Chase introduced Stinging Nose to him, but what surprised him was when she had told him he was Dawn Wind's pup. He had discerned this was Chase's pup, which meant he was responsible for her mate's death. Calvin wasn't sure, and he didn't want to ask, but it would explain her initial hostility towards him. He pushed it aside for now. It was only a hunch, and if it was true, he wasn't ready to ask and it didn't seem like she wanted to say it. Chase went on to explain the game the two pups would be playing.
Calvin was familiar with the game, and the fact that he was playing it with a small pup made him smile. The little guy was just adorable. Calvin waited and then when told to begin dashed off. Ten breaths. Calvin counted a little faster than his own breath. The little guy would breathe faster than he did. After counting, it took a few more moments for the pup to arrive. Sting was still very new at this.
When the pup did arrive, it was obvious Sting was excited to find his quarry. The pup jumped up and down and ran to Calvin,tapping him with his front paws before dashing off in another direction. Calvin waited ten breaths and then followed. Having played this game before, Calvin was able to lock onto Sting more quickly.
The duo kept this going, switching back and forth. Each time, both pups got better at it. It was clear that Sting was having fun with the game and so was Calvin. The pup was always thrilled when he "caught" Star Gazer.
It was Calvin's turn to chase and he waited the ten breaths before following. He had found Sting already, bit he waited as requested before following. When he arrived, they were back at their starting place and Sting was nuzzling his mother. When Sting noticed Calvin, he padded over to him and walked around Calvin and the two approached Chase together.
The pups returned when Chase called to Stinging Nose they had played long enough, her pup was tired. Chase sent Star Gazer images of 10 different places. Then she sent the instructions. Before the next full moon, he was to find those places and remember a specific object from each location, Chase didn't care what it was, it wasn't the object of the game. Chase told him that the object must be persistant, something that was always there. Which meant he had to go there multiple times in those days before the new moon.
Chase hoped that those locations would be difficult to find, and the patterns to be even more difficult. It was a lesson in memory and a lesson in understanding the dream world.
Before he could vanish of and try tonight, Chase sent Star Gazer home to bed. He can try tomorrow, She told him to meet her here on the next full moon.
With little effort she was gone, as was Stinging Nose, they woke nestled together in their den and settled in for the remainder of the night.
((OOC Since this is the dream world, you can go on to other real world exploits, we can continue this training here as time goes on.))
The deed was done and just in time too. It took longer than he thought to find the ten locations mentioned by Chase, but the first one was still etched in his memory. Sierra had been there, and in many ways, that still hurt. They had talked and seemed to have left on good terms.
Admist all the death in his life, Calvin had seen life. The young pup, Stinging Nose had brought him hope. It wasn't much, but it was there, and besides, his counseling was going well as was his issue with drinking. He was still alcohol free and like Lucas told him, each day was a victory.
The wolves told time by the cycles of the moon, and as instructed he came back to the dream at the next full moon. There he waited for Chase to continue. He would have to show her the ten items he found at the locations. He had confidence in himself.
The night of the full moon, Chase and her pup waited for the third of their trio to return to the dreams. He'd come on time and he'd presented her with persistent objects in each location. She sent him proud images. Stinging Nose was also inclined with such pride. He had done well as well. Both pups were learning well.
Chase spoke in more images of the wolves. It was difficult to explain. To tell a human how to do inside the dream. Practice was the key. Learn to conjure, how to manipulate the dream, how to be something else entirely.
It was easier to conjure things you knew intimately, people were not conjurable, but clothes, appearances, items all things could be brought to this world in a shadow of its likeness.
Chase instructed both pups to try to create their own places of safety around them. To the finest details of their memories.
Calvin could feel the sense of pride coming from Chase and he felt good about that. Stinging Nose had also shown up, and the wolf pup had gotten bigger since their last meeting. The pup, however, greeted him and he returned the greetings to mother and pup.
Many images followed, but Calvin got the jist of what Chase was trying to say. Practice makes perfect. Her instructions came next - create a place of safety. It was easier said than done.
It wasn't the task itself that was difficult it was coming up with a place that felt safe. His home in Milwaukee didn't bring to mind safety anymore and Moscow had brought him a lot of pain. Even though he was dealing with it, it still didn't bring to mind safety. So Calvin thought back deeper, to a memory of his childhood.
Calvin was helping his mother pick berries. It was a favorite activity for the mother and her six year old child. The sky was cloudy that day, but they still had time before the storm set in. However, they were having such a good time, that they lost track of the day and when the rain started to fall, Charity moved to get back to their house.
It wasn't long before the downpour started and lightning etched through the sky. Charity sighed and looked around and directed Calvin to an outcropping nearby. Erosion had made an alcove in the rock and there mother and son took shelter from the storm. Calvin noticed his mother send his father a message saying they were okay as they waited out the storm.
Charity took the towels off the top of the baskets they carried and dried Calvin's limbs before drying her own and holding her son close to keep him warm. Despite the storm and how scary it had been to the six year old, in his mother's arms he felt safe and knew everything would be okay.
The memory was vivid in Calvin's mind as he closed his eyes and remembered as much as he could. Calvin remembered the clearing in the woods with the berry bushes on the outside of the circle. He remembered the rock formation - tall and natural with the alcove below. He even remembered the smell. The smell of rain and moss. There was moss on the alcove wall he remembered and some cracks.
As Calvin opened his eyes, it was there. The memory flickered for a bit as surprise took over, but he quickly caught it again. Even two towels and baskets of berries had appeared, sitting on the floor of the little cave. He smiled at the memory.