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 Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:33 pm
〖Featuring〗 Casca Guryon and Krinn
〖Location〗 Amies, within the Whi Forest
〖During〗 A late, sunny morning
Twigs snapped and grass shifted as Casca pushed his way from under the brush. The sun was high and the greenery was particularly beautiful on this side of Amies. Leaves and flowers shone with a vibrancy that matched the delicate song of birds hiding in their nests. Casca might have been able to appreciate it all, had he’d known just where the hell he was.
His feet ached. And though it felt like he’d been going on for forever, in reality it had been only an hour or so since he was shoved from his house and out into the wilderness. But an hour was more than enough time for the apprentice’s lack of knowledge on the area to steer him astray. Casca tried to trust the map in his mind, heading strictly north until coming upon a horned hare. The rifle had been high near his shoulder, just like his father taught him. He was low to the ground, quiet and calm. But his hands were shaking, spirits did he really have to do this? The memory of his father bluntly stating not to come home until he shot something replayed itself in his mind; though before he had the chance to seriously consider pulling the trigger, he’d edged forward too far. The tussle of some stones alerted the creature and off it flew; so, without a thought, off Casca chased it.
And now he was lost.
“Damn it!” The blond yelled in frustration as he came upon the same open space and spring for the third time. The only thing he was sure of was that he had to be deep in the Whi Forest, to even come upon any body of water. “Why am I even here?” He threw the gun to the ground and dropped next to it, shoving the offending object away a little further for good measure. Why he had to go and kill some harmless animal was beyond him.
Casca rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, growing warmer as he sat at the water’s edge under the sun. The butcher considered his options. He was surrounded by quite a few tall trees. Perhaps he should shimmy his way up one for a good vantage point? Blue eyes glared at his leather shoes. No, that would never work. As much as he loved wandering around the wooded outskirts of his town, trying to climb trees in his childhood always resulted with him falling out and breaking something. He looked up at the nearest one, stories high and branches twisted.
Brow furrowed, Casca tried to brainstorm other options that would be less painful.
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Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:55 pm
The Dust was quickly becoming accustomed to the Whi Forest during his stay near the grounds, his visits there more and more frequent as part of both a hobby he'd picked up early in the year for his rare spare time. Carefully, the rain guided his horse further into the forest, settled comfortably in the saddle and listening to the sounds all around. Some might have considered it quiet, void of the chatter back in the cities around Amies, but to Krinn, the forest was alive with sound. Birds sang out from above, and the snap and crackle of twigs and underbrush alerted him to deer moving throughout the deep-set maze that the forest presented for him.
Eyes flicking up to the canopy above, he squinted, making out the faint glow of sunlight through the thick spirals and outline of tree branches. He'd been out here all day, tracking and hunting to blow away steam. The Dust sighed thickly, exhaling the scent of rain and wishing desperately for some as well. I could, he thought guiltily, glancing up at the sky. But hunting in weather like that wasn't exactly ideal when most prey fled into the undergrowth or back to a hideout he'd yet to learn how to track down. Clicking his tongue quietly in dissatisfaction, he bent forward, dodging low hanging branches and allowing leaves to graze his shoulder and leave behind the scent of the forest on his skin.
Pulling the horse to a stop, Krinn twisted in his seat, glancing down at the saddlebag he'd filled nearly to the brim from his excursion today. From herbs to berries to god-only-knew-what, he'd tracked it all down. Exhaling the sound of storm clouds, the Dust reached back and pulled the bow up from where he'd kept it, tracing the curve of the wood. It was elegantly made and so, so much more than he could ever afford. It was time to hunt, he supposed. This part was easier though. This he could do.
The quiver sat steady against his shoulder blades, and the Dust slid an arrow out of it to rest against the sleek bow, testing it mildly as he listened to the sounds of the forest. He'd probably go on foot, but for now he simply sat in the saddle, listening to the rustle of the undergrowth and the canopy above; waiting for that triggering sound.
And there it was.
The sound of something rushing through the underbrush attracted his attention, and without thinking, the Dust followed it until he saw the streak of grey; a hare rushing through the greenery, stopping only in jerky little halts to sniff the air. The arrow was loosed when he felt he had the best chance, and the sound of birds scattering away from the trees above and the dull thud to the dirt floor of the forest gave him his results quick enough. Krinn smiles, pushing himself up in the saddle to swing a leg over and collect the prize, but another sound, something foreign and dangerous in the air, made him pause.
Frowning, the Dust settled down again, shoulders rolling back tensely, eyes flickering around to the forest surrounding him.
"Hello?"
Maybe it wasn't the best way to see if something was out there, but at least he wasn't firing arrows into the underbrush instead.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 9:27 pm
Casca had run out of options.
Time was ticking, and yet he had been no closer to a resolution while taking stock of the nature around him. He had come very close to making a decision; it being a hard tie between taking a nap in the open space under the sun, or risking future fractures to man up and get himself up a tree. But that’s when he heard it.
For a moment he thought he was hearing things when a voice rang out beyond the trees. But it was hard to restrain his hope. The voice had been too loud, too clear to be the rustle of the wind. There was someone else here. Hand scrambled to find purchase in the dirt so he could race towards the noise. “Hello?” The blond shouted back. For a flash of a second Casca tried to consider that whoever the voice belonged to could very much be not friendly. As soon as the thought had come, it had vanished. What enemy would openly make himself known? The weapon forgotten, the young man parted the brush with eager fingers.
Quickly he’d come upon the other crazy enough to venture to this corner of the earth. “Thank goodness! I’ve been wandering for ages-” his words caught in his throat, hands in the air mid-wave as he took stock of his would-be savior. In front of him was a large horse. Horses were good; they meant an easy, swift travel back to his home where the butcher had easily assumed the stranger would provide. And behind the horse was a man. He appeared the same age, perhaps slightly younger? And in his hands was a bow. A bow that most likely came with very sharp arrows.
Suddenly Casca wished he had brought the gun with him. Not that he’d be able to use it. But at least he’d appear threatening, right?
“I um,” he cleared his throat, slowly lowering his hands. “Sorry. I was just- I’d come out a little- ah, a little father than expected. And seem…a bit…lost…” he winced when the last word wavered. Somewhere along the lines he’d withdrawn himself, eyes darting nervously between the bow and mismatched eyes. For a moment he thought he smelled blood, his nose trained after being exposed to it on almost a daily basis. But the idea behind the smell did nothing to calm his nerves, and his mind was frantic to squash the line of thought before it began.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 3:51 pm
Frowning at the appearance of a human roughly his "age" - if Dust's could be considered aging creatures, that was - the young adult rumbled under his breath. The words were loud and Krinn watched with vague bemusement as they stuttered to a halt before being picked back up again with what he could only imagine was something withdrawn. Sighing, the Dust swung a sturdy leg over the stallions side and dropped to the forest floor, settling the bow back on the saddlebag as if to dissuade the strange kid from thinking he might murder him out here in the wild.
"Do you need help?" he asked against every sound judgement in his head, stepping around Casca with a curious glance and trotting over to where the tip of his loosed arrow stuck out from the underbrush. He wasn't sure what the other was doing so far into the woods, especially since it seemed like he hadn't the first clue where he was. The Whi Forest wasn't a dense location, but Krinn had heard tales of people disappearing into the trees and never appearing again, courtesy of the absence of knowledge on how to get out, and more importantly, how to navigate within. Which begged the question; what the hell would Casca have done if he hadn't found the hunter via some sort of twisted bout of fate?
Crouching down on his knees, the Dust removed the arrow and cleaned it with quick, silent hands, allowing water to condense on his fingertips and help the process along. After that, he collected the kill and examined it in the shattered sunlight that broke through the tree-line. It would only earn him a few coins in the marketplace, but it was a start. He had all day, after all, and most men looking to purchase game at the market knew his face by now. His eyes flicked to Casca as though remembering him, and stepping back over to the young adult, Krinn cocked a brow, examining him from head to toe.
"What are you doing out here anyways?" He rumbled, adding the kill to his pack without ever taking his eyes from Casca. "You seem rather... more suited for the city than the forest." It was a mild observation, though Krinn hardly cared whether he was being blunt or not. While the Dust was not in a stormy mood, he'd yet to find himself bending into a pleasant one either. "And it's not smart to get lost out here either." Krinn realized that he was putting himself at risk conversing wit this person so openly. His mismatched eyes and stormy colored hair were dead giveaways that he didn't entirely belong to the Amies culture, or any real culture for that matter. Usually he hid it under hats to avoid attention, but the forest had always been void of humans to interact with.
Up until now at least.
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 11:24 pm
He felt like he could breathe again when the stranger no longer had the bow in his hands. “I do.” The tension in his shoulders melted away, and ease was apparent on his face at the offer of help. At least until the other had gotten closer. Casca’s hands flew up to a defensive stance. He almost fell over with how quick he moved to get out of the way, only to see the other bent to the bush behind him. Casca had the grace to look sheepish behind the boy’s back. He really needed to do something about his jumpy nerves. What would he do if he was thought not worth helping?
Casca rubbed his neck in a nervous gesture. He tried to glance over the shoulder of what the other was doing, not getting any view besides his vague movement. It was then he really took in the hair; it wasn’t a fair blond like his. Now that he looked, the distinct color was bright in obvious in the sunlight. His blue eyes were wide when the silver boy turned. For a moment his mouth was open, in all likelihood to ask a ridiculous question, but Casca stopped when he saw the dead animal the stranger gripped. The cringe was automatic. It was a reaction he could never quite get rid of- and annoyed his father to no end.
Now he knew he didn’t imagine the smell of blood. Distracted by the sight, he’d almost missed the questions directed at him. And the sudden surly tone didn’t go unnoticed. Casca bowed his head and tried not to project embarrassment with his entire face. “I-I knew where I was going! I just got a bit turned around!” He could hardly stare the other in the eye; confused and curious about the difference in them, quick to dissolve the fact that he was as incompetent as he appeared to be. “I was running errands…” he said avoiding the subject of his failure. Casca didn’t really need to tell the world how bad he was at everything upon first the meeting. But the other obviously had a way with…killing. Maybe the truth would be an advantage at this point? “I was hunting,” he admitted. He glanced up then back down, shifting from foot to foot and pointing to the carcass that was just put away. “Something like that actually. But I couldn’t quite,” Casca licked his lips. “I lost the animal and followed it.” His blue eyes were obvious in the way they tracked from the hunter, to the pack, and back again.
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:26 pm
The boy was... strange.
In ways, he reminded the Dust of a particularly finicky creature. Maybe a bird. The hunters mouth curved into a quiet, carnivorous sort of smile. Or a mouse. Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Krinn rolled his shoulders back and flashed his hands palms up to Casca, allowing him to see now that the Dust was both unarmed and - unless provoked, - harmless. The task of seeing to the rabbit now finished, he simply caught the stallions reins in his palm and hooked them over the horses head, leaning lightly against the flank for support. This was rather a strange situation... one he wasn't quite sure he knew what to do with just yet.
"Are you squeamish?" He asked conversationally - and perhaps out of the blue, - recalling the cringe towards the kill. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that might have been uncomfortable for you to see." He wasn't, not really, but it was only polite, and Krinn had been taught not to be rude. And his mood currently dictated at least a friendly demeanor. He exhaled the sound of thunder beneath his breath. Of course, just as Casca was flighty towards all things gruesome, Krinn's moods were flighty in general, and impossible to predict.
His lips quirked up into a smile at the embarrassment, even though some part of his conscience was telling him be nice. "Mmmhm." He rumbled, a sound closer to rain than a human tone. "So in other words - you no longer know where you're going." His head tilted up at the sudden confession, confusion spreading across his miscolored eyes before fading out. Hunting, this guy? Krinn bit his lip to push away his surprise. He wouldn't have pegged this one for a hunter. "Oh." He shook himself out as if to shake away his emotions and stood a bit taller, examining Casca for a long moment. "Is this your first time?" He questioned in bemusement. Once again against his better judgement, Krinn opened his mouth. "Do you want any help with hunting too?"
After all, he wasn't sure he wanted to see Casca get lost in the forest a second time. This boy was just asking for all sorts of trouble on his own.
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:45 pm
At that point Casca realized he must have been too obvious with his discomfort. But in all honesty it wasn’t hard to spot, and it’s not as if he isn’t used to it. But if seemed as if the boy was trying to be considerate. He tried to appreciate the gesture, rather than feel like a coddled child. “No. It’s fine. I’m used to it,” he said with a just a twinge of bitterness. Then for a moment he heard a grumble? Strange noises seemed to drift alongside whatever the native was saying, and for a moment Casca’s eyes flicked around in confusion. What he heard didn’t exactly sound…human. Was there an animal nearby? But it sounded again, and he gave the other a queer look before realizing he was being called on his blunder.
Being this far in and asking for help, Casca realized he couldn’t exactly say anything other than admit he’d gotten lost. Usually this wouldn’t have been hard, but the expression on the archer’s face made things ten times more difficult. He didn’t here to come amuse strangers in the woods with a lack of direction.
So he didn’t say anything at all; and pouted, naturally. “I’ve been hunting before,” he defended himself, sounding more like an angry five year old rather than a grown man. He also made sure not to let slip that ‘before’ meant only ‘only once.’ “I’m just not good at it. Aiming at cans is easier than at animals.” A lost easier.
“And I can’t really go back empty handed,” he drifted off, trying to ask without really commit to the question. Hopefully the other had offered earlier in complete jest. His freckles shifted as his nose crinkled, brows furrowed. He seemed to be debating something, and then offered out his hand with his name, “I’m Casca. Since you seem to be quite the…expert…at handling this sort of thing,” He motioned towards the bag that no doubt held a bundle of poor creatures. He swallowed to steel himself. “And if it wouldn’t be too much trouble for you…?”
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:05 pm
"Mm."
Krinn glanced at the boy, not entirely convinced by his words, but nowhere near interested enough in saying anything about it. After all, while he wasn't the most eloquent with words, he wasn't a complete fool either, and preferred holding his tongue to the possibility of making enemies. There were more productive things to do than that. His eyes flickered briefly to Casca again, his fingers pulling along the horses flank in idle circles.
"Yes, well, the can's don't exactly move." The Dust responded with a laugh that seemed once again inhuman. It wasn't a conscious habit of his, but then, one couldn't exactly control what they were. The defensive tone the boy had adopted did little to dent Krinn's mood, though his eyes filled with a half-baked sort of interest that seemed almost lazy.
"Well," He paused, considering his words, "I'm sure we can find something for you to shoot before the day is up." He nodded at the name, though he didn't yet offer up his own. "Casca then." Fluidly, the Dust pulled himself up into the saddle and glanced back at the other, the stallion pawing restlessly at the ground beneath their feet. "It's little trouble for me. I've nowhere I have to go for a while, and it's always more interesting to hunt with..." The young adult emitted another sound like storm clouds, "acquaintances."
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