Where the hunter willingly becomes the prey (Jarhal)

[Aleksi]

90th of Fall, 510 AV

Aleksi grinned wickedly as she walked towards the gates. She was quite sure Jarhal was already there, since the time basically ran away from her last night. Meeting the Kelvic girl the way she did really wasn't helping her or Luc's sleeping habits
Dear Lord, why did I do that to myself.... but oh well, calm down Aleksi, at least you'll have some fun this morning., she thought to herself, slowly moving off the usual track and around the actual gates.

She planned on testing her luck with the threat Jarhal made last night. Even though it seemed like a pretty cheesy invite, which she usually didn't like, she couldn't resist such a challenge. Her life, after last night, started getting fun. Luc kept growling quietly as they walked. It was obvious he didn't enjoy them walking around in the cold, foggy mornings.

Her eyes were moving all over the place, making sure she's not being followed or spied on, but after a while, she just stopped. Nothing out there was scary enough for her and if Jarhal by any chance made it to her half way there, well, then she'd just have to improvise testing whatever she was doing right now.

Hands were moving all over her body, checking if she got everything she needed while in her mind a check list was going on
Leather stripes- check, Whip- check, Both Daggers - check, treat for Luc- Check

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

Jarhal had indeed been waiting at the gate, seemingly dressed no differently than the day before. He was always ready for a hunt, it was city life that he routinely needed to adjust to.

In his hands was his composite bow of simple but sturdy make, now strung in his left hand. Back on his opposite hip was a leather quiver filled with a good two dozen arrows, partially concealed by his dark green cloak. The emerald gemstone that pinned his cloak together was now gone, put away in a pouch. Such things could catch the light at inopportune times, much the same as a steel blade, and spook the quarry. One lesson his father had taught him well was to never leave anything to luck unnecessarily, and to ready yourself for disaster if you did. He had not been a gambling man, as one might surmise.

There he stood dutifully, much alike to his hound keeping watch beside him. The morning was dragging along, and not for the first time he began to assume the woman had taken to the game. Beside him, Chural gave a low growl.

"I know, I know." He sighed, not bothering to look down to the dog. "Caiyha bless us."

He began walking into Endrykas, toward Aleksi's tent, in exact time with Chural. However the dog was not at his heel this time, but leading the way and only pausing to sniff the ground. In all his time with the dog, Jarhal had not seen the mutt lose a scent trail. It was a blessing his nose had not been cut off, that tragic night.

As they kept patiently on the woman's trail, Jarhal only stopping occasionally to check for signs of passage, they soon left Endrykas entirely. As they entered the Sea of Grass, Jarhal withdrew a piece of green cloth stitched with brown patterning and tied it about his face as a mask to obscure his nose and mouth. Next he pulled up the hood of his cloak, and continued the meticulous process of tracking her down. A strand of white cat hair, a broken limb, strangely turned leaves... all as clear as roadsigns, once noticed.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi grinned wickedly, stopping for a second just to leave a piece of meat on the track before basically dragging Luc away from it
There, there, my boy. That's not for you.... We're playing a game here, remember?

It seemed like the cat understood what she was saying, once again. Her fingers softly scratching Luc's head before her fingers ripped a piece of the silk tied to her wrist. Looking around, she slowly placed it on the ground and kept on walking.

Jarhal wanted to see if she is a good hunter and she, well, she wanted to say how good of a tracker he is, since by the look on his face, he promised her quite a bit of a game. If he fails at it, which she didn't believe would happen, she will walk away and not give him the chance to see how things go with her while hunting. And in case he does what was indicated last night, well, then she'll give him quite a show.

Luc sniffed the ground and turned around towards her with a soft growl. They were getting close to the actual area they were usually hunting at. It was a bit strange for Luc to be here without sniffing around for a prey, but once they've gotten far enough, Aleksi called him and they've sat down by a rock.
Well Luc, let's hope they're worth the effort. If not, we'll go back to the tent and teach that guard from last night a valuable lesson.

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

It was always a key to be patient, whether tracking a weak blood trail or a weird woman with a big cat. His hunch was not that she'd really want to shake him anyhow, it just didn't seem to fit, but he'd been surprised before.

Suddenly Chural stopped, silently pointing his nose to a cut of meat lying in the open of the grass. Nearly as one, they tilted their heads quizzically, unsure what to make of that. A piece of silk hung limp on a blade of tall grass nearby, but no blood anywhere. Were these supposed to be hints? That was silly. The only other conclusion he could come to was it was a ruse. Sniffing at the meat, Chural looked back to Jarhal pleadingly.

Grassland Sign language flashed on his hands, the symbol for "No" and then "Hurry", and to cap it off a shooing gesture to get the hound back on the trail. Before leaving, Jarhal went over to collect the broken band of silk. Creeping low midst the high grass, the pair then continued on their way. They were growing close now, there was always a feeling of it. The primal feeling of instinct.

For a few more meters they went, crawling on their bellies when the grass dipped low, until pausing for a few moments. Slowly he rose from his belly to his knees, peeking about. He spotted and discarded a few hiding spots, before coming back to settle on a few clumps of rocks. He kept position, peering through the stalks of high grass, and kept his eyes peeled for movement.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi kept herself calm, slowly scratching Luc's head as he growled silently. It was about time. Jarhal and his puppy were close. She didn't mind it at all though, even though she had no idea where would they come from or what they would do.

She grinned though, slowly pulling another little piece of meat, this time a bit more juicy then the last one was, whistling quietly and adding
"Come here boy, I bet he didn't let you have the treat I left for you on the track."

Aleksi wasn't sure it would get the dog out in the open, but she was more then willing to try. Even if not, that piece of meat was meant for the dog, since if it found her, it must have been a really good tracker.

Luc growled again quietly, looking at him with the same look he used to do when he was practically begging her to play with him
"There, there... You know I have treats for you too... here", she offered another small piece of meat to Luc, who finally stopped complaining.

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

Lowering himself back down, he considered the dog for a few moments before shrugging. Taking the piece of ripped cloth from earlier, he gave it to the dog to carry in his mouth. Satisfied, his hands flashed the sign for "Go" and he then pointed out to his right. Eagerly, the hound stalked off to the right to circle about to the woman.

While the dog maneuvered around, Jarhal went ahead and moved directly for their clump of rocks. The game was over, and it had been enough fun all things considered, so it seemed pointless to remain hidden. He still stalked through the grass in order to not spook anything that might be watching, or attract any unwanted attention from a really big anything that might be watching, but it was a brisk walk compared to before.

As he reached their hiding place, straightening his cloth mask, Chural appeared to his right. On a knee, he spoke to Aleksi in a subdued whisper that carried just far enough to her. It was another habit drilled into him from birth, so much so that he felt strange speaking even this 'loudly'.

"Chural wanted me to thank you for the game of fetch." He said as the dog drifted forward to sit, spitting out a drool-covered piece of silk and waiting for his treat.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi chuckled quietly, slowly moving a bit closer to the dog to offer him a piece of meat that she was holding, while looking at Jarhal

"Took you long enough", winking at him teasingly, she got back to her place, scratching Luc's head still. It seemed that the cat wasn't all that surprised by the fact that Aleksi's spending time with a dog.

"Now, any special wishes or I'm hunting down whatever comes first?", her eyes started glowing as soon as she started talking about hunting. She did this with passion, love and care both towards the animals and her hunting partner as well as the battle itself.

Aleksi was pleasantly surprised by the fact that he has found her, and for some reason, she enjoyed in his company, probably because she had a bloody long night.

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

The dog took the treat immediately, gulping it down in a second. Behind his cloth mask, Jarhal couldn't help but frown. The scarred hound was getting soft or something.

"Entirely up to you, Miss Aleksi." My, that sounded weird. Miss Aleksi. Did Mister Jarhal sound as strange? No matter. "I'll just be watching. And my only wish is to not have your cat maul me by 'accident'."

He tested his bowstring, and rearranged his arrows. Never hurt to be prepared, should he not be able to just sit by and watch. He felt the dangers of the grassland as keenly as any Drykas, if not even more than most. His brothers had been good hunters, and it hadn't seemed to matter. If they could be swallowed and devoured by the Sea of Grass, then anyone could. It didn't help that this woman had grown on him just a little, he grudgingly admitted.

It was true that he felt himself a warden of Caiyha's nature, but, in truth, it did not end there. The hapless traveler must be protected from nature as much as nature must be protected from him, and as much he preached to himself the virtues of growth through hardship and natural selection... he hated the murderous glassbeak with a passion, and dreamed of hunting them to extinction. No one should suffer like that. Did all of this make him a hypocrite?

"I'm ready." His hands flashed in Grassland Sign to Aleksi.

[Aleksi]

Aleksi had to laugh at the "Miss" part. Was that even appropriate? Since... less then five hours ago a female Kelvic had told her if there was anyone she would bond to, it would be Aleksi. Did that make her any more of a woman? It appears not.

"Well, I will look around for a deer or something like that, since I miss the taste of meat and I think Luc wouldn't mind having some either, she looked at the cat that made his usual, purr sounding growl before looking at Chural and giggling
"And of course, Mr. Softy will be getting some too.."

Her eyes moved towards Jarhal, her whole face was practically glowing as her fingers pulled her dagger out and checked the blade. It was time and she knew that. She always felt nervous before the hunt, no matter how many times she has done it before. It wasn't obvious, of course, since she has trained herself to keep all the emotions behind the huge mask.

"Now, Mister Jarhal", she grinned, obviously pointing the word Mister out before continuing " I will walk about 200 meters down south where the deers should be around. You and Chural just keep it quiet while Luc and I do what we came to.

[Jarhal Treeshadow]

He inclined his hooded head just a bit in acquiescence, and then gathered up to move. Poking the hound on the haunch to get his attention back, he made ready to circle about to watch. Before heading back into the tall grass, he paused a moment in consideration and then turned back to Aleksi quite seriously.

"Caiyha bless you, Aleksi. Thanks to her for this hunt, and every hunt we are favored enough to see." By his tone it was apparent that this was no joke, and his sharp eyes demanded at least a modicum of respect for just this one moment. There were very few rituals he subscribed to, but this was one of them.

Usually, he would make his prayers privately and silently, for only himself. Deity worship wasn't a thing to do in the open for everyone and it was each individual's responsibility to do it for himself, in his opinion... but he did not want to see the woman come to any ill-omens. He was not so egotistical to think a Goddess had time to listen to every prayer he gave, but, yet again, it never hurt to be prudent. It would be a shame to waste all this time making an interesting acquaintance, only to see her cursed or something.

"I will be within bowshot." Was all he said before slipping off into the grass. He knew this area well enough, too, after all. What good was a hunter if he didn't know where to hunt?