The sun had nearly set into the trees and cool shadows settled on the Sugar Woods. Below the canopy and on the stub of a broken branch about two meters of the ground rested a long, dark coat. A pair of fingerless gloves sat side by side near the base of the same tree. But a true treasure lay beneath them. A pair of blackened steel gauntlets sat visible under the thick fabric gloves and served to be a pedestal for them. The gold inlay that decorated them showed bright from the shadows. All items were the same color and easily made an outfit despite all looking a little warn and faded.
These invaluable items were not deserted. Their owner was nearby but impossible to pick out among the thick maple tree limbs above. His all black fur blended into the shadows easily. Jaden was stretched out on the limbs in an almost spider-like fashion. He breathed deeply and felt a light gasp of wind born from the falling sun caress him. The limbs he balanced on nearly five meters up swayed slightly before settling again. The optime man slowly pushed off the limbs around him one by one. First he let go of the branches in his left and right hands, folding his arms in. Then he pulled his paws onto the same, slim branch. There he balanced gracefully and stood slowly, holding his arms out on either side to make sure he didn’t fall. When he found his full height, he then folded his arms in once more and brought them in to guard his center as he had been taught so long ago by his father. He continued on to practice various movements, some were takedowns if applied to flesh, some were simple changes of stance, all while staying perfectly balanced. It took a lot of concentration and continuous flexing of various muscles to stay upright.
Before long, even Jaden’s trained physique began to tire but he didn’t stop. This simple ritual, as he repeated it nearly every night, brought him comfort and distracted him from the complexities of the world and his life. So, when he had to sink low and rest or risk loosing his balance, he caught his breath and stood again, assuming his stance, and enjoying the cool are on his heated body.
Jaden does. Jaden speaks. Jaden thinks.
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