Chapter 4

For the next several weeks Tama's parents and the Elder kept a close watch on her. They where watching for signs that the history lesson may have scarred her in some way. To their wonder, it seemed as if the story had set something free in her. She played happily with the other children and she was even more intent in class, as if she were trying to absorb every lesson and skill all at once.

At the park, she loved the hiding game were she was the seeker. The better the others manages to hide, the more fun she had tracking them down. Her natural tracking skills seemed to grow at an incredible rate. One day, a pet ferret of one of her classmates got loose and ran away to hide in the nearby woods. The child's parents said it was lost, with just a few clues Tama found its tracks and was able to hunt the ferret down. She found it hungry, scared and lost in some deep brush. It just could not find its way home. The family was glad to have there pet home safe, as it was part of the rodent control in their home.

Woodworking seemed to have gained her interest the most as far the adults could tell. When she went in to town she would stop at the wood workers shop and watch as he and his apprentices worked and formed the various types of wood to their needs. The one Tama watched the most was the bowyer. If he wasn't busy she would ask about making bows. What was the best wood, how is the staff prepared, what is the best way to form and shape the wood. And the string, what is it made from and how. The artisans all watched her and listened with great interest to her questions. The masters all agreed that Tama could learn if she really wanted to try.

One day Master Greenheart summoned apprentice Whittles and Tama over to his work area. "Apprentice Whittles will need to ask your parents for permission to begin the basic student lessons in wood crafting. You must understand Tama that you will not be taught how to be bowyer until you can prove to me that you have solid understanding of wood, the tools and the safety skills that are needed at all times."

"I understand master Greenheart," said Tama.

"No, I am not sure you do. Is wood working what you want to dedicate your life to, or is it merely a skill you think you will need to travel your true path."

"Oh. I do see. Will it be worth the time and effort to teach me, or a waste as my true path is far more than this. Master Greenheart, I will be a ranger and guardian of the Faydark and of all that reside within its boundaries. As was my Granddame, Tamalain Arrowmark, the hero of the last stand and the cause of the destruction of the monster, the eldest son of Emperor Crush himself."

Greenheart just looked at her for a moment then spoke to Whittles. Take her home and speak with her parents. Explain to them what level training she is going to receive and try to allay any fears about her getting hurt. Tell them that she will end up with cuts and bruises just like every other apprentice until she builds up her strength and skills."

"Yes sir" said Whittles.

"Come with me my young apprentice. You have much to learn and little time to learn it."

"Yes mistress Whittles. Just so you know my father will not be home until near sundown."

"Very well, we will give your mother all the information needed and she can convince him to say yes, hopefully."

"I think mama will say yes."

The next morning, Tama arrived at the wood workers shop just as Master Greenheart was opening the doors. "Well now, if all the Apprentices and Journeymen were as punctual as you, I would die of shock. Have you anything for me?"

"I am to give you this letter Sir." Tama handed it to Master Greenheart and he opened it to read its contents.

"Very good child, your mother has set a four hour morning limit to your time here everyday. From here you are to return home for your midday meal, then go to class for the remainder of the day. These are very acceptable terms. Now girl, let us get this building open and once Whittles arrives, she can start by running you through the basic hand tools you will need to learn first. That will include safe handling and care of the tools. Many are razor sharp and can remove a finger in an instant if you do not pay absolute attention to what you are doing at all times."

"You will be given a series of exercises that simulate the motions that are made with most hand tools. Over time as you do the same skill moves over and over, you will build up what is called muscle memory. Do you know what that is?" he asked.

"No sir, I have heard it said, but how would muscles remember anything." She held out her skinny arm and shook it.

"Well, muscle memory is where you perform a task over and over, and in time, you hardly have to think about it as you make the moves.

"Ok, I think I understand that. It is like kneading bread. You just do and don't have to think about it."

It was then that Whittles came shambling into the shop. She looked like she had been up for a week and not bothered her hair for even longer.

The Master looked at her frowning, "Girl, how many times have I told you the tavern will be the death of you." admonished Greenheart.

"Every time I come in looking dead I would say," she mumbled.

Tama looked at her and then back to Greenheart. "Is she going to be all right, she looks kind of sick."

"Once she burns the rotgut out of her body, Whittles will be fine. She is also going to have one massive headache as well. Ask lots of questions and be loud. Maybe then," he started in a full yell. "Maybe then she will learn to show up before her student and be ready to get to work."

For the rest of the morning Whittles showed and demonstrated to Tama a number of the simpler tools. Tama very quickly discovered that her small size and lesser strength made many of the tools unusable for her. She knew that she would be able to do more as she got older, but that was not her main concern. From her father, she learned that her Granddame could do basic woodworking, simple tailoring, weapon, leather and chain mail repairs. She was even a pretty good cook. Tama knew she would learn these skills over a number of years, not in a few months as she first thought.

This continued for several days without incident. The first tool Tama was taught how to safely use was a whittling blade. Then she was given an assignment to take a round dowel of semi hard wood and carve it as close to perfectly square as she could. It also could be no less than one inch on each side and ten inches long. Whittles gave a safety lesson and the constant reminder. Always cut away from your body never pull towards you with this sort of blade. This is a safety rule to prevent you from cutting your self if the blade slips. She had two days to complete this test.

She was working on the pin at a steady rate and had reached a state of relative peace as she worked. About midway through her time in the shop, one of the journeymen came in with his son in tow. The boy saw her and started calling out, "What is that freaky girl doing in here with real people."

Work though out the building came to sudden stop as everybody looked up from what they were working on. The boy walked over and got close enough to make her nervous as she had been in the middle of a cutting stroke as closed in. "Why are you in here, you belong outside with the dogs you freak." He reached and poked her in the chest with one finger pushing back a few inches.