Private A Hunting We Will Go

[Gerwald Lechner]

I N S T R U C T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Oleander Webb

There had been one role Gerwald had settled into with ease, teaching. His days as a warrior on Stewjon had seen him instruct younger soldiers, and it was no different among the Knights Obsidian. Those who were less skilled in the force required training and supervision, and Gerwald excelled in that regard. The only difference was Gerwald was forced to adjust to the concept of having an apprentice. While he had instructed many, Palm-Imer had been his first true apprentice, and now it seemed another had unassumingly filled that role as well.

Oleander Webb had proven to be the most interesting of Knights by far. Palm was a diplomat and warrior. Redd was like him, a lupine. Oleander was the first anzat Gerwald had met, and trained. He was a shadow of death, one which did not fit into the nice compartments which the Knights Obsidian offered. There was value to that. The wolf also found value in the creature’s nature. The anzat was an effective killing machine, but the way it ate, and what it ate, often provided valuable information. It was unorthodox, and bordered on unethical, the way Gerwald exploited that fact. Yet, with a galaxy at war, the Lord Commander only measured results.

Appearances still needed to be kept. Which was why a difficult conversation lay ahead of him. Often Gerwald found himself in the unique position of trying to convince the many creatures of the Confederacy to learn how to live among their peers, to adapt in a way that seemed more human than animal. It was ironic, and a little hypocritical, coming from the wolf, but the advantages of living in such a way outweighed the difficulty in doing it.

Gerwald had asked Oleander to meet him in the forest on the outskirts of Theed. A pack of Ikopi seemed to be taking refuge at the edges of it and it had been some time since Gerwald engaged in a hunt. Today, the two would be who they were, but it would lead to an important conversation, one which he hoped Oleander would take as intended.

A smile tugged at his lips when his student arrived. They had never truly interacted outside of missions or other official engagements. While there was a bit of business to conduct, this was mostly an informal encounter, a hunt.

“Glad you could make it. You still texting Lavria these days?”
​

 

[Oleander Webb]

INVENTORY: x | x | x
TAG: Gerwald Lechner

Oleander had only filled one sort of role in his extended young adult life. A hunter, an executioner, death incarnate. If he taught, it was in matters of stealth and assassination. If he learned, it was more likely than not involved in skills better suited to complete his trade. Anything else, anything extracurricular, was just picked up along the way. For that reason, it was quite common for the Anzat to attend training sessions hosted by the Lupine Lord Commander. Some did so to chase clout, hoping that the Lord Commander would one day notice them. Others were but squires, fledglings in the order needing every bit of help they could get.

Oleander's participation had started as vacant fascination and the passing thought of 'why not?'. Yet between those occasional training sessions, the relatively frequent gatherings for war, and the too-stuffy needlessly formal balls and meetings, he'd wound up paired with the Lupine more than he'd been paired up with anyone before. If their working relationship was turning to be any more than employ/employer had altered to a more student/teacher dynamic, Oleander himself was unaware of it. No, he just appeared when called.

The forest meeting was no exception. He greeted Gerwald with a nod as he slipped into view. He'd changed his leathers. they still offered plenty enough protection in matters of stealth and the force, just weren't heavily altered for combat readiness. An outfit for the downtime.

With Gerwald's greeting, a dark brow rose from its' resting hour. Since when did Gerwald care for his conversations with his coworkers. "We've conversed, yes. Better to keep up to date with the field." He didn't know if he'd call it friendship, not yet, but Lavria Xedrim had certainly become a close confidant, especially in matters of CIS import. "Do you want to be included in a group chat?"

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

I N S T R U C T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Oleander Webb

Gerwald looked to the anzat as the question had been answered and one given in return. Did he want to be added to a group chat? The wolf shook his head.

“I do not need to be included. This is just small talk, and icebreaker,” he answered as he started to walk into the woods.

They were quiet and peaceful at this time of day. None of the wild animals would be suspecting a hunt at this time, which was why it was perfect for the pair to do so now. Whether it had been a lack of formality which saw the relationship between the two as something so informal, or whether this was something they had just stumbled upon, Gerwald needed to solidify Oleander’s place among the Knights Obsidian. Srina Talon had referred to him as his student once, and perhaps he was. Today would determine that perhaps.

“Today I wanted to give you a chance to hunt away from the prying eyes of the city. It has been sometime since I have hunted as well. You have heard the rumors of what I am, yes?”

Moving forward, that was an important question to ask. Gerwald knew what Oleander was, most knew an Anzat when they saw one perhaps. There was a fleeting thought where Gerwald did thing that many did not find out until it was too late, but that was the wolf in him. He respected Oleander for what he was. A predator could see the bloodlust in another, and Oleander was death itself. The Knights held to the law. Gerwald understood the delicate balance of needing to uphold it, but there were times he needed answers that he could not get within it. This hunt would also provide the pair the opportunity to come to an understanding.

“There are some beasts grazing nearby. You hungry?
​

 

[Oleander Webb]

INVENTORY: x | x | x
TAG: Gerwald Lechner

His brow furrowed a fraction once the wolf turned once more. They were already acquainted, why was an icebreaker necessary? Nevertheless, he didn't comment on the word choice, opting instead to walk alongside the Lord Commander, a pace or two behind like the shadow he presented himself as.

His boots were nearly silent walking in the grass, the creature of stealth having long since grown used to keeping his presence in the world minimal, even when not in the midst of a hunt. While a hunting ground in the more traditional sense of the phrase, being out and about nature was a comparatively unfamiliar terrain. The Anzat thrived in areas of high population, where they could wield anonymity like one would a sword. Among the trees, distanced from sentients, his menu options were limited.

Still, he was curious. Still fresh to the Knights, rumors regarding their leader were but rumors, supplemented only by memories of past meals and what could be found on public databases. Which those memories had presented some interesting information locked away in them. And the more information Oleander gathered, the more curious he'd grown.

"I've heard things, yes. Seen things, too. You'll find I'm...uniquely suited to finding truth in rumor." He didn't elaborate further. There was no need to share the entirety of his skill sets just yet. Besides, if his employment under the knights ended poorly, he'd rather have every advantage he could gather, every surprise on his side.

The ghost of a laugh caught in his throat at Gerwald's question. The Ikopi were a non-sentient species. They had nothing to offer Oleander outside of a chance to stretch his legs. The only remotely appealing creature in the area would be Gerwald himself...an ambush of sorts could prove fruitful. No, he decided against such a maneuver almost as quickly as it came to mind.

"Sure, why not? It's been a bit since I've looked into hunting in a pair."

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

I N S T R U C T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Oleander Webb

It was the one thing which bonded them. Both of them were hunters. Gerwald knew that this was how he could best get to know the person he was taking on as an apprentice. Whether Oleander was aware of what was happening around him in that regard. Srina Talon had all but pointed out their relationship seemed to be that way. It might as well be made official.

It did not surprise Gerwald that Oleander had heard about what Gerwald was, and he had even seen it before. This was interesting. He smiled as the hoodie he was wearing came off, exposing his bare chest.

“If nudity bothers you, you might want to turn around.”

Gerwald let the pants he was wearing fall to the ground before picking them up and folding them. He set the clothes in a location where they would be found again, and within seconds began to shift. The sound of his bones popping and shifting as he changed echoed in the forest. Before long where Gerwald had stood as a man, he now stood as a beast.

< “Telepathy, it is the only way for us to communicate when I am in this form.” >

With that, Gerwald ran ahead, pressing forward until he reached the edge of the woods. The creatures were grazing in the open. They could not afford to startle them. The wolf had one chance, one attack. The minute he made his choice and left the woods his prey would scatter. The lupine studied them all for some time. Which one was the weakest?
​

 

[Oleander Webb]

INVENTORY: x | x | x
TAG: Gerwald Lechner

A brow rose as Gerwald stripped himself of his jacket. He thought they were hunting, not swimming. That or the Lord Commander's definition of hunting was more barbaric than Oleander had thought. But then it clicked. Ah yes, wolf gotta wolf. Still barbaric but it was far less surprising when the wolf continued disrobing.

"So long as I'm not expected to do so myself."

Unfazed by nudity and more so curious about the transformation process, he was interested in seeing how the limbs morphed. It was fascinating but also potentially useful for the future. If memory served, Gerwald wasn't the only Lupine in the Confederacy. It'd be foolish for Oleander to think he'd never need to face one in combat, especially with how often he worked in close proximity with the Lord Commander.

<Neat trick.> he offered, the dry tone bleeding through even in mentalism. <Though I've heard body language is also an effective means of communication. Or have you tried howling?>

He followed a few seconds behind, partially to not interfere with the wolf's hunt, but also with half the hope that a more delectable prey would reveal itself if he was slow enough, quiet enough. It was a relatively nice day, perhaps some campers would be nearby. Friends on a weekend retreat, soon to trade a weekend for an eternity.

He didn't dally too long, however, if only to be polite. The wolf seemed keen on the hunt and who was Oleander to refuse a short exercise. Something something team building, right?

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

I N S T R U C T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Oleander Webb

< “And drive the unsuspecting prey away,” > Gerwald chided. < “That would be disappointing.” >

While the hunt was not the primary reason for Gerwald inviting Oleander to join him, it was still an important one. The wolf needed to kill something, and the exercise carried with it a valuable lesson. They were alone in nature, just the predator and the prey. Yes, if Oleander wanted to he could likely find a way to hunt the wolf, but for now the pair seemed to have some sense of an understanding. The lupine intended to ensure it was not a silent one.

His eyes found the weak one, the one he had been searching for. It seemed like an unfair game to play, but the success of a hunt in an open field depended on it. Once he moved there would be little time, so the wolf adjusted his legs. Hind legs dug into the ground slightly as Gerwald prepared to launch into a run. In a matter of seconds he launched out of the forest with a speed that did not seem natural. He was larger and faster than a typical wolf, and he knew how to take advantage of it.

The chase was short. While other beasts scattered, Gerwald had brought down his intended target by the throat. Teeth clamped into the jugular pulled the beast to the ground as the wolf pulled away to finish the kill. It was quick and decisive. All that was left was for the lupine to drag it back to the edge of the woods.

He shifted once more, retrieving his clothes and starting a fire. If Oleander was looking for something else to hunt, or sucking brains somewhere, Gerwald wasn’t sure. When Oleander would return there would be a fire, where Gerwald sat skinning the beast he had just killed.

“So do you eat solid food also? Not that I imagine you get anything from it.”
​

 

[Oleander Webb]

INVENTORY: x | x | x
TAG: Gerwald Lechner

<Drive them away or add an extra challenge?> He asked. <Come now, surely you can catch a few beasts with or without an advantage.>

Not that Oleander was one to talk. He'd absolutely be one to consider Anzat to be the apex predator, yet use every advantage at his disposal - even going out of his way to play to certain advantages if it meant a slightly easier hunt. Though there was a difference, arguably, in hunting beasts versus hunting sentiments. They were similar on a base level, certainly, but there was also a level of unpredictability with sentients, especially those that made up the creature's favored prey.

The more dangerous the more rewarding, in Oleander's opinion anyway. But he wasn't a complete fool. Foolish enough to push his luck every now and then, certainly, but there was a limit to his arrogance. With that base instinct of feeding came the even more pertinent instinct of survive. It's what kept him out of trouble for the most part and certainly out of prison.

From the treeline, he watched the wolf descend down on the beasts. Gerwald was an effective hunter, he'd give him that. In his time with the Confederacy, Oleander had almost grown to respect the Lord Commander in his own way. Would he still spell ruin for the wolf when the time came? Absolutely. But it'd be a shame.

His vacant musing was interrupted as another beacon of life entered his sensory field. Ah, so there were campers out and about this day. A small smirk tugged at his lips as he cast one last glance at the wolf and the beast in his jaw before the Anzat slipped back into the shadows. He returned relatively shortly - at least he thought it was shortly. Time was often lost in the face of a hunt.

"I'm capable of it, yes," he answered, dragging a fallen stump by the fire more with the Force than physically moving it, sitting down once it stopped moving. "All the better to hide in plain sight."

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

I N S T R U C T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Oleander Webb

Perhaps howling would add an extra challenge. The thought made the wolf smirk the way that only an animal could. He would allow the thought remain in his own mind. Oleander did not need to know that he found the comment to be humorous and tempting. Gerwald did like a challenge, but today was not about a challenge. They were here for a lesson. The lupine wanted to get to know the other predator, but teach him something as well.

Restraint.

Oleander needed to learn how to control himself when the urges that came with his… nature… struck. It was a lesson he once had to teach to Redd and other lupines he had met. To live among humans, one had to learn to appear human when it mattered. The question Gerwald had to figure out was whether Oleander could adjust to that requirement. So far he had demonstrated that he could, but the Anzat also did not eat the same way the wolf did.

“Hiding is good, but masking what you are is more important. There are those even among the Confederacy that would not like your nature. Some have had an issue with mine in the past. Nothing like shifting from wolf to human in the middle of a fight to make people turn their head.”

Gerwald let his apprentice figure that one out on his own.

“You cannot change who you are, nor would I ever ask you to do that, but what I would ask is that you know when to blend in and when to let the predator roam free. I’ve been thinking about this for some time now, but from here forward, I will complete your training.”

He let the words settle. Oleander had never expressed the need for a teacher, and yet Gerwald could sense there was more for the Knight to learn. He could be a great master one day. It would not come without its trials, but the Anzat would conquer them all. The lupine would ensure he would be there for the moments when Oleander needed guard rails. Gerwald did not expect the road to be easy or without its failures.

“You have an affinity for the darker arts. So I will teach you how to harness them. Others if you wish. Tell me,” he looked at his pupil, “have you ever found yourself without a weapon when you desperately needed one?”
​

 

[Oleander Webb]

INVENTORY: x | x | x
TAG: Gerwald Lechner

His brow raised a fraction, gaze slowly drifting from the fire back to Gerwald with mild amusement. The way Gerwald spoke to him, not unlike how one would address their younger, managed to spark both confusion and interest. "I think you forget how old I actually am," he said softly, "as well as how much my kind values blending in." It wouldn't be the first he was mistaken for someone's younger, nor would it be the last. Such was to be expected of one so long-lived.

But also this was a different time. The normal Oleander had learned to blend into was a relic of the past. Admittedly, Oleander had developed more reclusive tendencies in this age than that of a socialite. And he was still young, at least in the eyes of his own kind. Perhaps it was a blessing to be treated so young despite his centuries.

"I wasn't aware I was in training," he also noted, head tilting to the side, still relatively good natured. He was learning several new things, wasn't he? Tutealage hadn't been something he'd expected out of this meeting and yet, he was intrigued. While he had no doubts he could turn the Lord Commander into his next meal if he truly wanted to, he could also acknowledge that the man had earned his rank one way or another. It wouldn't hurt to learn whatever he had to offer.

"I can't say I've ever been without one, well, giving what I am," he answered with a chuckle. "I myself am the weapon, after all. But sure, there's been a time or two in which something a bit less conspicuous would be ideal. Especially since, as you said, some would not take kindly to my kind. Why? Have you learned how to summon one out of thin air?"

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

I N S T R U C T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
TAG: Oleander Webb

“We are always in training,” Gerwald retorted, “But for whatever formalities matter to you, I have decided that I will oversee your training until such a time comes that you are ready for your reaving.”

They had all but danced around the issue of the matter since the day they met. For whatever reason Gerwald and Oleander gravitated to one another in that kind of capacity. The lupine had learned to rely on the Anzat for tasks which he would not simply entrust to anyone. There had ever been only one other person Gerwald could have imagined trusting with the things the Lord Commander had given to Oleander, that was Palm-Imer . Of all his squires, she had been as true a squire as Gerwald had known. Oleander could be the same.

“Yes, like me you are a weapon, and I wield you as such. However, as you have stated, there are moments when carrying a physical weapon may not be permissible or practical. For that… you can draw on the darkness which is always about you. A thing of shadow can become a spear, a javelin, with the right amount of concentration and effort.”

The wolf closed his eyes for a moment and began to wrap his hand around what might have been nothing but air. As he did so, Gerwald could feel the weapon form around him, and what looked like a spear of black shadow and smoke appeared in his grip.

His eyes opened as he looked to Oleander.

“The first time I encountered this I was taking out a facility which had been designed to run experiments on my kind, even try to clone or manufacture more. There had been a witch, or a Sith of some kind. This weapon was formed and launched at me with little time to react. Some call it darkshear, or spear of midnight black. Whatever you wish to call it… it is possible to conjure a weapon from thin air.”

With a wave the weapon dissipated.

“Focus on the shadow, and focus on the form you wish for it to take… then shape it… bend it to your will.”
​