Early Lessons (Kol) [Tempered Steel Clan]

[Tinnok]

The boy...if Tinnok hadn't known better she would almost say he seemed a bit eager to hunt with here. Part of her recognized that look in his eye. It wasn't malicious, just curious, wanting to put the pieces of the puzzle together. It was why she hurried off into the forest, away from that look that scared her more than his mother's blank one...a stare she was more than used to.

But when he drew even with her she slowed her pace, letting him speak. She paused, lips pursed, considering his words.

"Depends on the tracks we find I suppose, are you better with targets high off the ground or low?" She kept her voice low. They still weren't far enough fromt he longhouses that they might scare away wildlife, but it never hurt to be cautious, that was one lesson she had learned when hunting anyway.

"I am quiet." She said, hoping he wouldn't think her a braggart. "I can get...close to most any prey I find, but am only good enough with my bow to get off usually one shot, if it is not a killing blow, I will probably not hit a fleeing target, the movement, the trees..." She waved towards the scenery with a casual hand, sure the fellow Myrian would know what she meant. Once a deer, agouti, or tapir fled into the thick undergrowth, it was difficult to find them again, the same was true for a bird that flew up and away from you.

"How are your skills?" She glanced at Kol's armament, hoping for a bit of explanation on his skills as well, then turned her eyes back towards the ground. If she wanted to find tracks or sign of something's passage, she would do well not to focus her gaze on the strange boy.

[Kol]

Kol listened to her words, nodding in approval as his eyes scanned the jungle around them. He contemplated the question carefully, hands brushing against the weapons at his side. A whip and a dagger. Neither were particularly long range, and after running a few scenarios through his head, Kol knew his answer, "Low." He unsheathed the blade, looking down at the metal.

Tinnok continued, giving him an idea of what her skills were. "You are." He glanced at the strange girl, remembering how she made little noise walking with the water, leaving Kol in more silence. Admittedly, Tinnok was much better with that detail than himself. He was like a tsakanna barreling through the jungle with a full pack. The male was just pleased when she continued, detailing her flaws. They would have to know a great deal about each of their fighting styles to bring down a kill together. Their hunt would have to be an example of team work.

"Strength. Speed." Or, at least, Kol had been fast, before his most recent brush with a growth spurt. Still confident he could charge prey if necessary, it wouldn't be the most quiet, but they had already established that to not be his specialty.

"If you injure an animal, I will take it down." His words were confident, as if they came from a man and not a prepubescent child. "Shoot it, it will run. I will be there to end its struggle." His plan was crude, and had room for almost too many what-ifs, but it was an idea. She could direct the direction the creature ran with the use of arrows. If Kol was crouched, ready to strike, the element of surprise would be on their side, and perhaps they would have a chance of going home successful. Kol relayed the finer points of his plan, of how they would make it go where they wished. He was interested to hear her response, taking the girl's lead. His eyes fell to her feet and how she shifted her weight to prevent such sound. Imitating her, he tried to keep his footsteps softer, sneaking further into the wilderness.

Every animal feared death, and would run or fight until Dira kissed their brow. Kol knew very little in terms of life, love, or the struggle that came from anything but training. He was not Tinnok, who was born into a life of social adversity. Kol only knew Myri, his family, and the never ending desire to survive.
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Myrian

[Tinnok]

She crouched, her body low, feet moving, eyes roving both for tracks as well as the perfect spot to place bare calloused feet. A stone there, a tree root there. Wherever she could she avoided stepping directly on foliage, if she had to she simply lowered her weight cautiously upon it and pulled her feet away as swiftly as possible, so as not to remain on a potentially noisy spot for too long. She glanced over at Kol to see he was mimicking her movements and felt a heat come into her face at the thought that someone was trying to emulate...her.

"Just watch where your feet go." She said suddenly. "Soft soil and roots are best, rocks are good to climb quietly, but only if you're sure they won't move under you. Soft soil is best, but if it is wet and muddy that will make more noise than stepping on certain leaves." She closed her mouth suddenly and stopped, a small trickle of water crossing their path. She crouched down, looking for prints.

"Still too close to the longhouses...I think." She rose and kept walking. "Why a whip?" She decided. He had been nice enough. She was extremely confused about Kol. He had affirmed that she was quiet, hadn't said one bad thing to her since they had met. She wouldn't call it kind, but compared to most of the children her age, it was a kindness of its own simply to be respectful of her. At any moment she was expecting him to insult her, to revert back to the Myrian personalities she had come used to...but for now perhaps she could just enjoy a good hunt with someone that didn't despise her.

[Kol]

Kol was surprised when Tinnok began instructing him in the ways of jungle stealth. Up until this point, he had assumed she was like him and just wasn't a talker. She is making an effort? Kol looked down at his feet, following her instruction as he briefly pondered her conversational skills. A nearby rock was coming up and after gently testing it with his foot, he stepped on it, the noise barely audible. She knows this well... One day her stealth could be dangerous.

As they reached the small bed of water, Kol crouched and also assisted Tinnok with searching for tracks. It wasn't that he thought her incompetent, two pairs of eyes were just better than one. He silently agreed. They would have to go deeper. Kol's attention was caught on lowering his weight gently on a root that wouldn't bend under his weight and the prospect of something to hunt that he nearly missed her question.

Why a whip? That seemed like an odd one. She was from the Tempered Steel, correct? Was she raised differently due to her blood? His eyebrows furrowed, "At my blood ritual, it was the weapon I chose. My mother says I slammed my hand on a shard and gripped it. Wouldn't let go."

The details of the story had been engrained in his mind, as Kol often asked his mother to retell his blood birthing well past her patience had worn thin. And now Kol relayed it to this girl, this outcast. In a way, there was some similarities between the two. "Why a bow?" Kol decided to ask the question in turn, in case there were details he was unaware about, listening the deeper into the jungle they moved, "Hm. What kind of kill do you wish to bring home?"

A flurry of animals would be possible, but not all of them were likely be taken down by two kids. A monkey of sorts, perhaps, but those were fast and often spent time in the tree tops. Jungle cats were large and could upset Navre. Kol looked at Tinnok.
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Myrian

[Tinnok]

She could have smacked herself on the forehead when Kol explained why he utilized a whip. Of course. She had gone through the trial the same as every child...though perhaps not the same.

"My finger pricked the tip of a dagger, my mother said I didn't stop howling for bells..." She trailed off suddenly, realizing that little tidbit didn't speak much about her. Parent's didn't broadly boast of their child bawling even despite their youth Myrian children's blooding was an important signifier of their future, and she the skurak and chosen a dagger, known as the weapon of backstabbing.

She shook her head a little, as if this would help alleviate the thoughts in her mind and held back a set of leaves for Kol so they would not whip him in the face when she let go before proceeding on.

"I know there is honor in facing your prey and enemies, to cut them down close, to see into their eyes, but there seems something smart about learning to kill from far away too." She shrugged. Reina would constantly tease her about being a coward, but she had to crawl up to prey to catch it, or work in tandem with others. The idea that Tinnok could do something similar now, help Kol take down a piece of prey without the help from older more experienced helpers, this made her determined to suceed.

As to his other question she mulled on her answer for a bit, continuing as quickly as she dared without compromising her quietness. After a chime or two she spoke softly, leaning in towards Kol almost to his ear as they paused again to inspect the ground.

"Whatever Caiyha sends our way, I'll be happy with." Glancing down she spotted a couple of paw prints, small and deeply indented int he loamy ground. "I think...Agouti, but I can't tell if they're fresh or not." The soil looked fresh, and she peered around the area they were in, looking for clues.

[Kol]

You did not stop crying for bells? Kol wasn't entirely sure what to say in response to her words. Their stories were perhaps complete opposites, and hers was something he wouldn't have admitted, not out loud, at least. And definitely not to a complete stranger. Kol continued to focus on his steps, looking up at Tinnok. She had held a branch for him and he nodded in thanks. His mind was still on what she had told him. Was there something he was supposed to say in response, or was she just testing him? Kol found that often the meaner children often liked to trick him with words when they couldn't best him in fists. That wasn't exactly the same situation he was finding himself in now, but he found silence always revealed the truth.

Tinnok continued, "I know there is honor in facing your prey and enemies, to cut them down close, to see into their eyes..."

Yes. Kol thought, eyes cautiously watching the half breed, not quite sure where she was going with it. He relaxed when she mentioned wanting to take things down from a distance. Was that so wrong? Kol understood honor. He understood giving your opponent a fair fight. But her bow was useful in many ways.

"Versatility is good. My mother's weapon is a dagger. She gave me one of hers." He motioned the blade in his hand, sheathing it after taking a moment to show it to her. He had previously been using it to whittle back at the longhouses. Its handle was made of worn, soft leather, and the blade itself looked to be made of a thick, sharpened bone. Kol, while not much of a talker normally, found words spilling from his mouth, "Your weapon calls you to be close to people, but you choose the safer option."

"Learning more than one weapon is effective for survival." Once he had said his little input, Kol grew quiet once more, stopping when tracks came on the radar. Agouti. He leaned around Tinnok to look down at what had caught her attention, taking in the tiny paw prints. If she was correct, he wanted to remember the prints of the animal to identify them in the future. Kol crouched, touching the soil and then the identation.

What did he know about hunting? About tracking? Kol's mind flipped through his minimal knowledge, remembering the few tips he was told. When did it last rain? Last night? This morning? No... last night. "Fresh." Kol muttered softly, looking at his fingertips. Dark soil lifted up, but it wasn't gooey, just moist. "They're deep, but not as deep as mud would show. They're were made today or they would have been washed away." Kol estimated perhaps within the last few hours. He cleared his throat softly, suddenly awkward from all his talking today.

Kol moved passed Tinnok, keeping on his toes as he moved, ducking under branches as he followed the trail. A fallen tree with moss flourishing on its side caught his attention, and he stepped up on it, holding his arms out for balance on the trunk as he moved, one foot in front of the other. He fluctuated his gaze between watching his own steps so he wouldn't slip, to where Tinnok stalked, along the agouti tracks.

Perhaps they would actually make an appropriate team before the day was over. Or they would fail. The second option just didn't cross Kol's mind.
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Myrian
Common

[Tinnok]

Yellow eyes flickered to the tracks, concentrating on the details Kol seemed to inherently know and figure out what about them she could identify as well. Yes he was right, rains often punctuated the jungle, and just sheer wetness would leave prints only half a day old either partially misshapen or completely gone: If they were in the moist soil and still wet they surely were fresh. Her focusing upon these details also helped keep her mind off the boy as well. He was so agreeable and temperate with everything he said she could hardly stand it. Despite his niceties Tinnok felt more on guard with him because of them. The nicer he seemed the more convinced she became that the tick she lowered her guard he would pounce on her like a tiger on…well an Agouti.

The half breed crouched down and as Kol traversed the moss covered roots, she stuck to the ground, toes darting around the edges of leaves to touch upon soft soil, moving silently forward, keeping the tiny indents in her gaze as she did so. The disappeared over a small cluster of leaves, but she found them off to one side and beckoned Kol silently to follow, slowly pushing through a cluster of large ferns only to freeze when she heard the scratching of foliage, as birds and agouti did to get at fallen seeds and fruit upon the forest floor.

She strafed off behind a tree, escaping the dense foliage for better stealth and peered slowly around the trunk to see two of the creatures, one had a fig grasped in its tiny hands, nibbling, the other pawing through dead leaves. They were such strange creatures, tiny fragile limbs and large angular heads with wide black eyes constantly flickering and blinking, wary of danger. Both of their ears swiveled to and fro in search of the slightest noise, but Kol and Tinnok were still far enough away that they could not immediately see or smell the potential danger.

The half breed drew her bow, glancing at Kol. She gestured with her fingers, pointing to the right most Agouti and gesturing to her arrow. She would try to take that one down. That shot would most likely have the remaining Agouti shooting off in the opposite direction. Not precisely sure how one expertly surrounded the spritely creatures, she waited to see what Kol would do, crouching behind a large root in preparation of the hunt to come.

Word Count413

[Kol]

One step. Another. Silent. Be silent... Kol's concentration was easily noticeable as he moved, the ungainly preteen working hard to hone his skills in both stealth and balance. He had once been able to move easily, but when he had hit his growth spurt, he had been like a calf learning to walk. An entity put into a new body, learning the ins and outs of how it functioned. The spongy texture of the moss squished under his feet when Tinnok motioned towards him. Kol looked up, lowering himself on the tree's trunk and sliding as easily as he could to the jungle floor.

Agouti.

They must have been right. Tinnok's fingers dance to motion his attention to the tiny animal and waved her arrow around. So that would be their victim. Kol used his new knowledge to keep his feet light, circling around to the other side. He made sure to step on sturdy rocks, and avoid branches that would snap and make sound. It took a few moments, but Kol was in position, crouching to hide behind a bush. He lifted a hand, giving it a brief wave to signal to his hunting partner before quickly concealing it. The last thing he needed was to get the animal's attention.

Kol slowly began to unwind his whip, holding his breath in anticipation. He peered through the leaves, eyes locking on the target. He had to be ready. The moment Tinnok attacked, whether she hit or miss, Kol would be prepared to spring.

Where will you run to? Kol's mind swirled at possibilities, eyeing the Agouti's immediate surroundings. It was most likely to run into the dense bushes, exactly where Kol sat, the other escape routes much to close to Tinnok. If he was right, they may have something worth bringing home after all.

Assuming he didn't muck it up, that is.
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Myrian
Common

[Tinnok]

All up to you now. Thought the young half breed as she slowly...oh so slowly drew her bowstring taut. She knew better than most a creaky bowstring could be the end of a fine hunt. There was the slightest of creaks, barely a noise at all, but all the more noticeable for how quiet the two hunters had to be. Tinnok closed her eyes for an instant, fearing that all was lost, that when she opened them the two Agouti would be gone, yet that tick later they were still there, perhaps a bit more wary, but not gone from their prime feeding spot.

Now her golden eyes fixated on the targets. There was one slightly to her left, closer to Kol. Perhaps killing the one a bit to the right would scare it towards Kol, after all it would take a bit of effort to lunge over its own fallen comrade to safety, but that was even assuming Tinnok landed her hit.

A strange sense of responsibility, to not look like a fool in front of the young male, and also to kill the creature outright, ending any suffering or pain consumed the half breed child. Her arm muscles strained, lining up the far tip of her arrow with her target, not quite far enough away to warrant calculating differences.

TWANG

The Agouti were instantly alert, though not quite sure as to what, and too late to respond when Tinnok's arrow slammed into the chest, just under the left arm of the Agouti closest to her, sending it skidding along the ground, the head of the arrow burying itself into the heart of her prey.

The second creature at first froze in panic, then...dashed straight into Kol's arms.
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[Kol]

Everything was a blur of action, Kol relying on instinct more than tactics. The buzz of Tinnok's bow hissed, her arrow flying true. It struck the agouti's tiny body with a sharp sound, sending the other in a frenzy. As estimated it ran straight towards Kol's arms, seeing the male a bit too late.

The young Myrian thew his whip down, opening his hands. The rodent was in arm's reach and he pounced tackling the tiny creature. It squealed, a sound of fear Kol had not anticipated. Scrambling to grab it beneath him, the struggle could be perceived as comical had Kol not clutched the animal in his hands. He needed to end its struggling. Kol shot a quick look at his hunting companion and then to the tiny prey in his arms. He gripped its body with one hand and its head in the other, forcing a quick, strong twist in either direction. A sharp snap exploded into the air and then silence.

Kol had broken the agouti's neck, the feeling of the kill leaving him wide eyed and surprised. He threw down the body, standing up to catch his breath. He had little experience with actual killing, let alone his own hands and not his weapon being the source of the death. Turning away from Tinnok, he wasn't sure how he had felt about his last action.

He was pleased they would have something to take home, but he didn't enjoy snapping bones. Was he a bad Myrian? Kol ignored his worries, going to retrieve his whip. He was still young. Caiyha had given him his prize and he was to appreciate it.

He prayed a brief word of thanks, looking over at Tinnok to break the silence, "Good shot."

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Myrian
Common