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[Caesi Starguide]

.

Posting OrderCaesi, Jasmine, Amunet, Naiya, Quzon

73rd, Spring, 516 AV

Sunrise

The Telling of a Tall Tale

Caesi exited her tent with Nu at her heels, tail between his legs. She frowned at his behavior rubbing the sleep from her eyes, her hair a disarray of braids and mats. Raising her arms high above her head, she stretched her muscles, yawning at the same time. Finally observing her surroundings she realized why Nu had his tail between his legs. A fragile yet sweet smell hit her nose. The scent was crisp and fresh, with an underlying hint of earth. Caesi inhaled deeply, her teal-green eyes casting up towards the sky. Dark, angry clouds were gathering in the sky, clustering together, ready to burst open. The air held a gentleness to it, a calmness, as if everything had stopped and was waiting for the rain to fall. Caesi ushered Nu back into the tent and she followed behind him. Heading over to her belongings, she picked up her brush. Brushing her hair in quick and hurried movements to remove the mats and old braids. Once her hair was back to it's long, wavy state, she threw her cloak on.

“Nu, stay.” She told the dog, pointing to the bed. Nu rarely listened to Caesi, but it seemed this time the dog did and hopped up on the bed. Caesi did not congratulate herself for him obeying. More than likely the dog was only listening because he did not want to go outside in the rain anyways. Caesi shrugged it off and went outside, the air was still calm outside, the clouds gathering in a bigger mass, making them seem like they would pop at any given moment. Caesi rushed over to her Strider, Py, mounting her and urging her towards the center of Endrykas. She wanted to take care of a few errands before the rain started and after the torrential rain earlier this season, she was not taking her chances this time.

A whispering shifted through the air, soft and sweet, like a lullaby a mother would sing her child. It started as a soft misting of rain, the kind that was not enjoyable as much as it was annoying. Pulling the hood of her cloak further down, Caesi shifted on Py making the horse knicker slightly. “Sorry Py, I did not want you to be soaked.” She explained to her friend, as she spread the cloak out over the horse trying to shield them both. Caesi was thankful it was a warm day at least making the rain more tolerable then if it was a cool day. The whisper turned to a loud murmuring, as the rain picked up speed and size. Large droplets pelted from the darkened sky, hitting the ground below with a reckless force. The scent of soil hit Caesi's nose, making it wrinkle slightly. The crisp scent was gone, replaced by a soil-rich and slightly harsh fragance. Caesi bent down, stretching her body ever so slightly and bringing in her knees for balance, so that Py could be covered from the incessant rain. This made it hard to see where her and her Strider were actually going, she could only hope the path they were on headed towards the center, as the rain became thick sheets, making the visibility difficult.

About a bell later, the rain slacked up, returning to the soft misting it was before. Caesi no longer found the misting annoying. It was like a soft caress of a healer's hand after being injured. It was actually soothing after the hard pelting her and Py endured earlier. The misting of rain also made it easier to see ahead of her now. She was where she wanted to be exactly, but it was close. The Strider and her Rider had wandered close to the Wind Knotted Gates. The large wooden columns could be seen cleary ahead. The colorful ribbons weaved and danced in the breath of Zulrav. The columns were breathtaking, the beauty of the ribbons and what the represented warmed one souls upon seeing them. Making a Dryka's even more proud to be who they are.

The area had a small group of people, curious as to what was going on Caesi clicked her tongue, nudging Py forward with a shifting of her body. The Strider walked towards the hub-bub, voices could be heard as they made their way closer to the center of activity. Caesi frowned slightly as she dismounted from Py. Patting her on her neck, she whispered to the Mare “Stay here while I go investigate what all this excitement is about.” Caesi gave her one last pat before pushing her way to the front of the small group of people. Once they parted she came to a scene of a man. His pallid complexion made him appear half-dead and Caesi could not help but wonder what was wrong with the man. She observed him closer, not seeing any Windmarks, but not only that his clothing was different from the Drykas. This man looked like a dead man that was somehow talking and walking and he was definitely not a Drykas. The Watch made a slow approach to the outsider...

| Thoughts |

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine stretched out still laying on her pallet not wanting to get up with the rain coming again. Sighing gently she rubbed her face on the pillow. Haven growled playfully and jumped up on her master's shoulder. She pouted at the mutt and sat up gently. Lara yawned and looked over to the pair with mild to no interest what so ever. Jasmine smiles at the puppy as she licked her face.

“Okay okay,” Jasmine said with a small laugh and played with the puppy throwing a small stick from her tent several times for the little one to run and grab.

Jasmine smiled and played with the puppy for several chimes before a roll of thunder sounded from above her. Lara hissed and turned over facing away from the tent opening not planning on moving yet. Looking at the fox Jasmine couldn't help, but envy it.

“Heifer,” Jasmine said and shook her head before grabbing her ruck sack and opening it and grabbing her brush.

The woman began brushing out her blond hair with a wince. She needed to start braiding her hair before she fell asleep at night. After finishing Jasmine grabbed the leash and put it on Haven. Walking out the woman made a face and grabbed her cloak putting it on. Finally the pair walked out and headed towards town. Jasmine needed to stretch her legs for a bit and Haven had a hard time keeping up with Chaser. So the pair decided to let the stallion sleep as he wished. Looking up Jasmine was amazed at how gentle the rain was coming down. It seemed that Zulrav was being kind to the Drykas people.

Along the way rain pelt the pair harder then eased up once again. Jasmine sighed some as the pair walked. She had thought it was easing up only for it to pelt down on her once more. Growling Jasmine saw a group close to the gates. Curiosity burned in the woman causing her to walk over and push her way towards the front. She was surprised to see a man going on and on about some kind of huge grass bear.

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Amunet]

Amunet liked the rain. Her and Shetanae could ride around in the rain all day. Camile, her dog was indifferent to it. Leia hated it. The half grown, year old hunting cat though stuck to the Healer. Since she returned from her ordeals to Endrykas, Leia had taken a particular duty to stick with her no matter how ugly it got outside. For that matter, her little brother also kept close to his older sister. The six year old little boy did not want to loose the only family that he had. The girl didn’t blame him and when it was possible allowed him to go with her. The boy insisted on going with her to the River Flower anyway so might as well.

Nahrar had asked her to go look at a stranger who came to the gates as he was busy tending to other things. Amunet would send a runner to him if she needed the help. She rode to the wind knotted gate as she looked up at it with a bit of trepidation as she saw her lonely ribbon flowing in the breeze a bit off from everyone else. Even on the gate it seemed she was doomed to be alone. Nehrar said that she would find someone, but she had to be patient with these things. Perhaps it was true perhaps not. The girl was confused when it came to personal relationships. She dismounted the mare and then helped her little brother down.

“Ami, whats going on?” He asked as the sturdy tall six year old looked at the growing crowd.

“I don’t know Drak, it is some old man that is very pale came out of the sea of grass. Here bring my pack of supplies and lets take a look. “ She gave him the important job of the pack of supplies. The boy beamed. He was with his sister and he got to do something other than just stand there.

Shetanae, her strider moved a little bit away and off to the side and huffed a long breathy sigh and looked to her rider. Amunet chuckled a moment “I know, be patient my friend. “ If a horse can roll their eyes, the mare would. Amunet moved in small band of kid, dog and cat towards the afflicted person. The crowd parted ways for the Healer. She might be socially and politically bottom of the totem pole but when it came to healing and medicine, she was given room to do her work. Many of the people here had been treated or had babies birthed by the young caring lady. She knelt down to the old man as Camile and Leia sat down primly off to the side as the little boy brought her pack. In little boy fashion, he remarked on the obvious.

“Ami, he doesn’t look good.” He said with wide eyes.

Amunet looked towards heaven for patience before she looked at Drak with that look all maternal persons give that instantly silences a child. “That is enough. “ She said in Pavi. One of the watch informed her that he didn’t speak Pavi so she shifted to common. “Greetings, I, Amunet, Healer. Please, say how hurt.” It was obvious he was not in good condition as she started her examination. “What name.” Her voice was soothing as she asked. The old man would look up into gentle sky blue eyes and a graceful bedside manner. “What cause hurt?” The red head would kneel there and tended to the man’s needs to stabilize him enough to move him to a better non-wet location. At the moment it seemed if you moved him, he would break.

[Naiya]

The gentle misting of rain had given way to a thorough pelting, the drops growing large and heavy as they splattered against the water.

Naiya sat still but for the bobbing motion of her hand tracking the bait on her hook up to the surface before letting it slowly fall back down. Combined with the rain that had the fish seeking the disturbances at the surface of the water, the bobbing of her bait was just right.

She felt a tug, yanking hard at the pole with a twist of motion that sent the long single red rope of a braid flying back behind her shoulder. Another yank, this one up, pulling the fish from his watery hiding place, she grinned with triumph.

The fish was of a decent size, enough to feed both herself and Seirei, the smaller pale blue fish beside her would feed, Taerin, Lukar, and Lira, it was not as large, but the bones were easier to remove and it would make a nice mash for the twins if they added some vegetable broth. The new babies were too young, so feeding their mother was the best she could do. Feeding her self, too, she reminded looking down at the growing evidence of her her own pregnancy.

It was a bitter sweet reminder, the little bump and the small flutters of motion. Shahar's baby, growing without the protection of his father. Her smile turned sorrowful as she reached up to brush her fingers over the raised lines of her Cheva's mark. He was alive, and he would return to her, to them all. She knew the truth of it in her heart.

She removed the hook from the second fish's mouth, stringing it along the rope with the other fish, her large canvas needle guiding the rope through his gill. Banti waited beside her impatiently, her own fishing still waiting to be done, wait the woman commanded with a steady sign, baiting her hook once more and tossing it into the water.

When the fish were biting so well, there was sense in taking one more for making into supper. She bobbed her line, waiting with patience on her shoulders as she watched the colorful fish dance beneath the surface, the rain putting them into a near frenzy. She waited for a bite, tugging sharply to tighten the hold of the hook in the fish's mouth, then pulling him free of the water.

Perfect. Hunt she signed to her cat, allowing the animal the freedom she so desired. The splash that followed was loud, accompanied by a muffled growl of victory as the cat splashed first one then a second fish up into her mouth and on the shore.

Wildfire snorted, the water from the river not really a bother after standing in the rain, but rather protesting the feline's lack of care. Naiya rose to her feet, third fish strung on the rope and went to her bonded partner.

"No respect, huh, dear one?" She patted his neck, smoothing a hand along his side to check for scratches or cuts. Finding none she sought the yvas, sitting beneath the relative safety of the tree. From it she pulled Shahar's hunting knife. She walked it to the water's edge, using it to open the throats and the gut of the fish so that they might bleed into the water, the entrails followed, to feed the fish that remained in thanks for the life of their brothers.

She let the water flow over her catch, washing away the blood and cleaning it from the knife. When the water around the fish no longer flushed pink she removed the fish, drying the knife on her tunic before tying the fish to her yvas, dropping them inside an empty bag to drip away from the hair of her mount.

Banti had eaten her fill, leaving only the tail of her second fish on the shore, Naiya cleaned the fur and dirt from it, dropping it too into her bag. It would feed the dogs at home, at least a little bit. Perhaps Tuka had taken the dogs out hunting.

With the fruits of her labor in hand, Naiya untied the knot from her fishing line, stashing the hook back with the rest and slid the pole through the loops on the yvas. Wildfire stood still for her as she slid the yvas into place, although she rolled the yvas pad up and stashed it in the ties of the yvas as well. As wet as that pad was, it would do more harm than good rubbing against his skin on the short ride into the city.

She swung up into her seat, tucking herself gently into place on Wildfire's back before clicking her tongue at both cat and horse to call them into motion. Her ride back to the city was sort, but a gathering crowd caught her eye as she approached, she veered to her camp, dropping off the soaked yvas pad as well as the fish which she hung from a pole of the wagon. She hoped one of the women would find them, otherwise she would deal with them on her return.

She tossed the fish to the pups to fight over, and grabbed her spear to add to her bow before returning to the gates. Wildfire snorted with unease something was amiss, and he had already sensed the feel of it in the air.

A familiar mop of red hair caught her eye, Amunet was here, likely putting her skills to work. She wasn't sure if that was good or bad, a mixed blessing to have a healer at work. From her place on horseback she could easily see the man she tended, a walahk man, torn and pale, as though he was within inches of being swept off by the jackals of Dira.

She cared less for the man than for the problem he presented. Where had he come from, and what monsters might he have brought to their door?

"What has happened?" Naiya asked in lieu of a proper greeting, her words addressed to the group at large, "What creatures left these marks on the walahk?"

[Quzon]

Quzon grumbled to himself as he knelt down to pick up the contents of his backpack that had spilled out of it when he'd been bumped into, resisting the urge to growl since he was on his way to to hunt for his days meal. A faint grimace did touch his lips at the reminder that some Drykas were arogant about the fact that he was not a member of their people. His grimace eased into a faint smirk as he lifted the hunting knife that fell from his back that came with his hunting toolkit.

”Steel yourself. If you flinch. If you shudder. You will not survive.” He thought to himself. Reminding himself of the words his Fang Leader, Yolotli of The Changing Moon, told him when he was still a Rekrut in the Taloban Army. They were words that reminded him not to show needless rage, and that he should save the energy for the jungle... or rather, the Grassland.

Quzon pulled his tilmatli styled cloak closer around his body as he slid the hunting knife into the back of his belt, where his hand axe was also held, and continued onward. He almost didn't care about what the small gathering of people were looking at near the 'colorful ribbon polls' until he spotted several familiar female faces in the crowed. Like a rolling boulder, he elbowed his way to the front of the gathering to join them.

The sight of the broken body before him made him feel nothing, long since past being queasy over such thing even as a child, but curious about what attacked the man for a brief moment. He arrived at the tail end of Naiya speaking and nodded in agreement. His emerald eyes shifting around to find anyone who could answer the question.

[Caesi Starguide]

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The Watch made their silent approach to the broken Walahk, laying in his own pool of blood. Lacerations of various degree covered the man's body, he complexion paling as time went on. The Watch asked the Walahk what had happened, though the man's worse come out in shudders of breath, the effort to talk difficult as his wounds ached and blood flowed forth, “The wagon... Grassbears... Dryka... guide... wagon.. cub..dead.. all dead..” The man sputtered, wheezing from the effort it had taken him to talk.

The Watch frowned looking among one another, then back at the man. The story he told was in short spurts, not making much sense, they questioned how he found the Tent City, the man looked up, “Walked... Guide..” he sputtered once more. The Watch shook their head, not really believing the man's story, as it did not make much sense. They had no time for the weak or a dying Walahk.

Since he was an outsider, they saw it as not being much of a problem, better to let him slip away to the other side, instead of causing any problems. The Watch shrugged it off, leaving to tend to more important matters in the City of Tents. The man reached out his hand, as if to stop them, to beg for help once more.

The Watch did not notice, as they stalked off, the man's stretched out hand dropping in his own blood, as his chest heaved. Coughing, blood came forth out of the Walahk's mouth, as he pleaded with his eyes to those who were surrounding him. Many people had walked off, since the Watch had dismissed the man and his story, they found it of no interest anymore. Only a few lingered behind, out of curiosity, to help, or just to delve deeper into the story of the dying man.

Caesi brought herself closer, peering around at the individuals still left around the man. She saw a few familiar faces, some not so familiar. A red head was bent before the man, talking softly in common, wanting to heal him of his wounds. Jasmine was looking at the man with an expression of surprise, perhaps a little shock. Naiya approached, questioning the others, seeking answers as to what happened to the man. Then the blue-hued man she had met briefly earlier in Spring nodded his head in agreement, wanting to know more of what happened to the man. Caesi herself was curious, wanting to interrogate the man further. In his current condition however, it did not seem possible to get much from him. Caesi peered around her then looked towards the red head who was attempting to heal the man.

She was tending to his wounds the best she could, given the environment she was working in. Though his wounds seemed deep, possibly life threatening, and Caesi was not sure he would even make it, no matter how well of a healer the red-head was. Although, Caesi did not anything when it came to healing, so she left that opinion to herself letting the woman do what she could for the man.

When she seemed to pause in her work of trying to get the Walahk stable, Caesi crouched down beside the man's ear, “Grass Bear where?” she asked the man in common. Then she pointed with her finger at his wounds, “Grass Bear?” She asked him in common once more. The pale male nodded, tilting his head out towards the Sea of Grass, “Wagon.. Grass Bear.. Attacked.. Drykas guide..dead..friend..dead...... trapped.” The man said softly, his eyes becoming heavy lidded, whether it was from lack of energy or he was dying, Caesi was not sure.

Directing her attention to the others, she rose, “From what I can understand his wagon was attacked by a Grass Bear.” Caesi swung her hand in the direction he nodded in, “Somewhere in that direction.” Caesi said softly, thinking to herself, nibbling her lower lip in thought of whether or not to check it out. She looked at each of them, even the red-head healer she did not really know, “Perhaps we should check it out?” The statement came out in more of a question as she looked around her to see if any of them would be interested. “Kon Toladi Yo..” Caesi whispered as she looked down at the man, not sure if the story he told was true or not.

The outsider coughed again, the sound was more of a wet cough, as his breathing became more labored. Energy dwindled from his eyes, as he fought to hang on to that tiny tendril of life. The man needed to be healed and fast or he would die in the next few bells. A part of Caesi did not care if he died or not, as he was an outsider and it was just their way. Another part wanted to heal him and try to get more information. Then there was the mention of a wagon, what if there was more people out there, needing help? Caesi waited for the others, to see what they thought, to see if they would go investigate this mans tall tale of a Grass Bear. She was young but she would do what she could, though she turned to listen to any and all suggestions made by those who were older then she.

| Thoughts |

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine glared at the Watch when they arrived. She noticed many of the people that she knew. Looking at the crowd she nodded at Caesi and Naiya when she rode up to join them. She heard grumbling and looked around spotting a certain blue skinned man as a Drykas had pushed past him making everything fall to the ground. Looking back she saw Amunet attempting to calm the man while the Watch appeared to just dismiss his accusations of a Grass Bear attacking his camp. At least that is what she understood the man to say.

“Naturally. Our borders are in trouble and the Watch turn tail and run,” Jasmine growled watching them ride away.

Jasmine turned to the man as he tried to breath. She was no where near as cruel as her people trained their young to be. Walking over Jasmine put a calming hand on the man's shoulder.

“Calm. You need a healer. We will take you,” Jasmine said and turned to look at Caesi when she spoke.

“First let us get this man to a doctor. Once that is done and we find out how he is. We can pack and get more information from him. If we can't then we will head out one bell after Syna has reached the middle of the sky. Is that okay with everyone?” Jasmine asked looking at everyone.

She did not want to step on toes or make any feel that she was being a pain, but they needed a solid plan of action before running out in to the grasslands in search of some Grass Bear that could easily kill them all. Jasmine had been one of the people on the journey into the wilderness only less than twenty days prior.

The Clan is Strength.
The Clan is Life.

[Amunet]

The Healer saw how much he was struggling to speak to give some kind of explanation but it came out in bursts of one word at a time. Amunt had her pack and started bringing items out in rapid succession to stave the bleeding. “Easy, the story will come out one thing at a time.” The determined medical practitioner did not give up easily. Her dagger was out as she cut through the blood soaked clothing and then quickly applying the cloth down on wounds firmly but with great care not to push down to hard. Her hand went down on bare skin close to the wound as the sigil on the right side of her face shimmered in the light of the cloudy day. The raindrops glistened like jewels along that mark. She then turned to Jasmine giving he a rather irritated look. “Jasmine, what do you think I am here for?” She was a Healer and rather decently versed in Medicine. If anything she could stabilize the man for the River Flower. “Let me get him stable enough to move.”

Obvious bruising and minor cuts would slowly close up. The blood would be cleansed of toxins or infections and pain eased. “We need a stretcher!!. Drak, run back to the Riverflower and tell Nehrar or one of the assistants we need a two people to carry this man for further treatment. “ The six year old dirty blonde boy took off like a shot as he was well attuned to his sister’s serious tone. Camile whined a little at the old man. “I know girl, come girl. “ While she was putting large linen cloths on the wounds before binding it firmly to stave off any further bleeding, the man looked pale but his eyes brightened a little to let her know that they could move him to get stitched up in the Riverflower.

Camile came closer though she was wet the old man’s hands fingered the silken fur of the Silkena Hound and even seemed to smile for a moment. “Don’t move. We will get you to River Flower for more help.” The girl couldn’t fully stitch him up and get him fixed up out here in the rain. It was just not sanitary and with all these people watching, it was awkward. There was a brunette that crouched down to inquire about the grass bear. The Watch had turned their back and relieved it seemed to be just the Wahalak that got hurt. They had little to worry as he probably crossed the grass bear and angered it.

The old man gave best directions he could giving his condition. The amount of blood loss he had, it did make him frail. Drak came back with a couple of assistants that got the man on a stretcher that was two poles with strong linen attached inbetween. Amunet lifted with her legs as they carefully got him onto it and he was carried off. The red head provided a briefing of his condition and what was done so far. Nehrar would know what to do from there. If the old man survived twenty four bells, he would probably live through this. The girl closed her eyes briefly to give prayer to Rak’keli for the old man to find strength and to heal further. She had turned to repack her things as the brunette she knew nothing about apparently organizing an impromptu expedition to investigate the situation that got the old man nearly killed.

“You want to what? A grass bear could kill all of us. “ The girl exhaled her breath. She had plenty of supplies in her pack and on her yvas bag.. Her two hunting animals could help if anything give warning. The red head looked at her strider who had her head back and ears back at the words ‘Grass Bear’. “Yeah, I know girl, but if I don’t go, I will regret it. You keep your ears and nose on alert, ok.” The woman got her pack off of the ground and she moved towards her horse to check the cinch on the Yvas proper and make sure it was set for a longer ride. The pack went around her shoulder and the leaping swing up onto the sixteen hand mare, the girl was up on the strider. That pretty head turned as her hand tapped on the outside of her thigh. The dog was on her feet and to the side. Leia, the hunting cat, slinked up on the right side ready. “Drak, go back to the River Flower and help Nehrar and the other ladies there. “

“But, Ami..” The boy started.

“Drak, no argument. I can’t take you on this one. It’s a grass bear. “ The boy nodding not liking that his sister was going out yet again, into danger. There very lives out in the grass plains was a constant act of survival. It was a wonder the Drykas manged to keep a population at all. They were fortunately insanely fertile.

Apparantly the watch didn’t think much of it either. Men, foolish men. She pulled up the hood on her head to ward off anymore wetness and was prepared to ride out. Once Drak had retreated towards where he was told to go, The little lady looked at the impromptu expedition. "We go, we discover what happened and if there is a rogue grass bear, we need to get back here and report it. No heroine moves, no foolish attempts. Pay attention to your striders. They can smell or hear things we can not. " The Healer was greatly worried that one of them would do something really stupid if they did not know the grasslands well.

[Naiya]

Trapped Naiya's hands echoed the word, Drykas man inquiry, the man was not coherent, and perhaps his ramblings were too late to be of use. "If there is a Drykas there," Naiya began, concerned for her people, for the wives of such a man, "We have no choice but to go."

Naiya glanced toward her home, she would have liked to alert Seirei, to tell her to keep the children close. The watch would share word of the rumored grass bear, that surely would be enough. Azmere was a good man, he wouldn't let women and children go out alone and as a watchman, he would hear tell of the threat.

She had to let that be enough. Amunet saw to the man as she could, then mounted her mare, ready to ride out as well. Jasmine called for a wait, time to gather their party, Naiya nodded, perhaps it was best.

"We should see if there is anything to be saved from his wagon, see if there is a Drykas there in need of help. Blue man, where is your horse?" Her inquiry turned direct, her common rough, shaped from the sounds of pavi.

The man was shaped like a fighter, he would be valuable in the sea, assuming he could keep up. "My pavilion is near," north, few chimes, "I can gather water for all and a horse for this man, but we don't have a bell to wait if there is a life at risk."

She waited only a moment, letting the words settle across the gathering, "Come, you can sit, yes? You can ride Drelah." She eased Wildfire out of the crowd with a light foot and a slow pace, gesturing at the man "Follow" she accompanied the common with the sign, hoping to impress the word upon him.

"Wait for us, Amunet." Request, concern "We will take only a few chimes." She waited no longer, spurring Wildfire into a steady walk assuming that the man would follow.

The pavilion was truly close, and Naiya dismounted with ease as they arrived, calling to Seirei that there had been a possible bear attack, explaining the situation with the party, and then gathering tack for the gelding. She groomed him roughly, currying and then hard brushing only his girth and back where the yvas and pad would sit, her hands dancing through the motions with ease. She didn't have time to teach the man or wait for inexperienced fingers.

"Here, this is Drelah he is gentle, can you manage to ride?" She inquired stepping back from the sturdy horse to allow the man to approach. She would wait, helping as the man might need before mounting and leading them back to join the others.

[Quzon]

In that moment as Amunet healed the wounded man, Quzon found his decision made to join their hunting party. It wasn't idyllic to join a ramshackle group on a spur of the moment hunt, but Quzon saw great personal joy in hunting much larger prey. Although, unlike his companions, he did not feel the need to help any injured Drykas left out on the grassland. To him this was purely for the victory of the hunt.

Quzon spared a quick glance from Jasmine to Caesi as he shifted stance, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. A stance that told people he had heard only exactly as much as he wanted to hear of what people had to say regarding anything but the hunt. He only took note of directions of the prey, the name of the creature who would be his prey, and a that word The Watch used against the wounded man. That word was Walahk. He didn't know what it meant, but the bile in there tone as it was said made him anger. He'd heard it before and could only assume that it was a type of insult.

He glanced towards a woman who spoke to him, rapping his knuckles absently against the chakram around his neck. While many people had their own little personal quirks. Quzon's happened to be touching the circular blade around his neck. As if he had to remind himself that the weapon was there; nowadays it would be too much of a red flag if he found himself without it. He arched an eyebrow at Naiya's when she called him 'Blue Man'. Dropping his hand back to his side as an amused smile that he didn't particularly feel settled across his lips.

He wasn't accustomed to to being around or riding horses, and although he perhaps wasn't wholly immobile in the moving city, as he had proven to himself every other day when the city decided to up root and leave, it was still a point of annoyance to keep up with thing by walking and running after the city. In a way, he loved that Endrykas kept him from staying lazy in one spot, but it was still annoying nonetheless. "No mount." He responded tersely.

When Naiya requested for him to follow, Quzon did so with no real complaint. He knew that she did not need to lend him a mount. She could have easily let him suffer in his disadvantage. He marked this as a favor he owed her in the future. He didn't express this outwardly, only entering into a jog as he flowed after her in a slow jog. "My name is Quzon, of Barbed Earth Clan." he said in heavily broken Common in a thick Falyndar accent. "W..How are you" The words caught in his throat as he spoke them. He knew that he had said it wrong, and paused for a moment to find the correct word. "Who... Who are you?"

Quzon remained silent as he watched her prepare the horse, making no comment about how she prepared the animal to ride. He was intensely curious about how to properly saddle the mount, he was an animal handler by trade and watched each step she made. Laying down a blanket, then strapping the Yavas around its breast. He noted the the Yvas looked no different than what he'd seen on his people use on jungle Ixam and Myrian Tiger's, having no need for reins.

That was reason enough for Quzon to take further interest in the contraption. When she was finished, he approached the horse slowly. He was a strange and did not want to make the creature anxious. He stood in front of it, letting the horse see him as Quzon extended his hand towards Drelah. With his hand open, he stroked his palm down the stallion's nose. "Thank you for your strength. Now, let us be powerful together." Smiling at it before moving to its side.

He reached out to grab the hand grips along the horse's shoulders, and pulled himself up, leaning his body against the back of the creature as he did. He laid along it awkwardly for a brief moment before flinging one of his legs up and over the horses back. He held each of the hand-grips to keep him in place. He wobbled from sided to side. The fact that he had not fallen off was a victory in and of itself. And it was the best he could do at the moment. "Me ride? He paused for a long moment to think of the right words in common. "We shall both find out."