A Breton Amongst Dremora
Great. Just great.
Dianne had lost her new boots--she still didn't know who'd they'd been from, just that they'd been a gift. She was just getting them broken in, too. Ranyu was mad at her, the Master was mad at her, and she suspected her other classmates were peeved, too. She thought about looking down to avoid everyone's gaze, but decided that they might think that was cowardly. So she just focused on the passing scenery, instead.
Before long, they were back at camp. She got curious looks and more than a few amused stares at her bootless feet. Ranyu set her down at her tent. "Go put on your spares, if you packed them." Then he walked away. Dianne watched him go, then sighed and went inside. She hoped he wouldn't be mad at her all day. She rummaged around in her pack, found her not so nice but still solid boots, and put them on.
It's wasn't as if it were all her fault. She'd still been feeling stunned and confused from that basilisk. It hadn't looked like the one in that Harry Potter movie, but who was she to argue? If that was what it was known by, so be it. She sighed again. She couldn't sit in the tent all day. That would look cowardly, plus, Master Vaarseth would have tasks for her and everyone else to perform. She went outside.
In the middle of camp, the Master prepared to lead a skinning demonstration. He said, "Hold the knife thusly. You will all notice how sharp and strong it is. Use the point with care. You aren't gutting this beast, at least not yet. The point is there to work the blade just uder its hide, thusly." He did so, the knife gliding under the basilisk's rough hide as smooth as butter. "Now, turn your wrist, as so." He demonstrated. He continued working, talking as he skinned, pausing to describe how to hold the blade and avoid common pitfalls.
"The belly and throat skin have the least armor, and are most pliable. Take great care, here, to not damage the skin. This is where you get skins for fine leathers for shoes, belts, items more for fashion but still requiring strength and resilience." He worked in silence until the skin was off, in one piece, and pristine. Setting them aside, he said, "I know not all of you aspire to become craftsmen, but these skills are valuable." He stood up. "Now, under my direction, we will each take a turn at skinning. Dianne, step forward."
She did so, and he handed her the knife. "Have you skinned anything, in preparation for cooking?" he asked her. She nodded. "Very good, then. You will find that it can be similar. Start here, at the beast's tail. If the flesh is punctured here, it will not harm the meat."
Under his guidance and direction, Dianne skinned away a section of future leather a several centimeters square, enough, he said, for the body of a belt pouch. Next, he had her take enough for the straps. It all looked a bit large to her, and she said as much. "It is to allow for seams and shrinkage during tanning," he told her, "and allow for novice mistakes that you will all be making."
Dianne struggled to not make faces as she worked. It didn't smell good, and her hands were slimy with the beast's blood. at last, she finished, saying, "I think I did ok."
"Aye, more than okay," he told her. "Almost well enough to make up for your foolishness earlier," he told her. "Go and wash yourself now. The basilisk blood will mar you with stink for days if you do not clean it off. Then return. After everyone has skinned, we will be gutting and butchering."
Dianne felt queasy at the prospect, but did as she was told.
Dianne had lost her new boots--she still didn't know who'd they'd been from, just that they'd been a gift. She was just getting them broken in, too. Ranyu was mad at her, the Master was mad at her, and she suspected her other classmates were peeved, too. She thought about looking down to avoid everyone's gaze, but decided that they might think that was cowardly. So she just focused on the passing scenery, instead.
Before long, they were back at camp. She got curious looks and more than a few amused stares at her bootless feet. Ranyu set her down at her tent. "Go put on your spares, if you packed them." Then he walked away. Dianne watched him go, then sighed and went inside. She hoped he wouldn't be mad at her all day. She rummaged around in her pack, found her not so nice but still solid boots, and put them on.
It's wasn't as if it were all her fault. She'd still been feeling stunned and confused from that basilisk. It hadn't looked like the one in that Harry Potter movie, but who was she to argue? If that was what it was known by, so be it. She sighed again. She couldn't sit in the tent all day. That would look cowardly, plus, Master Vaarseth would have tasks for her and everyone else to perform. She went outside.
In the middle of camp, the Master prepared to lead a skinning demonstration. He said, "Hold the knife thusly. You will all notice how sharp and strong it is. Use the point with care. You aren't gutting this beast, at least not yet. The point is there to work the blade just uder its hide, thusly." He did so, the knife gliding under the basilisk's rough hide as smooth as butter. "Now, turn your wrist, as so." He demonstrated. He continued working, talking as he skinned, pausing to describe how to hold the blade and avoid common pitfalls.
"The belly and throat skin have the least armor, and are most pliable. Take great care, here, to not damage the skin. This is where you get skins for fine leathers for shoes, belts, items more for fashion but still requiring strength and resilience." He worked in silence until the skin was off, in one piece, and pristine. Setting them aside, he said, "I know not all of you aspire to become craftsmen, but these skills are valuable." He stood up. "Now, under my direction, we will each take a turn at skinning. Dianne, step forward."
She did so, and he handed her the knife. "Have you skinned anything, in preparation for cooking?" he asked her. She nodded. "Very good, then. You will find that it can be similar. Start here, at the beast's tail. If the flesh is punctured here, it will not harm the meat."
Under his guidance and direction, Dianne skinned away a section of future leather a several centimeters square, enough, he said, for the body of a belt pouch. Next, he had her take enough for the straps. It all looked a bit large to her, and she said as much. "It is to allow for seams and shrinkage during tanning," he told her, "and allow for novice mistakes that you will all be making."
Dianne struggled to not make faces as she worked. It didn't smell good, and her hands were slimy with the beast's blood. at last, she finished, saying, "I think I did ok."
"Aye, more than okay," he told her. "Almost well enough to make up for your foolishness earlier," he told her. "Go and wash yourself now. The basilisk blood will mar you with stink for days if you do not clean it off. Then return. After everyone has skinned, we will be gutting and butchering."
Dianne felt queasy at the prospect, but did as she was told.