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 Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 5:08 pm
Ruelash really just wanted everybody and everything to die right about now. Usually he liked being sent off out of the village before he had a chance to hate it all over again, but this time was different. He wasn't being sent off to check on traps or check on a path or get sent into the middle of a blizzard to hopefully die (he had had so much fun with that one).
Those were nice. He got to be alone with himself and the harsh wilderness, and he liked it that way.
No, he had to escort some 'Leaf Tribe' woman and show her how to hunt. Diplomacy, the elders had said. Inter-tribe relations, they had said.
He didn't give a s**t about diplomacy. If this 'Leaf tribe' woman wanted to learn how to hunt in the snow- and how the hell didn't she know, anyway? Was she some prissy princess like some of the ice tribe folks he knew of who would rather send others to do a task rather than get their hands dirty?
What, didn't they have snow wherever the hell she came from? He couldn't believe that they didn't.
Then again, it didn't snow that much in Sauti. Maybe this leaf tribe lady WAS from a place where it didn't snow at all.
Must be a pretty cushy place. Feh.
He hated cushy.
He waited at the standing stone that marked one of the better-kept game trails. That was where he had been told to wait. He leaned against it, dressed in- shockingly- new-ish furs. He had come back from the aformentioned blizzard and had had to swap out his clothing. He didn't like being soaking wet, after all.
And then, just as he had accepted a steaming cup from his sister and was taking a welcome drink of good, warm tea, those damn elders had sent a messenger to him with another damn task.
Cowards, sending messengers instead of telling him in person. What, were they afraid of him even more now? for surviving that blizzard? Hah! Fine, good, let them be afraid the cowards.
He glared at nothing in particular, wishing fervently that the still loneliness wouldn't be broken by this Leaf whatever woman.
Or course it would be. But a guy can hope.
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Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 9:06 pm
Keilana had protested at the idea of having to show her how to hunt, she had tried to explain that she could figure out it, no big deal but the elders of the Ice tribe were convinced she would need assistance. This of course irritated the leaf tribe girl to no end. Didn't they understand? She knew how to hunt...she just needed to figure out how to do it in snow.
On the dry plains of Tale there wasn't a lot of things to hunt, there were the Aldabuk, they normally were in herds and you risked a stampede if you didn't know what you were doing. Keilana liked using her snares, sure if meant only catching small game but it was better than being trampled. Besides..until recently acquiring her rank as a guard she didn't have a weapon to speak of besides a small knife she used for gutting and skinning. Not very useful when being pit up against a large deer like mammal with horns.
Trading with some of the people in Zena she managed to acquire clothes and furs that better suit the climate. Of course she felt..slow and clumsy cause she wasn't use to wearing so many layers of clothing. It was going to take some time before she could actually wield her hammer in such conditions but she still had it over her shoulder as she walked along. Not sure just who it was she was suppose to be expecting but she supposed she shouldn't be rude and just run off without them...since the elders went to sooooo much trouble.
Looking around she exhaled still marveling at how her breath would fog up in front of her before noticing the dark haired male that looks rather...surely. Was...that her guide?
"Excuse me....are...you...suppose to be helping me?" She asked not sure if she should sound as surprised as she did or not.
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:57 pm
And just when he grumblingly thought the tree lady or whatever wouldn't show up anyway, she arrived. He assumed it was her.
Frankly she looked like someone had taken a wind tribeswoman, baked her in an oven for a little bit until she was crispy golden-brown, filed down her crystals, pulled her ears a bit like gooey taffy, and then finished the whole thing by dunking her in a puddle of mud. A few times.
Yeah. She was odd looking. Not that he cared about Loo... that was a lie. He knew he was a bit less growly around pretty girls.
But it didn't matter how pretty they were or what color skin or ear shape they had or whatever. They were all annoying, whiny wimps. Of varying degrees, but he had yet to meet someone who wasn't. And who wasn't his Mother or Brother. Shame they were dead.
He snorted. Look at her walk. What, had she never worn furs before? Furs were like his second skin. Pathetic.
Okay. As she got closer, he would have to admit, she was pretty in an odd way.
Not his type though, so she got a glare from intense yellow eyes as she walked up.
He grunted in affirmation. Yes, he was here. Yes he was supposed to help her. She probably couldn't help herself. Pff.
Fine. He'd get started then.
"This way." He grunted, starting off down the trail. Every angle of his body language was hostile and, generally, not good.
What was he supposed to do, anyway? Teachingwise?
He stopped, turned, looked her over appraisingly, and then turned back to his walking, grunting a grunt that- in grunt-and-grumblese - meant 'What the hell do you want from me?'
Because Ruelash certainly had no idea where to start.
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Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 9:52 pm
Looking at the man who was suppose to be showing how to hunt here, and was given the iciest glare from him. O..kay so...who took a leak in his breakfast? Looked like life. Giving her own growling grumblings she muttered something under her breath of along the lines of 'lead on mr. sunshine' before following him.
Only to be brought up short as he stopped grumbling to her in some...language that only he seemed to understand. Though it was certainly not English. She managed to gather what he was asking her, sighing she hefted the hammer that was over her shoulder and sat it in the snow.
"Look...I am not sure what your Elders told you, but I am sure I can figure out hunting in snow...without you."
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Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:34 pm
Ruelash kept walking for a while, kneeling down to look at some prints.
Sure she could. And he was a rabbit. She could barely move in the snow. ******** princesses.
He gave her an unfathomable yet definitely hostile look and a unintelligable grunt and pointed at the trail. It was fairly fresh, one of the horned beasts- the kind that weren't too hard to catch... If you kept out of the way of their charges and horns.
The trail lead off into the snowy boreal woodland and tundra beyond.
Well, lets see if she could hunt in the snow. If she screwed up, maybe he would help her. Maybe. If not, well, hah. He bet she'd screw up.
"Okay Lady." He grunted, a man of few words, crossing his arms and looking as ornery as someone who had just eaten something bitter and kept eating it. Possibly woke up on the wrong side of the bed, too.
Like, so far on the wrong side that it wasn't on the bed at all.
Well, he had been in a nasty blizzard.
"Show me."
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Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:33 pm
At the word lady she felt herself prickle, she had a short temper and it wasn't beyond her to take that very hammer of hers to knock some manners into the blue skinned ***hole. Leaning onto the handle of the hammer slightly she gave him an appraising look, trying to calm herself down as she felt like she would be disappointing Enki if she suddenly tried to murder her guide from another tribe.
"Keilana. Its Keilana." She muttered before she looked beyond him, the snow did provide ample clue to where prey had been as well predators had been. Keilana could track just fine, it was her methods of setting traps that was the problem. It didn't work quite as well in the snow. "Back home I set snares...I find it trickier in the snow." Keilana explained as she strode forward and past the 'annoyed one' and peered at the tracks.
"Back home we never get snow, its my first experience here. Our home is very dry." She wasn't exactly sure WHY she felt the need to tell him this..perhaps trying to lighten the mood and distract her from the want to murder him.
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Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:25 am
Keilana?! What sort of ******** name was that? It sounded like something someone would squeak when you kicked them in the nuts.
(It was actually very pretty but Ruelash just didn't want to admit that to himself. He was pretty determined to hate every second.)
It sort of looked like she knew what she was doing, with the tracks anyway. And with that hammer! He looked at that hammer for a moment. He bet she could hit hard with it. He had to admit that, now when he looked at her, she seemed pretty strong. He felt the urge to fight her and see just how hard she hit. Oooo, she would probably kill him! Nah. He bet he could take her. Still, the idea was exciting. Not like he would attack her... (he wasn't that despicable)But if he could get her to hit him first... He bet it would be a fun fight. An actual grin played across his face for a moment as her back was turned.
Hm? Snares? Snares worked. He didn't see why she would have a problem with snares, unless she was setting them stupidly.
Cage traps and stonefall traps worked best, though the stonefall traps only really worked where you could, you know, find stones and support.
No snow?! Dry?! That was hard to believe.
"What, like Sauti?" he growled, watching her track, staring at her intensely. Well, staring at the hammer intensely. Or just staring.
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 5:46 pm
Keilana shook her head, determined not to lose her cool with her 'guide', since he actually was ...asking her a question she figured maybe the conversation would get better. Maybe...though she didn't have hopes for it, especially since she never got the guides name back after she offered hers. Grumbling mostly to herself and counted backwards from ten before replying.
"Sorta..like Sauti, but dryer. We get a very modest amount of rain...enough to keep it from becoming unlivable... but we've had droughts in the past and that is hard on everyone. Nothing grows..the herds move off since there isn't anything to eat or drink. We haven't had a serious drought in awhile though thankfully..." She wondered though if one had occurred while they were away. A mental note to get back home as soon as possible. Now that she had a hammer she could join in hunts.
Keilana was trying to ignore the rather intense look she was receiving from her guide. Noting how his gaze seemed locked onto her hammer, and not herself in particular. Some warning blared in the back of her head to NOT let him have it.
"What? Like it?" She inquired lifting the hammer with two hands to allow him a better look at it. " I got it after I past my trials. Does your people have that sort of custom?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:01 pm
Dryer than Sauti?
"... thas'' pretty dry." he commented, slightly interested despite himself. Maybe she wasn't as pathetic as he had thought!
"Got ta' be tough ta live there."
Another comment. Ruelash was on a roll.
He was actually vaguely interested in seeing this dry, tough place. And beating up a few things there. He bet they would be strong.... but would they be as strong as those in Zena?
Hmmph. He was starting to wonder if he might try a brief stint of travel. Travel made one tough, right? It was a real test of endurance.
But honestly. Would he ever want to be anywhere but Zena? Nope. It was perfect, except for his own kind... whiny entitled bastards...
But he would have to see, wouldn't he?!
He watched her show off the hammer, and gave her a positive grunt. Yeah, he liked the hammer.
Another positive grunt. Yeah. the Ice tribe did that sort of rite-of-passage too. Veshki had, anyway, a long time ago. Got himself a bow. Remembering Veshki gave Ruelash a little pang of pride.
He was quiet for a little bit as he watched her track. Okay, so she wasn't bad. What was her ******** problem then?
"Like blades more." he said suddenly and out of the blue, gruff and to the point. He wasn't staring at her at that moment, having been distracted by a noise in the forest. He dismissed it and looked back at her, hawkish eyes somewhat challenging, though his stance was, slightly but perceptibly, relaxed.
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:26 pm
My there is a conversation going who would of thought? Though his words were short and brief at least it was better than nothing but mumbling and grumbling to himself.
"It can be hard, you learn to adjust. My brother and I lost our parents when we were young so we had to fend for ourselves for the most part. We both hunt and gather during the day and try to find things we can sell and trade for other items we can't get that way. "
There she was filling in the void of silence...but then he went back to...grunting. Okay so he liked the hammer, apparently he wasn't impressed enough with it to give her any other remark other than the grunt.
Blades? Oh he spoke again and this almost caught her off guard, pausing in the snow she looked over his shoulder and thought to Enitan whom she hadn't seen in a long time. He liked blades as well...maybe it was a male thing.
"I know a few people who use blades...I dunno I like the heft of the hammer more. " She replied turning to face him again before tilting her head listening to the rather silent forest. Okay so...maybe they were having a conversation but it was scaring all the prey away...ah well...she wasn't sure at this point what was better or worse.
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Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 3:49 pm
Ruelash grunted. "Ever try a bow an' arrow?" he asked, feigning disinterest. He looked around. The forest was, indeed, quiet.
Not unusual. Creatures in Zena preferred to go about their business in silence. They didn't like to bring attention to themselves. Zena was harsh, a land of predator and prey. A land of desperate silence... Save for their dying screams.
He would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy those dying screams. Though he did not hunt unnecessarily. He wasn't wasteful... only vicious.
"Migh' work better than traps fer ya."
Since he was supposed to give advice, he decided to toss something out there.
Movement in the brush caught his attention.
"There" he grunted, pointing, "All yours"
He crossed his arms and stood sullenly, scrutinizing this leaf... woman.
"Spear too." he mentioned as an afterthought, "Could use tha too."
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Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:46 am
With the influx of questions she had to wonder if the guy was starting to open up. A couple of of his questions got her thinking, the mention of the bow and arrow caused her to think of her brother. Since he wielded such a weapon she could definitely see the benefit of using it. Range was very helpful when it came to hunting. Made it so you didn't have to sneak up quite so close to the creature.
"I suppose your right," Was her reply as she lifted her hammer to look it over. She loved the feel of it in her hands, she loved how it made her feel as if she had more control in her choices...and in life. "Bows would be more useful for hunting...smaller prey. I am hoping for larger things." She chuckled as she turned her head to see what the man was showing her.
Whatever was in the bush had yet to leave it, and she couldn't just go smashing into the bush...for all she knew it could be something hunting them.
"Aye...spear...I can see the ..use for many weapons..over mine. I guess its just..a personal choice." She managed as she turned to face the bush, what creature could possibly be in there. There was a growl coming from it a large pair of wings as a wolfish type creature lept from the bush a small creature in its mouth before it glanced at the two appraising them before it turned its attention else where. Taking a run the raptix thrust its powerful wings downwards to gain lift and soon was gone.
Keilana had never seen a creature quite like it.
"Wow...what was that?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:15 am
"Raptrix. Large predator. Ya 'kin ride them."
His little knife wouldn't do him much good against one, but he didn't care enough. If it had stayed in one place.. if it had stared him down...
He bet he could take it.
He probably couldn't, but he never had had the chance.
"Can't eat 'em though. They've nice fur, if ya kin get it offa 'em."
Talking about weapons made him feel a little more respect for her. He could at least talk professionally. Sort of.
"Hammer s' just as deadly though. ya hit somethin' with it an' it stays down w/ some broken bones. An' ye don't damage th' fur." which was important.
"Small prey's good too. Mebbe small, but they kin' get you good meat in a pinch."
And he was talking. Wow.
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Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:16 pm
It seemed the earlier tension was slowly slipping away from the two of them. Still in awe of the creature that had sprung up from the bush she shook her head a moment before clicking her tongue against her teeth a moment.
"Wow..those things are as big as the radaku back home...kinda similar in their build...though the radaku is...longer legged I think...as well they have a much longer tails as well...and are less furry.." Actually the more she thought on it the more she realized that besides them having four legs a tail and a muzzle that was where the resemblance ended
Rubbing a gloved hand against her forehead she chuckled. "Never mind...they look nothing alike...besides size. And the Radaku can't fly."
So much for sounding intelligent.
"Oh...yeah any meat is good, we had to make due with small prey in Tale, mostly cause the herds travel with the rain. We could follow them...but they seem to disappear suddenly. We are not sure where they travel to..perhaps outside our borders.."
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Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:43 am
He listened to her describe the Radaku. Long legs, less fur, long tail...
Less fur meant less fur, and he liked fur, but eh. If it was warm where she was from, then you didn't need fur. And sometimes short fur was better than long fur. Especially for gloves.
"These Radaku" he grumbled out the unfamiliar word, "They fierce like a howlin' blizzard wind? 'cause th' Raptrix.." he gestured vaguely to where it had taken off, snow still swirling from it's departure.
"They're fierce" a flash of a wild smile. Raptrix were damn awesome in his book. Fierce, powerful predators.
Damn pretty too, but he wouldn't say something so unmanly out loud.
"Don' haveta fly to be fierce." he commented.
Radaku sounded ferocious. He'd have to add them to the list of creatures he would fight someday.
"Maybe they found some sorta secret sanc'tu'ary place? he paused, unused to talking so much, "Like a valley or somethin'?"
Maybe he was talking because he liked hunting? Maybe he just wanted to float his pet theory that there were valley refuges where all the damn cute things hid...?
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