Closed Hunting for Distraction (Shahar Dawnwhisper)

[Lian Windrunner]

7th Day of Fall, 515 AV
7th Bell, morning
Endrykas

Lian needed a distraction, and he needed one badly. If he was left alone with his thoughts for too much longer, he was likely to go insane. And then there would be nothing to stop him from rushing off and acting on the nearly overwhelming impulse to punish Seirei and taking his kids back. Even in his current frame of mind, Lian knew that that would only make matters worse.

So. He needed a distraction. And with it being fall, he knew of one thing that would be an ideal distraction. The fall was the best time for hunting. A couple of days ago, the official hunting season had begun. Hunters were going out on their own, or in groups to bring down whatever they could find in preparation for winter. A good hunt was the perfect distraction. Emotions had no place on a hunt, so if he wanted to succeed, he would have to set them aside in order to focus on what was important; finding his prey, and staying alive while out in the Sea of Grass.

According to news in the Web, other hunters were readying themselves for a test of sorts today. Those that proved themselves skilled enough would form teams and join in on the annual glassbeak hunt. Hunting glassbeaks were well beyond his skill. Not only would he get himself killed, he'd likely bring others down with him if they tried to keep him alive. So Lian didn't even consider taking part in the training test. But that didn't stop him from gathering up his bow and quiver, and heading out of the tent.

Talise met him as soon as he left the tent. Lian indulged them both by giving her a good grooming. His strider needed it, and she loved being groomed as much as he loved curry combing her. The time spent together was always a bonding experience, a calm peaceful time when strider and rider could enjoy each other's company with no distractions.

After Lian was finished grooming Talise, he made his way towards the edge of the city. Talise followed closely behind him. But rather than mounting her once they reached the city limits, Lian remained on foot. Talise's presence would be invaluable to him on the hunt because the scent of a "prey" animal would help to disguise his own scent...one that was distinctly that of a predator. In theory, that would allow him to get closer to his prey without frightening it than he would if he were alone. But he was after small game today. Rabbits, ground squirrels, and the like. So it would be easier to hunt them on foot.

Lian kept an eye out for tracks as he walked. On most hunts, he would either find the nearest source of water and start his hunt from there so he'd have a better chance at finding a trail, or use the Web to locate his prey. But this hunt was meant to be a distraction, and as such, he wanted a challenge more than he wanted a successful hunt. Bringing game back would be an added bonus if it happened.

It took him longer than it would have had he started at a river, but his efforts finally paid off. After a couple of bells' intense searching, Lian found a cluster of piles of dirt grouped loosely together. They were ground squirrel mounds. And a rather large ground squirrel was perched at the edge of one of the mounds. Lian froze, watching intently as its nose twitched, testing the air for danger.

Ever so slowly, Lian eased his bow off of his shoulder, stopping each time the ground squirrel looked in his direction. When he had his bow in hand, Lian repeated the process, only reaching for an arrow this time. With painstaking slowness, Lian readied his arrow. Then he took careful aim, and let the arrow fly.

The arrow flew true, and impaled its target. The ground squirrel convulsed a few times, and was still. Lian walked over to retrieve his prey. As he knelt down to pick it up, he noticed what had to be ground squirrel tracks all around the mound. They looked a lot like tiny human hands in a way. Some were smaller than the others. Lian guessed these to be the fore paws since it was often the case that an animal's fore paws were smaller than their hind paws. Both had "palms." The smaller sets had four long, thin "fingers" that ended in tiny indentations where claw tips would dig into the ground. The larger sets looked even more like human hands, having four long, thin "fingers," and a "thumb" as well.

Lian pulled his arrow out of the carcass, and cleaned it off. Then he stood. The dead ground squirrel went into a yvas bag attached to Talise's yvas. The used arrow went into another yvas bag. Lian would want to inspect it for damage before using it again. Judging by the large number of mounds in the area, Lian realized that there had to be more than one ground squirrel living here. They lived in groups like rabbits did, didn't they? Lian thought so, anyway. He decided to wait for a while, and see if any other ground squirrels emerged from their mounds. If they did, he would be ready..
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[Colt]

The morning was buzzing.

Shahar knew that something was different the moment he entered the Hunter’s Allegiance, the early morning’s take at his side; a fat grouse and thin ferret had fur and feathers that others would most likely want, although the meat was long gone––Shahar had three hunting cats, a she-wolf, three people and two children to see fed, and so everything that could be eaten had been eaten. Bones were made into stocks, flesh into stew, feet and claws and organs given to the animals to chew on, and Shahar knew that even that would not be enough; he would have to hunt again for a proper food supply or buy one if he found nothing, and then he would have to hunt a third time for those that paid him to do so; with the rapidly expanding size of his camp, not to mention Snow, Shahar did not have much time to indulge in the social gossip of the Allegiance––the only gossip he was interested in was the direction of the wind and rain and the movements of the animals.

Still, he wasn’t completely deaf to what was going on; he was Drykas by birth, bond and culture, even if he didn’t usually act like it, and he was well aware of what events this season would bring to them. The test of skill was as expected as the first snow, which came every year to announce another turn of a world that cared little for the creatures that lived upon it. Glassbeaks, they said in awe. It was meant to test one’s skill against glassbeaks.

Certainly not a pursuit Shahar was suited for.

It was in edge of the gossip, however, on the barest outskirts of Endrykas, that Shahar caught sight of him. Lean, long-haired, mounted in the distance like a ghost; at first, Shahar wasn’t even certain that it was him. Not possible… but the strider was the same. The mare, the same one he had ridden to confront the Dawnwhispers all those nights ago, in the tail end of summer when all of Endrykas had rippled in the wake of the silver chest. Shahar’s thoughts automatically flickered to the brilliant white pup that walked at his side, oblivious to the subject of his focus, although she noticed his brief attention to her and returned with a vague acknowledgement that didn’t require any further explaining. He wondered if Snow would even remember that strider mare, or the man riding her.

He had hardly noticed turning to follow the horse and rider into the grasslands until Snow put forth a direct inquiry; destination where why?

Follow, uncertain need, was the only reply Shahar could formulate, signaling for Tuka to stay close by my side, hunt sneak cautious quiet.

Disbelief, Snow responded. She had caught sight of the pair they were following, and that didn’t give her any additional answers. That one target?

Acknowledgment, uncertain affirmative.

Uncertain… recognize? See before? There was a degree of confusion in her voice; the scent of the man hit her nose, and did indeed inspire memories in her, although those memories were blurred and unfocused.

We see, watch. Observe.

They hung back, the four of them: horse, rider, pup and hunting cat. Shahar didn’t want to provoke the Windrunner, remembering full well what had happened last time, but neither did he just want to let the sighting be. There was something… incomplete. About Seirei, about the two children that were with her, about the way she had left Lian. Something was amiss, and Shahar didn’t quite know what it was. Was it even possible that following Lian would reveal some new aspect that the Dawnwhispers were as of yet unaware of? Higher logic tried to tell him that it was not.

Lower instinct, however, demanded he follow.

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian didn't have to wait for long before another ground squirrel peeked out of its den. He froze, holding himself as still as he could in the hopes that he wouldn't startle the creature. His efforts paid off when the ground squirrel emerged from its den and raised itself up onto its hind legs, scenting the air for signs of danger. Ever so slowly, Lian reached for an arrow, and positioned it on his string. When the animal ignored his slight movements, Lian drew the string of his bow back, then released his arrow. The arrow flew true, but some slight shadow, or noise must have warned the creature to its danger, because it dove back underground just as the arrow sailed over its head.

Scowling in frustration, Lian walked over and retrieved his arrow. He checked it over to make sure it hadn't been damaged before returning it to his quiver. Then he moved back to where he'd been to begin the process all over again. As he waited to see if another ground squirrel would emerge, he couldn't help but wish he had brought his traps. This would be the perfect place to set a few. There was plenty of grass to conceal them, and it couldn't be more obvious that this area was populated by suitable prey.

Lian watched the mounds intently, waiting for the slightest sign that another ground squirrel would appear. But he never forgot to keep a sharp eye on his surroundings as well. There was no wind to rustle the surrounding grass, so he watched it, knowing that anything causing it to move could be either prey, or danger. The grass was still. And bird song could be heard clearly as the birds called out to each other. Lian was reassured by these signs of safety. But he still took a few chimes to slip into the Web to make certain that no predators were heading towards the area.

There were none, but Lian felt the presence of a fellow Drykas nearby. He or she had animals with them. A strider, dog, and a cat to be exact. The latter two were probably hunting animals, but Lian was so startled to sense the other Drykas that he didn't even wonder how he had missed the presence of a pair of predators as close as these two were. Lian dove back into his body, and waited impatiently through the surge of disorientation the abrupt return had caused. When his vision stopped swimming sickeningly, Lian searched the area, looking for the other Drykas.

It was Shahar Dawnwhisper. A man he had met for the first time when he'd gone looking for Seirei when she failed to return home the day the silver chest appeared in the city. Anger flooded through him. Why was he here? He seemed to be watching Lian...but why? What did the man want from him? He had already helped Seirei take his children from him...what was he going to take next? His strider? Lian wasn't going to stand for it.

"You!" he shouted, forgetting for the moment the wisdom of remaining quiet while in the Sea of Grass.

His tone was one of mingled rage, and pain. Lian stalked over to the other man, stopping only when he was just a few feet in front of him.

"Why are you here? Why are you watching me? What do you want?!" Lian demanded loudly, his voice nearly a snarl.

His hands gestured sharply, reflecting the strength of his emotions. Lian waited for a few ticks, then decided that it didn't matter why the man was here. He wanted nothing to do with the man responsible for aiding his captive...former captive, giving her shelter, and allowing her to get away with taking his kids away.

"Why are you helping her?! She took my children! The heir to my pavilion! I want them back!"

The pain in his voice was raw, and intense, stronger even than the wild rage that threatened to consume him. Lian struggled to control his rage, and lost. He rushed towards the other man as his control shattered.

"Give my children back to me!" he cried as he clenched his hand into a tight fist, and took a wild swing at Shahar..
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[Colt]

Lian was hunting.

Shahar wasn’t particularly surprised by this revelation, seeing as it had been the Hunter’s Allegiance he had caught sight of Lian. He wasn’t unsurprised, though; Shahar was observing to gather information, and the best way to gather information was to enter into it without any expectations.

In truth, Shahar knew very little about Lian save for what Seirei had told him. He knew he was a man that lived by himself, save for when he had held Seirei captive. He knew he was Lira and Lukar’s father, and he had surmised from unspoken pain that their conception had not been voluntary.

He also know that Seirei feared that Lian was the sort of man who would kill her for escaping. Whether or not Lian was actually that sort of man, Shahar wanted to know.

It was an impossible situation he had found himself in. There was something he recognized in Seirei, something vulnerable and wounded that needed time and safety to heal. And, deep down, he saw a part of himself in her… but every time that thought flickered up his mind would stubbornly turn away from it and refuse to acknowledge that such a thought had ever existed.

It was the children that made the entire ordeal so delicate. If Shahar understood correctly, they were Lian’s first heirs, and they were the same for Seirei. Shahar didn’t know what kind of a father Lian was, nor even what kind of person he was save for the fact that Lian felt unconcerned with forcing himself upon someone in his care.

But he did know what kind of a mother Seirei was. The situation was messy, but Shahar’s priorities had since crystallized into what he believed was the most important consideration: the safest place for the twins.

And to make a safe decision, he needed to know what sort of man their father was.

He didn’t expect great revelations from this little excursion into the Sea of Grass, but it was better than nothing. And he did have a place to start if he wanted to find out more. Still, he definitely wasn’t the sort that would interrupt a hunt in progress; Lian had a goal on his mind, and Shahar did not wish to disrupt it.

To that end, Shahar halted Akaidras and dismounted to continue on foot. It would be easier to remain quiet, and Tuka knew this routine well. A gentle follow mimic Tuka, quiet as you can urged Snow to do the same.

Still, Snow was a pup, and was also brilliant white; her presence had a distant effect on Lian’s hunt and startled a squirrel back into the ground. Shahar paused breathlessly, bidding the others to do the same as Lian retrieved his fallen arrow and searched for more quarry.

When there was none, Lian settled onto the ground and fell into familiar stillness. Shahar looked around uneasily; surely the man wasn’t Webbing here, unprotected? The grasslands were quiet, but Shahar was still torn between remaining where he was and circling around the prone Lian to establish a protective perimeter; doing so would surely reveal his presence when Lian returned.

But perhaps Lian would return quickly. After all, there had to be some sense in the man; if he was just going to go on a quick trip for a few moments, then perhaps he didn’t need protection.

But if he was going on a long trip, then Shahar couldn’t just leave him out there. Both possibilities warred for a plan of action; did Shahar step forward to fend off any unwanted animals, or did he hang back and preserve his secrecy?

Why sleep? asked Snow.

Magic sleep. He couldn’t tell her the exact word for ‘magic,’ but he did manage to get across the general concept of it, and that it wasn’t exactly sleep.

Magic what? New thing, not understand.

But Shahar wasn’t given a chance to explain; Lian was stirring, retreating from the Web and returning to the world of the physical. He rose and paused, no doubt pushing through that vertigo that Shahar was somewhat familiar with, and then he turned and looked straight at the group hiding in the bushes.

He knew they were there.

What happened next passed in a quick blur; Shahar presented himself, seeing no more reason to hide, and Lian shouted out in clenched rage. He strode over to them, and Snow immediately tensed; aggressive come towards defend against.

No.

What?

Back. Stay out. No interfere.

Not understand threaten!

But Shahar was already stepping forward, both to meet Lian and to place himself in between his Snow and the other Drykas.

It turned out to be a wise choice, as Lian’s words only grew more anguished and raw; he crossed the distance between them, and then he did something Shahar was not at all expecting––he punched him.

Lian’s fist clipped at his jaw, not enough to wound but more than enough to snap Shahar’s priorities to the immediate need of self-defense. He was forced a step back by the blow, and he took another to gain space to maneuver; Lian was coming at him with madness in his eyes, and Shahar needed to force him out of his space––something that overruled any peaceful desires for discussion.

Shahar squared his feet and sloped his shoulders, offering passing protection to his chest and stomach, and he retaliated. It was an untrained response, driven only by instinct and the need to get Lian away; one arm was brought up into a flimsy guard over his chest, and the other was curled into a fist and sent back to strike at Lian. He wasn’t a born brawler by any means, but he was physically large enough that he hoped to use his size against his opponent.

[Lian Windrunner]

Lian's fist connected with Shahar's jaw. He really hadn't been expecting that. In fact, it was hard to say who was more surprised; him, or Shahar. Lian's emotions were too wild, and too strong to permit rational thought, but the small part of him that was capable of any thought at all had expected the other man to dodge. Or something.

But he hadn't. Instead, he took the clumsy blow, and fell back into what had to be some kind of defensive stance. That gave Lian pause. The man was defending himself...against him. Lian wasn't a violent man. He was a hunter, and soon, hopefully to be a member of the Watch. He was a provider. A defender. A protector. Not someone to defend against.

Shahar's retaliatory strike wasn't a skilled one, but it caught Lian completely off guard. Lian hadn't even been trying to protect himself, so the heavy punch struck his wide open chest with enough force to knock him back a step. His first impulse was to lash out again. To hurt the man as much as he was hurting from the loss of his children. The intense rage and pain driving him insisted on just that. But the force of the unexpected blow to his chest had shocked him into thinking once more. And with his rational mind in control, he was less willing to lash out blindly.

Lian tried to mimic Shahar's defensive stance. He too squared his feet, and sloped his shoulders. But instead of raising an arm up to protect his chest, his arms remained at his sides. With the return of rational thought, the desire to lash out was fading. It was still present, and likely would be as long as his emotions raged under the surface. But for the present, he was in control, not his emotions. He would try to protect himself if the other man attacked again. But he wouldn't make the first attack. Not this time.

"Why are you helping her? She stole my children. Lukar is my heir. And he is...was...my brother. He came back to me as my son. I know there can be no absolute proof, but the signs...the twins were born the night the stars fell last winter. And there are other signs as well."

How could he explain that he felt the echo of his older brother within his young son? Or that Lukar's lingering spirit had vanished from the Web shortly before the twins were born? Should he even try? Or would he sound like a mad man?

"Why are you helping her? he asked again.

"She is...was...a captive. And her strider is real...I can't deny that."

As much as he might wish to, there was no denying the truth.

"But it's not a true bond. It can't be. She's not a Drykas. She used magic some how to bring the colt and his mother to her. She influenced the magic of the chest. Or..."

Lian shook his head.

"I don't know. All I know is that she stole my children. And that I want them back."

The raw pain and anguish in his voice were painfully obvious. They were mirrored in his signs, and were his rage, helplessness, and a deep sense of loss and betrayal.

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[Colt]

Shahar’s fist connected with Lian’s chest, sending the other Drykas stumbling. Shahar retreated a step, putting another few feet of distance in between himself and Lian to give more time to react when the other came at him again.

Snow didn’t understand was what going in, and she wanted to defend––she didn’t want to hurt Lian, but she couldn’t just watch the fight from the sidelines; she wanted to help, protect, but Shahar kept her from moving towards Lian directly. No! My side, close to me, defensive. He had never commanded her before, but the timber of his thoughts affected her––Snow tucked herself at Shahar’s hip, head down, tail raised and teeth bared. If Lian attacked, she would be the first one he dealt with.

But Lian didn’t attack. He pulled into a defensive stance of his own, protecting his body and making no move to further aggravate the fight. Still, Shahar knew better than to drop his guard, as did Snow; the clanless hunter and she-wolf remained frozen, entirely prepared for any threat Lian intended to send their way.

But instead, Lian began to speak.

"Why are you helping her?” he asked. “She stole my children. Lukar is my heir. And he is...was...my brother. He came back to me as my son. I know there can be no absolute proof, but the signs...the twins were born the night the stars fell last winter. And there are other signs as well."

There was anguish and anger in equal measure; it was clear in his voice and body that Lian blamed Shahar for the perceived ‘theft,’ second only in hatred towards Seirei herself.

"Why are you helping her? She is...was...a captive. And her strider is real...I can't deny that. But it's not a true bond. It can't be. She's not a Drykas. She used magic some how to bring the colt and his mother to her. She influenced the magic of the chest. Or…” He shook his head. "I don't know. All I know is that she stole my children. And that I want them back."

Shahar observed Lian, noted the myriad of agonized emotions flickering over his shoulders. He was mad with grief and rage and pain, but at least those feelings were coming out with his words and not with his fists.

Shahar rubbed the offended patch on his jaw. The immediate feeling of being punched was fading to a duller ache, although he was fairly certain it would bruise. Lian had a strong arm.

“I help her because she is Drykas,” Shahar responded. “And that is something you do not decide. Do you think yourself higher than a strider? Do you think you have the right to dictate who is Drykas and who is not? If you tell me that my bond is not real, or that I tampered with my strider with magic, do your accusations mean that I am not Drykas?” Shahar shook his head. Dismissal. “No. You do not have that power. You are not a god. You are not a strider. You have no right to say that someone is or is not Drykas. Only the striders may decide that. If a strider has decided that Seirei is Drykas, who are you to say otherwise?”

He lay a calming hand on Snow’s back, and although it managed to lower her hackles, the rest of her remained ready to fight.

“I help her because she is a mother. Every day she works, and every waking hour is spent caring for her children and making them happy. Even now, after everything she has endured from this world, Seirei is strong. She refuses to give up hope. She may have not been made a mother by her choice, but she mothers her children like a bear. You may have planted those seeds, but Seirei carried them for three seasons, and she turned them into children. Seirei brought them into this world. And even though you are their father, she does not hate their resemblance to you. There is no part of her children that she does not love. They are her children, too, and she is their mother. She may have taken them away from you,” and for that I am sorry, confused sympathy, “but they are hers as much as they are yours.”

He paused, wondering if what he really wanted to say would incite another fight. Snow was only just beginning to calm, but a whisper from Shahar and she was once again on guard.

“I help her because she was afraid you were going to kill her, for no other offense than that a strider chose her to be Drykas. And when you came that night, I saw you and I believed her.” Disgust. “Because no mother should be afraid that the father of her children is going to kill her.” Especially, “when she has done nothing wrong. Thunder came to her on his own.” Happiness, joy, “And then the Drykas had another sister. So many of our number have died already. A new Drykas is something to be treasured. I have seen too many of us killed; I will not stand for another one. Because Seirei is one of us.”

Unconsciously, [color=darkolivegreen]cynicism found its way onto Shahar’s hands. “And should you not be proud? You fathered your children on a true Drykas woman. They are true Drykas-born, now.”

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Let me know if I missed anything

 

Shahar Dawnwhisper

XP

• Socialization: 2 XP
• Planning: 2 XP
• Unarmed Combat: 1 XP

Lores

• Lian Windrunner: held Seirei captive
• Lian: Lukar and Lira's father
• Shahar: not a trained fighter
• Seirei: a true Drykas woman
• Lukar and Lira: true Drykas born