Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Aeryn's eyes fluttered open. She sat up, glancing around the clearing. Hinvi was gone. "Hinvi?"

"Over here!" His deep voice reverberated from the stream. She stood, picked up the sleeping Chyrr and walked toward the stream.

Hinvi held up a huge trout he was flaying. "Breakfast."

Aeryn smiled. "Oh, good, I'm starving."

Vayond

"I-I was just going to check on Jaegar, my pet tiger." Sirius replied, rather shaken by Edmund's hostility. "Are you with him?" He asked, pointing at Micah.

((OOC: @Bother Eustace: just to let you know, it's Telanor, not Telenor.))

Vayond
Edmund knew he was scaring the younger boy, so he calmed down a little to not scare him anymore. "Yes, I am with Micah. So, you have a pet tiger?"

A (Slightly) Less Normal Life

Matthew realised that vandar was knocked out and unlighted his saber "I'll carry him to the speeder, I'll meet you at the temple he said as he bent over and lifted the unconscious man onto his shoulder "Just show me where it is" he said "Kale, get our speeder over here" Kale turned and walked out the door.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Susanne was relieved to see that it was only a deer. The Young buck, gazed around with wild brown eyes then turned to leap away. Two white knives flew from the shadows and lodged themselves in the neck of the animal. It crumpled and tumbled back down the slope, coming to rest near their feet. Its course tan fur rippled over its muscles. She looked at it and said softly "The poor thing...."

A ravaging hunger rested in the pit of her stomach, but right now she had no desire to quench it. There was a difference between having the food set before you, already cooked, steaming and delicious then having to watch it be butchered, then served. She turned her face away as two others, who she vaguely remembered, came forward to clean it. Micah then announced he was going to get wood for a cook fire, and stood; picking his way through to leave. She watched him, and before he left his gaze touched hers and he smiled. She returned the grin, but weakly. Then he slipped away and she settled back her eyes closed. The woman next to her awoke and bumped her gently, but Susanne didn't respond. She ignored it and staid back.

********

Dalin had kept his vigil at the window all night, watching the rain come down in torrents. Close to morning it had begun to let up, then an hour after sunrise it stopped and the earth awoke. Sun spilled across the grass and trees, reflecting there shiny green color. A few flowers dotted the edge of the shop and they sparkled from the water in their petals. Turning, Dalin gripped Akar and sighed. In the day hunting was dangerous and hard. Though they could do it and had succeed so many times before all of them shared the hatred of it. It was light, and light was a hunters enemy. They worked and lived in the shadows. They were comfortable with twilight and it's mysteries. Day was for the towns folk and innocents, not for them. He shook his head "We'll have to continue moving and searching....they must be found and caught. They will have probably settled some where so once we locate them killing with be easy. Follow" he barked and turned to leave.

But as the did the handle to the door jiggled and twisted as a hand from the outside attempted to open it. Dalin froze then took a quick step forward and flattened himself against the wall, waiting for the beings entry. Breathe.....wait.....breathe. A crack appeared as the door opened and a man entered. The stocky, tall, master blacksmith gazed around in shock at the hooded and cloaked men. He opened his mouth to speak but Dalin's sword thrust and sliced along his neck. His speach garbled and he fell to the floor, a pool of blood beginning to form around him. Dalin swept past him and into the outside.

He blinked as rays of blinding sun assaulted his eyes, then he entered the trees and crouched surveying the road. Soon it would begin to get busy. They must make it across the open plain to the woods now. While they could. He settled back on his haunches for a minute waiting for his men to join him in the under brush. As he waited a shrill call of a bird penetrated his ears.

He jerked his head around to see a bird perched on the roof of the blacksmith shop. It's orange and black feathers gleamed. It looked at him with piercing green eyes that stared, unblinking. Dalin whistled back it's call and it repeated before swooping down to rest on his shoulder. He reach up a gloved hand and it climbed onto his palm. He took his other hand and stroked it's feathers. "Ankar numa...." he whispered to it soothingly then untied a small note that had been secured to it's foot with tight string. He let the bird rest again on his shoulder while he read the terse note. Come back....report He snarled in disgust and crumpled it up. This was the icing on the cake of a day he knew would end in rage. He stood supporting the bird and turned to his men. "The hunt is off. It's time to return"

Vayond

"Yes," Sirius replied to Edmund, "I have a tiger named Jaegar, and he--why do you flinch when when I say that?"

Vayond

Edmund answered, "Don't you know tigers are dangeous? What if he accidentally attacks you or someone else?"

Vayond

"Don't worry," Sirius replied, "Jaegar knows my scent. He would never attack me. If you want to see him, though, I'll have to take you carefully, and call him before he smells you."

Vayond

Edmund shuddered at the thought of a tiger smelling him. He turned to Micah. "So, shall we get wood for our breakfast?"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Micah lifted the heap of wood in his left arm a bit, allowing Edmund to see. "I've got some right here. In fact I was just about to head back--" Micah paused, wondering if it was wise to let Sirius know about the others. As sudden as the suspicion cropped up, however, it went away. Sirius was hardly more than a child, he certainly didn't pose any threat. Besides, he probably already knew, if he saw them escape last night.

"There's some more of us, we've been here since all night. I was just getting wood for a fire, so we can have breakfast." Micah turned to Edmund, "Perhaps you should grab a few more branches and such, and then we'll return." Micah observed the bundle of wood in his own arms, and sighed. "You know, this is all well and good for breakfast... but we're going to need more supplies soon."

Micah agreed, then went to look for more branches. He stepped through poiny plants and slid his way in betweeen tress. He tried with all his might to snap off twigs and succeeded. Out of breath, he made his way towards Micah. "Will this be enough?" He looked at the heap of branches i nhis own arms.

Vayond

"I'm a tanner's apprentice." Sirius said quickly when he heard what Micah said. "You could but some bags and stuff from my master's shop. It's the highest quality leather around and the cheapest too!" His master hadn't been very pleased with him lately, and Sirius hoped he could "appease" him by getting more sales.

Vayond

Figuring the kid could be trusted, he look to Micah. "We could use more stuff. " Sure, it would be hard to trust him but they needed more food, clothing and weaponry if they were going to survive while hiding. Maybe they could even buy firewood.

Vayond

"I'll take you there if you want." Sirius said, "Do you want to come?" He started to walk off, then stopped and said, "Oh wait, I was going to check on Jaegar. I'll be right back." Then he dashed off into the woods.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

"That would be more than helpful," Micah replied, when Sirius told them of his master's wares. He was going to say that they couldn't go just then, as they had to let the others know first, when Sirius ran off to find his tiger, darting through the woods like a young hart.

Micah turned to Edmund quizzically. "Well, that was interesting. We can certainly use more supplies. Let's bring this wood back, and tell the others about this."