Open Hunter and Hunted

[Erekez]

10th Day of Winter, 512 AV Erekez sat in his tent, sorting out the contents of his backpack. Moonraker could be heard outside, snorting occasionally to herself as she ate from the surrounding foliage. Erekez had decided to bring her along hunting today, he needed to get better at riding for more dangerous situations in which the time taken to mount Moonraker could be the difference between life and death. Learning how to use a bow and arrow effectively on horseback was also a bonus. Erekez did not trust leaving his stuff unguarded, so he took all belongings with him, either in his backpack, or in the saddlebags that Moonraker carried. His tent had been covered with all kinds of sticks, leaves, rocks and moss to keep it hidden from eyes of others. The only drawback was when Moon started eating all of it. He'd have to get more to cover the exposed areas. It was annoying, and very few people, if any, ever wandered around these parts outside the city, but Erekez wasn't going to leave anything to chance. Moonraker trotted over to him as he stepped out from the tent, bow ready and arrows set. She always seemed to have an understanding of when she was needed, Erekez was not sure why? She nuzzled his hand as he offered it to her. Moon had been a trustworthy companion over his years of travelling. Despite her jokes, she could always be relied upon. Erekez moved his hand to brush down the length of Moon's face, seeing her react positively to it. Moon stepped forward, throwing her head up as she did and knocking Erekez in the chest, sending him over on his back. Moonraker whinnied at another successful joke. "Very funny Moon!" Her head continuously moving up and down, she was happy with herself. "No jokes whilst we're gone. Understood?" Erekez asked with authority. Moon turned, allowing her side to face Erekez for him to be able to get up. Once he was in place, he strapped his bow to the saddle and called for Moonraker to go. Hunting around Zeltiva was a bit difficult. The mountainous terrain provided very little cover, and what trees there were had lost all their leaves for the winter, so would prove rather useless. It worked both ways, you could easily see and chase what you were hunting, and whatever was being hunted could see you just as easily and wouldn't have anything it needed to dodge when running. It would always turn into a matter of speed very quickly. Moonraker took her time as she made her way over any rocks that littered the ground. After so long travelling through the Wild Lands, it looked as though she had grown used to the forest plains and cover, rather than the rough terrains they moved through now. For now, it didn't matter. Erekez would take care of Moon when they had finished for the day, but they needed to be alert now. He already had his bow ready and an arrow in place. Drawing it back now would only tire him out quicker, so he just held it for when it was needed. He pulled his cloak in closer to himself as the wind's chill began to blow over his skin. The bite very quickly settled in but soon passed as the breeze died for a bit. Erekez tried breathing on himself, hoping the warmth of his breath would be enough for now. He'd probably start buying food from within the city on days similar to this. Pulling a bow back with cold fingers was almost impossible and painful to attempt. It became worse as the chill settled in to the bow limbs, making them stiffer. Using a bow if it became too cold was dangerous, as they were prone to snapping. He hoped his composite was able to withstand low temperatures for a time before succumbing. The wind blew from the right of him, meaning that wildlife to the left would be able to pick up his scent from a distance away now. He'd have two choices, either go around until he was on the opposite side to whatever animal was to the left of him until the wind no longer alerted them, or go towards the right and hope there was an animal upwind from him already. As there wasn't anything in sight to begin with, Erekez started right and attempted to try his luck.

[Rozen Malphor]

"Canst the living durst to live beyond life?"
-Rose
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Rose hobbled along the rocky surface of the land. The chilling winds nipped at his cheeks, forcing him to pull down the hood of his cloak down past his eyes. He walked while staring at the ground, using his large scythe as a walking stick. The blade gently swung left and right over Rose’s head. The sound of the wind howled past him, pushing back his hood. He didn’t like this area much, but he had to be here is he wanted to eat tonight. He knew how to hunt, track and kill; however these things a practically useless without a prey. He searched around the area in hope an adequate one will be found.

He wandered for a few moments until he discovered some tracks. The track had almost been blown away by the wind, leaving only faint outline. Rose took a close look at the track to know what he’s hunting. Upon a close inspection, the print was in a hoof shape. He wonders if there was another hunter nearby, and if the hunter would like to join the hunt or vice versa. He began to follow the horse track as it slowly vanishes behind him.

The tracks soon lead up to a hunter and his or her steed. Rose was at a distance, too far to be heard and out of their vision. He watched as the hunter drew an arrow from his quiver, loading it on the bow before drawing back the string. Rose believed he was watching an expert, almost an equivalent to his brother. This hunter used a ranged hunting tool, far superior to Rose’s scythe in terms of hunting.

Soon after watching the hunter, Rose decided to greet the hunter. However, he was armed, so there was a chance he could get shot if he startles him. Rose began looming closer to the hunter and the steed, completely oblivious to how eerie and terrorising he looked. He walked with a hobble, wore a dark night blue hooded cloak and held a large scythe with one hand. This would be considered threatening to other people. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case for Rose.

Rose loomed even closer until he was at earshot, but because of the wind he was much closer than normal shouting distance. “May I beseech thee to ask: Art thou friend, or enemy?” she shouted. Rose stood from where he shouted, awaiting for a response.

[Erekez]

The chill was beginning to settle into his clothes. He pulled the cloak tighter around, but found it impeded any movement that was required to use his bow. This wasn't doing him any good. If the cold was already in his clothes, it wouldn't be long before it started having noticeable effects on the bow. Erekez began drawing the string back, then slowly letting it return to rest before drawing it back again. If he kept the bow moving, it wouldn't become as stiff so quickly. Looking over the landscape proved fruitless. There was nothing that he could see, and the wind made it even harder to hear. Moonraker's movements had become sluggish, presumable for the same reasons Erekez was. He worried for her, feeling sorry that he couldn't let her run to warm herself up, but the action would scare of any potential prey. Erekez took a deep breath, feeling the cold line his throat and lungs, and breathed out slowly. Someone called to him. Turning around on Moonraker, Erekez was met with a cloaked figure holding onto a scythe. That's a unique choice of weapon. The cloak looked familiar, and combined with the scythe reminded him of something. Could this be a priest of Dira? An Omen? His grip tightened on his bow. Erekez intended to accept death when he believed it was his time and not before. This was not that time. Upon looking closer, it was revealed that the stranger did not wear a mask, nor a black cloak, but a dark blue one. Erekez relaxed in the knowledge that the stranger was not an Omen. As he listened to the stranger's question, he smiled slightly. A unique choice of words also. Erekez knew better than to judge a person based on anything else other than their personality, but he knew nothing of this one yet. "I am not your friend, as I do not know you!" Erekez shouted back. "Neither have you posed a threat, so neither am I your enemy! If you mean to discover if my intentions are to cause harm, you don't need to worry unless you make the first move!" Erekez watched this stranger. Had he intended on causing harm, he wouldn't have announced his presence before making a move, and anybody who was stupid enough to believe it was better to try and trick a potential victim into a false sense of security never got very far with Erekez. It wasn't always clever to announce yourself to someone before being aware of their true intentions, Erekez believed, but this one had shown that he was less likely to be a threat by doing so. He was lucky that Erekez had no desire to kill him unless given a reason. He moved Moonraker to face the cloaked man. "How may I help you?"

[Rozen Malphor]

"Canst the living durst to live beyond life?"
-Rose
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Rose listened to the hunter speak. The voice sounded distinctly male. His voice was soften by the wind, but was still audible. Rose smiled. However, the smile looked more haunting than pleasant. “Thy words speak of friend, not enemy. If thou were truly an enemy, thine arrow would pierce my heart. I myself mean no harm, trow of me as friend” He yelled back.

He began to pace closer to hunter. I hope he won’t be shot. He used the scythe and a walking stick, it made a very quiet and dull thud as it hit the ground. The wind once again blew back his hood, exposing his head to the chilling air. His hair waved in a flowing pattern with the wind.

Upon getting closer the man, he realised he was about his age. Rose stood about five meters away from the hunter. The hunter asked if rose needed help. Rose stared at the hunter with his black coloured eyes, completely oblivious to how creepy he looked.

“Nay, thine help is not needed at this moment. However, I bid you thine name, and wherefore art thou hither in this location?” Asked Rose in his eerie voice and odd speaking style. His Speaking style was adopted from his foster mother. He was able to speak like everyone else, but it was a struggle for him to speak in that style.

As Rose waited for the Hunter to respond, he realised he had forgotten to introduce himself. He felt impolite and was a bit annoyed at himself for that. “Prithee to accept my apology, for I displayed rudeness by not introducing myself. Rozen Malphor is the name I've been blessed with. However thou shall call me Rose, if thou so chooses.” He said as his introduction.

[Erekez]

If he was aware that I could easily kill him from this distance with one arrow, he is either a competent fighter or a reckless one. Still, he says he means me no harm. His actions will either back his words up, or contradict them entirely. For now, all I can do is watch with caution. The wind revealed the stranger's face, and Erekez came to see that they way he held himself was the same way his face expressed itself. Ominous. It was difficult for Erekez to tell if this was intentional or accidental, as the stranger's facial expressions did not necessarily match how he was trying to come across. He acted friendly, yet appeared menacing. This one truly bewildered Erekez. Understanding his words proved to about as challenging. He spoke using words that very few people spoke with. There had been maybe on or two others that Erekez had met around Mizahar, and they weren't any easier. It was still possible to understand him, you just had to listen a little closer to the context, as opposed to the words the individual used. Erekez heard the stranger's question. There was not much to contemplate on this particular one. The questions were simple, and the answers revealed nothing that Erekez would prefer to keep to himself. His lips moved slightly before the stranger apologised and introduced himself, Rose. Erekez inclined his head towards him. "A pleasure. My name is Erekez." He introduced himself. "I'm here to hunt, not for game, but for food." There was nothing more to it. Erekez say no point in killing without a purpose, and many had fallen from an arrow through the back who did so to others. It was hateful to kill an animal for fun, but unforgivable to do so to another person. Movement in the distance caught Erekez's attention. A mountain goat. This hunt might reward him after all. Pulling his arrow back, he became more concious of the wind around him, still blowing his scent away from the animal, but would also do so to his arrow, if he were not careful. Erekez aimed for a clean kill, but if he missed, he'd alert the goat of him. He looked back over at Rose. "I'd like to ask, how are your skills at hunting? It would be greatly appreciated if you could offer a hand. I offer shares of nothing beyond half each for both of us." It would be useful especially if Rose could track. Erekez could hunt, that included very basic tracking, but if he lost an animal, he had no hopes of finding it again by skill. "What do you say?" He released the arrow, feeling the wind pick up as he let go. Typical. To Dira with you!