Closed Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Azira forces Khara to take her to find a bull moose

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The westernmost tip of Kalea, Wind Reach is home to an amazing group of people and their giant eagle mounts. [Lore]

Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Azira on August 2nd, 2014, 10:24 pm

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23rd Summer 514AV

Wind Reach seemed rife with rumours at the moment. The huntress had heard the original rumour about the bull moose a few days before but had passed it off as just that - rumour. People had a tendency of exaggerating things, whether they intended to or not and so the huntress didn't put much stock in people's stories unless the source was a reliable one and the information was first hand, or at least close to it. She hadn't been the only one to disregard the talk though. Other hunters hadn't risen to the bait of the phantom moose either, hadn't rushed out to investigate the location. Yet now a new rumour was circulating. That the moose was real and that a scout and found it, seen it with their own eyes. There were a number of locations going around too although they were in the same general area and so it was enough to get Azira interested.

Unfortunately, it sounded promising to other hunters as well and so there seemed to be a lot of hunting parties assembling, throwing jibes back and forth between them about who would bring back the moose. Azira didn't have anyone to go hunting with her, not that she needed a hunter really, just someone to help her carry back when she killed it. She could have gone to Lavira but the Endal was presumed dead and Alori the same. That left her with Kovac who she'd heard hadn't been quite right after Lavira and she hadn't exactly gotten along all that well with the mongrel in the first place. That meant that she had no one to go with her and if she went on her own she wouldn't be able to bring it back. The teen was left brooding over it as she set out to hunt, her mood dark as she contemplated a pitiful day of hunting rabbits, or their like. There was no way for her to hunt the moose, no way to find it, kill it, carry it. Except...

Her steps stopped at the threshold of the Sanikas Gate and then she was turning back towards the city and running. Back up in the lift and she was off again, legs pumping as she ran for where the game scouts were organised. She ran until her leg muscles began to ache and a stitch dug at her side and her lungs began to burn. When she couldn't run through the Warrens anymore, she slowed to a fast walk and dodged the denizens of the city in her rush to get to her destination. The idea had arrived suddenly and she had acted upon it without another thought. As she ran she was able to give some thought to her plan.

Many of the hunters would head off to search for the moose based on rumour. But none of them had bothered to check if the rumour was true or at least so she hoped. If she got to the game scouts first and found the one who had tracked the moose then not only would she have the advantage of a guide who knew its last location, she'd also have muscle to help carry the kill back. She just had to get there first. The teen could only hope that she was faster off the mark than everyone else. It would mean not only relying on but working with a Chiet. It would be a bitter pill for the girl to swallow but it'd be worth it if she brought the meat back. A Chiet wouldn't get credit for the kill, she would.

As she finally found herself amongst the game scouts, the huntress looked for one in particular: Orthin. She knew the man to see and by reputation. He was the best there was, no doubt about it but he also tended to know what the other scouts were up to. Hopefully, it was still early enough that no one would have whisked him away on a hunt. She found him within a group, the man's ample hair and numerous piercings making him stick out like a sore thumb. The Avora pushed her way through them, pulling rank to allow herself to get to where she wanted. The other scouts seemed to melt away, giving her space as she approached the man.

"Can I help you, uh... Huntress?" he asked, bowing his head in a submissive gesture. A faint smile touched her lips. He'd realised her occupation but he couldn't be sure of her caste. It was nice to be considered for an Endal. She ran a hand through her hair, a quick, unconscious gesture. "Yes. I want to know everything you know about this bull moose everyone is talking about and the game scout who found it," she told him simply.

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When she left Orthin's company, she had all the information that she needed. The Avora knew who the game scout she was looking for was, a girl called Khara. Not only that but she knew just where to find the girl, what she looked like, everything important. As long as someone hadn't gotten to the girl first - which seemed unlikely because no one seemed to have as much intelligence as herself - then she was going to do some moose hunting.

The Darniva Commonrooms were her first destination and hopefully her last and she found the right door by following the instructions she'd been given. Her knuckles rapped upon the wood with great force, the sound a summons, a command to not keep her waiting. When the door opened her authority shone through almost immediately, no opportunity for anything but obedience in her voice.

"Khara, yes? You're going hunting with me. You'll show me where this moose is and when I kill it, you'll help carry it back. Come!"

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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Khara on August 3rd, 2014, 11:31 pm

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Khara wasn't entirely surprised to find that the knock that had practically demanded she open her door was in regards to her finds the day before, but still the sight of the Avora and her abrupt order caused the Chiet a moment of shock.

"You want me to go hunting with you...?" Khara asked with an air of genuine confusion. There was no disrespect in her tone, just a bit of disbelief that she was being asked to participate. The moment was brief and her eyes widened as all the ways her words could be taken were realized in one embarrassed leap of thought. "O-Of course, huntress! Right away!"

It became quickly apparent as the Chiet moved away from the doorway and into the rather plain looking room that Khara had been preparing to set out just before Azira had knocked. The day's equipment and rations had been set aside and were easily accessed and picked up, the last of which was her quiver and short bow. With the huntress around Khara doubted she would need either but it would be foolish to head into the wilderness without them just the same.

"I'm sorry for questioning you. I know I shouldn't have." The girl spoke as she slung the quiver over her shoulder. "I was just expecting to be spending today with the other scouts. Not anyone," Khara paused as she considered the right word. "Important."

A small laugh left her, still echoing the disbelief she felt. "You know, you're the only one that's asked me about the silly thing directly. Well, aside from Orthin, but I think he was more curious than anything else. Probably thinks I'm lying like the others. Guess we-... Uhm... You will prove them wrong."
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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Azira on August 5th, 2014, 6:30 pm

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The Chiet's shock was obvious. Perhaps she'd never had something like this sprung on her before. Her eyes flickered across the girl's face in an effort to glean some information about her. She was young, maybe only the same age as Azira and so might not be a scout that was taken seriously, or very experienced. She had found the moose though which was good enough for the huntress but yet within a few ticks of being in her presence she'd already taken a dislike to her. She didn't like being questioned and didn't expect it from a lower caste member. The girl didn't like where she put the emphasis in the question either. The implications were enough to raise her hackles. She sucked in a shocked breath as her thoughts almost ran over themselves in their hurry to be heard. What does she mean by that? The girl thinks she's better than me? She's a petching Chiet! A piece of ass! Should have her whipped for this, she thought, ready to put the lower caste woman in her place but she was already falling over herself to show some proper obedience.

The huntress leaned against the doorframe, her body from relaxed as she watched Khara scurry about her room. The look Azira gave the interior was one of disdain, not because of its contents, or rather because it was spartan, but due to its owner. She wasn't going to let a slip of the tongue to easily and that much would surely by obvious to the scout. A glance would show how her hand was resting near a knife, almost unconsciously, her body rigid with tension. The Avora would seem far from friendly and her attempt to stroke her ego or apologise wouldn't soften the girl. Babbling would only make it worse, the huntress not bothered to hear the sound of the other's voice anymore than necessary. Although her words confirmed what she'd suspected: the girl wasn't taken seriously.

She had aspirations, no doubt. Chiet usually did, not contented with their place low down on the food chain. Probably hoped to go on more hunts, become a favoured scout like Orthin. Bringing her shortbow, the slip of the tongue with a "we" quickly changed to a "you" pointed to a desire for recognition, or more than that, a desire for elevation. Probably nobody wanted her for her skills, although she wasn't unattractive so she might catch the eye of some Endal and feel sorry for wanting the attention afterwards. The last brought a cruel humour to her lips, revelling in the idea of the humiliation and pain of a girl that she hardly knew.

Pushing away from her perch, she straightened, rolling her shoulders. "Are you done yet? I haven't got all day," she snapped, giving the scout a look of disgust before turning on her heel and striding off into the Warrens. If the young woman took too long in following her then Azira was more than willing to go back and dish out violence. Might make the girl remember her manners next time; it was impolite to keep an Avora waiting. For now the teen was content to listen for the sound of Khara running to catch up with her. And if she didn't run, well then Azira would hit her just the same. The day was certainly beginning to get better.

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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Khara on August 10th, 2014, 1:39 am

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Khara realized she had been rambling a second too late and looked up just in time to watch the Avora turn and leave. It felt like a stone had suddenly dropped into her stomach as she quickly hurried after the huntress, sprinting until she caught up with her and fell in line just a bit to the side and behind. The Chiet girl found her mouth opening to voice another apology but quickly shut it once more, going so far as to bite her lower lip for good measure.

Right. Keep it formal...
Truthfully she felt like the Avora had every right to be as annoyed with her as her demeanor seemed to reflect, but it didn't make anything easier and it certainly wasn't going to help the day go by any faster, that was for sure. You should be grateful she is even asking you to go with her. She could have just demanded you tell her every detail of where to go, you know.

As they neared the Sanikas Gate Khara looked up from her fidgeting hands and took a quick breath before forcing herself to try and speak in a far more respectful tone than the casual way she had addressed the Avora earlier. "Huntress, the trail I used yesterday begins about a half-bell's walk down the pass, towards Thunder Bay. I last spotted the creature near a river that was perhaps another bell or two off the path. I can you lead you there, but once we get to the river we'll have to pick the trail back up. I think it's most likely that we should begin heading downward, towards the bay. Orthin told me it's not rare for moose to try and spend the last of the warm season there before it freezes over."

The words felt useless to speak, but Khara knew some of the Avora liked to at least have some sort of idea regarding the situation their scout was going to be leading them into and what their overall plan was so they could voice any potential issues they had. Of course there were others that felt such things could better be shown than talked about and Khara immediately felt herself tensing in preparation for the expected rebuke.
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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Azira on August 12th, 2014, 4:39 pm

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The slap of shoes on stone was music to the Avora's ears. So the girl wasn't as stupid as she seemed. She seemed to have some survival instinct at least, if not the necessary respect for her superiors that Azira would have liked. The huntress didn't slow down, instead purposefully lengthening her strides so as to make the girl hurry to continue to keep pace with her. It was sure to tax the huntress but she'd deal with the consequences later. Once they were outside, she'd be able to slow down as she commanded the girl to take the lead and show her the way. The scout stayed a little behind her as they made their way through the Warrens and the teen wasn't sure if it was her speed that had caused the girl to fall behind, or if Khara was respecting Azira's rank by allowing her to lead.

After the way she talked to me before? she wondered. It was possible that she'd only just now remembered herself. Time would tell and once they were out of the city, she was sure that there would be other opportunities to gauge the girl's reaction to authority.

They travelled quickly and in silence, breathing and the sounds of footsteps the only noises between the pair. Only as they reached the Sanikas Gate did the scout dare to say anything, explaining what her tracking of the moose had turned up. Her tone was more respectful this time, more formal as she addressed the higher caste member. No more casualness as if they were equals. The girl did seem to have copped onto herself. She didn't know why the girl bothered to explain rather than just asking if she could take the lead but Azira did appreciate the small snippet of information that the scout provided. It meant that even if the moose had stayed where it was, it would be a long journey back with a heavy carcass. A phantom ache came to her shoulders at the thought of the weight but she shrugged and rolled them until the imagined sensation was gone. She was going to do this. She had decided.

Her head turned almost lazily so she could glance at the scout. Khara seemed tensed, shrunk slightly in on herself as if expecting the huntress to snap at her again. Good, she was learning. "Well go on then. Lead on. It's why you're here after all," the huntress told her, before returning her gaze frontwards. It was of little concern to Azira which way they went as long as they were going the right way. She didn't need to know in exactly which direction they were going. The only things that were important in her mind were the time it would take to get there and what the terrain was like. If it was off the beaten track then the terrain was going to be hard-going. It'd probably take longer to get back over such ground with a carcass to carry.

Well there was one other factor but she was uncertain how to broach the topic without seeming like a coward. She needed to know if there was any danger in the direction they were going, if there were predators. Predators could appear anywhere at anytime but they usually went where the game went and signs of their activity and presence usually turned up. There might be a way to ask though. Making her voice casual as if it wasn't that important Azira asked, "Did you see any predator activity along the trail you followed? I'd like to know in advance, or carrying a bloody, dead thing through the wrong area could mean the loss of a kill. I don't want that now, do I?"

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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Khara on August 25th, 2014, 4:02 am

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It felt embarrassing to have to be told to take the lead, but at the same time it felt strange to have an Avora following her. It was supposed to be a normal part of her job yet Khara wondered if it was ever going to be something she would get used to. As she quickened her pace to fall just a few steps in front of the huntress, the girl attempted to project an air of confidence to at least equal out the lingering apprehension that wanted to take control. Even if she was only marginally successful, she at least found some comfort in the fact that the Avora couldn't see that she had to force herself to stop nervously biting her lip every few ticks.

The question the huntress posed was a blessing in disguise if for no other reason it took Khara's mind off of how incompetent she must seem and instead forced her back to the task at hand. Predators; despite having come across the tracks the day before the concept entirely had slipped from her thoughts. It wasn't something she would even have thought to take into account. And that's why you aren't a hunter. The groan at the thought managed to stopped before it got any farther than a slight noise in her throat.

Even with the feeling that the woman's final question was rhetorical, Khara couldn't help but cast a glance behind her and shook her head just barely. "N-no, huntress. Of course not." Idiot! Just answer the petching question.

Her eyes snapped back to the path ahead, scanning for where she had left it the day before as she forced the answer out. "I did see some zynx tracks that crossed the trail I was following, but no other sign of the cat's presence." Reluctance to admit her lack of knowledge bubbled up and brought a slight cringe across her face before Khara continued. "But I don't know how fresh the tracks were. They didn't seem to be heading in the same direction as the moose, though. I'll let you know when we are nearing the area if you want to look into it further, though we can probably avoid it's path entirely on the return trip."

Khara took a breath and nodded to herself, more in reassurance towards her own words than any actual silent agreement with them. Her luck had been good the day before, now she found herself hoping it hadn't entirely left her. At least you'll know better if this happens again, right? Take an extra bell or two to find a route back that lets you stay away anything that might steal a kill. You know, if you make it out of this and they actually let you scout out on your own again.

A familiar break in the trees alongside the pass avoided letting her begin the next round of mental scolding and Khara stopped and looked back to the huntress. The want to explain how long it would potentially take them until they reached where she had spotted the zynx tracks lingered on the tip of her tongue but ultimately went unsaid. The fear that they would betray the false confidence she was trying to keep up was enough to keep the Chiet quiet for a change. Instead she waited to see if the huntress had any final comments before they headed into the woods. Silence wouldn't be entirely necessary until they were closer to the moose's trail, but Khara had the very distinct impression that the upper caste woman wasn't exactly one for small talk.
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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Azira on August 25th, 2014, 7:45 pm

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The girl walked ahead of her trying to look confident; she didn't. It seemed that she didn't like being in front of the huntress. Maybe it was the fact that she didn't like Azira walking behind her where she couldn't see her, or perhaps the reversal of their roles made her uncomfortable. Considering her show of density so far, the huntress doubted that she'd ever led anyone to game, not even another game scout. She seemed to have no confidence in her own abilities, no idea how this was supposed to work, she was nothing more than a chick.

Just my luck to get the only game scout who doesn't know her arse from her elbow, the Avora thought, staring moodily at the girl's back. She had no idea how she'd found a moose but apparently Orthin believed her so he must know that she was capable of doing it. If the more experienced game scout hadn't had faith in her then Azira would have disregarded Khara's so-called findings and passed the moose rumour off as just that, rumour. Instead she was stuck with a chick with her head in the clouds.

Her nervousness after the huntress asked about predators put Azira into a state of unease. Perhaps checking for nearby predators hadn't entered the girl's head and so they were walking into the unknown. She certainly hoped not. If the girl had been that stupid then the teen would be glad to knock some sense into her. There would be some way to ensure that the scout never forgot about such important information again. It wouldn't have surprised her if the girl hadn't done so if she didn't have the experience. Not having been out on a hunt would mean that she wouldn't understand or be aware of the dangers. It was not a good situation to be stuck with a chick in.

To the Avora's great surprise though the girl had actually noticed tracks. Doesn't mean that she went looking for them, she thought. That thought gained some credence as Khara noted that she hadn't seen any other sign of the zynx's presence. She hadn't bothered to check, had she? That would explain the nervousness all right. If she hadn't expected to need the information and then had been asked about it, she'd know that she would be in hot water for not knowing more. Limited news as it was the teen wasn't happy to hear it. She did not like zynx, not that anyone did but the last time she'd dealt with one the season before it had been ugly. She hadn't been on the receiving end of its attacks but it had still been difficult for her to deal with it. Shooting its victim in the leg could certainly be seen as a bad way of dealing with the problem. She did not want to encounter another one out of the blue.

"They didn't seem to be heading in the direction of the moose? You mean that you didn't bother to check to make certain. Have you ever had to deal with a zynx before? Will we see how you do if it appears and starts trying to make you its next meal? If it appears, you can shoot it with that shortbow of yours and see how well you fare. If you live it might teach you a thing or two about caution," the teen snapped out. The huntress made a noise of irritation, glaring in the scout's direction. "You're such a chick, do you know that? How did you manage to find a moose at all? By accident? Well either way you're in charge of finding where it went, understand? If you can manage that much."

The Avora shook her head and followed the Chiet into the forest. She felt that this was going to be an awful long hunt.

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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Khara on August 27th, 2014, 1:05 am

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All manner of ways to explain herself came half formulated to mind, some even almost sounded rational, but in the end they went unsaid. However bluntly put, the Avora hadn't exactly been wrong and there was no point in struggling with it. Except finding the moose on accident. I know what I'm doing. The stern tone her inner voice took on was almost enough to briefly convince Khara that it was right for a change. But where she expected to slink into the forest like a scolded animal, Khara found the exact opposite reaction taking place to the huntress' accusations. She felt herself standing a bit straighter, shoulders rolling back as a hand came up and shoved a few stray strands of her hair behind her ear. It wasn't exactly confidence, and it wasn't that she had something to prove to the other teen - her find was probably already firmly made up - it was that the Chiet suddenly felt that she had to prove the Avora wrong for her own benefit. She'd found the moose on her own with nothing more than a dismissal of wasting time, she could damn well lead a huntress back to it, mistakes made or not.

It was for this reason Khara found her pace quick and light as she entered the forest, eyes scanning for the markers she'd taken note of the day before to make sure she lead them on the correct path. The sprint she'd allowed herself on the return trip the afternoon before had made her more familiar with the terrain and allowed for haste. She had no doubts that the huntress would be able to keep up and if nothing else the speed kept the girl focused on her breathing and the trail rather than trying to come up with anything else that would earn the Avora's ire.

She slowed only near where she believed to have first picked up the moose's trail, not bothering to cast a glance at the huntress. The other teen wasn't her concern now, now it was about making sure she hadn't completely messed up and lead them into a completely different area. The sight of a patch of roughed up forest bed brought a wave of relief that was only heightened as she crouched down to confirm it was where she had first seen the tracks. They were still visible, a somewhat peaceful evening spent uncovered but still within the canopy had done little to fade them. It brought to mind another question to ask one of the more experienced scouts when this was all over: what to do if it was raining.

The Chiet looked up from the tracks, trying to keep her expression neutral as she looked back to the huntress. The thought of giving her a quick nod was dismissed as Khara thought it would probably only make her seem like she was bragging over the poor accomplishment of successfully finding something you had already discovered. Rather she began following the trail once more, keeping her movements as quiet as possible while still trying to keep up a decent amount of speed. If she poured over the tracks now it would look bad, and the signs of her movements the day before were evident enough to follow. Okay, maybe this won't be so bad now that we're out here. It was an hopeful thought, but not one that Khara felt she could really hold on to.

It had fully fled by the time the scout slowed again as she began recognizing the area where the zynx tracks had been. Her footsteps slowed cautiously and she finally looked back to the huntress, waiting for her to draw near so that she could finally test speaking.

"As I said, I would tell you when we neared where I saw sign of the zynx." Khara kept her voice hushed, just above a whisper. It probably wasn't entirely necessary but the Avora's mocking words about the danger she had practically ignored couldn't so easily be forgotten. "This is the place. It crossed directly over the moose's path just ahead."

The Chiet was glad the quiet tones she was forced to use kept her voice even, it left the bitterness out of her next words. "Since you are far more experienced in dealing with predators than I am, what would you recommend? Do we cut straight through towards the moose or would you rather see if we can find out more about the cat's whereabouts?"
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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Azira on August 27th, 2014, 11:34 pm

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The scout's demeanour changed beneath the waves of Azira's criticism. She didn't shrink or cower but seemed to become stubborn, defiant even rather than confident. It wasn't a change that the huntress liked, it was too close to insubordination but perhaps if she felt that she needed to prove something then she'd try hard on this trip to do her very best. Khara moved rapidly, surefooted despite the uneven terrain. The scout was welcome to attempt to break her neck but Azira didn't want to risk it. She didn't want to be outrun by the girl either, rising to the imagined challenge.

Her feet stuck as close to the bases of the trees as possible as she followed the scout, reasoning that the ground was firmer where the roots were. While the roots bound the soil together, they were also liable to snake out and trip an unwary walker. The eyes of the Avora darted from base to base as she moved from one to the other. Where the roots rose out of the ground she stepped on top of them, shuffling around the trunk until she was able to find solid ground to step on once more. They passed through patches of ground where the trees were spread further apart, the roots not stretching to cover the spaces between the trees. There the huntress was more careful. One foot would remain firmly planted behind her as she placed the other forward, heel to toe and placed her weight on it. If the ground moved or gave way then she was able to regain her balance with a quick pull back and some arm waving before seeking a safer patch. Constant observation was key but she succeeded in keeping pace with the girl without doing damage to herself.

When the Chiet slowed, the teen couldn't help but feel relieved, glad that they could move at an easier pace. It also meant that the girl might be reaching the point where the true hunting could begin. Her attention was focused entirely on the ground, Azira noticed, probably looking for some indicator that the huntress couldn't see. She knew that she could never have found the moose alone, the subtle markers most likely to give away its location the ones that she would be least likely to spot. Herself and the scout could probably look at the same patch of ground and see entirely different things. There was no sound from Khara, she was telling her nothing about what she was seeing. A blank look in her direction and then the girl was off again. That told her nothing although she was now moving with some stealth but still at a fair pace.

The huntress did her best to keep up, trying to keep her steps light and to distribute her weight carefully by placing her feet down heel to toe but she had to sacrifice speed for the stake of staying quiet. She fell behind the game scout but not too far back that she wasn't able to catch up with her quickly when she came for a halt. Initially she thought that Khara had stopped because she was lagging too far behind but it was really to follow her own orders. Her body tensed slightly at the mention of the zynx but she rolled her shoulders back and focused on loosening her body again. She'd need to be ready to use a bow at any tick if they encountered this predator.

The teen swept short strands of hair away from her face and stared into space thoughtfully. "I'd recommend that we check out the zynx track, see if it's heading away from or might be running parallel to the moose's track. If you can't be sure then we follow the moose tracks. You might remember where the moose went but you need to check to see if anything has crossed his tracks since. It hasn't rained so I assume they're still intact. You tell me, you're the one experienced in tracking, right?" the huntress replied coolly, keeping her voice low.

She gestured for her to move, unslinging her shortbow and taking an arrow from her quiver as she did. She nocked it, keeping the bow aimed downwards, ready to raise and shoot if anything crossed their path.

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Azira
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Forced Cooperation (Khara)

Postby Khara on August 29th, 2014, 12:05 am

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Khara couldn't bring herself to voice a reply and instead settled for a small nod, her eyes refusing to meet those of her better. This time there was no hesitation as the Avora motioned her forward. Even with the huntress armed behind her, Khara still felt the same sense of trepidation as she neared where the trails of the two animals had overlapped. Once more it was evidence of her own passing, spots where the forest floor was pushed back to reveal the earth below that she had created, that brought her back to the correct spot. Just as she had the day before she examined the feline prints, noting they ran almost perpendicular to the hooved marks left by the moose. She knew now that moose's trail did eventually turn towards the bay and while it wound in a lackadaisical arc, there was a very real possibility that both animals had ended up heading in the same direction.

Her words from earlier came back to haunt her. Well, if you just look at them by themselves they don't seem to be... Idiot! There's always a bigger picture, you should have spent some time on this yesterday! There was nothing to do now but learn from the mistake, and maybe hope that the huntress figured it would be beneath her to once again point out the error that Khara's mind was already busy making sure she would never forget. Beat yourself up later if you don't get mauled by the zynx, okay?

There was no point in pointing out the potential issue, not until she confirmed the zynx had headed towards the same river where she had last spotted the moose. There wasn't enough time to fully follow the trail, but every few paces Khara stopped and moved aside more of the detritus to uncover more prints. The ground was soft, but still the prints were light, she wasn't quite sure if that meant it wasn't in a hurry or if the animal was just extraordinarily light on its paws. Either way, its path remained true, cutting through the trees and around various bushes as if with a singular purpose in mind. Stalking prey or heading to water, though?

As she moved, the scout kept low to the ground, trying to be aware of the sounds around her that could signify an oncoming attack, but all that came to her was the constant drone of insects, bird calls, and the ever present light steps of the huntress behind her.

A disturbed patch of ground caught her eye, it wasn't overt as if done by human hands in search of something, but more as if something smaller had made a sudden movement and had caused the disturbance. The suspicion was confirmed upon closer examination, a zynx print dug into the soft ground as the cat had changed direction. She wasn't certain, but the abrupt change and force behind the print gave her the impression the movement that had created it had been quick and rather sudden. A glance up confirmed several similar patches leading away into the woods, thankfully in a direction away from the river. Whatever had caught the cat's eye wasn't their quarry, at least hopefully it wasn't. There was no telling what direction the moose had chosen to take once she had stopped watching it.

She waited for the huntress to catch up before glancing behind her, still keeping her voice low, which now felt done more to not disrupt the overall calm of the woods than out of necessity. "It looks like it ran off in that direction." She gestured towards the other disturbed patches. "Almost completely opposite from where I last saw the moose."

Slowly the scout rose from where she had crouched, casting one last glance in the direction the cat had apparently gone. "So unless I find out that the moose decided to head back deeper into the woods, we should be clear."
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Khara
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