Flashback Hunting & Gathering

[Kiva]

Jungle Wilds
48th of Summer, 509 A.V.

The sun would be setting soon, something that Kiva was weary of. The jungle was dangerous enough during the day, but darkness was a necessity. Quickly, she pulled the folded up piece of parchment from her pocket and pressed it open with with the palm of her hand. A good ways from home in Taloba, Kiva looked around her. The terrain was picking up, growing elevated, and tougher to traverse. The forest was growing denser as well. Her legs were sore from their trek, making her rest much needed. On the paper were a list of items scribbled dismissively for her to collect - Slug Hearts, Maia Berries, and the one she dreaded the most - the venom of a nightmare bat. She read the descriptions of the items on the list and eyed the tiny crude drawings to assist.

'Tear drop shape, bunches of four, furry undersides...' In front of her was a plant with red berries, and after many times of comparing the bad artwork and the real life flora, Kiva slung off her pack and reached in, pulling an glass jar from its place. She reached out and touched the the plant, plucking a leaf free and holding it up to inspect. It was indeed round and then tapered, and after flipping it over, she ran her fingertips across the surface, feeling fuzz.

"Good enough for me." Kiva pulled off the lid and set down the container. Quickly she went to work, plucking red berries furiously and dropping them into the jar. Sweat threatened to roll down her forehead, and the young woman worked efficiently. Halfway through her foraging, she nearly ran the back of her hand across her face to brush hair that had fallen from its braid, but stopped mid-air. At the end of the plant's descriptions, her mentor Dro had branded a very anticlimactic warning - "Do not eat. Do not touch your face after collection. Irritant."

Her eyes shot to her hand and she sighed largely from relief. "Dammit, Dro. Write bigger." 'That was close.' Forcing a puff of air from her mouth, she blew the hair from her face and continued collecting. The red berries were ripe, and left a light juice on her fingers when she gathered them. The jar slowly became fuller and at the end, she grabbed a handful of leaves and shoved them on the top for good measure. Securing the lid, she shoved the jar back in her pack and stood, stretching. "Jar of Maia berries? Easy."

Once a portion of her task had been completed, Kiva continued on her way, ducking under branches and swatting her arms after walking though a spider web. She grimaced, the sensation more than just annoying. After returning her pack to its rightful place, Kiva looked up, trying to see the sun. It was definitely late evening, and she knew she would need to consider getting a shelter of some sort set up. Tired, but proud, the young Myrian woman began leaning over and searching for anything she could use. No rest for the weary, after all.

[Quzon]

48th Day of Summer , 509 AV.

They were a motley band of warriors.

Yes, motley... It was the perfect way to describe the collective which had gathered in a circle before a large tree within the jungle of Falyndar. They were members of a fang within the Talobian army who had been on patrol for the better part of three days, and that fatigue showed on most of their faces. There were twelve warriors in total; and while Quzon himself held the same rank of rekrut , he was one amoung five of the senior fangs members who had served for more than a year under the current fang's leaders command.

He sat in a low crouch with his back against the tree, laying his backpack on the ground in front of him. He was flanked to his left by Teyacapan of The Patient Shadows and Tepin of The White Water. And standing to his right were Momoztli of The Lost Grove and the senior most rekrut who everyone thought to be their second in command, Xoco of The Slitted Throat. The remainder of the younger barely blooded fang members formed the rest of the circle. At the center of the collective of warriors stood their ever imposing Tokoh, Yolotli of the Changing Moon and her hairy pet riamm which roamed around her feet.

Quzon remained a somber figure dressed in a simple leather vest and loincloth, its coloring merging with the natural shades of the jungle. The pale hue of his skin was covered in a thick layer of grime and dirt that matched the muck which covered his boots. He was fuming and sweating, showing greater signs of fatigue then any other.

It was due to the thick fifty five pound chain which he carried draped along his shoulders. It was a mere bodybuilding tool he used because Quzon believed himself to be weak. And weakness was something that he would not abide. In his mind, If he could not patrol while baring the weight of the chains than he was a failure to himself and his gods.

His fatigue caught the brief attention of Yolotli before she turned to give out orders. She sent four people to set up camp, four to patrol the perimeter, and for three others to go out hunting. Quzon along with Teyacapan and one of the younger rekrut's had been chosen to go hunt for food. And almost as suddenly as the order was given, Teyacapan had ran off in silence. Quzon expected the mute Patient Shadow to go off hunting alone like usual.

The half-isur looked to the only other hunter left and just lifted an eye brow. From what he could tell the younger myrian male couldn't have been any older than sixteen, he hardly knew the young man and watched as the myrian male also ran off to hunt on his own. Quzon was the last to venture away from the campsite after putting on his backpack.

***

A lull had settled over the jungle during the evening twilight, leaving Quzon feeling vaguely at ease. Quiet dusk didn't mean that there was peace. No matter how much he wished that to be true. Silence in the jungle usually meant planning, preparation, and allowed creeping things to become one with the oncoming darkness.

There was an art to moving over loose jungle soil as heavy chains pressed down against the body. He moved like a slow turtle through the jungle making sure he had proper footing before taking another step. The added downward additional resistance made each step feel like he was preforming a squat and lunge. However, his slow methodological nature allowed his eye more time to find a proper track. The clearest track he did manage to find did not belong to an animal, but a humanoid. Quzon knelt down in front of a berry bush to place his palm against the foot print to measure its freshness.

The soil was still soft, the track easily disturbed by the simplest graze which meant its creator was still in the area. "Slender foot. Either young or female." He thought to himself as he pressed his hand into the track to gauge her body weight. "Faint step." His emerald green eyes glanced up to the base of the berry tree. He did not know what type of plant it was and did not risk eating it.

From what he could see at the base of the shrub, there were no chewed branches or animal droppings in its vicinity. It looked like wild animals kept away from it. The only signs of disturbance came from the person who appeared to have pulled leaves from the shrub. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that he should not eat the plant due to the lack of small game traffic and activity around it. He followed exactly along the path of the foot prints, groaning as he had to 'squat' under branches. The muscles in his thighs were tingling with a burning sensation. It hurt, but also felt amazing. The blood flowed through his veins as he powered through the jungle.

When he finally found the person he was looking for, he stood behind her and simply watched her for a moment. As a barer of Myri's mark he could instantly sense that she was also blooded. "What are you doing out here? " He spoke with a naturally deep base In the Myrian language. It was a genuine question as he looked away for a moment to watch a single Wanolo Baboon swing from tree to tree before focusing onto her again.

[Kiva]

The Myrian woman pushed leaves to the side, looking for any loose branches that had fallen to the jungle floor. Crouched over with a bundle of sticks in her arms, Kiva paused only for the briefest of seconds when she sensed the man behind her, but continued with her job. He did not attack, and night would be falling so there wasn't much time to waste. She scooped up twigs and sticks, bundling them in her arms efficiently. For fire, for security. His deep voice sounded behind her and she spun suddenly, not out of surprise, but perhaps for a bit of dramatic effect. Her braid whipped around, and she sized up the male. He was tall, and if she moved closer, she would say he was exactly her height. He didn't look too much older than her, but she still felt young in his presence. Stocky, too, easily weighing more than herself. A slow grin, "Aren't you curious?"

Kiva paused, thinking, "Have you heard the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat?'," she teased, gently setting her bundle down, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back."

Her eyes roamed him again. She noticed the weapon around his waist, but felt no hostility. Still, she proceeded with caution, cocking her head and smirking as she snatched up another twig and waved it slowly. "I'm only getting ready for night fall. Fire, shelter, you know how it goes." Tossing it in the pile with the others, she took a few steps forward and wiped her hands on the black fabric of her pants. The slit sides of the pants flashed tan skin when she bent over, and she grabbed her pack to pull free her flint and steel.

Were those chains draped upon his neck? Kiva made a face, playing with the twine that tied her flint up. "I'm gathering some ingredients for my father." Pulling out the piece of paper from her pocket, she showed it only briefly before shoving it back in its place, "And what about you? What are you doing out here, stranger? Do you have a name?"

The female began to unwrap her fire kit, brown eyes watching the other Myrian, waiting patiently for his response.

-Kiva

[Quzon]

He wanted to take the paper from her to read it, but as soon as she showed it to him, it was gone. Her playful nature caused him to arch a brow before speaking. Quzon spoke in the same voice he used to calm panicked animals - low, soft, soothing. He meant her no harm, so did nothing which could be presumed as hostile. “My name is Quzon, and my fang is on patrol in the area. Out campsite is located not too far from here and should you find yourself in trouble. Run in that direction or yell.” He motioned a hand towards the way he came from.

It did not escape him that she failed to introduce herself, but he did not press the subject. “And as for why I am here. I’ve simply let the hurt lead me towards my prey. And while curiosity may kill a cat, I would never do such a thing unless provoked.” His tone grew lighter for the briefest of moments as he spoke. “Because I happen to like cats.”

His voiced then returned to its normal tone when his attention shifted back to the task at hand. With the sound of nocturnal jungle life growing around them, Quzon’s emerald eyes slowly took in the surroundings. Hunger pulled at his stomach, tiredness at his eyes, and general pain in his muscles. His duties were simple enough, but the days patrol began to weigh on him harder. That was when an idea came to mind. "I am on the hunt for my fans evenings meal, if you haven't eaten yet. You could join me? Two hunters would be better than one."

[Kiva]

Kiva caught the hint of a smile, and she grinned herself, "I like cats, too." The young female turned the flint over in her hands, offering her own name, "I'm Kiva of The Crimson Sun. I'm alone today, I'm afraid." She wondered what the fang was looking for, if anything. Was there trouble? A Dhani spotting? Or were they just doing the regular old work like always in Taloba? The thought of regular patrol business was a bit of a disappointment to the girl. After all, military endeavors without any of the war part was just a bunch of rules and regulations with no glory.

But, really... how interesting was it to be sent on fetch quests, either? Torn between doing as she was told and venturing into some more interesting activities, the solution seemed clear.

"I'll hunt with you," she agreed. "Like I said, I'll need food as well, and these sticks aren't going anywhere."

Kiva rose to her feet, stretching her legs and arms slowly before organizing her things. She grabbed her bag and weapon, double checking everything was in place and looked to the canopy, "What is your fang doing so far from the city?"

oocSo short. D: I promise you won't get them as lack luster as this anymore. Just trying to shock this thread back to life since we haven't written in it for ages. My bad.

-Kiva