Out Hunting Animals (Job Thread)

by **Liarra Frostfawn** on August 16th, 2013, 4:16 pm

78th day of Summer, 513 AV

Today was the start of an exciting day for Liarra. It was the first time since much earlier in Summer that she was getting to go out with a group of hunters to take notes on the animals in the Wastes. The rest of the Summer season Liarra had spent indoors. Being the most junior member of the wildlife managers, Liarra had grown accustomed to getting the safer work. At least, that was the mantra she frequently repeated to herself.

She would have rather been going into the Reaches instead of the Wastes as that was where her precious snow foxes were. However, Liarra was just pleased to have some field work to do. The hunters' plans for the day were checking rabbit snares, along with a Waste walrus or two. It was to be a large party; roughly fifteen hunters and Liarra herself.

Her duties for the day were simple: catalog the number, sex, and estimated age of any rabbits seen roaming free or in snares, to keep an eye out for frost hawks and roosts close to Avanthal as well as catalog any she saw, and to do the same for the the walruses killed by the hunters. As she was scheduled to be the only wildlife manager on this hunting trip, Liarra had been emphatically told to stay with the hunters at all times. She was not to get close to any live animal, period, but would be allowed to inspect the carcass once it had been safely retrieved by the party.

Those restrictions didn't bother Liarra too much. Even being able to observe from afar was beneficial. Also, from the safety of the sleds she could work on sketches of the animals she saw in her work journal. Good sketches could be just as informative as raw data. She would also be able to have in depth conversations with some of the hunters, gathering data off of them.

Courtesy of Thayer

by **Liarra Frostfawn** on August 31st, 2013, 8:45 pm

Liarra continued to get ready for the day. She finished braiding her hair, and pulled it up into a bun and secured it in place. A mental checklist ran through Liarra's head.

Hair done, clothes on, boots on, need to pick up journal from the research center, need charcoal, cloak and gloves! Her eyes scanned her small room for where she had left her sticks of charcoal. As often as she used the charcoal, the individual sticks had a tendency to move around the room. Mostly because Liarra hardly ever set them down in the same place twice. Today, the charcoal had rolled off her small table and had been hidden underneath it. In a hurry she picked them up and then dashed out into the common room.

"Good morning darling!" Mama and Papa were getting ready for their day as well.

Liarra greeted her mother with a large hug, and then asked a question she had been dreading. "Can I borrow your old cloak and gloves?" She hated borrowing things from Mama. It made her feel far too dependent on her parents for a young woman of her age. At eighteen, Liarra was very much an adult, yet she was reduced to begging in order to keep herself warm on long days spent outside. Her current clothes were far too simple to keep her warm for an occasion such as today, even with a mark from Morwen. After all, it didn't make the Vantha impervious to the cold.

All Summer long Liarra had been planning on buying a whole new set of clothes for herself. Good, warm clothes that wouldn't leave her exposed to the elements. From pants to shirts to boots and a cloak, Liarra had planned it all out. She saved as much as she could, and it was looking like Fall would be when she could go on her shopping spree. Then, at long last, Liarra wouldn't need to borrow clothing from her parents. One further step toward being an independent woman.

"Of course you can, darling." Mama said sweetly. Hardly ever did she turn her youngest daughter down.

Liarra gave her Mama a kiss as thanks and turned toward her father. There was a slight scowl on his face, for he had had several talks with his daughter in the past about needing to have things of her own. She tentatively walked over to him, unsure if Papa would give her a stern reminder about buying her own things. Instead, he opened his arms up for a hug, which Liarra happily gave him.

Papa kissed the top of her head, and whispered so Mama couldn't overhear. "Don't forget what we've talked about."

"I won't, Papa." Liarra was relieved to escape a lecture. She hadn't yet told her parents of her plans because she wanted to surprise them. Pulling away from Papa's bear hug, Liarra went to the chest in the common room where the spare, older clothes were kept. There was more than just a cloak and pair of gloves that she could borrow, but Liarra's pride kept her to just the bare minimum. Gloves to keep her hands warm so she could write and draw, and a cloak to keep her body over all warmer. By the time she got home, Liarra would still be feeling rather cold and looking forward to warming up in the pleasantly warm interior of the arvinta.

With the gloves on, Liarra gently tucked the charcoal inside them. It wasn't comfortable, but she had to put them somewhere. In a rush the cloak was on, and with a wave goodbye to her parents she made her way outside and toward the research center.

Courtesy of Thayer

by **Liarra Frostfawn** on August 31st, 2013, 11:32 pm

With her work journal in hand Liarra stepped out of Frostfawn Hold's research center. She had been in a hurry to get out of there as several of her colleagues had been in and they were prone to talking. Liarra didn't want to be late for her assignment with the hunters.

It took her some chimes, but with brisk walking Liarra eventually made it to where the hunters were meeting up. She hollered over to them, alerting them to her presence and was greeted with several waves. It was a very familiar scene in the Hold. Dogs barked as they were hitched to their sleds, men talking and laughing as they got their things in order for the day.

"Glad you could join us, Liarra!" One of the hunters said as he slapped Liarra on the back. "You'll be riding in my sled today. Come on, let's get you a spear."

Liarra followed the older man to his sled. Ideally, she would have no need for a spear, but it was best to have one at hand should the need arise. She had yet to be in a situation where she needed to defend herself, and for that Liarra knew she was lucky. A spear was another item on her purchase list. Like with everything else, she wanted to have a good one of her own so she would not need to borrow from the hunters. They were gracious enough to accommodate her. Someday, Liarra would even have her own sled and dog team.

The spear she was being lent for the day was in older condition, but still functional. Truthfully, it wouldn't have mattered too much if the weapon was falling apart. It's not like I'm actually good at using a spear. Liarra spent a few chimes warming up with the spear. Her memories floated back to her tenth birthday, when she first learned how to use a spear. She held the spear loosely in her hand as she drew her arm back and then brought it forward in a throwing motion. Though she kept her wrist limp, Liarra did not actually let go of the spear. Now was not the time to see how far it would fly.

Liarra kept repeating the back and forward motion of her right arm as she got the feel of the weapon. Every spear she had been loaned had been a little different. Some were a bit heavier on the tip, some heavier at the end. She eventually found the right spot to hold the spear, closer to the tip. Eventually, Liarra was called over to the sled she would be riding. It was time to go on the hunt.

She climbed into the sled and laid the spear at her side. The hunters had been kind enough to provide a blanket for the sled. Liarra slipped under it and placed her journal in her lap. As the party got under way, dogs barking and men issuing orders to one another and their dogs, she opened up her journal to an ear marked empty page.

Liarra turned her attention to the landscape around her. It wouldn't take them long to reach the rabbit traps, but she still needed to take in the landscape around her. Further and further from the safety of the Hold they got. At the beginning, Liarra's eyes focused on the skyline in search of frost hawks. It was rare for them to get close to the Holds and city, but they did on occasion. Beautiful creatures that they were, the birds of prey were also a large nuisance to her people. Today however, Liarra saw no sign of any hawks close to the Hold. Pulling a stick of charcoal out of its hiding spot in her left glove she began to write a note in her journal.

78th day of Summer, 513 AV:
No frost hawks or nests spotted on journey to rabbit traps.

The note was simple enough, and on their way back home Liarra would be looking for the birds again. It was unlikely she would see any later in the day, but it was her duty to be on the look out. The hunters she was with today were not equipped to catch the large birds and so any sight of them had to be reported promptly to her colleagues.

The party reached the rabbit traps in due time and the sleds came to a slow stop. The dogs panted heavily from the run, their breath fogging up around their muzzles in the cold morning. Liarra pulled the blanket and her mother's cloak closer as she felt the chill of the day. The men dismounted from their sleds and while a few of them stayed behind to tend to the dogs and guard the sleds the rest went over to the traps.

This was the part Liarra hated the most. Sitting and waiting. As she was not allowed to leave the sleds her only option was to stay where she was. Still, it gave her time to take in the area of the traps and observe any animals that might be nearby. Sadly, it was looking as though it would be an uneventful day. There was not even a twitch of a rabbit ear in the distance away from the traps and hunters.

Charcoal in hand Liarra began to doodle in her journal after making a note of the lack of activity in the area. She started with the ears of a snow hare. Focused entirely on a single ear Liarra tried to get the shape just right. Long, elongated, and ending in a point. Liarra was frowning at her doodle - the ear looked too fat - when a hunter came up to her with a large rabbit in hand.

"Here you go, little lady! First catch of the day!"

Liarra looked up at him as he gently tossed it into her lap. He winked at her, and she smiled tentatively before he walked back to join his comrades at the traps. She set her journal aside for a moment so she could inspect the hare in her lap. It was dead, as expected, and had been for several bells at least based on the lack of warmth Liarra felt through her gloves. The animal wasn't frigid, and she could move the appendages with minimal effort, so it hadn't been dead long enough to freeze. Holding the rabbit in her hands Liarra estimated its weight at around five to six pounds. It appeared to be over a foot long in length, which led Liarra to believe it was still a youngster, no more than a year old at most. With that information in mind, she placed the rabbit onto her lap and grabbed her journal.

Talderan Snow Hare Specimen 1:
3-4 seasons old
5-6 pounds
1 1/2 feet long
No distinguishable marks

Once more she placed the journal to the side and turned her attention back to the carcass of the hare. Now she had to try and determine its sex. Liarra didn't have a large amount of experience in this, but she had seen it done many times and had performed the act a few times on her own. Today, there was no one overseeing her to make sure she got it right. Her mind shifted to a memory of one of her lessons on how to sex a hare.

She turned the animal over onto its back and made sure the hind legs were spread. What she was looking for was the vent, the area where the genitals were kept. Since the hare was dead, and because of the cold, if it were a male the testicles would be very close to the body and difficult to find. It would be easier to simply check the vent than search through the fur for what essentially mounted to two small pebbles.

With her gloved fingers, Liarra spread the fur near the area of the vent. Once it was clearly within her view, she lightly pressed down on the area to make the genitals appear. What came out from the vent was a triangular shape; evidence of a female. Liarra signaled a hunter over so he could take the carcass. She thanked him as she turned back to her journal and added the determined sex to the notes.

As she was writing two more hares were brought to her. Liarra repeated the process with each animal. She held them in her hands to estimate their weight and size. Then each one was turned over for the vent to be examined. The entire process took her no more than a few chimes. After examining each carcass Liarra made notes in her journal.

Talderan Snow Hare Specimen 2:
2 years of age
3 feet in length
10-12 pounds
Male
No distinguishable marks

Talderan Snow Hare Specimen 3:
1 year old
2 feet in length
7-8 pounds
Male
No distinguishable marks

Only one other rabbit was brought to Liarra, making a total of four for the day. The hunters started to prepare to get underway again as Liarra inspected the last hare. When she had finished, another hunter took the carcass away, and soon they were on the move again.

Liarra made the last of her notes in her journal as the sleds raced to find a walrus to take home.

Talderan Snow Hare Specimen 4
2 years of age
3 feet in length
11 pounds
Female
No distinguishable marks

Inspecting and recording the hares hadn't been exciting, but Liarra didn't do this job for thrills. It was her duty, her mission, her passion, to look out for the animals. Any little bit of information helped. More importantly, Liarra was satisfied that she had done an all right job sexing the hares. The genitals weren't that hard to differentiate, but Liarra was prone to second guessing herself.

Don't worry. You got it right. You got it right. The last one was definitely female, not male. She reminded herself as the sleds cut through the Wastes.

It was a long trip to find the walruses. As the bells passed Liarra went back to sketching in her journal, looking up periodically at the landscape. The white world around her was strikingly beautiful and pure, but empty of clear signs of life. Liarra slowly worked on more sketches of rabbit ears. The piece of charcoal she had been using was well worn down when she finally felt satisfied with a pair of ears. Out of four pairs, and various attempts at individual ears, only one met Liarra's expectations. The good pair were long, slender, and came to a nice point. The rest were all smudged from where she had tried to correct little mistakes. Many were lopsided, too skinny, or too fat.

Just as she decided to try a rabbit's nose, the sleds began to slow into a stop. Liarra looked up, and in the distance saw the walruses. There was a large number of them; they seemed to go on forever. Yet, they were spread out, not tightly grouped together. It would be difficult, but it was very likely that the hunters would manage to get a walrus today.

Once they had come to a complete stop, Liarra stepped out of the sled she had been riding in. Though she wasn't allowed to go far, she was allowed to stretch her legs. It had taken them several bells to get to their current location and Liarra really needed to stretch her legs after sitting for so long. She grabbed her borrowed spear, both for protection and for balance. Her legs were a little wobbly, but would be fine after a little movement.

The hunters were discussing their plans for killing a walrus. Liarra listened in intently as orders were given out. This time only two men were left behind to guard the sleds and Liarra. Every man would be needed for this part of the hunt.

Courtesy of Thayer

by **Liarra Frostfawn** on September 1st, 2013, 2:05 am

Thirteen hunters gathered their weapons and other equipment and began to make their way closer to the walruses. Silently Liarra issued a prayer to Morwen for the safe return of the men. Waste walruses were dangerous creatures, and not just because of their giant tusks. The beasts were not afraid to defend themselves, and their large size left Vantha at a disadvantage.

With all the risk involved, walruses were practically worth their weight in gold mizas. The tusks alone could fetch a hefty price, and if the men were able to get a kill today their pockets were bound to be heavy by days end. Liarra watched the party of hunters with the remaining two men and stuck close to the dogs. They were far away enough from the walruses that it was highly unlikely one would wander close to them. But there were still dangers out in the Wastes.

Liarra shivered, and not just because of the cold. The Wastes were as deadly as they were beautiful.

The hunters had singled out a walrus as their target. Even from their distance, Liarra estimated it was likely a female based on the smaller size. She couldn't make out the hand signals and other commands the hunters used, but nothing could hide the roar of the walrus when a spear pierced its hide. The cry reverberated across the open and desolate tundra. It was full of fury and pain.

Once more Liarra whispered a prayer to Morwen.

"Bless this creature, for all it will provide your children this day, and days to come."

Now that the attack was on, Liarra could hear the yells of the hunters. The need for stealth and silence was over, and they needed to hear one another over the roars of the walrus. Finally, when Liarra could see at least five spears sticking out from the beast, it let out one final cry. The mournful cry lingered in the air several chimes before fading away.

Quickly the hunters prepared the carcass to be brought back to the sleds. Using ropes they had brought with them, the men slowly, very slowly, managed to pull the heavy walrus. Meanwhile Liarra had grabbed her journal again and began to take notes on the hunt. She wrote down how many spears she estimated it took to bring the creature down, how much it might weigh based on how many men were pulling the carcass along. She pondered on why the beast had been so isolated from the others. Youth, sickness, or something else? Liarra was unsure she would ever truly know.

When the hunters made it back to the sleds they were greeted with drink and jerky along with heavy praise and laughter. Congratulations were shared among them all for such a prosperous day. Four rabbits and a walrus. As the thirteen men chewed on their jerky, the two that had remained behind began to lash four of the sleds together. Walruses were such large creatures that multiple dog teams at once would be needed to bring the carcass home.

Liarra went up to the carcass, journal and charcoal in hand. The five spears were still embedded into the flesh, but there was evidence of other punctures from spears. The beast also had several older wounds that had scarred up over time. Even with the scars Liarra determined that it was a younger animal that had likely not reached maturity yet. Three years old, perhaps four at the most. She was certain it was female based on its size, and estimated the weight at slightly over a thousand pounds.

As she wrote in her journal Liarra periodically had to stop, turn away from the carcass, and cover her nose. The beast stank of sea salt, dead fish, rotten seaweed and old urine. It made her stomach churn a bit, but Liarra ignored that sensation as best she could.

When she finished cataloging the walrus Liarra turned her attention to the large herd. Even at a distance she could muster a rough count of how many there were. She counted to herself while the hunters began to load the carcass onto the sleds. Eventually, Liarra concluded that there were roughly 150 walruses within sight. It was certainly not an accurate count, merely an estimate, especially since it was the start of the mating season. There could easily be tens of pairs out in the water mating.

Liarra returned to her sled and brought a strip of jerky with her. She climbed in under the blanket, tucking her journal under it as well, along with putting the nub of charcoal into her left glove. Eventually the walrus was tightly secured, and the party began the long journey back to the Hold. It was bound to take them longer to get back with all the extra weight from the walrus. The dogs would be well rewarded for their hard work.

Huddled up underneath the blanket Liarra did her best to keep warm. Her face had been getting a little cold, and she pulled the hood of her mother's old cloak close around her face. Still, she kept an eye on the landscape, just in case. The trip back home, though slow, was uneventful with no sign of frost hawks too close to the Hold.

Once the party had reached the safety of Frostfawn Hold, Liarra graciously thanked the hunters for allowing her to accompany them. She was rewarded with more pats on the back and several winks. After returning the borrowed spear to her sled driver Liarra made her way back to the research center to drop off her journal. Tomorrow she would go over it with her colleagues. It had been a very long day, and everyone had already left for home.

It was now Liarra's time to get to go back home. She was looking forward to getting back to the cozy warmth and sharing the news of her day with her family.

Courtesy of Thayer

by **Lullaby** on October 6th, 2013, 5:16 pm

Here is your reward!

Liarra Frostfawn :

A quiet song to soothe the heart

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.

Solo Out Hunting Animals (Job Thread)