[Northern Wilds] Of Women and Horses (Stigandr)[Complete]

[Jean]

17th Day of Spring, 512 AV❧ The Northern Wilds A deep breath with the diaphragm, then a slow exhale to still her body. Jean was sighting a small white tailed buck down the shaft of her arrow. The arrowhead was aligned with the back of it's shoulder. This shot would kill it quickly, she just knew it. She wasn't great with her bow, but sometimes, like now, she proved to herself that she was getting better. Her back and shoulders flexed as she anchored her shot more securely at the corner of her mouth. Breathe in again. Exhale. The young buck craned his neck to reach some leaves on a low branch. They were a ways into one of the small forests doting this area. The ferns and tall weeds waved gently around her waist. Her fingers released on the bowstring, and she felt the goose feathers at the end of the shaft slide cleanly through her fingers. The arrow, with a dull thud, embedded into the deer's hide, a little to the right of where she'd been aiming. The buck leaped forward but stumbled, already on the throes of its death. Jean watched without pleasure. Let him pass quickly, she prayed silently to Dira. She made her way to the deer, who had fallen into the dense foliage, being careful not to trip on roots or in a hole. Carefully, she crouched next to him, checking him over. He was dead. Thank you, she thought to Dira again. "You will not go to waste, I promise you," she murmured to the body in front of her. She slipped out the new hunting knife she'd just bought this morning. It had a keen edge, and seemed to be well made. Silently, while she made her plans for what she'd do with the the parts of the deer's body, she made the first cleaning cuts into its underbelly. Receipt-5 SM for Hunting Knife

[Stigandr]

The air was filled with the scent of the forest as he approached it, the smell of the trees a plesant. It had been well over a month since he had last explored or wandered the forests north of Sunberth, and he was eager to wander around away from everyone again. Plus, he was starving and food was too expensive to buy in the city when he could get it free out here. Looking around to make sure he was alone, he dropped to the ground and hid in edge of the forest, stripping his restraining clothes off, feeling so much better just in that action alone. Giving one more cursory glance, he closed his eyes as he was enveloped in a swirl of smoke and white lights that wound around the smoke in the blink of an eye then vanished, revealing Stigandr standing proud in his true form. He moved his ears around, such a simple thing he missed as a human, he listened to everything around him, then started to step into the wooded area a little, bending his head down to start eating at some of the ferns growing, enjoying a change of pace from the grass and general plant foliage he had eaten in the hills just to get by. Suddenly his ears twisted to the sound that sounded like a thud, but it was not something falling. It had a sickening sound. Looking up, Stigandr glanced around and began stepping into the woods towards the sound. It was harder to move through the forest as a horse than he thought it would be as a human, but he did not want to change too much in case he had to flee or lose his strength due to shifting forms so much. His hooves sounded like hammers to his ear as he moved slowly, stepping over branches and leaves, aiming for roots or bald spots on the ground if he could. After a few minutes he came to a point he could see a small woman kneeling over what appeared to be a deer, buck or doe was not clear. The woman looks to be of average size with auburn hair that is braided behind her head. Her skin has a pale tone, giving Stigandr the impression she is not used to being outside, though he began to doubt that as he could see a hunting knife in her hand as she made the first cut into the underbelly of the deer. Being a vegetarian by nature, the practice of eating meat nauseated Stigandr immensely, especially after he was forced to eat it before and vomited it back up. Wanting to leave quickly, Stigandr realized he was almost trapped. He might not be able to get out of here quietly. He could not go backwards the way he came, he would have to turn around and risk attracting the attention of this female who might very well kill him without a thought. If he changed, he would be barefoot and naked in the forest and at a disadvantage to getting out without being hurt by the forest. Looking around, he started to step to forward and in the opposite direction of the hunter. He watched carefully the ground beneath him while watching her as well, trying to ignore the sound of the knife working. Three steps into his escape, his back right hoof stepped on a twig under the leaves and snapped it, sounding as it someone had dropped a cooking pot in the middle of the night. Stigandr jerked his head up, his left eye focused on the hunter to see what she did, ready to run, fight or shift. In his head he berated himself, What a foolish thing you have done wandering into the forest! Should have just run like any normal horse would have.

[Jean]

There was now an opening in the deer from it's throat down to its back legs. She'd removed the arrow and replaced it in her quiver. All her gear was laying in a pile next to her; it had gotten in the way while she cleaned the body. Jean rolled the deer onto its back so she could break its sternum with the knife and pry its ribs apart. This step, even to her, made a sickening sound, but the organs needed to be removed before she could take the body back to her tent and dress it completely. A twig broke loudly. She jumped to her feet, gore smeared knife raised defensively in her bloody hands. The horse in front of her was magnificent. The breath caught in her throat as she looked it up and down, wondering why it would be out here. Seems a little too well taken care of to be wild. He's beautiful, she thought. Slowly, so as to not startle the horse more than it obviously was, she crouched back down to clean herself. Using her waterskin she washed the blood from her hands, wiped them and the blade in the grass, then set the knife with the rest of her things. Carefully, hoping he wouldn't run, she stood back up and made her way over to him. Jean held out her hands, palms open and raised upward to show she had nothing in them. "Easy, boy," she murmured reassuringly. "I'm not going to hurt you. What a handsome thing you are. How did you get all the way out here?" She smiled as she stretched out one of her hands for him to smell, giving him a chance to run if he chose. Jean had stopped right in front of him, and she was close enough to touch his face if she really wanted too, but she wouldn't rush. "Easy," she repeated again, crooning softly to him.

[Stigandr]

Her body released her to a standing position in a moments notice, the hunting knife in her hand red with blood from the dead buck, her hands covered in it as well. The sight of this woman covered in blood and gore made her appear vicious and wild. Looking around with his eyes, he surveyed the terrain and forest floor, debating if he could make a mad dash in his horse form to the clearing and get away, but it seemed unlikely. There was so much underbrush and hidden roots and holes that he would just as soon break his neck in a fall before making it out alive. All of these thoughts were washed away momentarily as his gaze focused back on her, meeting her eyes which were a beautiful bright blue that reminded Stigandr of clear water and the sky. There was something akin to awe or admiration in her eyes that held Stigandr still, kept him from shifting to make a run for it. As she moved to crouch, Stigandr watched her closely, seeing her grab her waterskin instead of her bow, something that calmed him slightly. She was attempting to wash the blood off her hands, which worked for her nose, but to his much more sensitive nose, the metallic smell would still be there. As she approached him, he shifted, turning his body to face her in case he had to defend himself. She spoke softly in a calm and gentle tone that had the desired effect on him, his body relaxing slightly as the tension in his muscles melted away. He next stretched out and sniffed at her, the scent of the bucks blood invading his nostrils and causing him to jerk back and exhaled harshly, trying to remove the scent. Bringing his head back forward towards he, he sniffed again, his nose picking up the scent of the woods on her, even a faint scent of ferns on her just as the ones he had eaten a little while ago. It was strange the effect this woman had on him, the ability calm him when most others could not get close without him ready to fight or fleeing. What made her different?

[Jean]

Jean stood calmly as the stallion reared back. She knew he must be wary from the smell of the death on her fingers, but he appeared to calm himself. No sudden movements on her part and everything would be fine, she hoped. Gently, as he sniffed her hands again, she touched his nose. Even though he was much bigger than her, she rubbed his velvety muzzle as if he were made of glass and would break into pieces. "See? I'm not so bad," she murmured. Her eyes took him in. He was as black as night, and his eyes were like melted chocolate. He seemed very healthy, which she was glad for. Seeing a horse in ill shape broke her heart. As Jean looked closer at the stallion's face, she noticed a strange intelligence in the way he looked at her. She hadn't seen it in any other horse before, even her own, who was a magnificent and smart mare. Gently, she rubbed up his face and brushed the thick forelock aside. There was a white star on his forehead that contrasted brightly with the rest of his body. Her free hand moved to rest on his neck, and she patted him softly. "I wonder if anyone is looking for you," she thought aloud. "Are you hungry? I bet you are, my mare always is. She'd eat my tent if she could." Jean smiled, making her eyes crinkle. "You look very smart, handsome boy. I see it in your eyes. Why don't you come along with me? You can keep me company. My mare is waiting outside the trees, I bet you'd like her," she told him as she rubbed his cheeks. "I guess you'll follow if you want, but I have to finish up with the deer." She turned away from him and made her way back to the buck's body. Grabbing the hunting knife, Jean went back to the dressing process. The organs needed pulled out, then she could head back. She'd already pulled the rib cage open, and the innards were waiting to be taken care of. Carefully, so as to not puncture anything, she cut away the flesh inside the body so the organs became loose. Then, cleaning the blade on a bit of moss next to her foot and setting it aside, she dug her arms elbow deep in the mess of entrails, pulling them out. They laid at her feet in a steaming, tangled mess, and she frowned. I think I'll leave them to the carrion, she thought. The scavengers could have this. An easy meal. Like before, she used the water in her skin to wash most of the gore off her arms. It took all the water she had, but there was still red smears on her arms. Oh well, she thought indifferently. Jean gathered her gear, putting everything back on, then hoisted the small buck over her shoulder. She grimaced at the weight, but she could manage it no farther than she had to walk to where Lebanon was waiting. From there she set off, glancing back at the black stallion with hopeful eyes.

[Stigandr]

The touch of her hand was soft and gentle on his muzzle and neck as she petted him soothingly and spoke to him, building a sense of calm and trust in him he had not felt in awhile. Her gaze held on to his, studying him for a moment in a way that hinted at her knowing something was different about him. She continued to talk to him, asking him to come with her, with a loose promise of food and companionship for at least a short while. As her hands left his face, she turned and walked away back to the dead buck she was cleaning. The way she spoke to him, the words she used and more importantly her tone had made him feel at peace in a way he could not remember feeling. It was strange, to be around a human and feel little to no danger from her at all. However, as he watched her return to her task, the lack of her talking to him and calming him let the memories from the shadows of his past creep forward, the fragile trust already being damaged by a deep rooted distrust. Complete trust, or even a permanent partial trust, would take more time than just one meeting in the woods. Still, she was intriguing and friendly enough to merit more attention from him. As she finished her gruesome task of removing the entrails and other organs from the buck, Stigandr began to move himself around so he could walk out of the woods when she left. His eyes watched her as she lifted the dead buck and began to move. Again, that hesitation of trusting someone to any degree reared it's dark face, holding his hooves in place. Could she really be trusted? Would she hurt him? How would she react when she found out he was a Kelvic and not a simple equine creature? These thoughts raced through his head, until her glance over her shoulder caught his gaze and he began to walk after her slowly. As they walked, he kept himself back three to four of his body lengths, as well as off to her left side, so he could avoid the death smell on the buck in addition to trying to keep his path towards his pile clothes. He could not leave those as he had no money to spare for replacing clothing like that.

[Jean]

The stallion was following. She smiled and turned back to watching her step. The near silence of the forest was a welcome thing after the commotion of the city. Jean listened to the heavy footfall of the horse behind her, crunching in the foliage. A wind was picking up, sighing in the branches above them. She shifted her shoulder, repositioning the buck's weight. It was heavy despite how young it was - there were faint traces of spots still in its fur. She felt a little guilty that it'd died so young at her hands, but its body would go to good use. She looked back at the horse. "We're almost out," she called, as if he could understand her. Jean could see the edge of the woods now, and her mare was grazing a little ways out. Her mind drifted to the stallion. He seemed a little skittish, but not wild or feral. His eyes were different, she noted. The way he'd looked at her was unnerving, like he knew things that other horses wouldn't. She glanced back at him again. He wasn't following right behind her, but more to an angle, like he was after something. No, I'm just over examing things. Sunberth has probably already driven me crazy, she thought ruefully. The wind picked up suddenly, swirling leaves up into the air. The plants on the forest floor flapped around her waist, and the trees creaked. She grabbed a low branch over her head to keep her balance as the gust battered against her, whipping her hair around her face. She hooted with laughter, stumbling a little to keep on her feet. Jean stood there for a few moments, and the wind died down as quickly as it had come. She looked back at the stallion to see how he'd fared, or if he'd spooked and took off. "You alright, boy?" she called. Lebanon was whickering loudly from outside the trees; she'd been spooked by the creaking branches. She plunged into the woods, kicking up dirt and grass. Jean whipped around and held her arms up in alarm, trying to calm the horse as she charged near. "Whoa there, it was just the wind! I said whoa! You're alright, I'm alright, we're all okay. Nothing to be scared of," she soothed. Lee shuffled side to side and snorted, eyes big with fear, but she'd stopped her rampage at the sound of Jean's voice. "There, see?" Jean laid her hand on the mare's neck, then grabbed the dangling reigns with the other, wrapping them around her fist. "We've got company girl, and I want you to be nice to him." She looked back at the stallion, smiling, but still a little tense from Lee's short rampage.

[Stigandr]

Stigandr stepped steadily, placing his feet down with the agility born to him as a Kelvic horse, avoiding the large roots and holes easily at this pace. She keeps looking back at me as if something is not right. Does she suspect anything? This thought raced through his head several times after her second look back, a questioning look held within her eyes, as if she were trying to solve a riddle. What do humans love riddles? Why have things that are not straight forward? There is no need for the confusion of words and tricks with them. Stigandr exhaled heavily suddenly, the closest he could do to a sigh in his horse form, thoroughly frustrated with how humans worked at times. Before the thought was fully gone from his head, the wind was upon them, broadsiding Stigandr hard and causing him to stumble a few steps to the side before he regained his balance and planted his hooves out wide, dropping his head down, trying to stay stable during this mini-windstorm. He heard the laughter and looked up to see Jean enjoying the wind, the sight bringing an inward smiled to him as he kept his eye on her until the wind was done and they could stand straight. She looked back and asked if he was okay and he shook his head, throwing his mane back and forth several times in an effort to straighten it out and shake any loose twigs and leaves from it. Stigandr had forgotten she mentioned her own horse until he heard the horse's whickering and subsequent run into the woods where Jean was, where the soft brown colored mare was immediately calmed and soothed, much in the same method that Jean had managed to calm Stigandr initially. It was interesting to watch to him, seeing how this human communicated with her horse, who probably understood very little of her words. At his name, Stigandr trained his eyes from wandering around to see if any predator or threat was approaching as he often did, back to Jean and her horse. Stepping slowly, Stigandr turned both ears forward and lowered his head, walking towards the mare in a way as none threatening as possible. As he neared her, he moved his muzzle near hers and snorted softly, taking her scent in as well, wanting her to stay calm and not be scared. After his initial greeting with her, Stigandr caught something out of the side of his vision; his clothes that were in a neat pile were not scattered out over a good thirty yards, his sandals off to the right with his shirt to the left a bit, then his hand wraps, and lastly his pants the furthest away. His eyes widened a bit at this, knowing his secret of not being just a horse was about to become known very quickly by this gentle yet deadly, auburn hair lady.

[Jean]

She relaxed noticeable as the stallion calmly greeted Lee. Apparently they weren't going to fight, so she went back to her task. Jean hoisted the dead buck up and over the front of her saddle so it rested in front of the pommel at the base of Lee's neck. The mare showed no reaction to this, just like she was trained not to. Lee was better now, albeit sweaty and a little twitchy. As Jean was checking the buckles of her saddle, she started talking again, if only for something else to do. "I'm glad you two are seeming to going to get along. Wouldn't know what to do if it worked out otherwise. The rest of the day will be nice and relaxing for you. I'll put out some feed and you can eat that. Hadn't planned on feeding a second horse though, so it'll run out quick. I'll need to buy some more tomorrow probably." The thought of spending more money pained her, and she frowned, but at least it was on something she needed. The saddle was secure, but as she was putting her foot in the stirrup to mount, the stallion caught her eye. He was staring off to the side with big eyes, like he was scared. Tensing, Jean dropped back to the ground and pulled out her knife. She looked to where he was staring, but only saw a scattered assortment of clothes. She couldn't help but laugh. "I pity whoever left these out here! The poor man should have found a better spot to stash his clothes." Smiling and sticking her knife back in her waistband, she walked over and started collecting the articles up in a bundle. With them folded all together, she went back to the stallion. He must have been afraid because he hadn't known exactly what they were. She held them out to him carefully. "Nothing to be scared of. Just a bunch of clothes. See?" But as she really looked at him now, he didn't seem scared in the way she first thought. He showed no fearful reaction to the clothes. "I don't get you," she told him, gently touching his nose. Jean just couldn't place her finger on what was different about him.

[Stigandr]

Somewhere in his mind, Stigandr grimaced when the auburn haired woman tossed the buck onto Lee, the thought of a dead animal on his body making him nauseous. The smell was still in the air around the woman and now the other horse. I will never understand how anything can stand that smell. His thought was interrupted as she was talking about feeding him as well, something he was not comfortable accepting. He was too stubborn and independent to accept feed, what was probably good feed compared to the grass and vegetation he was eating, as well as taking food from this other horse. He had survived this far on eating on his own and would be fine doing so. Suddenly, he saw his clothes, strewn across the edge of the forested area he was in. His ear twitched and turned to the woman as she dropped, he knife out in a heartbeat's moment of time, her eyes searching for a threat. He realized she was reacting to his moment of fear. I must calm down! he thought to himself, his body tense. Seeing nothing as a danger, only the clothes, she sheathed her knife and proceeded to retrieve them, folding them nicely and bringing them back. She held them out to him, "Nothing to be scared of. Just a bunch of clothes. See?" but he just stared at them until she spoke again, "I don't get you," the words snapping him back to the world around him. He had to do something. He would hate to have to follow her to someplace more visible and be seen shifting. He had to do it now or forever lose his belongings. She gently touched his nose and he decided to shift, to show her. She had only shown care. He did not trust her fully, but he knew he was in no danger either, and that was more than could be said about most other people. Looking to the other horse, he nickered softly, then stepped back from this gentle yet deadly woman, finding his way into the woods a bit more so he was hidden from the field, but still visible to her. He looked back to her, making eye contact for several long seconds, making sure to get her attention that something was...different. Then closing his eyes, a swirl of fog and ribbons of pure white light, then a man standing just under six feet tall, his body a soft tan color. His hair fell to his shoulders in a mess, his body the gently toned body of someone who is active but does not body build. He continued to look at her, his head tilting to the side a bit. "Please do not run from me. I am not a magic user or one who plays tricks. I am a Kelvic. I have two forms, the equine you have seen and thought I was only, but then also this form." He looked to the clothes and then back at her, awaiting her reaction, his body tensed and ready to run should she turn hostile towards him.