Not Quite What I had in Mind (Solo)

[Colt]

Fall 78th, 511 What a lovely place was the first thing that rang through Khasr’s mind when he saw Hunter’s Allegiance. Despite being a clan headquarters, the place wasn’t as crowded as he would have presumed. The actual area in front of the pavilion had a decent amount of occupants; old hunters telling stories to children, young hunters trying to impress each other, groups of hunters haggling with each other, and dous of hunters trading knowledge. There was even a line of targets for practice, though the only people using them was a youth that looked to be in his teens and obviously had no idea what he was doing, and a woman with a shortbow that was so good it looked like she was practicing out of boredom more than real need. Khasr didn’t want to train right now. He just wanted to walk and look at all the wonderful things around him. How could he have been so blind as to have missed something like this?

[Colt]

“Haven’t seen you here before.” Khasr nearly jumped a foot in the air, eliciting a booming laugh. “Good Zulrav, boy, don’t be so tight,” said the great hulk of a man that had spoken. He looked tall enough to knock his head on the top of the pavilion. He had wild blonde hair, rough stubble on his chin, and a twinkle in his eyes. A mottled scar danced down his jaw and some of his neck, he had two antelope slung over his shoulders like they were hares, and an absolutely monstrous longbow was at his back. Khasr was immediately given the impression of a bear. “Ah, don’t let my looks unnerve ya. I don’t mean no one no harm, and that won’t change anytime soon.” He shifted both creatures to the same shoulder and stuck out a hand. “Shanden Greatclaw. Ruby Clansman.” Khasr hesitantly clasped it with his own. “Khasr Windheel. Emerald Clansman.” “Never seen you round here.” “Never been around here.” “Well then that would explain it,” Shanden said with a grin. “Does that mean this is your first time?” Khasr nodded, and the man threw open his free arm in a wide gesture. “Then welcome! It’s a good place to be. Good stories, good people, good laughs, good leisure. Whatcha doing here?” “Well,” Khasr shifted his feet. “Nothing, really. Just came to look.” “Looking at a bunch of hunters is about as good as looking at a bunch of zibri. You can do it as much as you want, but it don’t teach you nothing.” “Probably.” “Hey, I happen to have a need for another set of hands. If you lend me yours I’ll teach you how to use ‘em. You game? “Uh…” “Good!” Khasr was given no time to reply or respond as Shanden swooped behind him, thankfully not touching him, and herding him away from Hunter’s Rest.

[Colt]

“If you haven’t been to Hunter’s Allegiance, I’m betting you haven’t been here.” “No,” Khasr agreed. “This is Hunter’s Rest, all yer hunt needs but counted under the Diamond Clan fer some reason.” “Okay.” “Yer not very talkative.” “I am not.” Shanden gave him an odd look, then shrugged and continued to wherever in Cyphrus it was he was going. They were in a large space in the center of a semicircle of pavilions, one half displaying Emerald colors and the other Diamond. It smelled… strange. “This way,” Shanden said, gesturing to what seemed to be ten feet or so of racks. Khasr vaguely wondered what the man had in mind, but remained silent. After all, if it was something he didn’t like then he didn’t have to do it. “Here.” Khasr was fallen on by an antelope. He managed to catch it before it fell to the ground, and Shanden made a sound that might have been a chuckle or a growl. Not caring to find out, Khasr simply watched as the mountain of a man knelt by his antelope. He halted, then looked up at the boy. “Ya got a knife, right?” Khasr nodded. “Take it outta wherever ya got it.” He did so. “Good. Now take one o’ the hind legs… no, not there, there. Good. Now, feel around the joint. There should be two lumps.” Khasr nodded when he felt them, and Shanden poked them on his own antelope. “Make a hole between those two lumps.” It was difficult, but Khasr complied. “Now, take this…” Khasr dodged a flying knot of rope. “… and tie it to a rack like this.” Shanden hoisted his deer and threaded two length of rope through the holes and tied the creature to the rack, then helped Khasr untangle his own clump and do the same. When they were done and the antelope was all but nailed to the rack, the mass of a man picked his knife back up and pointed to his deer’s stomach. “The cuttin’ isn’t all that hard,” he said, tracing lines down its stomach and the insides of its legs and neck. “Actually, the hair makes a few lines for ya to follow. Go on, make some cuts.” Shanden demonstrated, and Khasr followed suit. He was much better with a knife than with rope, and the cuts came easier than anything else had. “There. Now just pull at the skin and it’ll come off. See that thin muscle on the skin? Leave that on. No one really eats it, but it’s easier to pull it off now and then get rid of it later. And look at the meat under it, too. See how it’s all together? There’s nowhere for flies to get at it. I mean, if you leave it in the open it’ll spoil, but take care of it and it’ll keep a good while. If ya get to a tough spot just loosen it with a thumb or something, but don’t use yer knife or ye’ll set is full of holes.”

[Colt]

There was a sucking sound as the last of the hide pulled free, and Khasr stumbled back a step or two. Shanden laughed. “There ya go! Good job!” Khasr couldn’t feel his hands, and he was sure he smelled less than pleasant. He looked at the skin in his arms blankly. Shanden had finished his own antelope about an hour earlier, and the sun was beginning to set by the time he was handed a wet skin by an even wetter boy. “Thanks, kid,” he said, digging in his pocket for something. “Here.” The man had a habit of throwing things when handing them would suffice, and now was no exception. Something small hit Khasr in the chest and fell to the ground. He bent stiffly and picked up a grimy silver miza, then turned and gave his large companion a quizzical look. “I needed help, and these people’d’ve charged me three,” he said, gesturing to the surrounding crowd and winking. Khasr stared back without intelligence, earning another chuckle. “Now that ya reek and can’t feel you’re fingers, I’m done here. See ya ‘round, kid, and try not to forget everything as soon as I leave.” And with that, the great man departed, and Khasr was left standing blankly, wondering what had just happened to him. End

[Lariat]

Khasr

Experience:

Skinning: 2 xp

Lores:

Where to make the holes in a antelope for hanging it
Follow the lines in the fur when skinning
Technique: Peeling back the skin with aid of thumb

Comments

I'm sorry for taking so long to grade this. I gave what I thought was applicable and have to say I fairly enjoyed the little intermission between you and the other man. Feel free to add the silver miza to your ledger though if you want more points in the future I must recommend adding more detail to your posts like describing just exactly where you are cutting the animal, and dealing with some knots in the animal's hide with your thumb as you had shown with the npc. If you want points in tanning, you'll have to put the hide through treatment and such. If you have any questions about how I graded or think I missed something feel free to send me a pm.