Season of Spring, Day 45, 505 AV
Zenai galloped through the Sanikas Gates, almost trampling the Deks going down to tend to the rice paddies for the next winter. Curses were shouted at him but the Yasi ignored them. Zenai was glad for the chance to get out of Wind Reach since he got tired of being coop up in city itself for the entirety of winter as well as the days before and after the cold season. The first chance he gets, he rode out with his horse along armed his composite short bow to hunt game down in the valley. Surely they would be glad for Zenai to bring back any game he could hunt down, and Zenai himself would be glad to get out and stretched his limbs and muscle. His horse was also being restless for being cooped up in the stables for so long as well. Zenai also packed his camping gear just in case he needed to stay for more than a day. Then there’s Vicky, the magpie he was responsible to care for. Vicky was Zenai’s spotter or so he declared and hoped. He just wanted to get out of Wind Reach and breathed the fresh spring air. The sun was up and it gave Zenai warmth.
They rode down from Wind Reach and headed towards the valley where most of the hunting is done and the game is plentiful. He kept in mind that he was alone and would need to keep an eye out for opportunistic predators such as bears or wolves. Not armed with any fangs and claws of his own, he has his talon swords with him for self-defense in addition to his composite short bow. He could also depend on his horse’s speed to outrun any would-be attackers while Zenai would fire from his composite short bow at any pursuers. He kept to the roads if possible but eventually, he needed to gallop through the glades and forests to reach the hunting grounds. He arrived by evening and slept through the night until morning.
He decided to start the day with a bit of morning stretches before a long day of hunting. Vicky decided to join in as well, doing some kind of bird aerobics. It looks more like flapping and hopping about to Zenai’s eyes but he appreciates the enthusiasm. He cleaned up his campsite before packing it up on his horse and mounting it. He rode towards one the clearer areas of the valley where his horse could take advantage of the flat topography and hopefully, keep up with whatever game that were out there. Zenai had his horse galloped to one of higher grounds where he can scan the outlying area for any potential pray he can run down.
“Keep an eye out, Vicky, for anything to hunt or run away from.” Vicky chirped as if the magpie understood what Zenai was talking about. He didn’t mind, he needed the company and Vicky has proven herself a listener. Green, green and more green; Zenai thought the animals would be out by now, hungry from their hibernation. Zenai wondered about the merits of hunting them now when they’re hungry and skinny. Perhaps it was a bad idea just to be out here alone. Zenai dismissed the notion; he was a capable person all by himself. He can do this and bring something respectable back. It was then Zenai had spied something coming out of the forest. He observed it for a while before judging it was a deer grazing on the grasses below him; his first catch of the day if he could catch it.
Zenai bade his horse to head towards the tree line where Zenai hope to advance stealthily before going full gallop to chase the deer and finally shoot it with his composite short bow. He trotted quietly so he wouldn’t alert the deer to his presence. He also got his bow out and nocked an arrow just in case. When they reached the tree line, he then skirted within the edges by the shadows of the trees so he would be clocked from the deer’s eye sight. Zenai’s horse neighed but he quickly hushed the horse. The deer brought its ears up and looked around for the would-be predators. Zenai commanded his horse to stop and waited for the deer to go back to its business of grazing. For a few tense seconds, he thought the deer would have spotted them and fled. Thank Eywatt that the deer stuck around and continued grazing on the grasses. Zenai continued his advance until he got into a position not too close that the deer could easily sense them but near enough that he had a good chance of keeping a good close distance with the deer as they have chase to it. Zenai got his bow and arrow ready, his sweaty palm squeezing the bow.
