Walks All Paths: 3/2/97, Part 2 (11/8-10/96)
Training (or: how to teach Mages to fight)
When I awoke the next day, I felt marginally better, but I still felt tainted. Using my gift to sense the presence of the wyrm, I found that I was now of the Wyrm. This was not making my situation any better. I hoped off the bed, trying not to awaked Renee - she needed sleep as much as anyone. I went out to the front hall where Eric was replacing the front door with the back door. I stepped in to help, and we were able to get it connected in little time, and without dropping the door - Eric had dropped the door when he had first taken it off the hinges, which was the sound that woke me. As we were finishing, a tall, very muscular dark man came walking up to the house.
He was carrying a long duffel and a small satchel. I could immediately tell that he was Garou, and asked if he was Silvertooth. He said yes and looked suspiciously at the old front-door now lying in the driveway. I mentioned that it had been infected by leech-magic. He came in and asked where we were going to train and I offered the main room, since it was the largest. He set his gear down, walked back outside, picked up the door - which was solid oak, not very light - and broke it over his knee. As he did that in homid form, I decided that I would try to learn from him and not make him angry.
Silvertooth is a Garou of few words, Ahroun to be sure, and in the human military as well. While the others were waking and getting ready, I asked some questions about the local area. After training finished each day, I would try to learn what I could. It turns out that there are few Garou in the area, and that Silvertooth was from a city to the south called Fayetville. He does whatever Granddad tells him to, which I can understand, and helping us was his latest assignment. He knew little of the Vampire activity in Raleigh, but seemed displeased with it. Perhaps we might do something about it later.
The most interesting thing I learned was that the nexus crawler that I saw after first arriving in the area was not unexpected. Evidently Pentex has a sit to the Northwest in Durham County near where we fought the men in black. It is a large dump-site of some type, but none of the local Garou can seem to find it. That is one of the reasons that there are so many werewolf attacks along interstate 40, they are attacking any vehicle with Wyrm-taint. I mentioned the Red Talon that we encountered, but I did not tell him what I thought had become of him. The fact that I reside with and aid mages is dubious enough, to find out that my ward might have killed a Garou could very well sign our death warrants. He was open with his information, and that I appreciate. If I can, I will help to solve some of this areas more pressing problems. That would help my reputation, the local Garou, and Gaia.
The training went well. All three days we learned how to use daggers and swords. He taught us using wooden swords so that we would not kill ourselves as we learned. Most of the group had never used such weapons before, so it was completely new. I had some experience with them, but Silvertooth taught me much. We must have trained at least eight hours a day, and we were all sore and tired at the end of each, but it was worth it. Eric also studied in the evenings, but he was ready to start each morning when Silvertooth arrived. Even though we were tired at the end of our training, we all felt more rested and sure of ourselves. Even Mary seemed confident about holding a knife.
Silvertooth seemed pleased with our efforts and how well we learned. For my part, I was pleased to have such a skilled teacher. For an ahroun, he was patient, reserved and helpful. He must be of great rank, for I know of few young ahroun that have the patience to instruct. After our training ended that third day, he said that Granddad would be arriving soon to begin the ritual, and that we should all rest, eat, and prepare. I was anxious to begin the journey, but I knew that things had to be done properly, so I contented myself with some food and waited for Granddad.
Tom Brady <tabrady@mindspring.com>
Last modified: Mon 12 May 15:35:00 1997 by tabrady