A Hunting We Will Go [Aran]

[Naiya]

Rue laughed as Aran and his mount leapt forward, falling into a much quicker pace. Rue held Wildfire back a moment, refusing to let him fall gracelessly into a gallop. Instead she kicked him into a ground eating canter, slow at first, but as she relaxed her hips to follow his motion she allowed him a wider stride.

She reveled in the power of him beneath her, the bunching of his muscles in sync with the rocking motion of both their bodies. They moved forward as one, closing the distance between them and the other strider with a little effort.

Wildfire called loudly to the other horse as he approached, a challenge maybe, because his body lengthened further beneath her, causing her to bounce on his back a few times with the unexpected change before she could find rhythm with him once more. Her leggy stallion was happy to oblige the other horse in the race, win or lose, Rue knew that he would enjoy the run.

[Aran Windblown]

Anyalvis all but screamed his acknowledgement of Wildfire's challenge, and that was all the warning Aran had before Anyalvis plunged into a longer stride, his feet hitting the ground in such quick succession that Aran could hardly count the beats. Aran, though a good rider, was now clinging to Anyalvis's mane, and trying to get the stallion to ease up; they would need some stamina to get back to Endrykas, after all.

By the time Aran finally got Anyalvis to ease up, the stallion was blowing hard, but he wasn't too sweaty; Aran was pleased. "Good boy," he murmured, scratching Anyalvis's neck as the stallion pranced in place, arching his neck and blowing through his nostrils and generally showing off. Aran snickered as he leaned back. "Oh, come off it. We weren't racing to win, and you know it." Aran got the feeling that if he could, Anyalvis would have stuck his tongue out at him. As it was, the Strider just blew extra hard out of his nostrils and swished his tail.

[Naiya]

Rue let Wildfire pick up a gallop when Anyalvis returned his challenging cry, lifting herself off his back once again, stretching her body over his. The beat of suspension while all four of his feet were off the ground caused Rue's stomach to drop and she laughed again at the feeling, absorbing the shock of his landing in her knees and elbows to keep from dropping herself on his back.

Anyalvis slowed before she asked Wildfire to slow, so they overshot the man and his horse, circling around him as they slowed first to a canter, then a trot, and finally after another large circle they came to a walk. Wildfire shook his mane out, the long hairs in Rue's hands pulling free of her grasp, and she smiled at him. He snorted loudly, telling her that he could have pushed himself harder, run longer, but she could feel the sweat on her own body and knew he wouldn't have gone much longer without breaking into a sweat of his own.

She patted his neck, and he turned to push his face on the length of her bow that pressed against his neck. She pulled the offensive item away, but they both knew she had no other way to carry the bow at such a speed.

"Well, that was fun." Rue said as she regained her breath.

[Aran Windblown]

Aran grinned at Rue. "Indeed; Anyalvis does not get much opportunity to show off for other Striders nowadays," he returned. Glancing around, Aran was pleased to note that they weren't far from the warrens. "We can dismount now, if you wish," Aran said, looking to Rue. "We are close to the warrens." Dismounting would probably be best; whether they were to hunt rabbits or birds, the horses would be more hindrance than help until it came time to haul whatever they may catch or kill.

[Naiya]

Rue nodded, slight apprehension trickling into her stance as she dropped off Wildfire's side. She had only managed to stick a bird on her last hunt because she was fast, comfortable with her draw and with her bow.

She was hardly so now, and she wondered if she would even be able to hit a still target - let alone a fleeing animal.

"I hope we can manage to catch something, but maybe I'd be better off watching the horses. I don't want to ruin your fun." She let her hair fall around her in a curtain of copper locks as she spoke, hiding her nerves behind it's semblance of safety.

[Aran Windblown]

Aran shook his head. "You won't," he said confidently, checking his bow once more before turning his attention to the ground. "Trust me, I'm no great hunter, either; I'm quite rusty." So much so, that Aran had a hunch that he would scare off far more prey than anyone else there.

"You may stay with the horses, if you wish-- but it's more fun to chase rabbits when you've got two people," the Drykas added, smiling at Rue enticingly. Aran didn't want Rue to feel pressured to join him; that would rather defeat the whole reason he'd approached Rue's Ankhal in the beginning, to take Rue out where she might have some more fun, maybe feel a bit more relaxed. High-handed of him, yes, but well... Aran never was very subtle or tactful.

[Naiya]

"Alright." Rue nodded, they could both attempt this hunt, and come up empty handed, it wouldn't harm either of them.

She eyed Aran carefully a moment, wondering what had driven him to invite her on this impromptu hunt, before pulling an arrow from the quiver on her shoulder and setting it on the string of her bow.

"Lead the way then." She encouraged, signing Wildfire to follow at a distance.

[Aran Windblown]

Aran signed the same to Anyalvis before moving forward in a crouch, carefully nocking an arrow and holding his bow so that it wouldn't catch on much grass and alert their prey that they were coming. The area they were in was on top of a rather large warren; Aran recognized the signs from other warrens he'd seen and ridden over while delivering messages. He led them around the edge, eyes peeled for any rabbits; he spotted some and slowed, pointing them out to Rue.

"Do you want first shot?" he offered, his voice low so as not to carry and spook the rabbits.

[Naiya]

She followed softly behind, watching her steps for things that would snap or crunch loudly beneath her weight. She was so focused on being quiet that Aran's sudden halt startled her, almost enough to cause a small sound of fear from her lips.

She managed to choke the sound back, shaking her head in a negative instead. She was a quick follow up, she would let him shoot first, and aim after the others when they began to scatter.

It would give them both their best shot. Or at least she hoped it was the case.

[Aran Windblown]

Aran nodded, shifting so that he could better aim; he drew his arrow carefully, taking aim at a nearby rabbit. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting his arrow center on the rabbit's gut, paused a heartbeat, and then let the arrow fly.

He was rewarded with a scream from the rabbit, though it was short-lived as the rabbit quickly died; Aran's arrow had pierced it straight through the gut, probably nicking the heart on its way. He waited for Rue to shoot before retrieving his arrow and kill.