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Fluffesu rolled 5 100-sided dice:
2, 18, 70, 78, 55
Total: 223 (5-500)
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 Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2015 2:30 pm
Character || Xilarn
Stage || Spearman (3)
Battling || Capramel x 5
Battle Stat || 50
Defense || 11
Roll Needed || 15-100
Rolled || 2, 18, 70, 78, 55
Outcome || Win x 4, Lose x 1
Experience earned || 93
[ ( 9 x 6 ) / 3 ] x 4 (number of wins) = 72
+
( 9 x 2 ) / 3 = 6
+
15 (taming)
Word Count Required || 1000 (5 beasts) + 200 (taming) = 1200
Final Word Count || 1405
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2015 2:37 pm
Xilarn fidgeted uncertainly as he watched his son scramble past the threshold of one of their neighbor’s homes, off to find her son and cause a whole mess of trouble, no doubt. His muddy-clay gaze flicked to the Wind woman who would be in charge of his boy. She grinned at Aki as the lad scurried past her legs, then turned her smile to the Oban male instead. It was not returned. There were, unfortunately, a great many things that made this situation unfavorable.
First of all, he was leaving. During his first winter with Akiyal, Xil knew he wouldn't be able to leave the boy alone (or even with his mate, if only because the young Wind lad had scarcely bonded to him, let alone anyone else) while he tended to his usual seasonal chores. He'd been able to send his lover out instead. Kennet was just as reliable at this sort of thing as Xilarn. It was no trouble.
Except Ken hadn't returned that winter. He hadn't returned at all.
The first few months afterwards had been impossible- nigh unlivable. Years of living in Kesris around the same group of people meant many knew him. He expected some combination of their feeling of familial bonds toward another Wind boy and maybe their generosity had helped Akiyal through it. To be frank, Xilarn couldn't remember a great deal about those few months. He'd slept. He'd slept a lot. And if he wasn't asleep, he certainly wasn't willing to get out of bed.
His single most vivid memory during that time was of his son slinking through the doorway to his bedroom, carrying a bowl of fruit and a glass of juice. Aki had set them on Xilarn's nightstand and crawled atop the bed with him. "Yer not s'posed to let them leave." He tucked to his father's chest. "They don' come back when they leave..." By the power of whatever god above watched them, Xil managed not to break into horrible wracking sobs until Aki made his way out again.
The next winter was more stable, if still not as profitable as Xilarn would've liked. At very least, he didn't rely on anyone else to keep them alive. He still couldn't bring himself to travel the longer distances that would net more game; nothing that would move him from home for more than one night at a time. It was that year that Akiyal's personality bloomed as well. 'Flirtatious' hardly seemed like a word to apply to a seven-year-old, but Aki managed to earn it, in his many girl-chasing adventures.
He seemed much more confident, more agreeable to a greater number of people, even smug, sometimes. He should be able to be left alone for a week or two. He'd be fine.
Xilarn felt less certain of this now that he was on the verge of doing it. There was a thud, a crash, and a child squeaked from inside the house, though Xil wasn't in a position to bear witness to it.
Which brought him to the second reason this seemed particularly unfavorable.
The Oban man flinched from the sound, and at seeing his discomfort, the Wind woman, Janella, peered over her shoulder toward the sound. "Kan?" She called back.
"Nothing, Mom! We're okay!" Came the hurried answer.
Xil groaned softly. "You're sure this is alright...? I've not left him for so long before. I can't say for sure how he'll behave..." He gave another awkward fidget. "There won't be means of contacting me, so if he does become troublesome, I..."
"You worry too much, Attlee." She punched him lightly in the shoulder. Xilarn's fears were not assuaged. "He'll have plenty to do, huh? My kids can keep him entertained and happy. Stay up all night playing cards and telling stories. If I'm being right honest, I think it'll do Akiyal some good to be away from home for a bit longer than usual. Growing experience, or some such. All kiddos need it."
"Right..." He gave a roll of his shoulders. "Naeght, Aki's raptrix, will be staying behind from the hunt. I expect he won't bother you during the day today, but I've ordered him to be here at night, just in case Akiyal needs him... He'll be fine outside, if Aki doesn't seem interested in having him around. Just a precaution, in case things take a backward turn..."
Thirdly, and finally, Xilarn hadn't seen fit to inform his son how long he'd be gone. Aki assumed a night, like always. The Fire man didn't feel confident enough telling him it'd be longer. 'They don' come back, they don' come back...' His son's fears echoed in his mind. He doubted Akiyal would be 'fine' when the second night rolled around. And especially not by the third. Not that he'd informed Jan of his fears, either.
He expected the whole scene would not be pleasant upon his return. But that was a week and many miles away. He'd have several days to dwell on how he'd handle it.
Until then, "Thank you for taking care of him. I hope to be back in just a few days' time, but it may be longer. I hope he isn't too much trouble in the meanwhile."
After Jan's assurances that it would be 'none at all,' Xil knew he would likely not feel any better about leaving than he did just then. He summoned Gadot to him with a short whistle, and the two of them took off together.
He’d meant- really and truly- to head all the way to Tale. The creatures there were more plentiful, easier to hunt, and more profitable overall in the long run. Fortunately (or not), as the day wore on and Gadot’s altitude began to dip, Xilarn spotted a small wild herd of capramel. His raptrix landed some several yards away, downwind. Capramel were not uncommon in Kesris. Useful for meat if slaughtered while young and milk when less so. They were probably better to keep alive for a while, rather than butcher them here.
It wasn’t something Xilarn was specialized in, and neither did he expect Gadot was a great herding beast. But if it went downhill quickly, at least they shouldn’t be difficult opponents. Thankfully, it was an extremely small herd. In the immediacy with which chaos erupted when Gadot pounced near to them, they managed to lose only one. The remained for clustered together rather neatly while Gadot fanned his wings out to either side of him and kept them grouped while Xil cautiously roped them together and leashed them about his raptrix’s neck. Gadot was large and impatient, and it seemed like even if the remained of the herd tried to lurch away all at once, Gadot could stop them.
With the capramel as they were, it did mean they wouldn’t be able to fly back…
~~~
Xilarn didn’t realize how annoying the slew of terrified baying would be during the entire trek back. Gadot joined the capramel’s cries with frustrated howls of his own. The goods outweighed the bads, Xil convinced himself. He’d be home earlier. He still had his prey. The beasts would quiet down. Gadot would surely not eat any more of them. Did he mention they’d lost a second to his raptrix’s irritation? Because they had, leaving them with just three (slightly) more manageable creatures to escort home.
The nights they spent outside during the four-day trek were a complete mess. A raptrix used to sleeping in at least a covered tent forced to next outside surrounded by a pack of dumb prey animals. Xilarn personally found it almost amusing. At least, it would’ve been if Gadot wasn’t annoyed at him too. As it turned out, so long as Xil offered food on a regular basis, the capramel didn’t seem to mind him too much. They still weren’t terribly intent on following him of their own accord, but he worried significantly less about being headbutted in the spine anytime he turned his back.
They weren’t ‘trained’ by any means, and wouldn’t make anywhere near as reliable a companion as Gadot, but they adjusted to people well enough. Everything about them was ‘well enough.’ And by the time he made it back to town, he was ready to pawn them off on someone else. Most of them, anyway. All but one. As proof to his son that he’d accomplished something in their time apart.
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Fluffesu rolled 2 100-sided dice:
20, 34
Total: 54 (2-200)
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2015 2:39 pm
Taming || Capramel #2
Attack Stat || 50 + 10 = 60
Speed Stat || 49 + 9 = 58
Intelligence || 10
Roll 1 Needed || 15 - 100
Roll 2 Needed || 15 - 100
Rolled || 20, 34
Outcome || Success!
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