.
9th Season,
.
__________ 516av
9th Season,
.
__________ 516av
Bent low against the Lhavit mountainside, the boy from Endrykas stalked his prey. He was no hunter, not by any stretch of the imagination: but he had listened to the handful of lessons that he had been taught, strategies gleaned from huntresses and game scouts and combat instructors during his time among the Inarta. Subtle, silent steps. Cautious movements. Stay mindful of your surroundings. Watch your footing. Watch it's body language, watch for the shifts, the twitch of it's ears, the twitch of it's tail.
Slowly he circled around behind, taking advantage of the Okomo's bowed head as it's teeth grated it's way through the handful of dried grass and oats that Zhol had thrown down as bait. He waited, feeling his heart pounding in his chest, blood pumping louder in his ears with every step closer. His fingers clenched involuntarily around his weapon of choice, poised and ready for the opportunity to strike.
A swoosh of a tail. A flick of an ear. The Okomo's jaw fell still, head cocked the slightest degree in Zhol's direction, muscles tensed and poised. Zhol advanced closer still. Just a few more feat. Just ten. Just five. Just three...
With a muted womph, the blanket that Zhol brandished flopped over the Okomo's spine, draped more or less across the creature's back as Zhol had intended. With an instant the creature bolted into a run, it's cloven, mountainous feet drumming, squelching, and crunching across the damp and frosty ground where Lhavit's mount of choice had been let out to roam and pasture. The blanket only survived a few galloped yards before the Okomo's strides shook it loose, letting it fall into a heap on the ground behind it. A few yards more, and the creature slowed, almost as if it suddenly forgot what it had been running for.
Zhol's shoulders slumped, fingertips pinching at the bridge of his nose. "This is why you keep horses in stables," he grumbled to himself, not the first time he had uttered a frustrated sentiment along those lines. When he and Khara had arrived in Lhavit, the Okomo Villa had seemed like the perfect venue for employment: a mere stone's throw from their home and from where Khara worked, in case she needed him; an opportunity to work with animals, even if they were a little different from the horses he was accustomed to.
But a little different turned out to be quite the understatement. Horses were big, noble creatures: confident enough in their own physicality to not be spooked too easily when one of those skinny, two-legged human creatures showed up; and easy enough to subdue with the right body language, and the right handful of food. These Okomo were something else entirely. They were certainly big; but their manner was different. They were quick. Nimble. Unpredictable; at least as far as Zhol understood them.
Worse, unlike the horses back in Wind Reach, the Okomo were viewed with a sense of reverence; a divine gift to the people of Lhavit. Zhol understood reverence for magical creatures; but the striders of Endrykas were intelligent and understanding, and so were the wind eagles of the Inarta, though his dealings with those had been few and far between. These dumb stupid Okomo were a nightmare; and here he was helping to care for a whole herd of them, left to roam free and do as they pleased.
Zhol's footsteps were heavy as he trudged off after the Okomo that was supposed to be keeping his eyes on. The creature had been injured last season; nothing serious, but enough to earn it a little extra care and attention. He grunted as he retrieved the blanket and slung it over his shoulder. A horse would have been grateful for the little extra layer of warmth that Zhol was trying to offer.
"Stupid Okomo," he muttered again, his hands settling on his hips as he stood in place, scanning the herd and catching his breath. He watched his quarry lolloping even further away. Another sigh. "At least your leg looks like it's healing," he mused, a desperate attempt at consolation.
Slowly he circled around behind, taking advantage of the Okomo's bowed head as it's teeth grated it's way through the handful of dried grass and oats that Zhol had thrown down as bait. He waited, feeling his heart pounding in his chest, blood pumping louder in his ears with every step closer. His fingers clenched involuntarily around his weapon of choice, poised and ready for the opportunity to strike.
A swoosh of a tail. A flick of an ear. The Okomo's jaw fell still, head cocked the slightest degree in Zhol's direction, muscles tensed and poised. Zhol advanced closer still. Just a few more feat. Just ten. Just five. Just three...
With a muted womph, the blanket that Zhol brandished flopped over the Okomo's spine, draped more or less across the creature's back as Zhol had intended. With an instant the creature bolted into a run, it's cloven, mountainous feet drumming, squelching, and crunching across the damp and frosty ground where Lhavit's mount of choice had been let out to roam and pasture. The blanket only survived a few galloped yards before the Okomo's strides shook it loose, letting it fall into a heap on the ground behind it. A few yards more, and the creature slowed, almost as if it suddenly forgot what it had been running for.
Zhol's shoulders slumped, fingertips pinching at the bridge of his nose. "This is why you keep horses in stables," he grumbled to himself, not the first time he had uttered a frustrated sentiment along those lines. When he and Khara had arrived in Lhavit, the Okomo Villa had seemed like the perfect venue for employment: a mere stone's throw from their home and from where Khara worked, in case she needed him; an opportunity to work with animals, even if they were a little different from the horses he was accustomed to.
But a little different turned out to be quite the understatement. Horses were big, noble creatures: confident enough in their own physicality to not be spooked too easily when one of those skinny, two-legged human creatures showed up; and easy enough to subdue with the right body language, and the right handful of food. These Okomo were something else entirely. They were certainly big; but their manner was different. They were quick. Nimble. Unpredictable; at least as far as Zhol understood them.
Worse, unlike the horses back in Wind Reach, the Okomo were viewed with a sense of reverence; a divine gift to the people of Lhavit. Zhol understood reverence for magical creatures; but the striders of Endrykas were intelligent and understanding, and so were the wind eagles of the Inarta, though his dealings with those had been few and far between. These dumb stupid Okomo were a nightmare; and here he was helping to care for a whole herd of them, left to roam free and do as they pleased.
Zhol's footsteps were heavy as he trudged off after the Okomo that was supposed to be keeping his eyes on. The creature had been injured last season; nothing serious, but enough to earn it a little extra care and attention. He grunted as he retrieved the blanket and slung it over his shoulder. A horse would have been grateful for the little extra layer of warmth that Zhol was trying to offer.
"Stupid Okomo," he muttered again, his hands settling on his hips as he stood in place, scanning the herd and catching his breath. He watched his quarry lolloping even further away. Another sigh. "At least your leg looks like it's healing," he mused, a desperate attempt at consolation.
"Nari" | "Common" | "Pavi"
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