Ursa: And now, let us prey ~~ Chyril 22nd early MT

[Scarlet]

The sun cut through the haze of twilight. Her time was running short. She was perfectly still, waiting in the rushes, her profile masked by the reeds and rushes. The scent of the beaver's musk still floated on the breeze and with the wind teasing the braids of her hair she knew she was safely down-wind. It had not taken her long to find his lodge, nestled in some forgotten inlet of what had once been Paw lake. The fallen trees dotted the bank. The old man had been busy.

The waxed bow string was tense in her fingers, half drawn, the flight of the arrow tickling her forearm. She gripped the hardwood of the weapon, the cord grip biting her palms. She only had to wait, he would return soon to his home to sleep the day away. Then she would have him.

Scarlet shivered. It was a bad way to stay warm, kneeling in the cold murky water, soft mud curling about her toes as she lay inert. The bow held lateral to the water's surface kept dry, but she was damp through. Even with her kanthar tied high about her waist the mists had soaked her. At least it wasn't raining.

[Brytan]

OOC: Perhaps you want to change the date on your post to the 23rd, since that's where all of the action is in Ursa currently. If you want this to be an introductory post and make a new one on the 23rd or jump into one of the existing threads on the 23rd, that's fine, then we'll leave this one at the 22nd.

The dawn had not yet come. Twilight was still upon the huntress as she sat patiently, waiting for her quarry to come home from a hard gravetide's work. Yahren of training had hardened the kit that now sat crouched knee deep in cold water, but all that training didn't add up against the numbness in her feet and toes. Keeping the bow at the ready, sitting still, she waited patiently.

There was a splashing, some burns later. From behind the dam she could hear water being moved by an animal of sorts, and sure enough, flickers later a large beaver crawled up on top of the dam, carrying a branch in it's mouth. It scurried around the large mound of twigs and mud, apparently looking for the best place to put his latest aquisition. Eventually, it decided on a spot and started plugging a small hole in the dam with the twig, then slapping on mud from the river bed to make the dam that stronger.

[Scarlet]

ooc: lets keep this as an introductory thread, let me get my bearings with the character I might join another thread at an opportune moment


She moved slowly. Drawing the bow to its full extension in a smooth if unfamiliar motion. She was not an archer, but she knew the theory. She rose slowly, taking advantage of the creature's poor eyesight and the breeze on her face to hide her. She drew the fletching to her cheek and felt the tip of her finger touch the corner of her mouth. Consistency was the art of the bow and she wanted to make this shot count. Her mind was clear, uncluttered. She had to maintain focus, wait for the moment that mind and body were unified in one purpose.

She barely felt the cord whip past her face, hardly noticed the sting as the bowstring caught her forearm. She did not pause to check the flight of the arrow, she was already drawing a second from the stash she had stuck in the riverbed. She doubted she would get a second flight in the air in time if she missed the first, but she had to be prepared for the possibility.

In the back of her mind she noticed the day was rearing its bright and shiny head. She would have to get back to the village soon.

[Brytan]

The flicker she rose to stretch the bow out to it's full reach, a twig snapped under the heel of her left foot. The beaver rose it's head and turned to see the huntress in the water behind him.

The arrow released.

The beaver jumped.

It missed by a fraction of a centimeter.

Scarlet grabbed the second arrow as the beaver jumped over the dam and dove into the water behind it. As it too sought it's mark, it met with nothing but wood and twigs where the beaver had already sought refuge in it's burrow below the sturdy wood. Inside of her, she could feel the spirit of the cat rear it's head at the thrill of the hunt. Adrenalin meeting with it's eagerness to kill.

The alien awareness that lingered in the back of her mind had always been there. But more recently, with her nearing the age of Awakening, it had shown itself more prominently, eager to take it's rightful place behind the eyes it had given the woman that now stood in the cold of the stream, facing an empty beaver dam as the sun rose higher over the Skymyst mountains.

[Scarlet]

Silently she bit her lip. Her haste had cost her the kill, now she had nothing to show for her morning's efforts but muddy feet and a sour mood.

She calmed the beast within, trying to saite its lust for the hunt. She felt the urge, the desire to delve into the lodge, scrape away the wood and bracken to sink her teeth into the prey within. She shuddered, such thoughts lead one down a darkened path. One very hard to return from. Still, there would be time yet for the hunt. She closed her eyes to stroke the soul of the beast within. Scarlet welcomed her fury, her passion and thirst. It was a predator that dwelled within her, she had known this from her first hunt so long ago. When she had felt her own joy echoed by a strange yet familiar presence.

She turned about and headed back to the canoe upstream where she had lodged it on the bank. The river moved slowly, it would not take her long to paddle back to the village. Even with an empty stomach.

Pushing the little boat out into the river she smiled. Her life was in this little Kayak. Everything she owned could be taken anywhere this river lead, anywhere the lake touched. Had she the mind she could have taken it to the sea but she did not yet feel ready for that, not until she felt at one with the beast within. She felt she would not have to wait long.

ooc: Ok, started a 2nd thread

[Brytan]

Locked for skilling.

[Brytan]

Skills;

bow, short - basic (new)
hunting +1*
Inner animal +1*