10th Winter, 513 AV
The path was slippery with the passage of people and the sun reflected off the ice brilliantly. The menagerie was bustling with activity; dogs, cats and sheep paced openly on the path watched by their owners out of the corner of their eyes. "This is a special kind of hell...ten hours standing here waiting for you..." One woman whispered across the counter to the grinning man on the other side. At the end of the path were several stalls with horses and elk for sale. Buyers stood around hands running over legs checking for soundness and picking up hooves checking for tameness.
The bustle of activity was unprecedented all winter, all due to the creature in one of the stalls. A large bull elk, smoke puffing from his nostrils as he snorted warily at the customers. It was unusual that such a prime breeding stud was up for sale. He pawed at the ground impatiently, having likely never been penned in his life.
The crowd whispered to each other speculating about why such a creature was for sale. "Do you think a nicer looking boy was born?" asked a Frostfawn teen gazing up at Lusina curiously. Several store owners had left their shops unattended to see the bull, others blatantly ignored the bull tending to their animals and hawking a nice hunting dog or mouser.
One woman walked away from a shop cupping a tiny orange kitten in her palms. Her weathered fingers stroking the ears tenderly as if she had finally found her most cherished friend. Nose touched nose and childish giggle whispered past the woman's pale lips.
A hunter slid from another shop a team of dogs at the ends of their leashes gruffing and howling giddily when their coats hit the sunshine. Frowning, the hunter gathered them under his control before tying them up to the post outside the shop. "Behave boys," He ordered. Like most hunters he was gruff, and of few words. He walked through the door his stride bred into him from a young age, careful and firm.
A single Icewatch member slipped through the crowd quietly his band uncharacteristically in his pocket. He moved with a carefree swagger whistling at the sun as he strode reaching down to scruff the happy heads of the dogs the hunter had left out before carrying into the crowd that gazed at the impressive bull.
Even Jedara had ventured from her melancholy to speak with various Vantha. They wished her good will and healthy times which produced a forced smile in response.
The bulls breath brushed across the mans face, hot and wet. His deep brown eyes and long eyelashes blinked slowly at the man. Despite the anxiety with which the creature paced his movements were characteristically slow and tempered assessing the situation. People jumbled Kavak back and forth in their effort to get close to bull.
Lusina moved through the crowd easily with the young girl at her side until she stood beside Kavak gazing at the bull critically. "What do you see chickita?" She asked the girl. "Well...it's a male obviously. The horns tell you THAT!" The posh girl responded. "Females can't have horns?" The girl paused looking up at Lusina and shook her head slowly, "I-I don't think so?"
Lusina turned to Kavak smiling, "What about you? What do you see?" She asked. Lusina was a teacher at heart and even strangers could manage to get a passing lesson from her in a crowd if they played their cards right.
The old woman almost bumped into the young girl, her focus so intent on the tiny kitten. "Oh hello dear, I'm so sorry." She murmured, before her attention was back on the critter and she was walking past the Vantha. Everyone moved about her as if she didn't exist, treated like a child ruffian.
All teenagers were stared at with skepticism since the vandalism. Every season more and more children had gotten up to chaos. In response the elders and adults of Avanthal had begun ignoring their presence unless it was forced upon them.
Spirit had a reputation among the Vantha so despite the reputation of children her age she was acknowledged by the Vantha. All teenagers were stared at with skepticism since the vandalism. Every season more and more children had gotten up to chaos. In response the elders and adults of Avanthal had begun ignoring their presence unless it was forced upon them.
From the doorway of her shop Reikanni stared and catching the young Vantha's eye frowned at her before disappearing into her shop. Usually one of the most chatty and friendly of the Vantha she also had the most romanticized view of animals treating them as friends as opposed to work animals.
Reikanni returned from the doorway. Her shop door was split in two so the bottom would be closed keeping her animals indoors but opening the top to encourage air flow when it got too stuffy. The sunshine and relatively warm day had the windows uncovered and the door half open. Cats and rabbits lay in the warm beams of light, heat magnified by the glass.
A black rabbit mother hopped out from under a high legged trunk to nibble on some food before scampering back under the shelter, "she has babies," Reikanni informed Skidril. "What did you say you were here for again? Are you here to claim one of the dogs turned in lost? We always have dogs turning up lost and hurt around here. Everyone knows I will take them in without question. But it is getting a little ridiculous you know?" She rambled walking toward the door that held back the woofs. Opening it a flurry of 5 dogs almost trampled Skidril and Reikanni in their excitement for the food at the other end of the room.
Farrens shop was distinct and hidden behind others. He was the respected outsider of the menagerie. He didn't breed his stock like the others did but rather collected it from the wastes. A large fire burned at one end of the shop, a large polar bear curled up before it his massive claws surrounding the little black bear nestled into his chest.
Watching Kenna enter wordlessly Farren returned to the book before him watching her over the top. Lots came simply to see his wares but plenty got too curious and needed to be shoed out. Exchanges with many of his clients were quiet affairs. The animals asked for were often asked by hunters looking for something mightier than a hunting dog or the Icewatch kelvics looking for a pet longer than a claw and less yippy than a dog.
A man entered behind the woman immediately moving to the desk. One eye on Kenna Farren smiled slightly at the man. Covered in heavy hunting furs only his wind reddened cheeks and eyes showed, though even they smiled.
Note: Min. Response is 3 paragraphs.
The path was slippery with the passage of people and the sun reflected off the ice brilliantly. The menagerie was bustling with activity; dogs, cats and sheep paced openly on the path watched by their owners out of the corner of their eyes. "This is a special kind of hell...ten hours standing here waiting for you..." One woman whispered across the counter to the grinning man on the other side. At the end of the path were several stalls with horses and elk for sale. Buyers stood around hands running over legs checking for soundness and picking up hooves checking for tameness.
The bustle of activity was unprecedented all winter, all due to the creature in one of the stalls. A large bull elk, smoke puffing from his nostrils as he snorted warily at the customers. It was unusual that such a prime breeding stud was up for sale. He pawed at the ground impatiently, having likely never been penned in his life.
The crowd whispered to each other speculating about why such a creature was for sale. "Do you think a nicer looking boy was born?" asked a Frostfawn teen gazing up at Lusina curiously. Several store owners had left their shops unattended to see the bull, others blatantly ignored the bull tending to their animals and hawking a nice hunting dog or mouser.
One woman walked away from a shop cupping a tiny orange kitten in her palms. Her weathered fingers stroking the ears tenderly as if she had finally found her most cherished friend. Nose touched nose and childish giggle whispered past the woman's pale lips.
A hunter slid from another shop a team of dogs at the ends of their leashes gruffing and howling giddily when their coats hit the sunshine. Frowning, the hunter gathered them under his control before tying them up to the post outside the shop. "Behave boys," He ordered. Like most hunters he was gruff, and of few words. He walked through the door his stride bred into him from a young age, careful and firm.
A single Icewatch member slipped through the crowd quietly his band uncharacteristically in his pocket. He moved with a carefree swagger whistling at the sun as he strode reaching down to scruff the happy heads of the dogs the hunter had left out before carrying into the crowd that gazed at the impressive bull.
Even Jedara had ventured from her melancholy to speak with various Vantha. They wished her good will and healthy times which produced a forced smile in response.
Kavak:
The bulls breath brushed across the mans face, hot and wet. His deep brown eyes and long eyelashes blinked slowly at the man. Despite the anxiety with which the creature paced his movements were characteristically slow and tempered assessing the situation. People jumbled Kavak back and forth in their effort to get close to bull.
Lusina moved through the crowd easily with the young girl at her side until she stood beside Kavak gazing at the bull critically. "What do you see chickita?" She asked the girl. "Well...it's a male obviously. The horns tell you THAT!" The posh girl responded. "Females can't have horns?" The girl paused looking up at Lusina and shook her head slowly, "I-I don't think so?"
Lusina turned to Kavak smiling, "What about you? What do you see?" She asked. Lusina was a teacher at heart and even strangers could manage to get a passing lesson from her in a crowd if they played their cards right.
Snowdrop:
The old woman almost bumped into the young girl, her focus so intent on the tiny kitten. "Oh hello dear, I'm so sorry." She murmured, before her attention was back on the critter and she was walking past the Vantha. Everyone moved about her as if she didn't exist, treated like a child ruffian.
All teenagers were stared at with skepticism since the vandalism. Every season more and more children had gotten up to chaos. In response the elders and adults of Avanthal had begun ignoring their presence unless it was forced upon them.
Spirit:
Spirit had a reputation among the Vantha so despite the reputation of children her age she was acknowledged by the Vantha. All teenagers were stared at with skepticism since the vandalism. Every season more and more children had gotten up to chaos. In response the elders and adults of Avanthal had begun ignoring their presence unless it was forced upon them.
From the doorway of her shop Reikanni stared and catching the young Vantha's eye frowned at her before disappearing into her shop. Usually one of the most chatty and friendly of the Vantha she also had the most romanticized view of animals treating them as friends as opposed to work animals.
Skidril:
Reikanni returned from the doorway. Her shop door was split in two so the bottom would be closed keeping her animals indoors but opening the top to encourage air flow when it got too stuffy. The sunshine and relatively warm day had the windows uncovered and the door half open. Cats and rabbits lay in the warm beams of light, heat magnified by the glass.
A black rabbit mother hopped out from under a high legged trunk to nibble on some food before scampering back under the shelter, "she has babies," Reikanni informed Skidril. "What did you say you were here for again? Are you here to claim one of the dogs turned in lost? We always have dogs turning up lost and hurt around here. Everyone knows I will take them in without question. But it is getting a little ridiculous you know?" She rambled walking toward the door that held back the woofs. Opening it a flurry of 5 dogs almost trampled Skidril and Reikanni in their excitement for the food at the other end of the room.
Kenna:
Farrens shop was distinct and hidden behind others. He was the respected outsider of the menagerie. He didn't breed his stock like the others did but rather collected it from the wastes. A large fire burned at one end of the shop, a large polar bear curled up before it his massive claws surrounding the little black bear nestled into his chest.
Watching Kenna enter wordlessly Farren returned to the book before him watching her over the top. Lots came simply to see his wares but plenty got too curious and needed to be shoed out. Exchanges with many of his clients were quiet affairs. The animals asked for were often asked by hunters looking for something mightier than a hunting dog or the Icewatch kelvics looking for a pet longer than a claw and less yippy than a dog.
A man entered behind the woman immediately moving to the desk. One eye on Kenna Farren smiled slightly at the man. Covered in heavy hunting furs only his wind reddened cheeks and eyes showed, though even they smiled.
Note: Min. Response is 3 paragraphs.
Reikanni seemed taken by Skidril, at least. I thought I'd get right to it, as well XD
