A Story Worth Remembering

It\'s a new morning and the air is wet from the steady snow that falls down from the heavens above. There\'s a young boy on a mission, wrapped up in a warm cloak, boots, gloves, and winter hat. Aeden Kavanagh is searching for Breveg, and he hurries about with all the energy his young age grants him. His first stop is where the men of Ranich are still camped, one of several groups that linger on in the keep after so many have gone. \"I\'m looking for Breveg.\" He states boldly.

[Brev(#30997)] Breveg is not with the others from Ranich. However, over at the training ground a lone dun-cloaked figure stands in the spear-run, squinting through the falling snow towards the straw target. He draws his arm back and casts, his breath hissing out as he watches the spear fly. It is not near the centre - in this weather it would be a miracle if it were - but it at least strikes the straw bale, loosening a few wisps.

[Caileann(#20237)] Many of the men present don\'t even glance at the young boy. Some grumble and wave him off, others merely shrug. The one voice that is clear enough to answer rings out from behind young Aeden, a gruff, almost growling \"Boy, why are you looking for the son of Barseg?\"

Caileann spits onto the cold ground as he strides over, trailed by a few more of the Ranich men, and stops just short of the boy. Waving the men off, he continues \"What business do you need him for?\"

Aeden turns about, looking up at Caileann without fear. \"I have news from the Ceann for him. We\'re to go hunting tomorrow morning.\" There\'s a bright smile on the child\'s face as his anticipated trip draws ever closer. \"The Ceann wants him to know so he\'ll be ready.\"

[Brev(#30997)] Breveg walks forward to retrieve his spear, grunting as he pulls it free. The sound of raised voices catches his attention, and he blinks snow away that he can see the speakers better. Emerging from the training ground, he walks toward Caileann and his young companion, the spear still in his hand. \"Morning,\" comes the soft greeting, and he arches a brow at the boy in tacit query - perhaps he has not heard the message that was given.

Caileann\'s face clouds for a second, brow furrowing, but after clearing his throat, the man seems to have wiped the look away, commenting dryly \"Hunting? First \'Maveg\' and now Breveg are taking you hunting - someone must really like you...\" Raising a hand and preparing to wave someone over, Breveg\'s sudden arrival takes Caileann by surprise.

\"Morning, Breveg. Your timing is excellent, actually... It would appear you need to prepare to go on the hunt. I trust you have told the Fian of this... Important matter? It apparently bears the approval of no less than the Ceann himself.\"

\"Gregoir is coming!\" Aeden says in exasperation to Caileann. \"That\'s why I needed to tell Breveg -when-.\" He turns his attention to the younger man. \"The Ceann says tomorrow morning we will go, and that we need to be ready to leave after breakfast.\" The boy is hopping from foot to foot, obviously very excited about it all.

[Brev(#30997)] Breveg shakes some of the snow from his hood - clearly he has been out for some time - and dips his head in a nod to Caileann. \"I did mention it in passing. The Ceann seemed very keen on the idea ... and then promptly disappeared beneath the morass of petitioners.\" His lips twitch wryly. \"Maybe I will finally have the chance to speak with him on this trip. The Fian wished that, you know,\" he adds swiftly as though expecting that, too, to be put to the question.

Aeden\'s fidgeting brings a brief smile to his lips, though he carefully schools his features back to solemnity. \"Tomorrow, then,\" he answers the boy seriously. \"Though I trust that\'s weather-dependent? I am sure there are those who would rejoice to see a Ceann and a Fian lost to a blizzard, but I am not one of them. Especially if I\'m in their company,\" and here he winks in Caileann\'s direction.

\"Want to come?\" The query for the older man is tossed in almost in afterthought.

Caileann pauses for a moment as if giving serious thought to the question of coming, but ultimately waves if off with a shake of the head. \"I will stay with my nephew and the men of Ranich. I fear my days of quietly skulking about looking for game are behind me - I would likely make enough noise for a whole family of bears these days, and I am sure that the boy here wouldn\'t want that ruining his prized hunt.\"

He\'ll watch the boy dance about for a moment or two, almost laughing at the excitement in his eyes, before flicking a glance back over to the retainer. \"May I ask what the Fian is so keen on you talking to Gregoir about? I had rather thought him keen on returning home rather than lingering about Creatrach for much longer....\"

\"I hope we see a bear. I want to get a bear skin to make into a cloak, so that when I am Fian I can wear it and impress all my warriors.\" Aeden says, still gripped with excitement. \"Breveg doesn\'t want to hunt a bear, but.. I hope we see one.\" The boy jumps to land on a clump of snow, breaking it apart with his weight. \"I would still go, even if there\'s a blizzard.\"

[Brev(#30997)] Breveg lets out a light chuckle. \"I have my suspicions that others will succeed in disturbing the game,\" he remarks, his gaze flitting from Caileann to Aeden. To the latter he frowns. \"If we see a Bear you stay still as a corpse and pray to Kiern that he doesn\'t see you. Else you /will/ be a corpse in truth. The idea of hunting is generally to choose a target that won\'t fight back. Especially at your age, lad.\"

Looking back to Caileann, he gives a slight shake of the head. \"I do not think it something I should discuss. The Fian has barely spoken to me since that last Council meeting, so I take it the little he did say is of importance to him.\" He shrugs. \"And yes, I still think it his intent that we spend the rest of the winter in Ranich. I can follow later, if need be.\"

Caileann nods, but it is hard to hide the arching of an eyebrow. Perhaps he is not used to his nephew keeping secrets. \"I\'m sure that Ciaran would prefer to wait for you - if we depart, however, I will leave word. I doubt that will be gone for an extraordinary amount of time, considering your party.\"

To Aeden, he offers a stern nod. \"You heed him, boy. A bear is a mighty and strong creature, and not at all favourable to the idea of men poking it with sticks and twigs. Any man who has hunted knows this, and those who carry tokens of a bear...\" For emphasis, he\'ll thump a fist on his chest, just next to his corded necklace and its claws \"Have many to thank. Follow Breveg\'s advice, and seek a better quarry.\"

Aeden sighs when both men curb his enthusiasm with heavy warnings of how dangerous a bear is. \"My papa would never be afraid of a bear.\" He mutters softly. Very softly, because he doesn\'t want to risk the hunting expedition falling apart now. \"I have my own spear. I\'m going to ask the blacksmith to make sure it\'s sharp enough.\"

[Brev(#30997)] \"Aye, a Ceann cannot long be away from his duty,\" Breveg agrees. He eyes the tokens that Caileann indicates, and hints, \"Perhaps the lad would like to hear the tale of how you came by those? I fear he was sorely disappointed by my own of encountering a bear and not attacking the creature.\" His tone is dry.

To Aeden he shakes his head, having perhaps heard something of the muttering. \"Every man fears, lad. It\'s how we use that fear that differentiates us.\" The comment about the spear elicits a nod. \"Good idea, that. The spears he gave me were sharp enough.\"

[Caileann(#20237)] \"Aye, if you want to take anything from the hunt, or to be a respectable... Fian...\" There\'s a bit of a smile playing on his lips as he forces himself to say the word, \"You will not want a dull tip. See to that soon, boy, the smith is no doubt a busy man.\"

To Breveg, he grunts. \"It is not an over interesting story, and I am not an overly good storyteller. A fortunate shoot was the final blow, but it was certainly not the first. Not even the first several. The bear does not like men telling him it is time to go, and does everything to prove them wrong... I am rambling, however. Have you need for any supplies, Breveg?\"

Aeden isn\'t Fian yet. He was rather close, but then his grandfather ended up not going to Redvyrne and that ended his chance for an early succession. At the mention of a story, the boy\'s eyes widen. \"Ooooh! Can you tell me everything? Were you hunting it alone? How many arrows did it take? How long did it take for the bear to die? Papa told me that a spear is the best for hunting bears.. \"

[Brev(#30997)] Breveg listens to Caileann\'s tale without comment, but at the final query he shakes his head. \"Since the Ceann was involved in the trip, I was able to use the common stores. It would be a shame to stint Ranich.\"

Aeden\'s eagerness brings a smile to his lips. \"I still have a few final preparations to make,\" he excuses himself from the pair, offering Caileann a polite nod and Aeden a raised hand that is not quite a wave. Soon he is out of sight behind a speckled curtain of snow.

[Caileann(#20237)] As Breveg disappears, Caileann gives the man a nod, accompanied by a gesture that Aeden may or may not have ever seen before - it\'s certainly not one a *normal* child would be familiar with. Turning back to the babbling boy, he\'ll give a sigh and hold up his hands to slow the questioning. \"Alright, alright...\"

\"First, boy, I would tell you that we were not hunting bears. It was the night of a feast, many years ago. The Fian of Ranich was my father, and it had been decided that five of us - my father, my elder brother, myself, and two of Ranich\'s greatest warriors - would prepare for a hunt lasting three days. Our quarry was the graceful and powerful stag that roamed the area, and whoever had the largest animal would be the winner...\" Storyteller or not, Caileann seems taken by his own tale, his dour expression fading as he delves back in his memory.

\"Aeden. My name is Aeden.\" The child cuts in when Caileann calls him \'boy\'. Somewhere in his memory is his father telling him to be sure that people know his name, if he wants to be remembered. \"How old were you when you went on the hunt?\" He asks, growing more still as the storytelling distracts him from.. well.. his energetic distractions.

[Caileann(#20237)] \"I know your name, Aeden - I\'ve heard your reputation.\" The man grumbles - for a moment, it seems as though he\'s lost his train of thought, but after a moment of silence, he will resume. \"I was just twenty then - it was shortly before my brother become Fian and my father left this world to travel with Kiern.\"

\"As I was saying, we were to hunt stag, so bows became the natural choice. We went into the woods, and for several days, I had little luck. My father seemed set above us all to win - within the first day, he had brought down a buck bigger than Fian Maulduin - with some of his family members hanging on!\" Caileann will allow himself a slight chuckle at his own joke, not waiting for Aeden\'s approval or lack thereof. \"Finally, shortly after noon of the last day, I caught sight of heavy tracks. For hours I followed, until the sun began to sank, and I caught sight of him. A stag magnificent in size, drinking at a pool. I thought myself assured of the kill, as the others were some ways behind me. It was my narrow-sightedness that did not alert me to the bigger beast a ways away, until I first heard her growl.\"

Aeden nods in approval at Caileann knowing his name, but his face crunches in confusion at the mention of reputation. He doesn\'t have time to think that over because the warrior is continuing the story. The child listens with rapt attention now, drawn in completely by the tale. \"A growl? Was it the bear?! Were you afraid?\"

[Caileann(#20237)] \"Aye, it was. I turned around to see the trail I had come blocked by a she-bear the size of which I had never seen before. She had sniffed me out, evidently, and was quite interested. I was indeed quite worried, because I had only my bow and my knife to defend myself. We stared at each other for a good while, not moving, and I wondered if she would attack.\"

\"One of the others must have seen her trail and mine, though, for a cry went up someways behind her. I swear that bear knew what it meant, because at that moment she stood, sniffed the air, and then dropped down and came lumbering towards me. There was only one thing I could do now, and that was try to slow her, so I fired my first arrow, which struck true in her shoulder as she began to gain speed.\"

Aeden stands motionless as fat, wet snowflakes twirl down around him, some sticking to his hat or cloak. Little white puffs of breath escape his mouth as he imagines the situation in his head, his brown eyes locked on Caileann\'s face. \"Was it your papa? The one that yelled?\" He asks in a hushed voice, as if almost afraid to interrupt.

Caileann Caileann pauses to thing, a huge draw of breath going in and coming back out again before he nods. \"I believe it was. At the time, I had more important things to consider, though - my arrow didn\'t even phase the she-bear, and it was only by the quickness of my feet that her first swing of these claws\" He\'ll tap his necklace once more \"did not bite into me. I had little more room to run, though, and we both knew it. When she rose to her feet once more, I braced myself for the pain.\"

Again, Caileann falls silent, though the look on his face clearly shows this as being only for effect. \"It did not come. Eoghan, one of my father\'s retainers, and a man taller than I am now and broader still, had brought his spear with him on the trip. As she rose, he flung himself forwards, driving his spear into her flank.\" As he speaks, Cailean acts out the motion with his own spear, his face set in a warlike grimace. \"I can promise you, that made her quite angry.\"

Aeden holds his breath as Caileann pauses for effect, fear and horror on his face, despite the fact that the man is clearly alive and well standing before him. All the held air is released when the warrior continues and explains his rescuer\'s actions. He grins widely. \"I told you a spear is the best for fighting a bear.\" The boy says, laughing. \"Did she turn after Eoghan?\"

[Caileann(#20237)] \"Oh, she turned for Eoghan. There was the downside of the spear - for its bite is sharp, but its range can be met by the long arms of a bear. She turned on him with a fury, and after several more nicks of his spear, she crashed a terrible swiping blow to his head. This mountain of a man was thrown aside like you throw a crumpled up piece of paper. She set upon him with her mighty claws while he was stunned, and were it not for our bows, our blades, and our courage, Eoghan would have surely died.\" If Aeden thought it funny, Caileann appears to think quite the opposite, his dark tone full of the memories of that day.

\"Arrow after arrow we put into the creature, turning her from his bloodied form. It was my father she would try to take her rage upon next - he put an arrow nicely between the blades of those mighty shoulders. But perhaps she made a mistake, in thinking Eoghan dead - for as she turned for my father, for our Fian, death hot in her eyes, that blood-soaked man rose again and launched himself for her with a cry that would make an orc weep for fear. He collided straight into her, and I swear I felt the impact where I stood. Wounded and enraged, the she-bear drew herself up to her full height, determined to kill this nuisance, and I drew back my bow and whispered a prayer to Kiern.\"

Aeden finds himself once again holding his breath, and his mirth fades when Caileann explains how injured the man was by the bear. He cringes a bit as he imagines the attack, some of his enthusiasm ebbing with the graphic retelling. This too, passes, when the story moves on. The hier to Kavanagh begins to grin again. \"You shot her dead! Didn\'t you?!\" He blurts out in excitement, unable to contain his feelings. \"You saved your papa!\"

[Caileann(#20237)] \"Not my father, perhaps, but I was not going to let the she-bear bleed brave Eoghan\'s life from him if I could do anything about it. Kiern must have agreed with me, because as I invoked his name when I let the arrow fly, he surely guided it home. She had only attained her full height with the arrow pierced deep into her right eye - a shot I would never have believed had it not come from my finger tips.\"

\"She howled at first, and threw her arms about and I feared it would not be enough. Eventually, however, it must have dawned on the creature that she was through, because with one more wild swing, she toppled heavily over and lay still on the cold ground.\" Caileann has by now taken up the stance of an archer just let his missile fly, speaking as he acts - perhaps more of a storyteller than he lets on. \"For a moment, I could not move. None could. Eoghan\'s energy began to ebb, though, and we snapped free of the trance the bear had lead us into. He would survive, and we would drag that beast\'s form back to our halls with us in celebration of the event. It was decided that the pelt would be his, as a great cloak to wear in the winter days - I believe it still remains with his family. For myself, I was allowed the claws of her mighty paw, and at my brother\'s insistance, I was declared the winner of our contest.\"

Aeden is enthralled, so taken is he by this dramatic tale. An army could likely walk right in through the gate of the keep and the boy would never notice. \"Right through the eye!\" He says in an excited whisper, amazed and clapping his gloved hands together once. \"Wow!\" The child is staring up at him in total admiration now, his eyes bright.

\"Was your papa proud? Or was he angry that you got a better kill than he did?\" Aeden creeps closer, staring up at the claws that Caileann wears.

[Caileann(#20237)] At this notion, Caileann actually laughs, a dry, growling sort of sound, but unmistakable in its purpose. \"Angry? His anger was only towards the she-bear who nearly cost him one of his finest warriors! He would not let us celebrate our hunt until Eoghan had recovered enough to join us, but this was something we all agreed fitting. No, for years after he would talk about it with pride - he would still joke about, of course... Every retelling he would pause to remind me about the difference between a bear and a stag, but it was in good spirits.\"

\"I believe he even kept the arrow that felled the beast, once he pulled it out. Some time hence, after his passing, we found a rusty old arrow, the tip caked in dark brown, and assumed it to be so.\" When Aeden approaches, he will remove the necklace and hold it at the boy\'s level, one hand still tightly around the cord. \"It is what true men do - they are proud of their kin and their friends. I have always painted the tips red as a sign of my devotion to that - for each of us in the party, but also as a reminder that I must always remember to be as Eoghan was - devoted to my Fian to death, mine or his.\"

\"You waited until he was better? That was.. That was good.\" Aeden decides slowly with a nod. \"I\'m glad your papa was proud of you. I hope I kill something tomorrow, so my grandpa will be proud.\" He says, reaching to feel the claws when Caileann holds them for him to see. He wraps his fingers around one and holds it up to envision as a weapon. \"When I am Fian.. will you come be my retainer?\" The boy asks, glancing up at the man again with the same admiration. At the very least, the young Kavanagh has begun to mellow out a bit again as some stability has been restored to his life.

Caileann chuckles again, offering only a shrug. \"When you are grown and Fian, many things may change. I may have gone to join my father and my ancestors with Kiern by that time. My life is sworn to my Fian now though, young Aeden. You must remember what a word of honour is, for it is what makes the Bear Clan great and worthy of our name. You must make your name first, though, if you wish to bring others to your banner. Start on the hunt - see if you can\'t find that stag that eluded me.\"

With a cough, the elder Ranich will shift his weight a bit. \"In time, you will have your own trophy, and it will be a symbol of your honour. Do well, and perhaps one day you will have your prized bear\'s pelt, eh?\"

Aeden listens, nodding again as he grins. \"I won\'t come back until I\'ve killed something. Maybe not a bear.. but, a boar or a stag.\" Perhaps Caileann\'s story has curbed his focus on hunting a bear a bit. Hearing about a brave warrior getting mangled in such a fashion is easier to imagine than blind words of warning that tend to go in one ear and out the other in a young boy. \"Are you the mightiest warrior in Ranich? I bet that you are. Is your Fian impressed?\"

[Caileann(#20237)] \"I could not say - it has been some time since we have held such contests and feats of skill. I would say that I can still take a man in a fair fight - Hell, I might be able to take two or three Maulduins...\" The question of whether or not his Fian is impressed gives the man pause, though, and he will stroke his beard thoughtfully for a moment, a soft \"Hmmm...\" on his lips. \"Whether or not my Fian is impressed comes second to the fact that he remains alive and unharmed, and I remain ready to fight for him. Even when I am as venerable as your grandfather, I will remain so - as for being impressed? You would have to ask him. He knows the story of the hunt, as his father told it to him.\"

At this point, Caileann waves a hand in the air, as though parting what remains of the memories. \"But enough - Surely you must attend to your weapons if you are to make a kill tomorrow! I\'ve not yet met a man who took even a rabbit with a weapon that was not sharp. Bear yourself well, lad, and bring home a prize if you find one - your first trophy is just as worthy as your greatest!\"

Aeden releases the bear claw with some reluctance as he obviously longs for such fashion of trophy himself. His hand drops to his side again and the boy is thoughtfully quiet, his brow creased in concentration. \"If you are the strongest.. you should be Fian.\" He says at the conclusion of his hard thinking, then looks over towards the blacksmith. \"Yeah, I better have my spear sharpened. I hope I catch something better than a rabbit though! Grandpa wouldn\'t be very proud of that.. \" Aeden turns to head back into the keep proper, but pauses and looks back at the man, \"Thank you for telling me the story!\" Then he races off.