Closed Cool Night in the Sand (Shuniah)

[Shanapar]

Time Stamp: 9th of Spring, 513AV (Evening) Location: The Burning Lands Who: Shuniah Shanapar knelt down next to the pile of feces, and he put a hand over it to feel for heat. It was warm and fresh by the smell. When he looked around for his tracks, he saw four tracks moving west into the desert. The Chaktawe picked up his short bow, and he started following the tracks through the desert. He could hear Shadow cawing at him from above. Shanapar paid no attention to his raven as he made his way through the desert. The sun was falling in the sky, and during this time of year, the heat of the day will quickly fade with the setting sun. Shanapar picked up his pace because he knew when Syna went to sleep. It would be nearly impossible to find the trail in the morning with his inept tracking skills. Shanapar made his way for the desert for thirty chimes than off in the distance, he saw a island of red in the desert. He saw the tracks went straight for the keerdash grove. Shanapar made his way to the grove, and he could see a bowback goat off in the distance. Shanapar decided to flank the beast, so he moved to the eastern part of the grove. The black eyed man kept a black eye on the goat, and he could tell the creature was eating the red leafs off the low lying branches of the keerdash tree. Shanapar slipped into the trees, and he knelt behind a tree and took a hunting arrow from his quiver. He slowly made his way to each tree hiding behind the trunk to get closer to the goat. The goat looked up each time. He moved, but the Chaktawe was fast enough to move behind a tree before it could see him. Shanapar saw a large boulder by the clearing, so he ran quickly to the boulder, and he pressed his back against it. He could hear the goat moving around in the grove, so he knocked the arrow on his bow string, and he moved to the edge of the boulder and he peered around to see the goat has made it way to the other side of clearing. Shanapar stood up with his bow in his left hand, and he rested the front shaft of the arrow on the top of his fingers on his left hand. He carefully raised the head of the arrow until it was aligned with the side of the goat. Shanapar remembered his father telling him to always aim for the largest part of the target, so it would have a greater chance to hit. Shanapar slowly drew back the bow string and fired the missile at the unsuspecting goat. The Chaktawe frowned when he saw his carefully aimed shot sail over the goat and hit the trunk of tree. The black eyed man swore as he heard the frighten goat cry out in fear. Shanapar reached back to grab another arrow, but he fumbled the missile and watch it fall into the sand. Once he grabbed the arrow, he looked up for the goat, but it was nowhere to be seen. Shanapar frowned to himself with the arrow still knocked in his bow. He walked into the clearing, and he saw the tracks of the beast moving into the heart of the desert. Shanapar looked up at the evening sky, and he could see the sun was starting set below the horizon. He quickly started to collect fallen branches from the trees. He started to break the larger branches by setting them on a rock and kicking them at the center of branch with his heal snapping the branch in half. He managed to make eight large pieces of firewood. He started to dig a three feet diameter hole in the sand with his hands. When the hole was finished, he placed three pieces of the large fire wood into the pit, and he leaned them up against each other, so they made a cone shape. He left a large enough opening to put some dried red leaves into the cone and some dry twigs from the tree on top of the pile of leafs. Shanapar reached into his backpack, and he pulled out his flint and steel and started to strike flint over the steel. The sparks from the hot flint touched the dry leaves and in a few ticks the leafs started on fire. In a few chimes, the twigs started to start on fire, and eventually the main logs started on fire. Shanapar smiled at his fire, and he walked over and yanked the arrow from the tree. It wasn't broken, so he placed it back in his quiver. He walked back the fire, and he put on his black wrap and black feathered mantle, and he sat down next to the fire. He heard a raven land next to him on his backpack, so he reached into his back pack, and he pulled out the hood and put on the raven head. Shanapar said softly in Tawna to the raven, “Sleep well my friend. May the fire keep you warm through the cold night.” Shanapar took out a traveling ration, and he started to nibble on the tough texture of the dried fruit as he watch his raven settle down for the night on his pack.

[Shuniah]

“Hoo, it’s getting cold, too cold” were the word on Shuniah’s mind as with quick steps she moved thru the desert. She was pretty sure the course to Anhatep was right, her eyes gazed up to the sky where she searched for the north star….there it was. The city was supposed to be slightly to te left from where she was, what she didn’t understand was why the hell was she still in the middle “OF THE FUCKING DESERT!” she finished her thought shouting. It was getting desperate until Shuniah noticed something other than sand. Was it the Keerdash Grove she saw? With the red sun lying down she couldn’t tell clearly but it definitely looked like it and the position made sense too according to her calculations.
She ran to it, eager to settle down for the cold darkness about to come. Suddenly, she noticed some smoke raising just above the trees. *what the…oh I see someone spared me the trouble, let’s see what can I get* it could be dangerous, she knew it but it also could be a good chance to profit somehow. Shuniah took out her sword catcher and tightened her shoulder bag so it would stick to her back before stretching the legs a bit. *I walked all day, better prepare myself, better safe than sorry* She was stretching for some time when the freckle marks on her hands felt a disturbance. She immediately crouched and spread the black eyes wide while waving the hand left and right. *My Chakta sense is tingling* something was moving somewhere, it was not far away, and came from right in front left of her. But it was just wind.

Shuniah frowned in disappoint and after ending her stretch continued inside the grove directed to the smoke origin. It was getting darker and darker, colder and colder and Shuniah was beginning to get a little pissed of about it. Suddenly she heard a shout, rumors of molest caught her interest as she stopped and crouched facing the source. She extended the hand for it to reach out the bush and concentrated on sensing the movement. Soon enough, without needing to sense she could spot a small horned figure that from the sounds produced could be called bowback goat. Judging by the direction he was coming from Shun assumed he ran away from there. She hid better behind the bushes with and considered her options. *Silly mammal, you think you’re so safe, but I could kill you and cook a nice dinner instead. Or I could let you ignore you and let you live another day…* considered that She waited the right moment where the goat would get as close as possible, took a deep breath and started to move as silently as possible. *raawr like a tiger* was what she thought as on all fours she slowly crawled towards her prey. Luckily the terrain allowed her to be pretty silent, almost. As she placed the hand on a rock she discovered that the rock wasn’t stable and made some noise. needless to say the surprised goat immediately started to run like hell in the opposite direction of Shuniah, which conveniently was back to the fire. How long would it take the goat to realize the disputability of her choice? Shuniah didn’t know, what she did know was that goats can run at maximum 20 km/h or so, in any case slower than her. As the beast left so did Shuniah Dashing up with all her might beginning a chase where only one could be winner. Both couldn’t develop great speed due to the presence of trees and Shuniah would probably be unable to catch the beast. Luckily she took a rock, a nice, sharp edged, orange sized rock, which after some preparation she threw with all the power she had. She didn’t know a lot about goats anatomy but she was pretty sure a rock like that could hurt a lot. She was running behind the goat, seeing it’s right side. As she she landed the hit she immediately dashed leftwards, based on the assumption that receiving a hit in the ribs from the right would probably make one escape to the left.

Success! As the goat screamed in pain curved to the left side only to fall directly in the improvised trap Shuniah Leaped on it, dagger ready to stab. Her eyes were wide and the teeth clenched as the time seemed to slow down before the crucial moment. Zac, one sound and the blade was down the dinners throat all the way to the hilt. They both fell since Shun jumped right on it, luckily she made it to land safely and roll before stopping. The goat wasn’t as lucky though, it just fell and bumped the head against a tree and was now having convulsions while trying to cry in agony. Shuniah quickly cut the throat with four stabs and the mammal was now still. “there we go fella, now you will ever have to worry about hunters again” she stroked the head gently before commencing to cut some of the goats limbs, it took her time and her hands got all blood stained as well as the foot a bit when she placed one on the goats ribcage to rip a leg off. *good, that should do be enough* thought she while wiping the sweat out of the forehead with the bloody hand. *Now, about that fire* it was pretty dark now, it was almost hard to see so without further hesitation Shuniah went off in the fire direction with blood on her face hands and feet, holding goat legs in her hands.

It didn’t take long before she could smell the scent of smoke and the warm light illuminating the rocks aside. Shuniah crawled behind a bush to see who owns the place. There was one only figure, wrapped in a mantel near the fire. She also noticed a bag and a bird sitting on it. it could be wither that or the bird was his friend. Shuniah noticed the bow of the man which could be a hunter and the mantel looked like something her people would do. She went out of her cover and silently started to walk towards the stranger, ready to take action if needed but pretty sure he didn’t mean her harm. While getting closer she grabbed the two juicy bloody legs as if they were axes, laughing inside knowing that a blood covered woman with black eyes and goat legs as weapons could be….well intimidating to put it gently. As he would turn to look she was ready to say “Haaaii” with a calm gentle voice.

[Shanapar]

Shanapar raised a eyebrow when the blood covered woman enter his camp. He tilted his head to the side and smirked when he saw the completely black eyes of a Chatawe woman. Shanapar looked at the pair of goat hunches in her hands, and he couldn't help himself from laughing out loud at his luck. The woman found his goat, and she already butchered it for him. His black eye looked her over, and he could tell the woman was pretty by Chaktawe standards, and the blood didn't hide the fact she was a attractive woman. Shanapar stood up, waved her into his camp, and he said in Tawna with smile, “It seemed you got to the goat before me. He must have not gotten too far since the blood is still fresh on your skin.” Still standing, Shanapar felt a cold breeze hit him and said softly, “I think we are in for a cold night tonight. By the way my name is Shanapar the Untamed from the Suli tribe.” Shanapar was relieved to see another face in the empty desert. He was sick of seeing Eypharians, Dhani, and Humans. This Chaktawe woman was a welcome change of pace especially in the desert. Yes, he had to admit that it was daunting seeing a bloody woman with a pair of goat legs in hand was kind of strange, but he was a hunter, and he knew if he butchered a animal. He would too be covered in blood too. Shanapar reached down, picked up his water skin, and said softly, “It might be a little warm and stale, but if you need it to wash your face take all the water you need.” Shanapar knew he was being overly welcoming to a stranger. He just met, but the thought of spending another lonely night in the desert made him yearn for contact of any kind. However, the cautious part of him wondered if it was a good idea to allow the woman into his camp. Shanapar looked at with his black eyes and thought to himself, “Is it really a good idea to welcome her into my camp, for all I know she is a murderer or a thief. I will have to talk to her to judge her character.” Still extending the water skin out to her, he asked with the fire reflecting off his black eyes, “What is your name?”

[Shuniah]

Shuniah remained disappointed when the reaction of the fellow chaktawe was so calm, it was suspicious because it mean that he was not impressed therefore used to blood. Observing around she noticed his stuff, the disposition of the fire and the setup. He was no newbie to camping and his next words also confirmed he was a hunter. Yes her blood was fresh and as he said that she took a lick from her hand. Suli huh? They were the most considered the most aggressive yet this guy seemed to be too gentle.

As she advanced towards him lowing the goat blades she felt a great cold and realized that she should put on her own cloack. “the Untamed huh? Is that some sort of innuendo?” asked Shuniah with a half smile. She came closer to the fire and sat legs crossed placing the legs of the former goat between her and Shanapar.

As he offered the water, before he could specify it was for washing she interrupted and gladly took it “oh thanks!” and drank four great sips. Once done she exhaled in satisfaction and removed the water dripping from the mouth with the bloody hand, painting her face with even more red. She gave him the container back “needed that! It was one long journey” She also took the one of the legs and passed it to him. “here, there’s more of it back there if you want, I couldn’t lift it so had to make sure he doesn’t run away hehe” She glanced at him, a fine man, ready for physical activity, any.

That said she took out the sword catcher and started to skin off the leg, it wasn’t easy and she knew it would become a mess, she did it clumsily hoping that the man, would bravely offer himself to help the poor helpless damsel. She noticed the crow, nice crow, had a hood on it, why? “ Nice emergency dinner you got there” said she nodding the bird. “Hope you don’t worship Eywaat, I bet he wouldn’t like it” She was fine with blood all on her, after all the colors were those of her tribe. However, when he asked her name it was the exact moment she thought she would like to take a bath

“I’m Shuniah but I can call me Johnny, hey is there a place near here somewhere to take a bath or something?” The goat skin was coming off, ripped by the sharp blade of the woman. Who was looking at the fire from the reflection of the eyes of her new friendly fellow.