Solo In falling snow do tracks show (Job) [Completed]

[Halona]

Halona 12th bell, 43rd of Winter 513 Common | Canine | Thoughts She was blind. Halona could barely see anything past her own the snow was coming down so hard. Why she was out in the winter storm in the first place was beyond her. Maybe it was because she was tired of being coped up inside or perhaps she had spotted the faint outline of a worthy buck not long ago but she had lost him. Stumbling blindly through the drifts of snow she kept her head on the swivel attempting to spot the animal once more. Glancing down she realized she had been on the animal's trail all along. Before her boots was a faint outline of a fresh oval shaped hoof print. Relieved she had not been seeing things she carefully followed the trail until its sudden end at a frozen over stream. "Petch." She cursed, before scouring the snow on the other side of the stream for any signs of disturbance. To her surprise and disappointment there were none, she was at a dead end. Turning around to retrace her steps she had only gone back a few paces before losing her own trail completely. It was like it had never been and she had never walked it. Either fate was working against her or the wind and snow were doing their job too well. "Never going to find the stupid animal anyway." She sighed taking refuge at a nearby tree. She stood leaning against the bark fuming. "I had it, it was right there...right there." Emphasizing her words by pounding the bottom of her balled up fist on a open palm. The crunching of snow put her on the alert but she relaxed once more after recognizing her horse, Zorro who was trailing dutifully behind her as he often did. "Here boy." She called to him, clucking. The black stallion nickered at her in response, trotting to her for a pet. Rubbing her fingers expertly through Zorro's mane, Halona spaced out wondering if she'd had really spied a deer nearby.

[Halona]

Halona 12th bell, 43rd of Winter 513 Common | Canine | Thoughts Zorro nuzzled the girl's face and she sighed shaking her head. "It was all my imagination Zorro, no such deer was-" The black horse blew in her face irritably his spittle flying with his breath as if to say, 'suck it up'. "Ugh..." Halona groaned whipping her face off with the back of her sleeve. "Fine, I'll try." Steeping out from the pine's feeble protection she entered the storm once more. Heading in the direction of the frozen stream, she narrowly avoided stepping in a pile of scat. Wrinkling her nose in disgust at the brown putty staining the white of the ground the Kelvic sent Zorro an accusing look before plucking a small stick from the snow to inspect the dung. Poking the soft paddy she came to the conclusion that it was fresh and was probably discarded ten or so chimes ago. It was the reek of deer on the scat that filled her with hope, there was a chance her imaginary deer was real and nearby. Dropping her dirty tool she stood brushing off her dress absently glancing back expecting to see the tracks she had missed. To her astonishment there were no tracks behind her. There was nothing but powdery snow behind the scat but small oval imprints before it. As confused as ever, Halona decided to thank her lucky stars and be on her way than spend more time pondering the mystery for it would be more time for her not so imaginary deer to really disappear into the blizzard. Clucking at Zorro to follow she continued onward. She soon found walking along this trail particularly difficult, her leg broke through several snow drifts when she forgot to watch her step and a few times she came across the tracks of other animals that ended up muddling the trail. After nearly a bell of tracking she had found her buck.

[Halona]

Halona 13th bell, 43rd of Winter 513 Common | Canine | Thoughts Keeping to densest parts of the forest she crept up forward bow in hand and arrow knocked. The buck was young and scrawny obliviously not doing well in what could have very well been its first winter. Stalking the animal she was careful to place each foot slowly in front of the other, moving her body in such a way that she touched no hibernating ferns nor low branches swinging overhead. She closed the distance on her prey as quickly as she was able crouching not three feet away at an angle that gave her full view of its flank. The poor buck on the other hand remained oblivious to the danger munched happily on the strip of bark it had just torn off a tree. Taking a breath, Halona rose stepping into position, bow at the ready and loaded with a barbed arrow. Pulling it back she lined herself up as she'd practiced and let the arrow fly on her exhale. To her relief the arrow flew true piercing the buck's hide in its hindquarter. Snorting in pain and surprise the animal hobbled out of its section of the woods leaving behind a trail of blood to follow. "Not the heart but it'll do." She told herself, assured. "It will fall within the hour and I'll have something worthwhile to sell for the butcher." Strutting forward with purpose she clucked to Zorro sharply over her shoulder, she wanted her horse with her when the buck fell.

[Halona]

Halona 13th bell, 43rd of Winter 513 Common | Canine | Thoughts The girl had trailed her deer for nearly forty chimes before she found him. The buck lay huddled in a small pool of melted snow and blood. Halona approached slowly hoping to kill her prey without notice but the buck had learned his lesson, he was alert now. Wide black eyes stared up at her for a moment before the buck stumbled to his hoofs and preceded to limp away at an award trot. The Kelvic hadn't let the injured animal take his third step before launching an arrow into his side. The buck dropped and she hurried over to put the animal out of his misery as quickly as she could. Drawing another arrow out of her quiver, she held the weapon in her hand and knelt before the dying beast. It gave her a look of defiance with the eye it had facing up before she plunged the arrow into it. The body convulsed once before the buck lay still in death. Pulling the arrow out of the carcass' eye with a sickening pop Halona shivered, she couldn't say she didn't enjoy hunting but she didn't like taking the animal's life at the end. She then preceded to recite what Bracken who had been her friend, companion and pack-leader at one time in the woods once told her. "I kill to eat. Your flesh will sustain me thus your death allows another to live on in this life." She told the deceased buck. After she retrieved the other arrows she whistled for Zorro who had been rummaging around in the underbrush for a snack while his companion finished up yet another hunt. He came as he was bid, cooperating in Halona's struggle to secure her kill on his back. Once she had she took the reigns gently in her hands and began to lead Zorro, heading out of the woods and into the walls of Syliras. It was within such walls she sold the buck to the butcher for a fair price.

[Orion Michaels]

Halona +1 Weapon: Longbow +1 Tracking +1 Stealth lore : Sometimes it’s better to be lucky Notes So another reminder for overplaying skills, Halona. I do recognize that you had this thread turned in before I graded the previous one, but as a middling novice at tracking and a only having a few points in bow there needed to be a lot more struggle in this one. In the future it’s going to start requiring that you rewrite or some parts or XP will be withheld. Remember to put detail into your descriptions of actions. I like to say “Show, don’t tell.” Describe for me her stance when she’s firing, describe the things she’s looking for when tracking. Detail coupled with playing to your level not only creates an enjoyable read, but also nets you more XP and Lore. Feel free to shoot me a PM about this or catch me in chat with any questions and I’m happy to discuss it. Please edit your request in the queue to reflect this thread being graded.