And he gave up more information than he might have intended. Athos could tell now that he had been an orphan somehow, sent from family to family. Didn't really show too much on him, aside from the clothing but anyone could have that look really. "Eventually it'll probably get to a point where that urge to travel and see new things fades at least a little. For some it just takes longer, and once in a while resurfaces. I was like that in a way, before I came here. Blake was like that for over sixty years if he tells his history properly, and he's been here for at least two with no desire to leave now. But as long as it works for you keep it up. Heh, I'd hope you'd finish classes before leaving though, take a degree with you wherever you end up next right?"
Of course Athos hoped nobody ever took the path he walked before getting to the school. That was something he wouldn't be discussing though, the only people that knew never really asked and just pieced it together, eventually making a statement he couldn't deny and then changing the subject.

The falcon really had not meant for the snake to figure him out so quickly. Though he would not say anything if the snake were to bring it up . The falcon was not ashamed of his past like. In fact he was actually quite proud of that fact. Most would make fun of him for that. Others at the orphans home would tell him that no one wanted him and that he was an odd ball . Claws had learned to just try to ignore then as much as he could. He now looked at the snake now as he spoke. Hum that was something that he had no thought about before. He could not imagine that he would ever get tired of traveling. Though he knew that anything was possible. Claws just hoped that he never lost his love for traveling until he was too old to travel anymore. “ hum …….it ……….might ……..that ………is ………true. ……..Hehe ……..for ……….now ……….though ………I …………plan ………..to …………. Travel ……..as …..much …….as……… I …….can. ………Really? ……..Well ………I ……….am ……….glad ………..that…….. I ………am …………not……….. The ………..only ……….one ……then……. I ………..see. …………Heh ……….well …………I ………do……… plan ………to…… finish………… going ……..to ……..school…….. Before …….I ……….leave ……..here. …….
Though…….. I ………really……….. Do……… …..not …….know……… what…….. I …….am ……..going…….. to……. major ….in ……..yet. ……Yeah ……..that ……way……… if……… I ……….ever ……want …….a…….. job ……I …….can……… get …….one ……..with …….out……. much……. of ……a ……problem.” he said with a smile. He now was starting to wonder more about the snake. He seemed like a pretty smart type of person. That was good. Claws should had expected that though considering that the snake was a teacher and all. Though on that same note claws had seen some pretty stupid teachers. The good thing about the falcon was that he did not try to prey in to anyone’s personal life. He would simple let them say what they wanted to share and left it at that.

"Good plan. And being a little flexible until you figure out a degree to get is an advantage, lets you say you're experienced in things even if there's no slip of paper to prove it. If I could give a piece of advice about the whole traveling though? Find at least one area you think you really like, somewhere you'd eventually want to return to. And if it's not some place like a big city, more like an out of the way or underdeveloped area, see about buying a bit of land and eventually making your own home there. Even if it's only a place to stop by every few years or when you're figuring out where to go next it'll be nice to have."
Athos started walking out of the cave with a smile. He'd like seeing this kid around for a while, glad he wouldn't disappear before giving the school a chance. But for now there were other caves to explore and a nice relaxing day away from work to enjoy.

The falcon walked beside the snake as he spoke. He had to kind of wonder if they would find another place t explore. Hopefully they would. If not then at least the falcon could say that he was in good company. He just hoped that he was not being a bother to the snake. He listened now as the snake gave him his advice. Hum well that did sound like a good plan to the falcon. He had never thought of the fact that he might want a place to live one day. Really he had found that if he did ever settle down he would only have the company of what ever friends he made. He had deiced that he was one of thee creature who would never get married and have kids. Though that could change if the right person came along he supposed. “ heh …yeah ….. That …… is ……..right. ……..I…… can…… always …….used ……advice. …….You……… knew……… I ……….have……… never…….. Thought …….about ……doing…….. That……. Though ……now……… that ……you……. Said ……something ……about…….. It ……… It …………dose……… make …….since ……..to…….. Plan….. For……. The …….future like that.” claws said with a smile. He was starting to like the snake more and more as he talked to him. And he was no longer as nervous as he was before.

It sounded like the falcon was finally getting more comfortable, he got several words out at once without a pause. Athos smiled as he continued walking. "Never hurts even if it's just a backup plan. Might get hurt and need to hang around some place longer than expected, best to have a friendly place to recover at than some new location. Especially if that new place is where you got hurt. Heh, and if you ever do find a place you want to set up camp I'm happy to help." In more ways than one the crafty snake could help. Drake barely paid him anything because according to all government records Athos didn't exist. He was long since dead under a different name and the less people asked questions the better. So any time he needed something for security or personal use he either made it himself or got Drake to give him the cash and bought it. Only thing he really needed was a little expense money when he would go into town, and that wasn't much. He knew how to avoid being noticed and it wouldn't be a challenge to keep a safe house for someone unnoticed, especially around here.

Claws now smiled to the snake as he followed him. He could speak with out a pause when he was relaxed. Though only a few people knew that. And even fewer knew that he was actually very smart and easy going once you got him to come out of his shell. But that was always easier said then done. “ that …… is ……..right …….you …….never …….know …….when ……..something……. Might……..happen ……… That……. Is …….what …….someone ……..once …….told……. Me ……as ……..well. ……She …….was ……a ……fortuneteller ……….and ……..would ………always…….. Tell ……..me ………that …….I …..should….. Plan ……for……. The …….future…….. Though…… I …….never ………….really ……understood ……….what …….she ………meant. ……. Yeah ………it …….is …….. Always …..good ……..to …….be ……around…….. Friend …….when…….. You……. Are …….sick. ……Alright ……….I ……..will ……try …..to…… keep ……..that……. In….. mind. …….Heh …..you….. Would …….do …….that …….for …….me? ……Wow…… that …..is …..nice ….of ……you “ the falcon was happy to hear that the snake would be willing to help him if he ever needed it. It was good to know that he now had at least one friend that was going to be there for him. And if he ever needed the falcon the falcon would be there fr him as well. That was one thing about claws. He was always there if someone he cared for was in danger. Though the falcon would never go to anyone if he was in trouble himself. He figured that if he started trouble then he would finish it. Not that the falcon ever caused trouble. The families that he lived with had taught him better then that. Though when you bounce from place to place too never really have a true family claws supposed.

"Of course, what are friends for right? Hmm... what kind of fortune teller gave you that advice?" There were plenty of different types, this was one of the few things Athos actually let Blake lecture him about. Your "As seen on TV" or celebrity ones were all fake, just really good at guessing and had great stage presence. Then there were your palm readers, not as reliable for some things but what they could tell you was usually accurate enough... at least in some vague fashion. The crystal ball ones were all fakes, least in the snake's own experiences but Blake swore there were a very few who could do it for real. What you needed was the right kind of Tarot reader though, preferably one that was friendly and willing to do multiple readings or expand upon what they saw in the cards. It was more open ended at times but the dragon swore they were never EVER wrong. He'd mentioned other types as well but that was all stuff Athos didn't believe in, black magic and voodoo or whatever. Anyone that claimed they could see someone's fate in a few knuckle bones from an animal or a bowl of blood, all they really saw was the past, slaughtering an animal or person to trick others. Least that was his opinion.

The falcon smile at what the snake said now. He had to take a few seconds to thing about his question. He had never really asked the woman what kind of fortuneteller she was. She worker outside her home mostly and was quiet about what she did. The only reason he knew that she told the future to others was the fact that he asked her what she did for a living He had just stayed with her for a few days and then was gone to a new place. In the falcon options those who claimed to see the future were nuts anyhow. No one knew what was going to happen in the future. That was why life was so filled with surprises. Because if you knew everything that would happen life would be very boring would it not? “ yep …. That …. Is …..right…… Uhh…… well ……I ……never ……asked…… her…. That… all…… I ……knew……. Was ……that …….she …….did….. It …….as…….. Her ……..job ……and ……everyone……. In…….. the …….town …….said …..she ….. Knew…. What ……..she ….was….. Talking ……about. ……She ………was……. Nice……. Though …..always …….trying …….to……. Help……. Those ……who….. Needed …..it.” he said with a smile now. He did know that she never killed anything to tell the future with. Heck the woman never even ate meat because it mean she had to kill something. That in itself was odd considering that she was an owl and all.

"Good, sounds like strong advice from a real one then. Never can tell sometimes but glad to hear you had people looking out for you. Speaking of which, be careful up here, there's a little slippery spot where the stone's really smooth and just a little wet." Athos had never really considered being a parent. Maybe it was his past that had him that way, or maybe he never really felt like he'd be a good dad. Sure he had a few jealous moments from time to time but they were fleeting. All he really worried about was keeping the school safe, in a way they were all his kids even if they weren't blood relatives. It was hard for him to perfectly understand what the falcon must have gone through as a kid but he knew the other end of it for sure, being the responsible adult for a couple years then probably never seeing someone again or only hearing from them once in a while.

The falcon gave the snake a slight smile when he said that it was good that he had gotten advise from a real fortune teller. Either way claws still thought that the woman had been a little crazy. Then he heard him tell him to watch his step. Oh well that was kind of the snake. Indeed claws did like having others watching his back. He did miss a few of the people he had stayed with in the past. Then there were those who he was more then glad to get away from. “ yeah …. That …. is…. Good.. …..That ….is …..right….. You…. Never …..can ….tell. ….Though …. Some…. Of …..them …..are ……so ……good …..you …..can ……not …..really …..tell ……if …….they….. Are….. Fake …..or ….not….. Yeah ……it ….is ……good …..to …..have….. Other …..watching ……out…… for …..you……. Ahh …..okay……. I ……will….. Be ….careful….. Thank… you….. for telling me.” he said with a smile. Claws did take time to write to some of his foster family that he really liked. He even called them once in a while. Though really the falcon had never considered actually visiting them. For some reason he felt awkward doing things like that for some reason or another.

Back outside the snake smiled and stretched a little. "Good to be back outside again, heh. Always invigorating to have a bit of sun coming down on you, until you get sunburnt that is." Which surprisingly did still happen, in his case he'd notice his scales flaking a little, something he was generally not too happy with. He wondered if the falcon had the same kind of problem... probably not, with wings he was designed to be up in the sky and even more exposed than normal. "So on to the next cave?" He was having fun, and with a new friend, there wasn't anything to really complain about today. He hoped to keep it that way.

The falcon now followed the snake out of the cave. It took his sensitive eyes a few seconds to adjust to the bright light of the sun. he hated when the bright light hurt his eyes like that. Maybe he should invest in some sunglasses one day though he would not wear them inside like the student who passed him the other day. To claws that was a waste of time and it made you look funny too . He now smiled to the snake when he said his statement. He could agree with that one. “ yes … it …. Is ….always … good …. To ….be …… out side. …… hum …… yeah ………… that …………would ……. Be …. A …. bad……..thing … from….. What .. I …. have …. Heard.” the falcon said with a slight smile. That was one of the good things about being covered in thick feathers. You did not get sun burnt as easy. Though he supposed if one stayed out long enough In the sun it could happen. Though the falcon was certain that if he were to stay out that long in the sun that he would die from a heat stroke long before he got burned. You see all those feathers were very hot during the summer months. And then there was the fact that they molted every so often so the falcon just stayed hidden when that happened. After all it was very embarrassing to have feathers falling out as you tried to walk from place to place. Though the falcon was happy around the snake for the moment. He now looked to his friend as he asked his question now “ yeah….. If ….. You ….want …to“. he said with a smile. Claws was willing to explore as long as the snake wanted to.

"So anything else you want to talk about? Anything about yourself or anything you want to know about me? It'll take a little while to get to the next cave probably, they aren't usually too close together. Might have to head down and back up another peak to find one even." He did know of one other cave nearby, though it was really more of a tunnel. A long path through one of the mountains, some of it had to have been man made but the original path looked like a tiny stream flowing through all the rocks somehow. For all he knew that might have been what happened long ago, but he was certain it was a very bad place to be in heavy rains. Eventually a whole torrent would come racing down at you and knock you clean off the mountain, not a nice trip in the least. The school had even posted warning signs years ago according to Drake.

Claws followed the snake as they walked now. He was looking at the scenery that was all around them. He smiled to the snake when he asked if the falcon wanted to talk about anything else. He took a few minutes to think about the question. The snake also told him that it might take a while to get to the next cave, “ humm ….well … I ….do … not .. Have … much … more … I … could … say …..about …. Myself. … you … know….. A …..lot …..about….. Wild….. plants? …..Some ……are ….actually ……good ……for…… you ….they…. Say.” claws said with a slight smile. The question might have seemed to be odd but it was the first one that had popped into his mind. And he did know a lot about plants himself so he could add in to the conversation with out seeming silly. Not that the falcon care rather he looked dumb or not. He smiled moving his wings slightly now. He was tiring not to do that too much though. It was the fact that wings got heavy after a while. Though he could say that avian wings were much lighter the say dragon wings. That was because birds like himself all had hallow bones even anthro birds had them. That is why they could fly with such grace and ease. Though claws was a well muscled creature himself so he could force himself in to the sky if he had wanted or needed to.

"Don't know too much, but I know enough to figure out which ones are edible to an extent. If the berry is smooth, it's not safe. If the berry's got texture to it, like a strawberry, blackberry, all those things, it's edible. Other than that I don't really know what to do with them. Vines and certain types of ivy are good for an improvised rope or something, and the wrong kind will work but will leave you horribly itchy, heh." Athos might know a little more than that but he was giving his friend a chance to show off his knowledge. Besides he couldn't be sure on a lot of the things he'd heard, they could all be rumors instead of fact.