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Post by Red Charge on Jan 16, 2012 2:53:24 GMT -5
"True, there are traps all over the border of the wood, of course, none of them would harm an innocent animal, most monsters are sure to trigger them. I also regularly patrol the border and check them, naturally, as well as keep animal scouts - well, not me personally but animals do tend to spread the word if a monster is coming." Ranger explained, "If a monster does go too near to the edge, I go in and take care of it." The pony did not dismount the pegasus, not because he enjoyed lounging on his back, but because his mind was completely elsewhere.
"We're honestly not used to these levels of monster activity, we're doing our best to try and keep them away." The cloaked Ranger tried to convey, "In all my time here there was never this much activity. I even went deeper inside, I couldn't find what's causing it, but whatever it is, it's big. Salamanders come from deep in the woods, they almost never go out, and just now we had to take down a big one. Killed a recruit of mine."
Ranger hated himself for it, he kept running the scenario through his head, he told her to get underneath the Salamander, he did mean of course the front, and not directly under its belly. For him the thought of going under a quadruped's belly to stab it was ridiculous, but she didn't know that. He was always angry with her, he didn't even give her a chance... If he hadn't been so angry, he would have explained things better... He was horrible, he should be demoted.
Lost again in thought, his gaze drifted away towards the edge of the woods, suddenly oblivious to his surroundings. First Corsair, then Ruby, who next? Storm Shroud? Kuruka? Maybe even a civilian. His heart twisted into a knot as he thought of all the ponies who were let down by him. So much pain, because he failed. No, he's not going to feel sorry for himself, he's Ranger, Ranger always does his best. He always does the right thing, he never fails.
His gaze hardening, he said to Kuruka, "I am confident of our ability to keep Ponyville secured from the monsters. We're more learned now than before, and with Storm Shroud here, I'm sure we'll do better than ever."
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Post by kuruka on Jan 16, 2012 19:07:11 GMT -5
Kuruka watched Ranger's demeanor shift. This was one complex stallion. He seemed to get quite passionate when talking about his soldiers, much the same as Kuruka did when talking about her siblings. This was both admirable and dangerous. As rough as it sounded, Kuruka was more used to soldiers being placed like chess pieces rather than living beings. Captains were responsible, but distant. It helped with coping with the aftermath of battle.
Kuruka looked again at Shroud. "Umm... You alright there, soldier?"
She had to admit that the pegasus was a little smaller than the well-built Ranger. Not much of a problem except in lifting things, perhaps. Kuruka grinned as the thought of her youngest sister, Amali, crossed her mind. Now she was a small pony, but that didn't stop her from also being brave.
"I must admit that I do not have much experience in trap-setting. My training was mostly in the spear and hoof-to-hoof combat. Survival training was day-to-day life."
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Post by StormShroud on Jan 16, 2012 20:07:54 GMT -5
Well, he'd given it his best shot. He'd have been fine, had Ranger actually stepped off, however it seems Ranger's mind had drifted elsewhere as he rambled, which left Storm Shroud with wobbling legs, which did eventually buckle as he flopped onto the ground, on his belly, groaning quietly with a frankly distasteful expression. His fluffy tail flapped against the ground in agitation, much like a cat's might, oddly enough.
"While I appreciate the sentiment, Sir, could you please get off? You've had your fun, and my back is killing me. Honestly, if something decided to jump us this very moment, we'd all be torn to shreds, and I'd be the first one to go." He mumbled, turning his head to peer up at Kuruka.
"Perhaps the first thing we should both be learning is how to set traps them, mm? I know how to set plenty of traps, however they're mostly pony-sized traps, and set up in the air.."
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Post by Red Charge on Jan 18, 2012 14:26:28 GMT -5
Ranger quickly hopped off of Storm Shroud, in his introspection, he forgot the pegasus was even there. "Sorry about that," He apologized quickly, "Setting traps then, there's plenty of ways, plenty of traps." He began to ponder, "But right, before we start any of that nonsense I still need to get to know you better, Shroud, I don't know your strengths and weaknesses." He explained, "So I'm going to need you to fill me in on them, as well as what combat training you have."
Then turning to Kuruka, "I guess it won't hurt to know more about you too, though I'm sure you've had your share of scuffles." The earth pony moved about, trying to find a comfortable spot to lay on, and when he did, he beckoned the others to join him.
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Post by kuruka on Jan 18, 2012 23:28:52 GMT -5
Kuruka watched as Ranger relaxed, feeling somewhat like she was interrupting. It was, however, admittedly necessary that Ranger and Shroud knew her strengths and what she could contribute. As for her weaknesses, Kuruka snorted, they were only temporary.
She approached Ranger and found a spot on the grass to her liking. She shook her mane and tucked in her wings to get comfortable, politely waiting for Shroud to answer first. He was, after all, Ranger's reason for being out here. Her arrival was simply ill-timed.
Kuruka took a moment to notice the spring sunshine and the tender grass buds under her legs. A gentle breeze brushed by, carrying with it a chilly version of the smell of life.
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Post by StormShroud on Jan 19, 2012 8:58:20 GMT -5
Once relieved of Ranger's weight, Storm Shroud released a drastic sigh of relief, wings flapping softly as he stretched his legs and neck every which way. Then, as Ranger wandered around to find a nice patch of grass to rest on, he heard the request for a recount of his skills -- And so due, Storm Shroud popped a crick out of his neck and followed Ranger and Kuruka.
After finding a nice, soft patch of spring grass right beside them both, Storm Shroud shook himself out -- much like a dog -- to loosen himself up, before settling down with limbs folding under him comfortably. His wings lay somewhat expanded, but mostly folded, so as not to cramp up.
"My skills, then?" Shroud asked, glancing up at the clouds lazily drifting across the sunny spring sky with a perking of his ears, "Stealth is where my strength lies. I hold a fair amount of survival skills in mind, however it's my duty not to get into that trouble in the first place. I can conjure up the thickest fog, the best mist-cover, shroud myself and my surroundings and use that cover to sneak by un-noticed." He explained, ending with a nod.
A moment later, however, he tilted his head and shrugged softly whilst speaking, "Of course making yourself unseen is only half the job. You have to know how to act to ensure you aren't seen, and know how to navigate the fog better than what or who you're trying to give the go-around, as neither of you will be able to see. Then there's the fact that you have to know what to do if you inevitably end up getting caught -- All of which I've trained nearly my whole life up until now for. I've had formal and informal training, though the Equestrian Regiments have remained out of my reach for quite some time, unfortunately. I'll admit I'm not as good as I could be with those skills, but the skills I do possess are not to be sneered at or looked down on. I can take care of myself, and others."
Ending his monologue, Shroud promptly narrowed an eye at Ranger, insinuating the last bit was directed toward him. Yes, he was still a bit sore for what Ranger had said when they first came out here, doubting his skills and all that.. However, not a moment after his subtle glaring, he looked to Kuruka with a smile and a motion of a hoof, to let her speak.
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Post by Red Charge on Jan 19, 2012 9:51:24 GMT -5
"Ah yes, a fog, excellent." Ranger said with a nod, "That'll come in handy against monsters that can easily navigate by scent and hearing even better than sight. That's only, well, almost every monster in the forest." Ranger continued, his voice completely without sarcasm, making the dubious nature of his statement even more obvious. He did seem to take a mental note of what Storm Shroud had said though, at least.
"How about you Kuruka? Any strengths and weaknesses you want to share?" He turned to the zebra pegasus hybrid with a pleasant tone. To be fair, he was only so doubtful of the male pegasus because he's heard the "I can take care of myself" line before, and in most cases, it ended up being completely false. What a shame.
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Post by kuruka on Jan 19, 2012 15:26:42 GMT -5
Kuruka shifted a bit uncomfortably as she sensed the tension between Shroud and Ranger. A soldier trying to prove himself was both beneficial and dangerous. Kuruka cleared her throat.
"If I may, fogs do provide moisture that could dull the scent of a pony trying to hide. Although it may not be as effective as, say, rain or mud, it could help." Kuruka glanced at Ranger, hoping she hadn't crossed any lines in his style of training.
"As for my own skills, on the ground I am quite proficient with a spear and shield, followed by ranged boomerang combat, with swordsmanship and hoof-to-hoof combat close behind. Survival I have learned since I could walk and, while stealth may not be my greatest strength, I believe being unpredictable makes up for it."
Kuruka paused, hesitating to go into her particular weaknesses in front of a fellow pegasus. She snorted, since when was she one to be embarrassed? "Due to my upbringing, I have not had the chance to train in the air as much as other p-pegasi. But my wings are strong and I am an observant learner." She grinned. "Just don't expect me to perform any aerial miracles for you anytime soon."
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Post by StormShroud on Jan 19, 2012 16:07:31 GMT -5
Storm Shroud's expression fell flat. Not blank, but flat.. Almost as if something inside of him snapped, his eyes seemed to dull some, and his neck craned down to rest his head on the grass, gaze resting lazily on Kuruka as she spoke. He'd offer a hint of a smile here, a flick of his ear there, but nothing more than that, and not a single word spoken. No snappy retorts, no attempts to defend himself this time.
After Kuruka finished speaking, his eyes seemed to linger over her wings momentarily, contemplating how many flying secrets he could really impart with her, if she were to ask. Did she even need the training? Ranger could probably teach her. Yeah.. That would be best. Storm Shroud's eyes moved over to Ranger, expression remaining flat and expressionless, the Pegasus remaining silent.
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Post by Red Charge on Jan 19, 2012 16:22:18 GMT -5
"Well, I'm a regular visitor to the forest, and with all my mucking about with monsters, it seems that I've caught the scent of the forest." Of course, this was mostly due to Sprite's incredible ability to follow spell and alchemy instructions... Or rather, her ability to follow any instruction. What an odd talent, following instructions. Regardless, he was not going to confess that to them.
"So I have an easy time going in and out without being harassed by monsters. Also good if I can get the drop on one. Though I usually rely on distractions and traps for that sort of thing. I'm not really that strong either, built for athletics not strength." At that, he looked over at the others, "There's another thing you should know..." He said grimly.
"I seem to have bad luck working with other ponies, maybe it's because I worked alone for so long, I'm more than capable of commanding a squad," He added hastily, looking at Kuruka, "But if you're not clear on anything I say, make sure you put it out there before we run into something. Something like that got a pony killed just now."
"Now I'm sure you realize it, but I'm not especially good at anything. I'm a ranger not a hunter, I know the monsters, I know the forest. That's kind of my shtick, but that's about it. If you're expecting me to be some sort of tactical genius or great warrior, well don't. Agility and quick wit is all I have. So if you see me in a bind, I'm probably in a bind, and not just trying to execute some grand plan or another." He indicated at his still bandaged hooves.
"All in all, I only care about keeping other ponies safe, I just don't want others to get hurt, and I know I can't protect them all. So please be careful, I can't do this alone, and I don't want to either." The stallion was definitely looking at Storm Shroud at that point. "Alright?"
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Post by kuruka on Jan 19, 2012 22:09:30 GMT -5
Kuruka bit her lip. Shroud didnt seem to be responding positively to her confession and Ranger's level of openness unnerved her. She had expected somepony entirely different to be leading the defense of Ponyville. Kuruka shook her head, she had so much to learn about the culture out here.
"Communication is vital to any successful mission, of course." She nodded. "It is good that you bring this up, Ranger. I am sorry for your loss."
Kuruka shifted around to get more comfortable. She wasn't her mother, she wasn't very good at comforting others. In order to ease herself from the situation, she stretched her wings and pretended to be interested in something on the ground. A footprint, perhaps?
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Post by StormShroud on Jan 20, 2012 3:46:48 GMT -5
Although Storm Shroud's brow did quirk momentarily as Ranger looked at him pointedly while speaking, Shroud's demeanor generally remained quiet still. After a moment, Shroud's eyes closed momentarily, a simple "As you wish." escaping him.
Sure, of course Storm Shroud was sorry to hear he'd lost a couple of ponies already. But was he going to offer his sympathies? Not really. Not while he felt as he did so strongly, at least. What he was currently feeling was something like.. If his opinions and capabilities weren't going to be respected, he simply wasn't going to voice anything that left him open to a verbal attack. No, of course it wasn't really like that on Ranger's side, he didn't MEAN to be rude to Shroud.. did he?
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Post by Red Charge on Jan 20, 2012 4:13:57 GMT -5
"Right," Ranger said, getting to his feet, "No point in idling about, let's go into the woods. I'll show you how to disarm traps. That's the first step, once you understand the mechanisms it's only up to your imagination to create them." Ranger said, then looking over at Storm Shroud, he supposed he wasn't really passing the message he was trying to properly at all. He knew why he was like this. Storm Shroud reminded him of Ruby, the same 'I can take care of myself' attitude she had. It wasn't fair though, he knew that.
"As for you Storm Shroud, I'm sorry if I'm coming across as a sea serpent, I'm just trying to make you understand. Everfree is not anywhere else. This place and the bog are the most dangerous places in Equestria. It's not that I don't think you can take care of yourself, it's just that there's so much in there that's too dangerous for a whole platoon of soldiers, let alone two militia ponies like us." He tried to explain, "if I seem short tempered, it's only because you remind me of someone whose attitude was like yours, and it got them killed." He admitted, this time in a low voice, so Kuruka couldn't hear, "Every time I go in that forest, I find out exactly how little I know of it."
The stallion led them over to a mechanized trap this trap was attached to a small net spread over a small pit and covered with leaves. The pit was only enough to make a monster trip, but the pressure on the net would activate the trap, sending a volley of deadly looking sharp rocks at anything unfortunate enough to stumble upon it.
"This one is the last line of traps, if a monster made it this far, it means that we're in deep manure." He explained, "See this part?" The pony gestured at a bendy stick attached to the trap, "When it's released, it swings forwards to strike this gong, while the rocks would slow the monster down, giving me time to get here." He explained, impediment and alarm seemed to be to common theme of Ranger's last line of traps, most of which were things that intelligent creatures like ponies would not be harmed by. Of course, all the animals knew of his traps, he made sure of that. So only monsters were really at risk.
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Post by kuruka on Jan 22, 2012 20:25:21 GMT -5
Kuruka trotted behind Ranger, taking in the mechanisms of the trap he presented. An alarm system. Interesting. These ponies were quite easy-going, though she saw the sense in their reasoning. Digging pits would be ridiculous. A monster carcass would stink up the entire town if left there. Kuruka leaned in closer to the trap, careful not to get too close, to study the finer parts.
Yes, this would do the trick. The trip to Ponyville had started to pay her back.
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Post by StormShroud on Jan 27, 2012 22:41:53 GMT -5
Following behind Ranger and Kuruka, after standing and stretching himself out, he listened in on Ranger's explanations of the traps. So.. Big enough to catch monsters, but not ponies, and not small creatures? He wondered how that panned out, exactly.
As Ranger was explaining one trap he had brought them to, Storm Shroud's wings flapped, lifting him off the ground in a gentle hover as he flew over to the trap, circling it carefully to get a good look, without actually triggering it.
"What happens if a caught monster doesn't die by the trap?" Storm Shroud asked, looking to Ranger, "Say it's caught, but these rocks only injure it, but don't kill it. What happens then? Do you kill it anyway, or keep it for observation?"
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