To and Fro, I Greet Thee (Jasmine)

[Brocton Firestone]

"I can't??" Said Broc in dismay as he arched a brow over at Jasmine. "Why not? Do you make them?" He assumed with a curious tone in his voice. "Yesz tracks and signs will show us the way, but I grow curious. How do you know so much about Strider's?" Asked Brocton with a sly smile, he wanted to know. The emotion felt more like a child's want. He wanted to know how to get as good with any kind of horse just like this girl Jasmine did. Who trained her, does she work at the Guided Horse or something?


"We may not find big game there, but tracks and signs will show us the way." Said the girl as she smiled, looking over to Brocton. The blonde listened and nodded. He thought of what he was going to say for a few moments. Sitting on the Yvas with a thinking expression across his face. It was content more or less, but it was really more of a content expression than anything else, really.

"Yes. I think we could find something if we each look hard enough." Responded Broc as he watched Jasmine nudge her Strider Chaser into gear. Broc did the same, Jinx strode to the side of Chaser. They've exchanged whinnied and snorts to each other, and then Jasmine spoke. "Let's see who's fastest." Is what she said. Brocton flushed a peachy red hue over his cheeks. Jinx wiggled her head and shook it with a nod. "Okay, on go. To the river, Ready?"

"3. 2. 1. Go." Brocton nudged Jinx forward and she bursted with speed. The blonde cupped his hands around the Yvas, trying his best to hold on. Terrance followed behind the four. They rushed towards the river. Hooves galloping across the pattened ground. Wind knipped at the skin and furs of the people and animals. It continued, until one of them would reach the river.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

"Yes, I do. It's a little trick I learned while working on my bond with Chaser. Every strider is different. All of them have their quirks. You will learn as you live with her," Jasmine said with a smile.

She had learned many trucks by working at the Guided horse, but the carrot thing was a total accident. Jasmine had been washing the carrots when one fell into a small thing of sugar. Picking it up the blonde was going to just toss it until Chaser walked over and ate it. Smirking the woman began to use them as a way to get the stubborn creature to do what she wanted. Looking when the other blonde moved his strider closer the pair got ready. Chase nickered and whinnied to the other horse shaking out his mane. Calling out on the word go Jasmine leaned forward keeping her body mass low so that there was not too much wind resistance. Chaser snorted and raced pulling a little ahead of the mare. Jasmine knew there was no way that the stallion would let another strider beat him. Mare or no mare he would not back down to anyone.

The blonde looked when the river finally came into view. Smirking she turned to the man raising up just a tiny bit.

"Home stretch!" Jasmine called with a laugh going back down.

[Brocton Firestone]

"Oh very cool. Would you be able to show me one day, of knowing how to make them?" Asked the blonde with a very curious expression over to Jasmine. Brocton patted the mares neck and stroked it, soothing her anxiety of wanting to run. She'll run, once she gets the chance.

As the race started and continued, Jinx was breathing heavy, but it was balanced and all. Her hooves beat at the ground beneath her, she whipped her head occasionally and Jasmine rode Chaser who was just neck and neck with Jinx and Brocton. Jasmine called out, signifying this to be the home stretch, the last of the race.

It was pretty much a tie as the two Strider's stopped just near the river. "Good run." Said the man over to the blonde lady. He slid off of the Yvas and motioned for Jinx to drink. She drank with speed, she was really thirsty. So was Broc, but he took out his waterskin and drank from that. Terrance trotted over, panting. He licked up a lot.

"Hey, tracks look." Said Brocton as he peered on the side of the river. The sounds of the waves washed upon the shore just hitting it barely with little force. A flock of grade flew over head, honking and yapping. To many to count. Tracks, hoof prints. Not one from the Strider's, but from some other animal other than. Most likely. They're smaller.

"They're smaller. I suppose it's some sort of goat or maybe something other than the goat. What else would have small hooves like that?"

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine laughed as Chaser tried to pull ahead at the last stretch. Both creatures slid to a stop at the river in a dead tie. Sliding down the woman patted the stallion letting him drink from the river while drinking from water from her waterskin. It was not often that Chaser got to truly race another strider. Digging through her yvas bag the blonde took out a rag and dipped it in the river. Pulling it out, she rang it out and walked over wiping Chaser down getting the sweat off and cooling him off at the same time. Brocton's call pulled the blonde from her normal routine and walked over kneeling down to look at the tracks.

"Hm not big enough to be elk or bison, but not a paw print showing its no fox or other small predator. I figure maybe a deer, and young by the size of the prints," Jasmine said putting her fingers down into the hole, "grab your weapons and let's leave the horses here. They are good for searching, but not so good for stealth."

The woman said and walked over to Chaser patting his side. She took off the bow and fit it over her head so that it was draped long ways across her chest. It was just a little snug, yet nothing the Drykas would not have to become accustomed to. Untying the knot from the yvas she tied the quiver to her belt before looking to the man. Nodding she took point somewhat following the prints and pressed down grass.

[Brocton Firestone]

"Faun?" Suggested Broc. The blonde disembarked Jinx and inspected the trail. The tracks contained not one, but a few more than one deer or faun. Brocton signed over to Jasmine, 'herd?' and walked back to his Strider.

"Should we mount up, and consider our Strider's to track them down?" Them meaning as their game, for sure Jasmine would understand. Brocton looked at Jasmine and then back to the trail, he followed it, though about a few miles out; a small canopy of trees overlook the trail. Perhaps, the herd of deer are hiding inside. Who would know.

Once his fellow hunter responded, Brocton gathered up his shortbow and quiver, he already had his longsword belted to his waist. Brocton had his bow in one hand, and his quiver strapped around his waist, so it'll be less challenging for him to reach for arrows. The two headed for the trees.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine dismounted and walked over kneeling down. She allowed her fingers to once more glide over the tracks. More than one set of tracks though not enough to be considered a herd the blonde looked up and in the direction they were headed. Water. That was the only logical conclusion that the woman could come up with. A strong wind blew into the woman's face causing her bangs to raise some.

“If the wind does not change then we will be down wind. Meaning it will be harder for them to pick up a scent,” Jasmine said, “let's mount up and watch for a water source or some kind of shade. This heat will push them to lay down somewhere to cool off. Hopefully that means their reaction time will be slowed as well.”

The blonde stood up and got back on Chaser once more. She clicked her tongue and pushed forward gently. No matter how gentle the touch Chaser knew exactly what the woman wanted him to do. Snorting the stallion jerked forward ready to get out of the heat if possible. Jasmine kept one hand down to the side and looked around as the pair rode. Looking up the woman was suddenly reminded of the Goddesses mark on her face. 'Hold a moment. Watch' Jasmine signed before pulling Chaser to a stop. Taking a deep breath the blonde closed her eyes focusing on Syna's grace in the darkness. The mark around her eye began to shimmer giving the woman a sight that not everyone possessed. Using her gift Jasmine saw a cluster of trees up ahead, but could not see anything under it. Slowly returning to her body the woman opened her eyes and turned to her hunting partner.

“There is a cluster of trees about twenty chimes from here. Perhaps a little longer,” Jasmine said.

Pushing the stallion into a gallop again the blonde rubbed her eyes. It still bothered the woman to suddenly start moving shortly after coming back from Syna's side. At least that was how the blonde viewed it. The Goddess allowed Jasmine to see through her eyes at least twice a day if not more. Unless she jerked away from the radiant blond haired woman, then the girl found it hard to see. If at all after wards, one time was at the mines later on the past spring. She had jerked out of the embrace and found herself blinded only able to use the rest of her senses for at least ten chimes, but it had felt like a full bell. Soon enough the trees came into view. Pulling back on the yvas, Chaser stopped snorting and shaking out his hair.

“There. Once we get down the hill dismount. Being a top our striders will draw their attention, stealth and silence will be our greatest ally,” Jasmine said looking to the man.

[Brocton Firestone]

TITLE

“If the wind does not change then we will be down wind. Meaning it will be harder for them to pick up a scent,” the She-Drykas spoke. Brocton nodded and waited for the Wind to start once more.

"We can figure out the direction of wind. Like this," Brocton said, he recalled a Drykas doing this before when he was telling a story of how he had gotten lost by direction. Brocton used the saliva from his mouth and stuck his index finger out and felt the shift of the Wind change. The sun was over to the West side of him, and the Wind was following the direction of the prints. The prints were heading East.

“let's mount up and watch for a water source or some kind of shade. This heat will push them to lay down somewhere to cool off. Hopefully that means their reaction time will be slowed as well.”

"The Wind is following the prints, Jasmine." Brocton explained, "I'm not sure if they could smell our scents by now. If their prints are still wet, they aren't too far ahead of us." Brocton responded nodding over to Jasmine and signed, caution. He mounted Jinx when Jasmine mounted.

It was quite warm, and Brocton could use the shade as well, though he wished to earn himself a tan as he thought his appearance would look more... appealing, despite him not having Windmarks as of yet.


Hold a moment. Watch The woman signed and Brocton gripped fairly tight onto the sides of Jinx and she halted.

What's wrong?Brocton signed, looking around alarmed. He pulled out his shortbow that was strapped around the Yvas and readied an arrow, it was almost instinctive.

Brocton waited. He looked at Jasmine as she closed her eyes, there was a faint shimmering light that coursed around her eye, it ignited the tatoo around Where- Brocton wondered whst it was, he didn't know. He figured he should ask her later about it.

“There is a cluster of trees about twenty chimes from here. Perhaps a little longer." She said. The hunter wasn't so sure of how she knew.

"How did you know?" Brocton asked suspiciously as he re-strapped the short bow around the Yvas and replaced his arrow into the quiver on the side of the mare. Jinx moved forward, seeing Chaser kick back into gear and Brocton relaxed as the group rode.

Eventually, they were able to see the canopy of trees that lined part of the Sea of Grass. It spread for miles and yet, Jasmine was almost sure that there were some wolves stationed within.

“There. Once we get down the hill dismount. Being a top our striders will draw their attention, stealth and silence will be our greatest ally."

Brocton nodded as she spoke. Jinx moved slowly downhill and once down, Brocton dismounted, he grabbed his gear and patted Jinx on the side. "Be, safe." He whispered in her ear. He looked over to Jasmine and signed, ready?

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine dismounted and stalked closer to the grove of trees. She planned to explain her gift later to the man, but for now there was work to be done. Taking a deep breath the woman took long steady strides using the grass to hide her. Thankfully the wind was blowing towards them so their scent would be hidden. Her heart pounded in her chest as they slowly got closer. Suddenly stopping the woman's eyes widened seeing the one thing she hoped wasn't real. Wolves. If they were really wolves, then the two would have to back off and find somewhere else to hunt. The blonde had been able to see just a few flashes of fur in the sight from Syna. However it turned out to have been misleading, there was now a very big problem ahead of the two amatuer hunters. The predator's sense of smell could be the death of the two. Looking over to the man it took a moment for the blue eyes to find him. Gulping she let out a owl hoot to get his attention.

'Move back. Regroup,' Jasmine mouthed and signed pointing back towards the horses.

She did not plan on dying that day or any day soon after that. Moving with the swaying grass, the woman worked her way back towards the two grazing horses at the base of the hill. Peering back towards the canopy, she tried to see if the fanged beasts had spotted her or the man. Staying completely still the blonde was relieved to see that the wolves had not paid them any mind. Standing up a sigh escaped her lips as the two appeared safe. At least for the moment it seemed.

“That was entirely too close. Seems their population is already bounding back,” Jasmine stated before looking to the man, “we need to find somewhere else to hunt. If they get our scent then there will be no more us.”

Jasmine knew all to well that there way they could take wolves. Even just one or two would over power the two Drykas. It would be much wiser to mount up and quickly get out of the area, before Zulrav tried to test them and send his breath towards the wolves instead of from. Looking at the blonde man before her, the young drykas waited to see what his answer would be. No matter what he decided there was no way the girl would try to get herself killed.

[Rufio]

C A T 'S G O T Y A G R A D E


xp

Planning +1
Riding: Horse +2
Socialization +1
Rhetoric +2
Animal Husbandry +1
Grooming +1
Teaching +2
Leadership +2
Tracking +1
Organization +1
Logic +2
Hunting +1
Stealth +1

lores

Riding: Leaning forward signals go faster
Riding: Pull on yvas & lean back to halt a horse
Animal Husbandry: Offer a hand & your scent first to an animal
Teaching: Demonstrating what you know
Racing newly bonded Striders to test the bond!
Grooming: Rubbing down a horse after a hard ride
Leadership: Taking the lead by making strong suggestions
Tracking: Identifying the tracks of young deer
Logic: Heat encourages animals to lounge by water & shade
Hunting: Staying down-wind of prey
Stealth: Using animal calls to gain another’s attention quietly
Hunting: Stealthier on foot than by horse-back
Wolves are too dangerous to hunt around


note

Please be kind to graders by noting year on living expenses in your ledger. So, instead of just ‘winter expenses’ something like ‘winter 516AV expenses’.

If you feel I missed anything shoot me a PM.
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