Hunting Lessons
“So you still need food. Caribou is one of the easiest to hunt around here if we can find a good herd.” Warrick nodded his assent while Ignatius stood nearby holding the coins the pair had tossed her once they sold the leopards. She was confused they offered her any at all, she swore up and down that she hadn’t been any help, but she couldn’t keep arguing with the scarred faces.
“Uhh, yeah. The caribou tend to travel north of town a bit. You might be able to find some there?” The bloodmarked runner didn’t really know what the pullers needed, but that information seemed to be enough, as they grunted and headed towards the edge of town, leaving the runner to catch up.
The pair stopped before leaving, and turned to the runner.
“Where can we get some sleds? If we’re going to hunt enough to feed a few families, something to pull them on would be easier.” Cassia felt stupid they didn’t think of it before, but the runner cheerfully led them to one of the woodworkers in town, who lent them a couple of sleds to be able to carry more of the ungulates back.
Ignatius offered to pull one, but the pair shrugged off the suggestion, clearly more equipped than she to do the job. Still didn’t mean she wouldn’t offer though.
“You’re going to do what you do best, which is run.” Ignatius seemed upset by the comment, but it was Warrick that spoke next, using his mind magic. She had never heard the male talk out loud, and wondered if he even could.
We will take down the prey, you will chase it, lure it, herd it. Your legs are more fit for running and you can get ahead of the beasts, chase them into our maws.
Oh. That made way more sense to the runner, who was cheerful again with the knowledge. Cassia snorted, rolling her eyes as if her explanation wasn’t obvious.
The trio set off, and once they caught the scent of the horned creatures in the air, they adjusted to make sure they were downwind. Catching up to the herd, the pullers left the sleds behind, knowing the wooden crafts would only slow them down.
We’ll give the signal. Stay downwind for as long as possible.
“Your pelt will give you away too, so once you think they’ve seen you, go ahead anyway.”
The two pullers glared at each other with their semi-contradictory statements, but Ignatius understood and dashed off, loping through the snow and kicking it up as little as possible to avoid extra detection.
The pullers stayed behind, getting themselves ready to attack, but no less slower than the speed the runner set for now. They’d be slower than her eventually but for now they kept an easy jog as the bloodmarked female set the pace.
It seemed luck was on their side, as the dumb animals hadn’t noticed their approach until it seemed the runner was nearly upon them. Warrick sent her feelings of confirmation, letting her know in his own way it was time to go, and she heeded it, running wide and ahead of the herd to get into place.
It was then they noticed her, and Cassia smiled as all seemingly went to plan. The herd scattered, but some went exactly where they wanted, heading straight for the claws of the two pullers. Cassia pulled on their environment, compacting the snow around them to summon spires of ice, further blocking the escape of the caribou and causing more terror and madness.
Warrick extended his magic, calming the creatures and confusing them, slowing their gait and preventing the desire to escape.
Ignatius wasn’t used to how easy hunting with the soldiers was, and laughed as she dashed through the snow, herding them away from the spires of ice and towards the pullers, snapping at their legs and howling at their backs.
It didn’t take them long to round up the herd, and bodies fell left and right as they proceeded to stop playing around, and start going for the kill.
Cassia tossed spears of ice into caribou that were further away, while her claws and fangs dug into those closest. Warrick literally forced the beasts to walk right into his weapons, as they no longer held any regard for their own safety. Ignatius too took down a few, practicing her leaps and attacks. It was good practice, and she was quite pleased with herself, impressed at the opportunity to fight alongside the soldiers.
Very few of the animals escaped the hunt, most lying dead, staining the snow red. When all was said and done, Ignatius almost felt sick at the amount of carnage, the ease at which the warriors had dispatched the animals like it was nothing.
They returned for the sleds, the pullers bringing them back through the snow to load them up. They had to be creative, as the sleds weren’t big enough to hold all of the creatures, so the soldiers loaded their backs with even more, the added weight causing them to sink into the snow with every step. Even the runner managed to load two of the smaller creatures on her back, and with their full load, they headed back to town.
“Do you guys do this a lot?” The runner attempted to make small talk, even though her break was labored after the run and the weight she carried.
Cassia grunted, which the runner interpreted as a yes.
When you’ve lived your life as nothing but a pawn, your job forcing you to take life without hesitation, you become used to it, and find ways to make it fast.
Cassia grunted again, and Ignatius considered it. Once someone was forced to take the life of another sentient being, it probably wasn’t something you could let affect you. With the male’s magic too, being able to be in their minds, the runner assumed that would be even harder.
“Don’t worry about it too much kid. You hunt for food and nothing more. No need to get philosophical.”
The trio made it back into town, the townsfolk who had been eagerly awaiting their return happily unloading their prey to distribute amongst those who needed it. The warriors received many thanks for their efforts, a few gifts and some of the meat for them to take with them on the road. The meat was well received, and a few of the families cried from the help, glad not to worry about their children starving over the harsh winter. No one had expected the surplus they had brought back, never in a million years could anyone guess the warriors had the skills to take down almost an entire herd.
When Ignitus went to look for them after the commotion had died down, he found the two pullers had already left, somehow slipping away in the gathering. She smiled, knowing she would probably never see them again, but also understanding they had left her with some valuable lessons to be had. Perhaps too they showed her that their town couldn’t survive as is, and opened her eyes to changes that needed to be made. It was funny how a simple hunt could change so much, and she wouldn’t dishonor their memory by forgetting it.
-End-
Hunt for Cassia 11637 | Warrick 10084 | Ignatius 14091
Continent: Roenden
Prey: Caribou
WC 1221 +12
Corresponding Land +1
Other Reo Cassia 11637 | Ignatius 14091 +2
Hunt +1
Magic Useage +1
Total = 15 CP
WC 1221 +12
Corresponding Land +1
Other Reo Cassia 11637 | Warrick 10084 +2
Hunt +1
Total = 16 CP