Location: Sea of Grass
The buckskin Cyphrus Strider pawed at the shallow layer of snow, clearing a patch of moist grasses. The small herd of antelope ignored the horse and, for the moment, her cloaked rider, who crouched some distance away among a clump of squat, scraggly bushes.
The man carefully observed each animal in the herd. The slight, chilled breeze stirred the twin thin braids hanging on either side of his face, carrying his scent away from the grazing beasts. Gold-flecked brown eyes settled on a young doe, one without a calf. Vanator sucked in a draft of the cold air, leaving a burning sensation in his throat and lungs that seemed to sharpen his alertness, awaken his battery of senses. The sun peaked out from a shred in the blanket of clouds overhead, causing him to squint as the brilliant rays reflected off the snow.
Readying the bow in his hand, a long arrow already set to the string, Vanator waited motionless. He glanced towards Backlash, the mare seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. But she knew what was to come, and was herself only waiting her cue.
As the hole in the sky began to close, the irises of the antelope in their moment of adjustment, Vanator stood and released his arrow. His sudden appearance startled the small herd, the animals bolting in every direction. The Drykas arrow struck its target, but not through the chest or neck as intended. The shaft struck the doe's thigh, and she darted off.
Backlash was already at Vanator's side, sliding to a halt long enough for the man to grab the yvas and leap onto the her back, then they were off after their prey. The horse and rider quickly matched pace with the wounded antelope. The animal's ability to quickly shift direction was hindered by her wound, and the steed managed to recover from the sudden course changes instantly.
Vanator reached behind him to pull the battle axe from its harness. he urged Backlash forward with his heels, until the mare was able to get him next to the animal for a moment. Vanator leaned out and brought the heavy ax blade down on the antelope's neck mid-stride, causing it to stumble and somersault several times before skidding to a bloody halt in the snow.
The Drykas brought his mount to a slow walk and leaned down to lay across her neck, patting her and whispering his gratitude for her stellar service. The battle ax was not a hunting weapon, but Vanator had spent more time learning how to fight with it and how to use webbing than on archery practice. It did tend to mangle some of the animal, reducing its usefulness. Because he could not always make a killing shot, ocassionaly he had to resort to chasing down his prey, or waiting for it to bleed out and drop. Backlash did not seem to mind the chase at all, snorting billows of steam from her nostrils and shaking her long dark mane.
Vanator dismounted and leaned over the doe's carcass, whispering a prayer of thanks to Caiyha for giving him one of her own. The hunt was a welcome distraction. He had traveled with his father and several other men of the pavilion to a clan meeting. The business was routine and the visit enjoyable. But, as usual, his father (no doubt at his mother's coaxing) had managed to arrange for him to accompany Kaila, an attractive and very eligible daughter from a neighboring pavilion, to the feast. Vanator tolerated his parent's matchmaking, understandably aware of their concern for his happiness and the well being of the Pavilion. The death of his wife almost five years earlier had dealt teh Anka'ls heir a devastating blow and was only the first of several events that would shake the family's morale.
So Vanator amused his father, and in fact found his feast date to be very intelligent and entertaining. She was well aware of the machinations behind their pairing, which the both of them found rather amusing. There was no doubt she would make a fine wife, and Vanator cataloged her away in his mental collection of potential mates, to recall when he felt ready to start again. He had told his father and company to head home without him, under the pretense that he was going to visit Kaila before he departed. Though he did spend time with the woman, he really wanted to travel home alone, to enjoy the open spaces and maybe a hunt before returning to the pavilion.
Vanator grabbed the doe by the hind feet and hoisted it up, allowing the rest of the blood to drain from the massive gash in its neck, then he prepared to strap it to Backlash.
