Jehu learns the art of jungle hunting from Indigo.
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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]
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by Jehu on July 8th, 2019, 7:05 pm
Jehu
20th of Summer, 519 AV
The Tidepool was not far from Jehu's claim, and he had made a habit of having a drink every few days at the bar since his arrival. It was as much for the company of Stuvantis than the pleasure of alcohol he had recently discovered. The Chaktawe liked the tea drinks, never specifying what he wanted, but letting the priest whip up a surprise. They often talked philosophy and matters of the spiritual, while Stu attempted to introduce Jehu to other residents of Skya as the new immigrant.
On that day, Jehu was chatting with Stu, the two of them debating the morality of spearing the tamed hogs at the Swine Swells when Stu paused and pointed over Jehu's shoulder. Out the open side of the bar, Jehu could see a woman stalking up beach.
"You want to hunt, she's your boon." The man crooned, leaning closer. "Indigo. Half Myrian, half Dhani, she knows the jungles better than any of us, 'cuz she was her before any of us. That right there is the only reason Syka exists. She taught Mathias and the others how to live here." With a pat on Jehu's shoulder, Stu moved on to tend other customers.
Jehu wanted to prosper in Syka. But the jungle was not patient with outsiders. If this Indigo was all Stu proclaimed, she could prove a valuable resource. Jehu watched for only a moment, then stood. He made his way out of the bar and down the catwalk across the water. Indigo did appear different than the other Sykans. She was tall appeared extremely fit. Where her light garment didn't cover her, bronzed skin was revealed. Much like his own people, she had paint across her eyes, the color of a deep cobalt blue. He made his way onto the beach, slowing as his course to intercept the Myrian.
He was not afraid, but curious. Jehu had heard of both the Myrians and Dhani on his previous Falyndar visits. But he had been told the Myrians were bloodthirsty savages, the Dhani evil snake-people. Indigo did not appear to be either. Was she a savage? Did it matter? He had been called as much in the cities.
His approach and been noted by the astute woman, though she made no indication until she drew quite near. Indigo paused, staring at Jehu. The she all but charged him, halting only a few steps away, planting herself firmly in front of him and setting her jaw. A hard, piercing gaze narrowed as she glared into his eyes. She seemed little interested in the rest of him. "Are you blind? Or is that body not your own?" He finger extended, threateningly close to touching Jehu's eyeball.
Jehu blinked, understanding a moment later her meaning. "No, I am not blind, and this body is very much my own." He answered.
"Hmmmph." Indigo harrumphed, withdrawing her finger. "A new creature in Skya. Does it have a name." The young Myrian woman asked.
"Jehu, I am from the desert." He tried to explain.
"Desert, don't know where that is." She quipped "What do yo do?" Indigo began to circle Jehu, like a great cat.
"I hunt or do whatever needs done." Jehu declared, knowing she asked what his contribution was.
"Hunter?" Indigo repeated. "What do they hunt in this desert where you are from?" The woman asked. Strong, coltish legs carrying her in a continuous circuit around the Chaktawe, forcing him to continually turn his head.
"Cow, goat, wolf." Jehu answered.
Indigo laughed loudly, her hand pressing to her stomach. "I am sure your skills are tested at the Swine Swells." Then her laughter turned to a smirk. "We don't hunt cows and goats here, desert man."
Jehu did not flinch at the Myrian's taunting, nor took his eyes from her. "Show me." He replied.
Indigo halted in the sand. Her head tilted, as if she could measure the man with a glance. A long silence lingered between them. "Very well... Jehu. Meet me at dawn by the Pool." Her gaze clung to him a moment longer, then the woman turned and stalked away.
Words: 662
Last edited by
Jehu on July 25th, 2019, 3:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Jehu - Player
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by Jehu on July 9th, 2019, 2:58 pm
Jehu
Jehu prepared the night before, gathering and double-checking his equipment. He knew well the importance of gear, both in the desert, and now in the jungle, but wanted to keep his load light, since he would be hunting. His backpack was loaded with essentials and emergency items. An empty sack, a coil of thin rope, flint and steel, a day's rations and a small, light tarp. He also included a snare, though he had not used one. Perhaps Indigo would be willing to teach him how to use it. The kopis knife was strapped to the side of the pack.
One thing Jehu recalled from his previous visit to the rainforest was his lack of head covering. Aside from protecting his head and neck scratches and bites, head cover that included veiling the neck would prevent the unnerving feeling of things dropping from the trees down the back of his shirt. With his hunting knife, Jehu cut a rectangle out of his larger tarp large enough to cover his head and flow down the back to cover his neck. Cutting off a length of rope, the two items would suffice to protect his head.
Rising just before dawn, Jehu was excited. Before he dressed, he stepped out of his tent and walk a little ways toward the beach, where he settled onto the sand. He faced the surf, barely visible as the dim glow of the sunrise only just began to appear. But it was not the god of the sea or the sun he began to implore.
He began to pray in Tawna. "Crow Brother and Rainbringer, I offer you due honor as keepers of our ancestors. Watch over the Kalanue, as well as my people in Syka, provide and protect. Thank you for your providence." It was his customary supplication to the deities of his people, but being in Syka brought knew aspect to Eywaat and Makutsi, for the Lord of the Eagles was certainly the father of the many colorful birds within the jungle, and must be pleased with the ingenuity of the settlers of Syka. Likewise, rain was plentiful, and the rainforest rippled with Makutsi's fresh water.
Rising to his feet, Jehu returned to his tent to dress. A green linen shirt, buttoned to the top with sleeves unrolled down to his wrists, and long brown pants would cover most of his skin. High leather boots protected his feet and calves. A hunting knife was thrust through his belt. The piece of canvas tarp was wrapped around his head and fixed with the rope, so that it draped over his neck. Then insect repellent was applied liberally, the bottle slipped into the backpack. Finally, charcoal from the fire was used to create the traditional black bar across his eyes, and a single black feather was tied into his hair.
The day before, he had drunk his fill of water, then filled his waterskin. His Chaktawe body would not need to drink for several days, but the fresh water might come in useful to wash, or to offer to his guide. The skin was draped over his shoulder.
Jehu stood before the three spears resting on a blanket. Two were lighter, well suited for throwing. The third was heavier, shorter with a cold steel head. It was better suite for thrusting. He took up his two lighter spears and the atlatl nearby. Satisfied that he was prepared, Jehu made his way to the Community Pool.
He passed several neighbors who were rising as well. He returned their waves. Stopping by the kitchen, Jehu picked up a couple pieces of fruit from a bowl Nesra the Potter was setting out. Arriving at the pool, he found Indigo waiting. She was dressed for a hunt, though her garments seemed different from his. Perhaps they were Myrian? She leaned on a bow, a quiver of arrows and a small pack on her back. Her long, dark hair was plaited in tight braids that wrapped around the crown of her head.
Crisp eyes greeted the Chaktawe, Indigo's gaze assessing the readiness of her companion. She harrumphed again, a sound she seemed to make when at least moderately satisfied. "Bright morning to you, desert man." She greeted him without a smile, though her tone was not unwelcoming. "Are you ready to die today? One should always be ready to die, death never has her fill in the jungle." Only then did a smirking grin touch the young woman's lips.
Jehu didn't reply to the prodding huntress, only returned her smile with a challenging one of his own. "Let's go." was all he said. Indigo turned North towards the jungle. "If you get killed, I get to eat you." Indigo tossed over her shoulder at Jehu. The Chaktawe had heard stories of Myrian cannibalism, but he was not sure Indigo was serious. He laughed morbidly to himself, thinking of how surprised she would be to cut him open and find an organ as full of water as a waterskin.
Words: 833
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Jehu - Player
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by Jehu on July 15th, 2019, 1:59 pm
Jehu
Their progress slowed as they moved into the jungle proper, heading Northeast from the pool into what Jehu learned was the Maw. Sunlight faded to the subdued illumination under the canopy. Indigo took the lead first, using her bow to part foliage and prod the ground in front of her. Jehu did likewise behind her, using the shaft of his spear to move the broad leaves and ivy-like tendrils of the plants in their path. The cacophony of life encompassed them. A chorus of different bird calls, creaking of insects and the shrill cries of monkeys and other beasts rang out from the branches above and the ground covering below.
"How many times you been in the jungle, Desert Man?" The mixed Myrian woman asked in her curious accent.
Twice." Jehu replied. With Indigo blazing the path, the Chaktawe was able to look about them, studying the landscape.
As they ventured on, Indigo's voice lowered, as if in reverence of the rainforest enveloping them. "And you live? You must have learned something. But the jungle kills those who have lived under its canopy for years. Never forget that." Indigo pushed aside a low plant with trios of shiny leaves. "Don't let that touch you. Touch nothing you don't know. Your spear will keep you alive more by acting as your hands and feet than by killing something." The raven-haired woman admonished. "And feel with it as you go, use it as eyes. You don't want to be just looking directly in front of you. You have to watch the ground, but you also have to look ahead, look for breaks in the foliage and head for them. A tourist looks at the jungle, a survivor looks through the jungle."
Jehu watched as the lithe woman moved. Her gait was fluid, taking into account easily the roots that arose before her, the variation in the land's contour. It was not the staccato tromp of the settlers in the sand, but a deliberate adaptation to the myriad of obstacles they encountered. "How do you not get lost in the desert?" Indigo inquired of her companion.
"Landmarks. A rock outcropping, a broom tree, something to mark a location." Jehu answered, watching the Myrian almost reverently direct a small green constrictor snake from her path with the tip of the bow. "I imagine the risk of getting lost in the desert is too much open, bare space? Here its the opposite, you can't see where you've been in just a few feet. Spot a large tree ahead and one behind you, Keep your course that way. Reach the tree, mark another. That way you at least know what direction you are heading."
The tall huntress paused, then took another step forward. She stood in a narrow path, barely visible until the pair were right on top of it. Jehu recognized ir as an animal path, and any hunter knew it was a boon to find one. It meant safer passage with the probability of water and game along the way. "You go first now." Indigo instructed, a glint in her eyes appearing brighter with the dark paint around them. Jehu took the lead, prodding ahead with the butt of his spear.
Insects buzzed around Jehu, but the repellent he had applied seemed to be holding up, preventing any biting. Soon they came upon a tree fallen across the trail. Jehu paused before it, tapping at it with the spear. It offered a solid thunk, suggesting it was relatively fresh. Placing a hand on top of the waist high trunk, Jehu crouched slightly to vault over the tree. It creaked slightly as he began to put weight on it, disturbing three lizards.
Each about a foot long, they were bright orange and green, with black markings. Their faces were mottled with blue. Long, sharp claws dug into the wood of the fallen tree. The reptiles appeared agitated, hissing and baring little teeth at Jehu.
Words: 659
Last edited by
Jehu on July 16th, 2019, 6:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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by Jehu on July 16th, 2019, 5:00 pm
Jehu
Jehu had startled the lizards, which had been hidden behind a large frond overhanging one end of the log. They fidgeted, as if wanting to flee but unable to turn around on the narrow fallen trunk. The first started to move towards Jehu, but suddenly disappeared with a whoosh. The Chaktawe heard it land with a thud on the other side of the fallen tree. Swinging his spear around, he stabbed the blunt butt against the skull of the next one, and it fell as the third lizard disappeared like the first.
Peering over the log, Jehu saw all three brightly colored lizards lying dead, two with arrows through them, one with a crushed face. He looked back to see Indigo lowering her bow. "Vom." She said matter of fact, walking up to Jehu. "They are good to eat, but nasty if you get too close." Tapping the log with her bow to scare off any more surprises, she climbed over the tree and tugged her arrows from the reptiles. "Would you gather them up?"
Jehu crossed the log and pulled a length of thin rope from his pack, cutting it free and gathering the three lizards by the tails. Tying the rope snugly around the tails, he tied them to his pack. He had seen vom when working a trade expedition, but not as close. He examined the dead lizards, then stood and picked up his spear. Indigo was examining a bush with white berries. "Desert Man, just in case you didn't know, don't eat white or yellow berries, they are poison. In fact, don't eat anything you don't know is safe. If you have to find food to survive, test them first. Rub them between your fingers to see if there is a reaction on your skin, then, taste just a bit. If it tastes bitter or strange, spit it out. Some say dark berries are a safe bet to eat, but don't do it unless you are sure. The Maia berry is dark and looks good, but will slowly kill you from the inside out."
Jehu paid close attention to Indigo's instruction. He knew the basic concept of avoiding white berries, but the warning about dark ones was new to him. He sighed as he looked around. The jungle was so different than the desert. He felt almost claustrophobic in the humid ranforest, so closed in by a maddening array of plants. But Indigo's idea of looking through the forest helped add some 'distance' to his perception, and he was able to handle the extreme change in environment.
Jehu noted a slight decline in the terrain as they picked their way through the jungle, along an animal trail. Indigo, who had resumed the lead, would pause at times, crouching to examine a broken branch or stem of a fern, or to prod the earth before her. At one such stop, Jehu reached out his hand, fingers splayed. He remained very still, even as the huntress stood and stared at him. "Do you possess some magic you haven't told me about, Desert Man? Why are you doing that."
"There is water nearby, isn't there? A small stream? It leads to something larger." His distant stare refocused and his hand lowered.
"Yes, the ground is descending, there is a stream ahead, it runs to the river. How did you know? How does a man from the desert know anything about waterways?" The half-Myrain asked sincerely.
"There is nothing more important in the desert than water. Makutsi has blessed the Chaktawe with the means to find her precious waters." He held his hand out to Indigo to examine. "The tips of our fingers. See the small specs? They sense how moving water disturbs the air. It has taken me a while to make sense of it here. In the desert, there is not much to interfere, but with all the trees and plants, I am having to adjust, to know the feel of water out here. But I just sensed it. A cool movement."
Indigo looked up from Jehu's hand, here eyes offering something close to respect. "Quite a gift your goddess has given your people." She stood up straight, the brief admiration passed. "Too bad she can't tell you if it is filled with sickness." She tossed at him with a smirk as they moved on. Both hunters knew that water attracted game. They both instinctively moved more deliberately, to keep their passage quiet, as if the very creatures of the canopy weren't announcing their presence already.
Word: 742
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Jehu - Player
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by Jehu on July 17th, 2019, 5:53 pm
Jehu
They drew close enough to a small stream to see it through the thick leaves of the ground plants, then turned to move parallel to it. Jehu had taken the lead again, at the young half-bred huntress's suggestion. Jehu remembered her teaching, keeping an eye on where he was walking, but looking up and ahead also, planning where he would head. His ears were becoming attuned to the variety of sounds, which birds lingered on lower branches, and which seemed to stay high in the canopy. Aside from the scream of monkeys, the myriad of other sounds from creatures he did not know.
Glancing down, Jehu spotted a vine crossing in front of him. It had small white and yellow flowers, but what caught his eye was the long thick green fruit it bore. He prodded it with the butt of his spear, then crouched. "Now, this looks like it is edible. I think I have seen it before."
Indigo leaned over the Chaktawe, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, good, that is cucumber. Very good to eat. Gather them up, but be careful where you stick your hands." The woman cautioned. Jehu slipped off his pack and pulled out a sack. He carefully plucked off several of the vegetables and dropped them in the bag. When he reached to take the last one, hidden under a broad leaf of the vine, A large, hairy spider crawled onto the back of his hand. He froze. He knew spiders, especially in the desert, but he didn't know how dangerous this one was.
"Banana spider. Don't move. Very deadly." Indigo warned. Jehu didn't even breath. Indigo leaned over him again, but instead of helping to remove the spider, she made a sharp, loud sound. The spider flinched and sunk its teeth into Jehu's hand. He jerked violently, tossing the spider, which vanished into the shadows.
"Why did you do that?!" He hissed, wide-eyed, holding his wrist tight, as if he could stop the spread of the poison up his arm.
Indigo began laughing, leaning on her spear and clutching the flat plane of her belly in delight. "Desert Man, that bite is no more dangerous than a bee sting. But the look on your face!" The dark-haired woman quickly regained her composure, though she stil coughed a few stifled laughs. "Until you know, treat every spider like it can kill you." She slid off her pack and pulled out a small vial made from the shell of some nut. A single finger scooped out a black, sticky substance. "Here, show me your hand." With a quick swipe, she smeared the ointment over the spider bite, the sting subsided. A small but strong hand patted him on the back. "You will live, Desert Warrior." She teased, unapologetic.
Jehu grumbled and gathered the last cucumber into the sack and placed it in his pack. They resumed their trek as the land gradually descended, until the slow moving brown water of the river could be seen through some vines in front of Jehu. He saw something move over his shoulder., but didn't move. It was the tip of Indigo's bow as it slid under the body of a snake draped on a limb over Jehu's head. She gently coaxed its coils out of his way. Indigo spoke something to the serpent in a soft voice, a language the Chaktawe didn't know, but is had a lot of the 'S' sound in it.
"Thanks." He spoke quietly.
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by Jehu on July 18th, 2019, 3:29 pm
Jehu
"Wait...look." Indigo interrupted with a hushed urgency. They saw through the foliage a large dark shape lumbering near the edge of the water. It was as tall as Jehu at his front shoulders, its forelegs longer and thicker than its back pair. It hobbled a bit as it bent to drink from the water.
"Nandhai?" Jehu asked. On the two previous expeditions he had joined that touched the Falyndar coast, he had tried to learn as much as he could about the land's animals, especially game. He was fascinated by what lived in vastly different environments. Indigo nodded in confirmation. "But not good to hunt?" He remembered a guide telling him the trouble was not worth it.
Indigo spoke again, her voice soft like the rush of the slow moving river. "Most times, not good idea. They travel in groups, and will not run away if you attack, they fight back. Mean." She paused, leaning forward as she studied the large beast. "He is quiet. He is alone. Look, his back leg." Jehu focused on the nandhai's hind quarters. One of his legs was wounded, with long deep claw marks. Indigo's dark brows furrowed. "Whatever attacked it could not finish it off. The others should have protected him, he doesn't even call for them." She sounded almost sad, then a low hum rumbled in her slender throat. "That makes him easier game." Come on, Desert Hunter."
Indigo slithered off towards the river, then angled to draw up behind the nandhai along the bank. Jehu followed. His heart raced with anticipation. He had never hunted a creature so large before. He paused when the Myrian stopped to crouch, closer to the beast. She silently pulled an arrow from her quiver and nocked it to the bow. Then she pointed to his spear, her bow, then two fingers jabbed at the nandhai. Jehu understood, simultaneous attack.
While Indigo raised the bow to find her shot, Jehu crept closer still, at an angle from Indigo. The atlatl was slipped from his belt. He froze when the beast's head shot up, dull eyes cast about as it sniffed the air. It's limbs fidgeted as it huffed. They had been detected and would have to strike fast. His spear swung slowly around, so he could hold it for a throw. Jehu set the butt of the spear to the end of the atlatl, holding it in place. Black eyes glanced to his companion, the breath in his lungs captured and held. Through the brush, he saw Indigo's head nod slightly. Jehu braced his legs far apart, as his torso twisted, coiling for his throw as his coal eyes fixed upon the nandhai's barrel chest, gauging where it's heart might be.
Then he heard the hiss of Indigo's arrow, Jehu sprung to action, his body uncoiling, releasing kinetic energy that launched the spear from the atlatl towards the wary creature. The target was its heart.
Word: 489
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by Jehu on July 18th, 2019, 4:22 pm
Jehu
Jehu watched as Indigo's arrow slammed into the nandhai's chest, causing it to grunt and turn in confusion. A few ticks later, Jehu's spear thrust into its midsection, causing teh animal to stagger. His strike hit lower than he'd hoped, missing the heart and most vital organs, but tearing through its abdomen. The nandhai then lifted its head and bellowed with a sound that resembled both a shriek and a howl. The air filled with birds startled by the sound, adding their alarmed cries to the noise.
The nandai shook it's head and pounded its heavy forearms against the ground, splashing up water and mud as it tried to locate its attackers, the reverberation of its thumping vibrated against Jehu's feet through the soft earth. The beast wobbled, its leg already wounded, the arrows piercing its organs and the spear lodged in it abdomen. The panicked nandhai reached to paw at the spear. The beast managed to free itself of the lodged weapon, but blood ran out of the wound. Another arrow streaked towards their prey, thudding into the beast's chest near the first. Turning towards the direction of the last arrow, the nandhai made a lumbering charge through the brush towards Indigo.
Jehu didn't have time to retrieve his spear from the edge of the water. He reached back, his hand wrapping around the hilt of the kopis knife strapped to his pack and tugged it free. He could see another of Indigo's arrows piercing the beast's neck as the huntress back-peddled away from the charging animal. Jehu ran up beside it as it struggled to reach his companion. He had never wielded the knew weapon. The kopis in his hand was front heavy, giving Jehu the sensation that its power was in a downward thrust, with the weight of the blade. He raised the heavy knife and hacked at the animal's neck, aiming for the softer tissue, where he believed arteriess ran close to the surface. Trying not to stumble in the undergrowth as he moved, Jehu cleaved gashes in the nandhai's thick muscles.
The nandhai finally faltered, slowing its headlong rush towards the huntress. In its desperation, it swung its muscular arms wildly, striking Jehu in the chest. The blow sent him off of his feet and sailing backwards. Jehu felt himself slam against a solid object, then all went black.
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by Jehu on July 18th, 2019, 4:23 pm
Jehu
His eyes slowly opened. The first thing Jehu noted was his intense headache. Next, movement told him he sat against a tree, then he noted the stiff soreness along his back. Subtle motions proved all his limbs still worked. When his vision focused, he could see Indigo in front of him, crouching over the carcass of the nandhai, a blade in her hand gutting the creature. The body was heading down hill, most of the blood already drained out into the river. Indigo had a crimson stain around her mouth. Did she eat the meat raw, or did she taste the blood? Jehu was too dazed to ask.
"You are determined to die, no matter how much I teach you, Black Eyes." The half-Myrian shook her head. "That is what happens when you bring a Desert Man into the jungle. Get up, lazy, we need to dress this nandhai and get moving before something smells its innards."
Jehu grunted and got up stiffly. His head pounded, and a tender touch to the back of the held revealed a small amount of blood on his fingers. "You will live. For now." She assured him as she pointed to the carcass.
Pulling free his hunting knife, Jehu joined Indigo, who had begun to skin the beast. She had already divided the hide down the neck, chest and underbelly. Jehu took one side, starting by cutting the skin around the knee joint of the back leg and making a long incision up the inner thigh. He began to tug on the hide, stripping it from the limb until he had enough for a good hold, then he worked the hide free by pulling and cutting the fascia with his knife, rolling the hair side underneath. The huntress worked the opposite side. The Chaktawe continued to peel away the hide, using the knife as he went. The front leg came next, with a cut around the elbow, then one up the inside, and a peeling away of the skin as he cut it free. Indigo had her side free and made a final cut around its neck, and together they manhandled the heavy beast to strip the rest of the hide free. Indigo rolled it up and bound it with rope.
Jehu looked at the carcass. "We won't have time carve it up enough to carry much back, not if we want to avoid scavengers." In the desert, there were creatures that quickly came to pick off a fresh carcass, Jehu was certain the jungle was the same.
"Separate the front shoulders and the one good hind thigh, they have a lot of meat. I will finish getting the easy parts to eat." Indigo instructed. Jehu used his fingers to find the middle of the thigh joint on the good back leg then employed the kopis to hack through the hip joint, Then he used the hunting knife to cut it free of muscle and tissue. Then he moved to the front limbs, finding the shoulder joints and feeling for the ends of the bone where they met. They were likewise hacked free, until he had three good, meaty cuts. The forelimbs with the feet were hacked off at the knee and elbow joints to be discarded, leaving the upper thigh and shoulders intact. Using more sacks, he bundled up the meat.
Indigo had taken out the heart and liver, as well as the animals testicles and bound them up in leather. Jehu heard her praying as she separated out the tasty organs. They divided the bundles between them and packed up to go. Jehu retrieved his spear, which Indigo had leaned against a tree.
Both heads turned as a predatory snarl sounded a ways off. The pair hastened and headed up away from the river. "I will lead, stay close." Indigo instructed. There was little time for teaching on the way out of the jungle, the two moving as swift as was safe, for the sound of chuffing and snarling could be heard from the kill site behind them. With fresh meat in their packs, Jehu knew they had to keep moving.
Aside from Jehu stepping in a hole, tearing his pants and cutting his knee, the hunters made it out of the Maw safely. The nandhai meat, the three lizards and the sack of cucumbers were taken to the Kitchens, where they could be prepared to be cured or cooked fresh for dinner.
"See Jansen for your head." Indigo suggested. "But first, Desert Man, you are grimy and you reek. Lets rinse off, come on." Running down to Swing Beach, Indigo dropped her gear by one of the hammocks, Jehu following and doing likewise. Indigo stripped off her clothes, as Jehu began to undress. Public nudity was not part of his culture, though he knew Sykans on occasion went about without clothes. It was not unusual. Indigo was naked beside him, eying him suspiciously as he hesitated. "Shy, Desert Man?" She teased.
"Nah." Jehu replied, like a challenged child. A quick decision was made. He was Sykan, after all, and when in Syka... He stripped off the rest of his clothes.
"Race you to the water." Jehu taunted Indigo. He had one edge on the jungle-wise woman, his feet were designed for running on sand. He took off, Indigo instantly at his side, but the rough soles of his feet and the webbing between is toes kept his steps from sinking, and the Chaktawe outran the jungle woman. He crashed into the oncoming waves, letting the sea water wash over him as the woman appeared next to him, she crouched to rinse herself off as well.
End
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Jehu - Player
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