Looking for Antlers, Finding Trouble (Milya)

[Dimitri]

Spring 15, 511 AV

Dimitri walked out of the gates following the road. He looked up at the sky, sun just beginning to rise, the moon floating like a dream escaping into the ether. The sky glowed an ominous red, the air a slight chill. Dimitri was the only noise around, the dull thuds of his leatherbound footfalls, the muted taps of his quiver and sword bouncing of his legs as they hung from his hips, and the sound of his slightly anxious breath. He knew what he was doing could be considered reckless and stupid, but he was determined. He was going hunting, by himself. He held his whitewood shortbow as he followed the road into the Bronze Wood. He figured he would wander quietly around until he stumbled upon something he could put an arrow into.

He quietly stepped off the road into the muddy ground. The recent rains soaked everything, but were essential for feeding the city. He tried looking in the mud for some sort of tracks, but never saw any. He continued along the growth slowly, looking back and forth between the ground and the landscape before him. He finally found some sort of animal track. A large circle with four smaller circles at the top. He followed, careful to also watch the area ahead. The tracks led to a small flooded pond, then further into the woods. Two hours later the trail ended cold at a tree, scratch marks on it. Dimitri sighed as he looked up the tree knowing all this time was wasted.

His nostrils flared as a smell he recognized was carried to him by the wind. It was a fire. He looked around the wood and just barely saw a faint smoke in the distance. He started toward it wondering if it were another hunter. As he got closer he was behind a tree and peered at the source of the smoke. It came from a campfire, in a small single person camp. Fairly basic, no tent, no horse, so someone was just resting there. He had to be cautious so he drew his sword with his right hand and kept his bow in his left as he started toward the camp.

[Milya]

Milya had traveled to the Cobalt Mountains to go and see something else but her room. She was alone in the forest which probably wasn't smart, but she felt at home. She breathed in the air and grinned, she was doing something other than being alone in her room. She wanted to go farther in to hunt but she didn't have anybody to go with. She wasn't stupid, she wasn't going to hunting by herself. She did have her brothers dagger just in case. She already had started a fire and was sitting by it, she found fires relaxing for some reason.

Milya was sitting back and watching the fire when she heard foot steps. She took out her dagger and looked around for the person or thing. She focused on everything now, not ignoring things like she usually did. She listened again and turned towards the footsteps. She saw a person with a sword and bow in their hands. She mentally considered what she should do, run or stay. "Who are you?" Milya usually didn't talk very loud, but then she did. Hoping to make this person leave if they were a threat.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri saw a woman, with a dagger in her hand. He heard her ask the question, and knew she was merely on the defensive. He put his bow on his back, his sword on his hip, and held his arms out, empty. "I am Dimitri, squire to the Syliran Knights. I was out hunting when I saw the smoke from your fire and I came to investigate. Are you okay out here? It can be dangerous."

He eyed the young blond girl curiously. She appeared a bit younger than him out here on her own. Many would consider himself too young to be out by himself. He wanted to stay and watch over her, but that may be considered rude. He looked around checking the area. He then spotted movement in the trees. He focused but couldn't make it out. He drew his bow and stepped a bit closer. He quickly studied the location, just in case it was a predator. It wasn't very defensible, could be attacked from all directions.

[Milya]

Milya watched as he put his weapons away, she lowered her own dagger. She nodded at his question of is she was okay, she knew it was dangerous out here. She watched as he walked away and she considered something, he was probably out here hunting. She might be able to ask to tag along, maybe this was her chance. She grabbed the bag full of her stuff and ran after him, stopping when she saw him with his bow out.

"It's me, the girl from before. My name is Milya." She walk in front of him, a bit afraid of what his reply would be to her question. She still wasn't use to talking to people, considering she only had talked to a few people in the last few days. "I was just wondering.. If I could accompany you." She said it rather shyly and she regretted saying it quickly, he wouldn't want her to come along. 'Don't put yourself down so quickly' she heard in her head, it was something her brother always use to tell her. She gave a smile, taking her brothers old advice, he was usually right.

[Dimitri]

He turned back to look at her after she asked to join him. He whispered, "Yes, of course you can. And your name milady?" He then turned back to where he saw the movement. At first he didn't see anything. But as he focused, he saw a slight figure disappear behind a tree. He thought it to be a deer, but couldn't be totally sure. He creapt forward, gesturing for the girl to follow, hopefully quietly. He nocked an arrow, stepping lightly hoping to sneak up upon it. He reached the tree the creature disappeared behind. He peered around it and didn't see anything.

He moved around the tree, and saw a doe joining a small herd of fellow deer. All does, he thought this odd. He didn't see a stag and it made him nervous for some reason. He creapt within bow shot and got into a kneeling shooting stance. He aimed at the closest member of the herd, taking into account the drop of the arrows arc, and curious lack of wind today. He honed in the shoot, breathing deeply, hoping to get a kill shot, not just an injury. He waited, something really nagging in his mind.

[Milya]

Milya grinned as he said yes and said, "Milya" She watched him move and saw the movement herself. She stared at the spot and saw a figure, she quietly followed as he motioned for her follow. She knew she had to be extra quiet, kind of like the times she use to sneak up on people and scare them. She followed him while trying to see what was going on, her brother had always told her he was going to take her hunting, but he always 'forgot'. More than likely her mother told him no, so he didn't.

She looked around the tree and saw the small herd of deer. She looked at Dimitri get ready to kill the closest deer, she watched trying to learn a thing or two. She hadn't learned anything new in a while. She was completely oblivious to the fact of anything wrong with this, since she didn't have enough knowledge too know.

[Dimitri]

In the instant before Dimitri let his arrow fly, the wind changed, blowing a stiff breeze from behind the two, down to the grazing deer. The herd all perked their heads up at the scent of humans. Then the arrow struck one of the larger does in the neck. The heard panicked and began running before the deer hit the ground. As the large group of does ran in the opposite direction into the trees, another creature emerged into the clearing.

Dimitri's eyes widened as the largest buck he'd ever seen stepped in. It's antlers were a massive bush of pointed, almost wooden spikes. It appeared to stand nearly twice as tall as a normal buck, making the bottom of it's stomach head height on Dimitri. It's thick hide rippled with massive muscles. It sniffed at the air, and looked directly at them, even though they were somewhat hidden. It let out a loud, almost groaning type roar. Then it charged. And it began covering the distance between them fast. Dimitri had enough time to nock and loose a single arrow, which flew wide and missed the beast. The beast was maybe five seconds away from them as it lowered it's head, it's massive antlers ready to skewer them.

[Milya]

Milya watched the deer with a fascination. She watched them run and the one deer hit the ground, she would find that cruel if it wasn't a life or death situation for them. They were prey in the big cruel world, it was a life or death situation a lot for them. Also they didn't have the same emotions as her, so how could they relate?

Milya turned to see a large buck, she -even with the little knowledge she had- knew that this wasn't the normal size. She made a face as it groan-roared, it was really. . . odd. She watched as it came straight towards them and Dimitri try and shoot an arrow at it, she also watched as it missed. She pulled Dimitri as she jumped to the side and barely missed the buck's antlers. She watched as it kept on running, right into a tree. She quickly stabbed it in the side, not really thinking. But apparently it only annoyed the creature more as it turned around.

[Dimitri]

Dimitri felt himself jerked away by the girl. This confused him more than anything. Then she stabbed it with her knife. Not a deep or deadly wound but plenty of courage and nerve behind it. He knew it would more annoy the creature and possibly enrage it further. As he was pulled he stumbled backward head over heel. He did a backwards roll and slammed into a tree. He recovered quickly, drew an arrow, nocked it, and aimed as the beast turned to them. It was maybe ten feet away and yet it was at least three feet taller than himself. He aimed at the creature's throat.

He loosed the arrow just as the creature lowered it's antlercrowned head. The arrow glanced off a spike and imbedded into a tree. The creature stamped, snorted, and charged. It's lowered head brought the antlers to a level that would impale his chest, neck, and face. He quickly tossed his whitewood bow to the girl, drew his sword, and held it up above his head as he planted his feet. He held it in both arms, sideways, a palm on the flat of the blade, the other on the hilt. The antlers crashed into his sword. The strength was more than he figured it would be. He felt a spike pierce his sword hand. The creature drove the sideways sword to his chest driving him into the tree. It knocked the breath from his lungs. Dimitri noticed the two of them were locked in place for some reason. He saw the creature struggling, a couple spikes stuck in a low lying branch. Each shake of it's head sent shooting pains through his now injured hand. He knew it wouldn't be stuck for long.

[Milya]

Milya watched as he missed, again. She was really starting to doubt his bow and arrow skills. Then she watched as it started towards Dimitri. She had easily caught his bow and was now watching him fight with it, it didn't go well. He was now stuck with the animal, and it didn't look good for him. She quickly grabbed the arrow that had gone into the tree and pulled on it. She pulled it out quite easily, then she put it in the bow with some difficulty. She didn't have any experience but she didn't think it was that hard.

She aimed and fired, she watched as it went into the neck. She grinned as she realized she hit it and then went over to it. The stag was weakened, but not dead yet. She looked at Dimitri, not sure what to do now. She went over and moved his hand from the spike and then pulled him away as the creature backed up. She watched as it faced her and stared. She had the feeling that they should kill it or run. But she stared at Dimitri seeing what he would say.