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"I don't think I've ever fought one before."

"They don't appear in just one," Uassae warned. Walking up so he was moving alongside Erionda. "They stay in herds. And are very perceptive to threats."

Erionda gave her older Khehora an almost sadistic grin. "That sounds like my sort of challenge. Don't you think?"

Uassae almost looked like he was ready to step back at the look on Erionda's face. "Well maybe but there may be more than one or two." He cautioned.

Nodding Erionda's smile couldn't help but grow. " So all we need to do is find this heard. I will need you're help Lanzcki and Uassae."

"But WHY!" Lanzecki whined in a trembling crescendo.

"Weren't you paying attention you Dolt! We need more food and fur. Unless you want to starve or try and hunt on your own," Uassae snapped.

Lanzcki's whimper grew into a shuddering high pitched whine. "I don't want to hunt on my own."

"I didn't think so, now, why not help us hunt these Makka so we can return home soon."

Rolling her eyes as her Khehora communicated with each other Erionda's eyes scanned the rolling tundra of Aisko. Plotting out her course. She only knew were Makka didn't live, which was the wide open. She had no idea where she would find them other than that. The mountains near her home perhaps? She hadn't come across any of them there when she traveled from Eowyn to home. Maybe she was incorrect and they really were out in the open.

She listened to Uassae and Lanzecki argue for a little bit longer before she gave up and started moving forward. It would be easier if they could just take to the skies and search in an aerial fashion. It would cut down the time and energy in tracking. But she wouldn't force them to do what she wanted, they were just as much her friends as family. They weren't working creatures enslaved to her. She had made that promise to each of them when they hatched.

"I will carry you over the snow. It will be much quicker." Uassae offered.

Nodding Erionda climbed onto his back. Thrilled as the trio took off over the snow towards the cave's that housed a small herd of Makka. At least she assumed they were a small herd, they could very well be guards at the front of the cave to protect the rest of the herd inside.

A thought came to Erionda durring the silent run through the snow. What if they attacked during a snow storm.

No, Uassae's thoughts cut in. They can sense that kind of stuff coming. When I am out hunting often it's those Makka who will see it coming and give a warning to everything else. It will make it hard for us to navigate through and they are at the advantage.

Erionda was taken back by the thoughts. She had no idea, so how did Uassae know. Then again he had answered her with the hunting part. He and Lanzecki would often hunt on their own when Erionda was tied up with feeding her babies. In a way it made sense that he had more information than she did. Patting the side of his neck in understanding Erionda kept her eyes focused ahead to the small brown blobs in the distance.

The closer they got the more thrilled she became. With her energy and magic restored she was free to hunt as she wanted. She just needed to be careful on how she was going to kill the beasts. She didn't want to puncture the saddle of their hides. It was the best part for warmth and quality of fur.

"We've been spotted." Lanzecki whimpered.

"Oh, cut your whining." Uassae snapped back. Only to have Erionda roll her eyes.

Gathering herself together Erionda tried to pull on her magic. Three of the large Makka were already heading strait for her. She felt unprepared for the attacks. Nothing had attempted to charge her as she was hunting them. Not like these were now doing. Stumbling backwards Erionda's hands flicked towards the sky with her palms upward. Her skill created a magic circle around an area in front of her. A thick wall of ice sprang up to block the path between her and the charging Makka.

Swallowing down her surprise and fear at the quickness of the Makka it wasn't until they crashed into her ice wall and leaving massive gaps in running through the frame that she trembled. They hit it again shattering her defensive move. Jumping back with both arms outstretched her eyes lit with a fire as she stared the first three off.

They were by far a greater threat than most of the other creatures she had fought. The Urshund while aggressive and attacking from below were attacking to eat. That was a much less threatening proposition than Makka attacking to defend out of fear. Fear was a different kind of drive, from hunger. With hunger less effort would be placed in killing a troublesome meal. Defending a family was what made creatures put more effort into everything they did.

Shaking her head Erionda brought her magic about. Bringing up walls of ice around the three attacking Makka. Slamming her wrists together with her fingers spread as far about from each other as physically possible Erionda then thrust her hands into the sky. Giving a slight turn Erionda managed to conjure several bird like creatures.

Hawks of Miska, a new spell she had learned after being huddled in the library with her daughter. She had stumbled upon two books of conjuration. And while she was still working hard to master the first and rather harmless conjuration spell before moving onto the more powerful one she had at least managed to create these birds.

Sharp points of ice for wings they dove towards the Makka. Cutting at their feet and faces. Reaching behind her while the three beasts were kept occupied by the birds Erionda pulled her imprinted weapon out from where it lay against her back.

"If you can put it with the other one." Erionda instructed Lanzecki.

Turning to regard the Makka that had injured her side Erionda was glad Uassae was holding it down for her. Wincing with the effort to raise her blade Erionda plunged the weapon into the eye of the Makka. Aiming for the brain just beyond that. Dropping to her knees with her arm wrapped around her body and trying to hold onto the pain in her side before it could spill into the rest of her body. Her magic swirled, numbing the ends of her nerves so she couldn't feel the pain. It was a trick she had learned in her fathers books. The pain would return, but for now she could easily ignore it.

The hawks she had summoned not long ago were trampled shards of ice in the snow. She hadn't expected them to last very long. They had done what she had initially intended them to do. Scare the creatures so she had time to work on eliminating them one by one.

"This should be more than enough right Uassae." Looking up to her Khehora Erionda's face drained of color. He was back on the defensive again. Almost like he was getting ready to attack another wave of creatures. She could feel her body groan as she turned to face another three charging at her.

Extending her hand out Erionda turned the snow under the Makka's hooves to solid ice. Stepping out of the way she continued to form the path. Letting it wind in a loop. Making sure she was on the ice as the Makka drew closer Erionda side stepped just in time. The Makka unaware of the change in texture under it slipped into the path Erionda had created for it. The force in which it was charging sent it hurling forward as Erionda pulled a spike out the ground catching the Makka through it's mouth.

That was four down! A feat she could be proud of. She didn't really need all the fur she could harvest from the Makka now. But then again they could be useful for some of the Hybrids trapped in Eowyn. Or her friends like Junjie who often visited. A warm cloak, if only she could learn to enchant items. Tending to the nerve ending that were on fire Erionda sucked in some air. She was ready for the next one.

The next charging Makka skid to a stop. Sniffing at the ice that had trapped the one before it. Smart enough not to be following it's other companion. Erionda took the opportunity in it's hesitation to use her magic. Casting a shell of ice around the animals head she was relieved to find Lanzecki leaping in for the kill. As the trio worked together they were starting to become more and more like a perfect unity in battle. She and Killian would never reach this level together. It pained her to know that was the truth but she knew she wouldn't be able to rely on him like she could her own Khehora.

Another Makka was charging. This time Erionda reacted differently. It's horns were pressed close to the ground as if it wanted to throw her up into the air. Rolling to the side Erionda slashed her sword outward. Attempting to ward off the creature as her side protested her movements. She was having a slight bit of trouble breathing.

Uassae free from his engagements plodded over to Erionda. Pressing his nose into her side he prepared his healing magic. Focusing on the bones first. Her frozen nerves prevented her from feeling the pain that the healing bones and broken blood vessels would normally be causing her.

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