Closed [Caesi]Let the Arrows Fly

[Asarni Zelluni]

11 Spring, 516AV

Asarni lifted her face to the sun as she stretched, pausing outside of the entrance to her personal tent, staked next to her family's Pavilion. She smiled, soaking in the warmth. It had been nearly two weeks since the beginning of Spring, and yet the weather had still remained more similar to that of the end of Winter than that of Spring. Today was the first truly warm day, and Asarni had plans to spend it all outside.

She reported first - as she always did - to the Healing Hoof, pitching in with the one or two animals that were usually there, kept overnight to keep an eye on a problematic wound, or a troublesome illness. Today there were just two hounds, both of which were ready to return to their owners. Asarni gave them their food and refilled their water dishes, giving both of the friendly animals pats on the head before she informed Kehal Tenderbloom, son of Dehar Tenderbloom, that she was leaving; the healer waved her off, saying that it looked to be a slow day - at least until the animals started feeling frisky, thanks to the higher temperatures. Asarni didn't stick around, thanking Kehal before darting away, pausing at her tent to grab Lintanai's yvas as well as her hunting supplies; Asarni might not actually get any hunting done, but she was going to go out and enjoy the weather while she could, and besides, it was just stupid to not take a weapon when one was venturing away from the main body of Endrykas.

Lintanai was easy to locate; a golden palomino stallion with light striping on his legs, the Strider almost blended into the grass, but there was enough difference between his sunshine coat and the surrounding green grass to spot him. Come late Summer, it would be a bit more difficult. Asarni whistles, one long note that ends with a sharp uptick, and watches as the stallion lifts his head before snorting and going back to eat. The Drykas rolls her eyes; it's not like she expected anything different, but really. It would be nice if he listened occasionally. Moving closer, Asarni whistled again, this time holding out half of an apple she'd pinched the night before from dinner. This time, Lintanai definitely looked interested, and as soon as the scent of crisp apple reached him, the Strider trotted over. Asarni grinned, giving him the apple and fussing over him for a moment before getting him tacked up.

The yvas was easy enough to attach - nothing like the gear she'd seen strapped to traders' horses, even the ones being ridden rather than used as beasts of burden. A simple pad to protect the horse's back from the rider's rump, and the yvas itself ran around the horse's stomach, situated over the withers with the straps laying in the hollow of the space behind the elbows, buckled snugly. Asarni backed up a step, bouncing on the balls of her feet, before she vaulted onto Lintanai; the stallion, too distracted with his treat, didn't even try to move away from her. "Good boy," Asarni praised, rubbing Lintainai's neck and leaning forward to scratch between the ears. The Strider snorted at her before shaking his head as Asarni made sure she was situated properly, quiver belted to the yvas with all of her arrows tucked inside, shortbow secured to her back before she leaned forward, clucking encouragingly and giving Lintanai a nudge with her heels, encouraging the stallion into an easy canter, steering him away from Endrykas using her weight and knees, heading for a nearby stream with a small copse of trees; maybe she could find a squirrel or something, enough to forestall her mother's certain nagging if she returned home empty-handed.

[Caesi Starguide]

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The sun rose into the sky like an angry goddess, sending heat upon it's rays to torment the Drykas. It was an unusually warm day, tomorrow promising to be even hotter if the sun continued to blast down it's hit on the plains. Caesi was outside already as the sun perched itself in the sky, tending to her Strider Pyxis. When the mare was done eating and drinking water she grabbed the Yvas. First she put the colorful pad down on the horse, then she put the Yvas on, making she it rested along the horse's shoulders and that the grip was over the Strider's withers to keep the Yvas in place. Caesi's Yvas was decorated like all Drykas. The intricate knot-work and beading identifying her to be in the Starguide Pavilion of the Amethyst Clan to those who pays attention to such things. She checked the waterskin at the Yvas bags, it was full so she left it there. She then placed her shortbow around a loop of leather at the Yvas bag, securing it to the horse. Lifting open one bag, she checked and saw her dagger laying inside.

With everything packed she whistled sharply for Nu to hurry up and come to her. The dog had been done eating and drinking for a bell, so he was probably laying around being lazy. She waited a chime and Nu come over wagging his tail, “Hunt” Caesi told the hunting dog, who barked lowly and looked out towards the plains, ready to go. Caesi smiled and mounted her Strider, clicking her tongue to send her into a slow walk as they made their way through the tents and people heading out to the Sea of Grass.

Once she was a good ways away from the tents, she scanned the plains. It felt as though they were on the cusp of summer, as the sun glared down at the hunting party. Caesi swiped away sweat that began to form at her brow as she wet her lips with a dart of her tongue. She spied a copse of trees a good ways in the distance, not able to really tell what kind of trees. With the heat if she was an animal she would find shade and a water source. Caesi was not sure if there was an actual water source at the trees yet, but she spurred Pyxis in that direction, galloping through the plains and eating up the distance. Strider's were fast creatures, as they were consider a prey rather then a predator. With those prey like instincts came the uncanny ability to ride fast and hard.

Once near the trees Caesi slowed her strider down gradually until she was back at a walk. Going to the left she found a little area to keep Pyxis while she hunted. The horse was under the shade of the trees, but not stuck between them so she could get out quickly if she needed to do so. Nu was silent, lying low to the ground as she stalked forward. Caesi mimicked his behavior and went forward as well, looking up in the trees and around the streams edge for animals. Not only that but pesky birds to alarm the animals of their presence. Caesi observed her surroundings, taking in the small copse of trees that provided minimum shade but still enough. The small stream of water that glistened in the sun, a woman on a palomino. Wait.. Caesi looked back and saw another hunter perhaps. The woman looked tall, she had dark blonde hair that caught the sun rays and made it lighter appearing. Her skin was more tan than Caesi's was, as Caesi kept her skin covered in her tunic and britches, only catching enough to get a light permanent tan from the sun. The horse was a beautiful and strong Strider, he had striping on his legs and his coat shined in the sun. He appeared strong, as he strode towards the stream with his rider.

Caesi rose from the tall grass, no longer hidden by it, Nu growling at the pair with obvious annoyance at being disturbed. Caesi snapped her fingers making him hush as she strode over, not sure if the woman and horse had spotted them yet, so she kept her distance and called out a greeting, gesturing the greeting in Pavi Sign to the woman. She strode closer stopping an arm length away from the woman's Strider. “Caesi of the Starguide Pavilion in the Clan Amethyst.” The Huntress introduced herself, after the formal greeting to a fellow Drykas. Nu sat beside her looking up at the woman and Strider. He wasn't a people person per-say, but he did love attention. Nu was still busy scanning the area around them however, hoping for something to eat or hunt.

| Thoughts |

[Asarni Zelluni]

It had taken nearly half a bell for Asarni to reach the copse of trees she'd spied; she hadn't felt a particular urge to push Lintanai beyond his easy canter, the both of them too busy enjoying the sunlight and warmth that had been lacking in recent weeks. The shade was not terribly unwelcome, being as it helped to block out the bright sunlight while preserving the warmth of the day, and both strider and Drykas made their way towards the stream first, intent on getting a drink before looking about for any potential prey.

When a young woman - another Drykas, easily recognizable from the braids in her hair and the knotwork on her clothes - popped out of the grass on the other side of the stream, Asarni and Lintanai both startled, Asarni's grip with her legs tightening instinctively as Lintanai shied, securing her seat so that she moved with him rather than him moving out from under her. "Hooh, easy," she soothed, stroking a hand down Lintanai's neck, scratching lightly; snorting, the Strider gradually settled down, and Asarni got a good look at the other woman. She looked to be a little younger than Asarni's own nineteen years, with darker hair and fairer skin; her clothing covered more of her than Asarni's own clothes covered her, and brightly colored eyes peered from the other woman's face, studying Asarni just as Asarni studied her.

The other woman gave the formal greeting in Pavi, introducing herself as Caesi Starguide of the Amethyst Clan as she came closer, stopping next to Asarni and Lintanai; Asarni had to look down on her, but the Drykas made no move to dismount just yet. She didn't know this woman, after all, and Asarni believed in 'better safe than sorry.'

"Asarni of the Zelluni Pavilion in the Clan Amethyst," Asarni returns, her own clothing - a short-sleeved, loose-fitting shirt covered with the embroidery of the Zelluni Pavilion paired with pants covered in the same knotwork - rustling slightly as she signs; her own hair is done up in braids woven about her head, forming a crown and serving to keep her hair out of her face. She kept her hair a little shorter than most Drykas women did; long enough to wrap once around her head as well as contain a few decorative fabrics and beads, but short enough that caring for it was easy.

"What brings you to this place?" she asks, a bit shortly. Caesi may be of the Amethyst Clan, which did make Asarni slightly more friendly towards her, but she was of the Zelluni Pavilion, and so Asarni did not immediately trust her.

[Caesi Starguide]

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Caesi kept her distance as she was not sure if the woman was friend or foe, but she kept her manners. The woman appeared to be a fellow Drykas so it was custom to introduce one self. But with all the events that have happened to the Drykas people in the past, she still stayed weary, looking at the bow and arrows the woman possessed, gripping her own.

The blonde introduced herself as Asarni of the Zelluni Pavilion in the Clan Amethyst. This made her relax a great deal, it was a fellow Amethyst. That meant that her camp was near Starguide, since most clans were together, not all but most. “It is good to meet another Amethyst.” Caesi said with a smile, peering up at the woman on her Strider. Then the blonde asked her what she was doing here and Caesi frowned a little. “I am hunting of course.” Caesi said holding up her bow and pointing to her arrows, “It is what I do best.” Caesi said with a grin, “What are you doing here?” Caesi inquired back to the woman, placing a hand on her hip and giving her a cocky smile.

Caesi was outspoken, typically saying what came to her before she really had a chance to think on it and reword it into something more lady-like. Caesi looked over her shoulder, placing two fingers in her mouth, she blew out giving a loud, piercing, and shrill whistle. After two chimes her Strider pranced up, shaking her hair, the mane falling in her eyes as she shook it out of the way. The horse patted her hooves a little nervously and nickered at Caesi. The Drykas girl patted the mares neck to calm her and looked over at Asarni, “Do you know how to use that thing?” Caesi asked with one brow raised, pointing at the bow. She was taunting the older girl a little, but it was all in fun, well mostly. A part of her wanted to see how well she could shoot, maybe they could teach each other to get more skilled, or even better they could have a contest to see who was the best of the two.

Caesi did not bring up the contest just yet, instead she wanted all formalities out of the way, and to see why Asarni was at this particular spot herself. Then she would challenge the woman into a contest of her choosing, letting her decide between a hunting contest or an archery contest. Then the real fun would begin and Caesi would gain more information on the woman and who she really was. Not for anything nefarious, but it was just something she liked to know. Asarni was part of the same clan, so knowing your clan members was essential to Caesi. After all, they were like the Striders, a herd, a family, they helped one another in times of need and protected each other when danger struck. Knowing your people was essential to surviving the plains, because even the skilled needed help to live out on the Sea of Grass.

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[Asarni Zelluni]

Asarni readily accepts the given answer of 'hunting'; it is a very common activity for the Drykas, and honestly Asarni would not be surprised if half the city went hunting on a nice day like today. The Drykas decided that she liked Caesi; anyone who didn't have a problem being outspoken or with others being outspoken was more than okay in her eyes. Gesturing to the arrows in her quiver and the shortbow strung across her back, Asarni answered, "I am also here to hunt; it is a good day for it, and there will be much prey about."

Asarni watched as Caesi whistled, her gaze sharpening with interest when she spotted the Strider approaching; she had a great appreciation, as most all Drykas did, of good horses, and Caesi's Strider was a good example of the breed. A nice blue dun, her mane and forelock seemed a bit long to Asarni, who kept Lintanai's neatly pulled so that it helped repel flies, but not so long that it got into either of their ways. Asarni's attention was pulled from the Strider to the rider, and she raised an eyebrow at the taunting tone of Caesi's question - “Do you know how to use that thing?”

"Of course I know how to use a shortbow," Asarni says, voice sharp once more; she never liked it when people challenged her, even in a relatively harmless way. Granted, Asarni was more skilled at riding and getting away from combat than she was at contributing to it, but she could use her bow well enough to contribute her fair share to the supper pot at home. The Drykas shifted slightly in her seat on Lintanai's back; the stallion was displaying quite the interest in the other Strider, and Asarni gave him a quick rub between the ears before she leaned forward, easily swinging one leg up and over the Strider's back, pushing off slightly so that she landed on the balls of her feet roughly a foot away from Lintanai; she liked to put a bit of distance in whenever she dismounted in order to keep that muscle memory, should she ever need to emergency dismount and then run or fight. Giving Lintanai a pat, she loosened the yvas slightly, giving Lintanai a bit more breathing room, before she turned back to Caesi.

"Do you know how to use yours?" she asks, gesturing to Caesi's own shortbow.

~*~

[Caesi Starguide]

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Asarni told Caesi that she did know how to use her shortbow, in a rather sharp tone to indicate she did not appreciate the taunting. Caesi grinned at the woman as she dismounted her Strider, then asked her if she knew how to use her own bow. Caesi's grin turned into a smile, the challenge accepted it.

“I am not perfect but I know a good bit.” Caesi said looking over at Asarni, “How about we have a little contest?” Caesi suggested, as she grabbed an arrow from the quiver to prepare for what was coming next.

“We can either see who can hunt and kill the most prey or we can have a shooting contest.” Caesi suggested in a slight challenging tone, “Your choice.” Caesi told the Drykas woman, as she gestured towards the trees. “If it is a shooting contest we should aim for damp ground so it does not damage our arrows.”

Pyxis snorted behind her and she turned around and patted the center of the horse's long face. The horse felt the playfulness coming off of Caesi, her feet shuffling slightly, the Strider was in good spirits. Nu however was still on guard as he eyed the woman with his curious gaze. He looked the woman up and down, still deciding on trusting her with Caesi. His tail did not move nor did he move from his position, right beside Caesi. The huntress patted the dog's head to ease him into a relaxed state, as she stroked his ears gently from base to tips, “Nu, go hunt.” She told the dog, who looked up at her then towards Asarni, growling his disagreement then headed off into the trees to hunt for small prey.

Caesi brought her attention back to Asarni to see which contest she would choose. Caesi was excited to have a little fun with a fellow Drykas. Her life was a bit monotonous, hunt all day, come home. Ever so often a few exciting things would happen, though it was rare. She lacked the intense adventure she craved in her life, but she knew she was not quite ready for such. Instead she would train to be a part of the Watch and Hunt, so that one day she would be skilled enough to join the Watch and have adventures daily with her Strider and Nu. Teal-green eyes peered up to storm clouds, Asarni's eyes as grey as the clouds when it was about to come a storm on the plains.

| Thoughts |

[Asarni Zelluni]

"A contest?" Asarni asks, voice lifting in eagerness; it was not very often that she had a chance to practice with her bow purely for fun. She considered the two options presented - a hunting challenge, or a simply archery challenge. Hunting would be fun, doubling in purpose, and while she would enjoy the latter more, slight guilt made her think that perhaps the hunting contest would be the wiser choice. Still fun, but would also likely result in good prey for the both of them so that they could contribute to their Pavilion's dinner.

Asarni pondered the question while Caesi sent her dog - who was clearly still in training, and also very protective of his mistress - off to hunt, and decided her answer. "A hunting contest," she said. "A useful contest; if we still have time by the end of that contest, perhaps we could do a simple archery contest." Asarni shrugs her bow off, giving Lintanai a pat on the shoulder as she stepped away from him. "Any excuse to practice with the bow is a good one," Asarni says. "I hope to soon join the Watch; I have no desire to be married off or settle down, and my father has been making noises about finding a suitable husband. Perhaps joining the Watch will convince him to postpone the decision." More than that, while Asarni loved her family and was loyal to her Clan, she longed for a little more independence. The Watch would give her the opportunity to live for her Clan while also having a chance to make her own life.

Asarni pointed towards the far end of the group of trees they were standing in. "I have heard of hares and other small animals in that end of the copse; there may also be some squirrels around the trees," she says. "Shall we move down there?."

~*~

[Caesi Starguide]

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Caesi chuckled with a jovial little girl, as she bounced on her heels from excitement. She bent her hand gesturing, Excited to Asarni as she smiled broadly. Pyxis curled her upper lip, making the horse look as if she was smiling and laughing too, but she was just scenting something around them. Caesi laughed and patted the Strider's neck. Caesi was overjoyed to have a hunting contest. She was not amazing at hunting and the shortbow, but she felt as though she knew enough that it was going to make the contest challenging.

Asarni mentioned something else, that made her smile drop for a moment. The woman was interested in joining the Watch as well. “The Watch?” Caesi asked a bit wide eyed. “I was thinking about that, I had yet to decide if I was going to pursue it.” The young Drykas girl shuffled her feet a few ticks thinking then looked back up to Asarni, with a firm nod she responded in a soft lilt, “We should train together some time.” Caesi told Asarni.

Having someone to train with would prove to be more fun. The Watch were all so skilled and strong, mainly composed of men from what she seen, though she knew some woman were there too. First Caesi would have to think if that would be the right path to take, if so she would go seek out help from a Watchman before she started training with Asarni. That way she would have a better understanding of Webbing. As it was right now, she did not know enough to even teach herself, she would have to have guidance from another before she could train on her own.

Caesi followed where Asarni pointed, nodding her head, “That would be a good area to start out in. We should stick together, even if it is a contest.” Caesi gestured with her hand, Safe together . “Hunt like we would normally but stay close enough to one another, that if something bigger then we comes out, we won't be alone.” Caesi suggested to the woman. Caesi peered around her, she had seen no evidence of a larger predator among the trees, but it was always best to be prepared. A wary Drykas was a live Drykas after all.

The Huntress made a move to where Asarni had pointed, once she was closer to the area she crouched down. Looking at her surroundings. The trees provided cover for birds, squirrels and even raccoon's. The water provided a drink to the animals, a way to wash food for the Raccoon's and possibly if animals were scarce a food source for the two of them. Keeping behind the cover of the large grass she scanned the area with an observant and keen eye, seeking out a movement or a sign that there was life among the trees. After a chime or two, she saw a shadow of something. The animal itself she could not see, only a shadow up in the trees. She hoped it was a squirrel and not a loud bird. If they bothered the birds they would send out a calling to all of the other animals, making it difficult to find anything to hunt in the area.

Stalking like a hunting cat, she kept low to the ground, rolling her feet to keep from making too much noise. Closer to the shadow she seen, she peered up into the trees, hiding in the tall grasses. Up on a limb was a red furred squirrel chattering away as it ate something on a tree limb. The squirrel was presently occupied, so it made for easy pickings. Caesi squinted and saw another red furred squirrel eating on the limb at the opposite tree. Two squirrels, what a find. Caesi nocked an arrow to her shortbow, pulling back on the string she brought it to her chin, keeping it taut. She bent her elbow slightly and extended her arm out completely straight. Keeping her muscles as relaxed as she could she lifted the arrow up to the squirrel in the tree. Inhaling she aimed, exhaling she let the arrow fly to it's target. The arrow made a slight noise as it soared through the air, hitting it's target and making it fall from the tree it was in.

Caesi was in the process of loading another arrow, it had been only a couple of ticks since the first, but she fumbled with it since she was not that skilled at loading in quick successions just yet. If Asarni was close by she would be able to hit the squirrel however before it scampered away from it's friend being knocked from the tree. It was possible the animal did not realize yet, as it was absorbed in it's food at the moment.

| Thoughts |

[Asarni Zelluni]

"It's a daunting path to take," Asarni said, because she knew. She had been initiated into Webbing by her Ankhal the summer before last, and it was hard to find time to practice a magic that left your body vulnerable and useless in the physical world while you wandered the Web, reading the information it had to offer. "But one that, I believe, would be very rewarding." A smile lifted one corner of Asarni's mouth at Caesi's suggestion, and Asarni answered with, "Let us see how this afternoon goes; if it goes well, I would not be averse to training."

Asarni nodded in agreement to Caesi's comment that they should stick together; though it was a conest, there was no point in having a contest if one of them was going to be attacked by Glassbeaks or some other predator. Double-checking that her quiver was secure, Asarni crouched down as Caesi did, following behind the younger woman and keeping an eye out for prey of her own. She spotted the squirrels at about the same time that Caesi did, but Caesi was able to notch her arrow slightly faster than Asarni could; Caesi took down the first squirrel as Asarni focused her sights on the second. She was right-handed, so her shortbow was held in her left hand. Unlike most archers, Asarni did not lay her arrow to the inside of the bow, closer to her body; that took more time and movement than Asarni had found that she could afford. Instead, she laid her arrow to the outside, affording her a quicker reload time. She had begun to experiment with holding another arrow in her hand while she notched and let loose the first one, but a contest was not the time to continue to practice.

A steadying breath and a quick check of her position - bow arm nearly straight with a little give in the elbow to prevent the string from stinging her forearm, arrow pulled back just shy of her cheek, the arm controlling the arrow kept in line with both arrow and target - and Asarni double-checked her aim, adjusting slightly for the arc of the arrow into the air before she let the arrow fly. It impacted into the squirrel a bit to the left of where she wanted it to land - Aimed too far to the left, Asarni thought - and knocked this squirrel out of the tree just as Caesi's arrow had its companion.

~*~

[Caesi Starguide]

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Caesi gave Asarni a smile, “Good job.” She told the woman as she went to retrieve the squirrel. She doubt there were anymore squirrels around, with two being shot from the trees, it was likely the others had fled already. She bent down and inspected the little guy. The arrow had landed through it's little skull, even though she was aiming for the back-end of the rodent. She gave a shrug, she did her best, practice would only enhance it.

Placing her hand on the little body of the squirrel, she grasped the shaft of the arrow, keeping her hand near where it entered and twisted slightly. A sickening noise emerged as the arrow pulled out, it sounded like when your barefoot was stuck in the mud, then you yank it out. Except perhaps a bit of a snap from the bone as well. Either way, the head was completely destroyed now, not even noticeable any longer. She wiped the point off in the grass, placing it in her quiver. Marking the end with some blood so she knew that she needed to use that arrow next, instead of a fresh one.

She lifted the squirrel from the ground by it's fuzzy tail, holding it up in the air. “Not exactly a lot of meat...but maybe can flavor some stew.” She looked over at the woman with a shrug of her right shoulder. She knew nothing about cooking, she could burn water, that was her skill when it came to cooking. She looked on her person then around her, “I forgot my backpack.” She gave a chuckle, “Not prepared I guess.” She moved to go to her Strider but heard a rustling in some bushes to the far left. Out of her peripheral vision she saw the bushes moving slightly.

Frowning she looked over, dropping the squirrel she quickly grabbed an arrow. Pointing the arrow towards the ground, she placed the shaft against the wood, then nocked the end to the string. Looking over at Asarni she nodded, telling her to do the same, as she was not sure what type of animal it could be, not yet any way. Caesi placed her index finger above the arrow, keeping her middle and ring fingers below. Caesi pulled the arrow back until the end was at her chin and she aimed at the bush that was presently moving with some type of animal.



OOCThis is for Asarni to shoot. Caesi will let her arrow fly, but will miss. You can choose what ever type of animal it will be .

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