Closed Short Flight Hunting

[Lavira]

Azira was such a quiet person, it made Vira wonder if this was how Alori had felt during their hunting trip. Vira wasn't that talkative the first night in the cave then, either. But then, they had both been on eggshells about the other and unsure of the waters that were being tread. Eventually, they had settled their differences and calmed and became friends.

Vira watched Azira closely as the other woman worked the strap loose, wondering if the circumstance was the same. It didn't feel the same, though. Whatever dug at the woman was not going to be voluntarily shared. Perhaps she needed some prodding?

"A little more..." Vira said, pushing the basket against the strap. It wasn't quite loose enough yet. Once Azira did get it open the rest of the way, though, Vira shoved it in and nodded her to tighten it up. "Good job, now let's get going."

Mohya bent on cue and Vira pressed her knee against the eagles shoulder, using it as leverage along with the wing joint itself to help hoist her up onto the back of the massive bird. Once up, her eyes settled into a place at the back of Mohya's head so that she could avoid looking at Azira this time. Then, she spoke. "Azira, it's okay to chat, you know. I may not have much to talk about, but it's better than strolling around silent all the time. I mean, I know in the hunts you gotta be a little quiet, but still." She shrugged her shoulders and then looked over and down at the ginger huntress. "Can't we just...I dunno...talk? Isn't there anything you wanna talk about? I won't bite, you know."

[Azira]

   

The huntress could feel the Endal's eyes on her but she made certain not to look up, unwilling to meet her companion's eyes. She didn't know why Lavira was watching her so closely but she was paranoid that it was her lack of reaction to the woman's speech that had caused such scrutiny.

The teen forced herself to focus on the task at hand, loosening the strap further on Lavira's orders until her companion was able to push the basket through and Azira tightened it in place once more. That done, the woman mounted the Wind Eagle, ready to leave. The Avora frowned at the raptor trying to work out whether to try to climb up behind the young woman or not. No way could she manage it alone.

The woman's words startled her. Apparently she wasn't talkative enough for her. The woman was definitely hunting at that though she wasn't being subtle about it. The teen sighed, shaking her head a little as she tried to come up with some sort of reply that wouldn't sound as if she was being short with the eagle rider.

"Sorry but I don't really talk. I would any hold your breath if I was you because I honestly don't do idle chit chat or any chit chat at all for that matter," she explained, her tone apologetic. "Could you maybe help me up? I could get up myself but not without ripping half of Mohya's feathers out and I don't think she'd appreciate that very much."

x

[Lavira]

Vira scoffed at Azira, one brow raised and a smirk on her lips. "Have you ever tried? You know talking is more than just idle banter; it can help people understand one another when they might otherwise never find out. You know...if they're trying to be your friend and not feel so awful about what happened?"

When Azira mentioned not ripping Mohya's feathers out, the giant bird shifted, forcing Vira to grip the harness tightly lest she fall back on the birds back. She'd raised up some to look at Azira with a tucked head, saying into the two womens mind, ~That is good because I would feel terrible if I had to bite off your hands for doing so. Now if the two of you are quite finished, it's time we headed home.~

"Well I guess that settles it." When the bird settled back closer to the ground, Vira leaned down far and held her hand out. "Use your knees more than your feet. See the little groove where the harness meets her shoulder? Put your knee there and your foot on the wing joint." She instructed, taking her hand once it had been offered to help pull her up behind her. Afterwards, she would set about securing the leg-straps that would help to hold them in the harness during the flight home.

"So, look, no hard feelings. You're a great hunter, you know. I don't want you feeling weird around me so just...try, okay? If you can't do, then at least try."

[Azira]

Lavira seemed to find the idea of not talking ludicrous. Chattering incessantly wasn't Azira's way, she was more of the quiet, thoughtful type. No that wasn't true, she was often sullen and brooding but she didn't like to think of herself in that way. It could only reflect negatively on herself so of course, no matter how true it might be, she pretended it wasn't true.

The word "friend" made her head snap up. The Endal was trying to be her friend, an Endal! The idea of having a friend fascinated her more however than who that friend might be. The huntress was fairly sure that she was gawking at the woman but she couldn't help it. The f-word was one that she heard so rarely and never in relation to her so it was unsurprising that she was flabbergasted. Mohya interrupted a potentially embarrassing situation, intervening at just the right moment to make the two women focus on the present.

Focusing on the harness, her gaze moving along it to the bird's shoulder, the Avora found the groove that the young woman had mentioned. She placed a knee in the slight gap and placed her foot cautiously on the wing joint. Startling the raptor or hurting her was something to be avoided so it was unsurprising that Azira was being so careful. Thankfully she didn't have to attempt to use feathers as handholds because Lavira was kind enough to offer her a hand up to sit behind her. She watched the woman tightening the leg straps to secure them in and waited for another inevitable attempt at conversation.

The woman's compliment made her blush but she blushed further at the words that escaped her own mouth. "It's okay, I will weird around everyone." Shyke, the Endal would pry now or perhaps, if she had self-control, only think about it. The teen had had a point; conversation did reveal things.

x

[Lavira]

Grinned back at the girl as she said she was weird around everyone. "Aren't we all? And can you be any more weird than a one-eyed rider?" With the joke left as it was, Vira pressed again Mohya's mind, telling the eagle they were ready. And the moment the request was made, the giant bird spread her wings and leapt into the air, the force pressing upon the two women as she lifted skywards. The wolves and guts stayed secure in their straps as the bird climbed through the atmosphere, reaching a point where the air was thin but still breathable before turning south for the city. It was high time they got home.

-----------------------------

The whole flight was uneventful and quiet since shouting over the wind wasn't really doable. When Mt. Skyinarta rose rapidly on the horizon where before it had been just a small point, they knew they were home. Mohya angled herself towards the processing centers landing and descended quickly to the stone platform. There wasn't much room as another hunter was dropping off his kills as well, but there was enough for the regal bird.

Long legs grabbed for the stone and landed, closing her wings afterwards and lowering so that the women could dismount and remove the kills. Vira was the one to loosen the straps for them both and offer Azira a hand down, before she set to work getting the first carcass down from the straps. This one, she would let fall to the ground first, securing the straps afterwards. Once that was done, the wolf was hefted with a hearty grunt onto her shoulder and carried inside for tallying.

"Hey, Azira, I'm going to get cleaned up and changed and then grab a bite from the kitchens; you wanna come? You're a little shorter than me so my clothes'll be a bit on the long side, but you're welcome to change at the aerie." She offered once the marks had been made for her and Azira's haul.

[Azira]

   

The huntress froze at Lavira's "joke". That's obviously what the woman intended it to be but Azira couldn't say that she found it in anyway funny. She somehow felt as if she'd offended the woman again and she was just making light of it but she couldn't find any such offence in her words. She puzzled over that for the duration of the flight, trying to find everything that she might have said that could have a double meaning or could have gained the Endal's attention. When she'd exhausted all possibilities, she took to watching the landscape below instead.

When they finally landed, the Avora's legs were stiff from lack of use and cold and she was grateful when Lavira offered her a hand down. Stretching her legs brought life back into them and she moved to assist the woman, loosening one of the other carcasses and throwing it over her shoulder. It was heavy but manageable, nowhere near as heavy as with all the organs in though.

Once they were done, the Endal extended her a very interesting invitation. Azira stood, blinking at her, trying to decide if there was more to this suggestion, some catch that she couldn't quite see.

"I...suppose that I could. Yes, I think I'd like that," she replied slowly, uncertainly. "You don't mind?" Apparently the woman didn't dislike her company.

x

[Lavira]

"Of course I don't mind. If I did, I wouldn't have offered, now would I?" She replied congenially.

Vira had noticed how the Avora had stopped to stretch after they had landed and supposed flying back to the aerie was not what the other would have wanted now. Instead, Vira went back to the bird and began un-harnessing her. "We'll just walk back. It's not too far up from here. A few chimes or so." She said, shouldering the tangle of straps and then heading out of the processing center.

~I will go stalk the coasts for whale and seal. You're making a good effort, my dear, but be wary you do not push her too much.~

I won't, Mohya. I just want her to see that I hold no grudge against her misunderstanding. It happens more often than I would like it to, so the best thing for it is just remind them that I am most definitely not a Dek. Speaking of which, I'll send a pair up with some dinner for you if you don't catch anything, okay?

~Alright.~

"Any food preferences? The Endal tend to get prime pick from what's available and I don't really eat that much to begin with. I can let you have some of mine, if you'd like." Hardier meats with lots of fat tended to be the hunters entree during meal time, giving them a bulk of calorie and sugars to provide the energy they needed during their hunting trips. "I heard Davoid was serving brisket tonight, I bet I could wrangle you an extra portion."

While they talked, Vira continued onward and upward towards the Ivory Aerie, leading the way. It would be nice to get out of her hunting gear and into something more comfortable and clean. The smell of wolf was nearly as strong as opossum!

oocWanna call it after your reply and start the next thread?

[Azira]

   

OOCSounds like a plan

The teen nodded, deciding that speech only made her sound stupid today. It'd be much better if she just shut up. It wasn't fair to Lavira to have to listen to her idiotic speech. Though perhaps the walk back was an orchestrated opportunity for chat. It would have been a lot quicker on eagle back and once in the air they wouldn't have had the chance for speech. It was possible.

"Okay," she replied simply, waiting for the Endal to unharness her bird. The food preference question made her blink. "I don't really have any preferences. Normally I just eat soup and some meat but whatever you think really. I honestly don't mind, I'm not exactly picky. Can't be in this city anyway."

She followed her companion up the path that led to the Aeries. She was curious about the woman's home and the clothes she'd be given but she was also nervous. The huntress didn't know why that was but it was true. Maybe it was because it was the domain of the Endal and so Azira would have no real comfort there. That could be it. Perhaps she was also worried that she might have a jealous outburst. After all, she was desperate to become one of them so to be in a place that so clearly showed their power and wealth would be heart wrenching.

x

[Memento]

GRADES
Azira

Skill	XP
Butchery	1
Hunting	2
Tracking	3
Knife Fighting	1
Observation	3
Running	2
Socialization	3
Stealth	1
Unarmed Combat	1
Weapon: Short Bow	3
Weaving	1

Lores:

• Displaced stones: sign that an animal has passed by
• Lavira: doesn't make idle conversation
• Identifying a moose print
• Mohya: Saviour
• Gods have a twisted sense of humor
• Lavira: from Chiet to Endal
• Lavira and Mohya's bond
• Mohya: Confident
• Wind Eagles can only comunicate mentaly with their riders
• Mohya: Like Stomaches
• How to separate organs

Consequences
-Ruined Bryda
-Lost 5 arrows

Notes: An eventful and nice thread. Very fun to read through, and it seemed like those two could have become very good friends.


If you have any questions about your grade, or think I've missed something, please PM me.