[Flashback] People Hunting

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The Wilderness of Cyphrus is an endless sea of tall grass that rolls just like the oceans themselves. Geysers kiss the sky with their steamy breath, and mysterious craters create microworlds all their own. But above all danger lives here in the tall grass in the form of fierce wild creatures; elegant serpents that swim through the land like whales through the ocean and fierce packs of glassbeaks that hunt in packs which are only kept at bay by fires. Traverse it carefully, with a guide if possible, for those that venture alone endanger themselves in countless ways.

[Flashback] People Hunting

Postby Matthius on May 11th, 2010, 5:50 pm

14th Day of Summer, 501 AV

The grass swayed softly in the night, clouds crowding around the moon. A gentle breeze drifted over the land, carrying the scent of food with it. It was a taunting, cold wind on an otherwise beautiful night out in the Sea of Grass. It was a good night to be hunting down prey. The others were asleep by now, sleeping off their full guts. But then, they didn’t like the sun. He was impartial to its existence.

Creeping forward in a crouch, the mixed blooded creature stalked the strider foal that had wondered a little too far from its resting mother. It was a lanky thing, its legs awkwardly long for its body. The perfect target for an inexperienced hunter. Beyond the fires of the Drykas clan, he could attack. After all, it was this time of the day after which he was nicknamed.

Slowly, slowly, he crept, keeping his stark black hair below the grass line. One hand after a foot, one foot after the other hand. The grass barely noticed his movement, yet alone the poor creature he had chosen to eat. Night’s mouth opened, a long, pink tongue snaking out to lick at his drying lips. It was a risky move to make, so close to a camp by himself. If the foal let out a cry of alarm… Heavens knew what the humans would do to him when they caught him.

His father had warned him of venturing close to humans. They didn’t understand what he was and therefore, they feared him. Even worse, because they hated the Zith, they would kill him when they did realize what he was. A breathless snarl left his lips, whispering around his pointed teeth. Humans were such stupid creatures, fearing what they did not know.

Rising to his feet, he crept to the edge of the clearing they humans had made, dropping back into a crouch when the foal’s head turned his way. Now he had all but the wait for the foolish creature to wonder closer, unawares of his presence among the grass. Hungry, flecked eyes watched the strider, teeth aching to sink into the sweet, sweet horse flesh. Fate would be cruel to dangle this in front of him and then steal the chance away.

Minutes slid by, Night’s legs growing cramped at his stilled position. Several times he had almost gone for the kill before the foal returned to the firelight. Once, he had to retreat when a sentry walked past, searching the grass and sky for threats. That would have been a tasty meal, apart from the fact that Night didn’t stand a chance against the man. Not when he wore a nasty looking blade at his hip.

The sun would rise shortly and Night was about to retreat back to his home when a young boy emerged from one of the pavilions, yawning and stretching. The half blood was intrigued. He waited and watched as the human drew nearer, undoing his breeches to relieve himself among the shorter grass blades. Night’s face twisted into a smirk, clawed fingers flexing. Well, maybe he wasn’t to eat a foal, but a human child instead.

Dropping low to his belly, the half blood crawled nearer until he was within pouncing range. He had to quiet his breathing now lest the boy hear him. Slowly, oh so painfully slowly, Night drew his legs beneath himself, readying for the attack. In his ears, his heartbeat roared, making the illusion of loud noise. But this was certainly not the case.

Giving a mighty kick with his legs, Night pounced, smashing into the human boy. The two went rolling across the ground, Night grunting and the human shrieking. Desperate in his attempts to shut the human up, Night bit deep into the boy’s neck, tearing a large chunk from the body. The sound of shouting made his heart race. Oh mother, they had heard!

Pausing over his kill, Night had to decide whether or not to take the body with him. Within a split second of thinking, the half blood hauled the body onto his shoulders before he rose to his feet and ran. For his life, he ran as fast as he could, the corpse jostling up and down over his frame. The shouting grew and the sound of hooves echoed within them.

Oh mother, he needed to get out of here! The body was weighing him down! Pulling an arm down near his face, Night began ripping into the fleshy muscle, wolfing down as much of it as he could. Blood splashed over his face and ran down his front, marking him as the killer. Galloping up a hill, he almost choked on a chunk of meat, coughing and gagging on the blockage.

His feet smashed into an unseen rock, tripping the half blood up to send him rolling down the grassy hill along with his prize. His feet went over his head and his head went over his feet, over and over until they reached the bottom. For sound of hooves stopped above him, the voices sounding confused and questioning. This was his chance!

Rising unsteadily to his feet, Night took off again, keeping low in the shadow of the hill. At least he had gotten a few good mouthfuls of food before he had to ditch his prize. A limp hindered the half blood, his ankle having been rolled on the journey down the hill. It was painful to put pressure on it, but he had no choice! He had to keep moving. He dove behind a thorny bush, wincing at the small cuts he got from the feat.

From here, he could see the body, mangled and bloody among the golden blades. It was mournful to watch as the Drykas people took it away, but he wasn’t brave enough to leave his hiding place until the humans left. From what common he did understand, he understood that they were going to back for reinforcements to track down the ‘monster’ that had taken the boy’s life.

By the time Night felt safe enough to leave, the sun was just peaking over the horizon. The sky was painted in a myriad of colors, streaking intimidating above him. He limped, he crawled, he prayed that he would safely make it home. He couldn’t die like this! He still had to explore the world his father had told him so much about.

And it was out of sheer willpower that the half blood did eventually make it home, battered and bloody, but otherwise unharmed. The Drykas never did find what the ‘monster’ was and night was never going to tell them. Perhaps hunting Drykans and their striders was not such a good thing for an inexperienced hunter to hunt after all.
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Matthius
Unique, just like everybody else.
 
Posts: 15
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Joined roleplay: May 11th, 2010, 4:42 pm
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