MissingNo
Inactive Member
[Summerstone Village]
Sister Elder Shale Rainwatcher tapped the stone desk in front of her. "Be seated, students," she began, looking around at the new first-seasons in the room as they quickly sorted themselves into their desired (and some undesired) arrangement on the floor. Each student had a mat on which to sit with a plank of wood that would serve as their writing surface resting on the floor in front of them with a pouch containing their writing instruments. She nodded with satisfaction when they were done settling in.
"I am Sister Elder Rainwatcher and I am going to be your First Teacher. What that means..." she paused and stared down a young male bobcat until he stopped moving a pair of unsheathed claws toward the long braid of the pony girl in front of him. He noticed her abrupt silence and retracted his claws as he returned to proper sitting form on his mat. "What that means, for those of you who do not know yet," continued Sister Rainwatcher, "is that I will be your class supervisor for the duration of your first season at this school. If you have questions about your rooms, your instruction schedule, your treatment, or if you have any concerns about anything that goes on in this school, you will bring them to me. If I cannot help you, then I shall request aid from another teacher or I will bring your need before the Alpha monk."
She observed each face in her classroom, taking a few seconds for each one to note the attitude and behavior of each student. It was a varied class this season...but, in her years of experience as an instructor, no two classes were ever exactly alike. When she finished her observations and her introduction, Sister Rainwatcher allowed herself a small smile, meant to reassure some of the nervous newcomers, and walked around her desk from where she stood behind it to just in front of the first row of children. "If you will look around...These are the faces of your fellow students and classmates for this season. Barring any _necessary_ relocations, you all will be remaining together for the duration of your basic learning." Another pause, to let the information sink in, then she added: "Any questions?"
A timid-looking lupine was the first to raise his paw. He lifted it slowly, but Sister Rainwatcher patiently waited until he had it up. In past experience, a student was unlikely to offer their thoughts unless they were ready, and they were unlikely to be ready unless they had the courage to raise their paw high. She smiled.
"Yes, Bright Wing?" The wolf barely met her eyes, but his question wouldn't let him back away, she knew. But there was a scattering of muffled laughter at his hesitation. Some of the others knew him, Shale guessed as she passed a quick silencing glare over the noisemakers. "What did you want to know?" she prodded gently.
"Um..." He took a breath. "What will we learn here?" the cub asked, his voice barely there.
Sister Rainwatcher nodded slowly. "Very good question. In your first seasons here, you will be attending basic instruction classes. These are classes that will teach you what every Kohanian needs to know to be a productive member of their town or village." She leaned back against the edge of her desk and folded her paws over her lap. "In addition to being your First Teacher, I will be your language instructor as well. Brother Elder Frosted Blade will be your outdoor instructor, teaching you all the essentials of survival to add to what you learned in your Hunts." Each Kohanian child was sent on their first Hunt when they were ten years old, and each of these children had completed theirs well, according to the Huntsmaster who regulated such things. "Sister Junior Gliding Leaf will teach you mathematics and science..." A smile appeared on the timid wolf's muzzle at that. "...and your magics lessons will be given by Father Monk Ironflight."
All of the smiles that had appeared over the announcements of the classes vanished as one at the sound of the Father Monk's name. Sister Rainwatcher pretended not to notice, even though she sympathized with them. The Father Monk was a feared name among students of nearly every class, going back generations. But his teaching methods, while strict, were effective, and no teacher, student, or parent had any complaints concerning him. In fact, most had wanted to thank him, but were often still too intimidated to do so.
"Thank you for your question, Bright Wing." Sister Rainwatcher said, nodding to him, then looking back over the class. "Any other questions?"
Sister Elder Shale Rainwatcher tapped the stone desk in front of her. "Be seated, students," she began, looking around at the new first-seasons in the room as they quickly sorted themselves into their desired (and some undesired) arrangement on the floor. Each student had a mat on which to sit with a plank of wood that would serve as their writing surface resting on the floor in front of them with a pouch containing their writing instruments. She nodded with satisfaction when they were done settling in.
"I am Sister Elder Rainwatcher and I am going to be your First Teacher. What that means..." she paused and stared down a young male bobcat until he stopped moving a pair of unsheathed claws toward the long braid of the pony girl in front of him. He noticed her abrupt silence and retracted his claws as he returned to proper sitting form on his mat. "What that means, for those of you who do not know yet," continued Sister Rainwatcher, "is that I will be your class supervisor for the duration of your first season at this school. If you have questions about your rooms, your instruction schedule, your treatment, or if you have any concerns about anything that goes on in this school, you will bring them to me. If I cannot help you, then I shall request aid from another teacher or I will bring your need before the Alpha monk."
She observed each face in her classroom, taking a few seconds for each one to note the attitude and behavior of each student. It was a varied class this season...but, in her years of experience as an instructor, no two classes were ever exactly alike. When she finished her observations and her introduction, Sister Rainwatcher allowed herself a small smile, meant to reassure some of the nervous newcomers, and walked around her desk from where she stood behind it to just in front of the first row of children. "If you will look around...These are the faces of your fellow students and classmates for this season. Barring any _necessary_ relocations, you all will be remaining together for the duration of your basic learning." Another pause, to let the information sink in, then she added: "Any questions?"
A timid-looking lupine was the first to raise his paw. He lifted it slowly, but Sister Rainwatcher patiently waited until he had it up. In past experience, a student was unlikely to offer their thoughts unless they were ready, and they were unlikely to be ready unless they had the courage to raise their paw high. She smiled.
"Yes, Bright Wing?" The wolf barely met her eyes, but his question wouldn't let him back away, she knew. But there was a scattering of muffled laughter at his hesitation. Some of the others knew him, Shale guessed as she passed a quick silencing glare over the noisemakers. "What did you want to know?" she prodded gently.
"Um..." He took a breath. "What will we learn here?" the cub asked, his voice barely there.
Sister Rainwatcher nodded slowly. "Very good question. In your first seasons here, you will be attending basic instruction classes. These are classes that will teach you what every Kohanian needs to know to be a productive member of their town or village." She leaned back against the edge of her desk and folded her paws over her lap. "In addition to being your First Teacher, I will be your language instructor as well. Brother Elder Frosted Blade will be your outdoor instructor, teaching you all the essentials of survival to add to what you learned in your Hunts." Each Kohanian child was sent on their first Hunt when they were ten years old, and each of these children had completed theirs well, according to the Huntsmaster who regulated such things. "Sister Junior Gliding Leaf will teach you mathematics and science..." A smile appeared on the timid wolf's muzzle at that. "...and your magics lessons will be given by Father Monk Ironflight."
All of the smiles that had appeared over the announcements of the classes vanished as one at the sound of the Father Monk's name. Sister Rainwatcher pretended not to notice, even though she sympathized with them. The Father Monk was a feared name among students of nearly every class, going back generations. But his teaching methods, while strict, were effective, and no teacher, student, or parent had any complaints concerning him. In fact, most had wanted to thank him, but were often still too intimidated to do so.
"Thank you for your question, Bright Wing." Sister Rainwatcher said, nodding to him, then looking back over the class. "Any other questions?"
