Open Worry is a Powerful Motivator [Syrus]

[Naiya]

Rue

Day 54, Summer, 513 AV

She was going for a hunt.

It would be her first time hunting alone, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She tossed her things over her shoulder, carefully placing her bow beside the bag. After carefully strapping her quiver to the yvas she mounted her strider and they headed out of the city.

Wildfire was ready, he had been cooped up with the others all morning and he wanted to run. So when they could see a clear path out into the grasses, Rue sat forward, changing her weight on his back and he leapt into a gallop. They thundered through the last reaches of the tent city and out into the grasses.

It was a relief for them both to get out and away fro the city, tensions were running high and big changes were in the works. Rue didn't want any part of it.

That wasn't totally true, though. There was on part she was interested in... but that was a matter for some other time, not while she was out on a hunt.

They slowed to a walk as they topped a rise in the grasses, looking for a spot of shade to wait under. When she found one they trotted towards it, with no worry for scaring off smaller prey, she would shoot anything the ran from it's hiding, but she was waiting for twilight to fall, to see if she could bag an antelope in the hours when they came out to feed.

She dismounted in the shade, removing the gear from her strider and letting him graze in peace while she dug for her grooming tools.

Nightsong

[Syrus Shadowsong]

It was like any other day for Syrus. He and his strider,Icarus,always sat on the outskirts of the city, gazing at the land before them. Syrus stared out into the beauty of the grassland that laid before him,when he heard the sound of hooves pounding on the ground. Syrus though out loud for a moment "What in the world is going on,now?" , Icarus neighed at the words as Syrus spoke,almost like he was saying "We should go investigate." As Syrus quickly stood up,he witnessed a stunningly beautiful copper-haired woman on her brown mare in a full-fledged gallop. For a moment he wondered what was going on and he decided to follow the copper-haired woman. He jumped on Icarus's back,shifting his weight on his back to let Icarus know to gallop as quickly as he could. "Come on,Icarus,She may be in danger!" Icarus ran as fast as he could. They followed the copper-haired woman until she stopped. When they were a good amount of distance from her,Syrus jumped off his strider, trying not to scare the woman. Syrus shouted to the woman "Are you alright,miss?"

[Naiya]

Rue

Rue reached for her bow when she heard the hooves fast approaching, it was not often one Drykas attacked another, but recently she had learned it was best not to take unneeded risks. However the horse and rider stopped at a distance, rider joining her on the ground, and it allowed her the peace she had known only moments before.

Was she alright? Well wasn't that a loaded question. Was anything alright? With the loss of lives to sickness and the new methods of the elders, the Drykas were in for an unpleasant wake up call from how their lives had been before.

Of course that wasn't what he meant, she knew, and her reply was the polite one he was looking for, mostly. "Of course I'm alright." She didn't bother to sign, instead turning back to her bags and removing a curry brush. Wildfire nickered softly at the sight and she grinned as she began to groom him. She let the other sit in silence for a moment, considering what was to come next.

"Do you often chase women out into the wilderness?" Her brush moved from neck to chest as she eyed the man over her shoulder.

Nightsong

[Syrus Shadowsong]

Syrus looked at the woman for a moment. His expression changed to a sign of relief when the woman said that she was alright. There was a short silence when he spoke "What?..No,you just looked like you were in trouble,I wanted to make sure you were okay is all." Syrus watched the seeming young girl brush her strider. "May i ask,what you are doing by yourself out this far from town?" Syrus did not try to approach her anymore,he knew not to,as she might have taken it as a threatening action. He continued closely watching the young copper-haired girl. "It is very dangerous out this far out,especially at night with the Zith and Glassbeaks running around looking for prey." He stood there in a long silence, pondering on how she would take the way he said that. He had not meant any harm by what he said and he hoped she did not take it the wrong way.

[Naiya]

Rue

Rue sighed softly. She was being rude, he had only come out to see that she was okay and here she was all but ignoring the guy. She glanced at her bow in answer to his second question shooting him an amused look.

"We are hunting." She grinned, gesturing to her strider who bumped into her when she stopped brushing, "Besides, between Wildfire and now yourself, I'm hardly alone."

The Drykas before her was an odd one, lean muscle where most men tended wider through the shoulders, and with short hair so uncommon among their people. More notable was the scar that crossed his face and his leather attire, it made Rue wonder how he could bear the heat dressed in such. In her own wear only her boots were leather. She moved around to Wildfire's far side, putting the horse between her and the other man which made her slightly uncomfortable, like she was offering him for inspection, but after their run he could use the grooming, and he would get pissy if she quit now.

Given a better view of the man, she realized he was older, and that the stern set of his face was more a matter of bone structure than any intent on his part. She could probably take him... if it came to that, she decided. After another long moment of silence while she finished currying the endlessly shedding creature before her, she inclined her head to the elder Drykas,

"I'm Rue." She offered, a sign of peace. One that would maybe allow the other to relax and join her in her makeshift camp if he so wished.

Nightsong

[Syrus Shadowsong]

Syrus glared at the bow then kept watching the girl brush off Wildfire,as he thought to himself for a moment "I feel stupid,when do i not see people running so quickly out to hunt." He looked at Wildfire's coat,running his eyes through as if he was inspecting it.When he looked back towards Rue,he did not expect the sign of peace so quickly. Many other Drykas would have told him to leave their presence or would have drawn their sword in a rather threatening sort of way,giving a clear sign to leave them alone. "I am Syrus.",He bowed to Rue as if he returned the sign of peace that she so kindly gave him."I apologize if i scared you by following you,I just wanted to make sure that you were not endangered." He paused for moment "It is already hard enough with as many deaths as there have been lately,I mean you no harm,Rue" There was a short silence as he thought for a moment "By the way this is Icarus,my strider." He pointed at his sleek black strider,as he sat in the grass field. Icarus neighed as if he was giving his greetings to Wildfire and Rue. "So, you are going to hunt,then?" He paused for a another moment "Do you want any help hunting?"

[Naiya]

Rue

Rue sobered for a moment, reminded of the tragedy that had befallen her home. What was really hard was the children, the ones that had survived had lost so many of their friends and family, it was hardest on them, fearing an enemy that they could not fight.

The moment passed as Syrus introduced his own strider, Icarus. "It is wonderful to meet you both," Rue replied, grinning at her own partner, "This looming oaf is Wildfire." Said oaf snorted, turning to give Rue a scathing look with one big honey colored eye. "Oh, you know it's true." She laughed patting him on the rump.

She came back around her horse, tossing the curry comb to the male. "After a run like that, he could probably use a grooming." She mentioned as she passed the dark form of his strider.

"I'm waiting for twilight," She informed him, "I figured having a good run and a grooming would be a nice way to begin out hunt, then once dark starts to fall he and I will go out and see what the evening brings." She bent over her bag, digging once again for a new brush. Once found she returned to grooming, taking a moment to consider his offer. She did not know him, did not know whether he was a good hunter or not, but he could hardly be much worse off than she was, and an extra hand meant a safer hunt.

"Of course, if you're willing to help, I'm not going to tell you no."

Nightsong

[Syrus Shadowsong]

Syrus laughed at Rue's comment about her strider, "He looks like he is a strong and healthy strider." "Then it looks like we're hunting partners for tonight." Syrus glanced at Rue long enough for her to see his smile.Syrus quickly caught the comb. "Thanks." He turned to Icarus,walking to him, and pulling off the saddle bags so that he could groom Icarus properly and let him graze in the grass. He started to groom Icarus, when Icarus neighed in a delightful way. Syrus smiled at Icarus and continued grooming Icarus's hair gently. "Twilight will come soon,that is an ideal time to hunt." He was silent for a moment. "Are you from Endrykas or are you just visiting?" He waited for her reply,hoping she did not find it a too personal question.

[Naiya]

Rue

She set her tools aside, having finished grooming Wildfire and she smiled softly at the comment about him. He was strong and majestic and everything she ever dreamed of having as a child, but best of all she was his as well, chosen by him as his perfect partner. So they were. Speeding out across the grasses, power in every move they made, and he learning so well to take the cues she offered him. Acting as a war horse and protector for the girl who had always said she didn't need anyone else to look out for her because no one besides her ever had.

The same spirit was in her, protecting the stallion with everything she had despite whether the threat was real or perceived. Grooming and exercise weren't chores, but gifts, time to spend together, and they revered every minute of it.

And the hunt! One to scent the game and to point the other in the direction of their prey, the other to shoot the bow and to care for the prize. It was, Syrus had unwittingly reminded her, beautiful to be Drykas, and she was elated.

Until, that is, he asked of her origins. "Sometimes I wish I was just visiting." Her voice was soft, matching the gentle way the sun dipped below the horizon and the twilight fell over the land. "That it was just me and Wildfire, visiting the roaming city for trade or news.

"Then we could leave. Take off to a place that we called home. Somewhere away from the elders and their changing rules. Away from the slaves that will so fear the men and women who claim to have honor, but only hold the same fear in their hearts.

"Endrykas is changing." She cast a glance at the man who had joined her hunt, his black as pitch strider who called softly to the man who groomed him. "That is why I am out hunting in the night. To gain some distance from the goings on that I can't possibly agree with."

Wildfire nickered softly, resting his head gently on Rue's shoulder. He could sense the stress that had been pressing on her all day, that had caused her to change her plans of working to plans of hunting in the grass.

His gesture was not unnoticed, causing Rue to realize her outburst and chuckle softly in embarrassment. She patted his cheek softly, "You silly thing, you." She murmured affectionately, for his ears only.

Louder she spoke to Syrus again, her hands signing words of apology and embarrassment, "Forgive me, the pressure of it all seems to have been bothering me more than even I knew."

Nightsong

[Syrus Shadowsong]

Syrus looked towards the land as the sunset was dropping over it,he sobered for a moment as flashbacks hit him hard of home. He was reminded of the old days of how the Elders were and still are. He remembered the conversations between his father and mother talking about leaving Endrykas. He snapped out of it and acknowledged that the elders were all but sane. "I know Endrykas is changing and I feel just about the same as you,It is a tough world we live in now. We can only hope it will get better. He paused for a moment "I am actually glad you invited me to stay. What the elders are doing is out of fear,and is something that I will not agree with." He paused for a another moment to take a quick breath."Do not be sorry. It bothers most of us in a sense. I understand that very well. A long time ago,my father talked about possibly leaving Endrykas but i do not know where he would have gone. Honestly,I do not know of anywhere else but here." He stopped for a long pause. He realized that he was rambling all too much and she probably did not want to hear what she possibly already knew. "I'm...I'm sorry."