Wraithvine and hir friends have a training day, learning magic and self-defense. -- Anon Guest
Of all the places to practice magic, most mages recommend areas with an abundance of granite. It's hardy, resilient, and largely proof against most magics. It also makes an excellent scratching post for Dragons.
For combat lessons, the teacher prefers an area with soft ground so that the student doesn't hurt themselves when they fall. Or, if available, lots of padding. Wraithvine could conjure the padding as need be, which meant that the family's only concern was where Emberscale may be kicking off gravel and claw sherds.
In between trying to teach Scramble and Chance simple magework, they also taught the children how to defend themselves. Or, more precisely, how to get away from a threat.
"Never try anything fancy," said Bibrid. "The worst place to test anything new is when you're against bad people."
"You want to make it more trouble for them to catch you or kill you," said Wraithvine. "And if they do catch you, make it more trouble for them to hold you. Hurt them if you have to, so you stop them from hurting you."
"And when it's bad people," said Bibrid, looking Chance in the eye, "you have to hurt them, Worry about getting away. Do everything you can think of. I promise you will be welcome in our arms when you get away."
Chance eased up from their tight and trembling huddle. Even their tail stretched out from curling around one leg. They were a very nervous child, terrified of losing what little they had. The poor tiny Hellkin had started with nothing, and clung tight to any certainty they gained. Food was eaten instantly. Any affectionate touch was immediately returned with an almost panicked grapple upon the giver. They fought getting undressed for a bath because they thought that their clothes were being taken away.
Chance was still getting used to the concept that changing clothes was normal. They wanted to wear everything at once. And cried when they couldn't.
If anyone was going to be nervous about attacking an illusory enemy, it was Chance. Who was looking into Bibrid's eyes as if he could make this exercise go away.
"You have to learn how to do this," said Bibrid. "Even when we want to be there to help you all the time, we just can't always be there. We want to know you know how to protect yourself."
It helped that the dummy Wraithvine animated was the goofiest-looking thing that ze could concoct. It helped that it was largely made of cattail fluff. It also helped that it could only say, "Grr. Grar. I am mean," in an emotionless monotone.
Confidence would come with time. Skill would soon follow.
The shock that came with the surprise knowledge that Chance could spit fire might die down in a week or two.
[Photo by Alissa Kennedy on Unsplash]
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