Completed [The Bronze Woods]The Serpent and The Mage[Savitaire]

[Clyde Sullins]

69 Fall 512 It was just a simple walk. Going through the Bronze woods bordering the Syliras castle. A common place really for Clyde to go when leaving the city. There were few other places really, especially if you wanted to be alone. Plus, it was dotted with other places and locations common for people to visit. Which meant him going into and out of them would go more or less unnoticed. Not to mention all of the hunters. People making their living off of killing wild beasts, skinning them, and selling their hides and meat. If they could kill them, and if they could get back with their spoils. For there are many dangers to the Bronze Woods. Monsters. The wild beasts. Bandits. And all manner of things. You never really knew what you would run into, when going into them. Clyde did not know today either. As he headed inside, alone but for his dog Rye, and his staff in hand, he set off. Looking around, perhaps trying to find a place to be alone with his thoughts... But after walking for awhile, he smelled smoke, and the scent of someone cooking. Surely the sign of another person. It would be rude to not announce himself, so he would, heading towards the source of the smell and cooking.

[Savitaire]

As a Dhani he really didn’t need to bother with cooking his food, but after discovering a parsley bush, something he learned from someone he had met on its use, he decided to give cooking a try. Rabbit was probably the easiest thing for him to find as the little critters were seemingly everywhere. They also loved parsley, so after hours of waiting one little nipper came and started to nibble only to have huge jaws end its tiny life. After spitting it out on a rock he had changed to his human form and started to take off its fur, something that was rather difficult since preparing food to eat was fairly unknown to him. He only had an eating knife, but after ages past he had managed to cut off the fur in ragged strips. Next he hacked off the head, cleaned out the stomach guts, though he kept the liver, heart and other such edible parts. Then he looked to the bush trying to figure out how he was supposed to make the herb make the meat taste good. Nira’lia had said it went inside food to do this, so he grabbed a fistful, taking the roots off before he stuffed the rest inside the belly of the rabbit.

He used some sticks to poke through the belly to keep it closed then shoved a longer stick through it to make a spit. He’d seen someone roast meat like this many years ago, he also recalled the stranger turning the meat from time to time. At first it did okay, till the sticks in the belly started to catch fire, he’d put it too close to the flames. After scorching his fingers he managed to put it higher watching it carefully. He was starting to get rather frustrated and wondered how humans had such patience when it was far easier to just eat it raw. This tiny morsel of meat, in his eyes, was a lot of trouble, but he didn’t know that the rabbit was big enough to feed three people. To him the thing was tiny since as a snake or even in his Dhani form the little fluff ball wasn’t even a snack. Still, the smell of the cooking meat did smell good and as he watched it his mouth started to water. He’d never thought something green might make a meal taste better, he would test it himself and be all the more proud of himself for the success.

He didn’t know that he was doing it wrong, to him it looked and smelled good enough to eat as it was. It would probably wind up being edible for a human, if they don’t mind it on the rare side or the fact that there was a belly full of insides and parsley. The act of cooking and tasting said cooking was just an experiment to the Dhani, if it tasted good he’d do it again if he felt like it. He really needed to get someone to teach him, but that didn’t matter to him. What mattered to him was that the cooking meat was a temptation and a lesson in patience. He really just wanted to snatch it off then and there, but kept turning the meat as the outside slowly cooked. Said outside was getting a little scorched, but when one worked so hard to fix something it looked like dinner.

[Clyde Sullins]

As he got closer, the smells shifted a bit, mixing and chaning. Occasionally he would get the whiff of cooking meat, something any human would recognize. But at other times, he got the smell of something burning, or even some kind of plant smoke. Though really, he had no clue, it was hard to say just by smell what it was, or what exactly they were doing. But it was enough to get his interest. So he came into the cleared area in the woods, looking around, trying to get close enough to see who it was, or what, without setting the person off. The last thing he needed was some person thinking him to be a beast, and attacking him for dinner. Or heaven forbid it be a campsite for some vagabonds or bandits, who might try to attack him. If that happened, he would be forced to defend himself, which would not be good for them. And it would be a bit annoying for him. His staff tapping along as he walked would probably be the first announcement of his presence. He did not strictly need it, but he kept it with him. He seldom ever used it as a weapon, usually just keeping it with him for comfort or assurance, or to simply look more mystical. The last one was a bit rarer, but he did it on occasion. Most of the time when people thought of a mage, they thought of an old man, who had spent decades perfecting his craft... Clyde on the other hand had been a prodigy of sorts, starting in his magical skills early, though not by choice, and excelling. So now he was still rather young, and already a highly powerful mage. Which surprised many people, especially older ones, or people around his own age who assumed they were on the same level as him. He walked into the open, Rye at his side, and put on a smile, greeting the person there. "Hello. Fine day isn't it? I smelled the cooking, and decided to investigate. Make sure someone was not burning down the forest. I am Clyde. And you are?" As he said this, he looked around, taking in all the details he could, before focusing back on the man... Though he did notice a few things. Like the rabbit being cooked... Or at least, what was left of it... But it looked more or less like a rabbit, the right shape and size... Whatever it was, small rabbit or big rat, it was being cooked. But the smoke also had a planty smell to it, beyond just animal flesh burning. He had no clue what plant, just that it was involved. Or maybe it was being burnt in the actual flames, so that the smokes rising off of it imbued the meat with the herbs? It was hard to say. Though he could see the fresh blood from the killing, and some loose bits of straggly fur. Must have been cut up here. But he simply smiled, not judging, just taking things in at this point.

[Savitaire]

The approaching sounds hadn’t really bothered him, if it was prey he wasn’t interested, if it was a predator it would be biting off more than it could chew. When it resolved its self in to a human with a dog and a long stick he eyed the dog more than a human. Certain animals didn’t like him, horses for one and dogs, but he himself also disliked dogs so the distaste was mutual. They never tasted good, they made too much noise and nothing ever useful came from his encounters with them. Oh he understood their usefulness, humans needed all the help they could get, but he just really disliked the creatures. “Savitaire…”

He kept his attention on the dog, mostly, humans would leave him alone unprovoked, but would the beast with its master? He stood up slowly looking at the man, they only had a four inch height difference, but the Dhani outweighed and out muscled the man. Dogs like horses it seemed smelled the snake in him, scent never lied, he was a predator and they knew it. “I should tell you that dogs don’t like me much, better keep it away from me so he doesn’t get in to a disagreement with me.”

It wasn’t a threat, no dog he had ever met had tolerated being close to him and inevitably came at him. Horses usually just tried to flee, but dogs were predators too and they fought instead of flee, especially when they think their human is in danger. Rarely some cowered, those were the tiny ones, but bigger ones? Those were the ones with more confidence, he just didn’t want to take that chance. He moved to the other side of the fire nodding to where he’d just been “You can share my fire if you wish.”

He felt slightly better putting the flames between him and the dog, he could only hope the man had that beast on a tight leash. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill the animal if it attacked him, but that would make him vulnerable to whatever the human intended were it to come to a fight.

[Clyde Sullins]

Savataire. Certainly an unusual name he had not heard before. he wonder were exactly he was from, it certainly sounded like a foreign name, not one of a Syliran residents. Bu he he did not know enough of other lands to be able to pick out the name, or were it was from. Clyde did notice however how the man was staring at Rye, his dog. Which as he looked down at Rye, sort of made sense. He was tensed, with his back raised, leaning forward glaring at the man, with an almost growl coming from his lips... Which in and of itself was odd. But Rye was staying put at his side, he was well trained, and knew better than to go chasing off after someone, or attacking them. As he said something about being wary of the dog, and keeping him from going after him, Clyde just smiled. Was he afraid of dogs? Probably not. Now that he thought about it, the words almost sounded like a threat, and the smile was soon replaced by a more neutral expression. "I would not worry. Rye here is well trained. He is a guard dog, but he will not attack something or go running off unless I command it, or I am attacked. He knows better than that. Though it is odd that he is acting this way, I cannot say I have seen him do the same to often, at least not to a person." Clyde slowly walked closer to the fire, as the man offered, enjoying its warmth. Ever since he had become a reimancer, and his first element had been fire, he had felt a intrinsic connection to the element. Even if he no longer used it nearly as much as he used to, he still loved fire. It made him feel safe, and seemed to exude confidence which flowed into him. It was certainly nice to have it around, even if it was not to terribly cold yet. As he moved closer, Rye stayed at his side. He did not bark or growl, or go at Savataire... But he kept his eyes on him, with the same stare... Which yet again Clyde thought was a bit odd. "So, what exactly are you doing out here Savataire? Are you a hunter? Is that what you do? I have met a few before. It is a decent living they made off selling the flesh of animals."

[Savitaire]

Since the animal seemed to be able to stay put Savitaire switched his attention to the man ignoring the dog. “I am a hunter yes, but I don’t sell what I kill.”

He ignored the stuff about the dog, so long as it kept its distance he had no issues with it. “Not many people go out for a walk this far in to the forest, especially if the scent a meal.”

He took off the meat taking out his knife and cutting the rabbit in half, it took a bit of muscle to get through the stick, but it eventually broke and he offered half to the man. “I’m not much of a cook, but it smells good at least.”

He wasn’t a cook at all, but he wasn’t going to say that to Clyde, he took a few careful nibbles and decided it wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t as good as the things he had tasted in town, but it didn’t taste awful either. He found that he appreciated the ones who made others meals just a bit more now that he got an idea of all the work that went in to cooking. While he might like what he cooked he found he was watching the human now to see what his reaction was going to be. One can always judge ones abilities by watching others and if it was bad the man’s expression might tell him so. He did warn him he wasn’t much of a cook.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde puzzled a bit over his words, which seemed rather vague. He was a hunter, but not by trade? So obviously he did go out hunting, at least reasonably often, or was reasonably skilled at it, or he would not call himself that. But it did intrigue him a bit, as to wonder what he actually did do for his trade. Though as he thought on this a bit more, he wondered... He did not have any weapons on him... The only hunters he had known used bows to hunt, or some long range weapon. It seemed the most common thing for hunters to use. Though he had heard of a few people besides that who used other close range weapons, usually blades, or even knives... Though the one he had was one for eating, not a real deadly knife... Regardless, this man seemed to have none of these on him... Had he killed it with his bare hands? Which of course made him think... Does he have bear hands? Was this man perhaps a kelvic? After all, who could chase down a wild animal and kill it, with their bare hands, but a kelvic, who could shift into some kind of a animal form... He was not sure yet, but perhaps the man was a kelvic... Clyde watched as the man nibbled a few bites, and offered him some... He was not sure exactly what to do, but it might be considered rude to refuse, even if it was horrible... And after all, he had eaten some, so it could not be that bad. Hopefully he had remembered to drain the blood out of it before cooking it though... Clyde took a tentative bite, tearing off the tiniest sliver of the meat with his teeth. He chew it, and right away tasted the strength behind it. What, had he shoved half a tree of herbs into this thing? Apparently not only did he not know how to cook, but he could not season it either... "I think you might have over seasoned it... How much did you sprinkle on it?" Clyde took a moment, and tore off a second small sliver, and chewed and swallowed it. "It is not the worst I have had. I suppose. Though you could definitely use some practice. Not that I am to skilled of a cook. Usually other people end up cooking. Though if you are not a hunter, what is it that you do? Surely you have some trade, everyone in Syliras does." He would wait a bit before bringing up the bit on weapons... Till after he learned a bit more, and maybe found out what he did...

[Savitaire]

Savitaire looked down at the mean then back at the man “I put the parsley in the rabbit’s belly.”

He wondered if he should have done that, he knew herbs went in to food, did he take that too literally? “I am a hunter, I just don’t sell what I hunt usually, right now I am living off what I saved till I decide on what I want to do.”

Its wasn’t the total truth, he was a Squire in the Knights, but he didn’t want to advertise that to a total stranger. He had been living outside the city hunting his meals and going in to town every so often, but now he didn’t. “What do you do for a trade?”

It was only fair to ask the stranger the same, if only because he was curious. It seemed strange to him that a man with a dog would be strolling through the area they were in without more protection. Something was off, he was sure of it since he didn’t see more than the staff. He wondered what the man might have concealed and if he was thinking to target him for some reason.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde just looked at the man with a odd expression on his face, as he was told how he had seasoned it... Stuffing its belly full of seasoning? He was no expert cook, but he knew that was not the right way... "Yeah uhm... Seasoning goes on food, not in it. Unless you mix in a small bit, like with pepper or something. But you certainly don't stick the entire herb inside of the thing. Or you can put it in the flame, so that the smoke wafts up and is imbibed into the meat. Sort of like when you dry out food to prepare it." Clyde said this, fairly certain it was true. After all, he had seen other people cook, and seen his own mother cook many a time... Though he had not seen he in a while... Maybe the man would be better off making a stew? It would be easier to do, as he had seen. All you had to do was get a big pot, pull of water, toss some meat cut up into it, along with some vegetables, and the herbs could go in their entirety... Much simpler... "You hunt, but not for a living? So just for fun then, or for fresh meat? I have known a few hunters before, some even that did that, in their spare time." But then it was back onto him... Asking what he did... Well, he was not really motivated to answer that honestly know was he? Especially since the other man had not given a straight answer. It would take more convincing than that, to get him to answer. "Ah, I have done a few things. I suppose I am sort of here on business, in Syliras. I traveled here from further North. Though really, I am sort of in between jobs at the moment. Have a bit of free time." He looked at him once more, and still had a fact bugging him... He saw no weapon... Was he perhaps as he had thought, a kelvic? Who else after all could hunt down an animal bare handed? "So just curious, but how exactly do you hunt? I have seen many different ways. Traps. Bows. Daggers. What do you use?" He wondered how he would answer... Would it be truthfully? Or with a lie? It would be hard to say... But a persons answer could often say a lot, even in a lie.

[Savitaire]

Apparently there was much more to cooking than he first thought, he certainly had his curiosity peeked. Savitaire’s eyes glittered in the firelight a grin briefly touching his lips, almost as if he had a private joke “I don’t give out my secrets to total strangers, if I did there wouldn’t be anything left for myself eh? How far north? I was thinking of traveling myself eventually and I wondered at where I ought to head first.”

The Dhani looked the man over thoughtfully, he didn’t look like he’d been traveling, but then neither had he. He finished his half of the meal right down to the bones, then got up to bury the remains at the roots of the nearby tree. He sat back down dusting his hands off then used some water from his water skin to clean off the rest. Savitaire didn’t want to outright lie to the man, but he also didn’t want to give out potentially dangerous information. His grey eyes watched the man carefully, he wasn’t sure if this man was ‘safe’ then again he was sure the other man was wondering the same of him.