"I listen enough to know he repeats himself [i]over and over[/i]. If you weren't so busy sniffing his boots and trying to suck up maybe you'd realize he's not taught us anything new in years." All the more reason for them to go out in the field, there was nothing more they could learn by practicing drills in the safety of the Workshop. They could never become Hunters just by bashing straw dummies all day. Reaching back behind himself Kael pulled two curved daggers from his waist and flipped them over, pressing the hilts together before twisting and pulling them apart. Hooks caught and when pulled apart the hilts extended, and unfurling a wire bound in one of them he strung his makeshift bow, grinning as he loosely notched an arrow in the string. "Let's just show him we're not children anymore and maybe he'll treat us like Hunters then. And give us the respect we deserve." 

Being outside of the workshop was the first time either apprentice could fully grasp the direness of the situation they were in. There was nothing like seeing with your own eyes and what both were treated to was utter carnage beyond their sanctuary. Even as they emerged into the world outside a small pile of corpses sat alongside a nearby wall, rotting slowly and picked apart by carrion in the area. Some of Edmund's kills on his patrols; "Beast Patients" as they were called, meager beasts but plentiful and a nuisance if allowed to congregate. These and many other beasts lay strewn through the streets, all having succumb to the veteran Hunter's blade at some time. Kael was of absolute confidence that he and Josephine could accomplish the same thing if given the chance, certainly if they worked together beasts such as these would be child's play. 

"The streets of Yharnam aren't as bad as they once were, we've driven most of the beasts back and to the outskirts. That said it's not unusual for a few to slip in now and again. When you're out here you can never be too careful, treat it like you're walking through a swarm." Passing through a narrow strip between several three story homes Edmund slowed his pace at the front of the pack, holding up a hand to stop the apprentices before pressing a finger to his lips. In the silence that surrounded them the noise of flesh being torn was clear, as were the low guttural growls and an exchange of barks and snarls. Scourge Beasts, no doubt about it, and at least two of them. Waving the two along he slowly moved to the end of the path and gestured again for them to stop, leaning out around the edge of the building to take stock of the situation. There were four Scourge beasts together surrounding what looked to be the corpse of a Troll, its skeleton nearly picked clean as they ravaged the corpse for whatever meal they could manage. An easy group to dispatch for three Hunters but then they weren't here to kill, but to observe. 

"Good, this will make an excellent learning experience. I want you two to play close attention to how they behave, especially how they interact over a meal," Edmund whispered in a hushed tone. "They often cooperate, but its not uncommon for them to fight when food is scarce. You can use this to your advantage if you ever come across a pack. Kael, do you remember where a Scourge Beast's weak spot is?" Furrowing his brow at the silence that followed Edmund turned to look for his apprentice and scowled upon realizing the boy was no longer with them. Scanning the streets around them he grit his teeth and checked back on the Scourge beasts, finding them to still be preoccupied with their meal. "Josephine, go and find Kael. And drag him back here by the throat if you must, I don't care how you get him back," the Hunter hissed, unsheathing his Chikage and holding it firmly in both hands, "Don't worry about the Scourge Beasts, if any of them leave I'll kill it. Hurry now, there may be more beasts about."

Kael had different plans as opposed to simply sightseeing: he was going to kill the Scourge Beasts. They had spent hours upon hours reading over texts that accounted the types of beasts known to man, their weaknesses, their habits, everything there was to know. Edmund's rhetoric had grown old and he wasn't going to waste time in the field rehashing the same old nonsense they had read a dozen times over. Slipping into the alleyway of two homes he found a fire escape and swiftly ascended the stairs, bow slung over his shoulder as he climbed. Once atop the building he backed off a ways and glanced across the gap at the adjacent home, the one which should be overlooking the courtyard where the Scourge Beasts had gathered. Taking a deep breath he tapped his back foot twice before dashing forward, putting one foot on the ledge before propelling himself up and over the gap. He narrowly cleared it and rolled as his feet met tile, keeping a grip on his bow and promptly rising to his feet, weapon in hand. Easing his way forward and being sure to make as little noise as possible he neared the edge of the roof and took a knee, peering down and grinning at the unsuspecting beasts. Easy marks, he could take out two before they even knew what was happening, and all four before they ever had a chance of finding him.