A Routine Hunt

[Eska Rivermane]

Timestamp: 57th Day of Winter, 512 A.V.

OOC :

Note that all the dialogue that is italicized is in the Pavi language.

Eska felt the chilled wind rush over his body, making its way inside of his cloak and around his face. He could see his breath float away into the air before him. His nose and fingers were red from the cold, and his ears felt as though they could snap off at any moment. Eska hated this season, especially for hunting, but his family still had to eat. And the they would much prefer wild game to killing one of their own cattle. The Rivermane Pavilion was just over a mile to the east, their tents set up near a small stream. His family was waiting there around their fires and in their tents for Eska to return with their supper, and he wouldn't come back a failure. He had quite a reputation as a skilled young hunter. That was why he’d been out here for hours, fighting the cold and his fatigue in a desperate search for game. He was overjoyed when he found a set of deer tracks and followed them to this location.

His body was pressed tightly against Kova, who lay motionless on the snow covered ground. Kova was his Cyphrus Strider, who had been with him ever since his early teenage years. They had been huddled like this for nearly ten minutes, but soon their waiting would pay off. A young deer had been wandering about, and was finally moving closer to the young Drykas. Careful to keep his movements unnoticeable, Eska reached for the longbow strapped to Kova's yvas. He fidgeted with the strap for a moment, but finally managed to free his bow while remaining hidden from the deer. Almost holding his breath, he reached for his quiver and drew a single arrow. He brushed his finger over the fletching, then readied his bow with it. Kova seemed to stir, but Eska pushed his knees into his sides to calm him. Kova knew what was coming, but Eska wasn’t ready quite yet. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer.

‘Caiyha,’ He thought. ‘Guide my hand. Let your child fall painlessly.’

He remembered some of his earlier hunts in the winter season. The numbness in his fingers had caused him to shoot poorly, with much less accuracy. A crippling blow was the best he could go for without causing unnecessary pain to the animal. A single arrow into its hip or in the shoulder was an ideal method. Then he could finish it off with his spear. It would suffer, but only for a moment. Finally, he decided to make his move.

Eska sat up on Kova’s back, drawing his bow and letting an arrow sail towards the deer. He had taken aim mentally, and simply brought the bow up to meet his line of sight. The poor animal had no time to react. It raised its head, and let out a horrified, painful squeal as the arrow plunged deep into its right shoulder. Just as the arrow had been let loose, Kova stood as quickly as he could and started to charge after the deer, which by this time could hardly stand. It stumbled forward, trying to support itself on its front leg, and nearly collapsed. Eska and Kova had no trouble catching up to the crippled beast, dripping blood and panting heavily as it tried to flee; an exercise in futility.

As Eska and Kova reached the deer, Eska took his longspear from its place on Kova’s yvas and held it in his right hand. As the two charged past the deer, Eska plunged the spear into the deer’s side just behind its left shoulder, and at an angle. The tip of the blade plunged into the deer’s heart, and it fell after releasing another horrified squeal. Kova slowed to a stop, and Eska slid off of his back. He approached the deer and took his dagger from its sheath on his belt. He said a short blessing in the Pavi tongue, and then pushed his dagger between the deer’s ribs and into its heart once again. This was to ensure that the beast was truly dead. After a few seconds of silence, Eska could feel his senses return to normal. He could hear Kova’s heavy breathing behind him. He could feel the deer’s warm blood on his hands. He could smell its fur, the inevitable stench that comes with living in the wild for all of your life. Eska probably didn’t smell much better. He pulled his dagger from the lifeless animal and placed it on the ground beside him, then did the same with his spear. The deer had fallen onto its right side, breaking the arrow off into its shoulder. Eska dreaded the extra work to retrieve it.

He placed his arms under the deer’s front legs and lifted them into the air, then braced his knee against the deer’s right upper leg. She was quite heavy, not even taking the lack of food in the winter months into consideration. Eska placed his hands under the deer’s stomach and pushed with all of his strength, rolling the deer onto its left side. Its hind legs followed over lifelessly and fell onto the snow with a thud. After taking a moment to catch his breath, Eska took his dagger in hand and pushed it into the deer’s shoulder where the arrow had entered. He widened the laceration, then pushed his fingers into the wound and took hold of the arrowhead. The still warm blood felt very pleasant on Eska’s cold fingers, and he almost felt sad when he pulled the broken arrow out of the deer. He wiped the blood onto his shirt, and then cleaned his dagger on his breeches. After the blood had been wiped off, Eska slipped the dagger back into its sheath. He stood with his spear in hand and tied it onto Kova’s yvas once again, and also secured the longbow.

He turned to the corpse lying on the blood soaked snow. The next few minutes would be spent with him struggling to tie the deer onto Kova’s back. Something he did not look forward to. He called Kova closer to his kill and stood over it, wrapping his arms around its torso and holding it tightly. He straightened his back and pushed with his legs, feeling a moderate pain in his lumbar area. Finally, he wrestled it into an upright position and dragged it to Kova, who was laying on the ground once again. He dropped it as delicately as he could onto Kova’s back, who gave him an almost irritated snort. Eska couldn’t help but smile. He took a length of rope from Kova’s yvas bags and tied the deer securely onto his back.

“Up!” He said to Kova, who attempted to stand. Eska placed his arms under the deer and held as much of the weight as he could. “Up!” He called again. Finally, Kova managed to stand, and Eska let the weight of the deer fall gradually onto his back.

“Don’t worry, my friend.” He said in his native tongue, his hands moving to help form the words he desired. “I won’t be riding you.”

Eska then set off walking towards his Pavilion, his kill ready to be proudly displayed.

[Eska Rivermane]

Eska approached the stream that has Pavilion had camped near for the time being. This area was rich in game, and they decided that their journey to Endrykas could be continued a few days later. Of course, it wasn’t that simple. Nothing was in the Sea of Grass. Their camp had been made the chosen hunting ground of two unfortunate young glassbeaks just a few days before. This had probably been their first hunt alone. Eska and his brother Tennek had done what is necessary in that situation. With the help of four other men, they overpowered the two inexperienced glassbeaks and decapitated them. It was fortunate for them that there were so few of the beasts, and all of the men had been present. They emerged victorious, with only a few minor injuries. Tennek had been kicked in the calf by one of the beasts and had it gouged open, which was the only reason Eska had gone on this hunt alone. He would be sure to give Tennek a hard time about it. After all, he had rolled his ankle in the commotion, and nearly trampled by his family as well as the massive beasts. Fortunately, now there was only a moderate pain, though this long walk had made him feel as though he would rather cut his entire leg off than deal with it.

“Eska!” A voice called from within the camp, and Tennek rode towards him on his own horse Anira. He brought her to a halt and struggled off of her back, trying to hide how much pain he was in. The two brothers worked to untie the deer and place it on Anira’s back. An almost humorous sight, since the two boys were both injured. Some of the men made this known, audibly laughing at the two, and jeering them. All in good fun of course.

“What took so long? Did you stop to take a nap?” Tennek asked, pointing at Kova’s wet stomach. Eska laughed, then explained his hunt to his brother. After he’d finished, Tennek looked almost impressed.

“I admire that about you, brother. I haven’t the patience to sit still for that long.”

Eska laughed. “And that is why you will never beat my quickest kill.” He teased.

“Ah, that was a lucky shot. You know the truth.” Tennek replied.

Of course, it was true. On a hunt about a year ago, Eska’s arrow had somehow slipped cleanly between the ribs and into the heart. A shot he couldn’t dream to replicate.

“No.” He said with a smile.

The two walked into camp, and Kova quickly walked to join the other horses, not even bothering to wait to have his yvas removed. Eska didn’t say anything; Kova had earned his supper. A group of small children circled around Eska and Tennek, gawking at Eska’s kill.

“It’s so big!” One of them shouted. A group of hunting dogs ran around the two, barking excitedly at the deer. Some men then came to take it to the fire.

“I’m going to wash my hands.” Eska said to his brother. “Will you take Kova’s tack off of him and put it in the tent?”

“No.” Tennek said sarcastically. He would do it, but wouldn’t admit that he was doing any favors for his brother.

Eska walked to the stream and fell to his knees. He took his cloak off and placed it on the ground next to him. He then did the same with his shirt.

“Caiyha,” He said aloud. “I thank you for guiding me in a good hunt, and blessing me with a hearty trophy. My family will be well fed tonight, by your grace.”

He held his hair in place and pushed his face into the icy water, feeling his breath escape him as the icy water seemed to burn his face. He pulled his head out of it quickly and gasped. After quickly washing the blood off of his hands, he grabbed his clothes and ran up the hill to the camp. He stopped by a fire located in the center of the camp and fell onto his knees next to it, letting it warm his face. He looked to see Tennek carrying his yvas and gear into the tent. Tennek was careful not to look at Eska.

‘What a child.’ He thought to himself, in a joking manner. Eska loved his brother, but the rivalry between the two was clearly apparent.

:Part Two:

The sun had set over the horizon, and the fire in the middle of the camp burned brightly. Everyone gathered around them, waiting patiently to be served a part of Eska’s deer. Occasionally, someone would come to congratulate Eska on his kill, but his attention hardly turned from his conversation with his brother.

“I haven’t seen any others, just the one.” Tennek said as he stared intently into the fire. “A human, riding on a Windrunner towards Riverfall.”

Eska looked almost offended.

“Not using the roads. Is he brave… Or stupid?”

Tennek smiled, then took another bite of his dinner. “We shall see tomorrow.”

Eska nodded. He was exhausted, and was looking forward to a good night’s sleep. He stood to his feet, turning towards his father’s tent. Kova stood with the other horses, happily eating feed. Eska was looking forward to the spring months.

“Eska!” A voice called from behind him. Eska turned to see his father walking towards him. He said nothing, simply placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and gave him a nod, commending a good hunt. Eska nodded back, then walked into the tent and fell onto his bed. It wasn’t long before he fell into a deep sleep.

[Eska Rivermane]

Eska lay hunched over on Kova's back, his hand tightly gripping his bow. This was a position that felt more and more familiar to him these days. It seemed Kova was growing accustomed to it as well, as he'd huddled down with almost no difficulty at all. Eska's breathing was slow and rhythmic, matching that of his steed's. Kova hardly made a sound at all. He knew what the two of them were doing so far out here in the sea of grass. They were hunting. Eska hardly blinked as he watched the trespasser that he and his brother had spoken about only two days before. The man was obviously aware of what he was doing; the crime he was committing against the Drykas. His hand rested on the hilt of a sword hanging from his waist. With every step that his horse took, the man looked over his shoulder. Eska smiled: he was obviously not looking hard enough.

With little more than a shift of Eska's weight, Kova stood and charged toward the intruder. Eska took his hand away from his bow, and instead took hold of the handle of his spear. He wouldn't dishonor himself by not giving the man a fair chance.

Kova knew his rider quite well, and understood his wishes without a single word being said. As the two neared the mysterious rider, Kova turned away and rode parallel to him, careful to stay out of reach of even the longest spear.

By this time, Eska had unstrapped his longspear from Kova's Yvas, and held it in his right hand. The man had taken notice of the two much earlier, and had begun to ride as hard as his horse could manage through the deep snow. Unfortunately for him, Kova was accustomed to riding on the sea of grass in any weather. The intruder tried to turn left to escape the two, but Kova was quick . He remained side by side with the intruder.

It was obvious that this man had no intention of fighting.

Eska raised his spear over his head, and took hold of it with his left hand, which was closer to the rider. This man would be allowed to live, but he would never forget his mistakes.

'Caiyha,' Eska said aloud under his breath. 'Guide my hand. Let my spear strike true. Protect the beast, protect the man, but let him feel the pain that the beasts felled by this spear have felt.'

Once he had finished muttering his prayer, Kova rode closer to the man's horse, and Eska plunged his spear deep into his thigh. The man let out a pained scream, and continued to ride for his life. Kova slowed to a halt, and Eska watched as the intruder rode in search of the nearest road.

The heavy breathing of Kova and himself became almost hypnotic as the two turned and walked toward the Rivermane Pavilion.

[Eska Rivermane]

A dark sky loomed over the Sea of Grass as Eska and his stallion Kova made their journey back to the Rivermane Pavillion. Although it had taken nearly two days to find and track the intruder from where he was last seen, finding his way home was taking much less time. After all, following the tracks of a score of horses was much easier than following those of a single man.

"Ease, Kova. We're nearly there now." Eska said softly to his horse as he patted his neck.
"Look. Do you see the smoke?" Eska asked as he pointed to the sky. The horse let out a slight whinny.

Eska let out a slight chuckle. He wasn't sure exactly how much of his banter Kova truly understood, but he had always spoken to him as he would another Drykas. Eska was a man who enjoyed his solitude. That wasn't to say he was a loner, but he never truly felt alone when another of his clan was not with him. He always had Kova.

Eska raised his legs and pressed his heels into Kova's hips, causing the strider to stop.

"It is difficult to see against the black sky, but look at the stars. Never are they so dark, and their shades do not flicker."

Eska felt relieved at the thought that his home was so close. He was so weary. More than that, though, he was tired. Not only tired of body, but tired in spirit. How much longer could this go on? The same people, the same land. Hunting on almost a weekly basis. There had to be more to life than this. Eska wanted to have stories to tell his children. Foolish, yes, but Eska was fond of tales of glory. He now wanted some for himself.

After a few more moments of riding over the vast plains, Eska saw the glow of the Rivermane Pavilion's campfire. He smiled widely at the sight.

"Kova, do you have one more run in you tonight?"

Without a single movement from Eska, Kova took off in a gallop. In a matter of a few short minutes, Kova and Eska were once again among their Pavilion. They were greeted first by children and hunting dogs, who made it nearly impossible to walk.
Eska slid off of Kova's back, and began to fidget with his yvas.

"No, no!" said a strong voice, which was followed by a quick tug on Eska's shoulder. "Don't bother, young one. Go and take your rest."

The man nearly shoved Eska away as he began to remove Kova's tack in his stead. Eska didn't argue. He simply walked toward the campfire, excited for his well deserved reprieve.