What Bears Do in the Woods[Alric Wilmot]

[Ainyi]

Summer 12th, 512 AV

"Rich man!"

She was in Alvadas again. But this time, she could see the streets move; they were like lava under her. Halik and Braghna were nowhere to be found. She ran across empty streets, looking around frantically. The sun came out and melted her hands. As she rounded the next corner, Alric was standing there, melting too.

"Rich man!" She called out, with relief, "Your god is insane! He means to kill us all and melt the whole city with us. Come on, we have to go!"

It sounded like he was trying to talk, but his mouth had melted off. She looked up again to the sun, and it was sprouting hair. She began to melt as well. It was just so hot. She saw a smile. A pair of snake eyes. A mask. Slowly, everything got too bright.

Bump

She sat up in the wagon with a start. The sun had come in over her bed roll and woken her. Ainyi breathed deep and rubbed at her eyes. This is why she both hated and loved traveling in caravans.

She had lost track of the days. Of how much longer it would be. Of everything. All she knew was yesterday she ate a rabbit she caught, and the day before she was teaching Alric how to ride. Before that...she couldn't quite say.

Part of her wondered if that means she was supposed to allow herself to be lost, to lose all sense of time. But why? What would help her from being lost in the wilderness with a bunch of men that didn't even like her?

There were definitely times where she wondered if leaving was worth it. But what was she supposed to do? She had been living with someone and had barely understood a city? If she had said no, she surely would have been on the street again, at least until she found a little room somewhere to rent. But even then, she would have been friendless.

It was too much to think about this early. She needed to get out. To ride, and hunt, and be in her element.

As soon as she decided this, the caravan stopped. It was a very nocturnal system. They traveled at night, and rested in the day, in order to be able to defend the caravan when light was out. She was glad that was not her duty.

Braghna poked his head in wagon, and chirped. Ainyi smirked, and stretched, shaking herself out before getting out of the caravan to find her bow and arrows and Halik. As she was saddled and fed, she decided that she might want to bring Alric along on her hunt. If for nothing else, he might enjoy the riding practice.

She looked for a while, and called out to him when she finally did find him. Braghna was resting on the back edge of the saddle.

"Rich man!" She called out, reigning up beside him and offering a hand. "I am off to hunt; would you like to join me? Perhaps you would like to practice riding for a day. We should be back before they leave at sundown."

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric was already awake, sitting near the side of the rolling wagon. Bones and he spoke for a while, but it was curt and short lived. Bones was a happier man than Alric was these days. A very odd reversal, for the both of them. Alric couldn't wait until the made it to civilization. Already he had begun to use up his soap. Fairly soon, he'd run out, and start to smell... He shook his head at his thoughts. His brother needed him and may be ill, and Alric was complaining about soap. What a shallow man he was. He hopped out of the wagon then, it was daybreak, and they'd stopped. He questioned the intelligence of their system, but in the end, he was glad that it was set up as it was. It meant that he got to move around a bit. He wasn't holed up in a wagon unless he was sleeping, or woke early. As he had today. From around the corner of the wagon, his recently acquired friend appeared. Ainsley was a good person, he was glad that he had befriended her. She would prove herself useful. "Rich man!" She called out, reigning up beside him and offering a hand. "I am off to hunt; would you like to join me? Perhaps you would like to practice riding for a day. We should be back before they leave at sundown." Alric looked around, it was early, and he didn't think they particularly cared if he went missing for a few hours. "Sure. why not? Simply another opportunity to learn. And I promise, I won't interrupt this one. Or, perhaps that's why you asked me to join you? So you could keep an eye on me?" Alric chuckled a bit. "Can't say I blame you. I'd do the same. And I did rather enjoy the ride." Alric accepted her hand and mounted her horse along back of her. It was early enough that the men were too tired to jeer. Or perhaps they had grown tired of it. It was possible. After all, it was only so much fun to laugh at others without them getting angry at you. After a week or two, you run out of jokes.

[Ainyi]

"Sure. why not? Simply another opportunity to learn. And I promise, I won't interrupt this one. Or, perhaps that's why you asked me to join you? So you could keep an eye on me? Can't say I blame you. I'd do the same. And I did rather enjoy the ride."


It had been long enough, that jeers seemed to tire, and the men just seemed to grunt and slump back over. Thankfully they had plenty of time - practically all day - before they would have to worry about the caravan moving. Braghna fluttered from the back of the saddle to the horn, peaking over his master's shoulder and chirping in greeting. This made Ainyi chuckle. Even though the bird began taking a liking to Alric, the feeling was not reciprocated. She found it almost comical how Braghna constantly tried to show him friendship in his own avian way, and how Alric would never accept.

"You two behave with one another today, yes" She said lightly, taking Braghna up on her arm. He replied, and she spoke the sentence again in Nari. She couldn't forget her home. Even as she began to lose her old habits, and her old ways, she would have to do little things to preserve what was left. That much, she had to do. She had to.

Without waiting for a reply, they were off on a steady canter. She threw her arm in the air, and Braghna took the queue to fly above them, screeching once in place. It would be a few minutes before they got anywhere, so she to ask some questions, while they had the time.

"How are you faring in the wild, rich man?" She started, scanning the fields to see threats. "You never answered my questions last night."

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric took a deep breath or morning air. It was nice. It smelled different than Alvadas's air. he felt amused by that. He had never even considered that air might smell different. It was just air, wasn't it? But then again, people were not just people. They looked different, smelled different. Why not the air? Perhaps Ionu knew more than others gave her credit for. She was not just a playful trickster, she was an advocate of the different. While others liked the same old thing, over and over. Ionu tried new things, all the time. Alric suddenly felt guilty for not enjoying the wilderness just because he wasn't used to it. That would change in the coming days. He'd see to it. "How are you faring in the wild, rich man?" Ainsley said."You never answered my questions last night." "Oh, I'm doing fine I suppose. I could be better of course, but I imagine I could also do much worse. And you are right. I did not answer your questions. You have been patient. And for that I thank you. I shall reward you now with the answers you seek." Alric paused then, to gather his thoughts. "The day on which I told you of my departure, I recieved two letters. Both were from people I had assumed dead. One, was from a friend who I was sure had perished in the Alvadas Winter Crisis. I don't believe you were in Alavdas at that time, thank Ionu for that. The other, was from my long departed brother. I had not seen him in years. Both of them revealed strange things happening in Zeltiva. My brother mentioned that he had been the victim of great tragedy and misfortune. My friend mentioned that he had...unwelcome news about my father, who lived with me until recently." Alric turned to face Ainsley. "I thought he had escaped death by leaving Alvadas before the Djed Storm and Winter Crisis. But if what my friend said is true, he may very well be dead."

[Ainyi]

"And you are right. I did not answer your questions. You have been patient. And for that I thank you. I shall reward you now with the answers you seek."

...Wait, really? This surprised Ainyi. He'd been so secretive about things lately, like his magic, and he barely gave her any explanation for why she should come with him to Zeltiva. Not that she was complaining that she was finally learning some things, but she was surprised she didn't need to fight a little for them.

"The day on which I told you of my departure, I recieved two letters. Both were from people I had assumed dead. One, was from a friend who I was sure had perished in the Alvadas Winter Crisis. I don't believe you were in Alavdas at that time, thank Ionu for that.


Two letters. People..dead? This was most curious. Dead men certainly could not write letters. To be honest, neither could she...she wondered if he knew she couldn't read. When all the language skills you get are oral, spoken, you never quite got the opportunity to sit down and try to put it into writing. But that was all beside the point.

Alvadas Winter Crisis? "No...I did not hear about that. I was...other things were in my mind, at that time. What happened?" She shook her head and kept listening before she had time to reflect on last Winter.

The other, was from my long departed brother. I had not seen him in years. Both of them revealed strange things happening in Zeltiva. My brother mentioned that he had been the victim of great tragedy and misfortune. My friend mentioned that he had...unwelcome news about my father, who lived with me until recently."

At this point, Alric had her turn in the saddle to face him. Her eyebrows lowered in curiosity, with a hint of concern. Men coming from graves, family relations - a lot of this seemed unreal. But much about this man seemed unreal. Something was going on, but what?

"I thought he had escaped death by leaving Alvadas before the Djed Storm and Winter Crisis. But if what my friend said is true, he may very well be dead."

In a way, Alric seemed as baffled as her. Her normally fierce eyes softened oh so slightly. Her friend had treated her with kindness, but this kind of emotional strain would be enough to harden and wear anyone.

"This is...," she paused, turning to steer Halik into the woods, and slowing him to a walk, trying to focus on her words. "This is a lot, yes? Are you...okay? Brothers and friends now alive, father maybe dead - it is hard, yes?"

Ainyi wasn't sure what to do. As they found an animal trail, she trotted Halik along, whistling up to Braghna to make sure he was still with them. She heard a screech, and felt better.

As the rich man replied, she would take out her bow, and an arrow from the quiver attached to the saddle, and knock the arrow against it. Her feet nudged at his to move them out of the way, as she began to steer Halik with her feet, looking around.

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric took the silence as a good sign. It meant she knew how very strange these circumstances were. Or, at least he assumed she knew. But really, even a foreigner would be able to understand how odd this was. He was from Alvadas, and he still thought it was strange. "This is a lot, yes? Are you...okay? Brothers and friends now alive, father maybe dead - it is hard, yes?" Alric smiled. Her common was better, but he really should try to use his words more carefully. He doubted she understood exactly what he had just said. But she did her best to decoded it. Truly, that was all he could ask for. "Yes. It is very difficult. I grew quite...odd when I read those letters. I became compulsive," Alric paused. He had been trying to keep his vocabulary to basics, but it seemed harder than he had thought. He continued. "But I am glad I asked you along anyway. Besides, I think Ionu enjoys compulsiveness." Ainsley nodded as she took out her bow, she looked on alert. No doubt she was looking for her prey. Suddenly, Alric felt a...rather unfortunate urge. Alric, feeling slightly embarrassed, realized that he had yet to relieve himself this morning. He tapped on Ainsley's shoulder. Hopefully it was early enough in the hunt that his absence wouldn't ruin anything. "Excuse, me, Ainsley. But I, um... have to dismount. I have to-" Again Alric paused. This was so strange. He never felt embarrassed. Why in Ionu's name would he be embarrassed now? "Ainsley I need to go relieve myself. Do you think you could help me down?"

[Ainyi]

"Yes. It is very difficult. I grew quite...odd when I read those letters. I became compulsive, but I am glad I asked you along anyway. Besides, I think Ionu enjoys compulsiveness."

Compulsive? Compulsive...compulsiveness? What a strange word. What did it mean? He said he grew odd when he read the letters. Perhaps compulsive means acting odd? She would have to ask him what that meant later.

She had to focus now. To zone in. She shut her eyes, kept her bow lowered, and just listened. She heard birds chirping in the trees above her, third from the right. She felt Halik's muscles twitch under her, the wind in the trees. It was as though she was blending in with the area around her, and that she was letting herself mentally prepare for a good, serious hunt. She felt like she could even hear Braghna above, circling, watching, waiting.

"Excuse, me, Ainsley. But I, um... have to dismount. I have to-"

Old gods, new gods, and demi-gods that walk the earth. She rolled her eyes, and looked back at him irritably, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

What was that look on his face? Not that she could see his face very well, what with a mask and everything, but she saw it in his lips, in his face; he seemed to get sheepish all the sudden, bashful. It was uncharacteristic of the rich man.


"Ainsley I need to go relieve myself. Do you think you could help me down?"

...relieve myself? She hadn't heard someone say that before. But she did understand what he asked about getting down. She sighed, and shook her head a little. "Put your foot in stirrup and just jump. Getting down is easier than getting up."

But as she thought about it, she had hoped to get a very good prey today. Maybe even bring back a buck, or a doe. As she sat on Halik, she realized that she needed to be on foot for the kind of stealth necessary to do that.

"Here," she said, after a while. She shouldered her quiver, and grabbing the horn, slipped down with the bow in her hand, offering a hand down. "Wherever you go, take Halik with you. I will be on foot. Try to be quiet, yes?"

She called to Braghna in Nari. The hawk flew down and fluttered to a branch, calling back. He stayed with her, and her feet padded softly along as she left Alric in the clearing.

She stepped lightly, scanning with her balls of her feet for twigs and dead leaves that would make noise. She found a nice gargantuan tree that had obviously outlived most people of their generation and hid around it's corner. It opened on a clearing, next to a stream with thick, delicious grass. Well, delicious for deer at least. And she waited. And waited. And waited a little more, for good measure.

A good hunt could not be rushed. She knew that deer would love this place. it was just a matter of time. You had to work with your environment, and let it render what you needed to you.

And sure enough, after a long enough time, she came. A good, well fed doe. She wasn't too old, but she was old enough to have mature, good meat. She nibbled on the grass, and drank from the stream, and had no idea that there was an arrow waiting. Poised and pointed at her, on a taut bow.

[Alric Wilmot]

Alric was glad shew didn't make a big fuss about it. With a little bit of help, he dismounted rather easily, though he did stumble. He turned to leave, but before he could do so, he was handed Braghna's reins. Alric was initially confused, but Ainsley explained that she would do far better on foot than on horseback. He supposed that made sense. After all, it is rather hard to sneak up on something like that. Alric hurried off to find a secluded bush. He was still somewhat civilized, after all. After walking for a short distance, he tied Braghna's reins to a low-hanging branch and walked a little farther. He knew horse's were just beasts, and couldn't truly understand, but he still felt wary about letting a horse watch him do his business. Finally, he stopped. It was close enough to Braghna that he could still see the thing, but it wouldn't see him if he crouched. After a few short minutes, Alric was done. Though, now he realized he had a slight problem. He was a clean person. It was a rather odd flaw to have in a world where cleanliness was rare. But he just felt wrong leaving without washing his hands. So, after making sure Braghna was comfortable, he set out to find a stream. He would have taken the horse with him, but he felt like touching the reins after what he just did...might make even Ainsley uncomfortable. As he worked on finding a stream, he noticed that the woods were far more quiet than usual. No birds, no bugs. Well, that he could see anyway. Though he could hear something... Alric's eyes widened as the bush he had been walking toward let loose a giant brown bear. It seemed massive! Alric paused, in shock to stare at it. He noticed that it was frothing slightly at the mouth, for some reason, that seemed like a very bad discovery. As soon as it noticed him it let out a very irritated grunt. Alric backed away, slowly. But that did not stop it. It gave a roar and lunged after him. Alric fled as fast as hew could. It proved not fast enough. The bear was closing in quickly. In a panic, Alric created an illusory tree behind him to stop it. But it didn't even seem confused, it just ran right through it. Alric finally let out a yell, hoping help was nearby.