Picnic Crashers(Samael, Hyacinth Please)

[Jaeden Kincade]

35th Day of Summer, 510 A.V.

Jaeden stood there just at the edge of the Wildlands, looking over his arrows as he waited for Samael to arrive. It was to be a day of hunting and training, as Sam wished to get a bit more in soon. Jaeden wasn’t exactly sure of his slight sense of urgency, but he didn’t question it either. After all, Sam would likely tell him if he wanted to. Slight aches and pains of a previous misadventure still poked at Jaeden’s awareness when he turned a certain way, but overall he would survive the day.

However Jaeden found himself suddenly stumbling forward as the nudge from Fortunado’s muzzle pressed along his back. “Oof.” Jaeden let out, catching his balance before falling. “What are you, Mr. Shove’n’Stuff? Go roam for a bit if you don’t want to stand idly by. He’ll get here when he get’s here.”

Jaeden then observed Fortunado carefully as he began to trot away, working up speed as he went riding along the open fields. Jaeden slowly lowered his gaze back down to his arrows, checking the condition of each one. A quick gaze was given to the sky, noting the time before he looked back in the direction of Syliras. “I wonder if that boy’s gotten himself a bow yet?” Jaeden said idly before slipping an arrow back into his quiver and reaching for another. “Crap, I think I checked this one already.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Indeed, when Sam came within view, his shortbow was slung to Horse's saddle the way he had been taught by his pavilion long ago. It was a point of good horsemanship as well as knowledge of his bow to place it such that it would hinder his mount the least while being easy to get to should the need arise. He was thinking the need might arise soon, apparently. A quiver of arrows was also slung from the saddle with similar attention to Horse's comfort and range of motion. He was happy for the time off from work at the Windmount Stables, as exercising Horse out in the open was much better to his mind than doing so within the bounds of the Stables. Fresh air was bracing, at least, and everything was purer outside human settlements. "Ho, Jaeden!" he called ahead, a smile already on his face. It was, perhaps, a little older, though, or at least a bit more thoughtful.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden slowly raised his hand to Sam as he approached. “Good morning, Sam.” Jaeden replied, stepping up next to Sam as he rested along Horse. His eyes then peered down to his bow for a moment, tilting his head as he motioned for a look see. If Sam gave him permission, he would then pull the bow free from it’s resting spot, holding it in his hands as he grasp the grip at it’s center and drew back the string, checking the bow’s draw strength. “It’s a good bow. A bit more smaller than what I’m used to using, but still plenty of power behind it. It should serve you well out in the wild.”

Jaeden then handed the bow back to Samael, looking out to the open fields before giving a tout whistle which drew Fortunado back to them both. “This is my ride, Fortunado.” Jaeden said, patting the Nightwalker’s neck as he came up. “Picked him up in Endrykas actually. That was just before meeting a very liberating woman from the Diamond Clan.”

Jaeden then peered back to Sam. “I’m thinking you already know, but just in case, here’s a tip.” Jaeden commented looking up to Sam, resting his hand up along the saddle’s horn of Fortunado for a moment. “Even if you’ve already had sex with her, never, and I mean never, sneak up behind a woman from the Diamond Clan thinking it’ll be a fun game. I paid for that mistake with a broken nose.”

Jaeden then slipped his foot into the stirrup, pulling himself up and swinging his other leg over Fortunado before coming to a comfortable rest in the saddle. “She made me feel better about myself later though, so it was somewhat worth the broken nose.” Jaeden added, smirking slightly as he grasped the reigns lightly. “So, do a little riding down the forest edge before heading into the woods?”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Of course Sam allowed Jaeden access to his bow, the composite shortbow made of wood for flexibility, horn for increased compression, and sinew for increased tension. At least that was how the bowyer had explained it to him. It was also supposedly treated to be waterproof, but Sam wasn't going to risk it. He had already treated the sinew bowstring with beeswax in order to make it more resistant to moisture. If it started raining, of course, he would unstring his bow and wrap it so as not to get it wet. He was going to be relying upon it soon enough. "A shortbow is better for horseback. I'm... going to be spending a lot of time on horseback, so I thought I should switch back to this even though I'm more used to a longbow now. It'll take some getting used to I'm sure." He smiled vaguely at the stories of making babies in Endrykas, holding out his hand just so in order that Fortunado should get his scent and accept him, if only temporarily, as part of Jaeden's herd. "I wouldn't sneak up on any Drykas woman if I were you. Most of them at least know their way around a dagger blade... But it's funny you should've gone to Endrykas. I'm planning to go there soon. I'll have to... Well, anyway, that's what I'm thinking. But yes, let's ride!"

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden gave a small smile, before giving a Fortunado a light kick which sent him into a slow walk, the pace of Fortunado’s speed increasing the further they went down. One of Jaeden’s hand gripped the reigns, the other still gripping the saddle horn to steady himself as he rode. Jaeden slowly leaned forward the faster Fortunado began to ride, his legs gripping the sides of the horse tightly to further steady himself atop of the horse. “Elk are on the move, so we should be able to get a pretty decent bull today.” Jaeden commented idly as he looked to the forest for a moment.

Fortunado then took a small leap, jumping over a fallen branch from the forest that he had failed to spot initially. As he landed, he once again felt the twinge of pain between his legs as groaned slightly. “Ow, ow, ow.” Jaeden grunted. “Still not hitting those landings right.”

Jaeden winced slightly, looking back to Samael as he did so. “Going back to the roots then?” Jaeden inquired as he shifted in his saddle slightly. “Should be a nice change of pace then.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam kept a kindly but critical eye on Jaeden's horseback riding, sure to offer his friend a few tips to help him avoid squashed balls and broken bones in the future. Even if he wasn't getting paid, he liked to pass that along; then the horses didn't suffer unskilled riders so much, also. Anyway, Jaeden was built, so if he wasn't riding correctly, Fortunado was going to have to deal with the weight of all that muscle not flowing properly. "Oh, an elk would be good. I might possibly hit an elk... oops." Horse took the jump with greater ease, mostly because Sam shifted his weight to accommodate the movement. This meant no painful blow to his nethers and no jolt of his weight upon Horse's back. "Doing all right, there?" he asked. "You have to... it's hard to explain. I can show you later if you want. How to move with the horse when it jumps." He smiled a little, not sure what the future held for him in Cyphrus. "Yes, going back, at least for a bit. I think it might be time."

[Jaeden Kincade]

“Good, good.” Jaeden said as he finally turned into the forest. “It’s generally a good idea to revisit the roots at least once.”

Jaeden felt there was more, but he was never one to pry. In the end, he felt if Samael really wanted him to know, he would tell him. Coaxing or forcing secrets from someone generally brought an awkwardness that would eventually lead to less trust. Jaeden felt this to be true, and he wouldn’t be the one to drive that kind of wedge without a good reason.

Fortunado then began to swerve around an in between tress that cam rushing towards them as Jaeden leaned forward again, lowering his head to come even with Fortunado’s own to avoid unnecessary contact with low branches and the like. “The spot I scouted for camp is about a mile up ahead.” Jaeden called out to Sam, raising his voice so he could hear over the thunder of horse hooves. “You can tell me what I’m doing wrong in my jumps when we get there.”

“Two horses now.” Jaeden said, pointing out the obvious. “If we’re lucky, we can bag one Elk each and make some decent profit today.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam was trying not to think too much about going home; there was too much to fear and too little reason to hope. Chances were, he wasn't even Drykas enough for the Drykas anymore. The gods knew he had been a slave or wandering alone longer than he was part of a living pavilion. In any case, he just nodded at the mention of visiting the roots. It would be as it would be, he decided. There was little to do for it but go, and hopefully survive. Horse ran along, and all Sam had to do was listen to Horse's body with his own, and they moved rather like a centaur, one creature rather than two. "I'll be sure to tell you what you're doing wrong," he promised, laughing. "And elk would be lovely. Must save up plenty of rations for the trip to Endrykas, even if they are closer now than they ever will be during the year."

[Jaeden Kincade]

“Well, there’s things to hunt in the Sea of Grass along the way too,” Jaeden replied as he quickly ducked down under a low riding branch. “Yeesh, whattya trying to do Fortunado, knock me off?”

Jaeden grumbled as Fortunado gave a simple gruff. “Anyways, avoid the Glassbeaks I’d say, but if you find a stray Olidosapux, especially a young one. You can attempt at taking it down.” Jaeden suggested as he slowly looked back at Sam. “Just be aware, they’re really, really big, so it may take a few well placed arrows. And I’d suggest armor piercing arrows to get through their hides as well. Bring in a good amount of meat and their horns from one of them, and their hunters will at least be impressed.”

Jaeden then looked forward once again, pulling back on Fortunado’s reigns slightly as he began to slow him down. It wasn’t long before Jaeden stopped at a small clearing in the forest as Fortunado gave out long gruff exhales. Jaeden leaned forward, laying his head along the back of Fortunado’s neck for a moment giving him soft pats along the side. “Good run buddy.” Jaeden said before slowly sliding down off of the Nightwalker, exhaling a bit of a grain as small aches and pains from previous misadventure made themselves aware after the hard ride. Jaeden looked up to Fortunado as the horse looked at him, still gruffing out. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m still good to go.”

Jaeden then began stripping the gear from Fortunado’s back, laying it along the ground nearby. He eventually pulled off the bit, bridal and saddle from Fortunado, laying it along the ground as well as he laid his hands along his knees, taking a couple of deep breaths before a slow rub was given to his stomach and a slight wince in his face expressed. He rooted around through one of his bags, soon pulling out a bag of feed, giving Fortunado his just desserts for a good ride.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam laughed. "There's plenty to be hunting you in the Sea of Grass, too. Glassbeaks and snarlwings and yukmen, oh my! Well, anyway, I met this Akalak fellow who wants to go back to Riverfall, so we're going to go at least to Endrykas together before he continues on. And I met a kelvic wolf out in the Bronze Wood... He lives alone and from what I understand, kelvics don't really thrive alone... So I thought I would go find him and see if he wants to come too. He helped me take down a bear when I was hunting. Strength in numbers, you know?" He might have asked Jaeden himself, if the man hadn't only recently been off in Cyphrus. Horse kept pace with Fortunado without much effort on Sam's part. The pressure of his legs was all that Horse usually required for guidance, and even the simple cavesson was mostly for show. There was no metal bit to bite into his mouth. Once arrived, he slid out of Horse's saddle and began to get him comfortable, too. The saddle went on a fallen log for the time being, and though the ride had been short, he gave him a quick once over with a curry comb. The windrunner was getting a bit spoiled at the Windmount Stables, but Sam didn't mind taking good care of him. It was really a matter of course. "So what is our plan?"