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

[Lavira]

Timestamp: Fall 18-20

Vira took a trip up to the Lookout to ask of the weather. The other day, the clouds on the horizon of the bay had begun to darken and thicken as moisture from the northern icelands was pulled south towards the Northern Kalean Peninsula Wind Reach was on. Fishermen reported rough seas beyond the breakers near shore and the coast of Thunder Island, reported many a rider had been swallowed in surf. The storm was going to be a right dozy of one; the endal wondered if they'd get back to the city before it hit. And if they didn't, well Vira had already addressed it.

South of the city lay Smokey Waters. It was a notoriously dangerous location on a bad day due to the thick steam that billowed up from the rocks. But if the ice and snow fishermen on the bay were reporting was to be believed, they were going to need some kind of good heat and shelter.

~You've gone over the maps?~

Yes, Mohya.

~Good. I'll keep a lookout from above if the storm rushes in too quickly. Listen for me, lass.~

Always, my friend, always.

Though eagle and girl were still newly bonded, both had already formed a strong link between each other, one Vira would not soon neglect. The Lookout warned that the storm was still building, pointing out the curve of the clouds as they wrapped upon themselves over and over and pushed skywards even more. Who had offended the storm god? The Endal on duty told the younger recruit to be careful and take shelter if they can't make it back to the mountain in time. It isn't worth a rider and their birds lives just to catch a few deer.

But Vira heeded the warning all the same, giving the mans shoulder a squeeze before mounting up and flying back to the Endal aeries where she'd asked Alori to meet her. The Avora was a more experienced hunter than Vira, and that was definitely not something she begrudged. Working as a nesting attendant previously, the teen spent more time in the company of the eagles than a good deal of others. However, it was not a job of hunting, but of bird keeping and training. Young eagles were taught about the culture and the people of the mountain as well as Nari. While the eagles may not speak it all the time, they needed to be able to understand it should they choose not to speak to a citizen via mind. Besides, Kovac had been the only one thusfar to see past the handicap of her sight and see her proficiency at tracking. She could find game as well as most other hunters though her ability with a bow still needed improving.

When they reached the aeries, and her subsequent quarters, the young woman dismounted and hurried inside to fetch her katinu, the shortbow Kovac had given her, and the quiver. She also fetched a bag with a few days worth of supplies, including a blanket from the bedchambers. Vira still needed to buy some things, though, but her funds were low until Winter's payout. It was going to be a tough season if she needed money.

~Will you be taking Tulaj?~ The great bird asked from her own part of the cave, to which Vira laughed and shook her head, answering aloud, "No, not this time. If the weather's going to be bad, I don't want to risk him getting hurt anymore than you...besides, I know you don't like him and I'm certain he would try and pull your feathers out given have a chance."

The eagle laughed at the thought and from the other room Vira heard the rusty-breasted bird click her talons against the stone. ~I'd love to see him try.~

"Meet me at the landing spot. I'm taking the stairs." The eagle gave a cry of answer and the flurry of wingbeats on the other side made her smile, her mind filled with the birds senses as she leapt from the cave. It gave the teen shivers of excitement everytime.

"Speaking of Tulaj..." The Harrier was watching her from his relocated perch above the new door. "Be on your best behavior, boy. There's a Dek coming to feed you in the evening and tomorrow in case we don't get back before then. Please don't hurt him too much." The raptor simply hissed at her, his annoyed eyes fixed on her and wings half cocked as if he was going to dive at her.

At last, she was ready. Dressed in appropriate hunting gear, the scarf tied around her ponytail, Vira hurried up the stairs, hoping Alori was ready and waiting. The longer they took to get there, the higher the chance that the weather would turn on them. The teen could feel Mohya already above waiting, the eagles patient presence describing some of the folks that were about, few as they were.

[Alori Sai]

Alori woke up early that morning as she always did when she was going to hunt. She got up, dressed herself and stepped outside to catch the view. Normally she liked to see what the weather would be like before going out. It was still early, but clouds covered the sky, a darkness spreading from the north. The wind picked up as well, sending a light breeze through the city and whipping about the Avora's hair the moment she appeared outside the common rooms.

A storm was coming, and although it didn't appear too harsh, it didn't look to promising. Alori just hoped that she would be back before it hit. This was to be a different hunt for her, she was going with Lavira. A woman she learned had just been made Endal. When she first met her she was only a chiet and now she was at the top of the mountain. It was sometimes a miracle who the Wind Eagles choose to bond with and what caste they came from. The little huntress didn't know the woman all that well yet, but she was sure that she deserved it.

The teen Avora didn't expect to ever bond however, even though she had been changed, she didn't see it happening. Kelwyn had changed her physical appearance, but on the inside she was still the same girl, more or less. Sira had told her it would happen, but she would have to wait for her time but, the tiny redhead wasn't the most patience. All in all, she had made peace with it, and her life as a huntress was more exciting than being a glass blower at any day. She walked back inside and had to re-comb her hair from the brief wind attack.

Skye was awake also, chirping and dancing about on his perch for Alori to pay him attention. He was well behaved during the day, but every morning he had a small fit until she got around to feeding him at least a snack. "You'll have your turn." Alori said, turning to her mirror as she twisted her hair into twin braided pigtails, one on each side. It was always better not to have loose hair when hunting, though there had been times when she did go without pulling back her hair. Skye chirped louder and ruffled his feathers about as if he was ready to take flight. "Alright, alright." The teen called back, going into her pouch and taking out a few pieces of dried beef for him to eat.

"Here, now relax." she placed the beef bits on the table beside her bed where he could land and enjoy his meal. Sometimes she would feed him from her hand, but when she was busy she just laid the food out for him to get when he was ready. While he ate, Alori went about gathering her hunting supplies, as well as her backpack which she kept her traps in and also added a few survival tools, food, and a water skin. Once her backpack was ready, she went into her closet and put on a pair of black high boots. These felt better for when walking a long distance and helped support her ankles on rocky terrain. Lastly from the closet she took her black feathered, Katinu.

"Skye, I won't be gone long, so you be good and maybe I'll bring you back something new." She thought it best to be repaired with the weather questionable, and after making sure that she had everything she needed, the tiny huntress headed off to the Endal aeries to meet with Lavira.

x

[Lavira]

The winds coming from the Bay up the volcano were fierce as Vira stepped onto the platform where Mohya waited. It would be an easy take off, at least and since they had a partial tail wind the flight to the camps shouldn't be as difficult. Buffeted by the gusts, Vira hurried to the eagle and secured her gear, turning when the bird nudged her with a wing on her right side (the pride that the bird could understand her blindness that side even greater, making up for her handicap by added awareness).

She spotted Alori breaching the stairs too and smiled, a hand half-raised to get her attention before another gust nearly swept her off her feet.

Petch, gonna get blown off the damn mountain if this keeps up!

~Make sure you and the huntress are tied in tight. I'll try and keep us above the big bumps, but no gurantees. I cannot go too high, with the two of you.~

I know. Safety first, Mohya. The raptor ruffled her feathers in agreement and settled lower to the ground, great eyes staring at the tiny woman that would be accompanying the pair.

In broken Nari, as if long unused, the bird spoke directly to Alori, "Bad winds. Will fly high. Cold. Lay low." Then turned her head back to Vira and touched her right side, the puckered flesh tightening beneath the beak and the woman shying away.

"It's no worse than any other day." She chided the bird, gently pushing her beak away then fixing monocular vision on the ginger. "Hey Alori, glad you could come. The other riders have paired up for the day already; we'll have to hurry. Flights have spotted some elk in the valleys near Smokey Waters, which is where we're headed. It's rough terrain; Mohya will be dropping us off in a clearing just above the treeline. I did some scouting the other day and tracked the herd straight down from there, we should be able to catch them before they reach the rockbed and steam." All of her gear was now locked down against the eagles sides, tied securely in case the turbulence should knock them around too much.

"I..." She paused, looking back at the eagle then to the other uncertainly. "I was surprised you would agree to come with me. I mean, the others never let me accompany them before, thought I'd be a hinderance or something..." She thought back to what Kovac had told her. More than meets the eye? No that wasn't it. "Just...trust in me okay? Not to be funny, but I have a good eye for tracking and terrain, heh." She cleared her throat, nervous, and swung back to the eagle, hurrying into the harness and hiding her face in the feathers.

She must think me stupid. Making a fool of myself, Mohya. We should have gone solo.

~And caught what, girl? You've no skill with a bow yet. You need the help. Teamwork, Lavira, remember? Teamwork.~

The teen took a breath and turned back to look at Alori, saying, "You coming?" As she held a hand down to her. The straps were made for self-adjustment, they needed only tug the bands, loop them through the rings, then bring them back to the other side and bend the hook through the other ring. The hook would snap back out and lock against the ring, preventing it from loosening and dumping that which it held.

[Alori Sai]

Alori headed up the stairs to the aeries, it had been so long since the last time she'd been there that she'd forgotten how far up it was. The little huntress was still drinking in the fact that Lavira had passed her in rank, and was now Endal of Wind Reach. She was proud of the teen for her accomplishment, and oddly enough, it seemed that Alori found more Endal friends by the day. She still didn't know the woman that well, but deep down she hoped that the change wouldn't change her also.

She could still remember how easy going, fun, and peaceful things had been before she learned that Sira was Endal, what's more a Wind Eagle kelvic. Perhaps it had been the time, and the situation that made the woman act as she had, Alori wasn't sure. But one thing she did know was that she could never look at her the same way. For Lavira things were different, she would never know about Alori's past, and she just hoped that the she was still good enough for Lavira to befriend.

Climbing the steps, she noticed Lavira standing with her mount, and if not for the heavy backpack she carried, she would have waved back to her. Instead she just smiled and exclaimed a cheery "Hey, I'm here." towards the woman. Alori had half expected they'd be going by Wind Eagle, but she didn't know for sure. Even so, the teen wasn't a stranger to the giants and had rode with two others seasons ago.

The broken Nari was a surprise, normally the birds communicated with her through telepathy. This was the first time one had actually chirped at her, and it was kinda endearing. "Right, there is a storm coming. But we can make it though?" she asked, half looking towards the huge Wind Eagle and Lavira for the answer. "I'm glad you invited me, it's gets boring hunting by myself all the time." Alori smiled as she watched Lavira interacting with her mount, the bond was a wonderful thing.

"So, I can put this here?" She asked, once again looking to the Eagle then Lavira before adding her backpack to the straps. She already felt lighter just by removing it, and the teen smiled with a sigh of relief. "It must be great to be able to scout ahead like that. Going by foot, I can only do for maybe a day ahead and then I'm lost." She offered them both a smile, though her features slowly grew blank after catching the unwavering eyes of the Wind Eagle.

"Right..so."

Stepping back from them, the tiny Avora lifted her arms above her head and stretched while spreading her legs shoulder weight apart. There was a light, subtle popping sound that felt great with the weight of the backpack gone. "I guess I could hunt with you, show a newbie the ropes." she added a teasing smile and winked. "But no really, I'm glad you asked. I mean, I know how you feel. Most hunters don't want me around either so I've been pretty much going it alone."

With the hand extended, Alori reached out to take it and climbed up. It was harder to mount a Wind Eagle on her own, but with help the trip up was much easier. "Thanks, now..let's see." She looked around for a moment and got herself situated behind Lavira and held on tightly. "I'm ready, let's do this."

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[Lavira]

Vira waited for the other to get on, twisting slightly in the harness to make sure the straps were fully secured before turning forward and sliding her hands under the rope that acted as the "reins" so to speak, not that the eagles actually needed reins. They were simply there for holding onto.

Aloud, the woman told the bird they were ready, felt Mohya press against her mind just in case, and then slowly turn herself into the wind. The force of the gusts was immense and even the bird turned her head slightly, talons gripping harder at the stone. Aloud again, the bird spoke to warn of the rough winds ahead. Once affirmed they were ready, the wings slowly unfoiled and caught the gusts. They were lifted up immediately, jerked several yards higher and then pulled back down until the birds feet touched the ground. The eagle squawked disdainfully and kicked off this time, angling her wings to support against the unpredictable blow before they finally caught and lifted them swiftly to clear the snow covered ridge.

The bite of the wind was immediately apparent. The storm was going to be a gold one, for sure as Mohya turned against the wind and put it at her tail, using its speed to make the travel easier and faster for them.

Once they were off the mountain, the bird made continual adjustments, flying so high it was virtually impossible for the two solid-bones upon her to breathe before dipping back down again, a mental apology pressed into her riders mind.

~Sorry, ladies, hang on. I'll see if I can get below it. On three...One...two...Three!~

There was a dreadful moment where the eagle was suspended, beak down, in a dive that took them nowhere and even slid the harness forward an inch so that the two women were looking down at the world so very, very far below. And then, there was a break in the wind and they were diving. Mohya was not a huge bird like some, but neither was she small and slender. Her broad wings would not make the best diving but she was aerodynamic enough that a rapid descent like that was going to put on the g-forces for any on her back.

They must have been around the jet stream, though, for the intensity only worsened as another horrible moment of suspension happened several hundred feet later before they dropped again. It took a full twenty chimes to break from the bubble of rough skies and they were able to soar more evenly. Though the winds remained choppy, the worst of it was finally passed and the eagle could fly relatively evenly. During this part, Vira shifted slightly to look back at Alori and shout, "Mohya doesn't really talk to others much yet. It's...it's a long story."

May I tell her?

The eagle was silent for a moment. Then, the giant head turned so that her periphary could see the other ginger and stare with that silent fierceness. She clicked her beak in response then turned back to the skies.

~Save your voice, Lavira. You may need it when the storm hits. Look back.~

The bird shifted her flight so the two could look back at the towering clouds that now consumed all of the bay. The waters of Thunder Bay could still be seen as they were flying south, Mt. Skyinarta not blocking the view. The salty waters were practically white, though nothing yet fell from the almost black clouds. With the winds pushing towards them, they could hear the constant gong of the giant bell the Lookout rang, telling the Bay residents to get to shelter.

~It's moved faster. I will scout for a cave big enough for me and you two. Listen for me and move where I tell you when the time comes. We may not get back to the mountain in time.~

The bird let out a loud scream as they came to the clearing at last. It had been a rough bell's flight to it, but they arrived safely enough. Vira slid off first after disconnecting from the harness, wincing as she set feet down and sliding under Mohya's neck to get out of the wind that even here threatened to bash them down the mountainside. Both hands pressed against her right side as she bit her tongue and refrained from groaning. The essence of concern wafted from the raptor more.

I'm fine, Mohya. You know it's always bad getting off. Remember the bonding?

~Do I! I thought a Bay Eagle'd snuck up and took a new chunk out of you. Tears of pain and joy, hah! You'll make a fine mother one day, lass.~

The teen grinned and finally released her hold to slip back out and help get the gear off. "I marked where the trail starts, Alori. See the stones just there at the tree edge?" About thirty yards down from where they were there was a pile of six stones with some evergreen branches scattered around them. They could not be seen from here, but the wind was fierce enough that the haunting cries of bulls in rut could even be heard, carried up to bounce off the mountainside. "We'll have to be careful. This herd is rutting early. The bulls are hyper aggressive, but if we favor the high ground we should be okay." She paused and grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "But you probably know that already, heh."

[Alori Sai]

Alori positioned herself onto the harness behind Lavira and held on tightly. She hadn't forgotten how rough a ride it was on the back of Wind Eagles. Sure for the bird it was easy going, simply soaring through the clouds as if they were light as the feathers on the tips of their wings. For the rider on it's back, things weren't as easy and it was also dangerous. Luckily for Alori, she was normally enjoying herself too much to notice the danger.

The teen couldn't help but to smile as they took off. The jerking thump from the Eagle's take off, giving her a reminder of the amazing time to come. The Avora always enjoyed the sights from up so high and the diving plunge act only make her yelp with joy. She wrapped her arms around Lavira tighter, though it wasn't out of fear, but a friendly hug to the woman for planning the day for them. "Tell him to go faster." she whispered but wasn't sure if Lavira heard her.

The clouds were thick, puffy furs of white passing around them, and an ominous looking dark shade rolling towards them had a very different feel. Alori only nodded when the Endal said that the bird didn't talk much to people. She wasn't used to speaking with Eagles anyway and the voices speaking into her mind always gave her a shiver. "It's fine..really."

Once they arrived and settling down again, Alori smiled as a memory came to her. She recalled the first time that she flew, her hair was a mess when she got back and she looked like she'd been in a wind storm. It was a good thing she had braided her hair that day. The little huntress sat silently for a moment while it seemed Lavira was having a moment with her eagle. Once she had the clear, the teen tumbled off the Eagle's back almost falling on Lavira. "Oh!!..sorry." She caught herself before she fell by grabbing onto something on the eagle, she just hoped it wasn't fur.

Alori turned back and helped to get the gear off, and strapped on her quiver, before slipping her bow over her shoulder. Lastly, she added her hunting dagger and slid her hand into her archery glove to save her skin from the razor tipped, feathers and arrow. She was impressed that Lavira had gone ahead and looked into the hunt before they went out, it was good planning. "Look at you, all super huntress. I like it." she teased. "But yea, I knew that, well..some of it. But anyway. After you."

x

[Lavira]

Had she the ability to, the eagle would have rolled her eyes at the two. She shifted where she stood to give the girls a nudge before opening her wings and leaping back into the air again, screeching out as she rode the sharp wind quickly upwards.

Once the bird was out of sight, Vira turned to face Alori, saying, "Well then, let's get going!" The young woman led the way to the trail, recalling where the tracks had led from the outskirts of the trees. It was a rough path, full of last winters broken branches and storm-wrought rock slides not to mention naturally uneven and sharp ground. It was terrain ideal for mountaineering, not for a leisurely stroll through the woods, and a perfect place for a herd of elk to shelter from far more voracious predators.

"And Mohya's female, by the way." Vira said over her shoulder, pausing a few chimes in to kneel, a hand on the bottom of the quiver to keep it from sliding off her shoulder while the other lowered one of the bags so her fingers to check the tracks. The large prints of the elk were visible, if barely, amid the rock and scree and low-growth of the wood. It was more the slide of debris that she was marking and whether the soil beneath the mark had yet to lighten from exposure. "They only bond to one of the same gender." She spoke casually, no sign of arrogance at a fact that was obvious. The dame was simply passing on information.

Though she kept her voice low, Vira tried to keep up on conversation as she stood with gear and continued on, eyes mostly on the ground and trees in hopes of spotting the next set of tracks. "So how've you been, Alori? I'm sorry we didn't get the chance to catch up again after that market day. It was a ...er, chaotic time for me. Anything exciting happen?"

[Alori Sai]

Alori turned and watched as the Wind Eagle took off and was lost somewhere in Syna's great light. It was always a sight to see, and she had to remind herself to later ask Lavira how she felt now that her life had changed.

The little huntress followed Lavira onward, hazel eyes lowering to the ground as she looked for the tracks that the woman had spoke of. She was interested to see how good the Endal was with a bow, so far she hadn't known that she could use one, but it seems there was a lot that she didn't know about this woman. "Oh..oops." the teen responded, a light hue of blush forming on her cheeks. "Petch, she's not gonna let me ride back now." she added a joke and nudged Lavira's arm. Alori hadn't known that fact about Wind Eagles only bonded to those of the same gender. Had she forgotten and once known, she couldn't recall either way.

When the woman stopped, Alori did as well and kneel down to ruffle through her backpack and pulled out a tiny vial half filled with golden brown juices. "Here.." she offered holding the bottle out to the Endal. "Its....deer urine, put it on and it will mask your scent." At once she knew that the woman could tell that she was joking, which made it even harder to keep from laughing. "Come on, it won't burn." she smiled and bit her lower lip.

Once that fun was over, their trail continued and they talked more, which reminded Alori about her question. "Ah, it's ok. I was busy with all kinds of stuff. You have no idea how hard it is to pick the right days to go hunt alone. These hunters suck up all the good hours and the good days and it's so not fair. I mean..can you believe one of them said they thought I was a fawn? The petcher almost shot me." She sighed softly, and shrugged off the ridiculous event and tried to think of something more cheerful. "So yea, besides that I've just been working on my music and stuff. What about you, bonding in all? That's super crazy."

x

[Lavira]

There was a lot many did not know about the slender teen crouching here and there to check markings and signs of life. What they did know was she was the girl who'd fallen last season and had been gouged by an eagle three years previously during a Bendi. They knew she spent very little time socializing, throwing her all into her work. Many knew of the psychotic harrier she kept and worked with frequently.

What they did not know as Vira just grinned at Alori, stating that Mohya would still take her home (she was a surprisingly forgiving eagle), was Vira had been in line for apprenticeship with Master Meera, a rare honor in Wind Reach, before the accident. Had she not wound up in the infirmary for two full work periods, she very well could have gone straight into Avora status. But most had forgotten that, like Kovac had forgotten one of his former Yasi pupil in spring. Now, they saw the exception to the rule of perfection to be an Endal, this work-aholic birdlover who now walked the trail with Alori to find the elk mewling in the near distance.

Pausing over some scat, Vira toed the semi-fresh pile with her boot then wiped it off in the grass. When the other offered the rather putrid vial of fluid to her, she scowled in displeasure at the thought of squirting some upon her in any form. The idea was kind of gross, but then, she'd been sprayed with worse than that before. "Yea, well it still stinks. We could do as well sitting downwind, couldn't we?" A glimpse of inexperience showed in that before the subject passed and they continued on the path.

When Alori told of the hunter that had nearly shot her one time, the teen looked around in surprise and dismay. "He didn't!" She gasped. "Isn't that why we tagteam, though? So we don't inadvertently shoot one another?" The question was rhetorical really and the Endal continued on, saying back over her shoulder a little more shyly, "I'm not much a shot myself, but there's an Avora that's been working with me some. He was my teacher for a short period during Yasi and then we bumped into each other in Spring. He's been quite a boon with all that transpired last season and more compassion than others have shown me. Few choose to see past my, er...deformities. They see the weakness, the mindless labor and forget like the upper castes often do that we are more than just empty minds doing our tasks, avoiding the unfriendlies, staying out of the way." The young woman stopped and twisted to look back at Alori fully now, that blind eye staring through the Avora. "The forget that without us a lot of their tasks would be impossible." She spoke as if she still was one, and in a way she was. "Some of us get lucky, like I did, and given the opportunity for advancement no matter their defeciencies. Others, not so much. I heard there's a Dek working in the forges who's been stuck cleaning that old oven Durtha."

Here, the girl shuddered a little, unslinging her bow at last and drawing an arrow afterwards to set it smoothly to knock and leave it at the ready but undrawn as she nodded them on. "I remember the stories the teachers used to tell us about that oven and all the Dek it's baked in its life. Some think it's haunted but no ghost has been detected by that spiritist." A shrug and she moved forward several paces, lowering her voice and eventually her stance until she was crouching with arrow pointed down beside a tall set of fern.

"Look." She nodded over the fern. It was the first sighting of animal they'd had since dismounting. It was just a cow, but the elk was still large, her shoulders thickly built for the rugged terrain. For Vira, however, she couldn't estimate her size, her depth deficiency making it nigh impossible. The cows head was down in the low growth and a 1 year fawn grazed beside her, the legs just seen between the adults. "How far is she?"

[Alori Sai]

Alori held the vial up between her fingers for another tick while giving Lavira an interesting stare. It appeared the woman hadn't caught on to her trick and had taken her seriously. She smiled anyway and placed the vial back into her backpack. The guy at the market thought it was funny, especially when he tried it on her. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized how silly it was and that she should be more serious when hunting.

"Right, trying to make new friends, best way is to gross them out. I spend way too much time around boys."

Luckily Lavira moved on to the next subject without thinking the worst about her Avora companion. "Well yea, if you're lucky to get a partner. But most of the time it's just me and Skye hunting together." Alori shook her head, it truly was dangerous to hunt alone but she didn't have much choice in the matter. It was her job and if she couldn't do it then she wouldn't eat. Of course the young Avora wasn't starving for coin, but without any pay coming in, her funds would surly run dry quickly. "That's how they are though, no respect for a girl with a bow."

The little huntress was surprised at Lavira's thought on the Endal and the authority in general and their way of looking at others who weren't as important as they thought themselves to be. She shared the same thoughts mostly and she was also glad to see that her change in position hadn't changed the woman. "Don't go saying that in the city, might get you in trouble." Alori smiled, giving the woman a look of respect and pulled her bow from her shoulder. "But I completely agree with you on that. It's like we don't matter at all, and we're just here to make their lives easier."

The teen notched an arrow to her bow and leaned down as she checked the ground in front of them. They were on the right track,light foot prints here and there, those that hadn't be covered by the pushing winds. There was also something in the distance, a shriek of a call only made by elks. They had to be near at least one or two of them. Alori followed closer and kneel down beside Lavira as they had their first sighting. It was a smaller one, but still big enough to make coin from. The first sound that she heard seemed more mature, but Alori wondered if she had misjudged it before.

"Oh.." the teen said to herself as her eyes lowered and caught sight of the fawn beneath it's mother's legs. Now there was something nagging at the girl's mind. Was the bigger one making the calls, and if so who was she called to? Alori wasn't sure but now she wondered if there was a buck near by. "She's too far out for us to catch her if she runs. But...with her baby, she might turn on us, I'm not sure. Do you want to go for this one? " she asked, leaving the choice to Lavira. "I think she was calling to another elk, might be a buck near here."

x