Quzon revelled in the deep shadows of the night, in part due to his improved night vision of being half-isur. However, he also enjoyed the quiet and stillness that came with the night. The previous day was stifling; a harsh march of a war party cutting its way through the jungle. Caiyha’s domain dangerous and encroaching, constantly swallowing the land with life chocking it with its very vegetation. The pitiless, dry heat of the jungle during the day given a voice by the twittering of the birds turning the jungle into a leafy asylum.
Despite it all, Quzon loved the jungle, and he respected its dangers with a healthy amount of cautioning. It was why he could never truly see him self living in the kingdom of his isur father. However, nature at night was quiet, far too quiet. Birds were barely singing, prey animals hid in the dense foliage of the night, and predators stalked in shadows. The only real songs of activity were the insects with their distinct sounds.
From the edge of his peripheral vision Quzon could sense the form of a tall, dour-face woman standing next to him. The Myrian woman wrapped in a black cloak which served to hide any of her bodies distinguishing features allowing her to blend in with the shadows. Only her hazel brown eyes seeming to emit a peculiarly disturbing aura; looking into Quzon rather than at the mixed-blood. The eyes were carefully examining him, yet her own questioning gaze revealed nothing about the woman’s feelings or intentions.
She watched Quzon where he stood in a low crouch examining lose soil and foliage on the ground. Even though he wore the attire of a Myrian, a simple leather vest and loincloth, she believed the man to be a specter. A ghost. His pale skin catching moonlight causing him to appear deathly.
“What is it?” The woman spoke in a low toned voice, heavily commanding yet still managing to remain effeminate. Quzon’s pale green eyes shifted to look at his fellow fang member and clan mate, his cousin
Zama of the Barbed EarthNPC wise, I just created this character on the fly though expect it to be a recurring character. is treating it like a stationary NPC. Skills being
Stealth-26
Short Bow-19
Wilderness Survival- 5.
While the rest of the war party had settled down for the night, Quzon was tasked to the night shift because of his adapted night eyes. While Zama worked as a scout moving through the wilderness unseen, Quzon filled the role of a ranger within the Taloba Army. To seek out danger, openly track and hunt prey for miles over rocks, and use his natural ability with animals to identify any immediate dangers to the war party such as big cats and exterminate them openly. No stealth, no retreat. His just was to be a pure unadulterated predator.
“Snake Tracks.” He spoke while standing from his crouch to his full six foot height. Circular chakram blade worn around his neck like a piece of jewelry, and axe holstered on his belt. Shoulders shifting to adjust the backpack he wore which was filled with his supplies, however the hunting knife apart of his tool kit was set in his right boot resting against his ankle to be a quick tool or added weapon if need be.
“The swaying lines left behind on the ground is by some type of snake.” Zama walked forward to look down at the ground.
“Dhani?”“I am unsure, but from the looks of things it is close. The form of slide in the soil is fresh.” Quzon reached out to press his index finger into the crevice of the track. His finger dragging along the wet ground in the form of the tracks motion. The slide of the track shifting as if a snake pulling up its body into a bend and then straightening out; contracting and expanding.
“With the floods of the Kandukta Basin lowering, Dhani within the water are forced to travel on land. It is why the war party is moving west after all. The closer we get I suspect we will find more tracks. In that direction.”Zama nodded her head as she looked west.
"I'll head in that direction. Scout it out to see if there is anyone lurking around." Quzon met her nod with one of his own as he turned back to the track.
"I'll follow this trail, see if it leads to anything. Also set a few traps for food to eat for at day light." As soon as he turned to look back at Zama she was gone, a shadow in the dark.
With no further need to stand around looking for Zama, he continued his journey through the jungle. Quzon moved at a remarkably slow pace since was focused more on looking for tracks and signs of life. Entering a low crouching stalk to blend in with the darkness, each of his steps were calculated and deliberate enough to avoid stepping on anything that would scare away any game. However, he couldn't avoid everything as every other step a twig snapped underneath him.
His attention was swiftly diverted as he found himself looking at a fallen moss covered tree trunk. Along the length was a depression of what appeared to be human foot prints in the moss. Examining the log closely as he picked up a piece of moss, feeling the dew on the disturbances. Fresh. Using his hand as a measuring unit, he took note of the size of the stride to the next foot print and also the size of the foot itself. Someone had clearly ran along it as his eyes followed the direction of the tracks. Small stature, most likely Dhani who had shifted from a snake. He felt no logic to connect the prints to a child because it was to late in the night for a Myrian youth to wander alone.
Quzon could not be sure of the origin of the foot steps, though felt the need to find the source. Trying to catch up to whatever made the foot prints. His right hand moved to grip his his throwing axe in preparation for danger. It took him a while as his slow movements seemed to be his downfall. Constantly finding rapid foot prints which caused Quzon to break into a rapid sprint to chase after the target. Eventually getting close enough to see a black silhouette of a small figure running away from him, unable to identify what it was as he moved to chase it down...