12th Bell - 70th Day of Summer, 517AV - The Spit Fire
Nothing lasted forever, even if one carefully rationed his resources. Bait, scent, preservatives, they all needed to be replaced, and even things like snares became worn with time. He'd thought that, all things considered, the kit he'd bought almost a year ago... well, the fact it had been that long in the first place, told him he'd got good value out of it.
Yet here I am.
"Anything else for you?"
The Emerald Clan hunter watched as the scarred walahk from Pridesun perused the array of items he'd spent half a bell collecting. A length of rope, a spool of wire that could be fashioned into snares, a few vials that stank of rabbit and deer and vole and general musk... not to mention a smaller kit that could be used to preserve modest carcasses. The man scratched his jaw, now covered in a beard, and Brodann could see him wondering what he'd forgotten.
Hansel. That's what he was called, or called himself. Brodann was an old enough hand to sniff out a lie, even when he heard it third-hand. The man was clearly not some poor traveler lost out in the grass; he'd heard the stories, how he'd been found cut to ribbons, next to corpses of men and horses... or was it just one of each?
You never could trust the rumors. A few tellings, a little time, and they grew into their own creatures.
"What are those?"
His Pavi had much improved, at least. Brodann remembered when he'd first wandered into the Spit Fire, clueless as a stripling. He'd patiently talked him through what he'd need, if a hunter was what he wanted to be. Shyke, even Brodann would admit that he'd forgotten more about hunting, tracking, trapping, and surviving in the Sea of Grass than half his clan. He had the time, he was getting paid for his efforts... and besides, he never minded a chance to pass on knowledge.
"Thy're bracers." Konrad watched the old man dump a pair of gauntlets on the table, only they were thinner, more flexible, and made of leather... and seemed to have the straps on the wrong side. "Archers use them. Protects your arm from when the bow string snaps back."
Konrad grunted and subconsciously rubbed his arm, slapped and bit a few dozen times by string of his bow. Gods, why hadn't he thought to snag some of these before? He added another gold coin to the mizas he'd already piled on the table for his resupply, and Brodann nodded sagely.
"Aye, seems about right. Anythin' else?"
"No, I am-"
Something squealed outside the tent, a voice far removed from man and horse and cattle. Konrad turned out of instinct and saw a reptilian head the size of his torso swing by the tent flap. A long, red tongue lolled out and tasted the air, beady black eyes flickering about briefly... then he was mushed on again by its Drykas owner, putting one clawed foot in front of the other, sacks and baskets piled him on its back.
He'd seen them before. It wasn an Ixam, a species of massive lizard that called Cyphrus home, especially the Sea of Grass. Herds of the huge reptiles crossed the grasslands, no different in their habits to cattle and deer and bison. Only difference being, they were covered in thick, armored scales, like the kind ringing that one's neck. Despite their armor, the Drykas still captured young ones and domesticated them, or even more rarely, stole their eggs and raised them from hatching. As mounts they were tricky, and the Horse Lords would always prefer their equine mounts... but as beasts of burden, they were invaluable.
Konrad blinked, and he rubbed his wrist again. Noted the scales around the Ixam's neck like a noble's frill, only they were tighter together an flattened... but thick. Tough. He'd heard the Drykas talk about arrows and javelins clattering off them before.
A season ago, or more, he would have turned away, an interesting sight to be remembered, yes, but not dwelt on. But this was the present, and he had more knowledge... not to mention more abilities.
More ambition, too.
"Lad? Oi, you a'right, son?"
"Yes. I am." He scooped up his goods and stuffed his bracers into the bag, too. Then he tipped a nod to the hunting master, and amazingly enough followed it with a quick grin. "Must go. Have to talk to man for lizard."
"You what?"
But there was no answer, for Konrad was already gone.
Receipt:Archer's Bracers: 1gm
Resupplying Hunter's/Trapper's Kit: 13gm
TOTAL: -14gm
Yet here I am.
"Anything else for you?"
The Emerald Clan hunter watched as the scarred walahk from Pridesun perused the array of items he'd spent half a bell collecting. A length of rope, a spool of wire that could be fashioned into snares, a few vials that stank of rabbit and deer and vole and general musk... not to mention a smaller kit that could be used to preserve modest carcasses. The man scratched his jaw, now covered in a beard, and Brodann could see him wondering what he'd forgotten.
Hansel. That's what he was called, or called himself. Brodann was an old enough hand to sniff out a lie, even when he heard it third-hand. The man was clearly not some poor traveler lost out in the grass; he'd heard the stories, how he'd been found cut to ribbons, next to corpses of men and horses... or was it just one of each?
You never could trust the rumors. A few tellings, a little time, and they grew into their own creatures.
"What are those?"
His Pavi had much improved, at least. Brodann remembered when he'd first wandered into the Spit Fire, clueless as a stripling. He'd patiently talked him through what he'd need, if a hunter was what he wanted to be. Shyke, even Brodann would admit that he'd forgotten more about hunting, tracking, trapping, and surviving in the Sea of Grass than half his clan. He had the time, he was getting paid for his efforts... and besides, he never minded a chance to pass on knowledge.
"Thy're bracers." Konrad watched the old man dump a pair of gauntlets on the table, only they were thinner, more flexible, and made of leather... and seemed to have the straps on the wrong side. "Archers use them. Protects your arm from when the bow string snaps back."
Konrad grunted and subconsciously rubbed his arm, slapped and bit a few dozen times by string of his bow. Gods, why hadn't he thought to snag some of these before? He added another gold coin to the mizas he'd already piled on the table for his resupply, and Brodann nodded sagely.
"Aye, seems about right. Anythin' else?"
"No, I am-"
Something squealed outside the tent, a voice far removed from man and horse and cattle. Konrad turned out of instinct and saw a reptilian head the size of his torso swing by the tent flap. A long, red tongue lolled out and tasted the air, beady black eyes flickering about briefly... then he was mushed on again by its Drykas owner, putting one clawed foot in front of the other, sacks and baskets piled him on its back.
He'd seen them before. It wasn an Ixam, a species of massive lizard that called Cyphrus home, especially the Sea of Grass. Herds of the huge reptiles crossed the grasslands, no different in their habits to cattle and deer and bison. Only difference being, they were covered in thick, armored scales, like the kind ringing that one's neck. Despite their armor, the Drykas still captured young ones and domesticated them, or even more rarely, stole their eggs and raised them from hatching. As mounts they were tricky, and the Horse Lords would always prefer their equine mounts... but as beasts of burden, they were invaluable.
Konrad blinked, and he rubbed his wrist again. Noted the scales around the Ixam's neck like a noble's frill, only they were tighter together an flattened... but thick. Tough. He'd heard the Drykas talk about arrows and javelins clattering off them before.
A season ago, or more, he would have turned away, an interesting sight to be remembered, yes, but not dwelt on. But this was the present, and he had more knowledge... not to mention more abilities.
More ambition, too.
"Lad? Oi, you a'right, son?"
"Yes. I am." He scooped up his goods and stuffed his bracers into the bag, too. Then he tipped a nod to the hunting master, and amazingly enough followed it with a quick grin. "Must go. Have to talk to man for lizard."
"You what?"
But there was no answer, for Konrad was already gone.
Receipt:Archer's Bracers: 1gm
Resupplying Hunter's/Trapper's Kit: 13gm
TOTAL: -14gm
