The Night Before the Descent

There were three criteria that had to be met in order for a maturing young Vaux to descend from the hidden safe haven canopy down to the dangerously exposed ground floor of the Kru'll Jungle, thereby unlocking the next evolution in their training. Vaux children began their training and studying to pass them starting at the age of five. A small portion of each day would be devoted to this instruction and on average by the time they were somewhere between 10 and 12 an individual might be ready to start taking the tests. In most cases the exams had to be taken multiple times, because the only way to pass them was to get every single question and scenario correct. These exams were all encompassing, and with new information and discoveries constantly happening, growing every year.

The first criteria was to pass a series of written and signed tests regarding the entire culmination of knowledge the Vaux had on the flora and fauna of the jungle. While things that grew and lived in the canopy and emergent layer were able to be studied with both scholarly and hands-on experiences, the information regarding the understory and ground floor had to be pursued in a completely academic environment at this point. The second criteria was to pass a series of physical tests and simulations utilizing learned practical skills that dealt with survival techniques. The final criteria was that one had to be at least thirteen years of age. (A side note: Female Vaux were not permitted to go below when it was a particular time of the month, as it could dangerously attract predators of various shapes and sizes with a keen sense of smell.)

Gonyaul had put in the effort and study for 8 years. He passed the second criteria on his second attempt, the order of passing didn't matter, when he was 11. Out of his peer group only Xaveltis and Qualestrel passed it the first time around. He had passed the written and signed tests on his fifth attempt when he turned 12; out of his peer group, only Zendayul had passed it in fewer tries, on her third attempt. And today marked his 13th year alive, thereby completing the third criteria.

Tomorrow he would be joining the other qualified Vaux children down below for a new class and a new Orohc instructor, to become a part of his new daily routine. Rruelyn (15), Zendayul (14), Xaveltis (14), and Qualestrel (13) would be there too. Adwenln (12), Taewyln (12), Jaewyndl (12), Myrcelni (11) would not, either not being of age and/or still in process of passing the other requirements.

He was both anxious and excited as he lay next to Qualestrel in bed. His overactive imagination was running wild from everything he had learned over the years both from instruction as well as from stories of firsthand experiences. Due to the darkness, he was laying side by side with his best friend, practically right up on one another in order to whisper softly enough and not disturb the others. She had started descending to the ground floor just under three months prior to Gonyaul's first day tomorrow. She was trying to help calm both of his dueling emotions by explaining what he should expect; dispelling any fantasy's or erroneous projections he had been conjuring. She knew Gonyaul was prone to distraction due to his sense of wonder, but the ground floor was no place to lose ones situational awareness.

The two of them were the only ones still awake of the group. The group dynamic had naturally progressed with the passage of time, some of their peers now moved out and some new younger additions. Rruelyn, Zendayul and Xaveltis had moved up into the eldest children's quarters. This would be Qualestrel's and Gonyaul's last year before they too would be moving up.

OOC: Current ages of previously mentioned Vaux children: Rruelyn (15), Zendayul (14), Xaveltis (14), Gonyaul (13), Qualestrel (13), Adwenln (12), Taewyln (12), Jaewyndl (12), Myrcelni (11)