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Description
Season: Autumn
Year 756 of the New Age
Location: Somewhere in the Iron Hills

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Skarth was alone but intentionally so. The task at hand required his utmost concentration due to its complexity. For one, he didn't want anyone else getting hurt by his mistake; secondly, he didn't want the others to see him and dub him a fool. Having never toyed with the fire magic that he knew burned within him, he was nearly certain he was going to make a fool of himself.

It had taken a few days to travel to the Iron Hills, as well as a few extra hours to find the perfect location. He knew he had found the spot when he spotted the slightly concave face of one of the mountain's granite walls. Beaming, he bounded forward and began his task of clearing the area of any potentially dangerous debris.

Hours later, he was nearly finished. Grasping the last large branch in his mouth, the roan stag carefully began to drag it away. Although he had left a small pile of tinder and other easily ignited branches, such large obstacles posed a threat -- after all, the last thing he wanted to do was start a forest fire. Despite it being a common mistake among young fire benders, he himself wasn't exactly a first-timer; at seven years, he should have begun his training at least four years earlier. But life had had other plans for him and, as it was, he feared the ridicule of his peers if he failed miserably.

However, Skarth had not come unprepared to tackle his task. Having watched the many young fawns whose burns he had healed during their training, he had a rough idea of what it took to at least begin. Most of the instructors seemed to follow the same general method - think, breath, and focus. Some taught their peers chants and incantations that helped with the control of their magical abilities but, as it were, Skarth was too embarrassed to ask. He merely wanted to walk before he ran, so to speak.

By now, the sun had begun to set, swathing the world in a myriad of reds and oranges. Skarth tossed his head nervously, his newly regrown horns glittering in the sun's light. "Grian," he murmured quietly, "Lend me your fading strength, so that I may impress your sister when she awakens." Praying silently to the twin goddesses for a moment longer, the stag eventually opened his eyes and flicked his tail deftly.

"Alright, let us begin."

The stag let his gaze rest upon the pile of dried leaves and pine needles that he had assembled in the middle of his self-made clearing. He studied it for a moment, sizing up its weight and height, before taking in a somewhat deep breath and closing his eyes. Concentrate, he thought to himself. Think of what it is I want to accomplish. He began to imagine the small pile beginning to smolder, light smoke rising from its center from the heat that he willed it to bear. He then inhaled deeply and, upon exhaling, snapped his eyes open and focused all of his energy on the small pile.

But nothing happened.

Sighing, he flicked his ears backward before glancing up at the sky. "Grian, please. Help me..." Skarth turned back to the pile of leaves, and tried again.

*****

He did not notice how quickly the time flew but, before he knew it, Luan had gently put her sister to bed, clearing the sky of any daylight. Instead, her ethereal glow gazed down upon the tiring stag. Skarth, looking a bit ragged after so many futile attempts. Grunted loudly in frustration as yet again he failed to make his subject burst into flame. Angrily stomping his feet, the red dun began to pace back and forth as he racked his brain for what he could possibly be doing wrong. His dedication was spot on and, allowing a negligible amount of error, he had not faltered on his concentration. His mind was certainly in the right place, so what was it?

He pondered for several minutes, his hooves kicking up a light cloud of dirt around him. Glancing up at the moon, Skarth furrowed his brow before questioning her aloud. "Luan, what is it that I am missing!? I am at a loss." Drooping his head, the stag's eyes rested languidly upon the pile of leaves. "Why am I failing?" He regarded the leaves for a moment but then, suddenly, a soft breeze picked up. Grasping his mane and tail in its invisible fingers, it swirled against the granite wall that rose before him and sent his pile of leaves swirling around each other.

Skarth's eyes brightened suddenly. "That's it!" Leaping forward, the stag inhaled deeply before whisking his tail nervously against his hide. Here goes nothing, he thought. Then, thrusting his foreleg forward, he kicked into his pile.

Immediately the leaves scattered about but, more importantly, they sparked. Skarth snorted loudly in surprise but, overjoyed, he focused himself. Gathering his energy, the stag kicked the pile of leaves with all the energy he could muster. Grunting as he did so, the stag opened his eyes as he felt a flash of heat flare up against his chest and underside. The flames burned brightly and gloriously in the dark night, their shadows flickering in large scale against the tall granite wall. Skarth bellowed in excitement and danced around his smoldering pile. Sure, he had singed his hoof but it was nothing that a little poultice wouldn't cure. The stag's eyes brimmed with pride and, after regarding his creation for a moment, he lifted his head and dipped his head in thanks.

"Thank you, Luan." After thanking the moon goddess for showing her the way, the stag returned his attention to his little bonfire. He had a long way to go but, after tonight, he knew it would be a road that he would travel successfully.

----------------------

Woohoo! Skarth gave himself a little lesson in fire bending. Sketched the pose in class today while I was supposed to be listening and colored it in when I was supposed to be working on my ever-growing pile of homework... Oh well. xD And yes, I purposely left the scan lines in there. I liked it. So suck it.

POINTS EARNED: +1 for Art, +1 for Story
(To be verified).

CURRENT FIRE SKILL: 2 points.

Description
Season: Autumn
Year 756 of the New Age
Location: Somewhere in the Iron Hills

----------------------

Skarth was alone but intentionally so. The task at hand required his utmost concentration due to its complexity. For one, he didn't want anyone else getting hurt by his mistake; secondly, he didn't want the others to see him and dub him a fool. Having never toyed with the fire magic that he knew burned within him, he was nearly certain he was going to make a fool of himself.

It had taken a few days to travel to the Iron Hills, as well as a few extra hours to find the perfect location. He knew he had found the spot when he spotted the slightly concave face of one of the mountain's granite walls. Beaming, he bounded forward and began his task of clearing the area of any potentially dangerous debris.

Hours later, he was nearly finished. Grasping the last large branch in his mouth, the roan stag carefully began to drag it away. Although he had left a small pile of tinder and other easily ignited branches, such large obstacles posed a threat -- after all, the last thing he wanted to do was start a forest fire. Despite it being a common mistake among young fire benders, he himself wasn't exactly a first-timer; at seven years, he should have begun his training at least four years earlier. But life had had other plans for him and, as it was, he feared the ridicule of his peers if he failed miserably.

However, Skarth had not come unprepared to tackle his task. Having watched the many young fawns whose burns he had healed during their training, he had a rough idea of what it took to at least begin. Most of the instructors seemed to follow the same general method - think, breath, and focus. Some taught their peers chants and incantations that helped with the control of their magical abilities but, as it were, Skarth was too embarrassed to ask. He merely wanted to walk before he ran, so to speak.

By now, the sun had begun to set, swathing the world in a myriad of reds and oranges. Skarth tossed his head nervously, his newly regrown horns glittering in the sun's light. "Grian," he murmured quietly, "Lend me your fading strength, so that I may impress your sister when she awakens." Praying silently to the twin goddesses for a moment longer, the stag eventually opened his eyes and flicked his tail deftly.

"Alright, let us begin."

The stag let his gaze rest upon the pile of dried leaves and pine needles that he had assembled in the middle of his self-made clearing. He studied it for a moment, sizing up its weight and height, before taking in a somewhat deep breath and closing his eyes. Concentrate, he thought to himself. Think of what it is I want to accomplish. He began to imagine the small pile beginning to smolder, light smoke rising from its center from the heat that he willed it to bear. He then inhaled deeply and, upon exhaling, snapped his eyes open and focused all of his energy on the small pile.

But nothing happened.

Sighing, he flicked his ears backward before glancing up at the sky. "Grian, please. Help me..." Skarth turned back to the pile of leaves, and tried again.

*****

He did not notice how quickly the time flew but, before he knew it, Luan had gently put her sister to bed, clearing the sky of any daylight. Instead, her ethereal glow gazed down upon the tiring stag. Skarth, looking a bit ragged after so many futile attempts. Grunted loudly in frustration as yet again he failed to make his subject burst into flame. Angrily stomping his feet, the red dun began to pace back and forth as he racked his brain for what he could possibly be doing wrong. His dedication was spot on and, allowing a negligible amount of error, he had not faltered on his concentration. His mind was certainly in the right place, so what was it?

He pondered for several minutes, his hooves kicking up a light cloud of dirt around him. Glancing up at the moon, Skarth furrowed his brow before questioning her aloud. "Luan, what is it that I am missing!? I am at a loss." Drooping his head, the stag's eyes rested languidly upon the pile of leaves. "Why am I failing?" He regarded the leaves for a moment but then, suddenly, a soft breeze picked up. Grasping his mane and tail in its invisible fingers, it swirled against the granite wall that rose before him and sent his pile of leaves swirling around each other.

Skarth's eyes brightened suddenly. "That's it!" Leaping forward, the stag inhaled deeply before whisking his tail nervously against his hide. Here goes nothing, he thought. Then, thrusting his foreleg forward, he kicked into his pile.

Immediately the leaves scattered about but, more importantly, they sparked. Skarth snorted loudly in surprise but, overjoyed, he focused himself. Gathering his energy, the stag kicked the pile of leaves with all the energy he could muster. Grunting as he did so, the stag opened his eyes as he felt a flash of heat flare up against his chest and underside. The flames burned brightly and gloriously in the dark night, their shadows flickering in large scale against the tall granite wall. Skarth bellowed in excitement and danced around his smoldering pile. Sure, he had singed his hoof but it was nothing that a little poultice wouldn't cure. The stag's eyes brimmed with pride and, after regarding his creation for a moment, he lifted his head and dipped his head in thanks.

"Thank you, Luan." After thanking the moon goddess for showing her the way, the stag returned his attention to his little bonfire. He had a long way to go but, after tonight, he knew it would be a road that he would travel successfully.

----------------------

Woohoo! Skarth gave himself a little lesson in fire bending. Sketched the pose in class today while I was supposed to be listening and colored it in when I was supposed to be working on my ever-growing pile of homework... Oh well. xD And yes, I purposely left the scan lines in there. I liked it. So suck it.

POINTS EARNED: +1 for Art, +1 for Story
(To be verified).

CURRENT FIRE SKILL: 2 points.