Solo Thrill of the Hunt

[Lian Windrunner]

Timestamp: 4th day of Spring, 514 Lian yawned, and stretched as he woke up. He glanced over at his captive for a long moment. Signs of the injuries he'd dealt her the day before were visible, and Lian felt a twinge of regret. Not that he'd punished the girl. She deserved it for trying to escape. But that it had been necessary in the first place. He didn't like seeing others in pain. Knowing that he had caused that pain made it even worse. Hopefully Seirei has learned her lesson, and I won't have to punish her again. he thought as he got up, and ate a quick breakfast. When he was finished, Lian turned to look at his captive for a long moment. She looked...small. Tiny, really. She looked like a child in many ways. But she wasn't. Not really. She was on the edge between childhood and adulthood. Old enough to bear children safely, but young enough to be molded. To adapt. She might even find it in herself to embrace her new life fully once she got past the trauma caused by being used as a breeder against her will. Lian didn't think that most of the adult captives would ever be anything more than just that. Captives used to breed more children for the Drykas. But Seirei might eventually the Drykas culture, and truly become a Drykas herself. At least, that's what Lian hoped would happen. Dismissing his thoughts, Lian made himself comfortable. He stretched so that his muscles wouldn't stiffen up too much while he stayed in one position for long periods of time. Then he relaxed his body completely, and closed his eyes. He carefully controlled his breathing; breathing slowly and deeply, holding each breath for five seconds. He focused on his breathing, tuning the rest of the world out. That allowed his mind to free itself from his body, drifting away from physical concerns. Once he was focused inwardly rather than outwardly, he was able to slip into the Web easily. The glowing blue strands beckoned to him, welcoming him like a close friend. But as much as he wanted to travel through the Web, flying among the strands to visit friends throughout the Sea of Grass, he had a specific purpose for being in the Web. That was to link his new captive into the Web. Lian felt for Seirei's presence. After having intimate relations with her recently, it was easier to sense her through the distractions of the Web than it would be for him to sense the presence of someone not connected to the Web that Lian had had no contact with, and didn't know. Not having the reluctance to tie her to the Web that he had had with his previous captive helped considerably as well. Once Lian had isolated Seirei's presence, it was time to tie her into the Web. There was some resistance. More than there would have been had he been working with an infant, or a young child. But there was less resistance than he'd have encountered with an adult. And there was no added resistance to tying her into the Web the way there had been with his previous captive. Before long, Lian was finished, and Seirei was part of the Web. She would be either a Drykas, or a strider in her next life. And the one after that, and the one after that...forever. It's probably a good thing that Seirei doesn't know about any of this. She's not very happy with the Drykas right now, and the thought that her soul was tied to us forever now would likely horrify her. he thought ruefully.

[Lian Windrunner]

With his job done, Lian allowed himself to slip back into his body. Despite having eaten before he started, he was hungry again. So he ate a piece of bread, and some dried deer meat. Feeling energized, Lian decided it was time to go hunting. He quickly gathered his short bow, quiver, arrows, and several other things that would help him on the hunt. He also grabbed his yvas, yvas bags, and backpack. Then he glanced at his captive. "If you want to go out and explore, you can. Just be back before dark. If you aren't, I'll have to come looking for you...and you won't like what happens when I find you." he said sternly. Lian's eyes raked over the girl as he tried to impress the truth of his words on her. "I'll be out for most of the day myself. I'm going hunting." he told her after a moment. Lian watched her for a few moments more. Then he left the tent. Once outside, he stopped long enough to collect his two hunting cats; a male and a female that he hoped to breed some day once he'd learned more about the subject. The two cats were a huge asset in hunting. With them, he could take down deer more regularily than he could on his own. Finding prey was easier as well when he was relying on the cats' senses to track down his prey rather than his own tracking skills. But there were down sides to using them as well. Talise didn't like having the cats anywhere near her. Trained or not, they were predators, after all. Ones that could make a meal of a horse if they were so inclined...and Talise knew that. When hunting with the cats, the first kill always had to go to them. Otherwise, trained or not, they might object to him taking "their" kill away from them, Lian also wanted to improve his own skills. Using the cats allowed him to find and take down more prey faster than he normally would, but they would be doing most of the work. For all of those reasons, Lian didn't use his hunting cats every time he went out. But he was hunting for two now, himself, and his captive. So he needed to catch more prey than he would had he only been worried about providing for himself. So Lian brought the hunting cats along. They were a valuable resource that would be a considerable help out in the wilderness. Their presence would even make other predators hesitate before approaching him. Their scent would help to keep many of them away. Lian walked quickly towards the edge of the tent city. His stride was brisk, purposeful. When he reached his destination, he whistled sharply for Talise. Then it was time to wait. He didn't have to wait long. Talise came galloping up to them. The wind blew through her mane as she ran. To Lian, it was a beautiful sight. Talise came to a stop a few yards away. She snorted, and tossed her head restlessly. Her ears lay flat against the back of her head, her distress at the presence of the hunting cats plain for anyone to see. Lian signaled for the cats to stay where they were. Then he approached the nervous mare cautiously. "Shh...you're safe. Everything's okay." he murmured gently. When he reached Talise, he pulled a curry comb out of his backpack. He'd borrowed it the day before from a friend of his. He slipped his hand into the handle, and started with Talise's mane. With slow, gentle strokes, Lian brushed the dirt out of his strider's mane. Once he was done with that, he moved to her neck. Using circular motions, he moved slowly from her neck, to her shoulders, to her sides, and finally to her withers. As he brushed her, Talise leaned into his touch. It was obvious that she enjoyed the attention. We really should do this more often. he thought, enjoying the bonding time with his strider as much as she was. Lian slowly brushed Talise's back, before moving on to her croup. While brushing her croup, he was especially careful not to startle her. When he was done, he moved to Talise'd other side, and repeated the process starting with her neck. Finally, he wiped away the dirt and hair he'd stirred up with his hand. "That's better, isn't it?" he asked as he studied Talise carefully, searching for signs of distress. Using the curry comb on Talise had the desired effect. She still didn't like the presence of the hunting cats, but she was more relaxed now. Her trust in Lian had been reaffirmed, and that in turn allowed her to tolerate the presence of the hunting cats. Talise whickered contentedly, and butted his chest with her muzzle. Lian grinned as he put the curry comb into one of the yvas bags. I have to buy a curry comb of my own one of these days. Talise would certainly appreciate being groomed more often. And I'd enjoy spending the time with her, too. Lian fished through a pouch, and pulled out a sugar cube. Then he held it in his palm with his fingers spread wide and offered it to Talise. She lipped it up happily, then looked around for more. Lian chuckled. "You can have another one when we get back, Talise." Talise snorted, as if telling Lian that she'd hold him to his words. Lian chuckled again at her antics. He put her yvas on, and attached the yvas bags to the yvas. Then he mounted, and they were off. ooc noteKhida reminded me that sugar cubes probably don't exist in Mizahar, and that refined sugar is really to expensive to be used as a treat for a horse, so I am changing it to pieces of a carrot with Khida's permission

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian kept Talise to a brisk walk. His hunting cats were well trained, but instinct was a very powerful thing. Anything faster than a walk might trigger their instinct to pursue fleeing prey. Not to mention the fact that if Talise was allowed to move faster, her own instincts might kick in. At best, she didn't like having the hunting cats anywhere near her. They made her very nervous, though she could tolerate them if given enough reassurance. But if she trotted, instinct might kick in. If she decided that she was fleeing a dangerous predator, she would panic. And if that happened, Lian would lose all hope of controling her. His own riding skills were not good enough for him to manage a panicked strider. As they rode, Lian slipped in and out of the Web, trying to keep an eye on how close any dangerous predators were. While it was true that wolves weren't likely to want to come anywhere near his hunting cats, they would attack them if they felt that they were a threat to a pack's territory. Glassbeaks and night lions were also a potential threat since they might or might not be frightened away by the hunting cats. He found a pair of glassbeaks a full day's ride due south. Given the season, Lian wondered if they were a mating pair. To the northwest, Lian saw a wolf pack that was closer. They were only slightly less than half a day's ride away. But they were headed away from him. There was a slight chill in the air, but the early afternoon sun was warm. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. Riding Talise was very enjoyable in this kind of weather. Talise enjoyed the weather as well. Lian knew that she hated the cold as much as he did. As they continued to ride, Talise relaxed under him. Not even the presence of the hunting cats could take away her pleasure in the ride. When they reached the stream, Lian signaled Talise to a stop. They were the only creatures in sight, which was to be expected. The scent of the hunting cats would have driven any animals away from the stream long before they got there. The stream was the best place to start. Lian knew that his hunting cats' sense of smell was far superior than his own. They didn't need a set of tracks to find prey. Or any visible cues at all. The pair of cats could be released anywhere in the Sea of Grass, and they would find prey eventually. But starting at the stream where animals came to drink would guarantee that there would be fresh scent trails for the cats to follow. That would eliminate the time spent searching for a scent trail to track. Lian gave his cats the signal they were waiting for. The one that set them loose. Then they were off on the hunt. The cats drank at the stream. Then they split up, searching the bank for a scent trail. When they found one, they raced away in pursuit. Lian signaled Talise to follow. He used his legs to ask for a brisk trot, but he kept her at a distance behind the hunting cats. By doing so, he would ensure that he didn't get in their way, and prevent their instinct from taking over and making them decide that Talise was their prey. They had been riding for an hour before their efforts paid off. A fairly large herd of deer could be seen grazing in the distance. Lian called the hunting cats to a stop before they got close enough for the herd to smell them or sense their presence. He studied the surrounding land, looking for the best way to move in. If I can get the cats to circle around the herd before they go for their prey, and come in from two sides...that might work. Lian mused. If the cats were to come in from both directions behind the herd, that would most likely send the herd of deer running in his direction. That would make it easier for Lian's arrow to hit its mark since there would be less distance for it to travel. Especially if the deer were panicked and charging blindly, not trying to avoid his arrows. Lian had full confidence in Talise's ability to escape getting trampled when the panicked herd reached them. He was more concerned with the fact that they were only going to get one chance at this. Once the herd panicked and fled, they'd be gone. If they failed to make a kill now, who knew how long it would take to find more deer? And it had to be deer since he'd brought his hunting cats with him. They'd need far too much smaller game to satisfy their hunger. There would be nothing left for Lian to bring home. Once Lian had a plan of attack, he studied the herd carefully. The hunting cats would likely go after older animals, deer that had been weakened from hunger throughout the winter. Hunger would have taken a toll on the younger, healthier animals as well, making them easier prey. Or at least Lian hoped that would be the case. It would allow him to take prey that he'd never be able to bring down if they were at full strength. Given the season, the stags had all shed their antlers by now. It would be summer before their antlers regained their full size. As a result, it was impossible for Lian to determine a male deer from a female deer at this distance. So Lian chose potential targets from the edge of the herd that were likely to be in the front if everything went well, and the panicked herd stampeeded in his direction.

[Lian Windrunner]

When he was ready, Lian signaled his hunting cats to spilt up, and circle around the herd. He didn't have to wait long before they were in place. The herd of deer got restless as they detected the presence of predators, but they didn't panic and spring into flight until the two cats charged towards the herd from two different directions. As Lian had hoped, the herd ran towards him. Talise danced anxiously in place, not liking the idea of being in their path. But Lian reassured her with soft words, and gentle strokes along her neck. Then he turned his attention back to the herd. Lian quickly pulled his short bow off of his back. Then he grabbed an arrow out of his quiver. Gripping his bow in his left hand, Lian pointed it at the ground while he placed the shaft of his arrow on the arrow rest with his right hand. He hated taking the extra moments to do it this way, but if he didn't, Lian knew that he risked an accident that would hurt either himself, or Talise. With tense impatience, he attached the back of the arrow to the bow string, fitting the string carefully into the notch at the end of the arrow. I've got to get better at doing this! he grumbled to himself. I'd be a much better hunter if all of this was so familiar to me that I didn't need to think about each step of what I need to do. Using three fingers to hold the arrow steady, Lian raised the bow so that it was pointing at the his prey. He judged the distance carefully. Once he was ready, Lian pulled back on the bow string slowly, until his right hand was by his ear. Finally, he released, letting the arrow fly. The first arrow missed its target entirely, and was lost, likely shattered under the hooves of the panicked herd. Talise tossed her head restlessly, but Lian ignored her. He didn't have the time to try and reassure her now. Once again, Lian took aim, and let loose a second arrow. This one struck home, driven deeper than it might have struck on its own by the deer's forward momentum. The deer dropped in its tracks. The other deer flowed around their fallen companion, shying away from it violently to avoid its fate. Lian glanced at the oncoming herd for a moment, and judged that he had time for one more shot before he had to run or risk getting trampled himself. He took aim, and let loose his final arrow. He saw that it hit the animal, but he didn't have a chance to see if the deer went down or not before he had to signal Talise into a brisk trot to escape the stampede. Strider and rider ran parallel to the herd rather than try to outdistance it. And Lian had judged his timing right; they were able to get out of the path of the panicked herd before the herd reached them. The herd raced passed them, and was gone. Three dead deer littered the ground. The hunting cats were already starting in on one of the two they had brought down. Lian frowned, realizing that the second deer he'd shot was still alive. A trail of blood followed in the wake of the herd's path. He looked around, and saw that the injured deer was straggling behind the herd, trying desperately to keep up, and failing. Knowing that the hunting cats would be busy with their well deserved meal for a while, Lian felt safe leaving them unsupervised for a while. So he signaled Talise into a fast trot, and began pursuing the injured deer. Lian could see the animal, but it was far enough away that he couldn't take a shot at it. Lian wasn't skilled enough with the short bow to be able to shoot while riding, and if he stopped long enough to take the shot, the deer would be out of range. So he kept pursuing it relentlessly. After a while, the deer stumbled. It struggled to rise, but its injury had taken a severe toll on it, and its attempts were clearly futile. Lian watched for a moment, before reaching for his bow and arrow. He took his time, taking careful aim. When he was ready, he let the arrow fly. It struck deep. The deer shuddered once, then collapsed. It did not move again. Lian looked around. They weren't too far from where his hunting cats, and the other deer carcasses were. There were no other signs of life. Even the birds were silent. Lian dismounted, and walked over to the dead deer. Up close, he could tell it was a stag because he could see where its antlers had once been. Lian carefully removed the arrow, and cleaned it off before returning it to his quiver. Then he mounted Talise once more. Not wanting to risk damaging the deer's hide, Lian decided against trying to drag it back to the others. Instead, he left it where it was, and rode back to where he'd left his hunting cats. When he arrived, he sent his mind into the Web to search the area for potential threats. He knew that the scent of blood would draw dangerous predators, so he wanted plenty of warning if one was headed his way. There weren't any that were close enough to be a threat, so Lian allowed his mind to follow the familiar glowing strands back towards Endrykas. Once there, he reached for the presence of one of his close friends, one who also enjoyed webbing. After he'd gained his friend's attention, he asked him to bring the butchers, and told him where he was. Then it was just a matter of waiting until they arrived.

[Khida]

Lian Windrunner

Skill	Points
Animal Husbandry	+1
Horsemanship	+1
Hunting	+2
Planning	+1
Riding	+1
Tactics	+1
Weapon: Short Bow	+1
Webbing	+1
Zoology	+1

• Bow: firing from astride a steady horse
• Horsemanship: using a currycomb to remove dirt
• Hunting cats help bring down more prey
• Talise: dislikes hunting cats
• Tactics: the benefits of a pincer attack
• Webbing: tying a new person in
• Zoology: deer shed antlers in winter

Notes

I like Lian's methodical approach here, and also your continued use of the Web. I haven't said yet, but I'm really glad to see that worked into your threads!

I awarded 1 point in Webbing for tying Seirei in; I didn't award the predator search because a) Lian is already competent and not really pushing his ability as I read it and b) you didn't describe what he saw, i.e. what distinguishes wolves from other things in the Web. I didn't give a lore for that for the same reason. Also, I only gave 1 point in Bow because you didn't describe what he specifically aimed at or hit either time; and again, I would have given lore for the killing shot(s), but you didn't describe what they were.

One other note: Refined sugar is a luxury, the second most expensive sweetener on the price list. And... as best I can tell, sugar cubes didn't exist in the real world until the mid-1800s, so they probably aren't found in Mizahar. I would suggest using a vegetable instead, such as carrot or turnip pieces. You could also give her some sort of sweetened cake, made with honey or molasses instead of refined sugar. In any case, none of these things are in your inventory, which means you need to purchase whatever you feed to the horse. Just an ooc record in the post and updating your ledger and inventory (if there's any left over) will be sufficient.

Please PM me if you have any questions. Also, please edit your request to show this thread has been graded.