Vulnerable Pride (Phoenix)

[Fois]

38th of Fall, 511 AV A jump followed by a sudden dive made his heart stop for a brief moment. Breathing and thinking stopped along with it. Muscles reflexively tensed and his body was waiting for the feeling of falling down, quickly descending to his death. The experience was nothing new as it happened every single time Seleer started the flight of their aerie cliff, yet it was a very difficult one to overcome, since despite that his memories of the past were telling that everything was going to be fine, his mind and body refused to believe it, opting for old and amateurish instincts. With a powerful beat of wings the Wind Eagle straightened up allowing the rider’s legs and arms relax and a breath of held up air leave his lungs. Raising his eyes to the morning sky, the man smiled to himself before returning his gaze to the front. Without the unnecessary delays or circling around, the bird was advancing forward, leaving the Mt. Skyinarta behind. His hands firmly holding the reins, the Endal was admiring the very familiar views that would greet him every time he left for a hunt and welcome him back upon each return. These were the images that would quickly cross his mind when he thought of Wind Reach and these were the places that he would first describe to an outsider in the foreign lands if he was ever asked to describe his home. Fois directed his eagle slightly to the left moving away from the Sanikas Road below. ”Where are you planning to be hunting today?” Seleer’s inquiry echoed in the rider’s mind. ”The place I was at last week where I got that deer that broke its leg, remember? Spoke to a couple Endals and they said that the game is still good there, even if one may need to be a bit patient.” The Wind Eagle adjusted his flight even more to the left upon hearing the destination. ”Well, that’s usually the case with hunting, isn’t it? A bit of patience.” The two flew over the closest forest to Wind Reach and soon the rider’s eyes were treated to the ranges and hills beyond it. The prolonged warmth of fall was gentle to the green life below as well as to the Endal himself, letting him enjoy the last bits of summer memories before the bitter frosts of winter take the hold on the region. It wasn’t long before he noticed a large Angel Oak that was deeply rooted on the outskirts of a forest, standing there as an untiring gatekeeper. Seleer dropped his right wing and circled around the big tree a couple of times before landing a few yards away from it. Fois then dismounted the saddle and found his way to the ground using the Wind Eagle's wing as a one-step ladder on his way down. He retrieved his bow that was strapped to the saddle and strung it, always preferring to not be caught off-guard. ”Well, I suppose I’ll get back here at dusk or after.” ”Yeah, that sounds fine.” ”Don’t fall prey to the foxes!” the bird wished Fois good luck as he was taking off into the sky again. ”I won’t.” Fois checked the dagger resting by his side in the scabbard, more out of habit than a thought that he could have actually lost did during the flight, and stepped into the long morning shade dropped by the oak. He watched at the forest as if waiting for a divine sign to show him which way he should go for the best game and then smiled at his own naïve thought before moving forward.

[Phoenix]

He called himself 'Kyaa the Bold'. When trying to charm a lady into his bedchambers, he was 'Kyaa the Long'. On hunts he was 'Kyaa the Unforgiving'. Towards the lower Caste, he was 'Kyaa the Merciful', though no mercy could be found in any of his actions. No one called him 'Kyaa the Ridiculous'. Well, not to his face. Born an only child, and one of the few whose parents claimed and raised him as their own, Kyaa was always privileged. With Endal Parents, he had everything he wanted growing up, bragging that it would be a good day for all of Wind Reach when he found an eagle of his own. In any other moralistic story, Kyaa would be humbled into submission when every Wind Eagle turned their nose up at him. But the fact remained that he was an asset to the City. He knew it and the Eagles knew it. The day of his fifteenth birthday was a well known event; not because he was well loved, but because his fellow Yasi were eager to see this bully gone from their midst. Kyaa was chosen that same day by Lyar, a viciously aggressive and reclusive Harpy Eagle. And so he grew into a man; muscled, tough and very aware of it. He knew he was handsome, and he knew the fear he could invoke on those around him, should he decide to display his wrath. The problem with the privileged was the "I am your savior" attitude. Kyaa was well liked among the lower castes for his friendly face, his I'll-share-what-I-Have attitude. He protected those smaller and weaker than him, using his muscles to intimidate his foes. Stories circulated of those who angered Kyaa going missing, or turning up badly injured at the infirmary. But no one actually ever saw the man fight. He was like a wolf, stalking and hunting his prey, waiting for them to be cornered until he attacked. To his fellow Endal, he was friendly with a rather superior attitude. He was older than most, having seen more than thirty summers, and felt that gave him privilege as well. No one looked for him to join their hunt, as it was quickly turned into a competition, yet no one would deny him if he did show up. It was poor Fois that drew the short stick this day. Having left earlier than most, he missed the group that left shortly after him for a fertile hunting ground not too far north of where Seeler had left him. However, they would not cross paths. Waking too late to join this foray, Kyaa was left to hunt alone, much like Fois himself, though he tried to follow his brethren as they flew away without him. Mistaking Seeler for another's bird, Kyaa mentally nudged Lyar into the ancient oaks grove, where Fois was gathering his things. Banking hard and tilting his wing towards the ground, using a hard gust of wind to propel him towards the ground, Lyar glided in over the Angel Oak, circling slowly as he wafted towards the ground. It was an impressive, over the top entrance that perfectly suited the pair. "Ah... Not what I expected." Hopping down off his birds back, Kyaa fixed Fois with his eery gaze; his eyes were a blue so pale it almost looked white, a sharp contrast to his orange-red hair. Like his rider, Lyar shared this ice cold gaze, his blue plate-sized eyes odd for any raptor. The falconers had thought he blind when first hatched, but were proved wrong when he learned to fly and attacked the first handler to bring him food, aiming directly for the eyes and throat. Bringing his saddlebags to the ground next to where Fois's lay, Kyaa sighed and put his hands on his hips, stretching as if he had flown far. "Well, I was looking for the other hunt, but I guess this will do. Have you started anything yet?" His tone was cool and clipped, a small smile on his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes the only thing that kept his remark from being completely condescending. Surveying the area with what Kyaa thought was with a well practiced eye, he nodded in satisfaction. "Yes, this will do for base camp." As if he had picked out the spot himself, the Endal developed a smug look before he turned to his packs and began unloading his gear. All the while Lyar stood, ruffling his feathers and watching Fois's every move with that unnerving gaze. OOCAlright, didn't progress us much because I wanted to give you a good feel for Kyaa. Hopefully I did a well enough job, but if not here is a synopsis: He thinks he's tough and the best endal around because of his age and his status growing up. He's not as skilled as he thinks, nor does he really deserve the reputation he has. Those he supposedly beat up were done by him and Lyar together, or with a dek that Kyaa paid to help, but Fois wouldn't know this. Basically, he supposed to be a cocky bully-wannabe. He thinks hes a nice guy, so hes more frustrating and infuriating than an asshole. Does that work for you?

[Fois]

For a moment it appeared as if Fois actually got his divine sign that came in a form of the Wind Eagle’s shadow passing through the ground beneath his feet. He looked up and felt the divinity vanish as a fellow Endal appeared sitting in the saddle on the bird’s back. As the two finished their performance and landed, Fois recognized the rider. He didn’t mind going hunting with company, perhaps even preferred it, but Kyaa was not necessarily the person he wanted to share his time on a hunt, at least not when only the two of them would constitute the whole party. The man was more experienced than Fois and being the less capable member of the duo not only made one worse but technically the worst of the group. But it’s probably the fact that Kyaa already knew and thought of this that made his greeting smile barely visible and joyless. Fois ignored Kyaa’s expressed disappointment with what he had found, instead warily eyeing Lyar. He was one of the very few birds that the Endal felt uncomfortable around. It must have been the Wind Eagle’s eyes, his look or how it seemed that he might suddenly attack you at any point without any provocation as a prerequisite. When the other rider asked him a question Fois shifted his gaze to the man. Annoyance at the tone and wording returned the confidence to his blue eyes. ”Just finished the preparations for your arrival,” he shot back emulating Seleer’s sense of humour. For a while Fois just watched Kyaa examining the area as if he was about to deliver an evaluation on his choice of location. To his surprise the Endal did. ”I always pick one with the best view,” he shrugged wishing that the rider would hurry up in preparing for the hunt. It would have taken only minute amount of determination just a while ago and Fois would have been already on a hunt alone. On the other hand, he knew that Kyaa showing up was certainly a sign that the hunt was more likely to be successful now. So Fois waited, his fingers gently taping his longbow’s shaft in a rhythm that echoed one he had heard recently at the Inclement Weather. ”Have you hunted in this area before?”

OOCKyaa's great

[Phoenix]

"Of course I have. Unlike some, I bring back Lyar's weight in meat on a regular basis." It was unclear whether Kyaa was talking about Fois specifically, but the seed of doubt was planted. The volatile Endal was seemingly out to hunt more than just elk today; It was unfortunate that he thought of those weaker than he as game as well. Killing a mans confidence was just as satisfactory as watching his arrow burst the heart of his prey. It was really a sad way to live, but Kyaa didn't see it that way. "Well, what are you waiting for? Lets get moving." Though it was clear he wasn't ready, Kyaa had noticed the impatient tapping of Fois's fingers. Turning to his malevolent bird, he removed the saddle and hung it from a nearby low-hanging branch. Doubtless for show, Lyar stretched his wings wide and strutted towards Seeler. One moment the Harpy was ruffling feathers and scratching at the dirt beneath this talons, and the next he was lunging at Seeler, vicious beak wide as the serpent-like tongue flailed as he hissed. Aiming for the pinion feathers of his left wing, Lyar missed and instead managed to gouge out a hunk of flesh right above Seelers leg. Snaking his head away and launching himself up into the air, Lyar disappeared above the trees with a cry that sounded almost like a laugh. To remember me by. Echoed in the Endal's minds as well as the injured eagle. The wound wasn't too bad. Beaks weren't made for biting, and so the wicked curved upper beak had simply torn a shallow divot in Seelers flesh. With loose feathers drifting slowly to the ground in the wake of the attack and blood slowly leaking onto the feathers that were still intact, it looked much worse than it was. Whether Fois ran to his eagle or just let Seeler fly off and tend his own wounds, Kyaa had a smirk on his face that told of the enjoyment he got in seeing other's weakness. With his arms crossed atop the bow he had removed from his pack, the man put on the cocky show of waiting for his fellow Endal to deal with the situation that was eating into their hunting time. "Everything okay?" With a false show of concern, Kyaa moved over and slung an arm around Fois's shoulders, steering them into the thicket. "I guess it's a good thing our eagles can't join us. It seems that they do not get along." "Lets get some meat." Tossing his quiver up onto his shoulder, Kyaa pushed first into the treeline. He had spotted a game trail shortly after landing in the grove, and this is where he lead the two-man hunting party now. Since it was fall and the greenery of the forest was becoming scarce. The game would be fattening up for winter and would be eating everything they could come across. This made hunting much easier. Kyaa spotted the first tree with the bark stripped from its trunk. This he pointed silently to Fois, indicating that it was a good sign. There had to be a herd of Elk in the area. "I think we should stay on the trail. Clomping through the brush will just startle them if they're out there. I'm hoping for a glade or meadow where they could be hanging out." Though he said this with the firm tone of one used to being followed, it was clear that Kyaa hardly knew what he was talking about. Hoping that the Elk would just present it's self to be shot? It would be Fois who spotted the next stripped tree. Kyaa continued to lead them down the path, but the less confident of the two Endal would know that it was just a waste of time. There were clear signs of Elk in their vicinity, and Kyaa was missing all of them.

[Fois]

Fois didn’t show any reaction to the comment but not because it had no effect on him. Whether intentionally or not Kyaa touched upon a subject that wasn’t bothering that much only when found in Seleer’s remarks. He wasn’t as skilled as he imagined an Endal should have been and even though complete failures in hunts happened rarely to him, moments of great success were just as scarce. Fois didn’t show a great talent to be a hunter as a Yasi and still the Wind Eagle liked him enough to bond and elevate into the highest caste among his people. The status came along with a lot of privileges but also with burdens of responsibility which woke the inner pressure to become better. The outside pressure was unwelcome at best. Just when it seemed that the hunt was finally about to start Lyar attacked Seleer. It was unexpected and at first rider did not understand what was going on. It seemed that the Harpy approached his Wind Eagle rather nonchalantly and bumped his head into him with a sudden peck. Seleer screeched not so much out of pain but rather in surprise and frustration. Only when Lyar took off and the bleeding wound could be seen did the realization of what happened reached the rider’s mind that was so off-guard. His winged partner launched into the sky soon after, probably instinctively wanting revenge for the violent mockery but quickly dropped the idea and turned his flight path into a large circle above the two Inarta. ”Seleer!” raising his head up the Endal called at the bird through his mind. ”The mad eagle! Should be bloody plucked and fed to the petching Dek!” ”How bad is the wound? Maybe I-…” ”Could take care of it? I’d rather keep my leg, Fois,” Seleer roughly interrupted him with a clear annoyance in his tone. ”Do what’s expected from you and hunt down some food.” The eagle turned towards Wind Reach and left the riders alone. The Endal turned his eyes away from the sky and looked and his fellow hunter. The smile on Kyaa’s face was irritating and that reflected in Fois's already slightly adverse gaze but the man still put on a caring act. ”Yes, brilliant,” he answered a bit coldly as the other rider threw his arm over his shoulders. ”There’s certainly no room for animosity in this hunt.” Fois did his best to push away the thoughts about the incident out of his mind and focus on the hunt as they entered the forest and began tracking for signs. Kyaa showed him the first stripped tree and the Endal thought that the day was beginning to turn for the better. He wasn’t entirely certain that he agreed with his companion’s approach but decided to trust the older hunter. He spotted another tree that had his bark similarly brushed off but as Kyaa insisted on marching on the Endal’s doubts on the direction the hunt was going strengthened. Although he was nearly completely ignorant of the arts of tracking and didn’t know what exactly the markings on the tree were saying, Fois thought that moving forward like that fell more under the category of ignoring than following the signs. ”Maybe we should investigate the area around instead of taking straight route?” he raised the question calmly and casually despite not being very confident in the idea. A lot of his own hunts involved stumbling upon some tracks and guesswork and resulted in finding prey for reasons sometimes unrelated to the previous activity. ”Could be that they haven’t reached the meadow to hang out at yet.”

[Phoenix]

Kyaa wasn't listening. Instead, they plowed through the forest towards the meadow. More than one false alarm set them off the path for half a bell or so, following a false trail that the Endal claimed he had found. Any objection of Fois's would be replied with a snap or less-then-complimentary comment.

"Well I am the one leading, aren't I? So we're going to do what I say." The fact that Kyaa appeared and hijacked Fois's solo hunt seemed to fly right over the Endal's head.

The sun was breaking it's noon apex when the pair finally made it to the meadow. Thus far unfruitful, the hunt was not going as either of the men planned. Clearly frustrated, Kyaa no longer bothered with any kind of stealth, stomping through the underbrush and snapping branches that hung in his way rather than gently bending them to the side. More than once he held one aside for himself, letting it swing back in place with no regard for whether or not Fois would suffer a face-full of branches.

Of course, there were no elk in the meadow. Cursing loudly Kyaa threw his bow to the ground, the quiver landing with a thud right next to it.

"Petch all of this." Chest heaving and shoulder hunched, the angry endal resembed a bear more than a human in his anger as he growled quietly to himself. Unable to admit his own mistakes, Fois was soon rounded on.

"If you knew they weren't going to be here, why didn't you say something? We just wasted the whole morning, and not only are we going to go hungry tonight but we also are going to look like fools when we return empty taloned." With a great angry sneer, Kyaa crossed his arms over his chest, chin stuck out like a petulant child as those cold blue eyes bored into the smaller Endal.

"You better find us some Elk."

OOCThis is short. Mostly because I am trying to force your hand into giving Fois some confidence. Kyaa couldn't find the elk, and I want Fois to succeed in doing so. Kyaa is a man who doesn't take blows to his ego very well. You wanted a fight, and you're going to get one... and then some