PM to join [N. Kalea] Takin and Squid

[Lavira]

Timestamp: Fall 46 (23rd Bell) & 47th

Vira gathered up her things, having sent a notice to Marrin to meet her at her home. She'd already had dinner and had alerted him to have done the same. Kovac was just relaxing, knowing that the location they were going to was a good flight away and they would need to leave by midnight to set camp for the next day if they wanted to get any successful hunting done. The trust between them was strong and he knew that she was not one who would betray him or anyone else (purposefully).

While she waited for the hunter to arrive, Vira got Mohya saddled up, putting on a couple extra straps for hauling game, as needed, and gathering her gear into the eagles aerie. Having known this flight was coming, the giant bird had been taking it easy and napping on and off throughout the day to conserve her energy. They weren't going out to the western lochs, but they were going to be hunting near some of the Storm Sea glaciers north of Wind Reach.

Her bow was in its case against the wall, along with her katinu (the interior of the eagle portion of their home was always almost unbearably hot), rucksack (which too, contained spare bowstring and a hunting kit), quiver with twenty arrows, and a cage with a very pissed off albino harrier in it. The harrier was Tulaj and Vira had spent a full bell trying to get the psychotic bird contained. She even had the cuts to prove it, bloody knicks covering her fingers and hands from where he'd fought the whole time.

The raptor squawked and hissed at her, but the Endal just rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Tulaj; it's only for a few bells, then you'll be free again." At least until it was time to come home, but she didn't tell the bird that.

Once they set camp at the pre-determined destination, Vira planned on catching a light snooze before the sun came up so that she would be fresh and ready for hunting, too. That thought reminded her to go get her bed roll, the teen leaving the aerie and returning to their room to fetch it from the chest. She returned to the eagle quarter and cinched it to the birds back along with the rest of the gear. The bow case and quiver were tied together onto one side and the rucksack was tied to the other. Tulaj's cage was then carefully wrapped in a tough-leather cover and tied to Mohya's chest (the eagle warning that if he pulled any of her feathers out, he was going to lose some of his own as well).

"I know, I know, but you know I can't stop him." She said in return, sighing. "Marrin will be here soon. Once his gear is strapped down, we'll head off. Do you remember where we're going?"

~North to glacier-row where the squid spawn.~

"Yup, and if we're lucky, we might see some of the giants. Think you can get one if you spot it in the day?"

~Oh wouldn't that be fun! But we haven't a net.~

"We'd just need to take out its beak and then we'd be okay, I should think....I think I heard the door. Be right back."

Vira left for the Commons, heading around the couch to the entrance where she had heard someone knocking. As late as it was, it shouldn't be anybody but Marrin! They weren't expecting anybody else, afterall.

[Marrin]

Marrin didn’t visit the aeries very often, for his Endal friends were few and far between, and though he respected the Wind Eagles highly he knew it was not his place to bother them all too often. So he’d forgotten how warm the place was, having dressed up in all his winter hunting gear with the belief that they’d be leaving immediately. His simple leather bryda flowed about his legs, his high boots tucked into the seams to keep dust, snow and other debris from gaining entry to his footwear. His fur-lines katinu fell about his shoulders, his vinati tucked in his bag in case he needed it for further warmth later. As it stood, however, sweat was beginning to bead on his brow and he shifted uncomfortably, knowing that losing water could be deadly later on. He was halfway through getting his katinu off when the twisting and turning sent his head colliding with Lavira’s front door, bouncing his noggin against the wood and making a knocking sound. Starting to panic slightly, in hopes that she wouldn’t see him in this idiotic state, he began to rush which only tangled him up further. When the door opened his hair was damp with sweat, arms tied behind his back and backpack on the floor by his feet. He smiled sheepishly, trying to remain calm. ”Hello!” He justled himself, wiggling his shoulders until the katinu fell to the ground over his backpack. ”All set to go? I have yet to meet your flying partner…Mohya, is it?” he asked, trying to remember the name of her Wind Eagle. She’d mentioned it in passing during their first meeting, and Marrin was surprised when the name came easily to him. Most often he was horrible with namkes, but something about learning a Wind Eagle’s name always stuck with him. He’d been able to remember Wynrie’s Eagle’s name after only hearing it a single time as well. It’s the odd little gifts you learn to appreciate, he told himself.

[Lavira]

When she opened the door to reveal an entangled Marrin, Vira nearly burst out laughing. It reminded her of something else she'd seen, a fond memory that she kept (like many) to herself to be a little treasure of her own. "Why on Mizahar did you where that in the warrens? Don't you know this part is kept warm year long?" She said, only a small measure of her amusement coming through her words.

Vira stepped to the side so that he could enter, nodding him back to the eagle portion of the aeries. "Mhm, just need to secure your gear before we fly out. You'll want your vinati on before we mount up, though; we fly high for the speed, but it gets cold at that altitude and exposed skin is going to frostbite faster. Wait just inside her nest, please. I'm going to grab some bread from our stores for the flight; we'll want enough energy when we get there to set up quickly."

The teen let him go to the aforementioned location before she peeled off to the dining and kitchen area. It was a small place with a simple iron table and cushioned chairs, much like the rest of her and Kovac's home was fairly simple. It had rudimentary supplies and that was it, though many tended to notice the massive glass wall the couch faced and the comforting fire that crackled to one side, basking the room in a pleasant warmth. It had a door leading to a balcony outside, but that was closed, as were the other doors in the house. The biggest thing were the number of perches installed in the walls, emphasizing the Endals preference for falconry.

In the kitchen, Vira gathered up the bread and a couple of apples, giving them a quick polish against her bryda before dropping them in the a leather bag on the counter. Once finished, she left for the eagles aerie where Mohya was waiting at the windy edge to the outside world, her head turned back to watch Marrin with that fierce golden gaze.

"Alright, I'll go over the straps once in case you're unfamiliar with it." Vira explained, walking past him to the bird, her fingers running over the ridge of her massive left wing. "Three sets along the harness with smaller attachments in all. The left and right sets are for balance. She can carry a lot of weight, but it needs to be well distributed on the harness or her flight will be affected. Longer items go on the front set." She touched the front of the harness where various straps could be seen. "Helps to keep her a little more streamlined. Keep awkward or bulky items away from the wing. Smaller items are secured up top with us if they're not worn. So, secure your gear. Tulaj will be coming with us, so watch your fingers."

Once everything had been outlined, the young woman continued securing her stuff, loosening the strap, holstering the cases, securing other pieces and lastly grabbing the angry harriers cage and tying it to the left side of the massive bird.

[Marrin]

Marrin chuckled at her comment shrugging as he pulled his belongings inside. ”I must admit I don’t come here very often. It was common knowledge to me at one time, but it seems I had forgotten amongst my other duties. I haven’t been to the aeries since my days as a Yasi.” He nodded as she continued to speak, pulling on his vinati as soon as he was advised to. Making his way to the inner nest with his gear, he took in the sights that made up the girl’s apartment. It was nothing horribly fancy, not as much as was rumored between the lower castes. There were no great panels of gold and silver lining the walls, no secret alcoves (that he could see) that hid personal stashes of fine dried meats and cheeses. However, it was far from common, the large and specious chambers decorated with furnishings Marrin himself couldn’t afford, luxuries that he wasn’t entirely sure he desired. Though it was no doubt comfortable, he preferred his small, single room space. The lack of comfortable space kept him with desires to be elsewhere, which made him work and train more. If he had a home like this, he wasn’t sure he’d leave at all. While Lavira made her preparations food wise, Marrin made his way out to the balcony where Mohya waited, piercing gaze boring into him the moment he entered the space. Marrin had always had a special reverence for the Wind Eagles that tended to go beyond the normal admiration most Inarta held. Whether this was born out of a desire to belong, a wish do become Endal or something greater was up for debate, but his appreciation for them was honest and held no ulterior motives whatsoever. He set his things to the side, bowing slightly to the enormous eagle. ”You must be Mohya. I’ve heard great things about you from Lavira,” he said with a slight smile, looking up to meet the eagles eye. ”I’m afraid we haven’t be properly introduced, however. I’m Marrin, and if you allow me I’ll be joining you on your hunting trip today. I look forward to working together with you and Lavira.” His tone was formal yet kind and well meaning. He didn’t want to seem like a bootlicker but also didn’t want to risk offending the notoriously proud birds of Wind Reach. He hadn’t met this one before, so he did his best to guess how he should act before going about it. Taking note of everything Lavira said about loading up the great bird, he slowly approached the eagle with his belongings and helped to strap them down as per her instructions. He didn’t have any particularly bulky materials, and most of his gear was wearable but he didn’t want to hold it all for the flight. As such, he made an effort to strap down as much as possible in a secure and balanced manner. Avoiding brushing against Tulaj’s cage made the matter slightly more challenging, but he was able to manage after a small amount of maneuvering, bending and twisting. After all was said and done he dusted his hands off and looked from the huntress to her eagle. ”You two ready to go?”

[Lavira]

Mohya stood stoic as the blonde addressed her, the massive bird studying him and gauging if he was worth a word to as Alori had been. He seemed polite and sincere enough and she knew that it would be impolite of her not to at least tolerate his presence on the flight to the glaciers. In the end she chose indifference, turning her head away and studying the night beyond. Zintila's skies were bright that evening and farther to the north, streaks of light painted the sky from time to time. The air was so clear in the upper mountains when the volcanoes were calm that seeing a meteor shower was not uncommon. Though big ones like last seasons were still rare.

Soon, Vira was back and helped him get his gear onto the raptor before she climbed up onto Mohya's back, bending down and offering a hand for Marrin. "It's a five bell flight. Keep your katinu closed and hands in the straps at all times." It was just common sense. Though the harness was designed to prevent falls, they would still happen from time to time if people were not careful. Once he was on, she leaned over and made sure the bindings on the leg-grips were secure for them both then slipped her hands into the lead straps and let the eagle know they were ready.

One moment they were perched precariously on the edge of the eagles nest inside the Ivory Aerie, the next they were falling out of the mountain. Vira pressed herself against Mohya's neck and shoulders during that time, the wind whipping in her face as she squinted. The bird had her wings tucked tight, building up speed for the climb that would come after. At the last possible moment, she unfurled them, her whole body arching until they were pointed up and those forty two foot wings beating the air to aid in the ascension.

The forces put upon the two humans was immense, and though she was still a young rider compared to others of her station, Vira had always loved the climb more than anything. It was a reminder not only of her mortality and the risk that at any moment she could be ripped from the harness, but that this was what she had been born to do.

Are you showing off?

Her mind reached through the bond, the youthful grin on the young womans face making clear her delight in this intense climb.

~Only a little.~

They reached the zenith of their climb and for an awesome moment, all three were suspended above the world, the thin air this high hard to breath in but affording a view not even Wind Reach in all its mountain majesty could provide. There was a delicate curve you could almost make out in the way the lands stretched out below them. Kalea was immense in that sense, mountains spreading in every direction while a hint of snow and ice could be seen far to the north. Thunder Bay and the Storm Sea were clearly defined as well and from their vantage they could even see the storms.

They were strangely positioned, as if all of the fronts were directing them straight for Wind Reach. The definition of it all was harder to tell so certain details could not be seen in the darkness, but it was still beautiful in the pre-midnight haze.

And then, the moment was over and the eagle began a slow descent towards the north, her wings still beating but for the most part gliding on the cold air as they headed for glacier coast.

[Marrin]

Marrin took Lavira’s hand, offered to him to help his ascent up the side of the enormous bird, mounting her back without too much unnecessary jostling. He was far from graceful, his muscles tightly wound and not horribly flexible, but he was able to climb quickly and painlessly. Once mounted he pulled on his katinu once again, closing it up and pulling it tight around his body. He tightened the leg grips, making sure they were held tight to the saddle, before slipping his hands into the reign straps and nodding to Lavira, who looked back to check on his positioning and security. He blinked, and they were in the air, though they hadn’t exactly started flying. No, instead they were falling. Marrin looked left, right, up, anything to prevent him from looking at the quickly approaching ground. He’d spent much of his childhood cliff diving, and knew all too well how much water could hurt you if you didn’t position yourself right, and he doubted stone and earth would be as kind as the fickle waters of their Twin Lakes. Lavira seemed calm, however, as if this was a commonplace occurrence, and so Marrin had little choice than to go along with it. He was tied in now, and he hoped the eagle hadn’t taken such a disliking to him that she’d decided to commit suicide only to kill him in the process. It was something he doubted, but he couldn’t deny that it had crossed his mind. He leaned forward, mimicking the superior rider in her posture. He heaved a sigh of relief when the wings of the bird unfurled causing the trio to soar high and long accompanied by the heavy wing beats. He sat up slightly, grinning to feel the wind on his face, reminding him that he was alive. The only other Endal he’d ever flown with had not chosen such dangerous maneuvers, but Marrin couldn’t say which he liked more. This way he was more than certainly awake, excited and starting the hunt off quite pleased simply with existing. As they reached the peak of their climb, Marrin couldn’t help but gasp in the beauty that was Kalea. Looking down he saw what maps dreamed to portray, the elegance of the mountains and the dip of the bay, each mountain an arc displaying its own personal splendor. They were all different, all had personality and shape, and they were his to behold. He shook his head, unable to rid himself of the excited tingles that coursed through his flesh. Flying always put him in the best mood. The bird made a wide banking turn, slowly carving through the air to point to the glacial north, slowly beginning their descent. This would be the longest portion of their ride, and one Marrin was not horribly pleased about. He’d avoided hunting much further north than his mountainous home for a number of reasons, but the one that stood out in his mind being that the master of his master had frozen to death out there in the glaciers. All throughout his training he was advised never to hunt in the north if he had a choice, and it had stuck with him if in a more dulled sense. He was not as fearful as his former master, but the sense of urgency had made him wary and uncertain about hunting in the ice. The air only got colder the more north they flew, and marrin rolled his shoulders more than once, causing friction between him and the fur lining of his katinu and allowing him greater warmth as they headed towards their destination.

[Lavira]

Generally speaking, Vira was unaffected by hunting locations so long as it did not involve prolonged periods in dark, compact places. And the hunting they would be doing was some team building exercises, but Vira had not revealed that part about their trip.

She had simply revealed they would be stalking the coasts up north of Wind Reach where some of the Takin herds lived. The Northern Steppes were home to some of the biggest and meanest herds around and the large ox-like animals were extremely useful to the citizens. A dead one could offer more than just meat! The thick hide of the animal was perfect for using as harness material as well as tarps for the hunting teams. Their horns were also excellent for lining bow-grips with as well as crafting horns and improvised water-flasks out of. They could sometimes be used for other things if one knew what to do with them.

But it was the fur and the milk that citizens loved best about these mountain-beasts. Their fur was long and smooth and made for excellent insulation while the milk was rich and filling, providing much in terms of nourishment. The challenge was keeping one alive in the city long enough to be used in that sense. An animal can’t grow its fur back or give milk if it was dead. And Wind Reach wasn’t precisely known for being keen on farming.

Vira remembered, as a girl, the boys would sometimes dare one another to go into the valleys and find a Takin and milk it. If they could bring back one flask of takin milk, they not only won their friends respect but often won the attention of some of the hunters. Vira had never participated in that sort of thing, however, her attention more on that of the raptors of the city, which did not generally speaking hunt large game. An eagle could, on occasion, hunt medium game like mountain goats and even canids, but it was abnormal.

For bells they flew in silence, Zintila’s twinkling sky shining overhead and the distant flicker of the night lights visible over what Wind Reach knew to be Taldera. The wind was definitely cold and Vira kept herself pressed against the giant eagles back to not only keep her streamlined but to lessen the force of the wind on her own body temperatures. The rhythm of Mohya’s wings was like a lullaby and Vira soon found herself drifting, her eyes closed and breathing deep. She wasn’t asleep, but in these times, she sometimes enjoyed watching through Mohya’s eyes the world sweep around her. Things were sharper and she had the advantage of two eyes to use instead of one.

What Mohya tended to see was a world of extremes. The mountains were very angular and the few rivers of Northern Kalea angled sharply through the terrain, white water rapids bubbling and gurgling through deep ravines. She could even make out a few night hunters far below as they swept over the mountains, including the bat-wing silhouette of what looked like a Zith. That one, she opened her eyes on and twisted in the harness to call back at Marrin, letting the wind carry her voice to him. “Hey Marrin, look down!” She pointed ahead and down to where she had seen the shape through her eagles’ eyes. “There’s a Zith down here, see it?”

It was more a moment about pointing things out than chatting about it and once he acknowledged it, Vira would straighten and look ahead. They still had quite a ways to go.

The first hints of Syna appeared on the eastern horizon when their destination appeared, a glint of white against a blue and black backdrop. Mohya coasted lower and lower at this point, her wings constantly adjusting until they were just over the tree tops, her feathers tickling their evergreen crowns. The wind howled in the two riders ears as she approached the landing point, legs extending forwards and massive wings beating to slow her down. And then, her talons touched the icy covering of the mountain glacier. It groaned under her size, ice shifting and cracking before Mohya hastily got back into the air. She flapped harder to rise and then coasted above the glacier, looking for another point to land more safely on but not far from the trail which had already been scouted.

~Do you two see somewhere we can land that you can still access the forest trail?~ The eagle asked the two humans, wings brushing the treeline as she soared.

“Mohya, I can’t see anything in this darkness…” She replied, rolling her eyes. “Why don’t we just land on the coast? It’ll be easier for you to pick us up from there. They won’t walk the glaciers.”

Vira gestured to a forest clearing then that was spotted at the very last moment. “Whoa, back there! A clearing. We can use that, too, come on!” The bird rose and turned, bringing them back around to where the clearing had been spotted before lowering into it, the branches bending and snapping back under the force of the birds wing beats.

Once on the ground, Vira hastily undid the straps holding her legs in place and slid down. She would offer Marrin a hand if he needed it and then move to stand in front of the bird, her hand massaging her side just as she did every time they flew. “We’ll look for signs down here; see if you can spot them from above, Mohya.” She asked of the bird once all was settled and turned back to Marrin again. “So I didn’t say anything in the city or my note to you, but we’re doing Takin hunting. There’s a small herd in these northern woods. I wanted to try a new hunting technique but needed a partner to help me do it. See, I can’t shoot from her back because of my blind side; so, I thought instead, we would push the herd onto the glacier and Mohya would swoop in to take the bulls out. Tulaj can harass the calves against the glacier and you and I would bring down the cows. We’ll be tracking from down here and Tulaj will be our eyes in the sky, so to speak. Mohya will mostly be for if she sees anything that Tulaj cannot alert us about and then for the actual clean up part. So if you’re ready…?”

[Marrin]

It was all Marrin could do not to sit up completely, but he knew that if he did he’d cause air drag which could make his ears fall off from frost bite and annoy the Wind Eagle Lavira had bonded to, Mohya. Marrin wasn’t sure which one he was more afraid of, but both were compelling arguments, compelling enough to keep with the streamlined position he mimicked. No matter his fears of the icy north, he couldn’t help but enjoy the sharpness of the air, the way it stayed crisp and light in his nostrils and on his tongue. It was an exquisite feeling one could only get outdoors in the chill, and despite the dangers the wilderness was fraught with, Marrin loved every moment of it. He was shaken from his pleasant wilderness daydream when Lavira pointed out the shadow of a Zith below, great leathery wings casting darkness onto the tree line. To him it was little more than a dot with tiny wings, and he wondered quietly to himself how he’d managed to miss something the monocular Endal had seen. He knew little of Zith, save the rumors that they were rather dangerous. He’d never faced one before, had never even seen one alive until now, and the event made him gasp quietly. The sound was carried off by the wind, but his surprise wasn’t. ”I see it…” he said with quiet awe. He almost wished that it would notice them, to follow them and confront them during their hunt. It would certainly make the experience more interesting, and were he to take it down not only would he impress an Endal and a friend, but he’d also get massive bragging rights amongst the Avora with an eye witness to back it up! However, he wasn’t sure just how dangerous the creatures were, and didn’t want to press his luck were he unprepared for such a confrontation. They began their descent, making their way onto the landing area of the glacier, when he began to hear the ice creak and snap under the great weight of the giant bird. Suddenly, everything seemed to move in slow motion, and Marrin could feel every heartbeat as it surged through his body. We’re going to fall through the ice. The ice is going to crack and I’m going to freeze to death strapped to the saddle. He pulled in a sudden intake of breath, fully expecting to be underwater in less than a tick, but the water never came. The pounding of his heart was drowned out by the flapping of wings, the rush of wind and the feeling of ascent once more. After a moment of making sure he wasn’t in the hands of Lhex, Marrin allowed himself to exhale, releasing a great amount of tension that seemed to have made its way into each and every one of his limbs. Before he knew it, he was chuckling to himself, simply pleased to not be dead. The sudden voice in his mind jolted him from his carefree state, reminding him that he was quite far from free of cares and that Wind Eagles could speak directly to your mind. He’d never been contacted by one of the great beasts before, he hadn’t spent much time with them at all save for his flights out to his hunting locations, which usually wasn’t long enough for them to take enough interest in him to communicate. He did his best to be inoffensive, and as such was often disregarded as unimportant or otherwise ineffectual. Of course, in this situation there was a need the eagle had, one its rider seemed to be unable to solve with only one eye. However, he didn’t happen to be in much better shape, noticing the clearing only just in time to hear the Endal speak of it, letting the air that would have become words escape his lungs with a huff. He knew Endal were supposed to be superior to everyone else, but that didn’t mean he had to like it every moment. Something caught his ear and registered in his mind: “They won’t walk the glaciers.” Who won’t walk the glaciers? he wondered. Or what? Our prey? With a great WHUMPH the eagle landed in the icy clearing, sending snowflakes swirling in all directions. Branches fell around them, knocked free by the force of the birds mighty wings, and Marrin couldn’t help but be impressed by the power the eagles held. They truly were magnificent creatures. He managed to undo his leg straps, but decided to take Lavira’s hand when it was offered to him, nodding in thanks as he descended from the back of the raptor. Before Lavira had a chance to do much, he spun and nodded to the great eagle. ”Thank you, Mohya, for a smooth and exhilarating flight. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed riding along that much since my first time,” he said, complementing her with a smile. It was genuine, but Marrin couldn’t help but be shaky, adrenaline and slight fear still pulsing through his limbs. He felt like he needed to jump, bounce or do some other consistent and repetitive activity, wanting to be in constant motion just in case he was attacked at any moment. But Lavira’s explaination slowly brought him back to reality. He had to pay attention to things like this. The plan seemed straight forward enough; Marrin knew enough from his studies involving the native wildlife to know a bit about Takin. The large goat like creatures preferred cold weather, which explained their presence here in the northern reaches of Kalea, and were useful for a great many things from their milk and fur to their hides and meat. He wasn’t sure what their tracks looked like, as he hadn’t hunted them himself, but he did know what little his master had told him, and what he briefly remembered from books. Gods, I hate books, he thought silently to himself. He wasn’t sure where he fit into Lavira’s plan, aside from helping her shoot down cows, but he felt there may be more to it than that. You didn’t need two people to shoot cows, and she’d said she needed two people for a new hunting technique. His smile grew with his anticipation, unable to wait much longer to get going. ”Let’s get started.” Secret : Because baby Takin are adorable.

[Lavira]

In the dim pre-dawn light, Vira stood silent, her ears tuned for sounds and her eyes closed. The was concentrating on the images from Mohya, the massive bird sweeping the tops of the forest and searching the ground below, her wings just brushing the tops of the pine and spruce. Vira could see the forest rushing by with each beat of the birds heart and waited, with breath held, for signs of the takin herd. She hoped they hadn't moved on!

Before this moment, however, Vira had led Marrin into the wood slowly and quietly, letting her feet slide over the dense bed of shed pine needles as she listened. In this particular part of the wood, it was going to be nearly impossible to find signs of a lay or hoof imprint because of how springy the needles were. But they could still look for scat and fur on the trees from where the beasts had rubbed against them. It had taken about ten chimes of walking southward parallel to the glacier before they had found anything worth while.

A chunk of hair had been hanging from a low branch, the wooly fur standing out only because it was lighter than the dark wood. This, Vira had pulled free and fingered a moment, giving it a sniff. Was it stale? Fresh? Cool? It wasn't as fresh as she would have liked, but it meant they were going in the right direction, however.

The teen had led them onwards until another, fresher sign had been spotted, this time of a steaming pile of scat on the springy terra and the strong odor of urine. The heat from the scat was sign enough that they were near, but it was still too dark for them to see anything and it would be bad if they walked right into one of the wooly goats. That would be just her luck if they wound up gored. So it was, after that sign, that they moved upwind of the scat and stood in silence beneath a tree while Vira watched through Mohya's eyes the world pass her by.

It took several more chimes before the eagle passed overhead again and finally spotted the animals. Her low sweep spooked them and some hurried to the shade of the trees while the rest of the herd went straight for the mountain. The ones in the trees were now cut off by Mohya flying low and short circles around them while she listened for Vira's message.

"Okay, Marrin; Mohya has three cut off, two cows and a calf by the looks of it. There about a five chim walk west of here, though, so she's going to push them north a little more and back towards the glacier. We'll start making our way that way and she'll begin driving them towards us."

Tulaj, who had been impatiently sitting on her arm after being released from the cage (and nearly taking out her ear in his aggressive escape and attack), his beak clicking lowly and his pink eyes scanning the dimness of the forest. His dome like face made searching for sounds easier and Vira was hoping he would follow Mohya's wing beats when she sent him into the sky. "Tulaj's going to harass the calf away from its parents. It's a younger one, probably born during spring. If it's a female, we might be able to wrangle and hog tie it for transport. The calf the stables can raise for milk once it's matured, and labor when it's not being worked." It was a risky venture, but one of invaluable resource. Live prey was sometimes more beneficial than dead ones. The live ones could occasionally be given to any chicks in the nesting aeries for training purposes, and if the animal was of the right species, it could be used for more than just food, such as in the case of the Takin.

"Sweep out about twenty yards to my left. Two chirps for all clear, one for danger. The cow will try and protect the calf as much as possible so be careful." With directives given, Vira nodded him off and began along her route as well, heading for the glacier somewhere in the lightening wood ahead. The animals were somewhere between them and all they had to do was keep them from getting out.