Raiha whooped to Diallo as he searched, the chocolate-furred deerstalker bitch staying at the Akontak’s side, taking the side unoccupied by Kelan. She didn’t know the scent that they were looking for, but Diallo did, which was why Raiha urged him onwards, her eyes open, constantly searching for danger along the grass. She was hunting again, for something more important to her than food or supplies. She was hunting for her partner. She listened to Makath, casting her own questions to the shadows - had they seen a young man by himself, with wild hair? Had he been this way? What about a massive crow that sheltered many shadows high up in the sky? The Shadowplayer sought them, she explained, thanking them all for any and all information that came her way. In their way, the Grasses were beautiful - she could well imagine the joy that the Drykas had each day just living on it, but every rose had its thorns. For all the tranquil beauty that surrounded her, she was a girl on a mission - she had a partner to get back, and she was not about to stop until she found the king crow or his page.
She needed Uzima. She had already lost one bird today - she was not about to allow for a second casualty.
Raiha rode on, weight balanced in the stirrups, her back on her back, her gold eyes sharp and darting, sweeping around her, hanging on to Kelan’s reins as well in one hand. She supposed she could have borrowed two of Kavala’s prized Striders, and made faster time, but Raiha preferred her own horse, even if the Firemane wasn’t as fast on the grass. As the time passed, she genuinely wondered if she had made the right decision. The Striders could have gone much faster, she was sure... but she hadn’t anticipated on the young man getting so much distance between them. As the sun sank lower still, the young Akontak’s resolve hardened further. The four-part team had been split up, and without Uzima, Raiha didn’t feel quite whole. The goshawk hen was the first bird that she had raised from a hatchling onwards was a part of her, just as Kanikra was, just as Diallo was. She was a treasured companion. She wasn’t a pet - no hawk was - but they had a relationship forged on trust and understanding.
When Diallo rounded the ridge, she knew she was getting close. Not all shadows were inclined to help her - not yet, at least, and many would not yet give their secrets to a fledgling Nightstalker. But she understood that - just as she understood and felt their triumph and elation that she had found her quarry, and they had retained their secret. They led without disclosing. The secrets remained unspoken. And now, they were at their most expansive. This was the hour of the shadows, the night time, when Akajia and Leth reigned.
Odder still was the disappearance of Kanikra, and immediately her guard was up. This is not a time to be playing games, she told her sister-soul sharply. You’ve had plenty to say up until now, and now you’re choosing to be quiet? When there was no answer, she flattened her tongue hard against the roof of her mouth, and bade herself to calm down. Her sister-soul rarely missed an opportunity to point out mistakes and errors, correcting her posture or her stance or some observation... and now, she was quiet. Only once you were stripped down to the bare bones did you discover how strong you were. That was what she had told Kavala when they had fought in the ocean last summer. This had to be a test. She squared her shoulders, and bade herself to find that calmness, that balance, even without her usual counterweight there. Trial by fire might burn, but the scars were neat reminders. But without her twin there, Raiha knew she was going to have to be more dependent still on herself and her instincts.
“I’m slow?” Raiha smiled faintly in the firelight, dismounting. “You’re fast. You got much farther away than I expected you to in the space of a few chimes, especially on foot. Is he still up there, or nearby? Are we stopping for the night, or just a break for now?” She knew that the dogs and horses could use a rest, and she could definitely use food and drink, and yet part of her was ready to keep going, to continue to hunt even in the darkness. Even with those thrice-damned Zith flying around like over-sized rats with wings... she could see just fine at night. She rubbed Yakini’s neck, thanking her and Diallo, as Dara joined her white companion to sniff at Ruda. If they were stopping for the night, she would take the saddles off and rub them down. She grabbed at his long arm with her own as he fell backwards, snagging his forearm and jerking him out of the fire. She released him once she was confident in his ability to stand on his own two feet without burning himself. “I’ve brought a mount for you,” she told him, indicating the grey mare. “This fine lady is Kelan.”
As good as the hare sounded, she had to tend to her animals first - the dogs and the horses needed water, which she put down in the wooden bowl for the dogs, and then for one horse, than the other. When the waterskins were empty, Raiha set them aside. She would refill them yet when she finally sat down. That was easy enough to do. Saddles, saddle pads, and Kelan’s bit were removed, and once checking over their hooves for stones and anything that could have caused an irritant, she set them to grazing while tethered to her by the rope. The dogs got a groundhog apiece, and Raiha breathed a bit better. She was going through the motions. This was almost like the old times on Konti Isle. Almost. She accepted some hare, sitting cross-legged on the stones. “So where do you hail from?” she rested an elbow on her knee, and her chin on her elbow as she began to eat, suvai and mace at the ready, listening and following the progress of the horses while the dogs lay on either side of her, digging in.
She needed Uzima. She had already lost one bird today - she was not about to allow for a second casualty.
Raiha rode on, weight balanced in the stirrups, her back on her back, her gold eyes sharp and darting, sweeping around her, hanging on to Kelan’s reins as well in one hand. She supposed she could have borrowed two of Kavala’s prized Striders, and made faster time, but Raiha preferred her own horse, even if the Firemane wasn’t as fast on the grass. As the time passed, she genuinely wondered if she had made the right decision. The Striders could have gone much faster, she was sure... but she hadn’t anticipated on the young man getting so much distance between them. As the sun sank lower still, the young Akontak’s resolve hardened further. The four-part team had been split up, and without Uzima, Raiha didn’t feel quite whole. The goshawk hen was the first bird that she had raised from a hatchling onwards was a part of her, just as Kanikra was, just as Diallo was. She was a treasured companion. She wasn’t a pet - no hawk was - but they had a relationship forged on trust and understanding.
When Diallo rounded the ridge, she knew she was getting close. Not all shadows were inclined to help her - not yet, at least, and many would not yet give their secrets to a fledgling Nightstalker. But she understood that - just as she understood and felt their triumph and elation that she had found her quarry, and they had retained their secret. They led without disclosing. The secrets remained unspoken. And now, they were at their most expansive. This was the hour of the shadows, the night time, when Akajia and Leth reigned.
Odder still was the disappearance of Kanikra, and immediately her guard was up. This is not a time to be playing games, she told her sister-soul sharply. You’ve had plenty to say up until now, and now you’re choosing to be quiet? When there was no answer, she flattened her tongue hard against the roof of her mouth, and bade herself to calm down. Her sister-soul rarely missed an opportunity to point out mistakes and errors, correcting her posture or her stance or some observation... and now, she was quiet. Only once you were stripped down to the bare bones did you discover how strong you were. That was what she had told Kavala when they had fought in the ocean last summer. This had to be a test. She squared her shoulders, and bade herself to find that calmness, that balance, even without her usual counterweight there. Trial by fire might burn, but the scars were neat reminders. But without her twin there, Raiha knew she was going to have to be more dependent still on herself and her instincts.
“I’m slow?” Raiha smiled faintly in the firelight, dismounting. “You’re fast. You got much farther away than I expected you to in the space of a few chimes, especially on foot. Is he still up there, or nearby? Are we stopping for the night, or just a break for now?” She knew that the dogs and horses could use a rest, and she could definitely use food and drink, and yet part of her was ready to keep going, to continue to hunt even in the darkness. Even with those thrice-damned Zith flying around like over-sized rats with wings... she could see just fine at night. She rubbed Yakini’s neck, thanking her and Diallo, as Dara joined her white companion to sniff at Ruda. If they were stopping for the night, she would take the saddles off and rub them down. She grabbed at his long arm with her own as he fell backwards, snagging his forearm and jerking him out of the fire. She released him once she was confident in his ability to stand on his own two feet without burning himself. “I’ve brought a mount for you,” she told him, indicating the grey mare. “This fine lady is Kelan.”
As good as the hare sounded, she had to tend to her animals first - the dogs and the horses needed water, which she put down in the wooden bowl for the dogs, and then for one horse, than the other. When the waterskins were empty, Raiha set them aside. She would refill them yet when she finally sat down. That was easy enough to do. Saddles, saddle pads, and Kelan’s bit were removed, and once checking over their hooves for stones and anything that could have caused an irritant, she set them to grazing while tethered to her by the rope. The dogs got a groundhog apiece, and Raiha breathed a bit better. She was going through the motions. This was almost like the old times on Konti Isle. Almost. She accepted some hare, sitting cross-legged on the stones. “So where do you hail from?” she rested an elbow on her knee, and her chin on her elbow as she began to eat, suvai and mace at the ready, listening and following the progress of the horses while the dogs lay on either side of her, digging in.
