The Sight of Horns(Featherline)

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

Suddenly his brows drew down, as though searching for something in his head. Something that had dawned on him, on the tip of his tongue. Shifting, forms...

"You're a Kelvic!" He exclaimed, holding a triumphant finger in the air with a proud grin, not unlike a child having solved a blacksmith puzzle. "That's it!"

Kelvic were not unknown to the Drykas, no race was truly unknown to a people that prided themselves on being of mixed heritages, but Jarhal had not met one before now. It was a very fanciful idea to him, a bit like the stories of red-haired people riding giant eagles. Not a lie, but so foreign to what he knew that it was difficult to believe.

Beginning to laugh, at himself if anything, he shook his head. "Oh, I'm so sorry Miss Featherline! I thought you were just out of your wits! Can you really turn into an eagle? And fly around?"

As a boy, Jarhal had often dreamt of being an animal, of being truly at one with nature. It was a hawk he admired most, to dart in the air with eyes so keen you could spot a mouse scurrying through high grass. To fly wherever you liked. It was only understandable that his voice grew rather awed, then.

"That's amazing! You've got to tell me all about it, before you go flying off again."

[Featherline]

Jarhal had started laughing, apparently at what she had said. And something about Kelvics? The word meant little to her, but maybe that was what people called people like her. Or maybe she was just like them in some way. At any rate, she decided she might as well be a Kelvic. "Yes. Yes, of course I am am a, what did you call it? Kelvic? I have lots of Kelvic friends and I love doing Kelvic stuff." What exactly did Kelvics do? She had no idea, for she had never met one. Except from herself, if she really was one.

"I was hoping to stay for a while, actually. I'm tired and need to settle down a bit. Do you think I can stay here, with you? I haven't slept inside for years, so you don't have to share your tent with me. I just want to blend in a bit and refresh my memory of humanity. Maybe we could hunt together." Featherline had decided she wanted to tell this human about her urge to bond with a human. "Actually, lately I've felt an urge to stay at the side of one man, helping him with anything. I don't like the idea of binding myself to a boring human who enjoys sitting by in his fancy house all day, no, I want a man that can be one with the wild. This place seems decent, having many hunters. I enjoy watching humans trying to hunt. Maybe I can find that man here."

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

He nodded along, it all made sense to him. Or, sense to him if he were a Kelvic. Probably.

"I don't mind at all, but you don't need to sleep outside or anything like that. I've got some gold and I'll buy you what you need to live like a Drykas." He offered, already thinking of where to get the various supplies she'd need from clothes to soap. It was a good thing he lived a frugal life. "And I think you've come to just the perfect place to find a hunter, if you don't mind horses."

He decided it might serve her well to get a quick overview of just how things worked in Endrykas, and just where she might start her search. Jarhal couldn't help but think the Emerald clan was the only logical choice, if one was looking for hunters. And his personal bias had nothing to do with it.

He gave a brief explanation of all the gemstone clans, with particular emphasis on how the Emerald clan were wardens of nature and the best hunters. Then, about the general purpose of the Webbing and how dangerous Cyphrus was to any non-Drykas... and how dangerous it was even to full-blooded Drykas. While he spoke of the dangers, there was a tenseness about him that showed he knew them first-hand very well.

"I'll help you with your search however you want, though I don't really have many human friends..." He hesitated to add that, in reality, his only real friends were a slow horse and a flea-bitten dog. That somewhat sad fact didn't seem important to point out.

[Featherline]

"I suppose if I intend to be one of you I should maybe sleep like you... How much gold would it cost you? And no, I don't mind horses. They are pretty fast and kick hard, but they have many muscles and are absolutely worth the effort." Saying this, she thought about the delicious meat of horses. She hadn't hunted many horses in her time, but there were enough times for her to know these things by experience.

"This Emerald Clan seems like my best bet. Do Drykas let others join them in their hunt often, or do you think it will be difficult to find a partner? And what defines a Drykas? People here seem to be of different cultures rather than one actual people. Don't worry, even if you lack friends we will do just fine. We just have to find the right people to talk with, I'm sure." Featherline stood up from where she had been sitting, and studied the people around them. "But first, let's look at the stuff I'll need to live here. I'll repay you in some way."

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

"Well, I can't speak for all the Emerald clan, but I've never turned anyone away from coming along on the hunt. The only time I ever would is if they obviously don't know how to have proper respect for Caiyha's creations." He nodded, quite serious about respecting where respect was due. Her question of what defines a Drykas, however, required a bit more thought.

"I guess the Sea of Grass itself defines us. It forces us to be free, to move around, and to appreciate whatever we have. No matter where your parents were born, you become a Drykas by learning how to live with the grasslands. The striders are our reward from Caiyha for living in-tune with our land so well, and we respect them like our own kin..." Here he cleared his throat, feeling like he'd said an awful lot, and ended lamely, "At least, that's what I think."

With that answered, he gave a little incline of his head and led the way to where she'd find what she needed to live. Jarhal did not try and dissuade her from the best in silk or fur, gold did not hold a great importance to him. All that truly mattered to him was being a better hunter, and wealth did not help there.

[Featherline]

"In what way do I have to respect... Caiyha's creations?" Featherline had never heard about such a thing, but she would have to learn and respect their rules of the Drykas if she wanted to blend in. Maybe she would become Drykas one day? This was the kind of place she wanted to be. It was the perfect place for something that is both of nature and humanity. Not too uncivilized, and yet not overgrown by buildings.

"So I'm guessing Caiyha is your people's deity? I've encountered religious cultures before. I must say this is the most friendly one." Featherline looked uncomfortable as she realized what she might have done wrong in earlier attempts to communicate with humans. "Probably because I haven't attacked your horses and children." This last sentence she murmured, more to herself than Jarhal. She wondered if he would still want to help her if he knew how she had treated humans in the past. Being easy prey and living in flocks, she chose to hunt weak humans rather than animals when the opportunity was there. Now she had gone long without meeting humans, and she seemed to have shaken off the habit of seeking easy prey in humans. At least, there was no urge in her telling her to take a bite out of Jarhal or anyone else here.

Wanting to think of other things, she picked up a random garment from a basket of clothes and held it up before Jarhal to show it to him. "I like this. You are truly formidable craftsmen here.", she said before looking. She realized she was holding a simple linen dress in green. It had no sleeves, and that part she liked. She couldn't bare the feeling of having something pulling her arms down.

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

"Caiyha is the Goddess of nature, responsible for every animal and even blade of grass," He smiled as he began, enjoying talking about this subject. He was not a very religious man, as one might expect upon looking at him, but Caiyha's worship was dear to him.

"The Drykas have no structure to religion, we vary there as much as in everything else, but I do give prayer and thanks to Caiyha so that she blesses me with another hunt. You must not pillage the wild like a bandit, or she will see that you are punished one way or another." Here he raised a fist, perhaps to show that he was very willing to be that instrument of punishment. "Instead you must hunt it like a predator, winnow the flock by taking the older or slower and making the most of what you take. That is how you have respect."

Turning fully to her, his grey-green eyes having a very peculiar interest to them, he then inclined his head in a respectful manner and went on in less of a lecturing tone. "If anything, I suspect you might have more to teach me there then I have to teach you... what with being an eagle and all. I look forward to watching you hunt first-hand."

As soon as she said she liked the dress, he went over to pay for it. When the gold left his hand he showed no sign of remorse at it's loss, more glad to have a lighter purse than anything.

"We try the best we can. Our strength is in that we accept outsiders, if they prove to know how to act correctly, and incorporate their talents into our own." He nodded, but by his tone it showed that he thought not nearly as many outsiders did 'know how to act correctly' as they should. But he was still quite jovial as he continued speaking. "The next time I'm in the Ruby part of town, I'll buy you one of their nicest silk dresses. Then you'll really see the best Endrykas has to offer!"

[Featherline]

"She sounds like a goddess I'll get along with. I do not take more than I need when I hunt. Featherline smiled at the thought of humans hunting like animals. "What kind of prey might I find in your lands?" Her eagle-like eyes met his as he spoke. "You could teach me to hunt like you do. To attack from the sides rather than air. I would like to learn how to use the metal talon." To explain what she meant she pointed towards a dagger, not too big, but at a size she might like. She wasn't too impressed by his offer to buy her silk as clothes were nothing but temporary feathers for her, but she nodded to accept the idea.

"I'm itching towards hunting already. I've had enough for today, but maybe we could go hunting tomorrow? You could show me how to hunt like you do. I'm also interested in seeing what you do with everything you do not eat. You mentioned putting everything to use."

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

He nodded agreement with planning a hunt for tomorrow, but he was rather curious to see how she reacted to his flying sticks in real action... and if she had the patience to lay in wait rather than plunging through the sky. Were birds known for their long attention spans?

"Cyphrus is a big place so it depends on just where you're hunting, but you can find squirrels, prairie dogs, elk, antelope, and deer most places." He listed the animals off quickly, obvious that it was just a very brief summation, and went on, "If you have a party of men with fire, and aren't afraid to die, you may hunt Glassbeaks. Their beaks are very valuable, but I think their meat tastes terrible."

The craters, however, he did not even bother to discuss. They were different worlds altogether, much better seen than explained. One day, when he was a much better hunter, he planned to explore the craters and learn the great sights that not even Drykas had seen yet. It was not a matter of 'if' such scenes of beauty were out there, yet unspoiled, but merely a question of where.

"And yes, we have learned many uses for things that outsiders have not bothered to realize. We are not squeamish eaters either, so much of what can't be used to use in crafting goods is merely eaten. I enjoy a good elk tongue, myself." He ended, doubting such things would disgust an eagle-woman, but looking over curiously all the same.

[Cardinal]

Jarhal Skills: Hunting 2 Horse bow 1 Camouflage 2 Lore: Hunting deer in Cyphrus plains, thanksgiving prayers to Caiyha (basic), dealing with crazy naked ladies, Oh! You're a Kelvic!, Fauna of Cyphrus (Basic) Ledger deduction: Dress (Average) -8sm Featherline Lore: How humans hunt,the dangers of human weapons, Caiyha (basic), chivalric Drykas tendencies, ...Wait, I'm a Kelvic?, Endrykas (basic), The Drykas Race (basic), Fauna of Cyphrus (Basic) Equipment update: 1 sleeveless dress Comments: Both of your writing styles are delightful! You both had me giggling over the King of Arrows. Jarhal, you really succeeded in pulling me into the allure of hunting right away. I gave you points in archery. I'm under the assumption that the bow your character was using was his horse bow, but if he was using something else please let me know so I can edit your award properly. Featherline, I am so delighted to see a bird Kelvic, and I relished in the details that kept your character from swinging truly human. I wasn't able to find any skills combing through this for you, but hopefully I gave you some lore that can be built upon to make your character truly knowledgeable of Endrykas. I did want to note that you likely won't find a forest in relation to where Endrykas is on its run this type of year. There was only a singular mention, but future hunting threads may dictate knowing that, you know?