A hunting we will go..(Azira)

by **Erade** on September 13th, 2013, 12:45 am

After bumbling along, Erade whined to Azira about making too much noise still. Azira instructed the younger girl how to do it properly with minimum amount of noise and crossed her arms across her chest, looking on.

Hm, that doesn't look too hard I suppose. She thought to herself. Erade was surprise that the way she had been walking wasn't the correct way. She could have sworn that was how someone had said to do it.

"That's what I get for listening to a Chiet, who knows nothing." Erade grumbled under her breath.

Erade practiced a few times in a circle, carefully placing her foot down, first her heel then slowly to the balls of her feet, never fully placing all of her foot down. Once she was confident enough to perhaps not make as much noise, the yasi turned to the fiery red head waiting for further instruction.

Erade was getting antsy to try to catch something already and wondered how much longer were they were going to head south.

by **Azira** on September 13th, 2013, 11:17 am

Azira watched the girl walk in a circle for a few moments to make sure that she was doing what she'd told her to do. Satisfied that she was following her instructions, the Avora closed her eyes and listened. She could still hear Erade's footfalls but they were noticeably softer than they had been. They'd have a much better chance of catching something now that the Yasi wasn't stomping around the forest. She'd still have to stay a few feet back from where Azira was hunting but they'd still manage. It'd give the girls a good shot at practising with their bows. Opening her eyes, she nodded approvingly at the girl.

"Good. That's a great improvement, much better than the stomping around that you were doing. You were nearly as noisy as the mountain gets when it rumbles," she told her, chuckling at her own joke. "Where did you learn to walk like that? From a Chiet or something?" she sniggered. The huntress gestured to Erade and continued walking. "Now that you can walk properly, we'd best keep walking. We probably have a long walk ahead of us if we're going to catch anything. I'd say the tremors have sent any nearby animals running." She pushed her way through some low hanging branches and continued heading south.

The Avora walked for perhaps half a bell, before she came across a stream. She was about to cross it when she spotted a deer, a stag, head bent low over the water, drinking. She retreated quickly and quietly, raising a hand to indicate to Erade that she should stop. "There's a stag drinking from the stream," Azira whispered, her voice little more than a hiss. "If we both shoot it then we might manage to bring it down between us. I'll shoot first and you shoot just after me. Reload as fast as you can and fire again," she ordered, not waiting to see if the girl complied.

The huntress took an arrow quietly from her quiver and nocked it. The stag's head came up, ears perked. She quickly fired a shot at its now exposed chest and grabbed for another arrow, fumbling with it and hoping that Erade had done as she'd been told. Hurriedly, she nocked the arrow and shot it at the deer's flank as it started to move, to run away. The deer staggered and she reached for another arrow, praying that the Yasi would fire off a shot to finish it before she had to use another arrow.

OOC :

by **Erade** on September 22nd, 2013, 2:06 am

Azira had praised Erade for sounding much quieter but snickered when she had asked where she had learned how to 'walk quietly' before. The younger girl frowned when Azira teased that a Chiet taught her. No way she could have heard me a bit ago Erade grumbled. Erade pushed the thought aside. At least now she can walk quieter and they have a better chance at catching something.

Once again following Azira through the forest, she took special care to avoid the low hanging branches because knowing her luck today Erade would probably get smacked by them somehow or someway. They continued in a southern direction for what seemed like forever to Erade. She knew in all actuality it was probably more like half to three quarters of a bell have only passed.

The two girls came across a stream and it seemed Azira was going to cross it. Erade wanted more to splash through it to cool off some but Azira quickly retreated, bent low and held a hand up. Erade wasn't sure what the hand motion was suppose to mean but she stopped and followed suit. Very quietly and rushed Azira gave instructions to shoot the stag she had seen across the river. She didn't even wait for Erade to confirm the plan before she drew her bow, nocked her first arrow and shooting it. Erade was glad she had her bow already in hand instead slung across her shoulder.

She hastily shot her first arrow after Azira, aiming only for a chime and her arrow managed to strike the magnificent beast in his shoulder. The huntress' next shot got him in his flank and he turned to run. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion to Erade and before she realized she had done it the yasi let go her second arrow. It whizzed across the stream and caught the stag in his hindquarters.

It seemed only Azira landed a fatal shot but the rest of the hits serve well , they would cripple the stag making it difficult to run fast and not very far. Worse case scenario, they could follow the blood trail. The stag stumbled through the forest cutting off the Inartans from firing anymore arrows. Erade started across the stream to follow, things were starting to look up.

OOC :

by **Azira** on September 23rd, 2013, 7:49 am

The stag was escaping before she had a chance to get off another arrow. As it retreated into the trees, the huntress stilled her bow and removed the third arrow, slipping it back into the quiver. Pulling a knife from her belt, Azira set off jogging, splashing across the stream and all but dove into the forest. They'd have to follow it and hope that something else didn't find it first. She wasn't used to bringing down anything as big as a stag so the Avora could only hope that they'd weakened it enough to be able to catch it.

The path the deer had taken was well used, the ground flattened and cleared by the traffic of feet. Their quarry was nowhere in sight but the scarlet splotches all over the trail were all that they needed to find and finish the kill. Hurrying forward, the teen pursued the animal off the path where it had moved into denser trees in its confusion and pain. Sure enough it had collapsed not far into them and the huntress had no problem getting close enough to pull her blade across its throat.

"We'll need to carry this. I can't field dress it myself, I've no idea what to do with something so big," she told Erade without looking up as she watched the animal bleed out. She could rightly assume that the girl had followed. "We need two long branches that are strong enough to support this. Do you have any rope with you or do I have to go all natural and make some myself?" she asked, finally rising from her crouched position by the creature's head, folding her arms across her chest.

"Someone has to stay here too to make sure nothing takes our kill," the Avora added, hoping to frighten the Yasi into looking for the wood.

OOCWe'll go with Erade because she wouldn't know how to deal with a landslide

by **Erade** on September 26th, 2013, 4:45 am

As the stag fumbled through the forest despite being on a well used game trail. Azira had darted off after it and Erade followed up behind. The yasi had been right about it leaving a blood trail because splotches of crimson blood stained the forest floor in an on going pattern.

The pattern of blood suddenly changed direction for the thicker brush as the deer stumbled off in a new direction. Seeing its new course, the huntress quicken her step and came upon the deer, who had fallen over from exhaustion and pain.
Erade couldn't watch what happened next as Azira slit its throat and ending its misery. The yasi wasn't a particular religious girl but she did offer a silent prayer for the beast to forgive them and to thank it for its sacrifice.

With her back still slightly turned to Avora, the huntress mentioned about carrying back to Wind Reach due to the fact she didn't know how to field dress something so big. Isn't it the same for any animal? Erade pondered.

The taller girl turned back around to face Azira and the now dead stag. She wasn't squeamish or at least she didn't think so until Erade saw all the blood. She quickly diverted her eyes at the mentioning of big enough sticks and rope. Her hands now shaking, Erade pulled her pack off, fumbled around in it until she found the rope and handed it over to the fiery red head.

"Someone has to stay here too to make sure nothing takes our kill," the Avora added. Erade couldn't imagine what could possibly be lurking in the woods and now the fresh smell of blood and a kill lingered in the air. An open invitation to any predator and one the younger girl didnt want to meet.

"I'll go look for wood. About how thick do you think they should be?" Erade said while paranoia seeped in, making her look over her shoulders trying to see pass the dense woods. It seemed a thousand eyes were hungrily looking at her now. "You know what I will bring several different sizes."

Erade rushed off in the direction they had come in following the deer. Nerves easing some the further she got from the kill. Most of the sticks she came upon weren't with big enough or thick enough. The yasi concluded she would have to fall some branches that were already starting to part from their mother tree.

It took a few chimes to find what she was looking for exactly but luckily for her the stag had created the very branches. Erade had to pull and jump up and down to dislodge the branches. Gathering them up the best she could, she made her way back to Azira and the stag.

by **Azira** on September 27th, 2013, 9:08 am

The huntress turned to find Erade staring at the stag with wide eyes. Her face had paled with perhaps a hint of green. The girl who'd pestered and pestered her again and again about going hunting seemed to feel ill at the sight of blood. Azira had to hide her smirk of amusement. If the Yasi had a problem with lots of blood then what would she be like with cutting open an animal, skinning it and sifting through meat and organs? It didn't bode well for a future in hunting.

The Avora took the rope from the girl's shaking hands and watched with interest as the younger teen glanced around her furtively before hurrying away. She was obviously expecting some animal to attack them at any second but the huntress knew how to keep such animals away from the kill if they did come close but the sooner they got it away from here, the better.

Unwinding the rope Erade had given her, she tied the deer's legs together leaving two pieces of the binding free to be able to tie it to the branches that the Yasi was getting. That done she began to gather stones and jagged rocks. If something appeared to try to get their stag then she was ready to throw the rocks at it, whether a bear or a cougar, Azira could deal with it.

As she moved gathering her stones, the teen noticed that cracks had appeared in the ground. It was probably as a result of the seismic activity that had been happening recently, particularly today but it was a bad sign. Following the cracks, she found that they got bigger an had a wider spread the higher up the hill they seemed to go. Retracing her steps, the young woman worried about where the Yasi had gone. There was a risk of a landslide and Azira had no idea where the girl had gone.

"Erade! We've got to go. Now!" the huntress yelled, hoping to attract the younger girl's attention. Maybe she would be near enough to hear her, the young woman hoped so.

x

by **Erade** on October 1st, 2013, 4:45 am

Erade had to admit she was slightly turned around at the moment. She wasn't lost but definitely a bit disoriented in what direction to proceed in. Feeling ashamed at her failed moment of navigation, the yasi took a moment to stop and take her bearings in. She hoped to see something or anything she remembered she had passed beforehand. The teen noticed some low hanging branches that the stag had cut through before crashing through the forest. Apparently she was close to the stream they had crossed not moments before. "Good I didn't wander too far."

Now confident she was indeed going the right way, back traced her steps and that of the deer. Still slightly paranoid of what could be out there, she hummed a wordless tune as she walked. Erade couldn't have been a few feet away from where Azira was waiting for her when the huntress' voice rang out.

"Erade! We've got to go. Now!"

The yasi grumbled but quickened her steps, several times almost tripping over the branches she now held or something along the forest floor. She thought the Avora had grown impatient and thus rushed her along, not hearing the urgency in her voice.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Erade yelled back, stumbling through the last offending bush that blocked her way to Azira. "I hope these branches are what you were looking for." She added as she set the branches down next the the body of the stag. This part she was oddly curious about, Erade was sure it was pretty simple to put a sling together but she wanted to see for herself.

by **Azira** on October 1st, 2013, 8:38 am

The Avora felt some measure of belief when the Yasi replied, her voice suggesting that she wasn't too far off. The girl hovered by the stag carcass, glancing anxiously into the woods to try to find the younger girl. Her gaze kept straying to the cracks in the ground. So far they'd only had tremors but even a tremor could trigger a landslide but if they had a groundquake, which the mountain's growing activity suggested, then they'd be lucky to get out of here alive. They had to get up the slope as quickly as possible or risk being dragged down if the earth went beneath them.

Breathing a sigh of relief when Erade finally emerged from the woods, she waved off the girl's question about wood. She'd take anything right now and if the wood snapped under the stag's weight then they might be forced to leave it. Staying alive for the present was top priority over staying alive in the winter. There was no point worrying about starvation in the next season if they didn't even live that through today.

She stooped down, bundling the wood Erade had collected together and tying the ends with the ropes attached to the deer. Knotting it tightly, she tugged at the rope to make sure it was secure. It might still buckle under the weight but Azira wouldn't know for sure until they lifted it. The wood didn't look rotten or weak so she was hopeful. They might be able to carry it out of range fast enough, providing that the Yasi was strong enough.

"Grab the other end, Erade," she ordered, grabbing one end of the branch herself. "We have to get out of here right now so don't dally."

x

by **Erade** on October 5th, 2013, 2:19 am

Erade watched in awe as Azira hurriedly bundled up the branches and made a make shift sling for the stag's corpse. Clearly easily entertained at the moment due to the excitement of everything that has happened in the last bell, the yasi still haven't noticed the urgency and rush in the huntress voice and actions, nor the cracks in the ground that were slightly getting bigger by the chime. Both Inartan's were unaware that two more tremors have past since killing the stag, they were little ones only could be felt at the source but were deadly all the same and only a precursor of what was to come.

Azira ordered Erade to grab the other end and to be quick about it. The younger girl did as she was told but not without grumbling under her breath for being rushed again. She was pretty sure Azira heard her none the less. Not realizing how heavy the deer was, she tried to lift it and the branch with one hand and failed to lift it more than a few inches off the forest floor.

"Petch.." the yasi cursed.

Erade took a deep breath, grunted for more 'oof' and tried again. This time lifting with both hands and her knees. She had more success this time and rested the branch partially on her shoulder because it was still slightly too heavy. Her body wasn't use to carrying this much load and Erade knew come in a few bells her body would be protesting. However once they got moving, it should prove to be easier.

The yasi was glad her and the Avora were relatively the same height because it would be awkward and uncomfortable for the both of them. "Ok Azira, let's go. I'm ready to get out of this forest."

The forest in the last half bell had gone deathly quiet. When they first entered a few small songbirds were chirping and even the wind was blowing through the trees. Now nothing was going on like all life have gone stagnant. Only then did Erade notice something was wrong, and a chill ran down her spine.

by **Azira** on October 5th, 2013, 9:25 pm

The huntress was used to carrying heavy things but the weight of the stag was a bit much for her. At least she could lift it, Erade was struggling. The Yasi wouldn't be used to such weight and so this would be hard for her. She heard the younger girl swear as she attempted to lift the corpse one handed. Rolling her eyes, she tried not to snap at the girl. Snapping didn't seem to make her move any faster so there was no point in it.

The Avora stood impatiently waiting for the girl to put all her effort into lifting. She hoisted the stick to her own shoulder, the weight digging into her shoulder. She frowned, wondering if they'd manage to carry the deer for a good distance without stopping. It'd be a struggle to get it far enough away. She had no idea how far they even needed to go to be out of danger.

As they began to walk, Azira worried. What if they got caught out in a groundquake? What if they ended up in a landslide and got trapped under the carcass? It was enough to make her shudder. She knew how to survive a landslide but she didn't know if the Yasi would. Maybe she'd tell her about it as they walked, after all she didn't even know of the danger yet.

"Erade, you need to know what's happening. I found some cracks going up the hill. We need to loop around if we can and try to climb up less steep land. If a groundquake happens, there's a high chance of a landslide and if we get caught in it, we're in trouble," she explained.

x

Closed A hunting we will go..(Azira)