Closed [Smokey Waters] Whether to Weather the Weather(Alori)

[Lavira]

Vira shook her head back at Alori when she said the cow had been calling. "That's a bull's call. That high pitch trill-scream? They rut in fall when the cows are in season. That one may not be in season though if the calf was born this season." The teen pushed up a smidge to see if she could get a gauge on the calf to the mother. But as she did so, the toe of her boot cracked a stick and the cows head snapped up and turned towards them.

Vira stiffened and lowered herself back again, muttering under her breath. She turned her head towards Alori then and said quietly. "I can't tell how far off she is, Alori." The young woman flashed the right side of her face to the other hunter trying to get her to understand. "If we can bring her down quick, we might catch the calf before it alerts any bull in the area. It's them I'm more worried about, honestly..."

The cows head swept the place where they had been, the large ears pricked forward and the nostrils of the elk stretching to pick up any scents. Nervous now, she stamped her hoof once and snorted, the calf now looking up. She stamped her hoof a second time, shifting her body some to face the unseen threat and even take a step backwards, using her body to urge the youngling off.

"Petch, quick! Get her, Alori!" It was better to try than wonder and let it get away. As she shouted, Vira rose from the ferns and drew the bow fluidly enough. The cows lips rose and expelled a rather dark sounding grunt before it turned. During this turn, the young Endal drew the string and aimed, trying to accommodate for her half-sight. The elk leapt, muscles rippling and the teen shot, holding the position as the arrow whizzed through the trees and just over the cows head, making her jerk as it grazed her and turn to a dash to the left.

[Alori Sai]

"Yea..I knew that." Alori whispered back. She knew it but at the same time she didn't. Hunting alone had given her a handicap and somethings had been learned on a sliding scale." Ok so..that means that there is a bull near us. I wonder if it's with them, or just looking for a mate?" When Lavira tried to move and accidentally struck the stick, Alori glanced over to see what she was doing, then quickly turned back to look at the cow.

"Shuss...I think we're ok. Just..don't move."

The little huntress slowly lifted her bow upward and held it there while she found her aim with the tip of the arrow on the cow's neck. She wanted to be ready in case it decided to run. Alori arched a brow when the woman repeated the same thing word for word and glanced at her again. "Oh..Oh! Right, I'll try for it." Slowly standing, Alori kept her knees bent until she had a good aim on the cow with a shot that would at least wound it.

"I think we should both go for the cow, it's worth more than the babe."

The teen stayed as still as she could, the cow was searching the area for them, and Lavria had already given it a good direction to start in. Alori stayed her aim, trying to keep her arms still even though holding the bow upward in that angle made her arms tired. But it seemed that the cow was spooked, and after nudging her babe to escape she took off as well. "I know! petch.."

Alori stood up, and held her aim in place on the retreating animal. But her shot was gone, there was no way that she could hit the neck now. Instead she aimed for the body and drew the arrow back passed her cheek and released it. The arrow slipped through the air and made it's bed in the cow's hide. The animal grunted loudly but continued on into the brush. The huntress quickly looked around for the calf as she pulled a second arrow from her quiver. "Vira, where is the babe?"

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[Lavira]

The ascending cry of a bull in the area had stopped when the cow had sent up the alarm, throwing the valley into an unsettling silence. The sound of the retreating and injured female could still be heard as Vira tracked it with her eye to the next ridge before it disappeared.

Closing both eyes now, she reached out with her mind, pressing on the bond to show Mohya the image.

We hit her in the rump. Do you see her?

Overhead, the rush of wings was heard as the massive bird soared past them and over the next ridge, closer to the steam-filled rock bed was. Vira could feel her searching, glimpses of what was seen and felt shared between them. Slowly, the images came together until Vira could piece it together well enough to track the animal from the ground. In all, it took about twelve ticks, a good start for the injured cow on the pair of ground-bound huntresses.

She was straightening and about to speak when the most unpleasant noise filled their ears to the right. Alori was on her left, putting the unwelcome sound closest to the teen. It was a low and nasal growl followed by the thick hot breath of something breathing. Something very large breathing and growling at them. And staring at them. The thing being on her blind side, Vira was hesitant to turn and look at the offending beast, her eyes scrunched closed in a wince as she swatted ever so slowly at Alori's elbow.

As the young Endal turned her head, finally catching Alori's elbow with her hand and peeking her single eye open, the pair would find themselves face to face with a very unhappy Kodiak bear. The massive boar's shoulders stood some six and a half feet off the ground and it wasn't even standing on its haunches! The jowls the bear hung in great drooling pouches, exposing long and yellowed incisors which must have surely slayed many a hunter and prey in its long and well-lived life.

"Alori..." She said through clenched teeth, backing slowly from the monster bear that even now pushed itself up onto its hind legs as if sensing the thoughts of the scarred one. "Alori, run. Straight down..."

Mohya! Bear, get us away from it!

~Follow the elk, child, down the dip, across the drop, up the other side. Quickly, I can't land in there!~

How are we going to outrun it?! It's huge!

~You'll have to. Quickly, child, go!~

The snarling, slobbering, mangy monster was raising an enomrous paw to smack them when Vira shoved Alori, yelling at the other to run as hard and fast as she could.

[Alori Sai]

Alori searched frantically for the calf, and half kept an eye on cow that raced away. In truth she wasn't sure which to go after. While the cow would fetch more coin, the calf was probably closer and easier to take down. "Vira, do you see it? Vira?" The teen appeared frozen or very deep in thought. The little huntress could understand making a good plan, but now wasn't the time to start drafting them up.

"Come on come on...it's gotta be here.."

She looked around more, taking a single step forward, Alori lowered her bow and looked around again. She needed to make a choice and fast, go after the mother or the child. "Petch it." she huffed and decided to continue on after the cow.

"Hey, take the right and I'll go left. Maybe we can flank her."

A quick plan for sure, and if they could actually pull it off it would be even better. But it wasn't to be. The very moment that she heard the horrific roar, the tiny Avora's blood ran cold. She froze and she was instantly taken back in time to when she had encountered a bear for the first time, while she was out hunting alone. It was a dramatic event for the teen and she almost died that day. Alori would always remember that if not for the Wind Eagle, she wouldn't have made it.

But now the nightmare had returned, and it was closer now than ever before. Feeling Lavira's arm, the teen slowly turned around, her eyes already wide with fright and her mouth open. In front of them was possibly the biggest bear that she had ever seen, and she almost screamed. "Oh petch...oh petch.."

Alori started to slowly walk backwards, her hands instinctively drawing her arrow into her bow again. "What am I doing..What am I doing? Just run.."

With Lavira's words, the tiny huntress turned, grabbing her friend's arm and running as fast as she could. She saw the bear lift up to swipe and wasn't about to stand around to see if it hit. The teen stumbled, almost collided with trees and falling over chunky rocks, but she continued on as fast as she could pulling Lavira with her.

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[Lavira]

Oh petch was right! With a yelp, Vira stumbled after the other one, the roar of the bear hard on their heels all the fuel she needed to get back on her feet and follow. "Down, Alori, down!" She shouted, sucking wind already. She hadn't the ability to run very well, fast, or far, a lot of the muscles on her right side either missing or badly mangled beneath the scar tissue.

"Straight after the cow, hurry!" Behind them, the beast challenged the pair again and Vira felt the chomp of its jaws hot on her heels and the sweep of its claws behind her, tugging at her katinu and nearly ripping her bow from her hands.

When the beast came in reach again, its great galloping stride bringing him even with the fleeing girls, the jaws of the thing were stretched wide in an ominous scene, trying to grab the lead (Alori). Just as it was about to snap its jaws though, they were passing a tree, larger than the rest and the bear slammed its teeth into that instead. The dip in the game trail came and Vira took charge now, panting as she grabbed at the scree the cow had hurdled with ease. Her side throbbed agonizingly, but it was the adrenaline and terror that kept her moving.

~Almost there, lass! Watch your feet!~

The eagle called through her mind, leading as best she could from above as the bird swept again overhead, a dark shadow beneath ominous skies. The loose rock of the steep climb slipped and slid beneath her hands, roots from hanging trees grappled for. And all the while, the bear was climbing after them. But the debris was as difficult if not more for the heavier body of the beast than for the girls. Was Alori with her, though?! The teen looked around wildly, "Alori?! Alori!" Maybe on her blind side? The chase to the scree had taken less than a chime, really, the cow they'd spotted not having been that far ahead and the panic of not wishing to be mauled by a pissed off bear encouraging their feet to get a move on.

"Alori!" The loose rocks slid beneath her grasp as she got a few more feet up and for a horrible moment she was sliding backwards towards the bear and its reaching nine inch claws.

No no no no no!

She rolled onto her back and pushed with her hands and feet, kicking the stones and dirt down wildly in an effort to keep her place as far from the unwelcome demise below. Where was the Avora?! They must have gotten separated before reaching the hillside. "AH! ALORI!!" An arrow to the knee would have been great right about then.

[Alori Sai]

Alori raced on, pushing herself as fast and as hard as she could go. The tiny Avora was used to running, but running for her life from a huge bear wasn't nearly the same thing. She panted and huffed, eyes widen as she forced one leg to swing in front of the other and continued on. Her fingers squeezed tighter around her bow and the arrow that had been notched, fumbled away and was lost to the forest.

"Go, go, go!"

The little huntress swept across the undergrowth, turning her feet to angle her in the new direction. She heard Lavira call out to go after the cow, and Alori didn't know what to think of this plan, but she raced on anyway. With the cow in her sight, the teen sucked in her breath and raced on while trying not to stumble and fall over. The bear was so close that she could feel it's breath on her back, the sound of it's snarls making her skin crawl.

"Where are we going?!?"

Alori ran on, looking back for just a tick to see the animal racing to her side to try and snap her up. "Petch!!" she turned back as she ran, swinging herself a second time in hopes of throwing the beast off at least a little. They came quickly upon a tree and the little huntress quickly shifted her weight and slipped passed it with a quick leap just before the bear caught her.

"Vira! Where's your Eagle! Call to him!"

They reached the hillside, and Alori scrambled upward with all the grace of a yasi. The Endla was ahead of her as she had taken the lead a short time ago. The huntress clawed and pulled at vines, roots and anything else that would help her along. Her boots slipped and she slid down, only to catch herself and climb back up and then slide back down again. "Oh petch!" She screamed loudly, throwing herself forward again and trying to force her way up. Lavira was in front of her, but then the Endal slipped and slid downward passed the Avora.

"Vira!!!"

Alori called out and reached a hand out for the woman, but wasn't able to catch her. The bear was right on them, now closer to Lavira than it was to Alori. She heard the Endal call out, something about a arrow to the knee, but she didn't think that would stop this beast. Things were moving too fast for her to get a shot in, and all she could think about was getting to Lavira before the bear. The teen pushed herself closer towards the middle and allowed herself to slide down faster. She hit a bump that almost spun her around completely.

"Grab my hand!"

The little huntress slid down faster, her body turned side ways from the bump before. She reached out grabbing hold of the woman and with peddling boots, tried to push herself back up and pull Lavira with her. "Come on move! Help me!"

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[Lavira]

Her thoughts filled with the nightmare of being ripped to shreds by the giant monster, tearing her focus away and making her break out in fear-wrought sweat. The bear had ceased fighting the hillside and simply braced its legs, taking one small step at a time and swipe whenever he thought they were in reach.

Just above her, Vira heard Alori and saw the hand reaching for her, returning the favor by grabbing hold and twisting her body back around so that she was stomach-down on the hillside once again. Then, it was another mad scrabble for purchase as she used the Avora's leverage to her advantage and scrambled upwards. Overhead, Mohya screeched, having been watching the whole thing from above but thusfar unable to intervene lest the trees impale her. If they could breech the ridge and slide to the other side, they might be okay.

THe bear, still enraged below them, was slowly beginning to gain ground now and it was only with shuddering effort that Vira began the arduous task of climbing further the rough mountainside. The whole thing was a nightmare, each step a new flare or scratch in her palm until chimes had passed it felt and they were able to reach the top of the ridge line. Still running on adrenaline, the teen swung her legs over the lip and slid butt-first down the scree towards a slender crack. The scuff marks of large hooves could be seen upon its surface, making it obvious the cow had come this way.

It was further obvious by the calf limping at the cracks edge, the mother long gone. Once the sliding downward had stopped (only about a twelve foot slide in all), Vira stayed on her rump, eyes closed and panting hard. The bear could still be heard behind and above them but it was still trying to manage the loose rocks and dirt they had barely managed to climb themselves. The mewling calf was a minor distraction while overhead the wind eagle appeared yet again, the insistent circling that'd been done since the foray began still not stopping; there was simply nowhere safe the eagle could land in this part.

Between breaths, her hands pressing into her right side, Vira asked the other little huntress, "There should be another rise on the other side. Mohya mentioned the steam fields...We might get away from the bear in there, in case it keeps following us." She hissed, teeth bared, and slowly opened her eyes, turning slightly to look at the ginger. "You okay?"

[Alori Sai]

"Hold on!"

Alori squeezed the woman's arm tightly, and reached her free hand to her belt and ripped her hunting blade free. With a firm grip, she stabbed it into the mountain side as hard as she could to keep herself from sliding back down. The blade didn't sink as deep, but it was enough to allow her to hold on while she pulled her companion up and away from the bear.

"Keep going!"

The teen pulled the blade out of the hillside and continued to scramble upward behind Lavira. The bear's roars were fierce and chilled her bones each time he snarled in anger those them. The last time this had happened, a Wind Eagle had appeared and saved her from the beast. But this time she was on her own, she and Lavira, who's Wind Eagle seemed to be missing at the moment. Alori was in a panic, she didn't know about the Wind Eagle having trouble landing, just as she hadn't known one way or the other of how the Wind Eagle seasons ago landed. She just knew that it happened, and she was saved.

Using the blade where she needed to, Alori made her way up and over the top of the hill side. The Avora slipped over and allowed the slanted curve of the hill to carry her down to the bottom. She slid down next to Lavira, half leaning against the Endal and the wall behind them. Hazel eyes stared out into the sky, lips parted as she panted loudly. "Petch...I haven't run that hard in a long time." Lifting a single hand Alori placed it over her heart as she tried to catch her breath.

She turned her head slightly to look at Lavira, the woman seemed to be in pain, possibly from an earlier injury. She mentioned her Wind Eagle had told her of a stream, and Alori wondered if they had been in contact. "Okay, we should go then..I can't tell how close the bear is and I don't want to wait and see if it can climb." The teen was dead tired, but she knew she had to push on and get Lavira back up as well. Putting an arm around the woman, she tried to help her stand up and perhaps with them holding each other up, they could make it.

"We can make it, which way?"

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[Lavira]

Overhead, Mohya stopped her circling at last, the pummel of downburst air from her flapping wings assaulting the two women below as she screeched. In Vira's mind, she heard the call for if they were well.

Aloud, she replied, "We're okay, Mohya. Just shaken." The thoughts echoed back and she turned her gaze on Alori and the insight she provided. "Right. She said she spotted the elk just beyond the next ridge. We'll be able to see Smokey Waters from there. She said most of the herd has congregated there as if they know what's coming."

Groaning when Alori helped her up, the teen leaned heavily on the other to steady herself, fingers biting at the scarring. It took several chimes for the edge to dull enough for them to move on. Luckily for them, with the Wind eagle keeping watch from above, the bear made no further appearance from the ridge they'd slid down in escape. She hoped the waiting period did not defect on the others impression of the young Endal now letting Alori take point.

Her head would turn on occasion to look back over her shoulder at the ridge, just in case, wondering if the bear would continue the chase now that it was being outdistanced by a couple of bipeds. The wind, too, had picked up even in the trees as they were. It was icy and sharp, a foreboding of the weather coming in from the Bay.

In an effort to pass the time, she spoke up conversationally, "Hey Alori, why were you so concerned about the calf? The cow's a better piece, good meat, lots of fat which we'll need for the stores. The calf would just rejoin the herd and probably be adopted in by another." That's what she assumed, if it wasn't picked off by another predator. "Besides, with the mum wounded, we'll need to track her down and finish her off. Side tracking for the offspring which wasn't hurt would be silly."

[Alori Sai]

"Alright now take it easy, we've got a ways to go."

Holding onto Lavira, Alori tried to help the woman support her weight as well as keep herself up. The teen was fast, a little agile, but she didn't have much strength. Her arms were already sore and the muscles inside were burning from the climb and from pulling her companion away from the bear. She could also feel it in her hips and her thighs, but with a good rest, she was sure that she'd feel better.

"Did you get injured?"

She watched the woman's exception, hoping that her answer would be no, and that she was merely sore as she was. The little huntress glanced over her shoulder looking back to where they had just climbed up, hoping that the bear had given up and gone back down."Follow the elk...right." It was a simple plan really, and yet what better way to find a herd than to follow one of it's own back to the group.

The wind picked up, an icy cool reaching for them. Alori turned her head away from the coming winds that pulled tiny strains loose from her brains and tossed them about. "It's going to be another cold season." The teen Avora huddled herself with Lavira as they continued, still trying to match her walk step for step. The Endal asked a question then, and Alori gave her a curious glance in return.

"I was worried about it. It's just, I didn't know if we could catch the mom or not. It seemed like a good idea to get something to take back, even if it's not the biggest." Pausing for a moment the teen stared out into the distance as if she were remembering something. "I mean, I guess it's different for you Endal, but when I'm out by myself, things don't always go the way I want them to. So..I just have to deal and move on you know?" She smiled then and added to her words. "Oh and..you might think the mom was wounded, but you'd be surprised how long they can go if your arrow doesn't hit them in the right spot."

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