Sunsinger and Shadowrunner [Zakal]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

70th Spring, 511 A.V. They had ridden out a ways from the roving city, and Sama'el was beginning to trust his sense of where they were better. The Emerald clansmen might be the best hunters, but he had been initiated into the Mysteries, and the Cyphrus Web opened parts of itself to him that he might range ahead, look behind, or even fix portions of the information network for his people. All the same, he was glad he had met Zakal and that the other young man seemed interested in a hunting partner. Watchman or no, Sama'el was on his own in Endrykas. The girl he wanted to marry had been given to another. His best friend loved him too well, and had run away when it wasn't reciprocated. His cousin, like unto a brother, was leaving Endrykas even when promises of revenge against the Zith were offered time and again. Once he had thought that returning to Endrykas would be the end of his great journey, the culmination and completion. Happiness. But happiness wasn't a state people were meant to remain in, it seemed. Certainly he was happier with his people than without them, but there was still struggle, hardship, and loss. These things were inescapable in life. He was only eighteen, but he had begun to realize that there were no true destinations on the road, only places to stop and rest. But even such thoughts could not tamp down his enthusiasm for long. He glanced over at Zakal and smiled. Their Striders were walking apace. "We have several options from here," he noted. "Should I check the Web or should we stick to more mundane methods of tracking prey? Either way. Up to you." He was an easy going fellow, and he certainly didn't want to pooch the possible friendship by being bossy. Though he wanted to have his own pavilion one day, leadership needn't always be oppressive.

[Zakal]

Zakal smiled as he allowed the morning sun to overflow him with her warmth. He loved the smell of morning air. Dew still fresh on the individual blades of grass. Zakal Shadowrunner had always enjoyed nature. How couldn't he? Zakal continued to smile, then looked at Sama'el. He was obviously trying to be kind. They had just met but Zakal could tell that they had a lot in common. "Well I enjoy taking my time in a hunt, even if it takes all day. But either way, the hunt is what I live for. So either way I'll be happy. You can have the decision." Zakal hoped that he didn't seem rude. Sama'el was trying to be kind in giving Zakal the choice but he wanted truly wouldn't care either way. He just enjoyed not hunting alone. He had hunted with others before, but generally speaking, it was just Zakal and his strider. He couldn't help but notice a faint scent of blood in the air, maybe something else had already begun a hunt. Just part of nature. "Any preference as to what we're hunting? I've noticed that sometimes it's easier to find your prey when you know what you're looking for."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Something relatively safe," he said. "I get enough of danger running circuits for the Watch. Doesn't mean I want to go hunting glassbeaks when I have time to myself." He laughed and soon smelled the blood too, his own skills at hunting a bit inferior to Zakal's. Dark brown eyes shot to meet Zakal's blue gaze and a knowing passed between them. "Let's find that blood and we'll look for tracks, and I can check the Web." Since Zakal seemed content to let Sama'el decide, he assumed the mantle of leadership, at least insofar as making basic decisions for them. He was hardly an authority figure. Dohaina, his golden Strider mare, turned her head at his invisible direction and cantered off in the direction of the breeze that brought them the scent. He kept his eyes peeled, though didn't try to pull too far ahead since Zakal was likely better at spotting such things. They slowed when they came upon the source of the copper tang to the air. Surveying the scene, he spared a glance for his companion. Even leaders could ask experts for their opinions. "What do you think?"

[Zakal]

The hunting party slowed to a halt. Zakal's hunting dog Drikan let out a growl. He could smell the blood and hear movement in the grass. Silentstorm, Zakal's strider, let out a loud snort and shook his head. Zakal's smile dropped and his eyes turned to slits. He had no visual, even with the advantage of added height from his mount. However he could smell the coppery scent of blood. Plus he could hear a lot of faint rustling a distance away. His hunting experience led him to believe that it could be glassbeaks. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was certain to be a group of predators. His head turned towards Sama'el, then his eyes looked over. "I think that if you really don't want to go hunting glassbeaks, than we should go somewhere else." Zakal would leave the choice to Sama'el again. Zakal feared glassbeaks the same amount that any sane man would. But he wouldn't say no if his hunting partner wanted to look for a little trouble. Zakal rotated his head to and fro, making sure there was no danger near them. Keeping his senses vigilante for the party's safety. He surely didn't want anything to go wrong, but Zakal wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he let his guard down. He was part of the Emerald Clan and thus, he was supposed to be an excellent hunter. Zakal would keep his senses sharp.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el paused, Dohaina reacting to his invisible commands, though it looked almost as if they moved as one creature, so subtle was their communication. Her ears were perked forward, nostrils flaring, and Sama'el turned to look at Zakal, nodding gravely. His companion was the Emerald clansman, so it made sense that he would know more about this sort of thing than Sama'el. "Glassbeaks... ah, no, thank you. I've had enough of them for now. Why don't we follow Drikan's nose for a ways? If we don't find anything, I can check the Web." He wasn't going to lead Zakal and their animal companions into danger for no reason, so he waited for the hunting dog to take its master's cue and find them something that they wouldn't have to risk life and limb to take down.

[Zakal]

Nodding to Sama'el, Zakal turned to Drikan. He gave a sharp, but quiet, whistle. He didn't want the glassbeaks to turn their attention to the hunting party. They obviously had prey but there was no way to know if they would be satisfied. After giving Drikan a sharp whistle, he nodded his head in one direction. Hunting experience between the two, allowed Drikan to know his master's command and search for prey elsewhere. His dog's nose constantly sniffing for any sign of prey. After separating themselves from the glassbeaks, Zakal finally spoke up. He loved to talk, he was very outgoing. "So do you enjoy hunting? What about being out here this early in the Sea of Grass? It's marvelous." Zakal managed to smile again as he waited for a response.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Once Zakal's hunting dog had found them a direction, he and Dohaina fell into step with the Emerald clan hunter and his Strider. His attempt at leadership had nearly led them astray, so he was content to rely upon the senses of the canine companion for the time being. At Zakal's question, he just smiled. "If I was in Endrykas now, I'd sleep too late, but when there's hunting to be done, well... I like to be up before dawn if there's something that needs doing, though. I guess I got used to it, too..." His smile faltered as if a cloud had passed over the sun, but he shrugged it off, not wanting to burden new friends with old woes. "I do enjoy hunting," he continued. "I just need to keep working on my aim, because I would have more luck running down prey than hitting it with any arrow of mine. I might say Zulrav doesn't help, but I would just be blaming the wind for my bad form." His smile went wry for a moment, then returned to good cheer.

[Zakal]

Zakal smiled warmly. He watched as Sama'el looked up, and followed his gaze. A cloud rolled over the sun. Zakal shrugged then looked back to his friend. "Everyone has their own talents." Zakal wondered how the day would turn out. It might take a bit of time before they found anything, with so much commotion from the glassbeaks. They would have scared off a lot of prey. It was fine though. Zakal just enjoyed being out. "I mean personally, I enjoy using my bow. Along with a good challenge of course." Zakal let out a small laugh. "My father gave me this bow many years ago. It's the only one I have ever used since." He couldn't help but reminiss in the memories he shared with his parents. Before they died. It wasn't they're time. They still had so much more waiting for them in life. They were great people.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el smiled, but said nothing when Zakal began talking of his father. The young Drykas was embarrassed to admit that the details of his father's face, his voice, and other things were slipping out of his memory after eleven years without him. There were fleeting memories of his rough, capable hands over Sama'el's own, leading him through the process of nocking an arrow, drawing the bow, sighting, and loosing an arrow at a target. "I enjoy using my bow. I just need more practice," he said after a moment to gently put old sadnesses away. "Hopefully we'll find a herd of zibri and will have a chance to practice our aim and bring home game enough to feed us and sell." He was in talks with a man to purchase the bond of a servant, which would allow him to have a person tending his campfire, watching Horse and his things while he was riding circuit or, like today, out hunting. Sama'el had no pavilion, but he was slowly building up the means to have one someday. Already Webbing, a Watchman, and saving his resources, soon enough he hoped he would have the money for a pavilion, some horses to begin breeding, and enough prestige to marry someone. Even if now it wouldn't be fair Dymphna.

[Zakal]

"Monetary gain doesn't normally effect me that much, so long as I can feed myself and animals I'm fine. However I'm not doing so well with the Miza situation." Zakal seemed a little embarrassed to be telling anyone about something like that. He wasn't quite sure why. Zakal sighed, Drikan wasn't picking up any scents. He was fine with waiting a while to find his catch, after all the greater the challenge, the greater the glory. But he wanted to show off to Sama'el. He wasn't sure why, but he enjoyed showing people he was skilled in his hunting and archery. "He doesn't seem to be finding anything." Zakal seemed bummed to use other methods. "Would you like to try your way?" He still sounded happy when he asked him. In the end they would find something.