K'ile Tia: Evenings in Thanalan settled in quickly this time of year. The sun had no sooner turned red for twilight than it had begun to fade into night. K'ile knew he would be hunting in the dark, so didn't bother to rush making camp. But camp, to him, was a simple thing: a comfortable piece of earth near the cliff opposite the goobbue's corpse, a pile of wood to make a fire that would warm him and guide him back from the hunt, and a decent place to lean his bow when he wasn't using it.
After building the pile of wood that would become the fire, setling some kindling about it and stacking up a reserve of dry wood behind him, he took one of the limbs and shook it. As though it were his staff back in camp, the thing spawned fires on either end, and he flipped it a couple of times with a playful smirk before sticking it lengthwise in the pile to start the fire.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha had busied herself mostly with examining the platlife around the new area. Any sort of fruit would be good to try, albiet making sure it wasn't poisonous first. While she didn't find much in the way of fruit, she did find a plant good for soothing wounds and pulled out a small dagger strapped to her leg, cutting the plant from its roots.Â
She carefully pulled off her ringband gloves and braces to examine the bite from earlier. It really wasn't that bad, although it had started to sting a little. K'luha poked it and winced before carefully slicing the plant in two and placing the inside over the wound in two covering strips.Â
"Stupid..." she muttered mostly to herself, narrowing her eyes as she noticed that somehow it had turned dark already. Her eyes were quckily drawn to K'ile and his fiery staff. It was good one of them had gotten the fire together. K'luha hiked up to where the campfire was to be and sat down on the rock, looking over her makeshift bandage and treatment again.
*
K'ile Tia: Humming happily at the fire that was growing, K'ile amused himself by grabbing an extra stick in each hand. A quick flick and they both lit on either end, and he spun them as he watched K'luha drop down near him. She seemed to be in some kind of mood, but everyone always looked like they were in a mood by the fire, and K'luha tended towards moods anyway.
Noticing where the woman's eyes were focused, he said, "How's that bite?" and tossed one of his two sticks onto the growing fire.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha took parcial notice of K'ile's fire stick twirling, but didn't say anything about it. For a Tia, he really did like to show off, didn't he? Still, K'luha lightly picked at her wound only glancing up when he spoke to her.
"It's really fine. It's a bit nothing. Give it a day and it will be healed."
*
K'ile Tia: "One day on its own for the same end that your daughter coudl get you in five seconds," K'ile said, but quickly put a hand up to stave off whatever retort she could manage. "But I get it! You're not wrong, and it makes sense. Where is K'ailia, anyway?"
*
K'luha Haaz: "Off to train. I assume she'll end up with K'haali or in Ul'dah or Drybone." K'luha frowned and clicked her tongue a bit irritably. While it was true that K'ailia could fix everything so easily, somehow it felt like wounds meant nothing if you could instantly heal them away. Didn't pain have to have some sort of meaning with it or something. She sighed again. Maybe not.
*
K'ile Tia: "Kids. She says she'll camp, but off she goes! I swear, if she had to spend just one week in a single place, she'd never last." The single flaming stick in his hand spun idly, and he watched it. His staff back home was belt to contain the fire on the ends, but there was no such precaution here. The fire was slowly working its way towards his fingers, and he watched it. "Oh, but she's an adult now, isn't she?"
*
K'luha Haaz: "Technically she is. Remember, that's what we argued about at the meeting?" K'luha gave a small sly grin to K'ile before looked back down to the fire. "Sometimes she acts more like an adult than I do... and sometimes I am reminded just how young she is." K'luha frowned deeply at the fire. "And then I wonder what her brother would have been like..."
*
K'ile Tia: The stick stopped suddenly in his hand, and it kicked sparks out into the sky. "Don't do that to yourself." The heat on his hands reminded him of the fire seeking out his fingers, and he tossed the stick into the coals. "I know it's hard, but don't."
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha stayed quiet, looking into the fire like she might find her son there. She wanted so badly to see him. To see what he would have become. He hadn't even gotten a real name yet when he died. He'd only lived a few months... If only she hadn't gone by herself. If only she could have saved him.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile dropped down next to K'luha, leaving the fire to grow and turn as it wished. The wind that blew across dirty land above eddied over the cliff and curved the wind around them, leaving the two Miqo'te in a windless haven. The smoke from the fire moved straight up for a few meters before it began to drift and was eventually dissipated in a sudden maelstrom.
"What kind of children do you think K'ailia will have?" he said.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha stopped and glanced over to K'ile. When he had sat down next to her? Although, he question was a good one. She smirked faintly and playfully elbow'd his side. "Hopefully not arrogant brats like you."
*
K'ile Tia: He barely felt her elbow, but he embellished the squirm away from it. With a chuckle, he said, "I hope she does have a kid just like me. And one like K'thalen. And K'raqi, too! Three wild boys to drive her crazy!"
The eyes of the dead goobbue caught the firelight and flashed at him in the dark. The distant, endless thunder of a waterfall kept the air heavy.
Smiling at nothing, he said, "And she can have a daughter like you to keep her sane. Everyone deserves a little help with that."
*
K'luha Haaz: "Three boys? Are you trying to start a Nunh war?" K'luha joked lightly, shaking her head. Although his last comment took her a bit by surprise. She was so surprised by it, she flushed faintly and looked back at the fire. That was... was that compliment? "Heh, I don't think I would keep her sane K'ile. More like infuriate her with my stubborness." she joked back lightly, her tail coming up behind her and moving to lightly smack the back of K'ile's head.
*
K'ile Tia: Hitting people was one of K'luha's main methods of expression, and he was just going to have to deal with that. Shaking his head to make his hair resttled where here tail had tussled it oddly, he said, "You say stubborn. I say confident. Well-grounded! People who aren't like that just make it an insult so they feel better. Stubborn's a good thing."
*
K'luha Haaz: "Hmm... Maybe. But maybe not sometimes. After all, your stubborness gets you in trouble as well K'ile." K'luha turned and raised a brow at him. "Don't you remember how angry we got at each other for being stubborn? And how angry K'ailia was with you when you so vehemently rejected her idea?"
*
K'ile Tia: The Tia just shrugged at that, "Apologies cleared it up. That's how it works with family. Anyway, it's possible to be stubborn without being rude over it. I just suck at it."
*
K'luha Haaz: "That's true." she smirked again, looking him over. "You do suck at that." K'luha shook her head and looked back to the fire. Jeez, she was doing a lot of head shaking over K'ile. Despite him being older, she often felt like he was just a kit.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile couldn't help the smile on his face when he stood. The sense of great success had him as sure as he'd shot down a Sand Drake with a blowgun. For once in his life, he'd stopped a woman from crying on the first try! If only K'thalen could be alive to see it!
"Feel up to some hunting?" K'ile trotted around the fire to get his bow.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha frowned slightly at the fire. Still, it bothered her. Especially now that they were here. Where it all happened. She could feel the place on her back where that Amalj'aa had stomped on her. She could feel where they ripped the bundle from her arms. All because she'd interuptted some sacred ritual. She hadn't even known. K'luha pulled her arm bands back on and readjusted her shirt.Â
"If my son had lived... I would have wanted him to be like you..." K'luha muttered quietly to herself before picking up her own bow and forcing herself to give K'ile a cheerful look. "Of course I am. Let's quit wasting time. I'm hungry."
*
K'ile Tia: Not many things froze K'ile in place, but what K'luha said just then did. He stood with one hand on his bow as though unsure if he should take it, waiting for his mind to do something with her words. Her voice seemed to settle over his arms and shoulders, leaving him heavy. His head felt empty of thought, and yet somehow he scrabbled together enough of one to look over and say, "You're not going to start thinking of me as a son, are you?"
He had enough presence of mind to add a chuckle, making it sound like a joke. The cheer on K'luha's features probably helped. He pulled his bow up over his shoulder and added on, "Cause I'm just a few years short of being your dad." That was undershooting it. A few years as in, like, ten. But still!
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha had to chuckle softly at his reaction. She had almost hoped he hadn't heard that but, since he did she was glad he didn't take it badly at least. It was a compliment after all. As for thinking of him as a son, maybe. Not quite though. She wasn't as protective of him as she would have been of a child. Although, he did make her feel younger. She had to grow up so quickly because of the need for children. Trying to raise one, and then raising K'ailia when she was only seventeen? She had tried to grow up fast. But sometimes K'ile brought out that seventeen year old that never got the opportunity to be a stupid teenager.Â
"A dad, or a mate." K'luha added, chuckling again as she walked past him. Her tail lightly flicked his shoulder as she nimbly hoped up a rock formation to look over the dark plains.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile was surprised by the strength of K'luha's tail against his shoulder. It didn't deel that different from getting slapped, except that the furt made it softer. His own tail whipped about self-conciously behind him. He stood still and watched her move away from him for a few seconds before grabbing his quiver and moving with her.
Looking up at where she stood on the rock above him, he said, "You're not going to see much this time of night. We should try and sniff out a wolf! Two hunters shouldn't settle for a dumb old goat."
*
K'luha Haaz: "Way ahead of you old man." K'luha teased. She was already sniffing the air for wolf and bigger prey. She didn't want to go after something too terribly large though. It could be a waste of food... but if she salted it she could preserve it as rations for the next days of travel.Â
"I smell... mostly goat and dust but..." Her ears flicked back and forth, listening keenly for the tell-tale sounds of a wolf pack. "No wolf. Maybe further out then... you?"
*
K'ile Tia: "Oh, there's wolves. Has to be! Picking them out of the damned goats and this godsdamned pollen would be a trick, though." K'ile was good help on a hunt, but it wasn't really his thing. His senses were better for tracking people. It was a less practical skill, especially out here where no one was. It would come in handy when they were scouting the Amal'jaa, though! "Want to try getting away from the goobbue some? Head towards that fresh water? We can follow the smoke back."
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha gave a short nod and deftly hopped up and over the rock. With a silent step, she glided gracefully across the nightscape. Her footsteps made hardly a sound and her dark skin and clothing in the nighttime made her very difficult to see as she moved.Â
She lead, or rather she hoped K'ile could follow her, further inland. Her best bet was that water source they found earlier. No doubt game would come there for water as well. They just had to pick up a scent there.Â
As they approached, K'luha ducked beneath some foliage and examined the watering hole. It was mostly empty now, but the scent of fresh game was all over it. Mostly goats, but where there were goats there would be wolves.Â
K'luha glanced about for K'ile for a moment, hoping he had been able to follow her easily enough.
*
K'ile Tia: That woman was a beast in the night. K'ile hadn't realized how effective her dark leathers would be until she'd gone out ahead of him and vanished. Once he'd lost sight of her, he paused for a moment. And then he followed again, this time by scent. She was easier to pick out than any wolf; he'd been exposed to that scent for most of his life, after all.
Besides. He knew where the water was, so he wasn't exactly going to get lost.
K'ile didn't keep her waiting too long, stepping from the night to join her by the foliage. No game hanging out by the water, but that would be too much to ask. The wolves would probably do something similar to what they were doing and track pray from here into the open desert. If he was lucky...
A smile split his lips. "I smell a kill," he said in a hushed tone. "Someone doesn't have anything against eating the goats." He pointed upwind.
*
K'luha Haaz: "Get lost?" K'luha jibed lightly as K'ile finally appeared some time later. She squinted out into the night again and looked for any signs of movement. The dirt was more malleable here than in the sands of the Sagolii. Tracks remained for a long time after the prey had moved through the area. She would have to learn fresh tracks from stale ones.Â
K'luha sniffed the air deeply as he mentioned a kill upwind. Yes, he was right. His nose was better than hers was, but she was glad for it at the moment. "Right. Let's go." she motioned with her tail to move and again darted out silently through the plains. She kept low to the ground even while running, obscuring her form to blend in with the local brush.Â
It was probably about a five minutes run northward, but finally the thick smell of blood caught her nose. It was very close. She could smell the wolven scent as well; musky and earthy. It was distinct, and stood out strongly from that of the nannies and billies in the area.Â
K'luha darted behind a thick brush and peered out at the scene about four hundred yards in front of her. She counted for wolves at least and a large Billy that had been taken for dinner. Four wolves, meant there was probably more around the area. It could mean trouble. They would be best if they could pick one off. But wolves had very keen hearing. The trouble was how to communicate with K'ile, and if K'ile would be silent enough to stalk a wolf pack.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile did okay with being quiet. He was up next to K'luh before she heard him at least, so he figured that was pretty good. He didn't know if the woman's hearing was a good gauge for the wolves, figured it probably wasn't, but still felt pretty prepared.He was about to say something to K'luha when he remembered the whole silence thing.
Sand worms, drakes and orobons don't hear that well, so he'd almost forgotten it. He wasn't clear how to communicate without speaking, so he just gave K'luha a rather helpless look and tried not to look ridiculous doing so.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha frowned faintly. Well, at least K'ile was too terribly noisy. She peered past the brush at the pack, watching the alpha eat first before he started walking away and letting the rest of the trio fight for the carass. The alpha wandered off eastward and K'luha saw their chance for dinner.Â
She let her tail talk for her, reaching back to tap K'ile and point in the direction of the Alpha. With that, she swiftly moved through the brush, crouching low and stalking the large wolf through the plains and waiting for an opportunity to strike.
*
K'ile Tia: He almost missed the tail, and was again more surprised by it than anything. K'ile probably wouldn't have been if he'd been watching the wolves more closely. A few seconds after K'luha's gesture he noticed the one wandering off alone, and discerned her intentions.
Following her closely, he took his bow out and held it below him, watching to make sure he didn't hit anything with the arms and make unnecessary noise. Reaching back to take a bow from his quiver, he realized he didn't have his quiver and fuck that what in the seven hells was even wrong with him.
He padded over towards K'luha and whacked her with his tail to get her attention. Having no idea how to sign that he needed an arrow, he just decided to help himself to her quiver. He didn't feel very smooth in that moment.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha was focused intently on her prey, looking through the dark with glowing eyes to find its weak spot. The perfect target would be... of course. On the neck. She could see precisely where to put her arrows. But the question was, could she hit her mark? Of course, she assurred herself. And even if she didn't she could take down a single wolf.Â
Although, all was almost lost when something whacked her. She jumped faintly, making a rustling noise before shooking a glowering look back at K'ile. He took her arrow? She glanced back towards his back and noted he had forgotten his quiver. With another shake of her head she took her own arrow and looked forward at the wolf.Â
Which had promptly spotted her. Fabulous. The wolf was snarling and looking directly at her, which mean she only had one shot. She pulled her own arrow out and stood, releasing the bow to fly true... and totally miss her intended target to hit the wolf's torso instead. The wolf let out a loud howl and before K'luha knew it she could ear the movement of the entire pack. Yay.Â
K'luha pulled another arrow from her quiver and shot again, hitting the wolf between the eyes this time. The beast staggered and K'luha threw her bow around her body to pull out a dagger that was strapped to her leg again. This was going to get messy.
*
K'ile Tia: Around the time K'luha was launching her first arrow, K'ile was putting his arrow against the string and trying to remember how he'd seen K'nahli do it. But K'nahli's fingers were so much smaller than his, and something just wasn't working. He'd fired some arrows before, but he really thought it would just come naturally once he was in a real hunt with his bow. And it wasn't.
His head popped up at that howl, and he heard the rest of the pack moving their way. He was too hungry to abandon the kill, and from how K'luha went for her dagger, she agreed. So they'd have to defend it.
Jumping up his feet, K'ile ran over towards the fresh carcasse, forgetting the arrow in his hands. He said quickly, "K'luha, get close to the dead wolf." With a shake of his wrist, the terminal ends of his bows' arms suddenly burst into flames. There was a pop as the bowstring snapped. He'd need a new bow.
After building the pile of wood that would become the fire, setling some kindling about it and stacking up a reserve of dry wood behind him, he took one of the limbs and shook it. As though it were his staff back in camp, the thing spawned fires on either end, and he flipped it a couple of times with a playful smirk before sticking it lengthwise in the pile to start the fire.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha had busied herself mostly with examining the platlife around the new area. Any sort of fruit would be good to try, albiet making sure it wasn't poisonous first. While she didn't find much in the way of fruit, she did find a plant good for soothing wounds and pulled out a small dagger strapped to her leg, cutting the plant from its roots.Â
She carefully pulled off her ringband gloves and braces to examine the bite from earlier. It really wasn't that bad, although it had started to sting a little. K'luha poked it and winced before carefully slicing the plant in two and placing the inside over the wound in two covering strips.Â
"Stupid..." she muttered mostly to herself, narrowing her eyes as she noticed that somehow it had turned dark already. Her eyes were quckily drawn to K'ile and his fiery staff. It was good one of them had gotten the fire together. K'luha hiked up to where the campfire was to be and sat down on the rock, looking over her makeshift bandage and treatment again.
*
K'ile Tia: Humming happily at the fire that was growing, K'ile amused himself by grabbing an extra stick in each hand. A quick flick and they both lit on either end, and he spun them as he watched K'luha drop down near him. She seemed to be in some kind of mood, but everyone always looked like they were in a mood by the fire, and K'luha tended towards moods anyway.
Noticing where the woman's eyes were focused, he said, "How's that bite?" and tossed one of his two sticks onto the growing fire.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha took parcial notice of K'ile's fire stick twirling, but didn't say anything about it. For a Tia, he really did like to show off, didn't he? Still, K'luha lightly picked at her wound only glancing up when he spoke to her.
"It's really fine. It's a bit nothing. Give it a day and it will be healed."
*
K'ile Tia: "One day on its own for the same end that your daughter coudl get you in five seconds," K'ile said, but quickly put a hand up to stave off whatever retort she could manage. "But I get it! You're not wrong, and it makes sense. Where is K'ailia, anyway?"
*
K'luha Haaz: "Off to train. I assume she'll end up with K'haali or in Ul'dah or Drybone." K'luha frowned and clicked her tongue a bit irritably. While it was true that K'ailia could fix everything so easily, somehow it felt like wounds meant nothing if you could instantly heal them away. Didn't pain have to have some sort of meaning with it or something. She sighed again. Maybe not.
*
K'ile Tia: "Kids. She says she'll camp, but off she goes! I swear, if she had to spend just one week in a single place, she'd never last." The single flaming stick in his hand spun idly, and he watched it. His staff back home was belt to contain the fire on the ends, but there was no such precaution here. The fire was slowly working its way towards his fingers, and he watched it. "Oh, but she's an adult now, isn't she?"
*
K'luha Haaz: "Technically she is. Remember, that's what we argued about at the meeting?" K'luha gave a small sly grin to K'ile before looked back down to the fire. "Sometimes she acts more like an adult than I do... and sometimes I am reminded just how young she is." K'luha frowned deeply at the fire. "And then I wonder what her brother would have been like..."
*
K'ile Tia: The stick stopped suddenly in his hand, and it kicked sparks out into the sky. "Don't do that to yourself." The heat on his hands reminded him of the fire seeking out his fingers, and he tossed the stick into the coals. "I know it's hard, but don't."
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha stayed quiet, looking into the fire like she might find her son there. She wanted so badly to see him. To see what he would have become. He hadn't even gotten a real name yet when he died. He'd only lived a few months... If only she hadn't gone by herself. If only she could have saved him.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile dropped down next to K'luha, leaving the fire to grow and turn as it wished. The wind that blew across dirty land above eddied over the cliff and curved the wind around them, leaving the two Miqo'te in a windless haven. The smoke from the fire moved straight up for a few meters before it began to drift and was eventually dissipated in a sudden maelstrom.
"What kind of children do you think K'ailia will have?" he said.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha stopped and glanced over to K'ile. When he had sat down next to her? Although, he question was a good one. She smirked faintly and playfully elbow'd his side. "Hopefully not arrogant brats like you."
*
K'ile Tia: He barely felt her elbow, but he embellished the squirm away from it. With a chuckle, he said, "I hope she does have a kid just like me. And one like K'thalen. And K'raqi, too! Three wild boys to drive her crazy!"
The eyes of the dead goobbue caught the firelight and flashed at him in the dark. The distant, endless thunder of a waterfall kept the air heavy.
Smiling at nothing, he said, "And she can have a daughter like you to keep her sane. Everyone deserves a little help with that."
*
K'luha Haaz: "Three boys? Are you trying to start a Nunh war?" K'luha joked lightly, shaking her head. Although his last comment took her a bit by surprise. She was so surprised by it, she flushed faintly and looked back at the fire. That was... was that compliment? "Heh, I don't think I would keep her sane K'ile. More like infuriate her with my stubborness." she joked back lightly, her tail coming up behind her and moving to lightly smack the back of K'ile's head.
*
K'ile Tia: Hitting people was one of K'luha's main methods of expression, and he was just going to have to deal with that. Shaking his head to make his hair resttled where here tail had tussled it oddly, he said, "You say stubborn. I say confident. Well-grounded! People who aren't like that just make it an insult so they feel better. Stubborn's a good thing."
*
K'luha Haaz: "Hmm... Maybe. But maybe not sometimes. After all, your stubborness gets you in trouble as well K'ile." K'luha turned and raised a brow at him. "Don't you remember how angry we got at each other for being stubborn? And how angry K'ailia was with you when you so vehemently rejected her idea?"
*
K'ile Tia: The Tia just shrugged at that, "Apologies cleared it up. That's how it works with family. Anyway, it's possible to be stubborn without being rude over it. I just suck at it."
*
K'luha Haaz: "That's true." she smirked again, looking him over. "You do suck at that." K'luha shook her head and looked back to the fire. Jeez, she was doing a lot of head shaking over K'ile. Despite him being older, she often felt like he was just a kit.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile couldn't help the smile on his face when he stood. The sense of great success had him as sure as he'd shot down a Sand Drake with a blowgun. For once in his life, he'd stopped a woman from crying on the first try! If only K'thalen could be alive to see it!
"Feel up to some hunting?" K'ile trotted around the fire to get his bow.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha frowned slightly at the fire. Still, it bothered her. Especially now that they were here. Where it all happened. She could feel the place on her back where that Amalj'aa had stomped on her. She could feel where they ripped the bundle from her arms. All because she'd interuptted some sacred ritual. She hadn't even known. K'luha pulled her arm bands back on and readjusted her shirt.Â
"If my son had lived... I would have wanted him to be like you..." K'luha muttered quietly to herself before picking up her own bow and forcing herself to give K'ile a cheerful look. "Of course I am. Let's quit wasting time. I'm hungry."
*
K'ile Tia: Not many things froze K'ile in place, but what K'luha said just then did. He stood with one hand on his bow as though unsure if he should take it, waiting for his mind to do something with her words. Her voice seemed to settle over his arms and shoulders, leaving him heavy. His head felt empty of thought, and yet somehow he scrabbled together enough of one to look over and say, "You're not going to start thinking of me as a son, are you?"
He had enough presence of mind to add a chuckle, making it sound like a joke. The cheer on K'luha's features probably helped. He pulled his bow up over his shoulder and added on, "Cause I'm just a few years short of being your dad." That was undershooting it. A few years as in, like, ten. But still!
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha had to chuckle softly at his reaction. She had almost hoped he hadn't heard that but, since he did she was glad he didn't take it badly at least. It was a compliment after all. As for thinking of him as a son, maybe. Not quite though. She wasn't as protective of him as she would have been of a child. Although, he did make her feel younger. She had to grow up so quickly because of the need for children. Trying to raise one, and then raising K'ailia when she was only seventeen? She had tried to grow up fast. But sometimes K'ile brought out that seventeen year old that never got the opportunity to be a stupid teenager.Â
"A dad, or a mate." K'luha added, chuckling again as she walked past him. Her tail lightly flicked his shoulder as she nimbly hoped up a rock formation to look over the dark plains.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile was surprised by the strength of K'luha's tail against his shoulder. It didn't deel that different from getting slapped, except that the furt made it softer. His own tail whipped about self-conciously behind him. He stood still and watched her move away from him for a few seconds before grabbing his quiver and moving with her.
Looking up at where she stood on the rock above him, he said, "You're not going to see much this time of night. We should try and sniff out a wolf! Two hunters shouldn't settle for a dumb old goat."
*
K'luha Haaz: "Way ahead of you old man." K'luha teased. She was already sniffing the air for wolf and bigger prey. She didn't want to go after something too terribly large though. It could be a waste of food... but if she salted it she could preserve it as rations for the next days of travel.Â
"I smell... mostly goat and dust but..." Her ears flicked back and forth, listening keenly for the tell-tale sounds of a wolf pack. "No wolf. Maybe further out then... you?"
*
K'ile Tia: "Oh, there's wolves. Has to be! Picking them out of the damned goats and this godsdamned pollen would be a trick, though." K'ile was good help on a hunt, but it wasn't really his thing. His senses were better for tracking people. It was a less practical skill, especially out here where no one was. It would come in handy when they were scouting the Amal'jaa, though! "Want to try getting away from the goobbue some? Head towards that fresh water? We can follow the smoke back."
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha gave a short nod and deftly hopped up and over the rock. With a silent step, she glided gracefully across the nightscape. Her footsteps made hardly a sound and her dark skin and clothing in the nighttime made her very difficult to see as she moved.Â
She lead, or rather she hoped K'ile could follow her, further inland. Her best bet was that water source they found earlier. No doubt game would come there for water as well. They just had to pick up a scent there.Â
As they approached, K'luha ducked beneath some foliage and examined the watering hole. It was mostly empty now, but the scent of fresh game was all over it. Mostly goats, but where there were goats there would be wolves.Â
K'luha glanced about for K'ile for a moment, hoping he had been able to follow her easily enough.
*
K'ile Tia: That woman was a beast in the night. K'ile hadn't realized how effective her dark leathers would be until she'd gone out ahead of him and vanished. Once he'd lost sight of her, he paused for a moment. And then he followed again, this time by scent. She was easier to pick out than any wolf; he'd been exposed to that scent for most of his life, after all.
Besides. He knew where the water was, so he wasn't exactly going to get lost.
K'ile didn't keep her waiting too long, stepping from the night to join her by the foliage. No game hanging out by the water, but that would be too much to ask. The wolves would probably do something similar to what they were doing and track pray from here into the open desert. If he was lucky...
A smile split his lips. "I smell a kill," he said in a hushed tone. "Someone doesn't have anything against eating the goats." He pointed upwind.
*
K'luha Haaz: "Get lost?" K'luha jibed lightly as K'ile finally appeared some time later. She squinted out into the night again and looked for any signs of movement. The dirt was more malleable here than in the sands of the Sagolii. Tracks remained for a long time after the prey had moved through the area. She would have to learn fresh tracks from stale ones.Â
K'luha sniffed the air deeply as he mentioned a kill upwind. Yes, he was right. His nose was better than hers was, but she was glad for it at the moment. "Right. Let's go." she motioned with her tail to move and again darted out silently through the plains. She kept low to the ground even while running, obscuring her form to blend in with the local brush.Â
It was probably about a five minutes run northward, but finally the thick smell of blood caught her nose. It was very close. She could smell the wolven scent as well; musky and earthy. It was distinct, and stood out strongly from that of the nannies and billies in the area.Â
K'luha darted behind a thick brush and peered out at the scene about four hundred yards in front of her. She counted for wolves at least and a large Billy that had been taken for dinner. Four wolves, meant there was probably more around the area. It could mean trouble. They would be best if they could pick one off. But wolves had very keen hearing. The trouble was how to communicate with K'ile, and if K'ile would be silent enough to stalk a wolf pack.
*
K'ile Tia: K'ile did okay with being quiet. He was up next to K'luh before she heard him at least, so he figured that was pretty good. He didn't know if the woman's hearing was a good gauge for the wolves, figured it probably wasn't, but still felt pretty prepared.He was about to say something to K'luha when he remembered the whole silence thing.
Sand worms, drakes and orobons don't hear that well, so he'd almost forgotten it. He wasn't clear how to communicate without speaking, so he just gave K'luha a rather helpless look and tried not to look ridiculous doing so.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha frowned faintly. Well, at least K'ile was too terribly noisy. She peered past the brush at the pack, watching the alpha eat first before he started walking away and letting the rest of the trio fight for the carass. The alpha wandered off eastward and K'luha saw their chance for dinner.Â
She let her tail talk for her, reaching back to tap K'ile and point in the direction of the Alpha. With that, she swiftly moved through the brush, crouching low and stalking the large wolf through the plains and waiting for an opportunity to strike.
*
K'ile Tia: He almost missed the tail, and was again more surprised by it than anything. K'ile probably wouldn't have been if he'd been watching the wolves more closely. A few seconds after K'luha's gesture he noticed the one wandering off alone, and discerned her intentions.
Following her closely, he took his bow out and held it below him, watching to make sure he didn't hit anything with the arms and make unnecessary noise. Reaching back to take a bow from his quiver, he realized he didn't have his quiver and fuck that what in the seven hells was even wrong with him.
He padded over towards K'luha and whacked her with his tail to get her attention. Having no idea how to sign that he needed an arrow, he just decided to help himself to her quiver. He didn't feel very smooth in that moment.
*
K'luha Haaz: K'luha was focused intently on her prey, looking through the dark with glowing eyes to find its weak spot. The perfect target would be... of course. On the neck. She could see precisely where to put her arrows. But the question was, could she hit her mark? Of course, she assurred herself. And even if she didn't she could take down a single wolf.Â
Although, all was almost lost when something whacked her. She jumped faintly, making a rustling noise before shooking a glowering look back at K'ile. He took her arrow? She glanced back towards his back and noted he had forgotten his quiver. With another shake of her head she took her own arrow and looked forward at the wolf.Â
Which had promptly spotted her. Fabulous. The wolf was snarling and looking directly at her, which mean she only had one shot. She pulled her own arrow out and stood, releasing the bow to fly true... and totally miss her intended target to hit the wolf's torso instead. The wolf let out a loud howl and before K'luha knew it she could ear the movement of the entire pack. Yay.Â
K'luha pulled another arrow from her quiver and shot again, hitting the wolf between the eyes this time. The beast staggered and K'luha threw her bow around her body to pull out a dagger that was strapped to her leg again. This was going to get messy.
*
K'ile Tia: Around the time K'luha was launching her first arrow, K'ile was putting his arrow against the string and trying to remember how he'd seen K'nahli do it. But K'nahli's fingers were so much smaller than his, and something just wasn't working. He'd fired some arrows before, but he really thought it would just come naturally once he was in a real hunt with his bow. And it wasn't.
His head popped up at that howl, and he heard the rest of the pack moving their way. He was too hungry to abandon the kill, and from how K'luha went for her dagger, she agreed. So they'd have to defend it.
Jumping up his feet, K'ile ran over towards the fresh carcasse, forgetting the arrow in his hands. He said quickly, "K'luha, get close to the dead wolf." With a shake of his wrist, the terminal ends of his bows' arms suddenly burst into flames. There was a pop as the bowstring snapped. He'd need a new bow.
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