52nd Fall, 521av.
It was early morning, the skies above Lhavit as grey as ever, clouds sending a heavy drizzle down to the ground below. The streets were fairly empty at this time of the morning, so Zach did not have much to hold him up as he wound his way over the Hunter’s Guild. He had his bow with him, newly purchased from The Outpost, though he was not optimistic that it would see any use today.
He had been walking for perhaps ten chimes, and already he was soaking wet. The Drykas barely noticed, for it was the norm these days, much to the disgruntlement of the majority of Lhavit’s residents. Zach slicked his dripping hair out of his eyes without breaking stride, and stepped around what looked like a particularly deep puddle.
When he pushed open the double oak doors to the Guild, the heat from the fire in the grate washed over him and he almost sighed. The large room was toasty warm, so he figured the fire must be almost continuously burning at this point. It was not a surprise to him, for people still needed to eat, so the hunters still needed to go out. Knowing there was a warm fire waiting for them when they returned would always make the work that little bit easier.
Zach stomped his boots on the entry mat before making his way to the bar near the back of the room. There weren’t many about at the moment, the really eager ones were likely already out in the Unforgiving, and others would have probably written the day off as soon as they had awoken and looked out their windows.
He ordered himself a soup and a bread roll for his breakfast, hoping something warm and filling would set him up well for what was likely to be a very damp day. He took it over to one of the sofas near the fire, intending to dry off as much as he could before heading back outside.
Footsteps approached behind him and a younger hunter Zach did not know well sunk into the chair next to him. The lad had mud nearly up to his knees, and he tipped his head back and closed his eyes, clearly revelling in the warmth the fire was belching out. Zach swallowed his mouthful of bread before speaking.
“That bad out there is it?”
His fellow cracked an eye and smiled ruefully. “Like the ground is trying to turn into a river.”
Zach grimaced, dunking another chunk of bread into the soup. “Hm, maybe I’ll give it a miss today then…” The Unforgiving was, well, unforgiving at the best of times, let alone when the weather had been this bad for this long. He had already experienced one mudslide, and one was enough to last him through to the end of his life.
He was musing on what to do with the day instead, mopping up the last of the soup, when Long Stan came over to stand in front of him.
“Big hunt planned today Zach?”
The Drykas shook his head. “Not anymore.” He tipped his head to indicate the younger hunter who appeared to now be asleep. “Says it’s turning into a bog out there today.”
Long Stan grinned. “Good, you want to come and give me a hand instead then?”
Zach chewed the last piece of bread and stood with a smile, placing the empty bowl on the closest table. Since he had returned to the city, Stan had seemed to have grown fond of him. Zach enjoyed the older hunter’s company and always learned a lot when they ventured out together.
“Sure, why not!”
He collected his bow from next to where he had been sat on the sofa and slung it over his back, and headed for the door after Long Stan.
wc: 641
He had been walking for perhaps ten chimes, and already he was soaking wet. The Drykas barely noticed, for it was the norm these days, much to the disgruntlement of the majority of Lhavit’s residents. Zach slicked his dripping hair out of his eyes without breaking stride, and stepped around what looked like a particularly deep puddle.
When he pushed open the double oak doors to the Guild, the heat from the fire in the grate washed over him and he almost sighed. The large room was toasty warm, so he figured the fire must be almost continuously burning at this point. It was not a surprise to him, for people still needed to eat, so the hunters still needed to go out. Knowing there was a warm fire waiting for them when they returned would always make the work that little bit easier.
Zach stomped his boots on the entry mat before making his way to the bar near the back of the room. There weren’t many about at the moment, the really eager ones were likely already out in the Unforgiving, and others would have probably written the day off as soon as they had awoken and looked out their windows.
He ordered himself a soup and a bread roll for his breakfast, hoping something warm and filling would set him up well for what was likely to be a very damp day. He took it over to one of the sofas near the fire, intending to dry off as much as he could before heading back outside.
Footsteps approached behind him and a younger hunter Zach did not know well sunk into the chair next to him. The lad had mud nearly up to his knees, and he tipped his head back and closed his eyes, clearly revelling in the warmth the fire was belching out. Zach swallowed his mouthful of bread before speaking.
“That bad out there is it?”
His fellow cracked an eye and smiled ruefully. “Like the ground is trying to turn into a river.”
Zach grimaced, dunking another chunk of bread into the soup. “Hm, maybe I’ll give it a miss today then…” The Unforgiving was, well, unforgiving at the best of times, let alone when the weather had been this bad for this long. He had already experienced one mudslide, and one was enough to last him through to the end of his life.
He was musing on what to do with the day instead, mopping up the last of the soup, when Long Stan came over to stand in front of him.
“Big hunt planned today Zach?”
The Drykas shook his head. “Not anymore.” He tipped his head to indicate the younger hunter who appeared to now be asleep. “Says it’s turning into a bog out there today.”
Long Stan grinned. “Good, you want to come and give me a hand instead then?”
Zach chewed the last piece of bread and stood with a smile, placing the empty bowl on the closest table. Since he had returned to the city, Stan had seemed to have grown fond of him. Zach enjoyed the older hunter’s company and always learned a lot when they ventured out together.
“Sure, why not!”
He collected his bow from next to where he had been sat on the sofa and slung it over his back, and headed for the door after Long Stan.
wc: 641
