Exploring the Far Reaches of the Unforgiving

by **Turrin** on May 31st, 2015, 4:03 am

When Turrin made it back to Naime, the huntress was already throwing the crossbow into the river. As she turned around, the half-breed overheard his flight leader mutter in Nari to herself, “The gods should punish the person who invented these cursed weapons.”

Walking over to Turrin, the red haired woman asked in a quiet voice, “I take it the poacher came from the opposite way from the river? Do you think we can take this man alive and question him, or should we just kill him and search his camp of answers?”

Turrin picked up the long sword and tossed it into the bushes and said with a shake of his head, “If it wasn't for the man that we just killed. The other poacher would have tried to convince us that he was just another hunter. We can try, but if we back him into a corner, we might have to kill him...”

The half-breed watched his flight leader ponder their next move than she ordered after a chime or two, “I will confront the man head and try to get information without blood shed; however, I want you to hit him from behind if everything goes Hai for me...”

Turrin knew from previous missions with his commander that order meant hitting them from behind, and he take a round about path around their camp, sneak up from behind, and ambush them. The endal knew his orders, so with short bow in his left hand and broad tipped arrow in the other, the myrian started to make his way threw the sparse spring underbrush around the enemies camp. Turrin knew that he needed to be stealthy, so he needed to move slow to eliminate detection from noise or being visibly seen by the enemy. As he moved through the pine forest, he made sure to move from tree to tree as he got closer to the camp, and he walked around or jumped over fallen branches, sticks, or twigs laying on the ground. When he got closer to the poacher's camp, the poachers must have made a large bonfire because the smoke was fogging out the forest ahead of him.

When Turrin walked into the smoke, his nostrils and eyes started to burn with the pungent odor of burning wood, flesh, and the aroma of rotting animal caresses. To make matters worse, the thickest part of the smoke from their fires were blowing into trees that he needed to travel through to make it to the other side of the camp. Covering his mouth with his hand, Turrin used the trees as point of reference as he made it through the smoke. As he walked into a large cloud of smoke, the endal ducked behind a tree and covered his mouth and closed his eyes till the cloud of smoke was gone. Suddenly, he heard Naime yell out in common, “This is Naime Valcora of Wind Reach, you violated lands claimed by the Wind Reach! Come out now, and I might spare your life!”

by **Turrin** on May 31st, 2015, 4:07 am

Turrin knew if the man was still there at the camp. He would be to distracted with Naime to pay attention to him. The endal moved to the next tree closer to camp and crouched behind it. Suddenly, he heard a twig snap and a loud cough, so he look through the tree and saw a human male moving through the trees in his direction. Pulling three arrows from his quiver, Turrin held two of the broad tipped arrows with the same hand holding the shaft of the bow. Placing the arrow on the bowstring, Turrin rested the arrow between his thumb and the right side of the shaft. The endal knew this method of holding the arrow allowed him to shot multiple arrows without the shaft getting into the way of reloading his next shot. The half-breed took a shallow breath and waited for his moment to strike.

As the footsteps got closer, Turrin could tell the man might be only twenty paces away from him. Looking through the evergreen, the endal saw the man had shaggy blond hair, a unkempt beard, and a broad sword in his hand. Turrin sprung out from his location, lifted his short bow, and aimed at the soft blooded human male. Pulling back the bowstring to his cheek, Turrin said in common, “Drop your weapon, human! If you don't, I won't hesitate to shoot you dead...”

The rugged blond human looked at him and responded in common, “Hey! I am just hunter. You are making a big mistake endal. When my friend get back from the river, we will explain everything to you...”

Turrin kept his arrow trained on his chest and said in a emotionless voice, “Just a hunter? You must have had about fifty plucked birds strung up on your rope, so don't give any bird shyke about being just a hunter.”

The endal watched as the man's eyes nervously shifted towards the camp, and endal prepared to fire his arrow if he decided to run. Suddenly, the half breed heard Naime call out in Nari, “Turrin, I can't find this petcher anywhere! You sure that he is here?”

The poacher looked at the myrian and said with a laugh, “Petch you! I am dead either way, endal!”

As the man turned to run, Turrin shifted his aim to the side of upper leg. He knew it wouldn't be a killing blow, but it will slow the man down if he was able to get away from him. Letting go of the bowstring, the endal didn't wait to look if he hit. He just grabbed another arrow from the hand holding the short bow's shaft and reloaded for his next shot. As the man shrieked in pain from his first shot, the half breed already placed the arrow on the bowstring and pulled it back to his cheek. He could see the man was tough because he was able to make it fifteen feet with a arrow in his sticking out of his leg. The myrian knew aiming at moving target was much harder than a stationary target, so he decided to not aim at his leg and instead he decided to aim at his buttock of the fleeing man. It was a easier target because it didn't move as much as the legs.

by **Turrin** on May 31st, 2015, 4:13 am

Releasing the bowstring for the second shot, Turrin didn't waited to if he hit; however, he did hear another shriek of pain from his second arrow, He just reloaded his third arrow, pulled back the bowstring, and took aim at the blond man's the other butt cheek without a arrow. The endal released the bowstring and watched the final arrow fly towards it intended target; however, The third arrow wasn't as accurate as the first or the second arrow because it plunged into the lower back of the blond human by the kidney. As the man stumble forwards and fell into a bush, Turrin cringed because he wasn't supposed to kill the man. Walking over to the man, Turrin grabbed by the shoulder, pulled his enemy out of the bush. The man didn't fight him when he was dragged out of the bush because he was to occupied with trying to get the arrow out of his buttock to worry about him. The man started to grown and scream as he started to pull, but the broad tipped arrow wouldn't budge, so the man just gave up and glared at the endal.

Knowing that he had no need for his bow. Turrin laid it on the ground, unsheathed his talon sword and called out to Naime in Nari, “Barbarian was stupid, so I shot him in arse! Come now Commander!”

Turrin walked over to him and noticed the man was reaching for his broad sword, so the endal ran over and kicked it out of reach of the human. The human growled at him, “You shot me in the arse!” The man moved to get a better look at Turrin and growled, but he could tell his energy was starting to fade, “You arsehole! If I live through this I will kill you!”

The endal pointed his sword at the human and said simply, “Shut up! You'll be lucky if you don't bleed out in the next hour...”

The human looked at him and spit in his direction. Turrin didn't time to move, so the glob of spit landed on his leg armor. The endal glared at the man, so he walked over to him lifted his back leg and thrust the heel of his boot into the ribs of the poacher. The force of the kick drove the wind out of his prisoner and the man started to cough violently as he tried to regain his breath. The myrian started to pace back and forth as he contemplating taking the man's life for his crimes against Caiyha and the Inarta people. Suddenly he heard Naime call out to him in Nari, so the responded back in Nari, “I captured barbarian! Come quickly now!”

As Turrin watched the man, he noticed the arrow wound in his back was bleeding a lot. He doubt the man wouldn't be long for the world with such a devastating wound. The myrian just stood there and watched the man writhe in pain as he slowly started to die. The myrian had no intention on helping him live. It would be mercy to kill him instead of prolonging his pain from his injuries. Suddenly, he heard his Flight Leader step out of the bushes and said to him in Nari, “I wanted him alive, Turrin! You think three arrows might have over did it?”

by **Turrin** on May 31st, 2015, 4:20 am

The half-breed looked at the poacher than to his flight leader and said simply in Nari, “I told him drop weapons and surrender. He fled like a coward. I shot him. I told him. I shoot him dead, but he was stupid...” Kneeling down on the ground, Turrin pointed his sword at the man and said simply, “The human still breathing, so I followed orders...”

Naime shook her head and said with a nod, “Fine. You are better at common tongue, so you interrogate him. Make sure you ask about the other camps in the valley.”

Turrin was much better understanding Nari than actually speaking the language, so he understood the orders given to him, but Turrin needed to ask, “Want you want? Keep alive or dead?

Naime shook her head and said softly in Nari, “He forfeited his life when he murdered those birds. No kill him or let Caiyha judge him. I don't really care. I am going to head back to their camp to look around for information on there base camp.”

When Naime went back to camp, Turrin knelt by the man a noticed that he was trying to go to sleep. The myrian started to lightly pat the man's face as he kept saying wake up. It took about half a chime before the man came too, and the myrian gave him a wicked smile and said softly in common, “I know you are about to go to sleep, but I need some information out of you about the whereabouts of your other camps in the valley. Are there any other camps in the valley other than this one?”

The man looked at him and said with a sarcastic grin, “Nope this was the only camp in the valley, Endal...”

Turrin looked at him for a tick and contemplating punching in the jaw, but he figured it would be harder for him to speak with a broken jaw. The myrian said with a smile, “Pretty risky operation to come this far north with only the three of you...”

The human said with a shrug, “We are risk takers...”

Looking at the arrow in his leg, the half-breed reached over and jerked it quickly. The man started to scream out in pain and the myrian said simply with no emotions, “I not in the mood to play games with idiot barbarian like yourself. I want answers, or your last bell of life will not be vary peaceful for you...”

The human sneered at him and said quickly, “Petch you, Enda..!”

Turrin jerked the back the other way, but this time, he did it slowly to show him that he was in control. The half-breed could tell the man was in near tears when he stopped moving the arrow, so he asked with no emotion, “Lets play a game, human. I ask a question, and if you respond with a answer that I don't like...”

Suddenly the man spat at his direction, but the glob missed his chest. Turrin reached over and jerked the arrow in the wound. When the man stopped screaming, Turrin said simply, “You seemed to know this game already! Good! Let us begin. How many poachers are in this valley?”

The man gave him a rebellious smile and yelled, “We came up on a ship, so there is about five hundred us!”

by **Turrin** on May 31st, 2015, 4:29 am

Turrin looked at him and jerked the arrow again, and the man let out a grunt and clenched his jaw, but he didn't cry out in pain. The myrian looked at him and said softly, “Five hundred...? Why not just walk up the coastlines human?”

Turrin knew it was stupid question, but the human already seemed to think that he was smarter than him, so if he played dumb for a moment, maybe he would revel something in his arrogance. The human said with a laugh, “Are all endal's head filled with feathers? It would take half a season to walk up the coastline because of the cliffs and rocky beaches between Wind Reach and Lhavit.”

Turrin made a mental note about a ship since it made sense that they wouldn't risk the Unforgiving on foot. The endal really doubted that they had five hundred hunters because the resources to move and feed that many hunters would cumbersome through the mountainous terrain of Kalea. The endal looked at the man who seemed to have trouble staying awake, so he asked firmly, “How many camps are in this valley poacher?”

The poacher opened his eyes and said with a sleepy smile, “You... can kiss... my arse, Endal...”

Turrin watched the man close his eyes and his breathing started have a rattle to it. The half-breed knew Dira must be near if he could hear the death rattle in his breathing. Standing up, Turrin didn't want to dirty his sword with the blood of this man, so he sheathed his sword. Picking up the broad sword, Turrin threw it far enough away from the poacher for him to get it in his current state. Turrin had a feeling that Dira would claim him soon. Caiyha will return his body to the earth, and Kihala would create something new from the rotting body of the man. It was ugly and beautiful cycle that he seen many times before in his life. The myrian decided to allow the human to spend his last bell in blissful sleep as Dira quietly took him to the land of the dead. Walking away from the poacher, Turrin knew this was a just punishment for his crimes against the Inarta and Caiyha.

Walking into camp, Turrin noticed that the poachers left a complete disaster in there wake. The middle of the camp was a large bonfire with bones and charred remains of slain animals. The ground was littered with miscellaneous garage strew around the camp. Turrin walked to one of the tent where he heard rustling. When placed a hand on the side of the tent, but he didn't want to go into it because there was a foul odor emanating from the bed roll. The half-breed looked at his commander and asked common, “What did you find Commander?”

Naime pulled at parchment out of her backpack, handed it to him, and said simply, “It is better if you look for yourself.”

Turrin unrolled the piece of parchment, and it was a contract made to a employer named Ramas. Turrin read the contract, and it said that they will hunt the lower parts of the Inarta peninsula for a monetary reward in a currency called Kina. The contracted entailed that they will be dropped off in various valleys along the coast and picked up by the ship in the early fall before the snow falls. The contract was signed by nine different hunters. Six of the hunters were male names and three of the hunters were female names. Turrin swore to himself at the idea of six experienced hunters still in the valley. Looking at Naime, Turrin said simply, “Do you have a map of the other camps in the valley? There are six names still alive on the parchment...”

by **Turrin** on May 31st, 2015, 4:41 am

Turrin could tell that their was frustration her green eyes because she clenched both her hands and crumpled to parchment in her hands. Finally, the proud red haired woman stood up and threw the remaining parchment in her hands to the other side of the tent. Turning to face her subordinate, she try tried to regain her composer, but it was already gone. Finally she asked in a slightly annoyed voice, “No. They might be human garbage, but they were smart enough not to reveal the other hunters locations.” Running a pale hand through her ruby hair, Naime took a deep breath and asked slightly calmer voice, “If you were me Turrin, what would you do?”

Turrin knew that she was testing his command decisions, so the myrian mulled over the information for chime and said, “We aren't prepared for hunting a unknown enemy in a valley this big. If I were you, I would head back to Wind Reach, get the rest of the members of our flight, and come back with numbers to do a thorough search of the valley. The ship won't be picking them up till the fall, so it will give us time to prepare and hit them in the summer when the weather predicable.”

Naime listened to him and asked with no emotion in her voice, “What are the draw backs of this plan, Turrin?”

Turrin ran a hand through his hair and said with a frown, “If we give them time, the foreigner hunters will have time to find their fallen comrades and plan a proper defense for our return. We would lose the element of surprise...”

Naime didn't give him any signs that he passed her little test. She kicked the pile of scrolls, picked up the large bag of plucked feathers, and said with a nod, “Come on Turrin. We need to move quickly otherwise we loose Syna's light.”

Turrin looked at the bag of feathers and ask with a pained look at the bag of feathers, “Why are you taking the feathers, Commander? Shouldn't we burn them with the rest of the carcasses?”

Naime shook her head and said simply, “These birds died in vain, but their sacrifice will feed a great many people in Wind Reach.” Looking at him, she pat him on the arm when she walked by and said with a smile, “We should leave the valley, but I do plan on returning with the rest of my flight...”

In the end, Turrin knew the hunting trip was a complete failure, but also he knew it wasn't a total failure either because they did uncover a poaching operation on their doorstep of Inarta territory. The poachers' crimes might not be has steep in the soft blooded cities like Lhavit, but the poachers were murdering birds by the bulk, so it wasn't like they were hungry and needed food to survive the spring. They killed these animals for money and kept killing in mass because of their greed. The poachers weren't just committing a crime against the Inarta, but they were committing a crime against Caiyha herself. Turrin didn't feel any remorse for the poachers that he killed, but he pitied the rest of the poachers when Naime's flight of War Hawks came back to valley.

by **Ssezzkero** on June 20th, 2015, 11:10 pm

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Turrin

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Solo Exploring the Far Reaches of the Unforgiving