fandomhigh | Wilderness Survival Redux (Week One) | A Clearing in the Woods, Thursday Morning

Callisto did not look happy as she waited for the the class finish coming into the clearing.

"First things first. Those stories you've been hearing on the rado about shoe stealing? True." She held up a large box. "At the start of each class you will take off your shoes and put them in this box. You will get them back at the end of class, if I believe that you have paid sufficient attention in class. Otherwise I get to keep them for the week. After you've done that I want you to introduce yourself to the class and say why you decided to take this workshop."

"Since this is the first class, I'd thought I'd start with something fairly simple. Fandom is filled with many unique and interesting animals, from the ducks and giant squid, to the dancing lemers and weetiny bunnies, to the minature giraffes and shy, retiring teal deer, to John Crichton. Some of these are harmless, others dangerous, still more tasty. Which is why, when lost in the wilderness, it's important to know what animals might be in your near vicinity. One of the best ways to do this is through tracking, the basics of which I will be teaching you today."

Callisto went on to give a very interesting and informative talk on tracking. It might even have drawn the attention of a few teal deer.

"Your assignment today is to split into pairs and identify which Fandom animal made the set of tracks I've assigned you.

"Good luck. You're going to need it."

Pairs are:
1. Samuel Anders
D'anna Biers

2. Bridge Carson
Samantha Carter

3. Walter Dornez
Tyler Durden

4. Rory Gilmore
Gwynn Hood

5. Peter Pevensie
Dean Winchester

[ooc: if you get stuck labelled photos can be found in this gallery.]

[ooc: ~~wait for the ooc threads~~ They're up! Post away.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Tyler kneeled by the tracks, puzzled. He had no idea what kind of animal they represented.

Walter joined Tyler. "I think it's safe to say we don't have a tiger."

"Not unless it's a very small tiger," Tyler agreed.

He tilted his head, considering. "Do you think it only has two feet, or do you think that's just all we can see?"

"I can't really tell. I'm guessing it's not a bird, but it's hard to say."

He looked around for other tracks and saw none. "Too bad Gwynn can't help us."

"I don't know Gwynn," Tyler admitted. "She's good at this stuff?"

He crouched down to inspect the tracks again. "It looks like something with paws. Maybe."

Walter pointed Gwynn out and nodded. "Her father is Robin Hood."

"I think it's running. See how the second track is inside a little in comparison to the forward one? But not a lemur. Lemurs' paws are more handlike."

"Like, the Robin Hood? I thought he was a myth. Or a fox in a Disney cartoon. That's kind of cool." Tyler watched Gwynn for a moment more, then turned his attention to the tracks.

"And yeah, I see what you mean about running." He looked at the prints again. "And not a rabbit. Their feet are different. Maybe something like a dog or cat."

"The Robin Hood," Walter confirmed. "I thought I was out of my time, but sixty-two years is nothing in comparison to more than eight hundred."

He shook his head at the suggestion of dog or cat. "They have rounder and larger back pads and closer together front pads. This one's are spread out and sort of elongated. Too big for a squirrel, though."

"But I think you have the right kind of idea," Tyler said thoughtfully. "Something small but not too small, a mammal, spread-out toes, claws..."

He drummed his fingers on his chin, running through what kinds of animals he knew lived around here. "I wonder if it's a possum or a skunk, something about that size."

[OOC: I have no idea, you?]

"She said a 'Fandom animal,' so I'm going to guess it's something a little more exotic." He ran through the list of animals covered, as well as the ones the cabins had been named for. "It's not a teal deer or a weetiny bunny. Not a lemur or a giant squid. What does a pangolin look like, do you know?"

[ooc: Yeah, I was stumped and looked in the gallery Callisto linked. It's a meerkat.]

"I heard pangolins are weird anteaters," Tyler said. "Not that that helps, because I have no idea what anteater tracks look like."

He kicked at the ground, far enough away not to disturb the tracks. "Koalas are always in trees, right? And I think we can say not a flamingo. And definitely not a stickbug."

"Okay, so maybe a pangolin. We can rule out potbelly pigs, snakes, seawhorses... what's a meerkat? Is it a cat? And aye-ayes?" He shook his head. "I need to take zoology before I take this class."

"I don't know what meerkats are exactly. They're weird little things, but I think they can run around on their back paws."

"I bet that's what this is."

"A meerkat." Walter nodded. "I'll take your word for it and count us as done. And so far no running barefoot through the woods. I think I shall consider this a successful day."

"Callisto hasn't even tried to kill us," Tyler said, almost sounding disappointed. "Excellent work, Walter."

"I'd appreciate it if she'd wait until I've had another week to heal," Walter said, making a joke of it. "Or someone will probably yell at me for being irresponsible."

He clapped Tyler on the shoulder and stood up. "You, too, Tyler. Good work."

Tyler looked fully at Walter's wounds for the first time. "I've seen worse," he said. "Not often, though. You feeling okay?"

"Yeah. I've been hurt worse. I'll be right as rain by next session." That was his story and he was sticking to it.

"Of course." Tyler nodded, willing to let it go.

Wilderness Survival Redux (Week One) | A Clearing in the Woods, Thursday Morning

Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden

Re: Pairing Three - Walter Dornez & Tyler Durden