Open Still Water Tide

[Flyaway]

48th Winter, 513AV

Valydor Scarlet shifted on the tips of his toes, anxious to enter the narrow cavern that stand before him, whispering promises of adventure, mystery, but most of all, fish. And he wasn't the only Symenestra anxious to locate the crystal lake. Most of the regulars from the Sickle and Arrow paced about dully, exchanging occasional looks, and far less occasional words with each other.

"They had better be here soon," He said quietly to Saara, who was fiddling with a hooked fishing arrow.

"Be calm, someone will come," She replied, quivering the arrow and leaning against the stone entrance to the depths. Saara had been spreading word through Kalinor of the fishing journey in response to the city's food shortage in hopes of feeding a few hungry mouths, and felt it would be a shame to see all her hard work go to waste.

"I've never navigated these tunnels before," Dra-ina said quietly, unsurprised when she did not receive a response. "You know the way, Dovnador?"

Valydor nodded quietly in response, and looked to Saara.

"The lake is not far. Last I visited was admittedly many years ago....But its no matter. It was alight with fish before, and that fact should stand to this day."

[Sayani]

Sayani adjusted the quiver filled with fishing arrows in her back, while she walked to the meeting point. The Symenestra had heard rumors from a rather noisy doctor at the Purge that there would be a group that would go fishing. Sayani was a doctor, but she knew how to hunt, and the scarce food was also worrying her. Fishing seemed like a great idea, and, while she would prefer to do so alone, going with a group would make it much more effective, and effectiveness was what Kalinor needed.

She reached the entrance of the cavern, looking at the small group of three that were already there. Sayani recognized them, as regulars of the Sickle and Arrow. She used to go there a lot when she was younger, impressed by the hunters trophies, and always ready to listen to their stories. Now, her visits were more limited.

The Symenestra approached the others, nodding in a small greeting, and stood there, waiting, while trying to remember if she knew their names. Valydor Scarlet was a face she knew well, as she had listened to his stories and talked with the hunter once or twice. There was a half-blood also, Ina Vine, a name and a face easy to remember, specially because she was the few ones half-bloods tolerated by other Symenestra. Sayani didn't know the other woman's name, though. She knew her, of course, as a hunter that always seemed to brag about her achievements, but truly, the Symenestra had never felt really interested in listening.

"Will someone else come?" she asked, to no one in particular. Sayani hoped the group would be bigger than four. She could see why a fishing wouldn't seem like the most exciting activity, as she didn't like to fish either, but Kalinor needed food, and if the lake had something to offer, they should take it.

[Flyaway]

Saara replied to Sayani's small greeting with a dismissive chortle, to which Ina rolled her eyes.

"I don't think so, Krova," Valydor muttered with dismay. Looks like the small group would stay a small group. Although the trip would not be a waste, this was a skill he could have shared with many webs. It was of no matter to him. Let them go hungry.

"Are we ready all ready?" He said, raising his voice a little.

"Lead the way," Chimed Saara dully.

Without further delay, The group set off into the tunnels.

The tunnels were twisting and expansive, and doubt began to build in Saara's mind that they were going the right way. And to deepen her concern, the old hunter paused several times and closed his eyes in an attempt to regain the memory of the correct path.

"Don't get us lost down here, old man," She sneered at another pause. They had been walking for nearly an hour and the tunnel they were traversing was about to take a harsh upward curve. They would have to climb to continue on.

"I know the way, Bitta," He barked as he placed his hands on either side of the cavern wall, preparing to scale its stone face. "Climb after the Dra, in case she needs your help. You're in shape to climb Krova?" He inquired, tilting his head towards Sayani.

[Sayani]

There wasn't anyone else coming, then. Sayani almost snorted at it, but managed to keep quiet. Really, what was everyone thinking? At least the hunters should have known how difficult things were being on the surface, with the harsh weather and the small amount of animals to hunt. The smartest thing to do would grab any opportunity for food that appeared.

Sayani nodded as an answer to the question as whatever they were ready or not, and followed Valydor into the tunnel. At first, it seemed like he knew where they were going, but then, the hunter began to show sighs of doubt, or at least hesitation, as if trying to remember if they were on the right path. Sayani's grip on her bow tightened, but she said nothing. To pick up a fight without need would achieve nothing, and would be incredible troublesome. However, if Valydor didn't knew the way, why was he leading? The Symenestra trusted his abilities, though, and hoped that the man would be able to guide them.

After a bell or so, Saara voiced the concern she also shared, on a rather unpleasant tone, though. However, Valydor answered he knew the way, and so, Sayani relaxed. The tunnel raised, and the Symenestra looked up. They would climb. Not that she minded.

"Yes." Sayani answered simply to the older hunter question, adjusting her bow in her back, so her hands would be free.

[Flyaway]

And upwards they climbed for what seemed like an eternity. The higher they scaled, the more twisting and narrow the cavern became, until the old Symenestra had to turn his head sideways to clear the tunnel.

"Only a little further to go," He said as sweat dripped from his pale skin into the twisting depths bellow.

"I'm sorry Dovna, but I can't go on much longer," Ina said through heavy breath.

As they crested the cavern's mouth the group was greeted with the dim glow of turquois opalgloams beneath clear water. The silver shimmer of large lake trout shone in flickers across the caver's high ceiling, and an underground waterfall could be heard somewhere in the distance. Valydor wipped his brow heavily against his forearm and took a seat on a large stone near the lake's shore.

"Needless to say we're here," he said as he caught his breath.

The cavern itself was humid and moist, damp with the smell of fresh berries, growing from small pale bushes surrounding the lake, fed only by the light of opalgloms. The fish darted about quickly and in places in the cavern's ceiling, the shimmer reflected the eyes of large fruit bats, glaring at the group from high shadows. from places within the lake, water swirled slowly, likely draining off somewhere beneath to supply another lake within the intricate tunnels. The trout were so abundant that they nearly darted into each other as they struggled to devour small insects idling the water's surface.

Saara wasted no time stripping to her lower silk wrapping in the humid air and tying her silver hair back from her face in a tight bun, before slinging her bow over her shoulder and strapping her quiver low on her back.

The other hunters followed suit, and were soon wadding slowly into the water, careful not to scare the trout. All but Valydor, who circled around the surprisingly vast lake to fish another section from atop a large stalactite. He waved his hand to motion for them to begin without him.

[Sayani]

The vertical tunnel was long, and Sayani panted, not used to climbing during so much time. The others were having some difficult too, and Ina sounded like she wouldn't be able to endure much longer. Neither would Sayani, but she kept quiet.

Finally, they arrived, and Sayani breathed a sigh of relief. Her arms hurt a little, but she would still be able to shoot. Taking the bow out of her shoulder, she secured the weapon in her hand, standing near Valydor as he sat down on a rock. She looked around the dark cave, and at the lake, noticing how many fish were swimming below the surface. It looked like a very good source of food, one that could help Kalinor through the winter, and she was glad she had decided to go. The light from the opalgloams were faint, but good enough for the Symenestra to clearly see the fish. She wasn't sure whatever or not she would be able to catch some, but it was always better to try.

Taking a leather strap she had inside her quiver, Sayani tied her hair in a ponytail. She hated it, but it would be stupid to try to hunt with her hair falling on her face. She mimicked Saara's movement, and was going towards the lake when she saw that Valydor wasn't following them. Instead, the man had circled the lake to go to another section. Sayani frowned, not sure as to why he had gone away from the group.

As she entered the lake, careful and trying to keep the water still as much as possible, she reached for an arrow in her quiver, adjusting it in her bow. Carefully, she drew the string, but didn't shoot. Instead, she watched the others, specially Valydor. Why had he gone to the other side? It was probably nothing, and she was probably overthinking everything again. But it was better to overthink than not to think.

The Symenestra sighed, annoyed at herself, before searching for a fish she could try to shoot.

[Flyaway]

Saara stared into the water's surface and waited several Chimes before the fish began to work their way back towards the group. Sweat beaded on her forehead but she stood still as a stone, watching the silver fish like a wolf, focused and steady. She remained that way until they swirled cautiously past her ankles and darted near Ina, bumping into each other clumsily. Finally, the trout weaved between Sayani's thin legs, darting for a bug that floated near the surface.

Saara saw this as her moment and drew back gently on her bowstring, lifting it softly to aim at a fish near the center of the lake. She took a breath, then relaxed her grip until the arrow flew straight and true, striking the fish in its fat belly. The arrow rose slowly to the surface and splashing could be seen as the creature attempted to dart away frantically on its side, spinning in quick circles before it grew still.

The panic at the lake's center drew the fish closer to the shore, and a greater school of them swam towards the hunters, colliding with one another. Saara turned to Sayani and lifted a brow with a smug grin poking at the corner of her thin lips.

Dra Ina rolled her eyes and shot a nearby trout, hitting it in the gills. The fish mimicked Sarra's kill, and the other fish swam the opposite direction, confusing those still fleeing from the first arrow.

[Sayani]

Her attention turned to a trout that swam between her legs and stopped, only for a moment. She drew the string, strengthening her back. Her eyes focused on the fish, and she knew she could make that shot. Just a little more tension on the string and... Another arrow hit the fish. Sayani pressed her lips tightly, releasing a little her grip on the bow string, her eyes searching for the source of the arrow. It had came from Saara, and now, she was looking at her with a very smug face.

Sayani's irritation from having lost the kill grew at the unspoken challenge, although the Symenestra let her face remain relaxed. She wasn't silly enough to respond to a challenge like that, specially since she knew very well her skill with the bow wasn't great enough so she could just shoot and hope to get something. No, she had to concentrate, and this was only possible if she let go of the annoyance she was feeling.

So she took a deep breath, emptying her mind while Ina shoot a fish, also hitting the target. The remaining trouts in the lake were clearly panicking, bumping into each other and swimming with no fixed direction. But the fact that they were all together meant it would be easy for her to hit something. Drawing the string once more, Sayani turned the arrow towards her target, releasing the string.

The arrow hit a fish in the head, making all the others around it swim in different directions while it grew still. Sayani didn't turn to face Saara, but a smirk was very visible in her lips. The fish she had hit wasn't the one she was aiming to, but the other Symenestra didn't have to know this.

[Flyaway]

Saara looked away with a scowl and went to work sinking arrows through nearby fish. Ina slowly moved closer to sayani, and leaned in to have a word.

"Don't mind her, Sibea," She said with a slight giggle, as she shot for a trout and missed by an inch. "Saara just likes attention. Its best to not appease her."

"Sayani!" Valydor waved to the Symenestra from across the lake enthusiastically. next to him was a pile of at least sixteen trout, and the water before him was red with fish blood. Several arrows stuck from the bloody surface, sunk deep into the skulls of dead fish.

[Sayani]

Sayani readied another arrow on her bow, and aimed for another fish. This time, it was a lone one, and the Symenestra wasn't sure she could get it. She let go of the string, anyway, and, like she had suspected, it missed, by way more than a few inches. She scowled to herself, before trying to relax. She had to concentrate.

However, Ina broke her concentration, moving closer to her. Sayani didn't mind, though, and listened to what she had to say with a smirk on her lips.

"I'll try to remember that." she said, not bothering to hide the amusement in her voice. Yes, that was exactly why she liked Ina over Saara. The halfblood wasn't as skilled as the other woman, but she wasn't arrogant, and Sayani appreciated that. "I couldn't help it, though. I knew I would get that shot and I wanted to see her face." if she could, she would certainly take the other woman challenge, but Sayani knew better than that.

She saw a couple of fish swimming not far away from them, and reached for another arrow, placing it carefully on her bow. With a deep breath, the Symenestra focused on the fish, drawing the string and waiting for the water to calm down. When the fish turned and began to swim towards her and Ina, Sayani released her grip, watching as the arrow went straight to the target, stabbing the fish. When it stopped moving, Sayani lowered her bow, a satisfied smile on her lips. Even if her hunting wasn't very productive, she was always happy to hit something.

Her name made the Symenestra look up, and she saw Valydor wave to her. Sayani couldn't hide her admiration. She knew the hunter was good, and admired him for it, but she was still impressed that he managed to hit so many fish in such a short while.

"You're as good as a hunter as you say, Dovnador." she said. She didn't care to use honorifics, but sometimes, she felt the person deserved it.