let's go to the main deck. Maybe our friends have returned." Maverick said ecstatically, feeling so moved that Chester decided to stay there with him instead of going somewhere else. Perhaps he went outside while he was asleep, but the fact remained that he was there when he opened his eyes. Stretching and rubbing his eyes, Maverick walked with Chester to the main deck, hoping to see Angora and Shade already there...

Leoquin was visibly pleased with Raclaw's offer. "Thanks!" he said eagerly as he awkwardly climbed on - his form would make staying on rather difficult, but he could manage.

"Now, we need something for your leg," Latnok said to Shade. "Let's see what I can find - oh, wait. Ilasi, would you happen to have any more of that compound of yours?"
Ilasi shook her head. "I'm still waiting for the starfish I caught to be appropriately dessicated."
"Godfather Sere might have something, then. I'll speak to him; just take it easy for now, Shade. Angora, you're free for the rest of the day - we will be leaving soon, however, so stay near the ship."
It was then that Latnok noticed the spectacle on the beach, having been too absorbed in the matter at hand. "So he wasn't joking... well, looks like I'm going to have to figure out how to cook that thing. Who's hungry?"
Ilasi had never actually eaten shark before; the concept was enticing.."I can't wait!"

Raclaw was happy to provide the service-- he had already been used as some sort of pack dragon, so what was one more thing on his back? He was slowly warming up to the idea that be might be of more service other than just his combat or telepathic talents; something that certain other individuals had attempted to impose on him before he was more ready. He recalled how Angora had once tried to mount him and how he had initially rejected her, something he still kind of bad for. That had been the first time that anyone had attempted to ride him in any capacity and he had attempted to make up for it-- only to be rejected numerous times by the hurt Troll. 'Perhaps one day.,' he thought to himself as Leoguin awkwardly climbed on to his already fishy back. "Just to the ship.," he said with a faint smile as walked smelling like sharkbait. Once on the ship, he would allow Leoquin to depart and do what had to be done with the dead shark. He looked at Latnok (his closest friend and a Guardian at that) and briefly wondered what the two could achieve in the air. The idea of someone conscious actually riding him while he was in his element would be something new to him, but perhaps not entirely impossible.

Meanwhile, Maverick and Chester had soon made it the main deck-- the little Beagle eagerly following the hybrid and soon spotting the small group gathered near the boarding planks. "Raclaw! Latnok!," he barked excitedly looking up at Maverick and encouraging him to hurry. Picking up pace and eventually running, the little dog soon made it over to his friends. "Oh-- hey Chester! Yeah.. we're back.," Raclaw said in common with Chester practically jumping on him. "What's that smell? Is that.. fish?," Chester than barked smelling both Leoquin and the dead shark that rested upon the fur dragon's back. "Oh-- that's just Leoquin and a surprise.," Raclaw responded back this time in dogspeak. Risar watched and gave a slight grin, allowing the two to talk-- the interactions between Raclaw, Latnok, and Chester brining some warmse to his large minotaur heart. Friends, companions-- it was a good thing to have.

Angora was quiet for a while, being surprised by Latnok's sudden kindness to both her and Shade that lasted the entire morning.
"Thank you... Latnok." she managed to say with a little lip trembling in response to him giving them the day off, afterwards greeted by Maverick's always welcoming presence.

"Well hola everyone! Welcome back! Say Raclaw, this beagle of yours was an absolute sweetheart. He's so intelligent, you won't even think he's a doggie. Now I wish I could have a dog on my own." Maverick said ecstatically, smiling at the fur dragon and winking at Angora, knowing that the little troll would have a hard time adapting to another pet. She spent a while trying to get use to Dahlia, and a dog was more energetic and messy. He knew it teased her, and that fun for him. Angora only shook her head in annoyance, knowing what he was doing. She started to have fun herself when she saw how white Maverick became when he spotted the hunted shark. The feeling didn't last long when her own stomach started growling. She was hungry too, but she wasn't going to ask for food. She was either going to ask Maverick himself to get something from the kitchen or wait for someone to kindly offered her a piece of the unique fish.

As Raclaw brought Leoquin and the shark with him, Latnok considered what to do next. Shade still had to be taken care of - but that didn't mean that preparations couldn't be made for the food.
"Leoquin, dice up the shark for me, please," Latnok asked Leoquin as he dismounted Raclaw. Leoquin was rather annoyed at the prospect of having to cut the meat up, after all the effort he went through to catch it - but he told himself that the meal would be worth it.
"Sure thing, Latnok," Leoquin said with feigned eagerness.
"I'm going to see about getting the medicine for Shade's leg," Latnok said. Soon, he disappeared into the inner portion of the ship.
Leoquin looked at the others expectantly. "So... anyone mind lending me a hand with this thing?" he asked.

"He is-- isn't he?," Raclaw said with a smile. "Most people assume dogs and animals in general are stupid, but anyone who has grown up alongside them or has had the pleasure of companionship would tell you otherwise. Is that right, Chester?," he then said in a gentle somewhat playful tone looking down the little Beagle. Chester gave a few barks sharing the same tone although normally incomprehensible to anyone who wasn't Raclaw himself. "Chester says you're sweet as well and thanks you for the.. yarn?," Raclaw said translating for Chester and only just getting an idea of what the little dog had been up while he was gone. As Latnok disappeared into the innership, he patiently waited for someone to aide Leoquin-- preferably someone of the bipedal stance.

"Yeah, that. I was trying to get it a toy and the ball of yarn is what he chose." Maverick said, scratching the back of his head and grinning goofily, with Angora snickering at the thought of a dog playing with yarn. After the comment, she looked from the sides at Latnok and Leoquin, pleased that the mermen was the one overworked for once. She was feeling happy with how kind Latnok has been. It even made her believe in miracles... but that wasn't the last one.

"If nobody is going to help you, I can help Mr. Leoquin." Maverick suddenly said, offering himself to help the mermen cut up the shark. Maverick didn't like sharks, and Leoquin has been nothing but rude to him ever since he got on that ship, so she was quite shocked to see her dear friend lffering himself to help this punk. His heart was truly that big. Even though Maverick didn't like Leoquin very much, it wasn't going to stop him from being useful and civilized.

Leoquin didn't answer Maverick immediately, being surprised that he even offered help. However, he wasn't going to suddenly start accepting aid from him, like they were good friends. "I'll do it myself," he said grudgingly. Grabbing the tail end of the shark, he began to drag it backwards.

Latnok entered Sere's room without any ceremony, the door being open. "Godfather Sere, we need some medicine for Shade's leg," Latnok said.
"Of course we do... Tell me, how did he perform?" Sere asked, having put down the green orb in order to give Latnok his full attention.
"He carried his load without complaint or noncompliance. It wasn't easy, but he pulled through. Good on him - we'll need to put him through some more training, but I'm hopeful that we'll be in a position to cure him soon enough."
"Sounds reasonable enough," Sere said. "I hear you'll be cooking today?"
"Yes, I will be. Leoquin caught a shark - going to see what I can do with it."
"Save the teeth - they may come in handy. Otherwise, I hope you have a nice time with it." Latnok nodded, before leaving Sere's presence.

Angora was not surprised at the cold attitude. Maverick offered himself to help so kindly, yet predictably, Leoquin dismissed him. Wasn't Ilasi seeing all this? Maverick on the other hand, simply shrank his shoulders, not surprised either at his harsh rejection. Leoquin had very much established his personality, and neither he or Angora were surprised at all at his behavior.
"Well then, in that case, better get the toys. Hey señor Raclaw, I'll give one to Chester, free of charge." Maverick said in an almost joking matter, still a giving like a merchant and missing that life dearly. He once considered selling some of his stuff to the sailors like every traveling merchant does, not leaving that way of life despite what has happened, but given everyone's behavior on that ship, he didn't even tried.

Maverick turned around to leave to his cabin to search for the ball with the the bell and the giraffe toy, although he had a pretty good idea which one of the toys Chester was going to pick. When he left, Angora treated Shade as best as she could, elevating his injured paw and glancing at Shade, warning him not to see or say anything to Leoquin and his jerkish attitude to their friend.

"Thank-you. I'm sure he'll appreciate that.," Raclaw said with a smile. Chester gave a self-explanatory bark, needing no translation. "So... a ball of yarn? You know-- my old caretakers once briefly took in a young kitten and it absolutely adored the stuff.," Raclaw said to the little Beagle in dogspeak. "I didn't want to disturb Mav and it was quieter than the ball. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps-- and that snore. So soothing.," ] Chester responded in a mixture of barks and dog noises. "Huh-- a soothing snore. That's a first.," the barking fur dragon responded with a faint smile. It was a odd thing to witness, but something that many of the crew had gotten used to over time.

Risar watched as Leoquin rejected Maverick's help, absorbing the smell of the soon-to-be-delicous shark. "Here-- let me help.," the large minataur said lifting up the other side and walking along with the merman. He assumed that Leoquin wouldn't reject his help at least and his two greataxes were eager to cut something.

"Oh don't be a baby or I'll break your other leg! You've been through worse! And so have I! Now shut up and let me do this!" Angora said roughly, showing that despite how much she cared about Shade, not even he was safe from her short temper.

As she continued with the paw, Maverick went to the cabin to sea, picking up the toys and heading to the main deck. He had seen Risar and avoided him as much as he could. He was a very interesting being, but him being a minotaur and Maverick feeling like he didn't like him so much, the fawn man didn't dare to interact with the horned crewmate, and simply opted to being polite with him through mealtime or when he didn't have any other choice.

Leoquin was more than grateful that Risar decided to offer him a helping hand. "Thanks, buddy!" he said. "I can taste this thing already... it's going to be delicious!" He slithered towards the kitchen with renewed excitement, shark comfortably in tow thanks to Risar's assistance.

Not long after Leoquin and Risar headed to the kitchen, Latnok resurfaced, having made Sere aware of the situation. He resumed what he had left to accomplish - attending to Shade. "Godfather Sere should be up here with some of that paste soon," Latnok said. "It'll help with the wound - the bone, not so much, but can't have everything now, can you?"
As if on cue, Sere soon emerged from the inner ship. He had a vial of the regenerative paste prepared. Latnok stepped aside to give him ample space to perform his work - that wouldn't be quite necessary, however.
"Angora, apply this to where Shade needs it," Sere ordered, as he tossed the vial to her. He wasn't going to touch Shade if he didn't have to, even with gloves on.

Having some very good reflexes, Angora grabbed the vial in mid air, though she had to move forward in order to get it, Sere tossing it just a little further away from her previous position.
"Thank you captain." Angora said politely, trying to mimic Maverick's good nature even if she deep inside didn't believe neither of them deserved the respect.
"Alright Shady. Now stand still. Kick me, and I'll kick your shin." she warned, knowing how much a scratch from him hurt. In the months she travelled with him and Maverick, she once stopped one of Shade's many nightmares and he accidentally scratched her. The wound was very superficial, barely noticeable and it healed quickly, but it still hurt.

After dripping some of the liquid, Maverick arrived quietly when he noticed what she was doing, and put the toys on the floor.
"Here they are Raclaw. Aquí. I'm sure I have more toys on that cobweb I call a bag, but you'll have to give me some time to search for it." Maverick said, certain that Raclaw knew how a hyperspace bag worked if he had spent so much time with the Guardians, who had items like that and more.

"It's alright, I'm sure--," Raclaw started to say before getting cut off by the excited Chester. Running up to the small clear belled ball, Chester quickly placed a paw on the toy and looked up at Maverick. "I want this one!," the little Beagle barked looking up at the hybrid and needing no translation. "Well-- that answers that.," Raclaw said motioning for Chester to take the toy. As he picked it up, the bell contained inside made a ringing noise-- something that Chester instantly picked up on and seemed very delighted about. Raclaw's eyes light up, the ringing noise reminding him of his past and the noise that his old collar tag had once made. "I think he likes it.," Raclaw said observing the Beagle.

Meanwhile, Risar continued to help Leoquin carry to the large shark. "Risar can smell it already.," the large minotaur said absorbing the smell more and more-- as they soon made it to the kitchen. The shark would no doubt both smell and taste absolutely amazing.

"Well, that settles it then." Maverick said with a grin, knowing that would be the chosen toy. He took the giraffe plush.
"I think this one is mine then..." he said, stopping mid sentence. His eyes shined. He then looked at the captain.
"Señor capitán, can I get permission to get off the ship for a while? I won't be away for too long. I'm try to return in less than an hour." Maverick asked nicely, noticing that both Sere and Latnok were in a slightly good mood, at least much better than yesterday.

Angora listened from the sides at Maverick's conversation, trying not to be too distracted by either that or the sound of the bell. Curing Shade was the priority. She wished she could see the beagle in action, knowing how fun that ball and bell must be to the mutt, and grinned at the possibility of the crew being annoyed by the sound after a little while. That would be fun to see.

Once the group was at the kitchen, Leoquin maneuvered to facilitate the placement of the shark on an appropriate platform - which, given its size, would definitely be something that would have to be worked out.
Risar and his choice of weaponry were obvious candidates for addressing the issue. "Really appreciate the help, Risar," Leoquin said. "Would you mind chopping this thing in half so we can put the pieces on the counter?" An axe that could cut a man in half would certainly have no problem with a boneless fish.

"Go ahead," Sere answered to Maverick, his attention still being focused on Angora and Shade. "Don't make us wait for you - because we probably will not. Sailors have started coming back, however, so we'll probably wait at least until Latnok has the meal prepared."
Ilasi was noting the somewhat reduced tension in the group - the others didn't seem as hostile to Shade and his companions today, and Leoquin, though still not liking them, wasn't insulting, at least not at the moment. A much more pleasant work environment than she was used to. She only wished something could be done about the awkwardness between her and Maverick.

"With pleasure.," Risar said with a grin pulling out one of his greataxes-- his more dominate axe although both had proved themselves to be quite efficient in battle. "Risar recommend you step back.," the large minotaur then said as he swung the axe as if he were an executioner beheading some poor prisoner. The large swing had performed a clean cut, precisely cutting the large fish in half as promised.

Back on the main deck-- Chester the playful Beagle dropped the belled ball, briefly rolled it across a section of the deck, and picked it up again. Raclaw smiled as he watched the Beagle play and the ball once again admitted the ringing noise courtsy of its bell. Both the Beagle and his furry protector looked at each other and two proceeded to play with each other in a dog-like fashion. The fun activity reminded Raclaw of his youth and his dog days.