[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

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Stretching northward along the coastline of the Suvan Sea, the Cobalt Mountains are the home of the Bronze Wood, numerous ruins, and creatures both strange and fantastical.

[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Abashai on March 12th, 2010, 2:12 pm

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Timestamp: 2nd of Spring, 510 AV
Location: Bronze Wood
Tag: Nya, Kamalia, Gromhir


Winter was slow to retreat from the Bronze Woods, its chill lingering still in the slight early morning breeze. The Sky was gray, visible through the layered, tall canopy of thick bare limbs. Most of the buds that studded the branches in Spring had yet to sprout. A recent rain had left things soft, and the moist heavy air was permeated with the scent of flora coming to life and the sound of songbirds returning from migration, all promises that one season would surely yield to the next.

The spongy earth held its secrets, as the bonded pair discovered. Nya paused, indicating to Abashai with a glance the large, cloven hoof print in the mud. As the Talderian Forest Cat sniffed at it, the Benshira marveled at its size, much larger than even any bovine print he had ever seen. rasing from his crouch, he surveyed the forest surrounding them, trying to imagine the true scale of the beast they hunted.

The truth was, Nya had no need for Abashai when it came to hunting. The Kelvic was built to bring down prey, and the two of them had never gone without fresh meat to eat. The man was a liability if anything. He stunk of human, could not move stealthily, and lacked the keen senses of his mate. But if he stood still, he had a good chance to take down game with his bow. They had lined Abashai's quiver and bow case with fur, and padded his leather harness to minimize his creaking leather and clinking metal.

Hunts like this one, together, had become a rare but enjoyable experience for them both. They had worked out a scheme when hunting the wild boars for the Mid Winter Fire Festival, where Nya would agitate the creatures and as she lead them in a chase past the hiding Abashai, who picked them off with heavy arrows. It ended up being a grand time.

But the quarry this day was a true prize. Nya and Abashai had planned to leave home to begin their journey when the forest cat caught the scent of a Talderian Bull Elk. To find such a beast this far into Syliras was unheard of, Nya had assured her mate. The opportunity was too tempting to ignore. To have such a beast roaming her territory while she was gone would never do. Though he would not assume to invite himself on one of her hunts, Abashai was excited when Nya asked him to join her.

With a slight reach, he stretched to casually scratch behind Nya's ear. He loved to touch her, to maintain contact with his mate. But he limited his affections while on the hunt, not wanting to distract her from her focus on their prey. Leaning towards her glossy dark head, he whispered in a breathy hush, "Where do you think he is headed?"
Last edited by Abashai on March 16th, 2010, 7:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: [Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Nya Winters on March 12th, 2010, 5:37 pm

Truth be told she had no idea where the bull was headed. For all she knew he was kelvic too. Hunting was serious business. She didn't like questions. She didn't like unknowns. She didn't like Shai being out there with her. And she truthfully didn't like hunting anything Talderian outside of Talderia because the trees in the Bronze Wood were puny in comparison and the forest cat rarely found one big enough for her to climb, which was where her advantage would lie when it came to an elk. Had she wore bare skin instead of molted fur, one could see the nasty scars that crisscrossed her body. Most had come from her youth when she'd tangled with such a creature emboldened and stupidly thinking herself queen of the wilds around Lormar Tower. It'd only taken one bull, a wise old thing who smelled a rat when he saw one, to knock some sense in her and put her in bed for weeks afterwards.

But Nya kept a close watch on her emotions, all but locking them completely away. She was getting better at it, not because she wanted to hide things from Shai, but because she knew he was blind to things when it came to her. Nya didn't want him to know she was afraid to hunt the elk. He'd seemed excited by the prospect, but there was so much game in the Bronze Wood that was so much easier to take, it made little sense to mess with what she considered one of the most deadliest ungulates around. It wasn't like chasing the powercube where they felt they had too because Zulrav asked it. No, this was foolish and stupid, but she couldn't let him know she felt that way. She could feel his excitement, his masculine desire to hunt something so challenging it set his blood racing and his adrenaline rushing. He was aroused in a new way that she could sense clearly and it took her several moments to understand it was the thrill of the hunt.

And she was ashamed of her fear. It was just another thing she had been ashamed of lately which had caused her to become more and more skilled at hiding things from Shai. Spending more and more time in fur rather than bare skin had alleviated some of her anxiety, but each time she passed a silvered piece of glass or a quiet reflective pool of water, Nya saw it. Elongated teeth, glowing green eyes with vertically slit pupils that stared out of a face that appeared more and more feral. Harshly feral - inhuman - terrifying. There was no childlike softeness no startling beauty of a woman grown into her skin like Nya had seen before she bonded then mated. Instead, there was a monster peering back that tended to haunt her desire to be fully human and make her turn her face away from Shai more and more often, afraid he'd be frightened by it. She wondered if it wasn't some sort of reminder from the ghost of Marcus Kevlic that she was a slave and nothing more - a duty bound pet tricked into serving willingly for life because of a magical bond that forged between herself and the one she served.

And so she hid her appearance in the same place she hid her fear. She was not stronger than a Talderian Elk... but by a long shot.. and not especially a bull. And even though Shai had weapons, she wasn't even sure they'd help. All she could remember was the stupidity of fighting that bull and the pain of laying in bed for days unable to shift as her mother used all her skills for Nya to be able to keep her leg. It had been close.

And as for telling Shai she didn't want the beast roaming her territory while she was gone, that was only half a truth. She didn't want it hurting anyone else while she was gone, especially the other creatures or the trees. Talderian Elk were notoriously destructive, especially the bulls, because the scent marked on trees everywhere and shed the velvet of their antlers by rubbing vigorously on the bark to strip the itchy stuff off the solid bone beneath. If it stayed in the area and didn't move on, it would make a mess of the area around the cave - hurt hunters - hurt other animals - destroy game trails - and any number of things that were upsetting to Nya. But still... it wasn't truly safe to hunt.

Shai assumed that one all on his own for all that he'd seen the shape and depth of Nya's scars - ran his hands over them - knew them intimately. So she put on her bravest boldest stupidest face and set out to track it. Maybe they wouldn't even have to get close. Maybe Shai could fire an arrow through its eye or something and kill it before anyone had to contact it face to face. Boars were easier. Normal elk were easier. Mice were a lot less work and a lot more filling and fun. Anything was better than this... anything. But she'd do it for Shai and go to make sure the elk didn't hurt him for she was well aware that it could.
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Re: [Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Kamalia Timandre on March 13th, 2010, 7:47 pm

It was a marvelous thing to watch, how the frozen earth awakened to fling off its silver mantle of snow, returning the verdant glamour of the forests in the advent of Spring. Winter was slow to retreat indeed, but her measured departure nonetheless sparked a glimmer of hope to those who had long awaited the gentle kiss of Tivaku. In time, Caiyha would enfold the world in her verdurous embrace, and the paradise would once again be fraught with the promises of blossoming flowers and gentle tinkling streams.

Kamalia and Gromhir had slept through the night before underneath the moon and an ocean of stars. The konti had not done this for a long while, preferring the comfort and security that stone walls offered. Since her exile, she had long forgotten how to dream beneath the moonlight, to laugh and sing and dance by the firelight, and to sleep under the majesty of the black sapphire night sky. She had long forgotten the tranquil joy and profound contentment that she used to feel whenever she dove into the depths of slumber and dreams amidst a star-drenched clearing. Her memories in the Konti Isle, the peace and sanctuary that the Silverwood once offered so freely, and the faint, poignant scent of seer’s lilies in the rain—all these seemed to have become a thing of the past, fragments that had been flung beyond the moon, and turned into stars. It had not been too long ago since she had been exiled from the White Isle, but it seemed ages ago now, and everything about her homeland seemed so out of reach, so far away.

This morning, those memories and emotions returned to her in a deluge. Kamalia relished the peace and quiescence provided by the Bronze Woods. The girl felt happy and content. Once again, Kamalia felt alive. Gromhir would feel this through their bond, would see the vibrancy and the passion for life back in her eyes.

Even the air! The air was alive, and it whirled about her in an exuberant rush, carrying with it a hundred green scents and floral fragrances. Kamalia stretched her arms wide and lifted her face to the dancing wind. She resisted, just barely, the temptation to toss off her clothing and let the capricious breezes play over her skin. The sounds that the winds brought her were just as exotic as the scent, and as enticing. She heard the whispering of the trees and rustling of leaves, the rhapsody of the songbirds against a chorus of repetitive, grating croaks.

Unlike in the Silverwood, everything about them burst with colours, bright and vivid in the morning light. A recent rainfall made the forest all the more softer and ethereal. Green was an uncommon colour back in the Silverwood, but here there were so many varieties of green that a single word did not begin to cover all the shades and nuances.

The pair wandered deeper into the grove, touching this tree and that, exploring the scents and textures and flowers of the forest. Then, with a soft cry of delight, she bent up to pick a small, familiar object. It was an acorn, gilded and golden. Back in the Konti Isle, acorns were white and silver. She pocketed this new treasure, and flashed a broad smile at the hulking ivaski that walked beside her.

Suddenly, something caught her eye—tracks upon the damp soil. Kamalia and Gromhir had hunted aplenty before back in the Konti Isle and at times, in the Bronze Woods, yet never had she encountered tracks this huge. Those hoof prints were simply the largest tracks she had seen, more rounded than moose or deer tracks, and the spacing of the toes were closer at the back than at the tip.

Curious, Kamalia crept through the too-green plants and knelt beside the tracks. She scraped together a handful of damp soil and held it tightly in her hand. The seer closed her eyes, and as she had hoped, a vision began to flood her mind. In the vision she vividly saw a deer-like creature—a huge one at that—that passed through this forest trail. What she saw was the shadow of this soil’s memory, nothing more. Then as quickly as it came, the vision faded.

Kamalia cast away the handful of soil and rose to her feet. “Now that would be big enough to warm our stomachs for an entire month," the konti grinned at the kelvic.
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Gromhir on April 5th, 2010, 10:23 am

Gromhir hadn’t really slept that night. But he wouldn’t mention that to Kamalia. He knew the dangers that the woods possessed. He had wandered them, almost alone, for the better part of four seasons on and off. But the Kelvic needed little sleep. A few bells of rest and he was ready to go again. It was not like winter where he preferred more sleep during the colder months.

It was the new life that burst around them. It filled him with hope. Maybe he’d see her again? It was always a hope in his mind. The way she brought life with her very footsteps, it filled him with joy at the memory. But there was something else that made him even happier. Kamalia. Life had returned to her eyes once more. The hollow shell that had taken the place of his bondmate had filled with life once more. He could see it in the way she moved. It shined in her violet eyes. He could feel it through their arcane link.

She could feel it too. He mirrored her emotions so perfectly. They intertwined and blazed like fire. Bright and luminous. Everything about the world seemed right. He had endured Nature’s tests and she was rewarding him, he knew it. The soft feel of the damp soil beneath his bare feet, the multitude of vibrant scents in the air and the brilliant colours that flashed all around them. This was home, truly home. There was a spring in his step as there was his companion’s. One would think they were lovers, young and beautiful. Unblemished by the hardships of the world, though that could not be further from the truth.

But it was not a thought he wished to dwell on. He caught the scent before Kamalia spotted the huge prints in the ground. It was huge. He didn’t need a vision to know what had made these tracks. The Kelvic knelt beside her as she spoke and smiled. “You think the stag will be easy to take down?” Gromhir asked. Gromhir remembered the last time he had fought a stag on the White Isle. It had not ended successfully. Although he had not been hunting it, he had still tried to and that was a mistake.

“Stags are more dangerous than you give them credit for,” Gromhir brushed two fingers round the print in the soft ground. “Especially one this large. His hide will be tough. His antlers will be sharp and his reach will be far greater than my own. Ideally, we would need some help taking such a beast down.” He looked at the Nature around them before his gaze fell to Kamalia.

Moments before his body burst into light, she could see the feral glint overtake and transform his eyes. Canine’s lengthened in his mouth. Huge paws spread outwards from his hands and feet. The Kelvic man tripled in size as he took the form of the huge Ivaski. But even he was small compared to the prey they sought. “Let us see if we can find this beast.”
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Abashai on April 6th, 2010, 12:03 pm

Abashai sucked in a lungful of the cool, pungent air. Relishing the rich scent of the living forest. Nya was right, her bondmate was feeling a rush. The deep instinct of the hunt churned a thrill that stoked his pulse.

He watched Nya study the print, then raise her head to test the air herself. She did not answer him right away. In fact, Nya had been rather quiet. Since they had set out after the giant elk, Nya had remained in her forest cat form most of the time. The mood and thoughts of his Kelvic mate were more difficult to discern without the benefit of human expression, but their bond still hinted at her disposition, and her feline eyes could still reveal some unspoken emotion.

As Nya paused, Abashai detected an echo of hesitation. He had attributed her somber behavior to the focused concentration of the predator. He knew this was no simple hunt. Before they left, Nya had reminded him of the danger of pursuing this quarry, even as his fingers had traced the large scar that marred the smooth skin of her thigh. It was a permanent testimony to Nya's last encounter with a Talederian bull elk.

But something subtle about Nya's movements, a fleeting darkness in her vibrant green eyes, hinted that there was more stirring in her thoughts. Abashai let it lay for now. After all, hers was the mind of a primal hunter, and who was he to question her on the hunt.

Abashai shifted the straps of his leather battle harness to until it was more comfortable. The harness held his quiver to his back. Underneath it was the tulwar they had taken from the Ebonstryfe soldiers, the curved handle jutting up over his right shoulder. He did not think he would need such a weapon, but Abashai wanted to be prepared, and the broad, curved blade of the singled-edge sword was slightly lighter than the khopesh.

After a long moment, Nya met his gaze again. Even without words, the cat had made it clear she had not yet picked up their prey's scent. With bow in one hand, Abashai reached out with the other to give Nya a stroke on the head before continuing their trek in the direction the elk's print indicated.
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Nya Winters on April 12th, 2010, 9:45 am

Nya looked thoughtful as she started tracking across the earth, scenting the ground and drinking in the odors. There was nothing but Talderian Elk on the ground and an occasional squirrel or old deer scent. But in the air there was something more. Nya noted multiple scents - a man, a dog maybe, and someone female. There were more people ahead of them - nearer the deer.

Nya swiveled her head, growled softly, and padded forward setting out and leading Abashai along the tracks. The forest was beautiful to her, though she knew that beauty could turn deadly in an instant. Small plants sprung up through the fallen pine needles, struggling for survival in the speckled light filtered through the crowns of the evergreens they traveled beneath. As she moved out she shifted, loosing the cat form in a shimmer of lights. Sunlight trickled through the trees, patterning her pale skin and brindled hair with similar designs to the duff they tracked across. "It's not far. I can still smell it Shai. There's others here as well. Maybe three. One's female - like Matilda I think - and a dog and a man. They are closer to the elk. Unless they are heavily armed, they won't be enough to take it." She said simply, knowing that Shai's excitement would not be turned from the hunt.

Nya threaded carefully through the forbes springing up beneath the bronze giants. She always did, moving delicately on her bare human feet avoiding crushing tender trillion and rarer orchid as she paid homage to the large trees by leaving no trace of her passing. Even as a human she growled worriedly and Shai could tell she was nervous. A scar on her shoulder from a zith attack stood out, as too did the long gash the length of her body. She was completely unconscious of her nudity as she flowed forward, slowly hunting the creature.

"Are you ready? With arrows? You don't want to get close. But I can draw it nearer if you want to ambush it. I do not know about the others and what they are doing... but You do not want it to get too close without being up high out of its reach. They are easily made mean, enraged, and this one already smells angry. Be careful Shai - they can be horrible. I mean really horrible. Last time I hunted one it almost killed me. But it should not be here. It will hurt others who think its easy prey." She admitted, waiting for him to respond before she shifted back.

Nya didn't mind being truthful to Shai, but she didn't want to come across as a coward either. When he was ready to continue forward and they were done planning their next moves, she'd take her forest cat shape again... and hunt.
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Kamalia Timandre on April 18th, 2010, 3:29 pm

The emerald trails muted the footfalls of the pair underneath a bedspread of fallen leaves and fresh sprouts. It was just as well that they tread quietly, for while Kamalia knew the dangers the forest posed, Silverwood had rarely posed such dire challenges to the konti women. The Bronze Wood was considerably more treacherous, not only because of the creatures that lurked within, but also for the threat of bandits and slavers looming like a portent of doom over the forest. Even worse, Kamalia did not truly understand what they were coming after, nor of the ferocity which an adult Talderian bull elk truly possessed. The last time they had hunted together, it was a swift chase and an even quicker kill, with her spell-conjured ice daggers finding themselves embedded deep into her target’s sides, her magicks growing all the more lethal with each hunt.

Perhaps it would take even more than her frost magic to immobilize the powerful mountain of sinews and tough hide that embraced the creature’s body. Nonetheless, she carried herself with readiness and confidence, certain that with their combined efforts, nothing could be too difficult to handle. After all, the konti wizard and the ivaski-kelvic had faced several dangers together, from lake monsters, to landspawns, to sorcerous castles, and to filthy slavers. She nodded smilingly at Gromhir’s warning, and through their bond, he would find out that it was not the Talderian elk that she feared, but her arcane ailment. “The Opal Temple has lorebooks fat with tales of Talderian creatures afflicted with gigantism. I had always imagined how imposing and majestic a silverwood deer or a calivari would look like if it were thrice as large."

Her gaze once more fell upon the kelvic as he burst into a multitude of lights and reformed into an enormous ivaski, and contentedly observed as he tried to detect invisible marked scent that undoubtedly perfumed the air. A smile crept up her lips as she reminisced on the last time they had been together in such a thrilling endeavour. It had come with a feeling which started as curiosity, progressed into interest, then finally to exaltation on the moment of their tiny victory over nature.

And it came to her senses, the thrill of a new discovery, the verdurous beauty of spring and the whimsical happiness welling inside. It was truly for times like these with him that she lived and breathed. She kept walking in silence, letting the music of the forest warble their hum in her ears, depending more on her faithful guardian’s natural instincts and senses rather than her own.

The konti’s almond shaped eyes gleamed twilit violet at the daystar’s touch, glinting with a restless intelligence and the prospect of adventure ahead. White hair streaked with silver strands cascaded to her waist and danced to the wind like captured nimbus. "We don’t need to fight this creature if you think it’s too dangerous," she said calmly. After all, the magical addiction spelled more danger, but that was left unsaid.
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Gromhir on April 19th, 2010, 9:00 am

Gromhir could safely say he did not like the prospect of giant White Isle Stags. Not after the last time he had fought one. They were neither as large nor strong as a Talderian Bull but they were nimble and their antlers were like blades. Gromhir had received more than a few nicks from those creatures. Not that Kamalia knew, he had visited the Opal Healers before he had returned to her. He did not want her worrying. She had enough on her plate with her magic at that point in time.

He knew what she meant by dangerous. Kamalia was in fact, not referring to the Elk at all. The massive Ivaski looked back at her. Those feral canine eyes gleamed with an intelligence that was possibly even greater than his companion’s. The canine never spoke but Kamalia got the feeling that he wanted to continue regardless of the dangers presented. Maybe it was a good thing to stretch her magical muscles as she had suggested the mere morn before. But it was not just that. Much like the pair that lagged a short ways behind them, the Kelvic could see and feel the want to hunt the creature in his bondmate.

Kamalia felt alive and happy. Despite his worry for her, he could not deny her what he felt every time he hunted also. It was the same feeling. Being at one with Nature, being focused on one singular goal. There was nothing greater than that feeling. No, he would stand by her. He needed her in this as much as she needed him. They were so close now anyway. He could smell its sweat, the heat on its breath almost.

He could smell cat. It wasn’t too far behind either. It had humans with it too. Two humans, to be precise. Another hunting party maybe? “Company.” Gromhir’s voice rang in Kamalia’s head, ethereally as he turned from the tracks of the Elk to the new scents travelling towards them. What if this party was hunting them and not the Elk? Gromhir moved in front of Kamalia, protecting her with his body as he waited. They were not far behind.
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Abashai on April 24th, 2010, 12:58 pm

Other? He glanced at Nya, now in her human guise, then out through the forest in the direction the beast's tracks had lead them, as if he might catch a glimpse of their Talderian prey through the giant pillars of bronze colored trunks.

Of course hunters were not uncommon in the woods, though less so since the stories of killings by a dangerous dire forest cat began last Fall. But a Konti was unusual. Whomever they were, if Nya was right, and when it came to matters of her territory she always was, they needed to catch up with them.

Abashai followed his mate, her lithe, nude form padding carefully through the delicate underbrush as she tracked the great elk. Nya appeared as much a natural element of the woods as the forest cat did.

When she paused to instruct him to prepare for the encounter, Abashai pulled an arrow from his quiver and set it to the bow, his adrenaline surging. He listened carefully to his bondmate, relying heavily on her experience and instincts. It was then he noted the trepidation that Nya had kept hidden from the bond. In her human form, Abashai could easily read the concern in her features, the sobriety in her piercing green eyes.

Nya's mate weighed her words carefully. She was no coward, Shai knew. In fact, she was the bravest sole he knew, especially in her natural habitat. But the forest cat was exceptionally wise in the same arena, and he took her words to heart. They did not, however, quell the primal excitement churning in his gut, the thrill of facing such a perilous creature.

"I don't want to be separated from you, if it is that dangerous, I am not going to hide in safety while you taunt it." Though he considered Nya's admonitions with all seriousness, Abashai still did not fully appreciate the beast they hunted. After all, he had slain two desert tsanas, great monsters of his homeland, even before he had the gift of ennervation from Yahal. In fact, that very feat had earned him the mark from the god that gave him that gnosis power.

But he would not disregard Nya's advice, for this was her world. "I will stay at a safe distance Nya, but I do not want you too close either. If the other hunters arrive first, then we may have to rethink our plans anyway." Something inside him, irrational and base, whispered a hope that he would have a chance to engage the prey with his blade.
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[Bronze Woods] Hunting Party (Private)

Postby Nya Winters on June 3rd, 2010, 7:30 pm

ImageNya nodded. She carefully stripped down out of her clothing, and tucked her bag into the crook of a tree after replacing the things inside it. Part of her wanted to please Abashai and he definitely wanted to hunt the creature. He wanted to hack it to bits with his sword, and so she'd give him the opportunity to do that. But she'd still have to keep it distracted enough to not harm her bondmate. It was a tough one, but something she should be able to figure out how to do.

"Be ready." Was all she said before she shifted.

Besides, she was larger now, not nearly the awkward kitten she'd been when she'd first fought the elk of Taldera. Shifting, Nya left Shai (despite what he said) to himself because the tree she'd stashed her stuff in would make a great archers stand if he'd only climb it and wait. She cut off through the trees at a lope, disappearing from his sight. Moments later, after an angry bugle and the squall of a forest cat, Nya came charging back.

The bull elk was right on her tail. It was mad too... really mad. And if Shai took note, he'd see why. Angry score marks dragged down its flanks, roughly in the shape of cat claws. She'd probably bellied up to it quickly, pounced, bitten above the creatures tail, and then got thrown off for her trouble. The monster was huge. Normal elk could be quartered and carried on horseback if the meat was split up four ways. This one, however, would perhaps take eight or ten horses, if not more, to carry the meat out. It's rack was enormous, and even though it ran with the horns laid back over its head and its nose in the sky, it was still formidable.

Nya was barely ahead of it, her giant claws tearing at the soil and duff of the trees, trying to bring the bull straight to Shai and yet not on top of him. But she wasn't as fast as a mad bull elk. Nya's forest cat body was too bulky and a lot less flexible than her smaller cousins. It'd have her, completely, if he didn't get a good shot or two off.

And then there were the other hunters. Where were they?

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Nya Winters
Let the winds in my heart blow...
 
Posts: 750
Words: 784686
Joined roleplay: June 7th, 2009, 6:53 am
Location: Syka
Race: Kelvic
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Medals: 5
Trailblazer (1) Never Say Die (1)
Donor (1) 2017 Mizahar NaNo Winner (1)
2017 Top NaNo Word Count (1)

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