(Test) Cass Cain

[l33t_winged_bat]

A drop reaches her lip and Barbara Gordon-Grayson tastes the brine of her own sweat. She sucks in a harsh breath between her teeth. The bars she hoists herself up on feel slick under her hands, despite the powder she put on them - what? An hour ago? Two?

There's an annoying strand of red tangling in front of her eye. It's glued to forehead. She wills it aware and leans forward. One more step. One more

Step.

One -

More -

Comments

[l33t_winged_bat]

Barbara nods once. While Cassandra never seeks verbal approval, the more words a beginning reader is exposed to, the more likely reading will become easier.

"Rejoicing," she repeats. "Now, read the sentence again now that you know the word."

[oncesilentbat]

She nodded, focused as ever, as if mastering this sentence was learning a particular martial arts move. "So the Bat came to the Birds and wish-ed to join in the...re-joy-sing." She paused and played that back in her head to be sure she'd gotten it right before finishing the sentence. "But they all turned again-" Another pause, she knew that she knew this word, that stumble wasn't acceptable. "Again-st him and he had to fly away."

Cassandra just looked up from the book, back to Barbara, to see if her sensei had any feedback.

[l33t_winged_bat]

A smile and a small nod might as well be a gold star.

"So, can you tell me what happened to the Bat in your own words?" She thinks on it. "You don't have to use words to explain. Not right now."

Mechanics are nothing without understanding.

[oncesilentbat]

She's about to take the non-word option, before shaking her head slightly, more to herself than Barbara. This was word learning time, she must work on using words, that was the point of training, of getting better. Though having to put the story into her own words with little notice made her go back to her slightly more simplistic language as a default.

"Bat not in battle. So Bat not let in victory."

[l33t_winged_bat]

"Close," she remarks with pride in her voice for Cassandra's extra effort. "The Bat deceived both sides to stay out the fight, yet wanted to share in the victory when it was over. Was that wise?"

[oncesilentbat]

The pride isn't lost on her and there's a small smile in response before it disappears in favour of that determined look. She shakes her head.

"No. Must put in work to get reward."

[l33t_winged_bat]

A hand is placed on her shoulder. "And, know what it is you work for."

Because you can get very lost if you don't.

She eyes the bars. "I could a spotter." Because it's time to stop trying to heal all on my own.

[oncesilentbat]

No words are needed in true Cass style, just a small smile and affirming nod.

She doesn't glance back to the bars, but her smile gets a little wider with the next nod. This area she understood more. But because she found that people could confuse it if you nodded only, they weren't sure what part you were agreeing to, she verbalized her agreement this time. Small steps, but progress never came overnight. "Can help."