Closed Hunting on Commission (Dravite)

[Lian Windrunner]

Timestamp: 45th Day of Summer, 515 AV As Lian made his way to the Hunter's Alliegiance, the pale grey of the predawn sky slowly blossomed with color. Pinks, reds, yellows, and shades of orange painted the sky in a dazzling display. The beauty was dimmed somewhat by the gathering clouds, but they provided a quiet beauty of their own; shadows for the colors of the dawn sky to peek out from. And the clouds brought the hope of rain. Rain that was desperately needed. It had been ten days since the lowered water levels in the Uvic Lake had been discovered. Three days since the Clans had agreed to begin rationing water. If the water shortage continued, prey would become scarce as well. The weaker animals would die of thirst, and the stronger ones would leave the area in pursuit of water. Rain would be a great boon to everyone. It might even cool things down a little. Lian mused as he glanced up at the clouds. Lian didn't mind the heat for the most part. He was a creature of the Sea of Grass, and as such, was used to hot summers. But day after day of relentless heat combined with water rations tended to drain one's energy. It wasn't always easy to struggle through the lethargy to go out and hunt. For that matter, the animals themselves seemed to try and avoid the heat as much as they could, as well. When it was really hot, the animals made themselves scarce during the hottest parts of the day. So if a hunter wasn't luck enough to find something early in the morning, they were often out of luck. It was possible to hunt in the evenings too, of course, but that was more dangerous. Hunting in the dark when it was difficult to see was well beyond Lian's skills as a hunter. Lian was jolted from his thoughts by a rough shove from behind. A loud snort told him who the guilty party was. He would have scolded his strider for her impatience, but he was quickly distracted when he realized where they were. Somehow, he had reached his destination while he had been lost in thought. I'm lucky I didn't walk into a tent or something. he thought ruefully as he turned and ruffled Talise's mane. It was early enough in the day that few others had ventured out to the Hunter's Allegiance. As a result, Lian had little trouble finding one of the Emerald Clan hunters who volunteered at the Allegiance who was willing to help him train. Lian eyed the discs in the other man's open bag. Most were made out of clay, but there were several made out of metal as well. There were a number of different sized discs as well. "Is this your first time practicing with aerial targets?" the man asked curiously. "No, but I haven't worked with them often, and I really don't know what I'm doing." The hand sign Lian used to accompany his words told the other that he had only done this once before. "So you're a complete novice, then. The first thing you need to keep in mind is that speed is key. You run into this with moving targets on the ground too, of course. But it is even more of an issue when trying to bring a bird out of the sky. With, oh, say a deer, you are dealing with a moving target, and have to be prepared for it to veer suddenly if faced with an obstacle as well as the creature's speed. With a bird in flight, you must contend with the bird's speed, and an unpredictable flight pattern as it attempts to evade predators...in this case, your arrows. But the wind becomes more of a factor than it does with a target on the ground. If your prey is on the ground, you only have to deal with the wind if a sudden gust blows up and affects the path of your arrow. In the air, you must deal with that as well, but the wind also lends speed to a bird in flight. In the space of a single tick, your prey is no longer where you expect it to be, and so your aim will be off. When hunting deer, or something of similar size, that doesn't matter as much because you are dealing with a larger target. Even if you aim isn't completely true, there's a decent chance you will still hit the creature. A minor wound will still bleed, draining its strength, and betraying its path to the hunter that shot it. Birds are much smaller. This makes it more difficult to hit your target, especially when it's moving quickly. A single fraction of an inch can mean the difference in getting your dinner, and going hungry. And that fraction of an inch can be caused by a single's tick hesitation. So don't hesitate; speed is the key." Lian listened to the other hunter's words intently, nodding thoughtfully as he did so. Some of what he was told were things he had already known. A moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one. Birds are smaller than deer, and are therefore harder to hit, especially while fleeing a predator. "So. Given that, the first thing I want to do is see how quickly you can nock an arrow, and take aim. That will tell me if we need to work on your drawing speed first, or if we can move straight to accuracy and target practice." Lian nodded again. With a gesture for him to begin, he did just that. In a single, well practiced movement, he pulled his short bow off of his shoulder. Once his bow was in hand, he reached over his other shoulder, and pulled an arrow out of his quiver. Then he attached the back of the arrow to the bow string, fitting the string carefully into the notch at the end of the arrow. This took him a bit longer than grabbing his bow had, but his movements were confident, and well practiced. It was obvious that he no longer needed to think about each step independently in order to perform them. But it was equally obvious that he wasn't good enough. Lian's teacher frowned at him, and shook his head. "You know what you're doing, I'll give you that much. You'll get by with most animals on the ground with that speed, as long as your aim is good. You might even take a game bird on the ground if you can sneak up on it without startling it into flight. But you'll have to be twice as fast as that...at least...before you'll have a hope of bringing a bird down out of the sky. You need to be able to draw your bow and ready an arrow by instinct. Only then will you have the speed you'll need for this. Why don't you practice for a while? I'll go see if anyone else needs help, and come back to check on your progress in a bell or so." "Okay. Thanks for the advice." Lian said with a rueful grin. He watched the man go, then got to work. Over and over, he practiced grabbing his bow, and nocking an arrow. Just that, and nothing more. His focus narrowed down to just the repetition of the task at hand. Nothing else mattered but improving the speed with which he was able to get ready to fire an arrow. Time ceased to have any meaning as he practiced with single minded determination. He didn't even notice that well over a bell had passed since the man had left him to his practice. "Hard at work, I see. That's good. You won't improve unless you work hard at doing so." Lian looked up, startled out of his repetitious movements by a familiar, but unexpected voice. "Zethar." he greeted, with a sign for welcome. "You aren't the man I expected to see." "I'm sorry to hear that. I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?" "Of course." Lian said, his hands gesturing for the man to continue. "One of the smaller pavilions has requested aid in securing food for a feast. Specifically at least one deer. Two or three would be preferable though, as the feast is to celebrate both a wedding, and the birth of a child." Lian raised his eyebrow in interest. It wasn't often that the two events would be celebrated together. Zethar chuckled. "I'll admit, that isn't the usual way of things. But in this case, the woman who is getting married is one of the captives. Her husband to be promised to take her as his third wife after she gave him a second child. And since the man is the oldest son of the ankal of said pavilion, they want a celebration worthy of the occasion." "Ah." Lian couldn't see why the man was bothering to marry his captive, but it really wasn't any of his business. "So will you take the job?" Lian nodded. "Excellent! You won't have to worry about bringing three deer down by yourself. Someone else will go with you to help you. He should be here before too long." Lian nodded. His expression was one of relief. Though he was confident that he could bring down a deer, he wasn't used to bringing down more than one at a time. Nor was he skilled enough to take more than one deer down at a time, so killing three would require him to find, and track down three different deer. Finding something to do with the ones he had killed while hunting for the others would be a problem if he was on his own.

[Dravite]

.
.

Dravite was lost deep in the web. Every morning before breakfast he found himself following the woven threads out into the grass for miles, circling Endrykas in search of anything that may have changed overnight, or creatures that had moved onto the plain. It was habit now, something working for The Watch had instilled in him. Now that they were guarding the biggest water source for miles, game was frequenting the lake less and less; of course The Watch did not drive animal's away from the water, they could not police the ecosystem, only the people. Bathing had become a thing of the past, and a wet cloth was all the man had been afforded to wash with in the last few days, so this morning his own personal musk was strong; sweat, goat hair and leather, what real Drykas men smelled of, he would say in jest to his wife, Belkaia.

A throb of energy passed through one of the strands in the web and Dravite followed the faint hum until he stumbled across a familiar gathering of djed, a drift of pigs turning up the earth some way southwest of Endrykas. Deer, he reminded himself, you are looking for deer. His uncle, Raven, knew a man by the name of Zethar and had introduced the two the night before after a long day of training. Raven was a keen hunter and had a lot of good contacts; the two of them had spoken for a bell, encouraging Dravite to take a trip out with an associate of Zethar's. So close to the day of his wedding to a second wife, Dravite hadn't been too keen on the idea, but the pair had managed to twist his arm and now he was scoping out the plain in an attempt to find a starting point for the hunt. No luck, they would have to do it the old fashioned way.

When the man came to from his trance, he slipped his black, leather tabard over his shoulders and crawled forward across the bedding and animal furs before getting to his feet and leaving the tent. Belkaia had been cooking but there wasn't enough to go around after the Blackwater pavilion had taken their share. "Good thing you're going hunting," Yuki called from beside the low burning fire, "perhaps you can bring us back something for tonight?"
The horse waved to Raven's wife before raising his voice to speak, "I'll do my best as always, but I cannot promise anything."
The woman smiled, signed her thanks and turned back to what she was doing. It seemed he would go hungry today, hopefully that didn’t affect his concentration levels too much.

Raven stood on the other side camp sparring with Roan. Dravite picked up his spear and timed his move before stabbing the point between their clashing weapons to throw them off. He spun and thrust his bone spear at Roan, who jumped backwards out of the way, before he pulled the spear back, catching Raven in the gut with the blunt end. His uncle made a breathless sound, followed by a bout of laughter. "Lesson one, watch your back," Dravite teased.
"I thought that was lesson four?" Roan laughed.
"It is," Raven interjected, "lesson one is the pointy end goes in the bad guy; our friend here just likes to break the rules."
"That or he doesn't know them," Roan teased.
"I just make them up as I go along," Dravite joined in, taking a dig at himself in the name of humour.
All three of the men laughed before Raven suddenly became serious, "Oi, don't you have a hunt to get to?"
"Yes, I was just on my way," Dravite waved.
"It's not polite to keep a man waiting," his uncle called after him.
Dravite got up onto his horse and looked across at the pair, "you sound like my mother," he smirked.
"Well she was a very wise woman, I should be proud to sound like her."
Dravite smiled when out of nowhere Roan smacked Raven with the shaft of his spear to start their battle again, "heads up!"

The ride from camp was a well-paced trot, the horse lord working hard to steer his mount around people and animals that got in the way. Once he was outside the Wind-Knotted Gates, he was free to kick the horse into a gallop, covering the length of Endrykas much faster than he might if he had gone through town. Soon the place he needed to be loomed up ahead and Cree was ordered to slow down; not an easy command to follow for a Strider that loved to run. He didn't want to over exert the animal before the hunt, the water restriction still on his mind; it would be best to save Cree's legs for chasing down any deer they saw on the plain.

Inside the tent Dravite spotted Zethar standing near a man he assumed was the hunter he would be venturing out with this morning. He noticed the bow in the man's grasp and smiled; so he would be dealing with a ranged hunter, Dravite himself much more accustomed to close ranged fighting; needless to say the hunt today would be interesting. Dravite held his spear in his left hand and extended the right to grasp Zethar's forearm in greeting, the man clutching his in return. "Dravite! Just the man we've been waiting for; this is Lian, who you will be accompanying this morning for the hunt."
"Sorry to keep the two of you waiting," Dravite offered before greeting Lian, "Dravite Blackwater of the Diamond Clan, Ra'athi of The Watch," he said formally as he had been taught.
Once Lian had made his introductions, Dravite stepped back and smiled, "shall we head off then? Not going to find anything standing around here. I've already checked the webbing this morning to little vail... Looks like we're going to have to use some good old tracking to find what we're looking for."

.
.
.

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian and Zethar had moved into a nearby tent to escape the intense heat as they waited for the man who would accompany Lian on his hunt. As the older man had promised, they did not have to wait for long. It was only a few chimes before a man who appeared to be roughly the same age as Lian himself appeared and greeted Zethar. Lian watched the exchange, observing what he could of the other man. He was shorter than Lian, but only by half a foot; in no way could he be considered short. The man had grey eyes that held a sharpness in their gaze that suggested he might be the adventurous sort. His sandy colored hair was common among the Drykas. Familiar, and comfortable. The spear held in his left hand looked like a good weapon to Lian's untrained eye. Like his bow, it could be used as a ranged weapon if thrown, but it had the additional advantage in that it could be used in close combat fighting as well. When the introductions were made, Lian's eyes brightened with interest when he heard that Dravite was a member of the Watch. Members of the Watch were responsible for monitoring the Web as they searched the Sea of Grass for danger. It was also their job to repair damage to the Web should any be found. They used Webbing in any number of ways in the course of their jobs, and that appealed to Lian greatly. "Lian Windrunner of the Sapphire Clan." he offered in return. Lian was surprised to hear that Dravite had already searched the Web for nearby deer. But then again, the man was a member of the Watch. In his experience, other hunters did not think to use the Web to assist them in a hunt, but a member of the Watch, who was used to monitoring the Web might well think differently on the matter. Dravite's seeming eagerness to get started was catching, and Lian grinned in response as he nodded. "Yes, we should. I feel like I should warn you, though...my tracking skills leave something to be desired at best. I might be able to pick up a trail if we start at a stream, and are lucky enough to find a fresh one that hasn't been muddled by other tracks. But that's the extent of my abilities. It might be easier if I keep an eye on the Web as we head out. I often use it to help me find prey since I can't rely on my tracking skills. I also use it to keep an eye out for any dangerous predators in the area."

[Dravite]

.
.

The sapphire clan, Master Webbers renowned for mapping and setting down most of the Drykas webbing, something The Watch praised the blue clad jewellers for. "Pleasure," Dravite nodded to the taller man.
Zethar stood listening to the exchange and smirked when Lian mentioned the web, "didn't I tell you, he's very good at keeping an eye out for trouble."
"That you did," Dravite agreed and stepped back to speak before turning for this horse, "let us start with what we know."

Once the two of them had ventured beyond the outskirts of the city, past the last few tents that dotted the landscape, they were free to scan the plan with their eyes and minds. Dravite stopped his Strider and bowed his head. It took him a moment to slip away, trancing from the back of his mount didn't allow him to feel as ground as sitting amongst the tall grass did, and he often feared he might fall off while his physical form was left unmanned.

The webbing seemed to move with the grass, like foam on the sea, lolling in and out of reach until his mind's eye took hold and carried him swiftly through the woven strands. Unbeknown to Dravite, Lian was quite competent at the art of webbing and would probably be able to search further than he, but Dravite wasn't looking for game or predictors this time, but people. The Watch had set up a ring of scattered riders about the lake's edge to guard the waterways and most of the streams were dry; but water meant animals and animals were what they had come looking for.

Just as he thought, the familiar djed pools of horse and man were pitched near the lake on the north, east, and south sides. The west had been left unguarded for fauna to come and go as they pleased. The webbing around Endrykas was generally well kept, but the lake had seen a lot of visitors and traffic in the last few days, so the connections were wearing thin. Dravite had to come up with another plan and a tree-line he happened across while circling back through the web to his form provided the perfect setting.

The horse lord lifted his head when he came to and glanced up at the morning sun to get the lay of the land. He drew a diamond in the hair on his horse's back and marked the point the sun was on as east. "Northwest," he raised his arm to point in the corresponding direction so that Lian could see, "do you think you could scan the web around that tree-line on the horizon. In this weather I bet any deer to be found will be taking shelter soon enough from the rising sun; we may find tracks there if nothing else."

.
.
.

[Lian Windrunner]

As the two men ventured out into the Sea of Grass, Lian's attention went immediately to his strider. Talise was calm, and relaxed. Not tense, and anxious as she would be if she sensed danger. The birds in surrounding grass were chirping as they called out to each other in challenge, or to seek out others of their kind. That was a further sign of safety. Having satisfied himself that they were as safe as it were possible to be out in the Sea of Grass, Lian automatically slipped into the Web. He did it without thought; after making sure you were safe for the immediate future, ensure that you stayed that way by scouting for potential danger further out via the Web. The glowing blue strands greeted him, welcoming him as if he were an old friend. And in truth, he was. As they rode, Lian sent his mind out, seeking the particular pools of djed that he had come to know were predators. There was a cluster of fifteen that Lian believed to be a rather large wolf pack. He worried that a pack that size might prove to be a threat to his people in the future, especially if they grew hungry when food became scarce. But for now, they were several miles away, and heading further away as he watched them. They were no threat to the two men for the present. A single djed pool that could be a glassbeak, or other solitary predator was found even further out. This one was moving towards the two men, but they would be gone before it could get here. It was too far out to have picked up their scent, so Lian dismissed it as an immediate threat, but vowed to keep an eye out for it all the same. It was about time to drop out of the Web, now that Lian was satisfied that they were in no danger for the foreseen future. But by then, they had approached the lake. The strands of the Web were thinner here. Thin, and worn. The song they sang to him was dull, almost as if it were in pain. Lian knew that this had been caused by the heavier than usual traffic around the lake in the last few days. He also knew that it was likely to get worse before it got better unless things changed, and the rains came. That didn't stop Lian from itching to heal the damage, though. He could feel the weakened area as if it were a deep ache within his own body. It called out to him to fix it. But he knew that if he were sensing the damage, others were, too. Others with more practice in repairing the Web than him. Lian was worried that any efforts he might make would hinder the efforts of those whose job it was to repair such weakened areas. And besides...that was not why they had ventured out into the Sea of Grass. He and Dravite had another job to do. So Lian lingered within the comfort of the Web for a few ticks longer, before reluctantly returning to his own body. Lian felt uncomfortable in his own skin, as if he were being restrained somehow, or as if it were too small to contain him. But the sensation passed after a few ticks, as Lian readjusted to being a part of the physical world once more. When it had faded completely, he turned to Dravite, feeling slightly guilty for practically ignoring the other man while he had been in the Web. Before he could apologize, the other man drew a diamond in the hair of his strider's back. Lian watched him, puzzled by the man's actions until he marked the position where the sun would be. Then he said "Northwest," and raised his arm to point in that direction. Lian looked, and could see a tree line in the distance. When Dravite asked if he could scan the Web in that direction, Lian frowned, but nodded, and did as he had been asked. It didn't take long, and Lian didn't linger in the Web this time. It would be all too easy for him to stay "just a little bit longer" to explore the Web, and listen to the stories it was tell him...but if he did that, half the day would be gone in a tick. After the uncomfortable sensation of transition passed once more, he turned to the other man. "There is a herd of deer out there...but we might be better off looking elsewhere. Before you asked me to scan the Web for deer, I was looking out for predators in the area. There's a alarmingly large wolf pack off that way several miles." Lian pointed in the direction he had sensed the pack in. "But they are moving away from both us, and the city. If the rains don't come soon, and prey grows scarce, I think they may be a problem. But not right now. I also sensed a solitary predator to the northwest. It's further away from us than the wolf pack is, but it is moving towards us. If we head towards the tree line, there's a chance we might encounter it. And while it's possible that it might be a lone wolf or wild dog, a solitary predator is more likely to be a glassbeak, or something else that we really don't want to find." Lian was painfully aware that he'd be useless if they were attacked by a glassbeak, or a cyphrus bear. "On the other hand, I think you're right. Any deer in the area are probably going to be taking shelter soon if they haven't already. This herd might be our best chance at a successful hunt. There is a chance the predator I sensed might not discover the deer. It may change directions, and head further out into the Sea of Grass. Do you think we should take that chance?" The hand gestures that accompanied Lian words showed that if Lian was alone, he wouldn't take that chance. He knew that he wasn't skilled enough to have any chance at surviving an encounter with a dangerous predator. But Dravite was a member of the Watch. Lian knew he would have at least some experience fighting. Would it be enough for him to want to risk an encounter with one of the deadlier denizens of the Sea of Grass when his only companion was a novice hunter whose experience was limited mostly to deer and rabbits?

[Dravite]

.
.

Dravite sat atop his mount scanning their surroundings as Lian spoke, highlighting the very real dangers of the grasslands. The wheat haired male smiled; it seemed their strengths lay in diffident skill sets though they appeared to share a love of webbing. Lian knew as little of Dravite as his knew of his new hunting partner and looked as if this trip would determine how they would work together in future, if they returned in one piece.
"I've spent more time out there than I have in the city at our backs."

The young horse lord had been raised in a pavilion that seldom ventured into the safety of Endrykas, where the sheer number of people that came together were enough to ward off predators; out in Sea of Grass it was different, one had to be watchful at all times, even in rest.
Lain seemed to be leaving the decision of where they hunted to Dravite, though the watchman couldn't decide if it was out of respect for his new hunting partner, or whether he saw Dravite as a natural leader given his profession as a member of The Watch. He would make the decision as if he were hunting alone, but take into consideration that he was not.
"I've killed a Grass-Bear before, they are more likely to roam alone whereas Glassbeaks, unbeknown to a lot of Drykas are pack animals; it's rare for them to hunt alone and so close to the city, even for males seeking their own flock and territory," Dravite explained.

He would take his chances with a Grass-Bear, on horseback the pair could outrun a bear, as they were slow, noisy, and liked to make their presence known as dominate predators, whereas wolves and Glassbeaks in particular were silent hunters that preferred to stalk their pray for a while before making a move. Dravite weighed up his options and the information Lian had given him before making his decision and devising a plan that would keep them both safe.

"I say we hunt the tree-line," he admitted knowing the reward far outweighed the risk at this stage, as long as they were careful and followed the plan Dravite then detailed, "it makes sense for us to move into the area on horseback before one of us continues on foot for stealth. I think you should go ahead while I keep your Strider near and consult the web. I'm more concerned about the Wolf pack at this stage; they can cover a lot of ground quickly if they choose to turn back and if they do we need to be ready to put a lot of ground between them and us before they pick up on any scent we leave behind."

Dravite looked at Lian then to gauge his thoughts and try to conjure up an image of the man he would be working with today; did he have a family, a wife, children? Was he part of a big pavilion? How long had he lived in Endrykas and hunted the same lands time and time again? Was he brave, did he ever take chances, and leave his fate to others? Was he a god-fearing man or a lone wolf carving out a piece for himself with tooth and nail?
"You hunt on foot with that bow as your advantage while I keep an eye on those predators you've flagged. If we leave the hunting in the tree-line to me I won't be able to get as close and I need to hunting by spear. When you make a kill," Dravite smiled as if this was a sure thing, "try to chase the rest of the deer towards me and perhaps I will be able to take down a second with my spear."

The horse lord had often contemplated taking on a ranged weapon of some sort to improve his chances when hunting, but had never had anyone to quite convince him that the bow was a worthwhile weapon; perhaps Lian would fit the bill. "Ready?" He asked before setting off, Cree eager to push ahead, thundering across the plan and giving his recovering rider a real workout.

.
.
.

[Lian Windrunner]

Dravite's words reassured Lian greatly. If he had spent more time out in the Sea of Grass than in Endrykas, it meant that his skills for coping with the dangers that awaited the unwary were far greater than his own. While Lian took pride in the fact that he was a child of the Sea of Grass like any of his people, and in the knowledge that he was far more equipped to survive than any of the outsiders that came to his city, he held no illusions that he could live away from Endrykas for any significant length of time. Learning that the other man had killed a grass-bear in the past was even more reassuring. It was surprising to learn that glassbeaks were pack creatures. Surprising, and alarming. Lian knew that he would never be able to fight one off, never mind a whole pack of the vicious creatures. Then again, Lian's skills with the Web made it possible for him to avoid dangerous predators. It was a skill that had kept him alive so far. "I've never spent more than a few days at a time away from the city." he admitted. "My pavillion is...was a small one. My parents split off from the main family when I was very young. I was too young to understand the reasons for it. After we left, we didn't see the others often, but when we did, my parents were happy to see them, so they must have parted on amicable terms." Lian offered. "My father loved my mother very deeply. So much so that he refused to take a second wife for fear of hurting her feelings. My mother had very little sense of self worth. Had father married again, she would have believed that she was lacking in some way, and that he had taken another wife to fill the need that she could not. It would have hurt her deeply. My brother, Lukar, believed that father might have left his pavilion because he was being pressed to take a second wife. But our parents never discussed it with us, so I do not know for certain that that was the reason. In any case, two adults and three children would not have survived for long away from the city." Lian listened to Dravite's plan carefully. It made sense. Lian had never used a spear before, but even he knew that it would be difficult at best to get close enough to a deer to use one without startling it into flight. His arrows were far better for that. As a solo hunter, he didn't have any real practice in driving a herd towards someone else, but he figured that he understood the theory of it. It would be an easy thing to keep track of Dravite's location through the Web. Prey ran away from a predator, not towards it. So if he came at the herd from the opposite direction from where Dravite was when he took his shot, at least some of the herd should flee towards the other man. In theory, at least. The other man's seeming confidence in his skills made Lian smile back when Dravite said "when," not "if" Lian made his kill. "Ready." he replied when asked. Then Lian was off, racing after the other man. Dravite's speed had taken him by surprise. Usually he kept to a slower pace when he was on his own. It made keeping an eye on the Web easier as he was unable to do so if he had to focus on staying on his strider. Likewise, following a trail at any significant speed was impossible for him. But Talise was eager to run, and she caught up to Dravite's strider easily.

[Dravite]

.
.

The sixteen hand stallion wasn't used to other horses catching up to him so quickly and threw his head up in protest, letting a 'game on' sound rush through the end on his nose. After a few hundred metres, Dravite restrained his Strider, slowing him up as they got closer and closer to the tree-line. As he rode he thought about Lian's family and the similarities. When the bowman came up alongside him, he spoke in a tone that sounded a little breathless, his healing rib injury and riding didn't go together well.
"My father only had one wife. I don't know if he would have ever taken a second," Dravite admitted, "for different reasons. My grandfather was Taloker Blackwater; everyone seems to know him."

The hunter did not mention his father’s name, Cyprine Blackwater, for with that a dark cloud followed. Cyprine Blackwater was known as a fierce leader loved by many and feared by more. No one thought he was right in the head, this giant of a man who would risk every soul in his pavilion for his own ideals and a lifestyle on the Golden Sea few could keep up with, including his wife and son. It had been his undoing, the death of three children under his watch had caused even his best friend to turn on him and no one knew if his death had truly been an accident, with most suspecting that Belhaur Windborne had indeed murdered the Ankal of the Blackwater pavilion to take his place as leader.

The horse lord searched the plain before speaking again, "not for the best of reasons mind you, he is the man who gouged his own eyes out in sacrifice to Zulrav for a son, he was childless and growing old as far as Drykas go; he had seen thirty-two summers by the time my father was born. That night there had been a heavy downpour and a wicked thunderstorm, or so my mother told me, which saw Taloker take his Strider’s life as thanks and Zulrav punished him," Dravite fell silent for a spell before adding, "cursed with one son."

The way was clear and other than disturbing a couple of birds that must have been nesting in the tall grass, the pair hadn't stumbled upon anything troubling. Dravite scanned the ground ahead of them in search of tracks or prints of any kind that might alert them to the types of predators that had passed through the area in the last few days; logic told him the ground was probably too dry this time of year to offer much in the way of information.
"Taloker had no more children, my father only had me but passed when I was young, and I have one son, Kyanite. Some say the curse stuck, but my wife Belkaia will give birth this winter, so it must have lifted or never existed to begin with," Dravite tried to rationalise the curse for himself as he explained it to his hunting partner.

Suddenly a great flock of birds shot up into the air in the distance, far beyond the tree-line like a great plume of smoke only to move in the shape of a horseshoe through the air and settle again. The horse lord stopped his Strider to stare ahead and rubbed his eyes; had Lian seen that as well? He looked across at the bowman; surviving the Sea of Grass was sometimes as simple as listening to the other animals that called it home. Within seconds Dravite had faded into the web and raced ahead faster than any horse could carry him till he came across the light, scattered pool of djed that belonged to the birds; finding nothing else large enough to explain what might have frightened them, he chose to yield. When he returned to himself the man shrugged, "a strong gust of wind perhaps?"

There wasn't enough time to give it too much thought and after moving forward at a light trot for the next hundred metres or so, Dravite decided they were close enough to the tree-line that they wouldn't alert the deer that were taking shelter from the sun and probably making a mess of the tree bark. "You still feeling all right about this plan?" He asked Lian, glancing across at the man as he took hold of the yvas fastened to the man's mount, "I can go in your place if you prefer."

.
.
.

[Lian Windrunner]

Talise loved to run. She responded to the stallion's challenge with another burst of speed. She was determined to keep up with him, and it showed. Lian let her run. It was a rare treat for her since he rarely ventured out into the Sea of Grass unless it was to hunt. While hunting, Lian kept her at a slow pace so he could enter the Web at need, and focus on the trail he was attempting to follow. A chance to run all out was rare for the filly, and Lian wanted to let her indulge while she could. He, too, enjoyed the wind rushing past him as they ran. The ground flew by beneath Talise's hooves in a blur. Man and strider were one as they lost themselves in the moment. Perhaps Lian would have to take Talise out into the Sea of Grass when they weren't hunting just so they could run freely, and enjoy each other's company. All too soon, the moment came to an end. When Dravite slowed his strider, Talise surged ahead, calling out to the stallion in triumph. But it only lasted a tick before Lian slowed her to a walk. Talise fought the command, wanting to run some more. But Lian's gestures were insistent, and after a few ticks, Talise subsided reluctantly. It was interesting to learn that Dravite's father was like his own in that both had only taken one wife. Reasons aside, it was unusual for a man to only take one wife. When Dravite mentioned that Taloker Blackwater was his grandfather, Lian nodded in agreement. He, like many others had had heard the rumors surrounding that man. Rumors that were confirmed as Dravite told him how his grandfather had gouged out his own eyes as a sacrifice to Zulrav for a son, and later sacrificed his own strider in thanks for that son. Lian couldn't imagine sacrificing Talise for anything. She was family. It didn't surprise him that the gods would curse the man for doing such a thing. When Dravite told him that he had a son, and that his wife was due to give birth this coming winter, Lian smiled. Perhaps that meant that the curse on the Blackwater pavilion was over. "Congratulations." Lian offered. "Although I have yet to take a wife, I too, am a father. I took a captive a little over a year ago. She had been abandoned in the Sea of Grass, and I found her while I was hunting. Although I would normally leave outsiders to their fate, our people's need for more children changed my mind. She showed no signs of illness, so I took her captive. The girl bore me twins last winter on the night when the stars fell from the sky. A boy and a girl that I named Lukar and Lira." Not for the first time, Lian wondered what fate was in store for children who were born on such a night. Was it a coincidence that they were born as rocks rained from the sky? Or did the gods have some plan for them? Lian's thoughts were interrupted when a large flock of birds shot up into the air, startling him. The birds were a good distance away, far beyond the tree line they were approaching. They settled once more soon after they had exploded into flight. Talise stopped of her own accord, sensing her human's desire for her to do so. Something had frightened the birds into taking wing, and Lian needed to know what that something was. Lian's mind slipped into the Web, darting and weaving among the glowing strands as he sought out the flock of birds in the distance. It didn't take him long to find them, but he failed to see anything that might have explained their disturbance. Reluctantly he returned to his own body, though his instinct demanded that he stay until he found out what had frightened them. He returned just in time to see Dravite shrug. "Perhaps." he said softly, in response to the other man's words. And yet, he had doubts. Would the wind truly be enough to frighten the flock of birds into flight however briefly? There wasn't much time to worry about it. Before long, they had reached a spot far enough from the tree line that they would be unlikely to spook the deer that were taking shelter in the shade, but was near enough to have a chance at bringing down a deer should Lian be successful in driving the herd in this direction. When asked if he was still okay with the plan, Lian nodded. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous. They still didn't know what had sent the birds into flight. But there was no such thing as being perfectly safe when out in the Sea of Grass. A little nervousness would keep his senses alert. And they had deer to hunt. "I'll be fine." he said with a grin that was equal parts excitement and nervousness. "Thanks for asking, though." With that, Lian dismounted. He patted Talise's neck a couple of times to reassure her since she wasn't used to anyone else handling her. Then he began making his way towards the treeline. While keeping his distance from the herd, he circled around it so that he would be coming at them from behind. Birds called out to each other only to fall silent as he approached them. It reassured him because it meant that he was the predator that was startling the birds into silence. Lian moved slowly through the grass, careful not to stir it more than absolutely necessary. If the deer saw the grass moving too much, it would probably put them on alert. As he walked, he kept an eye out for dry grass. Stepping on it would make noise that would alert the deer to his presence. With each step, he was careful to put the heel of his foot down first. And he slowly rolled his foot towards his toes onto the ground. Doing so allowed him to make less noise as he walked. When he was roughly half way to his destination, the birds and insects fell silent. Lian looked around, but saw no disturbances in the tall grass surrounding him. Nothing to tell him what had frightened them into silence. Lian slipped his mind into the Web quickly, and scouted the area. There still wasn't any sign of danger. Had he startled them, then? Or was it something he had failed to see? Lian looked around again, searching for any pools of djed that felt like a predator. This time, he found one. It was quite small, and it "felt" cold to him somehow. It was also right in his path. If he wanted to get behind the herd of deer, he would have to move past it. Lian decided to try something new. He allowed his mind to return to his body...mostly. But he tried to keep one eye on the Web so he could see the strange pool of djed and keep an eye on it while he was walking towards it. The disorientation was overwhelming. Glowing blue strands surrounded him, making it feel as though he would trip if he so much as took a step. His head pounded in agony, and he felt so dizzy that it made him feel sick to his stomach as well. Lian was left with no choice but to withdraw from the Web completely. The transition back to his physical body was harder than it usually was. It took him longer than usual to readjust, and he was left feeling deeply uneasy, and off balance. Those feelings lingered long after he felt ready to continue. Lian continued making his way around the herd. A sharp rattling sound near his feet brought him up short. His eyes widened as he saw the snake coiled up a few feet away from where he was standing. It was brown, and had a pattern of darker brown splotches. It's tail ended in a rattle that told him that this particular snake was poisonous. The creature stared at him, and Lian froze in alarm. Maybe the djed pool felt cold because its source is a reptile? Lian wondered as he stared back at the snake. At least I know what set the birds off earlier. Remaining perfectly still seemed to be the right thing to do. After a while, the snake uncoiled itself, and slithered away. Luckily, it chose a direction he didn't have to go in if he wanted to complete his task. Once Lian was certain that the snake was gone, he continued on his way.

[Dravite]

.
.

The horse lord smiled as Lian spoke of his children and the circumstances in which they were born and to a mother he called captive. It seemed to be no coincidence that the children had been twins and given life on a night when the stars were falling, "reincarnation," Dravite mouthed to himself, not sure if Lian had heard him; touched by the gods, he thought.

Dravite thought of his son Kyanite then and the possibility of making a match with Lian's daughter, Lira. However, as quickly as the thought came to fruition it had passed; Dravite was not fond of the idea of Kyanite being promised to an unmarried bloodline where he would call his mother in law 'slave'. The man had no issue with his people taking slaves for themselves, especially for the purpose of breeding, but anyone that important, he felt, was worth marrying; still, the seed had been planted and ideas have a way of flowering sooner or later.

The sun was incredibly hard on both beast and man today and Dravite was feeling the heat more than usual due to the water restriction. He hadn't bathed in a long time, save for running a wet rag across his limbs of an evening. His lips were dry, even running his tongue over them did little to sate his thirst and ignoring his basic instincts was growing more and more difficult to do. "Northwest," he distracted himself, mapping the lay of the land with his stare, committing every ridge and fall in the distance to memory; it was important not to become disorientated out here on the sea, especially in this weather.

The man found himself scanning the ground closer to him once again, looking for different prints and signs of wildlife. He spotted the S shaped track of a snake left on a patch of earth a few feet from his strider and gave the animal a little nudge to move closer, making sure Lian's horse followed. Dravite took his notebook from one of the saddlebags and opened it to a blank page in order to sketch what he was seeing, drawing the rough shape of the print, or as good as his drawing skills allowed, before writing the word 'snake?' underneath it.

Soon the man realised the promise he had made to his hunting partner and slipped into a trance on horseback. The web seemed to greet him with open arms the more times he frequented. Dravite raced north through that strands towards the wolf pack who were still on the move, chasing rabbits no doubt and putting more and more distance between the tree-line and their current hunting territory. Good, Dravite thought, they wouldn't be a worry now. As he circled back to his form, he remembered the lone predator Lian had pointed out somewhere closer to them and though it had been slow moving, the horse lord was struggling to pinpoint it exactly.

He came across an area in the web only a short ride from where he had left his form and decided he would still have an advantage over the scattered deer if Lian was able to drive them from the tree-line. Returning to the snug fit of his being, Dravite led the horses through the tall grass on foot, watching his step and looking out for any snakes the tracks had alerted him to, those he now followed. When he was where he needed to be, he let go of Cree and signed for the animal to stay close.

Dravite sat down in the tall grass and closed his eyes to enter the web exactly where he had found the break. In the half trancelike state he held his hands out in front of him which seemed to work slower than usual, as if he were underwater. The man brought his right hand to his chest and pinched together forefinger and thumb, focusing djed to his chest to pull a long, tightly spun thread from his personal pool, weaving the strand about his fingers as if it were a bootlace. He fashioned the end of the thread into his signature weave as unique as a spider's web, or a fingerprint, sinking it down into the earth before he worked on repairing the run of broken webbing.

Continued Here.

.
.
.