[Bronze Woods] A Bit of Hunting [Cathan]

[Hadrian]

88th Winter, 510 A.V. Hadrian was pretty sure this was a bad idea, but he liked Cathan and didn't want him to feel so cooped up in Syliras that he was unhappy. And there was the chance that he would learn a thing or two, and so he had 'borrowed' some clothes from his brother, donned his winterbane coat on top of that in case there was a cold snap, and put some extra stuff into his satchel before heading out to meet Cathan. On a horse he 'borrowed' from his father, who had plenty and would likely never notice. As per their agreement, he exited the city proper and waited for Cathan outside the city gates. One could see the Bronze Woods from there, and he hoped that the Kelvic would enjoy this vacation from the city. He also hoped Kendall and Sondra didn't take exception with this, because he didn't want to be burned or pounded with a warhammer. That would be bad.

[Cathan]

Cathan had felt excited about the upcoming hunt ever since Hadrian had offered to accompany him. Mere three days had passed since his first encounter with the sorcerer, yet the man could call an air of trustworthiness his own, the canine found rather appealing. Instinct urged the Kelvic to put people into categories such as prey or predator, but like Kendall before, the young man fit neither. The closes word to describe the two of them was 'friend', a word he has rarely come to apply to people he was not bonded with. With Sondra he had already found three companions however and for him that meant there were three people he could pester with questions, three individuals who did not mind his presence. Yes, sometimes he had the feeling they even enjoyed his company.

When Cathan slunk passed the guards this morning, he wore the same rabbit fur coat Hadrian would already know. For the canine it was an universal accessory. It was a piece of clothing to keep him warm at night. It was blanket, mat - and with the corners properly tied together - substitute for a very simple pouch. The coat had served him well during his travel and only twice the Kelvic had added buck pelts to cover up holes the cheap material was prone to develop.

Today he had also brought his a leather bag holding a few other things one might need for a hunt. A long hunting knife, not only suited to cut an animal's throat, but also to skin and gut it afterwards. He had also brought some salt to preserve hides and meat, although he was not certain his friend would have any use for either.

Taking in the air with a near sniffing sound, Cathan grinned. The breeze carried the scents of rotting foliage and trees about to burst into leaves, with other words the wind taste of spring. It was still cold, the draft playing along the bushes crisp and clear, but he could sense the grip of winter fading. The prospect made the shapeshifter's skin prickle in pleasant anticipation. Twice he shook his head to regain focus, amber eyes searching road and the forest's edge for a sign of Hadrian.

The young man was quickly found, also because the horse was hard to miss. It always had to be horses it seemed. Cathan wrinkled his nose in a dog like manner, slowly approaching.

"Hadrian." His expression became a smile, too open to hide anything in its depths, but genuine interest and care.

[Hadrian]

The horse, of course, was meant to made Hadrian more mobile so they could get far enough into the Woods to hunt without taking forever, and in case they needed to carry anything back. He probably should have asked Cathan about it, but it hadn't occurred to him; still hadn't, in fact. As he waited, he thought that Kendall and Sondra were lucky to have found a friend in Cathan, but he had begun to wonder if his own friendship mightn't upset things. If the three of them left for Ravok and Hadrian to somewhere else, well, would Cathan feel like his 'pack' was broken? Perhaps he was overthinking things; he had a tendency to do so. Still... "Oh, hello Cathan." He smiled a genuine smile, entirely lacking in his usual caginess and self-deprecation. "Good to see you." And it was true. He nudged the horse toward the treeline, but kept the pace mellow so Cathan wouldn't have any trouble keeping up. "I thought this way, the horse and I could carry anything you need us to carry, while you slip into your more comfortable form. I'll be faster this way and, if we run into something terrifying, the better to flee and live to hunt another day, you know?" He hoped the Kelvic was amenable to this, and glanced ahead. "Anyway, I know the basics of riding, so as long as you don't run breakneck through difficult terrain, I should be able to keep up. I'm no Drykas, but, you know... Does that sound about right? Oh! I brought you some breakfast..." He pulled a package of wax paper out of his saddlebag and handed it to Cathan, a package full of bacon.

[Cathan]

Cathan had stopped a few feet beside the horse, glancing over the animal while he listened to Hadrian. It seemed the typical specimen men liked to ride, healthy, untiring and strong enough to carry more than just its rider. The sight made the Kelvic hesitant for a second, but then he followed along beside the mage, careful to not come to not come close to the equine's hind legs.

It was wonderful to feel the ground so soft below his feet after days running on cobble stone. Through his soles he had felt any larger pebble, now he reveled in the feeling of sinking into the roadside churned up by countless hooves and feet. Amber eyes found Hadrian.

"I can not ride, but I do not mind horses," he said with a glance at the steeds's twitching ears and rolling eyes. Since his travel he had grown used to them – or at least he had no too strong desire to chase them through the woods anymore. "However they rarely share that sentiment. Once I changed I probably shouldn't come too close. Unless you believe it would be used to wolves." He tilt his head to the side. "Or you think you can hold your friend there still."

The young man seemed confident about his ability to navigate the forest on an animal, whose intelligence was rather doubtful in the Kelvic's eyes. Not to speak about its lacking loyalty. A horse would let most anyone ride on its back, a circumstance he found rather suspicious. At least a dog would know who it belonged to.

Again he scanned the steed. Already the large animal was taking in the air and the shapeshifter knew it smelled the wolf hair on his coat and maybe even the old blood from past skinning endeavors. Realizing he might have upset Hadrian looking down on his pet, the dark haired man cleared his throat, a smile curling his lip. "It would be wonderful if you carried my thing however. It is easier running that way."

He was about the turn towards the woods, when the sound of breakfast let him perked up. "You know, usually you eat after a hunt, not before," he laughed, moving forward to catch the bacon. He did not have to unwrap the paper to know what treasure was waiting for him. Unconsciously the Kelvic licked his lips. Deft fingers tore off a piece of the ham and Cathan looked up to Hadrian again.

"Not sure what animals live around here," he admit. "Will see if I can find something interesting however." The ground should be ideal for finding tracks. Half soft, half frozen it preserved not only imprints, but also scents. The idea they might meet something they had to run away from did not seem to concern him. He was a good runner.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian was an anthropologist, so he tried to put everything that Cathan said through the culture of humans in this region and the culture, so to speak, of a wolf. He was no animal behaviorist, but there had been a section in one of his classes about Kelvic culture, such as it was, which was basically a section on animal behavior. Cathan seemed to prefer any construct that might be labeled a pack rather than running as a lone wolf, though he seemed entirely capable of caring for himself if he chose to do so or circumstances required it. "You might want to be cautious about changing right next to him. I'm not an expert at this, but I think it'll grow used to you after a while, when you don't tear its throat out and all." He grinned when Cathan took the package, glad his gift was not disdained. In fact, he clambered inexpertly out of the saddle, taking the lead rope as he had been shown, and just walking along with his new friend. "It doesn't hurt to have a bit of something to keep you going," he said. "Anyway, you can drop trow once we get into the woods, I'll pack up your things and then we'll follow you and your nose. I suppose we'll find a spot for the horse and I to stay, and I'll practice some of my magic while you go hunting. I wouldn't be able to keep up with you then." He grinned.

[Cathan]

"Very well," Cathan said, between bites. "It is not my habit to change right next to people anyway," he laughed. Not to say he did not do it from time to time when the thought it might prove a bad idea had once again slipped his mind, but generally he avoided it.

Fingers licked and and wax paper pushed down his coat's pocket, Cathan walked forward to take the lead. Soon the soil started to grow harder. Out in the woods the ground was not softened from the feet of people and horses heading towards the city and the sound of the city died away in the distance behind them. The Kelvic was not looking for something specific, instead he stopped by a group of trees. Thick undergrowth stretched out between crooked elms, the just barely greening branches reaching as high as Cathan's chest.

"There lies some river in this direction," he nodded, already slipping from his clothes. Careless he threw the rabbit skin coat over a low branch, nodding towards the east. "I can hear the water from here. Creeks and ponds are good to pick up tracks. The woods are full of food, but water is usually harder to find. Soil will be soft too."

Most forest dwellers were in search for water on regular basis. Predators were well aware of that fact as well. The coat was followed by a shirt and soon after by a pair of leather breeches. The soil made soft sucking noises the moment the Kelvic slipped from his boots and his toes dug into the dirt. Cathan would have lied had he said he did not like the feeling.

"You know... if human feet were not so soft and weak I would go without shoes all the time." A moment he seemed lost in the observation of his feet. "Anyway. Let's start hunting. We can leave your horse at the river."

The air shimmered and the sucking sound became the sound of an additional pair of pawns hitting the ground. A second later a large gray wolf slunk from the bushes, stretching. Circling around horse and rider in some distance, Cathan started to lead the way deeper into the forest, nose close on the ground.

Myriads of scents started to fill his nose. Plants and foliage, the faint taint of humans and their pets. Finally he picked up something more promising. Slowly so Hadrian could follow on the horse the Kelvic fell into a light trot.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian cupped his hand, drawing djed from within and letting it pool in res form in his hand, prepared to offer Cathan a drink, but then he mentioned the river on up ahead, so Hadrian sighed, transmuted the handful of res into water, and drank it himself. Surely he could water the horse at the river. Knowing Kelvics were not modest, he watched as Cathan's body was revealed piecemeal with each article removed. Hadrian was jealous. Though he was proud of the strength and agility of his mind, he knew life would have been easier if his body was as strong and statuesque as the Kelvic's. But there was nothing to be done about it. He was thin, and that was better than being fat. Collecting Cathan's clothes, he bundled them up and secured them to the horse's saddle. When Cathan reminded him of the joys of mud between the toes, he was half prepared to remove his boots and enjoy it, but... "Wait, you want me to come with you?" he asked. But Cathan was a wolf and couldn't respond with a voice any longer. Gulping, Hadrian glanced at the horse and led it along, sure this would end badly.

[Cathan]

The Kelvic had already ran a head when he stopped looking over his shoulder. Ears tucked back and forth and for the longest moment it seemed he would just turn and head deeper into the woods. Then air turned a shower of light. Toes digging into the dirt the tall man once more crouched in the middle of the street. Hands on the ground before him he looked up to Hadrian, looking him over.

"If you prefer you could stay with the horse," Cathan offered after noticing the young man had not even brought a bow. "I just thought you might enjoy the thrill. And I would make sure nothing starts to chew at you," he smirked. "If it doesn't work we will think of something else."

Already about to turn the man stopped a last time. "Shouldn't change so often anymore though."

With that the shapeshifter reverted to his original form. Now the light feeling of hunger drove him forward, the way it should be when one hunted. Although he understood human's need for fur, he had light trouble to understand those hunting for the joy of it. He certainly preferred to hunt to fill his belly. Pelts and whatever they gained at the same time was just a bonus. Nose lowered to the ground he once more started to concentrate on prey.

The forest floor was a pattern of tracks and smells. Old trails painted ornate figures under newer, fresher traces, the later becoming more prominent the closer they got towards the river. In mud he started to make out the first prints of pawns and hooves, but like the earlier animal signs they were old. He observed them still. It was the open hoof print of an deer, the two toes forming almost tear shaped slots. Right next to it lay the imprints of a rabbit, two round holes and two oval marks – fore and hind legs. Cathan ignored them the way he had ignored some evidence for squirrel earlier. Had he hunt to sate his hunger he would have hunted them, he would have even dug in the earth for roots and worms, yet in Hadrian's company he wanted to show what he was capable of. It had at least to be a hare, a fox or marten however would have been more impressive.

In the distance the sound of gargling water grew louder and then Cathan could see it. Soft shimmered the water between the trees. It was not actually a river, more a small creek. Air was filled with the the scent of deer and something else. Too faint to make out, he instead looked for tracks. Stopping next to one he looked over his shoulder to see how Hadrian was doing. Quietly he sat down while Hadrian dealt with his steed.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian just nodded to Cathan, and followed with the horse. It wouldn't do to be a spoil sport with his new friend. Hadrian just wasn't much of an outdoorsman, and he didn't want to hold the Kelvic back. He wished there were some way to communicate with Cathan while he was in his lupine form. While Hadrian could probably copy a body part here or there, he knew he was not yet capable of morphing completely into a wolf, although that would be an accomplishment, truly. When Cathan stopped and sat, he looked eager to be off and so Hadrian was quick to tie the horse off to a sturdy branch with plenty of tender spring grass to munch on in the meantime. Unsure what might come while they were gone, he held his hand up to Cathan to ask for a bit of time and then took up a stick and began to write runes in the wet dirt around the horse and its tree. The pattern was of simple water-wall links in a chain bounded by linkages. "Glig korad," he said to himself, connecting two chains. "Yaq." That seemed to make a relative end to it, but there were a few places where the chain was broken by something that was different. There were crossing-triggers etched, a suction feed nearest the river, and another glyph of holding opposite that. "Just one more minute," he said, then held his hand out toward the last glyph. Glowing res poured off of his hand like heavy smoke, glowing faintly as it snaked into the holding glyph. "Adra," he said as it touched. All the runes began to fill up with res until the barrier of glyphs glowed faintly and he stopped. The glyphs seemed to preserve the res in that state without him having to focus upon it. He turned to Cathan, smiling. It had taken some effort, but he was not even winded. "Ready?"

[Cathan]

When Hadrian rose a hand the wolf merely barked once. It was not the sort of sound one might hear from a dog. It was shorter, sharper, fading towards the end. Watching the sorcerer a long moment, the canine walked towards the river to lap water. Up stream Hadrian drew signs on the ground while he murmured to himself.

The sight smelled of magic the wolf told himself, but of course there was not actually any strange scent coming from the other man. No flickering lights. No sound beside his quiet words. It was tempting to change back and ask what the man was doing, yet Cathan did not want to waste more energy than needed. He had to save it for his hunt, at least until they had caught a hare of quail to strength himself. Slowly he drew closer, as close as he dared to. Suddenly there was something to see. A glowing. The imagine caused the hair on the animal's back to stand up. Quickly he moved some steps back, not afraid but respectful. Whatever the mage was doing he did not want to disturb him. Finally Hadrian turned.

A second time the Kelvic barked his agreement, lowering his head to the track he had found earlier. In silence the canine started to follow the imprints. Lithe muscles moving under his thick fur as he strolled here and there between the trees, darting left and right.

Had Cathan's movements followed a certain direction Hadrian might have had trouble to keep up with him, yet the way he ran, they made headway only at slow pace. Again and again he lost the trail, just to find it again a few feet away.

Once in a while he looked towards Hadrian and then he would change direction, picking a route where the man's feet would not cause so much sound on the ground. The Kelvic could hear him still. He did not have to look over his shoulder to do so even. Not a heavy man the young sorcerer made at least not as much sound as he surely would have made on his horse. Stopping by the man's side, it was his turn to tell his friend to wait a second. Almost gentle the wolf tugged at the man's sleeve before continuing to follow the pathway alone.

The scent was clear now. Fox. A female one, full grown judging from the depth of the prints. Half crouching the canine slunk forward. In the distance red shimmered on white. Already about to dash forward, he hesitated. Again there was the strange odor, more clear this time. In a way it was familiar, but not enough for him to name the animal it belonged to. A stiff breeze tore the scent away along with his qualms.

Briefly amber eyes starred to the beginning of the swathe and then back to the fox. His heart pounding hard in his chest, Cathan launched forward, eyes fixed on rust-brown fur.