Gone a'hunt'n[Kovac]

[Kitchi]

13th of Winter, 512

Kitchi dismounted from the large bird and glanced down at her surroundings. It took her a moment to work out her location but was quickly satisfied. The flat land around them stretched out, the occasional lump in the ground would disturb its flatness. In the distance trees swayed gently and occasional glitters of white snow would fall to the ground, catching the snow as it fell. She pulled her cloak tight around her, attempting to fight out the cold that wrapped around them. She wished she had done it earlier, the wind had beaten at her the whole trip but it was to late by that point. After a moment of stretching she glanced around to find her accomplish. Kovac was unusual in the Inarta community, dark black hair and green eyes. Kitchi understood he was a cross between two different races but couldn’t locate exactly which two inhabited his blood. It certainly was not the first time Kitchi had interacted with him but she was still unsure how to act around him. Kitchi stepped forwards and stretched her arms, another thing she disliked about travelling by Wind Eagle. She knew it was an honor but sometimes it seemed to be more trouble then it was worth.
'Which way do you want to go?' She turned to Kovac, smiling at him and checkingher dagger and quiver were securely in place.

[Kovac]

Once Kovac unslung his gear from the eagle's harness and waved the rider on, he rubbed his face. His scarf had blown away halfway through the ride to the hunting ground, and the olive-hued skin had taken a distinct crimson as the mongrel tried to heat the cold, numb flesh. His hunting partner for the day was preparing as well, tugging her katinu tighter around her body. Her icy blue eyes swung towards him as Kovac slung the small pack, talon sword and quiver over his shoulder, gripping his composite shortbow in his gloved hand.

He lifted the weapon and pointed towards the trees in the distance. "That way, I'd say."

Kitchi was only an acquaintance, their paths crossing briefly but never long enough to know anything about her really. She was young, a tiny woman that an outsider would find unlikely for such hearty work. But the petite Inartan had already earned a reputation as a very competent hunter. It was for that reason she had been teamed up with the expert archer. Kovac was not a skilled tracker, but a good shot. Their skills complimented each other, Kitchi would find the prey, Kovac could bring it down.

The hunters headed out, side by side trudging through the virgin snow. Kovac scanned the terrain around them, an open area that would be carpeted by tall, green grass come Spring, but now was a wasteland. There was no fauna in sight, either prey or predator, and Kovac allowed himself to relax, slightly.

"They say you do fortunes...maybe when we get back you can tell me mine." He turned to her with a smile. He tried to catch a glimpse of her sapphire irises. Kitchi always seemed to be looking away, as if afraid to look him in the eye.

[Kitchi]

The snow crunched beneath their feet as they stepped towards the trees. Aside from them everything was silent. She wasn't surprised really, they had yet to get to the forest which seemed to hide the bulk of the animals. Kitchi kept her eyes fixed on the leaves in the distance, looking for the tiniest sigh of movement or hint of tracks as she did so. She noticed her temporary companion relaxing as they moved but Kitchi kept her focus. It was strange hunting with someone, having to think about their footsteps and their movements, the way they disturb the snow or the faint wisps of white breath they exhaled. It took her a few moments to get used to the footsteps besides her, Kovac was not particular tall but taller then her and his footsteps were marginally heavier.
"They say you do fortunes...maybe when we get back you can tell me mine." Kitchi nearly jumped at the voice, everything was so unusual with another besides her. She kept her blue eyes fixed on the ground and the trees. They had to find something today, even a squirrel. Wind Reach was starting to become nervous about food, every year the rations became difficult and they preyed more and more that enough food would be found.
'Well... I am no good at it' She mumbled, almost inaudibly. 'I would love some practice' She managed to suggest, louder then her previous comment. A faint smile followed her lips at the concept.It was rare for her skills to be aired and she was surprised she was known for them. She didn't hide her cards on the occasions she would toy with them and she certainly would not refuse an opportunity to read someone. The forest started to loom closer, the trees stretching their branches high into the air. Snow covered everything, Kitchi loved the snow but it did make hunting more difficult and unpleasant. 'I hear your sick of teaching silly teenage girls' It seemed wrong not to offer some information back, although Kovac was a stranger his sarcasm and pessimism had reached Kitchi ears before.

[Kovac]

The hunters trudged closer to the trees, Kitchi scanned the ground before them and the path to the woods for tracks, while Kovac kept his gaze busy scanning the landscape around them, and well as the sky above. He hoped beyond hope to see the dots of a herd of mountainbeasts, just one of those would be a trophy for he and Kit, and get them out of the wilderness and back to Wind Reach. But they were too low in altitude, besides, the Eagle Riders would snag up the such easy and prized prey, leaving the ground-pounding Avora hunters to toil for more elusive game.

Kovac's gaze darted to Kitchi as she replied, but her attention remained focused on the ground ahead. "You can practice on me...I don't mind. I had my fortune read at the Winter Festival a few years ago... not very impressed by what she said." The girl with the cards at the festival talked about his current situation in life, things that he wrote off as bunk but were rather accurate...he just did not want to hear them. Maybe this woman, a peer, would render a more amenable reading.

'I hear you're sick of teaching silly teenage girls'

The inartan's frank comment made Kovac laugh out loud. Was it that obvious? "The Winters at Wind Reach can be tedious enough without the perpetual tide of Yasi wanting to prove their "Inartaness" by learning to shoot. It may be an art that has a long tradition among my half-kindred, but archery is not something they are born with. Some just suck, and always will." He chuckled again. "And they are so easily distracted by the opposite sex."

Kovac hitched his harness to a more comfortable position. "As cold and taxing as hunting in the Winter can be, it beats manning the ranges all day long."

The treeline drew near, and Kovac pulled an arrow from his quiver to nock to his bowstring, leaving it undrawn. "Now, lets bag something so we can go home." He lagged a bit, letting Kitchi move a head a step. She was the true hunter, and he didn't want to get in her way.

[Kitchi]

 "You can practice on me...I don't mind. I had my fortune read at the Winter Festival a few years ago... not very impressed by what she said." Kitchi heard the words, pondering over them. Was it a fake he had been lured into? She glanced back at him, he didn't seem the type to be easily tricked. Perhaps it was just someone of low skills, she froze mentally, she was still uncertain about her own abilities as a fortune teller having had little practice, her talent for it was still being trained. She mused over his offer to let her read him, half of her argued it would be nice and certainly interesting to see what could be deciphered of his future but she did not want to disappoint him like this other fortune-teller apparently had. Her frank comment spilled from her lips as she thought and his laugh drew her from her thoughts and back into reality. “The Winters at Wind Reach can be tedious enough without the perpetual tide of Yasi wanting to prove their "Inartaness" but learning to shoot. It may be an art that has a long tradition among my half-kindred, but archery is not something they are born with. Some just suck, and always will." Another chuckle sounded as he continued to talk."And they are so easily distracted by the opposite sex." Kitchi laughed to at this comment too but her mind flicked through the turret of words. She remembered when she was a Yasi, struggling with the art of glass work. At times it was a strange day for her be surrounded by anything except broken glass but eventually she had given up, it certainly was something that she was not born with, she was thankful that she could shoot at least. From behind her she heard a shuffling and she glanced around, it was merely Kovac adjusting his harness. "As cold and taxing as hunting in the Winter can be, it beats manning the ranges all day long." This was a statement Kitchi could not relate to, being a hunter by nature she had no common place, she was never stuck in an area constantly and it seemed strange to her that someone could become bored of something they loved enough to take on as a job. She shrugged, circumstance and situation. "Now, lets bag something so we can go home.” She smiled at him comment, was he cold already? Remaining silent she moved forwards, failing to notice the gap starting to appear between them. The trees started to loom around her, leaves fluttering slightly in the breeze and the faint darkness wrapping around them like a blanket. Blue eyes scanned the trees quicker, searching for movement. It would be nice to get something big and head back early she mused, maybe then she could immerse herself in a book. After a while something caught her eye, the tiny hint of brown caused her to stop suddenly, blue eyes turned towards the movement. Her bow was drawn in seconds, the arrow primed and pointing towards the source of the brown fur. For a moment she waited in silence, forgetting her companion but the memory etched itself into the forefront of her mind and she glanced around, locating Kovac.
“There, I saw something” She whispered, motioning with her bow before stepping backwards slightly, she knew that he would be a far better shot then her and the best chance of hitting.

[Kovac]

The sharp eyed Inarta had spotted something, but by the time Kovac swung his gaze in the same direction as Kitchi's the target had disappeared again. He flashed his emerald eyes at the huntress, then began a careful stalk towards the hidden prey. Glancing over again to make sure she accompanied him, Kovac stepped over a fallen tree as they progressed forward.

The mongrel saw the patch of brown through the rusty colored tree trunks this time and froze in his tracks. The buck strolled out between the trees, where the hunters could see his sturdy form. He was young, his antlers only sporting a few points. But he was suitable quarry. The distance was further than Kovac would prefer, but the shot was a clear one, and he hated missing an opportunity.

The Avora raised his bow slowly, drawing back the string. The composite bow creaked slightly at the strain until it reached its full pull. The deer cocked its head, its large ears twitching. Kovac leveled the iron arrow head at the animal, filling his lungs and holding the cold breath. His hand held the bow loosely, the nock resting at his jawline. He noted the movement of air against his flushed cheek. The wind was slight, broken up by the trees, but the archer adjusted slightly for safety. The muscles in the half-breed's shoulders and back knotted up as he held the powerful bow taut. Then, when the arrowhead stopped wavering, the point aimed at the buck's heart, Kovac relaxed his fingers enough for the string to slip away, launching the missile at its target.

The arrow streaked through the crisp air striking the deer higher than Kovac had hoped, impacting the beast in the shoulder. It was not a clean kill. The deer took off running. Kit may have been able to get a shot off, but if she did not get an arrow through its heart, the hunters would have to track the buck through the woods and hope it dropped from blood loss before it could get too far.

[Kitchi]

Kitchi followed Kovac through the trees again, tracing the scent of the brown furred animal. Fortunately it did not have time to get too far and before long it stepping into view once again. The buck was young, strong, healthy. Beady black eyes searching for enemies, Kitchi was not sure if it had spotted them yet but it did not seem to reach. Its long elagant neck reaching towards some leaves or grass, something Kitchi could not see. It was young, too young to meet the fate it would. She felt bad that it would end up as merely food, before its life had really began but nature was cruel. If she was not hunting she might have admired its beautigul fur or determined stature.
Kitchi pulled an arrow from her quiver, started to load it as Kovac lined his shot up, she preyed he would hit and it wouldn't be down to her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him draw the bow, the taut string pulled back. He released the string. His arrow flew through the air, spinning towards it prey where it embedded itself into the now bewildered deer's shoulder.
For a moment the deer appeared terrified, staggering around like a lost lamb. It was trying to escape the clutches of the hunters. Blood was already starting to pool around the still embedded arrow and Kitchi drew her own bow back.
The tip of the arrow was lined up quickly, she did not have the time for persion as the buck started to flee. Kitchi's arrow was right behind it in moment, flying faster then its long legs could manage in the desperate scramble. Silence fell as the arrow hit its target, the animal veered outwards. The arrow was embeded into one of it legs awkwardly. It tried to scramble away, legs flailing uncoordinated. The duel attacks rendering its movements almost completely useless. It staggered a few feet, starting to dissapear into the bushes. In the state it was in it would not get far, they would be no rush to find its fearful body curled up a short distance away.

[Kovac]

Kovac gave Kit a quick nod as they watched the struck deer stagger into the brush. He moved forward, an anxious pace through the trees to retrieve their prize. They crossed the place where the first arrow had hit the animal, a few dark drops of blood staining the patches of snow on the forest floor, making it easy for the hunters to track their quarry the few yards it had managed to get before the two arrows and loss of blood took its toll.

Kit and Kovac came upon the dying creature, laying on its side and panting heavily. The young buck's wide eyes swiveled in the surprise that every creature, sentient and non, seemed to experience when they face their own death. Kovac did not particularly relish the sight, though it was part of hunting. But he would not make the poor animal lie there and bleed to death. Switching his bow to his left hand, the mongrel slid the talon sword from the sheath on his back. Raising the long blade, the Avora aimed to sever its head, ending its suffering.

But the coup de grace was stayed as a low, throaty growl rumbled through the forest. Kovac looked up, searching for the source. It took a moment to spot the source of the threatening sound, as black shadows and white snow moved to reveal a large feline with black and white stripes. The beast was twenty meters out, yet Kovac could still see the great fangs that jutted down past its lower jaw. A Rashkari. Kovac had heard of the tiger-like predators, born of the Djed Storm, beginning to appear more and more in the wilds of Kalea. It had spotted the hunters, and their prey, and stalked along at an angle, as if circling them and assessing them with hungry red eyes.

Kovac lowered his sword, yet kept it ready, his eyes darting to the petite Inartan hunter before shifting back to the large cat. It was a stand off, the prize, the buck.

[Kitchi]

Kitchi followed her companion through the trees, hunting down their prey. She remained a few paces off, not really wanting to deal with the half carcass that lay in wait for them. Kovac did not seem to notice her hesitant lingering and continued forwards. She noted the blood spatted on the snow, red against white. The snow was a blessing for hunters for that reason, that and hoof prints allowing them to trace easier. Turning a corner Kovac disappeared for a moment but Kitchi continued to follow slowly, had he spotted the prize? Once she emerged she found he had, his sword was being drawn to end the bewildered animals life. Its black eyes stared dulling out into the world, it seemed almost resigned to its fate. Arrows protruded from its side. Her blue eyes swivelled away from the dieing animal, in the corner of her eye she spotting black and white fur appearing. Her mouth opened to shout a warning at Kovac but a low growl beat her frozen voice box. Large fangs extended from its giant jaws and each of its feet were pronged with sharp spikes. Had Kitchi been alone she would have backed away, leaving the Rashkari to her prize but could she and Kovac take it? Or make it retreat? Her eyes scanned the archer, perhaps. Part of her still doubted it as she turned her attention back to the red eyes, determined killer eyes with none of the remorse that she was accustom to. They were fixed on Kovac, had the creature even noticed her? The earlier lingering may have paid of. If she played her cards right, but what was she suppose to do? After a moment she scanned the area before starting to slip sidewards. The trees were sufficient to cover her, at least for the moment. Problems might arise if the creature heard her footsteps. For this reason she made sure to be extra slow, almost laboriously slow. An arrow found its way into her hands, slowly being loaded into the bow. Her fingers slipped onto either side of the arrow, resting lightly on the string. As she moved she wondered what Kovac was doing, how was he trying to amend the situation? She preyed the creature would not spot her until she could draw up besides it, or if it did at least give Kovac space to act.

[Kovac]

Kovac was not a particularly brave soul, and had no desire to tangle with the large fanged beast. He would have left the deer to the Rashkari if he were convinced the predator would leave he and Kitchi alone. But these creatures were new, appearing only a year ago, the little the Inartans had gathered about them was that they were territorial and can attack unprovoked. Usually more active at night, the hunters must have disturbed this one from its sleep.

Kovac's eyes darted again to his female companion, head unmoving, trying to avoid drawing any attention to the girl. He saw her creeping, nocking an arrow to her bowstring. The mongrel shifted his arm slightly, only enough to move his hand out a bit, palm down, indicating that she should hold her shot, but be ready. An arrow alone would not bring down the animal, if it came to attacks, he and Kit would have to work together to survive.

But Kovac believed Kit had the idea. He wanted the Rashkari to keep its attention on him, in as much as it kept the woman out of immediate danger. But if the beast would be satisfied with the deer, that was all the better. It was not worth getting mauled. Following Kitchi's idea, Kovac stared to creep backwards, one slow step at a time. The large cat continued to move around its circle, making it a bit difficult for the hunters to keep it in front of them and retreat at the same time. But as Kovac and Kit inched away from the carcass, the large striped Rashkari stalked towards their kill.

Suddenly, it leaped, landing gracefully over top the deer, straddling it while crouched menacingly, its razor-sharp claws digging into the snow patches and soft forest floor. Lifting its large head, the Rashkari let out a loud snarling that was not quite a roar but hauntingly frightening. Five inch fangs were bared towards Kovac, and the half-breed crouched instinctively, wishing he had his more familiar bow in his hand instead of the sword. The long blade was raised defensively. The mongrel would do nothing to provoke the predator at the moment, and he shot Kitchi a glance, pleading with his eyes that she follow suit.

Then, the beast launched at him. Kovac, looking for the moment towards his companion, swivled his head in time to see the Rashkari bounding towards him, and the man began to back pedal, the sword pointed at the charging predator.

"Now, now, NOW!" Kovac yelled to Kitchi.