Closed Goodbye (Jasmine)

[Haena]

31st Fall, 516 AV
The Predator's Post
Midmorn
Speech
Others

Hodge trotted alongside Haena as they both strolled towards the Predator's Post, yet despite the clement weather and Haena's forced smile, inside the woman was aching. Hodge, the caracal in question, was her brother's cat. Getting ever older, the cat had been his faithful companion ever since he had been gifted to him many seasons previously. Haena remembered the story well, and it made her smile even now.

Hodge's parents, two wizened, grizzly cats with tempers fierce as the sharpest knife, had somehow stopped fighting long enough to mate. Their offspring had been a complete surprise to the owners, and the kittens had all been the mildest caracals Haena had ever seen. The family, old friends of her parents pavilion, had gifted the caracal to her brother as a thanks for some forgotten nicety.

Brandon*Haena's brother had loved Hodge ever since. The caracal was his dearest companion alongside his strider, and had somehow supported Brandon through the difficulties of losing his wife and child, even when Haena's own words had been lashed at and fought at every opportunity to give them. Hodge loved Haena's brother in return, and when Brandon had never come home one night, the cat had been devastated, confused, pacing up and down the pavilion searching for an owner who no longer existed on this plane of existence. Getting over Brandon's disappearance had kept the pavilion awake at night- dealing with their own grief had been amplified by the sadness and anxiety in Hodge's mewling through the dark of the death-filled nights.

And yet, despite the love Haena felt for him, despite the heartache of it, she knew that they could no longer keep him. As the caracal was unused to Haena and Epaiza, he grew restless and unpredictable. They couldn't take him hunting, or make sure he was fed, when they needed to eat all the food themselves to survive. So, they wandered past the Conclave and into the Diamond Clan's pavilions, towards the place where she hoped he could find a new home, and a new owner. Someone who would treat him as well as Brandon had.

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[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine walked around the inside of her tent getting ready to run over to The Predator's Post for work. She had loved the change of pace from working with the hard headed equine that had been her friends for so long. Tomma was more accepting of Jasmine's sharp tongue when it came to any drykas hurting the animals. He seemed to see things the way she did at least to her that was how it looked. Grabbing her boots the woman pulled the clothing items on before walking outside. Stretching out with a slight groan she went to check on Chaser and see where he had gotten to. Making a face, the blonde looked up to Syna judging how long before she had to get moving. Let out a loud whistle the woman heard the soft thudding of hoof beats on the ground. With a soft smile the girl put out her hand showing the horse were to stop. Patting the side of his neck she was ready to get going towards the Predator's Post before she ended up late.

“Want to go bare back?” Jasmine asked with stallion.

A loud whine answered her question. Laughing the girl stepped back before getting a small running jump. Planting her hands firmly on the horse's back, the blonde threw one leg over his back. Getting situated into place, she clicked her tongue against her teeth. Snorting he walked forward winding his way through the tents of the Diamond clan. Looking around blue eyes was amazed at how beautiful the white tents were. They were nothing like the purple tents of the Amethyst clan; the people were also different and yet the same. Soft eyes watched as pavilions started on chores, as the ankals headed out for their different works, as mothers took care of their children, yet Jasmine did not have those things. She did not have a family yet, and it had slowly began to eat away at her. The woman was almost thirty, at that point her ability to have children would be diminished greatly. Shaking her head soft blue eyes landed on her work. Smiling gently the blonde slid down when they arrived heading inside. Chaser walked off to the side and began to graze while waiting on the young Drykas.

“Morning Jasmine,” Tomma called while in the back.

“Hey, I have the birds this morning right?” Jasmine called.

“Yep,” The man responded still working.

Putting her bag away the blonde hurried to the back and went to where the gloves and hoods were at. Sliding her hand into the glove, she grabbed one of the hoods and headed to the front where the avian animals were at. Reggie called out when the woman allowed him to stand on the glove. Jasmine put the hood over his eyes and walked out behind the tent where they could practice his commands. Giving the command for flight, the blonde took the hood off and watched as the eagle launched itself forward. Wings beat hard lifting the animal up into the sky, the blonde watched before giving a few short whistles signaling him to bank hard and glide. The creature let out another call before straightening out. Happy with the results, Jasmine kept a straight face before letting out the command for dive. With little effort the bird slide beautifully into the dive. She was amazed at how much trust the bird had with them to give the correct calls. A person's voice towards the front brought the woman from her thoughts, letting out one sharp high pitched whistle the bird leveled out and softly glided over. The woman allowed him to land on the glove before walking inside.

“We will keep going in just a bit,” Jasmine stated and returned Reggie to his cage. Walking to the front she let a soft calming smile grace her features. “I hope I have not kept you waiting long. My name is Jasmine Stormblood.”

[Haena]

Speech
Others

She had just been bending down to awkwardly pat Hodge's head as the woman greeted them. With a start she righted herself, and smiled tautly. Hodge's tail flicked once, flat on the ground, but he seemed to realise something was up and didn't make too much of a fuss. Haena was glad of it- as he was Brandon's, she didn't have much experience with dealing with the cat if he decided to cause trouble.

"I'm Haena Horserun. I hope I didn't disturb you." She nodded forwards towards the tent's interior, but then carried on, signing proposal, sale, "Do you take on animals that have been previously owned?" Hodge's ears twitched. "This caracal used to belong to my brother. Now, well... now he's gone, we can't look after him. Is it possible for a sale?" She grimaced slightly, and reached to softly pet Hodge's ears again.

"His name's Hodge. He's a hunting caracal, kind of old, might not live for many more years. He was dearly loved by my brother. Well, by all of us really. Would he be able to be looked after here, or given a new owner?" The caracal slinked around Haena's legs, and she shut her eyes for a brief moment as she considered the implications of this meeting. It was unlikely she would see the cat again, and even if he had grown to be a bit of a handful, she would miss him.

"And, although I'm hesitant to ask this... what kind of price might I receive?" She signed respect, negotiation. She was not good at haggling, so the woman tried to convey this through her signs, Pavi spoken with soft lips as she smiled encouragingly towards Jasmine. She seemed a nice young woman, and Haena was glad that at least this one seemed kind. Goodness knows humanity was sometimes a pile of shyke.

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[Jasmine Stormblood]

“Not at all miss. I was just practicing with one of our hunting birds. I don't have much experience with them so Tomma told me to work with them as much as possible,” Jasmine stated rubbing the back of her neck a little embarrassed. The blonde was used to having an extensive knowledge of the animals she works with, but this was unfortunately not the case it seemed, “Tomma is in back, let me double check on what he thinks before I answer. I don't want to tell you wrong.”

Jasmine hurried to the back finding him after a few moments. Blond curls bounced with each step she took. Calling out to the young man, the woman walked beside him quietly explaining the situation not wanting to upset the patron any more than she already was. Watching the Drykas as he thought over the decision the young man explained to the blonde how to handle the situation before stepping off through another flap. Continuing forward the woman knelt down and loved on the caracal for a few ticks.

“He said that we will pay half of the animal's value. Given that this beautiful boy is trained that will be 75 gold mizas. Our trained cats or well caracal's are sold at 150 gold mizas. Once Tomma has everything set up in back we can get this little one situated with the others, and you on your way. I know its a bit of a pain to stay here so long,” Jasmine explained and looked when the said drykas walked up.

“Ah hello miss. Do excuse me for taking so long. Jasmine if you will take him to the back with the others?” Tomma asked with a smile.

Jasmine nodded and picked up the male cat while stroking him gently. The male purred in the young woman's arms while she walked. Laughing gently when his fur rubbed against her chin the young woman moved her arms some. After just a chime or two of walking the sound of other cats filled the pairs ears. Shooting up straight the male looked at the others as Jasmine put him down to let him get acquainted.

“Now you guys behave. I will be back soon,” Jasmine said.

Walking back to the front of the business she saw Tomma pay the young woman before going to check on one of the squawking birds. The saddened look on the girl's face made the young lady feel bad for her. First her brother and now his beloved cat, what more could go wrong for Heana. Gently putting her hand on the other blonde's shoulder a soft smile crept on to her face.

“Hey, it will work out some how. I'm sure of it,” Jasmine stated gently. She wanted to help the young woman feel better some how, but was uncertain of how, “hey! I am about to head on lunch. Would like to join me on a quick ride in the Sea of Grass?”

[Haena]

Speech
Others

Despite Jasmine's apology for the wait, to the Drykas woman it seemed hardly any time at all that Hodge was gone, and she received her payment. She absent-mindedly counted the coins, feeling their texture in her palm before she stowed them away in her rucksack that was slung over her back. Tomma had explained the prices a little more, but most of the information had washed over her. Instead, she wondered what to do next as the blonde-haired woman who had greeted her returned.

Her initial reaction of her, that she was kindly, turned out to be more right than she knew. Haena glanced at her smile, and offered her own ghost of a smile in return. The offer was just what she needed. The Sea of Grass was her dearest friend, but she was in need of a distraction from the curious parting of her brother's caracal. "Yes." She signed thank you. "As long as you can be spared here."

Whether she could or not, Haena gently called, "Alta', here girl!" Her strider's ears flicked up, and she regarded her Drykas through large brown eyes until finally deciding to walk towards the woman with a small whinny. The herbalist held her hand out to reassure the horse that Hodge wasn't there. The two didn't get along well, Hodge had always been wary of striders since an unfortunate incident involving a neighbour's feisty colt, and had taken to lashing out at the pavilion's striders. Alta', comforted that Hodge wasn't going to attack her, let Haena stroke her nose as she prepared herself to mount her.

The Drykas woman grimaced as she pulled herself up gracelessly using the yvas. She adjusted her sitting position until she wasn't quite as poorly placed, and then gently she pressed her knees against her horse's side to encourage her forwards at a walk. Haena tossed her head back towards Jasmine, watching the young woman sitting atop her own horse. He (or she) was similarly coloured to Alta', but with a darker mane that seemed to glisten fluidly in the sunshine. A beautiful companion. "Did you have anywhere in particular to go?"

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[Jasmine Stormblood]

“Tomma has never minded before. Let me tell him im headed out and we can choose were to ride then,” Jasmine explained excitedly before hurrying back inside of the tent.

After letting the man know she was going out for a bit, the woman rushed outside and whistled loudly. Snorting a beautiful tan strider raced up slowing to a halt in front of the girl. Mounting up she motioned for the woman to follow, weaving her way between the tents being careful of the small children that were not riding. After a short ride the tents fell into a line behind them and the Sea of Grass opened up into the vast expanse it was known to be.

“Race ya to the near by water hole?” Jasmine asked before counting down.

At the three the strider neighed and raced forward pushing his legs as fast as they would go. Soon enough the other rider had caught up to them. Laughing the blonde loved the thrill of the race, pulling back on the yvas some the stallion slowed to a halt as the two females raced forward. Laughing the blonde congratulated the other on her victory before dismounting. Sliding down the woman walked over to the water and allowed the horse to drink from it while she refilled her water skin.