[ASK] Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

[huntressofworlds]

Accalia stood just outside the sewers, outside of the hidden entrance she'd been shown. Her tongue tried to lap away that grotesque smell she'd just walked through from her nose as she focused on the landing platform ahead. The big boxy craft she'd ventured to this world in sat at the ready with two of her Clan remaining aboard for security. Part of her wanted to set to the stars again on it, to leave this place that had given her a new found despise of the Cartels and their inner circles. Still, she cast a glimpse back over her shoulder towards that steam shrouded pathway. There was something more there, something that made her want to stay, to cluster together with others in a pack of sorts. Curling her tail about her side she let a recollected thought curl at her features in a small grin before she focused her attention back on her vessel. The Sentinel was a good transport, moderately armed for deployment into war zones, and with enough space for a team of experienced vod to erupt from like a hornets nest.

She could only imagine the war stories that the ship held, or most of the ships from the Mandalore Sector for that matter, in use long before she'd ever discovered what a Mandalorian was, what it was like to be in a group of people like them. To lead them. Accalia wasn't an experienced Alor, or leader of much of anything, what she was, was a formidable fighter, one who knew how to survive, to accomplish a purpose and to save the life of any who fought with her, than against. The day previous had reminded her that she had what it took to do her job, to lead Clan Orar to greater heights. No small part due in thanks to the big male Shistavanen she'd met on her arrival. Cana. The name flowed from her tongue well enough, even made her head turn with another glimpse back in the direction of the Barracks.

Accalia had not expected to discover another of her kind here, it had perhaps put her a little bit more uneasy as she discovered what it was to interact with Cana, to learn what it was to not be different than everyone else. It was nice learning about Cana, teaching him the same things that Barrus Orar once taught her. Cana had a great ability to learn, to reason and to discover new things and to accept them whole-heartedly. In some ways Accalia envied him, she had been far more closed off, suspicious of everything and almost stubborn headed to learn anything new in the beginning, figuring it some cruel human trick against her. Perhaps it was the fact that she was like him that he accepted it so easily, the voice of experience to the things Cana would experience and learn. Accalia just shook her head a little bit with perhaps the first small hint of laughter she'd had in a long time. Accalia Orar, teaching another something useful? If only her former Masters could've seen her now.

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana stepped cautiously through the halls of the Mandalorian Barracks, his tail twitching nervously. He hadn't learned much of this world yet, but he'd been practicing his basic since first arriving yesterday, grasping the fragments he didn't understand quickly to fill in his own broken version of the language. It had surprised him tremendously to even find another Shistavanen, let alone enjoy the company of others so quickly. In the time he'd been on the planet, he'd spent much of his time with her, partially out of the necessity of needing a translator but also from an inner desire to simply be around her, one he didn't quite understand. He remembered Reika, back at the mines, and the times he'd shared with her...but when he was with Accalia his inner animal sat patiently, staring through the cage of sentience happily listening to her speak, observing her attentively. It was somewhat frustrating, to be frank.

Before he knew it, he had arrived at the entrance to the barracks where he had first sniffed out Accalia, following her scent. She stood ready, awaiting him by her ship. He kept his face straight as he approached her, though his tail flicked a few times as he walked to her. He greeted her with a low growl of Shistavani. "Hello Accalia." he spoke, spreading his predatory smile from the corners of his mouth. He bristled slightly as his inner animal yelped at her sight, gleefully pressing its face to the bars of Cana's instincts. His eyes probably belied the joy of seeing her, their species able to communicate on a level beyond the base.

Cana looked at the starship, taking it in. She had spoken of them prior, and they seemed fascinating to him. Being able to fly was a feat in itself, but soaring to the stars? To other planets? Even thinking it awed him. But before he got ahead of himself, he turned back to Accalia. "You wished to see me?" he growled.

 

[huntressofworlds]

It was indeed a strange thing, the way she’d come to welcome Cana’s presence the same as he had her own. As he approached she turned to face him, she could see the look in his eyes, that natural instinctive body language as he neared, spoke in that gruff Shistavani. She stepped forward, embracing the big bristled male just briefly with a squeeze.

Accalia’s head pivoted just enough to touch her snout against Cana’s shoulder in welcome greeting. Much like their bestial namesakes much Shistavani interaction was through touch and body language. Accalia’s touch was sincere enough before she drew back and looked to his golden hued orbs, “Good Morning Cana.”

She turned her side, letting him get a more full view of the ship perched so perfectly on the landing platform before she gave him a nod to his growled question, extending her arm and pointing her finger with it’s claw towards the Sentinel. “Today you are a new wolf, today you will fly and learn the things that are essential to a Mandalorian.” She explained, she’d had it in her mind since the day prior to help him before she had to venture back to her fleet. Changing her tone from Shistavani to basic she simplified what she said enough for him. “Cana.. will.. learn.. to fly… Shuttle and learn Warrior’s code.”

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana was startled by the embrace, but understood its meaning when Accalia touched her nose to his shoulder. He listened closely as Accalia spoke basic, processing the words. Behind his intelligent eyes, she may even have seen the understanding glimmer, the hunger to learn burning behind the golden irises. He spoke first in Shistivani.

"A free wolf," he corrected her, the corners of his lips curling into a small smile, "Fly?" he questioned, raising his brow. He wasn't very comfortable with the thought of climbing into the metal box. He paused, searching his mind for the proper words in basic.

"Cana will," he started, remembering the words from a previous conversation, "learn...to...fly. Cana will learn...Brave's Code." he spoke, mistranslating the final words. The little basic he'd spoken at the mines had had him learn the word for warriors of his tribe. Brave. He was the last of his tribe, the only living member of Pack Wind Fang. The Last Brave. He smiled, shaking his head at his thoughts, switching back to Shistavani.

"Ready when you are, Accalia." he said, growling her name softly.

 

[huntressofworlds]

Accalia grinned as Cana corrected her, she gave a nod to him in response and repeated, “ Free wolf.” She saw that look of uncertainty in Cana’s eyes as she nodded her head towards the ship, a small smile rising on her lips as she tried to reassure him, “I’ll keep you out of trouble.” She promised.

She perked her ears forward as Cana tried his way at Basic once more. Didn’t matter really that he’d mistranslated the word for warrior and Brave, for their purposes they were both one in the same. A minor differential in another’s preference in title. Alpha, Alor, Brave, Warrior. They meant the same.

Accalia started to walk towards the shuttle, casting her blue gaze along her shoulder towards him as she gave him one last little lesson right before they got to that rampway. “Brave’s Code to the Mandalorians is called the Resol’nare.” She repeated the word for him, knowing it would be harder to pronounce. “Resol’nare.” Mando’a was still a bit tricky for the she-wolf to accentuate herself.

Starting up the rampway she felt the texture of metals change beneath the pads of her feet, the way her toe talons clinked against it slightly as she ascended into the belly of the big metal beast. Once inside Accalia was noticed by the other two of her Clan she’d brought, not Evagria or Kenshin, but the pilot and a soldier who had stayed with the vessel over night.

Accalia gave a nod to them, “Morning.” She greeted her Clan mates. Asking if everything was well she was pleased to find there had been no noted events since their arrival. Accalia gave them leave with the suggestion, “Go find the others and see that you all get a proper breakfast. Don’t..” she threw in with a playful grin, “ get use to it. It’ll be back to galley meals when we get back to the fleet.” She teased, eliciting a playful groan from them and a few laughs before the two shouldered their weapons and placed their helmets on their heads and headed on out, leaving their Alor and the big towering canine of her same species alone within.

Once they’d cleared the ramp Accalia flipped the lever and brought the rampway back up as she turned to Cana, letting him examine the inside of the ship as she led him forward towards the cockpit area.

Speaking to him in Shistavani, she explained the purpose of what this craft was for, carrying Braves to fight initially, sometimes for cargo or for going from one place to another. Accalia even tried to explain that it was perhaps one of the smallest vessels in Clan Orar’s fleet. A collection of ships like this one, others much much larger.

Ushering the big male into the cockpit she pointed towards one of the seats at the forward controls, letting him choose which one he felt more comfortable in, though they both had equal access to similar controls as the other. Accalia stood next to Cana after he’d gotten situated, pointing to the various cluster of instruments, trying her best to explain what the various components did. She’d even repeat the names of them in Basic so he would understand what they were if someone else told him a command about them.

“Communications. Weapons. Sensors. Shields. Helm controls.”

The last of which required a bit more in depth explanation, one which had Accalia taking Cana’s paws and placing them on the helm. With the systems powered down he wasn’t about to send them careening off the platform, but he would get a feel for how the device moved. She showed him the attitude and pitch controls, used her hand to explain what those things were, tilting it in various directions as she let Cana push on the controls. It was a complex explanation as to precisely what they did, but Accalia thought she did a decent enough job simplifying it. Her head turned towards Cana as she gave him a grin and a questioning look and spoke in Basic, “ Understand?”

 

[Stormthroe]

"Resol'nare," repeated Cana to himself, rolling the word in his mouth. It took him a few tries to get it right, and he continued until he felt the pronunciation correct as Accalia led him on board the ship. He growled softly as the ramp closed, the claustrophobia setting in as the seals hissed shut. He followed Accalia about the ship, as she casually explained each purpose the ship could serve.

He watched her attentively, soaking in the information best he could for the pace. She directed him to sit in whichever seat he preferred once they reached the cockpit. He took the right, maneuvering his large frame into the seat with a slight difficulty due to his size. She quickly ran down through the controls, repeating their names in basic as well as Shistavani, making sure he knew the names. She then finished in basic, smiling at him as she asked if he understood.

Cana grinned, his mind recalling the information piecemeal. For each word he remembered, he pointed at the corresponding control, replying in basic.

"Communications," he began, pointing his taloned finger at the portion of the console with the comms system, "Weapons. Sensors. Shields. Helm." he smiled, looking at her with a somewhat proud puff of his chest. He then answered his question, "Yes. Cana understands." he growled, grinning cheekishly.

 

[huntressofworlds]

The Shistavanen female grinned at him in almost the same pleased glow as Cana repeated back those corresponding systems. She brought her paw up and gave the thick dark gray fur atop his head an affectionate little ruffle before she slipped back from his side of the cockpit and moved to take her seat in the other chair. She turned towards him and grinned a bit, a nod of her head, “ Good. Now Cana flies.” She spoke, pointing towards the switches above their head in the cockpit. Accalia would do them herself but she made sure to tell Cana what she was doing in a way he could understand.

“Fuel On. Power On. Engine Ignition.”

Cana would probably feel the rumble echo through the ship as those big heavy engines chuffed to life outside, a hum felt through the very bones of the Sentinel as the controls she’d pointed out for him earlier whirled to life with their various lights, readouts. Cana didn’t need to know precisely what those readouts were, since they varied heavily depending on the vessel they were flying. Accalia did point to one of the panels that had its various little lights flickering over to green from yellow.

“Green is good.” Accalia told him, “Red is bad.” Fortunately there were no red lights displayed anywhere, though the weapons system and shields displayed yellow and remained that way considering they were offline. "Now we can fly."

The next thing she did after checking the mirrored things on her side was to reach and take one of the devices that lay atop the console, motioning for Cana to lean towards her she helped put the thing around the top of his head, a little piece that was near his ear, and a little stick that came out towards his maw. They weren’t precisely meant for Shistavanens but they would suffice. Accalia took the other and brought it to her head and placed it on, toggling one of the switches in the communications cluster and brought her digit to her lips in a silent “ Shh.” Towards the male.

She tapped in the frequency for the city’s sky control and spoke of her intention to depart and break orbit. Her eyes lingered on Cana as the voice came back through the ear piece on both their sets, a metallic voice of a space traffic droid that gave her a departure vector.

Accalia then gave a confirmation before toggling the switch back off and looking to her big male companion. She placed her paws on the second set of controls save for one hand and pointed out Cana’s own controls, giving him instructions on what to do, how to nudge the lever to his left forward just a little while using his other hand to gently press forward on the control stick. Assuming Cana complied he would notice the picture through those view ports changing as the Sentinel edged forward and off of that landing platform.

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana growled, laying back his ears as the engines kicked on. Their dull roar had startled him, suddenly flicking on to cover the small hiss of moving liquid and hum of generators. He huffed a curse at himself, showing a moment of surprise in front of Accalia. His gaze followed her fingers as she guided through each of the systems and what they were responsible for. He nodded to her, acknowledging her call for silence.

The voice that came back over the headset somewhat surprised him, though this time he had steeled himself as to avoid embarrassing himself further in front of the female. He couldn't help but drop his jaw open slightly, his talons digging into the fabric of his seat as he clenched down, watching the platform fall away underneath him. He growled, licking his jowls as he felt his stomach shift from the change in inertia. He reached up, running a talon along the control stick in front of him before grasping it just as Accalia held hers, swallowing and snapping his jaws once. He looked to her, waiting nervously, his tail firmly tucked alongside his leg.

 

[huntressofworlds]

Accalia gave an apologetic look towards Cana, she knew he would very likely not be use to this. Even less from the vantage point of the cockpit itself. She didn’t comment on it though, just gave a nod towards him, one of assurance that everything was fine. Accalia watched Cana take the controls, directing the big Shistavanen on how to operate it, and how much. Their initial take off was a little bumpy, less than a stellar flight path as they rose up from those towering spacecrapers. Accalia did use her own controls to keep them steady though, despite the shakiness of it Cana did manage to get them airborne.

“Good, good.” Accalia told him, a smile cast in Cana’s direction. “Relax Cana, I promise nothing bad is going to happen. Try not to focus on the ground as much as out there.” She gave a nod towards the sky.

Accalia’s digits tugged a corresponding lever slowly upward while she instructed Cana on how to get them moving forward, increasing their thrust just a bit she looked to her nervous student’s golden eyes. “Now slowly start to pull it back towards you.” She watched, a glowing look of approval, it was still new, unsteady, but it was first time, and Accalia was letting him get a feel for what those controls would do. It was her intent to break atmosphere into orbit of Nal Hutta for a brief time, at least with the vacuum of space they didn’t have to worry about falling and crashing. It would make Cana’s learning go a bit faster without the risk of plummeting to their deaths.

Extending a paw she let it touch Cana’s arm, “You’re doing really well.” She assured him. “Keep us pointed towards the moon.” She instructed, pointing towards the more than apparent glowing moon world of Nar Shaddaa. They weren’t going there, but it gave her canine student something to focus on.

Repeating in basic, “ Moon. Nar Shaddaa..”

 

[Stormthroe]

"Moon." spoke Cana, enjoying the ease of the word compared to some of the others. He wasn't comfortable with the controls really, but every few moments he would feel the ship shift as Accalia touched her own control stick. He looked casually out the viewport, sniffing the air as he saw the small burn of atmosphere at the joints in the ship's cockpit. His ears had settled into a slow swivel as they reached the vacuum of space.

It was like nothing he'd ever seen, and greater than any of the stories he'd heard from the slaves. Thousands upon thousands of stars dotted his view, his eyes growing wide at the sheer scope of just how small his bulky frame actually could be even as his focus changed to the hundreds of ships large and small flowing in orbit about the planet. He pressed his nose to the cold transparisteel, watching as a large freighter passed under them. He liked it here, though the confines of the ship still made him uneasy.

"So many!" he spoke in Basic, both of the stars and the ships. Slowly, he began to learn that the stick guided the ship, that if he pushed left the ship moved left, right it went right, and so on. Grinning, he looked over at Accalia, speaking in Shistavani, "If I become a good enough Hunter, I could have my own?" Suddenly, he jerked hard on the stick as a small Bauldo Yacht cut them off, rocketing towards the moon in the distance. Cana growled, his eyes on the ship ahead of him. Without turning to her, he asked Accalia, "Like this?" in Basic. As he did, he reached for the lever she had pressed forward to get them out of atmosphere, pushing it forward. He growled uneasily as the ship accelerated, but held confidence that Accalia could correct him if anything went wrong.

 

[huntressofworlds]

Accalia grinned larger as Cana got the words and seemed to progress into the fact that he could control where they were going, learning how to pilot a vessel took time, though the basics were fairly common. While she doubted her big male counterpart could successfully even power up a starship on his own, Accalia watched as Cana eased himself into learning the controls.

His expression of the stars and the ships around them made her give him a bit of a wolfish grin. “Nal Hutta.” She pointed towards the curve of the planet below them and then up towards the glowing moon with its orangy lights and speeder paths, a city planet if there ever was one. It was those worlds that Accalia knew had a lot of money from her times in the past. Her matches with the various criminals and beasts like. Those glowing orange worlds that made her former master’s wealthy beyond their dreams.

“Nar Shadda.” She spoke again, taking a look towards Cana, “Capital planets.” She tried to explain, both in Shistavani and Basic. “Not all worlds are this busy, some may not see a ship for months or even years.”

She gave Cana a nod to his question, the first one. “Yes.” She replied, simple enough, “If your lucky on your hunts, your prey may no longer have use for their ship. Then it becomes yours if you take it.” She explained, “Or you can buy one with the credits I showed you earlier.” She reminded him of the little squares she’d let him play with the day prior.

She tensed though, ears flattening back and giving almost whimpered growl as that star yacht cut them off suddenly, coming so near Accalia could see the bolts that welded the hull together. Cana growled too, but before Accalia could much respond he had reached for the lever and pushed it forward, accelerating them forward and toyed with the controls, learning well enough how to control a ship as she slowly felt the tension drain from her ears, returning them back forward as she cast her blue eyes on Cana and gave a nod, “Like that, yes.” Though Accalia did point her taloned finger towards one of the busier subspace routes between the planets, “Stay clear of there though, don’t want to get into trouble.”

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana nodded, acknowledging Accalia's words about avoiding the busy spacelanes. He glanced around through the viewport, keeping an eye out for other ships as he pushed the throttle forward, sinking into his seat a little as their movement accelerated. He grinned, his fangs appearing predatory.

"Hunts, yes. Tell me some about these hunts.," he spoke in Shistavani. He quickly continued, practicing his Basic as he guided the ship into a light roll to port, spinning the vessel along its central axis, "Hunt's on Nar Shaddaa?" Cana grinned, looking at the incredibly busy looking moon.

 

[huntressofworlds]

Accalia gave the big male a nod and kept her blue eyes scanning the ports out of her ship as well as checking on the sensor display on the console for the things they couldn’t specifically see very well. All in all Cana was doing well at keeping them out of trouble after their near miss with that yacht a few moments earlier. She watched him learning, discovering something new that seemed to thrill him, that fanged grin more than enough evidence for her, even stimulate her tail to wag just a bit.

His question about the Hunts would deserve a complex answer, but she tried her best to simplify it, speaking in a little bit of both Shistavani and Basic so he could try and piece together what she was saying.

“Some are for people, some are for things. Most pay well, if the person values what you’re hunting. The more they value it, the more they pay, so no letting them make you think they don’t care.” She grinned a bit, “Some hunts are to eliminate threats, or take out the enemy. Remember, enemy is whichever side they’re on, sometimes not worth taking a hunt because of it just not being worth it.” She explained, taking a glimpse towards the ports once more.

“Lots of hunts on Nar Shaddaa.” She answered his last question, “Hunts all over the stars as well.” She made motion with her paw towards all the jeweled lights that were around them.

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana nodded once again, licking his jowls lightly. Hunting was a good idea, especially if the Credits Accalia had shown him were of such importance. He growled to himself, nudging the stick a little to pull lower down, flying under a large freighter as it came into the viewport. He grinned to himself, even as he adjusted the pitch of the ship so looking to his side, he could see the underbelly of the other vessel. Flying was something else.

Suddenly remembering another of Accalia's words, he turned to her with an inquisitive look. "And weapons?" he asked in Basic, pointing to her pistol. She had mentioned that it was for hunting and killing one's enemies back at the barracks, and he wanted to know more. Though he doubted such a small weapon was able to kill some of the beasts he'd seen at the Hutts' games. He flicked his ears, unsure if his Basic had been enough, he changed to Shistavani, "Will you teach me to use a blaster?" he asked casually, licking his nose after growling the words.

 

[huntressofworlds]

Accalia’s ears perked at such a question, a nod given in response to her big male companion as she took a glimpse to her side arm and then back up to Cana, though she gave a pause and a contemplative thought before she turned her head and glimpsed back towards the main compartment of the Sentinel. She couldn’t remember precisely what armory they had aboard, but surely there would be one or two of what she was thinking of. Turning her focus back to Cana she canted her head just a little bit, “If you’re going to be a Hunter, you should learn to use a rifle. Longer range, not as clumsy.” She told him, referring to the inevitable imprecision of a handheld weapon.

Accalia pointed towards the small digital readout on the console before Cana and then pointed towards their right, “Turn that way till the dial says 2-1-0.” She instructed, the course leading them to circle back for Nal Hutta. Her blue eyes scanned the surface of the planet, far enough away from it now that all of Hutta could be seen before them. One of the jungle swamp areas would suffice for what she had in mind, away from the main cities so there was no danger of civvies getting in the way.

“Do you have a steady eye and a strong hand?” she asked, mere curiosity of the former slave miner.

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana laughed at the question out loud, a deep, guttural roar to some. He grinned at her as he replied.

"Do deer flee when in danger?" he replied sarcastically. Natural to their species, eyesight was keen, and their hands were powerful, though his were exceptionally large and muscular from years of hard labor. He carefully guided the ship around until the dial read the numbers Accalia had instructed. He attempted to peek over his shoulder at her, curious as to what she was doing. However, he growled and laid his ears back as the ship began to drift, as he unintentionally tilted the control stick in the direction he was leaning. Rather than risk a crash, he looked forward, listening behind him to Accalia's movements, flicking his tail once.

 

[huntressofworlds]

There was a bit of a snicker from Accalia as she tugged the storage locker open and browsed through the various armaments within. Her eyes settled onto one of the newer weapons in their arsenal, trailing her padded paw along the surface of the MP-350, contemplating as she pulled it out of the rack it was on and a spare clip or two, slipping them into her belt she shut the locker back and glimpsed ahead towards Cana who was curiously peering back at her as best he could before he surrendered and diverted his attention back forward.

It gave the female Shistavanen enough time to return forward, stepping behind Cana she used her spare hand to brush along the fur at the back of the male’s neck and shifted aside so he could spot the weapon in her arm, held by it’s strap.

“They might from something like this!” she explained, motioning with her head towards Cana to take the rifle while she moved back into her seat, leaving the big wolf to examine over the new toy she’d just put in his hands. Fortunately it was unloaded. Accalia took over the controls from Cana, considering they were nearing Nal Hutta’s gravity well once more, diverting their course a bit towards the more swampy and uninhabitable regions of the planet she glimpsed back towards Cana again, a very serious and questionable look on her face.

“What’s a Deer?”

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana smiled, shaking his head. He forgot that she hadn't grew up Shistavani like he had, so even though his memory was faded, hers was nonexistent.

"A prey animal, four-legged. Tastes great raw." he grinned as he explained the animal. He took the rifle from Accalia, flipping it over, growling curiously. He liked its weight, though it seemed odd to him. He figured he'd weight until he was on the planet to ask more questions about how it worked.

 

[huntressofworlds]

Their trip to the planet wouldn't take long at all. Sitting them down in a clearing in the swampy landscape Accalia reversed the course of events she'd started when she'd powered the shuttle to begin with. All around them the narrow stickly trees reached above the shuttle, though they had a good view of things that stretched out well beyond. As Accalia powered the engines down she slowly turned and looked to Cana with a grin as he told her about the deer. "You'll have to show me sometime, Cana." she suggested, "Been awhile since I've had to kill anything in the wild." she confessed, a brush of her tongue against her nose had her shameful confession complete before she'd pushed herself up and stood, leaving the rifle for Cana to manage while she made off with the clips towards the hatch, using her paw to flip the lever she waited for the rampway to begin lowering, almost instantly the smells of the swamp filled her senses.

It was a sharp poignant thing, her ears perked as her blue eyes scanned out beyond, already those Shistavani ears could hear the cries of creatures in the swamp, protesting their ship's presence there. Not sensing any particular danger she started her way down the ramp, turning her head along her shoulder to peer towards Cana once again. Certainly not the smells of the city out here or the purified air on the shuttle they were leaving from. Slowly withdrawing one of the clips from the rifle she stepped to Cana and showed him what was inside the magazine, those rounds of 9mm death housed neatly inside the thing. Still at the bottom of the ramp way she showed Cana how to load the cartridge into the weapon, but after showing him how to tap the cartridge to settle the rounds properly against his palm, avoid any unnecessary jams.

"Suppose to try and line up what you're wanting to shoot with the marks here..." Accalia touched it with her finger the one nearer to Cana and then the one at the end of the barrel, "..With the one here."

Nodding her head onward towards the swamp she grinned, wagging her tail a little bit. "Lets go see if we can find you something to practice on."

 

[Stormthroe]

Cana lined up his eye behind the sight as instructed, scanning the dankness of the swamp for anything to shoot. He scrunched his nose at the scent, but his delicate ears detected the same sounds that Accalia could hear. However, unlike her, his animalistic side was a little more in tune. He sniffed the air, tracing scents of fear, of suspicion, and a few of aggression as he stepped off the ramp behind her, holding the weapon at his chest, his massive size dwarfing it.

As they walked, he continued to scan the area, searching for prey. His fingers caressed the weapon, exploring its grooves and nooks as he walked. Suddenly, he yelped, a loud bang being heard as he accidentally squeezed the trigger, discharging a round into the dirt to his left. He growled menacingly, his ears laid back, at the weapon where he'd dropped it. The sound had been somewhat hard to handle in the darkness of the forest leaving his ears ring. He glanced at Accalia, regaining his composure as he picked the weapon up again.

"Sorry..." he growled low, obviously embarassed.