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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Mar 29, 2017 20:59:00 GMT -6
Damned if you do, Damned if you don't.
ft. War-Colt's Muiris and Sargeant-Knoxx's Synn.
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Surrounding Area, Northwest of Skeldr | Mid-Morning | Early-Spring 1700
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With winter having released her icy grip on the vast Onean landscape and the dangers of avalanches and blocked mountain passes gone with the thaw, Synn has embarked on yet another hunting trip. Her hope is to return after the summer raids with enough leather and furs to assist her fellow clan members before the colder months return.
The second morning since her arrival has been uneventful and yet, with her snares set, the following weeks hold much promise. Unbeknownst to the rogue mare however, a raider and his familiar have wandered within her boundaries... And her activities have not gone without notice.
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Mar 29, 2017 21:49:24 GMT -6
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The breeze was blissfully crisp as a dappled mare strode quietly between the trees, her hooves gently placed with each step in practiced motion to make as little noise as possible. All was quiet between the great conifers save for the birds, and all was peaceful. It'd be a shame to shatter such silence thought she, a smirk crossing her dark lips. Oh, it felt like a different world out here, dream-like almost in the ambiance of her surroundings. When she was out here, Synn could take a moment to appreciate such things. She cherished her brothers and sisters in arms and prayed often for their safe return after the summer raids, but the hustle and bustle that accompanied this season every year- year after year... It became deafening. She had not yet become accustomed to the influx of new blood, and it seemed with every passing day that their numbers were growing, becoming stronger. With each raid came new recruits, which made this time of year all the more important for her clan. When the waters were calmest and the ice was minimal- that was when the Flanks most often sought supplies and trading opportunities. They went while the going was good and that was why she decided this year, that she'd make a trip of her own.
These endeavors were almost a ritual, each time she prepared to leave she would consider the Goddesses and give thanks, as well as make offerings to both the earth and sea in hopes of their continued favor. And as was with every time she prepared to leave, Synn also regarded her Captain and mentor. Despite being close in age Synn looked up to Ansgar as an example, as a leader. Vidar, his younger more forward-thinking brother may have the eyes of the people, but Synn knew that Ansgar had their hearts and their faith. So, out of respect, and out of courtesy, she informed him of her decision to stay behind this season. This time around, he'd seemed distracted- more stressed than the norm, yet he answered nothing to it. She was given permission and blessing before leaving- before going it alone.
They'd long ago come to an understanding, an understanding of like minds. Just as his ship and the open sea called to Ansgar, the woods and the silence of solitude called to Synn.
Once Summer ended the huntress would return, just in time for the raid ships to make their own round-about. Then, it'd be a wait until the next year that she would join the crew once again. Another year until she would join them at sea- where she'd long ago pledged her service. A service that had long since been paid, even if she herself would deny it. Suddenly, there was a chattering in the boughs of the tree adjacent, snapping the ashen mare from her reverie. This particular noise was most definitely an alarm. Her interest was further piqued when a flash of red fur scurried down her way and launched over her head.
It happened to be a squirrel, bounding form branch to branch in feverish haste to avoid.. whatever it had sensed. Synn wondered if she had been the cause of its distress, but the wind hadn't changed direction- nor did she think she had made enough noise. The draft lifted her head and came to a standstill, nostrils flaring to draw in the air. Unfortunately, nothing tickled the sense except the faint traces of her prey. Frosty jade eyes narrowed and scanned the surrounding forest before her hooves shuffled into movement again. Scarred ears worked on a swivel in an effort to listen for something other than the beating of her own heart and the lull in the songbird's chorus.. How odd. She couldn't help but get the impression hat she was being watched.. that somehow, yet again, the hunter had become the hunted.
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|WC| 651
|Notes| Greetings! Hope this is appropriate ;u; I imagine Mui and Avo are probably out patrolling but feel free to fill that information in as you go! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2017 16:57:38 GMT -6
The stallion took a deep breath of crisp mid-morning air as his hooves expertly carried him through the forest. Trees rose at great heights around him, offering cover from the sun every time he stepped into their looming shadows. Birds chirped and flew from tree to tree, stopping only to give the large stallion and his beast a glance before deeming them unimportant and continuing on their way. At his side bounded a white wolf, her snowy coat matted and mangy. Her tongue lolled from her lips as her one-eyed golden gaze shifted back to the stallion before turning her attention back to the path before them. She kept quiet with careful steps, well in tune to where Muiris was. She had grown accustomed to patrols already; keeping an eye on everything that moved as well as keeping close to the Raider's side.
Watching her grow had been quite the experience for Muiris. She had started completely wild, injured, and scared of equine touch. He had been told several times that she may not pull through, the gash across her side deep and blood running cold; but the Raider had not given up. Before long, she had been given the okay to be released, only for her to disappear into the treeline. Days passed and Muiris was sure she would not return, yet there she had been at his tent door, soaking wet from the night's rain and seeking comfort. Since then, she had filled out. She was no longer skinny and her scars were healing. She was still wary around other equine, but she seemed to trust Muiris, for whatever reason.
She was turning out to be an excellent patrol partner.
Muiris turned his attention away from the wolf before taking in a soft breath of nature's sweet scent, his nostrils flaring at the scent of pine. He had not seen evidence of equine life all morning, save for week old hoof prints pressed into dried mud. No vagabonds, no trespassers, no.. anything.
Suddenly, the sound of something crashing through the trees sounded overhead. Muiris stopped quickly, his dragon claw necklace bouncing against his chest as he threw his head up to find the owner of such a sound. His thick tied hair played against his neck from the movement, his forelock playing in his eyes. Avonaco copied the stallion's reaction, her ears pricking forward and nose twitching at the sight of a bouncing squirrel flying from branch to branch. The wolf shifted, her paws pressing into the ground as she danced in anticipation.
Muiris watched her curiously, his brows arching. Did she want to chase it?
"Go on, go get it." He urged her with his soft rumbling voice, a small smile pricking at his lips as she suddenly turned into a white blur.
Avon shot across the ground, her golden gaze turned toward the tree tops as she chased after the squirrel, her own gait bouncy as she paused at each tree to jump toward the branches. The breeze swirled around her, her nose wiggling as a new scent crossed her muzzle. Sliding to a stop, grass kicking up behind her, the wolf turned her attention to the direction of the new scent. Off in the distance, something moved along the horizon. Dipping her head down, Avonaco slowly crawled through the tall grass, pressing up against a tree trunk. A low growl rumbled in her throat as the stranger came into view. Everything Muiris had taught her about other equine seemed to be lost, her lips twitching in a snarl before she lunged from her hiding place, teeth snapping and golden eye bright with blood lust.
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Mar 30, 2017 23:04:10 GMT -6
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She hadn't made it a few more paces on her path before a low growling slid across her tattered ears.. So she was being hunted. The dappled equine whirled around to face the direction the growls had come from just in time to have a snarling mass come launching out of the thick undergrowth- and it was coming for her. Synn gave a snort of surprise and reared back, avoiding the initial attack by a hair. An audible clack could be heard as the beast's jaws found nothing but air to chew on. But what speed, what ferocity!
Synn reeled, laying her ears back in irritation when it seemed the stubborn scrap would come in for another direct attack. The fierceness that was painted across the young wolf's features caught the scarred mare off guard though. It was unusual- to be surprised of anything after seeing some of the things she'd seen- yet here she was, gawking. And yet she knew- This was no hunt. The pale creature was no scavenger guarding a kill, nor a mother defending offspring. This mutt, scarcely a yearling itself was in all out attack mode. Synn didn't spare even a second to wonder why, but spun again. This time she twisted her body half way through to strike out with her rear hooves. All to quickly however the wolf dodged, escaping her strike and evading her wide-eyed gaze.
"Little shit!" she snapped- realizing the error. That was Synn's mistake, losing track of the wily mutt..
There was little time to react when a weight came upon her back and threw her off balance. Claws scraped her hide in an effort to hang on and teeth found purchase in the hair and flesh of her crest. Instinct took over then. Synn threw herself to the ground, rolling over the top of her attacker until she felt the cretin's jaws release. Free, Synn quickly rose to her legs shaking with the adrenaline. The battle-scarred draft gave charge and began to relentlessly stomp her front hooves into the earth, again and again in an enraged fury to try and pin the white hellion or at the very least scare some sense into it. The ground shook slightly with her force, and pain became a far-off concept even as blood dripped from the wound to sprinkle the forest floor beneath her thundering hooves.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2017 21:21:48 GMT -6
The wolf had been quick on her feet, dodging the large mare's speedy attacks before launching herself at her dappled back and clawing for hold into her coat. Her teeth dripped with sticky saliva as she grabbed for whatever she could find. Blood soon found her tongue, running her adrenaline higher as she tried to tear at the grey mare's back. However, she had not been paying attention, and only a moment later she was crushed under the equine's weight as she flipped and landed on top of her. A yelp of surprise rang as the young beast tried to pull herself to her paws, only to be knocked down again by furious stomping. Fumbling and rolling, the white female tried her best to stay out from underneath the raging mare's angry hooves. Blood started to leak onto her otherwise now dirty, snowy coat where the mare's hooves had clipped her skin. Letting out another deep growl, she swiped back at the mare, only to be kicked away again.
She had made a terrible mistake.
Through the treeline, blissfully unaware of the fight going on below, Muiris continued to slowly follow the path left by the energetic wolf. His ears pricked as he started to grow closer, worry starting to form in his chest as there continued to be no trace of his familiar. Would she really be that dumb to run after a squirrel and get lost? Muiris didnt think so, but now he was getting second thoughts. The sound of a shout suddenly rang through the trees, followed by heavy thumping and.. was that a growl?
"Oh shit..." The stallion cursed under his breath, leaping into a quick jog while he silently prayed that Avonaco was not the cause of the rising ruckus. Pulling himself over the small hill, his heart dropped as he realized what he had feared was indeed true. Flinging himself into action, he charged down the small hill with dirt flying at his hooves.
"Stop! Avon, no!" He shouted, his voice loud and booming. He shoved himself between the battered wolf and the stomping mare, shoving his familiar out of the way with a gentle, yet firm, push with his back hoof. His breath heaved as he tried to catch it and sooth his racing heart, his amber gaze finding blood peppered across the pelts of both parties. His heart skipped a beat at the sight.
He turned his worried gaze back toward the stranger. "I am so sorry.. She normally doesnt.." Well, he was going to say she normally doesnt attack people, but that wasnt entirely true. "Well, she's normally more mindful." With that, he shot a glare over his shoulder at the fiend in question, just as she crawled back to hide behind the large stallion. Her single golden eye continued to glare daggers at her "prey," despite her knowing she was in trouble. She even had the nerve to growl again, but Muiris shushed her. His brow furrowed as he studied her uneasy nature, wondering what in the hell had gotten into her.
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Mar 31, 2017 23:11:06 GMT -6
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The two raging animals clashed for a moment longer; Synn felt her hooves graze flesh before there was a sudden shouting from above. A deep bellowing voice echoed to the company below and dirt came skittering down the hill to mingle with the dust the primal scuffle had kicked up. Jade green eyes snapped briefly to the right and she took a shocked step back when the roan stallion came barreling down the slope and put himself in the thick of things, nudging the wolf away like a father would his foal.
Synn felt her lip curl in outrage- had he just called this wolf by a name? Was this his pet? The stallion before her was doing his best to apologize, his white-marked visage a mixture of disbelief and disappointment. The welp gave a growl- and continued to give Synn the glare of death no less- despite having been reprimanded by its master. The huntress gave a harsh snort, the heaving of her sides beginning to subside despite the way her blood boiled now. This situation played in to every reason she despised the idea of familiars. Livestock and messenger birds were one thing, but to take a wild animal, carnivores especially, and deem them worthy companions? Preposterous..
The ashen mare was no stranger to the presence of the occasional creature companion back home with her comrades of course but that failed to change her feelings on the matter. She was a firm believer in the concept that one was better off without having to worry about the well-being or competence of a lesser creature in battle.. It was enough to concern oneself with the safety of their kin and fellow brothers in arms, let a lone a wild animal.
"She's lucky to have you, though I honestly can't say the same in your stead.." Synn grumbled boldly, shaking out her dust laden and scar-riddled hide to relieve the tension in her shoulders and get rid of the itch that had begun where the bloody bite was beginning to dry up. "Pray to the Earth Mother that your pet becomes more mindful in time- If I had been a bear or golem your pup could have ended up my breakfast.." her tone was dismissive,aloof. The mare gave a pointed look at the white-furred heathen and in that moment she truly regarded the master. Synn drank him in, and was surprised for a second time that day. The stallion stood a good foot taller than she, with great hooves coiffed and shod unlike her own snow-hardened and cracked feet. His mane was long, but had been pulled up in this case, rather she had sheared her roughly, leaving a thick and fluffy ridge rather than let it get tangled like it used to. His amber eyes seemed young too, but the experience within betrayed that he probably shared her age- even if she didn't look her own.
He must've been a raider. Patrolling probably, or perhaps he was like her- hunting. Synn threw her walls up in that instant, and was suddenly glad she was not wearing her usual garb, lest the clan colors betray her allegiance. But certainty she shouldn't be so quick to judge. She was acquainted with a War Forged merchant whom she traded with in the off seasons for unusual goods from the interior of the continent. King's Things, if she recalled; despite aligning himself with brutes like Faust and belonging to the War-Forged- he was an amiable business partner. Tolerable at the worst of times. But he was one of many, and many wouldn't mind having her head on a pike, especially if they knew Daegan and his family..
Synn flicked her tail nervously, noting the silence. Tactless, Unable to outright give the satisfaction of forgiveness when the experience was still so fresh. The dappled mare laid her ears back, her nose wrinkling with the unease she was beginning to feel. A combination of the fading adrenaline and realizing that he might start asking unnecessary questions, not many traveled out this far.. The draft felt pinned to the spot by his mere presence and maybe that wasn't his intent but Synn knew from experience that you could never be too careful these days what with the threat of war brimming between the Flanks and the Forged. As brash as she could be, it wouldn't just be her life in danger if this stallion somehow knew she belonged to a rival clan..
Not even the woods surrounding her felt safe now that she knew she was not alone."You haven't had her long, have you?" she blurted, filling the space before this mysterious male had a chance to. Part of her wondered if she should apologize for nearly trampling his dog to death, but pride kept her from doing so in that moment..
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|Notes| Sorry, Synn can be a dick.;u; |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2017 20:52:18 GMT -6
The stallion's ears laid back at the backlash he received, though he couldnt say he was surprised. Had he been attacked the way she had, he probably would have felt the same. While Muiris himself wasnt nearly as cynical, that wouldnt have stopped him from being a bit angry. He didnt expect others to understand Avon's outbursts. She was still young and newly claimed as a familiar. Her wild instincts took over at times, and Muiris couldnt blame her for such.. he just hoped she would start to calm down soon. He didnt want to think about what would happen if she became a nuisance to the herd.
Brushing off the mare's rude tone, he took it upon himself to study her right back as she did the same to him. Her tattered, dapple grey coat made her appear to be on the older side, though her eyes looked younger. If Muiris were any good at guessing, he would assume she shared a similar age as him. It was obvious that life seemed to treat her to anything less than luxury, with her messy hair and cracked hooves.
It was that thought that rose a question in the Raider's mind: what was this mare's life? There werent many who traveled out this far, especially when the War Lord's Road was a far safer way to travel. He couldnt say he recognized her, but that wasnt saying much, considering the amount of faces he came across every day. If he was able to remember them all, his job would be a lot easier.
No, his mind instead drifted to the possibility of her being a Vagabond. Not that that was a bad thing; Muiris had met many Vagabonds that proved to be worthy friends, but one could never be too careful. He took note of the nervous swishing of her tail, but held back on judgement. The long silence that fell between them, especially after her harsh comments, was enough to make anyone nervous.. including himself.
He felt his own nerves rising, however, as he took note of the silence that he had let carry on for a bit longer than he had expected. However, he refused to speak first. He couldnt call it pride, as he didnt have much of that to begin with, but it could certainly be stubbornness.
"You havent had her long, have you?" The mare finally spoke, relieving the silent tension from between them like a popped balloon.
"No, I havent." Muiris responded, releasing a breath from his chest that he wasnt even aware he was holding. His nerves slowly faded, but that didnt stop him from keeping a firm eye on the stranger. "She was wild before, and i found her after she had been attacked from what i think was a mother caribou. She is understandably not very trusting." He quickly explained, only pulling his gaze away once to give a glance back toward the snowy wolf. While Avon seemed to have calmed down, her fierce golden gaze stayed fixated on the grey mare before them.
"I take it you do not own a familiar?" He asked, resting a back leg as he allowed his nerves to calm. He found it odd that she would not at least have something to help watch her back, especially if she made trips out this far often. He mentally shrugged to himself; to each their own. He hadnt even wanted one before he had found the temperamental wolf, but fate just so had it that they were stuck with each other.
( oml, im sooo sorry for taking forever on this ;o; ) |
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Post by Sargeant-Knoxx on Aug 10, 2017 15:58:18 GMT -6
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The green eyed mare tilted her head slightly at his explanation. So the pup was a trouble-seeker then? Even a hunter such as herself understood that caribou could be dangerous what with both males and females sporting antlers. Granted, it was also a common knowledge among trappers and hunters that any creature could become dangerous when cornered.
Synn drew her gaze away from the wolf and adjusted how she was standing. He wasn't the first to ask about a familiar, Some of her clanmates had suggested a hunting companion to make her expeditions easier but her forefathers had refused such luxuries in the past as well. Synn however, just couldn't stand the idea of sharing the solitude of these trips with anyone but herself.
"No," she inhaled deeply, the smell of dust and pine permeating her senses. "No familiar. No use for one in my line of work." she flicked a torn ear, a whisp of pale green teke brushing dust from her forelock. She glanced about then, checking the trees.
"I hunt and track. Sell furs and bits to merchants." she explained, taking a slight step to the side, she had to think of a way to get back to the cabin without this guy trying to follow her. She had to be unassuming.
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|Notes| HGUHUG, I didn't realize it was my turn to post. ;m; |
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