Rykanis looked back at the kelvic named Sarai as she commented on his description of the Sea of Grass. A small smile cracked his lips at her odd take.
“Well that doesn’t seem fun, what are you supposed to climb? Nothing, obviously … since you just said it was all grass but still…”
Then she was on to the next topic, wanting to learn of what beasts lived there. She seemed ever in a hurry, rushing from one topic to another.
“Do you have stories of these animals? Will you tell me some?”
"Ah, it has been a long time since I've been there, and I was never a hunter by trade. Perhaps another time, when we are not in the midst of something."
Clearly Rykanis had yet to master the common tongue, sometimes still having issues derived from translations. That or sometimes he would say something, and its meaning would not quite be clear in common tongue. But then Tukant by its nature was a complex language, one which defined ones meaning much better than the common tongue and its clipped words. Of course Akalak being such a long lived race, perhaps they were simply more patient when conversing.
“Oh, I thought you were a hunter. I'm sorry I mean, as your job. Hunting is my job since I got my own home but today was just because I was hungry too…”
Next she informed Rykanis of the animals they could hunt. Much of the smaller ones would be of little use, at least singularly. However the larger ones, bears and wolves, those might offer a decent meal. Though bringing back a bear would likely be beyond even Rykanis strength. Perhaps then a wolf would be better, more manageable.
“There are squirrels, rabbits, birds of all sorts … and bigger animals like wolves and bears and stuff … my favorite are these cute little things, I don’t know the name of them I just found them recently… They have the bushiest little tails … orange-red fur and these little ears…”
Rykanis nodded, recognizing a fox, something that also lived in the Sea of Grass. They however were not something as commonly hunted, not by Akalaks anyways. There was far worthier foes to face on the open grass.
“I’ve never hunted the bigger ones, I’m small and I always am out here alone. Would you like to try one? I think the two of us can take one if we find it – I’d sure love to taste one.”
"I would not mind attempting a larger one. I'm sure with my blades I could take it down. "
As Rykanis thought on this though, another thought occurred. While they might run into a lone bear, wolves often traveled in packs, and was a group hunter like a Glassbeak. So likely if they found one, they'd be facing more than just a lone wolf.
With that however Sarai was gone, transformed back into her animal form, and racing off in a hyper manner around him. After a few more moments she would move off, and Rykanis would follow with his long ground eating steps, focusing on his feet so as to move quietly. He carefully placed his feet, one foot pressing down and sliding forward from toe first and back to heel. Then the other, and the other, a pattern repeated as he moved. He did his best to avoid any dry brush or dead twigs, but managed to find and step on several as they moved.
His gaze switched back and forth from the ground to the kelvic, making sure to keep her in sight, while still doing his best to be silent.
They kept at it like this, until finally she made a motion to signify she had found something. Rykanis nodded back at her, and prepared himself for the last legs of a hunt, to close in on something. So far he had seen little, but was deep into the hunt, the excitement racing through his blood as his heart pounded away. His right hand stayed a inch from his lakan, ready to pull it in a single motion if he needed to suddenly. For now though he was simply following Sarai on the hunt. |