Flashback (Kallian) Breed all about it

[Delani Denusk]

"There were a few times when he spoke a strange language that sounded a bit like what I imagine a hoarse whale might sound like. It wasn't that lovely, I must admit." She replied, referring to the Charoda's native tongue which he had on occasion spoken in, though Dela had not understood it.

Laughing lightly, Dela nodded back at the woman. "Indeed, Sapphire is well known for their webbing, a skill I unfortunately lack. I've tried in the past to learn some but it was never something I excelled at. A pity, for it is quite useful." Being connected in such a unique way, always known where one was, where they were travelling to, united even to the horses. It was fascinating.

The woman's gaze moved back to Kallian then and her brows raised as the younger lass showed off her gnosis, the mark of Zulrav proudly seen on the blade of this Drykas. "A beautiful blessing, Kallian. Your family must be quite proud that you were Chosen to be a Stormwarden." Neighs in the herd distracted the elder them, Dela getting to her feet and shielding her eyes against the daylight to see what was causing the commotion.

Shouts from the scouts that were watching over the horses while they grazed rose up from the din and Dela frowned, bringing her fingers to her lips to give a shrill whistle. From here, she could not see what was going on on the other side of he group other than that the riders were converging on something. "Collect your mare, lass. Could be glassbeaks." She said, the ruddy buckskin strider of her own cantering up with head tossing and tail swishing wildly. The normally softened eyes were wide in either excitement or fear and both of the blackened ears were laid back.

"Whoa, whoa, easy girl, easy. Peace, Dela-dear." She reached for the mares nose, fingers guiding her head down and her other hand firmly patting the strong neck. Two more riders were emerging from the grasses, speaking and signing quickly as they galloped by. The drykas woman only caught a glimpse of one of the signs and frowned deeply.

"Snake. Come, whoever was caught might yet be helped if we hurry." Dela secured the yvas quickly after fetching it from the ground and steadied her falx against her side. Then, onto the horses back she climbed, leaning down to Kallian afterwards to offer a hand up. "Delani may not fly as yours can, but she is wiley enough; if it is a snake, she'll outsmart it. Quickly now, girl."

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[Kallian Windrunner]

Kallian grinned when Delani mentioned the pride of her family. Truly, they were immensely proud of her. Even her brothers had given her words of love, when they normally teased and insulted. It was her calling. Wherever it took her, the winds would go. The idea was comforting. The older woman stood following the suddenly loud herd. Kallian's eyes settled on the large cluster of horses and climbed to her feet, watching them intently. Delani's mare approached them with a strange look; at the woman's suggestion, Kallian nodded and put two fingers to her lips. The whistle was two toned, one high note and one slightly lower. She waited, watching for Allyria. As the two riders passed by, Kallian also read their signs and shared Delani's frown. A snake? Must be very bold, considering the number of scouts and horses grazing. She wondered if their food had been scarce this year, hence the sudden courage. Her father had mentioned something to her in passing, though had mostly pushed for her to only hunt in groups. Begrungingly, she had agreed out of respect. Today, she had come alone and with no intention to hunt. Her longbow lay across her bed in the kinsroom back in the Windrunner Pavilion. She had no weapon. Kallian suddenly felt very naked. Glancing back at the herd, she could not see her strider within the large group. Worry surged. Delani called to her. Looking at the now mounted woman, she took her hand and climbed atop the strider with smooth agility.

[Delani Denusk]

Mounted up with Kallian situated behind her, Delani urged the mare back into the herd with a low cluck of her tongue, knees tightening when the Strider lunged forwards to carry the two riders after the watchers.

More loud proclomations were being heard before the bellow of a stallion resounded the closer they got to the source. Several of the larger Striders had surrounded something, riders scattered between them. The hoops and hollers of these riders accentuated the neighs of the horses weaving back and forth around the unseen creature.

Delani caught a glimpse of a rusty face, a mane of bronze and grey spilling over the strong neck. The horse was on the ground, something long and large over it, the loud hisses drowned by the angered herd and Drykas. "Look lass, there!" Delani shouted over her shoulder, nodding between the weaving horses.

Atop the downed body of the frightened horse was not a snake, but an enormous monitor lizard. Its thick body, low set by strong but otherwise short legs, crowded the three year old, keeping it to the ground while a well-muscled tail kept horse and human alike back, whipping hard whenever one got too near. Calling out to one of the watchers, Dela asked, "What happened?"

The man replied likewise in Pavi as he dismounted with two of the others surrounding the lizard, "The mare was grazing around here when it lunged from the grasses. She's been bit. We'll need a healer." The monitor lizard hissed deep in its belly again and lunged at one of the riders when they tried to get close and grab the tail to pull it off the horse. "That bite will fester quickly; I've seen a bite like it on an olidosapux when I was first learning to hunt. The wound festered quickly and killed it. When we had come across the carcass, there were a dozen of these lizards, like-sized or bigger, crawling across it. I think there's something in the bite that makes them die faster."

Delani frowned at this knowledge and dismounted ahead of Kallian. "Has anyone ever caught one before? I bet the healers and medicine women would be interested if it uses venom; the toxin could be used on the hunts if it doesn't taint the meat." The man was quick to shake his head and explain that it had been tried in the past. Many had fallen ill with a dysentary like disease. It was not pleasant. Delani abstained from suggesting it further. It was rare that creatures in the Sea were useless, but it appeared this one might be; if its bite was toxic, its meat probably was too.

"Can you not just shoot it?" She nodded to the bow on the other Drykas' back. But again, the man shook his head.

"No, its hide is too thick. Unless its jaws stay open enough to get an arrow through or show its belly, I've never seen an arrow pierce their skin. Damn lizards are almost as bad as young velispar...Oi! Watch out!"

The lizard had observed the conversation between the two Drykas, their brief distraction giving it a chance to try and bolt towards them and break for the grasses beyond. Evidently the meal wasn't worth this stress. Delani jumped back against her striders side, eyes wide and hand reaching for the falx to pull it free and lop the reptiles head off if it got too close. It aimed a snap at Kallians leg as it passed, the nine-foot long cold-blood clapping jaws. But true to her name, the mare shifted wisely and aimed a sturdy kick for the drooling fiend, square in the jaw! Would it be enough to discourage this lizard from further aggression against the men and herd?

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