Flashback Hunting! The Awesome Way [Kiva]

[Soharaa]

Summer 15, 511 A.V. Soharaa was most excited for this day. So excited that she had barely slept since the night before. She was very ecstatic because, on this day, she would go out and hunt with a Myrian girl 4 years above her age! Soharaa had no friends at this time because most Myrian children saw her as a half-breed and sought to alienate her more than get to know her. She spent most of her schooling alone, having no deep girl to girl, or even girl to guy, bonding with someone not in her family. However, now she had the chance of a deep bond, with a girl who had possibly gone through the blooding no-less! She saw this opportunity to finally have a social life, and she would grasp it with heavy hands until this girl which she hunted with was her best of friends. So, Soharaa stood by the gates to Taloba, waiting for this girl to come so that they could do what their parents had arranged and hunt together in the jungle wilds. While she waited, she stood a little cross legged with nervousness running through her bones. What if this girl didn't like me? She thought. A Myrians ideal image was that of a Myrian, nothing more and nothing less. Soharaa was something less, and had been teased multiple times for being so. What if this girl would also treat her the same way? Just the thought of being unaccepted was enough to nearly bring her to tears. "No, no, that will not happen!" She told herself. "I will not allow that to happen!" Soharaa prepared herself to argue for this girls friendship if she had to. She will receive it no matter the cost! She ran her fingers through her blonde hair, which was not Myrian, and made sure that it would not hinder her during the hunt by tying it into a bun. Then she rubbed her deep ocean blue eyes, which were also not Myrian. Today she had just worn her linen sports top which matched the color of her loincloth and undergarment. She had decided that she would not carry any extra clothing in fear that she would only be slowed. Her spear rested near her feet, already sharpened to it's greatest point by her father in preparation for this day. She was ready to hunt and ready to make a new friend.

[Kiva]

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Kiva's dark features were brightened by the hot weather, her tawny skin smooth and covered with black pants and white top. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail that swung when she walked and slung across her back was a bow and quiver of arrows she had borrowed for the day. From her hip hung a brutal looking blade made of black metal that reflected the sunlight. Kiva's face was expressionless as she walked barefoot across the packed dirt. She had been told she would be escorting a young woman out into the jungle to hunt. In comparison, Kiva was supposed to be more experienced with her mark of Myri boldly upon her thigh.

As she approached the gates, Kiva instantly knew who she was supposed to meet. Her mother had described the half breed as having hair like a golden poison frog. Kiva sized the female up and approached, nodding with stern interest, "Soharaa." The other girl was near fifteen or sixteen, Kiva estimated, "Do you have everything you will need?" She gave no formal introduction herself, assuming the girl knew at least a bit of who she was.

Kiva was surprised by the lack of equipment. In comparison, Kiva had two weapons and a pack of survival gear. She made no further comment on the preparedness of the other female, only inching towards the jungle, ready to depart and begin their hunt. She saw no point in wasting daylight. "What creature do you wish to capture?"

★★★

[Soharaa]

And So It Starts Soharaa did not need to wait long for her hunting partner. A true Myrian girl with a ponytail black hair and a bow and arrows on her back walked towards Soharaa to address the smaller half-breed. She called Soharaa's name, and Soharaa answered back with a slight respectful bow. The woman did not introduce herself, neither did she need to. Soharaa knew who this girl was, her mother had told her a dozen times after all. Kiva of the Crimson Sun. She's just as pretty as my mother mentioned, Soharaa thought. Feeling a little self-conscious about herself, Soharaa quickly shifted her loose strands of hair in front of her forehead to the back of her head. She hoped that she was at least found a little interesting by this older girl. Kiva asked if Soharaa had everything she needed for their hunt. Soharaa responded by grabbing her staff and slamming its butt on the dirt while nodding confidently. But then she suddenly lost her confidence when she felt like she was forgetting something. She looked around her area for a while then saw her backpack resting near the opening gates of Taloba. Soharaa hurried to grab the bag then joined Kiva as she began to walk into the forest. "What creature do you wish to capture?" Kiva asked. Soharaa thought quietly for a moment before answering. When she finally answered, the words came out with a little nervous tone. "Uhm..." She began. "I- My father spoke of a Vom creature. A- and my mother spoke of an Ethereal Jaguar... Any one of those..." Soharaa then reached into her backpack to pull out a map. Her bag went back over her back as she continued talking. "My mother gave me a map of the wilds. She marked where both may possibly be spotted." Soharaa passed the map over to Kiva for her to look at. On the map was an assortment of drawings that had labels on them. There was a giant area circled over the map to represent dangerous zones, which were advise not to head to by the skull marks inside the zone. Other marks consisted of safety zones marked by check marks and less dangerous places marked by crosses. "My mother told me that the checks are where the Voms were spotted..." Soharaa said. "The crosses are where the Ethereal Jaguars are. I- I am okay going after any one you want."

[Kiva]

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Kiva stepped over tree roots that rose from the ground and ducked under low hanging vines as she listened to Soharaa relay her information Kiva noted with a smirk that the other girl's voice was a little unsteady. Was she nervous? Saying nothing, she nodded at the mentioned of Voms, but halted to a stop and turned when the other girl mentioned the jaguar.

"You're mother is suggesting an Ethereal Jaguar?" Kiva couldn't believe her ears and she gave a scoffing laugh, "She is aware that seeing one is a once in a lifetime experience?"

Kiva grabbed the map when it was offered to her, eyes skimming across the page. Her nose wrinkled at the markings, shaking her head, "I feel like I would shame Caiyha," Kiva confessed, trying to explain how she viewed the animals. Kiva had never seen one, nor did she ever expect to. They were nocturnal and guardians of the deep and dangerous cloud forests. "Dhani hunt them for status. They are noble creatures and deserve a better end. We will hunt the voms," Kiva decided, taking the role of leadership as it was offered to her.

Trying to reason with the girl and not crush hopes, Kiva reassessed the map for confirmation, having little experience in reading them, "Look," she pointed to the map, "If you want a bit of a challenge, we can try to make it to the basin afterwards. Maybe steal a few Whiptail eggs for dinner. We will just have to avoid the mother."

Handing the map back to its owner, Kiva looked around the jungle and crouched. It was monsoon season, meaning rain was common and the ground was softened. She looked at the earth, taking in the details and not saying anything. They had barely entered the jungle, and Kiva decided sooner was better than later when it came to preparing.

"We should disguise ourselves," Kiva stated, reaching out and clawing into the rich soil. A large clump of mud and dirt was held up and Kiva gave a small grin, "Hope you don't mind a bit of mess." And with that, the older Myrian began smearing the mixture on exposed skin, first along her arms and shoulders, and then on her stomach and neck. She began to explain her tactic to Soharaa, "I think this will hide our scent, give us an advantage against our prey."

★★★

[Soharaa]

For Shame Soharaa sighed sadly when Kiva refused to hunt the jaguars. In truth, many had given her tales of their rarity, their beauty, and had inspired her to want to go out and face one. However, when she asked them where one would find such a creature, all laughed in her face, except her mother. Soharaa's mother also knew of the tales, and told her that they were guardians of the most dangerous parts of the jungle. Soharaa thought that if she could map out the dangerous parts then she would be able to find one, but not even her hunting partner thought it wise or possible to find one of these creatures. She was very disappointed, but also incredibly embarrassed. Now the girl who she was hunting with probably thought even less of Soharaa and her intelligence. Soharaa would need to prove to the girl that she was wise if she wanted Kiva to see her as smart. Soharaa cheered up a little when Kiva mentioned the possible chance of gathering whiptail eggs. As a younger girl she had tasted one before. She loved its delicate taste mixed in with a few spices. They were one of her most favorite treats, and just the thought of them made her mouth water. "O-okay," She said as she happily agreed to Kiva's idea. While Soharaa placed away her map, Kiva rushed over to a specific spot among the jungle entrance and bent over to do something. Soharaa followed her hunting companion willingly while scratching the top of her blonde hair. She could not see what Kiva was doing until she came close, but when Soharaa finally noticed that she was wiping her loose body with mud, Soharaa became very confused. There would be no need to do anything with mud unless they were chasing creatures with heightened smell. "Are the Voms incredible at smelling?" Soharaa asked as she got down and began slathering the mud on her two arms. The mud felt mushy in her hands when she held it. Both earth and water were in the element of mud, Soharaa remembered, and being attached to mud also meant being attached to the jungle itself. It was a clever ruse that most hunters would pull against animal enemies who relied on one sense more than the other. If only our enemies were this foolish like animals, Soharaa thought. Myri would be queen-goddess of all of Taloba by now. Soharaa did as her senior did. She wiped the mud all over her arms, then her stomach, then her neck. Soharaa also made sure to get her legs, as well as her feet. Soon mud was all over her, and she felt heavier with it. "I hope this works..." Soharaa let out while she tried to wipe some mud on her back.

[Kiva]

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When Kiva had successfully finished smearing mud along her body, she set down her bow and began to pray softly for a blessing, "Caiyha, may you show us favor and gift us today. Praise to you, goddess of nature. Your realm is beyond beautiful." When she was done, Kiva stood up, answering the girl's questions, "Voms? Probably." Kiva wanted to say yes, she thought she had heard something about their sense of smell before, but wasn't confident in her knowledge. Lying would have been a possibility, but why? "If I overlooked this and I was wrong, then we would be unsuccessful today. I like being prepared and I try not to underestimate my prey."

Now covered in mud and smelling of rich soil, Kiva glanced back at her partner, "Let's go." Kiva stepped forward, suddenly very focused on the task at hand. She knew it would be a while till they were deep enough in the jungle to hunt, but they needed to keep their eyes peeled at all times. Even this close to Taloba, there was plenty of things out here that could kill you.

"Which way does the map say?" Kiva asked as she continued to move, keeping her footsteps light. She purposefully stepped over twigs to avoid their crunch, and bent down occasionally, pushing away damp leaves so she could get a better look at the ground. No footprints, but the recent rains were going to make this either more difficult or easier, depending. "If we see tracks, it will mean they're fresh. I'm worried the rain has washed anything else away." The older Myrian sighed, listening. Bird calls and the crying of bugs. Other animal sounds Kiva couldn't recognize in the distance. Her eyes traveled to the blonde beside her, wondering what skills the girl would shine in. The day would be interesting, to say the least.

★★★

[Soharaa]

Caiyha Soharaa smelled like the dirt of the earth, and she liked it so much. Never before did she enjoy the pungent sour stench until she needed to use it to hunt. Her mind raced only to the thought of killing her first giant lizard creature. She yearned for the sight of her spear being lunged into one of those creatures heads, and even imagined her throwing her spear into their stomachs. However, before the hunt could truly begin, Kiva paused for a moment to pray to the goods. "Caiyha, may you show us favor and gift us today. Praise to you, goddess of nature. Your realm is beyond beautiful." Her prays were said while she sat, her bow on the ground near her. Soharaa was doing the same, not wanting to disrespect her gods. She knew who Caiyha was; the goddess of flora and fauna. Soharaa was told stories of Caiyha and how she birthed the many animals and the deity of cats himself. She was the mother of nature, and Soharaa was raised to lover her as much as she loved Myri. As Kiva called Caiyha's name, Soharaa knew that the goddess may be watching. Her mother had often told her to throw away her violent nature when Caiyha was watching. She said that it was because Caiyha did not enjoy violence, and anyone who gave her creatures a violent death in front of her eyes would be given a violent death in return. I promise, Caiyha, that their deaths will be quick and painless, and I thank you for their creation. When both of the girls were done with their prayers, they continued their walking. Kiva returned to the conversation at hand and answered Soharaa's question, "Voms? Probably. If I overlooked this and I was wrong, then we would be unsuccessful today. I like being prepared and I try not to underestimate my prey." "No creature of Caiyha's is an easy kill," Soharaa said confidently. Although, she didn't know whether that was true. She only knew from her mother and father's teachings, and her father often told her that being a fool and being a hunter was never the same thing. Soharaa could not be a fool on this hunt, especially not with Kiva around, someone who she wanted to impress greatly. Soharaa kept her eyes and ears opened. Every once in a while she would look at the directions of where the strange noises of the jungle come from, making sure that each one was not created by the Vom. In truth, Soharaa did not know what a Vom sounded like, but she was shown a picture of it once. They were tiny lizard like creatures with beautiful scales. She also knew that they were hunted mostly for their extravagant skin and delectable meat. Soharaa's mother told her that they reproduced constantly, so hunting and killing them was not a very heavy sin. "In that case," Soharaa said, "I will kill at least three of them and set the rest free." Her mother laughed to that and told her that Caiyha would be most grateful to have their numbers dwindle while Myri will be most grateful to have one of them as a delicious snack. Soharaa swooned at the thought of making them both happy then decided to kill four Vom and gift to Myri two. "Which way does the map say?" Kiva asked. Soharaa stopped suddenly to pull out and check the map. Some mud got on it's textures and distorted a little of the writing, but the location of where they were heading was still certain, and Soharaa could still tell every turn or path that was needed in order to get there. "We keep going straight until we see a tree that slants over to another tree. The tree we are looking for will be leaning extremely far down, and it will look as though the tree would fall if not for its brother holding it up. Then we will follow the sounds of flowing water. The closer we get to the river, the more we will be able to find." Soharaa hoped that Kiva understood all of her father's instructions. He had made it clear enough for Soharaa to follow, so Kiva should have no problems finding where they need to go. "When we meet the tree, it will be better to mark where we are so that we will be able to return home." The blond Myrian placed her map back in her bag and followed closely behind Kiva once she was finished. She did not take her eyes off the task but once to ask Kiva a question. "Do you think Myri will be happy if we cook her a Vom meal?"

[Kiva]

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Kiva listened intently to Soharaa's directions, nodding in response, "Tree that slants. Got it." Pressing her heels into the soft jungle soil, Kiva pushed forward, practicing her stealth in the process. She kept her footing light, and when spotting a root or rock, would test it with her foot lightly for stability before placing her weight on it. She kept to the other girl's directions, moving around trees, but always keeping her course as straight as possible. She heard Soharaa ask a question, and turned her face slightly to look at the blonde girl.

Would Myri like voms? Kiva wasn't sure how to answer that. "First we should focus on killing them." This girl was very different from her, Kiva realized. More than just the light hair, she handled things differently. She talked of killing Ethereal Jaguars and seeking Myri's favor, all while they were barely out of Taloba's gates. 'Are you over confident,' Kiva wondered silently, 'or just a fool?'

This girl felt too eager to please, something Kiva didn't relate with. She was younger, but even so, Kiva didn't understand her ambitions. It was good to have goals, but it just felt like she wanted too much. She needed to focus on one task at a time, and be realistic. Myri was the goddess of war, would gifting her a shiny lizard make her happy? "Maybe," Kiva shrugged, "You'll have to find out. It's hard to always say what Myri will approve of."

Kiva held her tongue, mostly to keep the peace for the day. What Soharaa suggested was innocent enough, so there was no need to mock her. Instead she focused on walking ahead, and decided to change the subject. It would be awhile until they would reach hunting grounds, and she kept her eyes low, looking for any disruption in their path.

"If we catch some of these Voms, I think I would like to use their bodies for magic. Have you heard of malediction, Soharaa?"

Kiva glanced back, grimacing when she stepped on a loud branch that snapped under her weight. She readjusted her footing, and continued her stealth practice. She balanced her weight as evenly as she could, "I think it's amazing. The tricky part is finding materials for it. I want to master the art someday."

As she talked, Kiva looked up and pointed to a tree she felt fit the other Myrian's description, "Is this the one?" Kiva let her eyes scan over the trunk. It was slanted, and a bit more dead looking than the one she had pictured in her mind. Moss grew at its base and the one next to it reminded her of a man carrying his friend from battle. Kiva went to reach for the bow she had brought but stopped, eyes widening. She realized she had left it where she had prayed and cursed her forgetfulness. That was a stupid mistake on her part, and she shook her head.

"Shurak," she growled, ripping her kris from it's scabbard. Hunting just got a lot harder, particularly since her mother would not be happy with her loss. She would have to bring back something as payment. As Soharaa had suggested, Kiva stabbed at the tree, digging the tip of her blade and twisting into the wood, creating an X. There, all marked up.

★★★

[Dravite]

G R A D E S
Your awards, Deer.

Kiva

Experience

• Rhetoric: 2
• Organisation: 1
• Observation: 3
• Leadership: 1
• Socialisation: 2
• Land Navigation: 1
• Camouflage: 1
• Hunting: 3
• Teaching: 2
• Tracking: 1
• Stealth: 1
• Logic: 1
• Carving: 1
• Drawing: 1

Lore

• Soharaa: The golden haired woman
• Ethereal Jaguar: Rarely seen in the jungle
• Ethereal Jaguar: Noble creatures
• Land Navigation: Using a map
• Taloba: Stay alert at all times

Notes

You did well to cover so much. Enjoy.