Closed Out of the Ordinary Way

[Khida]

Winter 39, 514 AV
early morning

Khida made her way into the tent city perhaps a bell after dawn, a single ferret carcass to show for her morning's round of the traps. A weak showing to be sure, small and gamey as the little predators were wont to be; it was nothing she cared to eat, nor even to offer for her bondmate's consideration. But the Drykas took in nearly everything, and found a way to put it to use; whatever her trap did snare, someone would value, and nothing went unappreciated. So it was that she trudged half the breadth of the city to deliver a single winter ferret carcass.

Today, the sprawl of tents was nearly as large as she had ever seen it to be -- not quite so large as before the summer of the Zith attacks, and yet more pavilions had fallen with the past year's drought. But it was still a singularly lively, rambunctious, colorful clutter; one she would be pleased to quit herself of once this errand was completed.

By comparison, the Kelvic herself was a plebeian sight -- wrap-shirt of felt in its natural tannish hue, dark brown trousers, drab grayish-green cloak, dark hair loose to her shoulders. The only true color she bore was a red sash over her hips, its worn edge peeking from under the hem of her shirt as she moved. She neither rode, which left her to trail in the dust of high-spirited youths racing down the corridors between tents, nor even led a horse, or was followed by one, as others among the Drykas might sometimes be. Yet, as she arrived at Hunter's Allegiance, she mirrored the greeting of Zethar with easy fluidity, as he cast that gesture towards her around the shoulder of a man she did not know.

Khida did not disrupt their discussion, but turned to another to address her own business. The transaction between them was as short and simple as any regular exchange should be, leaving the Kelvic lighter of tangible burden but heavier of thought -- not because she had come out any worse in the bargain, but because she had to come so far for such a trivial exchange. But... kills didn't keep, not for long, not even in the cooler winter of the plains. It was come now or let it go to waste -- or eat the thing themselves, and Khida was not now driven to that resort.

Her musings, and her casual exit from the pavilion, were cut short by a familiar voice rising above the background din. "Khida! Do not go yet!" he called, enunciating his Pavi with some care for the Kelvic's lack of fluency. "I have a job for you, you and this man here."

She paused at the sound of her name, paused to consider Zethar and the man with him, her manner considering and cautious. He -- Zethar -- seemed to like putting people together, or maybe just putting people together with her; even at their very first meeting, he had done so. Khida didn't mind, exactly... but she thought it strange. As was this man, this tall Drykas with the scar on his face. The Kelvic studied him for a few moments, and also the manner of the man who sought to throw them together. Finally, she walked forward, coming to within arm's reach and easy conversational distance. Maybe. Task is? she asked in Sign, reflexive as that had become despite her limited vocabulary.

Common | Pavi | someone else

[Lian Windrunner]

There was a definite chill in the air this morning. Lian felt it even from within the confines of his tent. It was likely to be even colder out in the Sea of Grass. But cold or not, he would still need to go out hunting. Perhaps the chill in the air would make the animals sluggish, and it would be easier to take his prey down. The thought was a foolish one, but it amused Lian as he gathered his gear. While doing so, he took a few ticks to examine his arrows. Most were still in decent shape, but there were a few that had definitely seen better days. Perhaps he would set a day aside later in the season to make some more, and attempt to repair the ones that were in need of it. Winter was the best season for such tasks since the unpredictable weather often made hunting difficult. Assuming that he could even go out at all. Winter storms were nothing to dismiss lightly, and only a fool would risk going out in one unless there was dire need. As Lian double checked his gear, he came across his traps. He stared at them ruefully for several chimes. I really need to see if I can find someone who will teach me how to use these things properly. With Webbing, I have the advantage that it is impossible for me to lose my traps. But that does nothing to improve my ability to actually catch anything. For that, I need to know where the best places to put my traps are. I need to know how to stop predators from getting at my traps, and stealing what little I do manage to catch. I don't even know if the knots I'm using are the right ones. he thought in frustration. Maybe I should make a stop at the Hunter's Allegiance before I head out to hunt today. Someone there might be teach me what I need to know. Or at least give me a few pointers. That decided Lian. He had already planned on taking his traps with him, and hoping for the best, But he could afford delaying his hunting trip for a few bells if it would give him some much needed instruction. Lian paused for a tick to glance at his sleeping captive. Seirei's belly was huge. Lian couldn't help but stare at her as she slept. His child was growing inside of her. The child that would become his heir if it was a son. Lian hoped that she would give birth soon. He knew that she was due later in the season, but his excitement at the arrival of his child made each day that passed feel as though it were a week or more. That thought made Lian chuckle. Children were supposed to be the eager ones, wanting everything good to come immediately, while adults like himself were supposed to have learned patience. After a few ticks, Lian tore his eyes away from his captive. Then he grabbed his traps along with the rest of his gear, and left the tent. The walk to the Hunter's Allegiance was a brisk one in the hopes that the faster pace might make him feel a little warmer as he walked. When he arrived, he saw that others had arrived before him. Some, like him, had sought out a lesson. These were listening carefully as someone showed them how do to something, or were practicing carefully under the eye of their instructor. Others were practicing a variety of skills related to hunting on their own. Still others had apparently come on business matters as they were busy negotiating prices for kills they had brought. Lian watched all of this as he looked around for someone who might be able to teach him how to use his traps properly. It didn't take him long to find someone. The man had helped Lian out in the past, and Lian hoped that he could do so now. He saw Lian a few ticks after Lian found him, and called out a cheerful greeting. Lian grinned at the man's obvious excitement. "Hey, Lian! Do you remember how I was telling you that I was worried that my younger brother wouldn't ever bond to a strider?" Lian nodded. He did remember the conversation. They had been practicing shooting at targets together. A friendly competition had sprung up between them, and the stakes had been that the loser would have to tell the other something that they were embarrassed about. Surprisingly, Lian had won their little contest, and the man's confession about his younger brother had been the result. "Well, guess what? He finally did bond! It happened just this morning, and we were all very relieved." Lian grinned again, his hands flashing through signs for shared happiness, and congratulations. "Did you come looking for another competition? If so, then you're on. I'll win this time for sure!" Lian chuckled at the other man's antics, but he shook his head. "No, I was hoping to find someone who..." Lian never got the chance to finish his sentence. Zethar called out to him in greeting, and waved him over. Lian hesitated for a tick, glancing at the man he had been speaking to. But the other man nodded in understanding, and Lian hurried over to Zethar, and offered a greeting of his own. "Is there something I can do for you?" Lian asked politely, adding the gesture for polite curiosity. Lian had a great deal of respect for the other man. Very little ever seemed to escape his notice, and his tracking skills were such that if he wanted to find someone, then he would. It was that simple. "As a matter of fact, there is. I have a favor to ask of you." Lian didn't reply verbally, but the hand signs for questioning, and curiosity seemed to satisfy the other man. Zethar paused to sign a greeting to someone behind him, and Lian waited patiently for the skilled hunter to continue. "It isn't anything too difficult, I assure you. And you might even enjoy it." Zethar paused again, this time to call someone else over. Lian turned to watch the person approach. It was a woman, and one he didn't remember seeing around before. She wore a tan colored wrap-shirt that was made out of felt, dark brown trousers, a drab grayish-green cloak, and a red sash over her hips. Her dark brown hair fell loosely around her shoulders, lacking any of the hair wraps or other decorations than many women wore. Her eyes were amber, and there was an unusual piercing quality in her gaze. The woman, presumably called Khida, since Zethar had addressed her by name, approached them on foot. There was no sign of a strider following her, either. Lian didn't quite frown, but he couldn't help but wonder if the woman was bonded to a strider. Especially after the brief conversation of mere ticks before. The woman seemed to study him even as he studied her. She did not speak out loud, but she responded in Grassland sign easily, as though she had grown up using it. Lian couldn't be certain whether the woman was a Drykas or not. But she didn't act like any of the captives he had seen. Setting aside the mystery of who the woman was for now, Lian turned back to Zethar. "What, exactly is this job that requires the two of us?" he asked politely.

[Khida]

Zethar's eyes gleamed with cheer, and he gave the hunters -- for surely the man with him was also a hunter -- a broad smile. "A request came to us," he began to explain, measuring the words evenly, his posture shaded with earnest entreaty. "The Blacksand Pavilion is holding a celebration, and they specifically requested a pronghorn for the feast."

He didn't explain why, but Khida did not mind; the why of it wasn't a concern of the hunters, only that the prey was desired and would be paid for. "I saw the two of you, and I thought, here might be the perfect pair for the job. You have a good hand with a bow, Lian, and Khida -- well. I'll let her determine how she is most of help," the older man concluded, with a good-humored and somewhat amused smile. Khida eyed him sidelong, wondering what she was even supposed to make of that statement.


"They will be in herds this time of year, which you should have no trouble finding, and will give you greater chance of finding a weakened one." Namely, one which would not dart away at velocity too great for either of them to secure a kill, or at least not do so before they could land a telling blow. "Are you willing to do this thing?" Zethar's hands shaped the answer he hoped for: yes, yes.

Khida regarded the expectant elder levelly, turning his request over in her mind. She did not often hunt large game, and never alone. She was barely good enough with the bow to hit a large beast when it stood still, although she might try. What she could do was find them, and sometimes help startle or drive them, for larger herbivores were unaccustomed to being harried by a falcon. So she could assist in the task...

...but this stranger was not her hunter, and did not share the advantages of their bond. The Kelvic turned to regard him yet again, weighing the consideration in his manner, an echoing deep thought reflected in her own. He did not seem entirely confident in the task, or in the proposed partnership -- she wasn't sure which. Maybe both. But if he was willing to try it, she thought, she could do the same; bringing in a large kill, even half of a large kill, would give her several days of not hunting for anyone but herself and her family.

Yes, her hands shaped, and "I do it if he is," Khida said at last, looking expectantly to the stranger for his answer.

Khida space Common | Pavi
other space Common | Pavi

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian's eyes widened slightly. They they narrowed thoughtfully. A pronghorn? Lian had never attempted to bring down such a creature before. Deer were one thing. He could handle deer. Only a stag with a good set on antlers on him was truly a threat when it came to deer. And then, only during the fall when they had said antlers. Especially during their breeding season. Interrupting a pair of stags during a fight over a female was something only an idiot would do. But with his Webbing skills, Lian was usually able to avoid such things. Stags were considerably more aggressive during the breeding season, and Lian was able to feel the ripples of that aggression while he was in the Web. Ripples of aggression coming from two or more deer in the same area was something best avoided. But a pronghorn was another matter entirely. Lian knew very little about them, and he wasn't confident enough in his abilities to go after prey he wasn't familiar with. What he did know about them was that they were fast. Too fast for him to have any hope of bringing them down once they sensed danger and fled. Not alone, anyway. Having a partner, though...that might make things different. Lian had learned the advantages of hunting with a partner last season. He wouldn't mind having a partner again. Zethar spoke again, telling them that pronghorns formed herds this time of year. Lian took note of the information. Finding a herd of animals while in the Web was easier than trying to find a single animal out in the vast Sea of Grass. But his tracking abilities weren't up to dealing with a herd, so he would have to rely mostly on Webbing to try and follow any kind of trail they found. Unless, of course, the woman was better at tracking than he was. It was a distinct possibility since he knew several young children who could follow a trail better than he could if he didn't use Webbing to assist him. On the other hand, the elder was right. Finding a weakened pronghorn might be their only chance of bringing one down, and their chances of finding such a creature were greater with a herd. Lian thought that Zethar's saying that he had a good hand with a bow was something of an exaggeration. He knew the basics, certainly. And he wasn't a threat to himself or those around him when he held a bow in his hand. But he was painfully far from being truly skilled. Still, Lian was too ashamed by his lack of any real skill with his chosen weapon to correct the older man. Instead, he turned to regard the woman who would be his partner on this hunt if he agreed to it. The woman, Khida, Lian reminded himself, was watching him expectantly. Lian hesitated for a few ticks. With his Webbing ability, finding a herd of pronghorns wouldn't be the problem. Hopefully, anyway. Lian wasn't certain that a deer and a pronghorn were different enough for their presence in the Web to feel different enough that Lian would be able to tell the difference. It would be once they found a herd that the real difficulty would start. Even so, it might just be possible if Khida was able to distract, or even herd their prey somehow. And for all he knew, the woman was a much better hunter than he was, and would have no trouble with this hunt. "I'm in." Lian said simply. His hands echoed his words, but betrayed his doubt and hesitance.

[Khida]

The stranger thought upon Zethar's request, which was a good sign -- he did not rush in headlong. Exactly what considerations he weighed, the Kelvic couldn't tell, but from the way his gaze occasionally sharpened upon her, she guessed the unknown she presented factored in somewhere. He appeared to hesitate on the cusp of decision, and then made that decision: yes.

"Excellent!" the elder hunter declared, signing is very good and beaming a smile of pleased cheer towards them both. "I suggest you head north; there was a report yesterday of sightings near some land feature." Zethar looked from one to the other once more, then pressed his hands together into a both self-congratulatory and anticipatory job well done. "I shall let you two get acquainted, then, and I look forward to your successful return!"

His departure left a void in the air; with the force of his personality removed, only uncomfortable silence remained, the mutual uncertainty of two strangers thrust together. Khida regarded the other hunter for a long moment. How would she go about hunting with this one? They would need to travel out, find the herd, and deal with isolating one specific quarry. Travel was the easy consideration... but would she need to take equipment with her?

"Bow, not here," she stated. "Bring meat to sell, not go to hunt." Her lips pulled down in a thin grimace. Good, not, her hands shaped, elaborating on the expression. And since this new partner did not know her or her skills, Khida went on to describe her hunting capabilities -- at least so much as her limited vocabulary allowed. "Small game hunt. Trap. Large game, not trap. Find, yes. Make... make run, make change, yes. Bow, kill, maybe not. Do get, do not get?" she concluded, letting him decide if her confessedly poor bow skill would be useful. Ultimately, if not for his weapon, this would probably be an impossible task.

Khida glanced out beyond the pavilion, her thoughts returning to the subject of travel. North, her fingers echoed pensively; that word had been easy enough to pick out of Zethar's discourse, the direction they might go to find prey. North alone did not say much to her mind; she had not explored much in that direction from the tent city's current encampment. You ride? she asked, gesture shaded with the expectation of a positive answer. He was Drykas, after all -- Khida just didn't see his horse here and now.

Khida space Common | Pavi
other space Common | Pavi

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian nodded acceptance at Zethar's words, and signed his thanks at the advice on which direction they should head out in. Between that, and his ability with Webbing, Lian had hopes that it would at least be possible to find the prey they were searching for. He certainly wasn't planning to rely on his pathetic tracking skills. It was one thing to practice them when he was out on his own. With practice, he would improve. But teaching himself how to track was slow going. Especially since he was mostly fumbling around. And he wasn't willing to humiliate himself by fumbling around like a child in front of a complete stranger. Especially when he had been commissioned for a hunt. Lian watched Zethar leave. Then he turned his attention back to the woman he would be hunting with. He listened carefully as she spoke, frowning thoughtfully as he listened. She spoke in pavi, and her words were understandable enough, but her sentences were broken, and incomplete. Lian got the feeling that pavi wasn't her native language. Was she one of the captives, then? She wasn't pregnant...at least from what Lian could tell. And it seemed unlikely that her master would be willing to allow her to go out into the Sea of Grass freely if she was a captive. Many of the captives were likely to decide to take their chances out in the Sea of Grass if given the chance rather than allow themselves to be bred. For a while, he had feared Seirei would try to flee, but she hadn't. Nor was it likely that she would try now, as far along in her pregnancy as she was. It didn't seem likely that the woman...that Khida was a captive. Among other reasons, she had a better grasp on his language than many of the captives had. Had she married into one of the pavilions, then? Lian berated himself silently. It was none of his business either way, and even if it was, it had nothing to do with the matter at hand. From what Lian gathered from Khida's words, she had come to the Hunter's Allegiance to sell her kills today, rather than go out hunting. As a result, she wasn't ready to depart immediately. Well, neither was he. He had come in the hopes of getting a lesson in the use of his traps before he set out on his own hunt. And because of that, he had left Talise to her own devices. She would have gotten bored waiting for him had he brought her with him. Listening further, Lian learned that Khida wasn't especially good at bringing down larger game. She was apparently better with traps, and bringing smaller game in. And like him, her weapon was the bow. Upon learning this, Lian didn't have high hopes of a successful hunt. While he would appreciate learning something about traps from her if the chance arose, if the success of the hunt was dependent on him bringing down game that he had never hunted before...well. Their chances weren't all that good. But Khida's words sparked the beginnings of an idea in his mind. She had said that she drive larger game into flight, and even herd them to some extent with her bow, if he had understood her correctly. At the least, she could change the direction of their flight with her bow. So if she could drive their prey towards him, giving him the chance to shoot it head on...it might just work. "I think you should get your bow. If we do manage to find a pronghorn, your ability to drive our prey might come in handy. I usually go after deer, so I am used to bringing down larger game. But my accuracy with the bow isn't as good as it could be. If we can isolate a pronghorn, and you can drive it towards me instead of my trying to shoot it as it flees, our chances of actually succeeding in this might be greater. I've also never attempted to hunt pronghorns before, so I am inexperienced when it comes to knowing their habits, and how they are likely to react." Lian hesitated for a few ticks, then spoke again. "Perhaps we can set up some traps as we hunt? You mentioned doing mostly trapping. I have very little experience with traps. Would you be willing to teach me how to use them properly?" When asked if he knew how to ride, Lian nodded. "I was hoping to get a lesson in how to use my traps properly when I came here today, and Talise is likely to find her own entertainment if she gets bored enough, so I didn't bring her with me. What about you? Do you have a strider?" If she didn't have a strider, or a horse, they would be presented with another problem. Talise would probably be willing enough to carry the woman too, but he was unaccustomed to riding double. Nor was he sure how it would work if they had to do so while hunting.

[Khida]

The man spoke for a while, affirming that Khida should bring her own bow along, describing his own skills. If his portrayal was accurate, he was better than she -- but better enough to bring down a pronghorn? Khida was dubious on that front, but the only thing for them to do now was try.

He stopped speaking, a hesitant pause which only seemed to echo her own thoughts. But he went on to ask about a different subject altogether -- traps. Trap? Khida's hands echoed with a questioning inflection, baffled by the sudden change in topic. She blinked at him for a beat, then shrugged. "Yes. If good place, trap, yes," the Kelvic affirmed. Why not? If they set some traps along the way, they might come away with something to show for the trip even if the main hunt failed.

He affirmed that he had a horse, and asked after hers. Horse, no, Khida answered matter-of-factly, both by sign and with a shake of her head. That this might pose a concern to him, failed to occur to her; she managed day by day without a horse, after all. That he had one, filled in the problem of travel for Khida, and she moved on to what she needed to bring -- the bow, the quiver, some additional materials for traps. Tipping her head back, she looked up towards the cold, clear, faded-blue morning sky, considering...

...but no. She could fly back and get the bow, but not the arrows. They would just fall out of the quiver. Stupid human things, needing a human to carry them. I go, she signed to the other hunter. Go home, come here? "Come to here with things, one bell?" she clarified aloud. Meeting back up here would be easiest by far. She didn't know his pavilion, he likely didn't know hers, and Khida didn't relish trying to find an altogether unfamiliar tent in the city. That alone could take all day.

Upon his confirmation, Khida nodded and departed Hunter's Allegiance, retracing her trail back to the Dawnwhisper camp. She spared a few chimes for breakfast, leftover stew from the night before; and described her errand to her bondmate, so he wouldn't worry over her absence. Then she collected up the extra equipment she needed -- bow, quiver, glove and guard; pre-cut rope and a knife tucked into her sash; and her waterskin, because they probably would be gone all day. She could tie it to the horse's yvas until she needed it.

Then Khida made the trek back into the city center, fully expecting to find the Drykas man waiting for her. He wasn't limited to his own two human feet. Sometimes, horses made an awful lot of sense...

Khida space Common | Pavi
other space Common | Pavi

[Rufio]

　　　
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　

g r a d e s

xp

Rhetoric +1
Investigation +1
Tactics +1
Organization +1


lores

Drykas culture: all things hold value
Pavi: grass-sign becomes habit faster than spoken Pavi
Blacksand Pavilion: seeks pronghorn for a celebration
Zethar: invites Khida to hunt with Lian Windrunner
Pronghorn run in large herds during winter
Tactics: flushing prey towards an archer

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