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From where Vangelis had skidded into some vegetation at the side of the mountain path, he was able to witness the fight objectively. Only occasionally, did the big cat come near him, preferring to keep its attention on those in closer reach who appeared more the threat. A wild animal knew no danger in the bow and arrow Vangelis held, nor the fact that it could offer danger to the creature from a fair distance.
Upon catching an opportunity or shot, Vangelis launched a total of four arrows at the creature. One deflected, catching the animals' hide only slightly as he made a sudden change of direction, the other three hit him at different points in the upper body, but wild cat skeletons were hard to judge. They were fluid and moved with more grace and change than a deer or boar. And as the arrows stood stark upright in its hide it was clear Vangelis had failed to hit a target between the bones of the lion's frame.
Gritting his teeth, Vangelis narrowed his eyes and watched the creature's pattern. He moved in a series of jumps and leaps, always returning to what he believed to be the safety of some underbrush beneath an overarching tree. It was typical of an animal to behave as such, guarding a safe haven point or territory - if only to have a space to return to free of attackers.
When the animal made a darting motion at Nike, Vangelis threw power into his legs, leapt the rocks beside the tree, his boots hitting and digging in hard, and the quickly reached for the nearest branch. With a scurry and climb that only two heartbeats, as he heard a grunt from his female Commander as she avoided yet another attack, Vangelis was able to swing a leg up and over the tree branch.
Heaving himself up to sitting position and then hooking his boots up under him so he sat crouched upon the bow that juddered at his sudden weight, Vangelis looked down towards the bush that the lion seemed to prefer and waited. Trying to catch the eye of Timaeus or Nike - who had the longer range weapons in order to attack without risk of injury to themselves - Vangelis indicated their way to frighten the beast. A jolt of attack in its personal space would send it retreating back again, it's rear to the base of the tree where it believed itself to be safe. Directly beneath Vangelis' perch on the over-arching bow.
Unsheathing one of his dual swords and pausing in place, Vangelis waited for the right moment, blade glinting in the now darkening sunlight.
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From where Vangelis had skidded into some vegetation at the side of the mountain path, he was able to witness the fight objectively. Only occasionally, did the big cat come near him, preferring to keep its attention on those in closer reach who appeared more the threat. A wild animal knew no danger in the bow and arrow Vangelis held, nor the fact that it could offer danger to the creature from a fair distance.
Upon catching an opportunity or shot, Vangelis launched a total of four arrows at the creature. One deflected, catching the animals' hide only slightly as he made a sudden change of direction, the other three hit him at different points in the upper body, but wild cat skeletons were hard to judge. They were fluid and moved with more grace and change than a deer or boar. And as the arrows stood stark upright in its hide it was clear Vangelis had failed to hit a target between the bones of the lion's frame.
Gritting his teeth, Vangelis narrowed his eyes and watched the creature's pattern. He moved in a series of jumps and leaps, always returning to what he believed to be the safety of some underbrush beneath an overarching tree. It was typical of an animal to behave as such, guarding a safe haven point or territory - if only to have a space to return to free of attackers.
When the animal made a darting motion at Nike, Vangelis threw power into his legs, leapt the rocks beside the tree, his boots hitting and digging in hard, and the quickly reached for the nearest branch. With a scurry and climb that only two heartbeats, as he heard a grunt from his female Commander as she avoided yet another attack, Vangelis was able to swing a leg up and over the tree branch.
Heaving himself up to sitting position and then hooking his boots up under him so he sat crouched upon the bow that juddered at his sudden weight, Vangelis looked down towards the bush that the lion seemed to prefer and waited. Trying to catch the eye of Timaeus or Nike - who had the longer range weapons in order to attack without risk of injury to themselves - Vangelis indicated their way to frighten the beast. A jolt of attack in its personal space would send it retreating back again, it's rear to the base of the tree where it believed itself to be safe. Directly beneath Vangelis' perch on the over-arching bow.
Unsheathing one of his dual swords and pausing in place, Vangelis waited for the right moment, blade glinting in the now darkening sunlight.
From where Vangelis had skidded into some vegetation at the side of the mountain path, he was able to witness the fight objectively. Only occasionally, did the big cat come near him, preferring to keep its attention on those in closer reach who appeared more the threat. A wild animal knew no danger in the bow and arrow Vangelis held, nor the fact that it could offer danger to the creature from a fair distance.
Upon catching an opportunity or shot, Vangelis launched a total of four arrows at the creature. One deflected, catching the animals' hide only slightly as he made a sudden change of direction, the other three hit him at different points in the upper body, but wild cat skeletons were hard to judge. They were fluid and moved with more grace and change than a deer or boar. And as the arrows stood stark upright in its hide it was clear Vangelis had failed to hit a target between the bones of the lion's frame.
Gritting his teeth, Vangelis narrowed his eyes and watched the creature's pattern. He moved in a series of jumps and leaps, always returning to what he believed to be the safety of some underbrush beneath an overarching tree. It was typical of an animal to behave as such, guarding a safe haven point or territory - if only to have a space to return to free of attackers.
When the animal made a darting motion at Nike, Vangelis threw power into his legs, leapt the rocks beside the tree, his boots hitting and digging in hard, and the quickly reached for the nearest branch. With a scurry and climb that only two heartbeats, as he heard a grunt from his female Commander as she avoided yet another attack, Vangelis was able to swing a leg up and over the tree branch.
Heaving himself up to sitting position and then hooking his boots up under him so he sat crouched upon the bow that juddered at his sudden weight, Vangelis looked down towards the bush that the lion seemed to prefer and waited. Trying to catch the eye of Timaeus or Nike - who had the longer range weapons in order to attack without risk of injury to themselves - Vangelis indicated their way to frighten the beast. A jolt of attack in its personal space would send it retreating back again, it's rear to the base of the tree where it believed itself to be safe. Directly beneath Vangelis' perch on the over-arching bow.
Unsheathing one of his dual swords and pausing in place, Vangelis waited for the right moment, blade glinting in the now darkening sunlight.
Busy with trying to make sure she didn't become a bowling pin for a hungry, large and ferocious feline, Nike did not notice Timaeus scaling the tree at all. By the time she recovered from her dive to safety, arrows seemed to have embedded themselves in the body of the feline, judging by the pained yowl he gave. With dirt in her clothing, grass sticking in every which direction from her cropped hair, her eyes widened, looking up, and then grinned when she saw the younger Captain upon a branch. Flashing him a quick thumbs up, only to realize when she swivelled her head back, that the cat had disappeared from sight.
Straightening up in surprise, Nike looked around in her attempt to spot the mountain cat, her hands at the ready on her waist. The throwing knives she had was quickly dwindling, so every shot she took now had to count, and she was careful to not react with no reason to. Her eyes watchful, Nike crouched lower, until the lion leapt out of the underbrush again, snarling with its teeth gleaming in the winter sun.
It was odd, the actions of the wild animal. Why would it be attacking, when animals such as these usually fled the scene when attack, unless they feel cornered? And with plenty of chance to escape once they disappeared in the underbrush... why would it keep coming back?
Her brows were furrowed in confusion as she crouched lower still, eyes watching as its tail lashed dangerous, beady golden eyes darting from one human to another, as if the lion was attempting to figure out which one to go for first.
But Nike did not want to give it a chance to attack.
She had heard rather then seen Vangelis leapt into the tree, and she knew without looking that Lazaros still hung back from what Nike had advised earlier - she and Timaeus were the only ones who could attack from afar. So she circled away from the beast, so she could direct the beast's rump against the tree where Vangelis was perched on, against the two wielding swords. There, Nike smirked, as she pulled out two of her throwing knives and in quick succession, threw them one after the other, aiming for the eyes of the cat.
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Busy with trying to make sure she didn't become a bowling pin for a hungry, large and ferocious feline, Nike did not notice Timaeus scaling the tree at all. By the time she recovered from her dive to safety, arrows seemed to have embedded themselves in the body of the feline, judging by the pained yowl he gave. With dirt in her clothing, grass sticking in every which direction from her cropped hair, her eyes widened, looking up, and then grinned when she saw the younger Captain upon a branch. Flashing him a quick thumbs up, only to realize when she swivelled her head back, that the cat had disappeared from sight.
Straightening up in surprise, Nike looked around in her attempt to spot the mountain cat, her hands at the ready on her waist. The throwing knives she had was quickly dwindling, so every shot she took now had to count, and she was careful to not react with no reason to. Her eyes watchful, Nike crouched lower, until the lion leapt out of the underbrush again, snarling with its teeth gleaming in the winter sun.
It was odd, the actions of the wild animal. Why would it be attacking, when animals such as these usually fled the scene when attack, unless they feel cornered? And with plenty of chance to escape once they disappeared in the underbrush... why would it keep coming back?
Her brows were furrowed in confusion as she crouched lower still, eyes watching as its tail lashed dangerous, beady golden eyes darting from one human to another, as if the lion was attempting to figure out which one to go for first.
But Nike did not want to give it a chance to attack.
She had heard rather then seen Vangelis leapt into the tree, and she knew without looking that Lazaros still hung back from what Nike had advised earlier - she and Timaeus were the only ones who could attack from afar. So she circled away from the beast, so she could direct the beast's rump against the tree where Vangelis was perched on, against the two wielding swords. There, Nike smirked, as she pulled out two of her throwing knives and in quick succession, threw them one after the other, aiming for the eyes of the cat.
Busy with trying to make sure she didn't become a bowling pin for a hungry, large and ferocious feline, Nike did not notice Timaeus scaling the tree at all. By the time she recovered from her dive to safety, arrows seemed to have embedded themselves in the body of the feline, judging by the pained yowl he gave. With dirt in her clothing, grass sticking in every which direction from her cropped hair, her eyes widened, looking up, and then grinned when she saw the younger Captain upon a branch. Flashing him a quick thumbs up, only to realize when she swivelled her head back, that the cat had disappeared from sight.
Straightening up in surprise, Nike looked around in her attempt to spot the mountain cat, her hands at the ready on her waist. The throwing knives she had was quickly dwindling, so every shot she took now had to count, and she was careful to not react with no reason to. Her eyes watchful, Nike crouched lower, until the lion leapt out of the underbrush again, snarling with its teeth gleaming in the winter sun.
It was odd, the actions of the wild animal. Why would it be attacking, when animals such as these usually fled the scene when attack, unless they feel cornered? And with plenty of chance to escape once they disappeared in the underbrush... why would it keep coming back?
Her brows were furrowed in confusion as she crouched lower still, eyes watching as its tail lashed dangerous, beady golden eyes darting from one human to another, as if the lion was attempting to figure out which one to go for first.
But Nike did not want to give it a chance to attack.
She had heard rather then seen Vangelis leapt into the tree, and she knew without looking that Lazaros still hung back from what Nike had advised earlier - she and Timaeus were the only ones who could attack from afar. So she circled away from the beast, so she could direct the beast's rump against the tree where Vangelis was perched on, against the two wielding swords. There, Nike smirked, as she pulled out two of her throwing knives and in quick succession, threw them one after the other, aiming for the eyes of the cat.
Reaching back into his quiver, Timaeus could feel that the arrows he had were quickly dwindling. Knowing that he did not have any reserve weapon for when he ran out, Timaeus became more careful with his shots as a result. Instead of lobbing them off whenever he saw an opportunity, he watched the beast, trying to see where it was going in order to prepare for more forceful blows. It was then that the youngest of the party, like the others before him, realized that there was something odd with the cat’s behavior. For some reason, it kept returning to the brush and then would race out again, almost as if it was intent on killing the group before it would leave as any sensible animal would.
He couldn’t afford to dwell on this though as time was something that was not on their side. Instead, Timaeus only used the information to carefully line up his next shot, landing his arrows in more vital places. However, the beast seemed unfazed by the fact it was quickly becoming a pincushion. His jaw clenched in frustration, not understanding why this animal wasn’t behaving as it should.
Luckily, before his annoyance could lead to more sloppy shots, a nearby movement caught the boy’s eyes. Glancing upwards and through the brush, Timaeus saw Prince Vangelis also up a tree; a sight that he might have cracked a smile at the sight if it hadn’t been so serious. The Kotas man signaled for Timaeus to assist Nike in distracting the beast and leading it towards him. With a curt nod, Timaeus turned back to the beast on the ground below where Nike seemed to be doing a fantastic job on his own, but when Timaeus could see the animal try to break the trap, he fired off more volleys to further pen it in.
Without realizing it, the Valaoritis boy only had a handful of arrows left.
Reaching for another one, he watched Nike pulled two daggers from his belt and wordlessly Timaeus understood what the commander was doing. “Aim for the legs.” He quietly muttered the commander's orders from earlier to himself as he turned his arrow towards the beast. He didn’t have to wait long for Nike to let loose her weapons and Timaeus let go of the arrow. If all went well, it would rip through the beast’s paw and keep the daggers on track to blind the beast.
But would it work?
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Reaching back into his quiver, Timaeus could feel that the arrows he had were quickly dwindling. Knowing that he did not have any reserve weapon for when he ran out, Timaeus became more careful with his shots as a result. Instead of lobbing them off whenever he saw an opportunity, he watched the beast, trying to see where it was going in order to prepare for more forceful blows. It was then that the youngest of the party, like the others before him, realized that there was something odd with the cat’s behavior. For some reason, it kept returning to the brush and then would race out again, almost as if it was intent on killing the group before it would leave as any sensible animal would.
He couldn’t afford to dwell on this though as time was something that was not on their side. Instead, Timaeus only used the information to carefully line up his next shot, landing his arrows in more vital places. However, the beast seemed unfazed by the fact it was quickly becoming a pincushion. His jaw clenched in frustration, not understanding why this animal wasn’t behaving as it should.
Luckily, before his annoyance could lead to more sloppy shots, a nearby movement caught the boy’s eyes. Glancing upwards and through the brush, Timaeus saw Prince Vangelis also up a tree; a sight that he might have cracked a smile at the sight if it hadn’t been so serious. The Kotas man signaled for Timaeus to assist Nike in distracting the beast and leading it towards him. With a curt nod, Timaeus turned back to the beast on the ground below where Nike seemed to be doing a fantastic job on his own, but when Timaeus could see the animal try to break the trap, he fired off more volleys to further pen it in.
Without realizing it, the Valaoritis boy only had a handful of arrows left.
Reaching for another one, he watched Nike pulled two daggers from his belt and wordlessly Timaeus understood what the commander was doing. “Aim for the legs.” He quietly muttered the commander's orders from earlier to himself as he turned his arrow towards the beast. He didn’t have to wait long for Nike to let loose her weapons and Timaeus let go of the arrow. If all went well, it would rip through the beast’s paw and keep the daggers on track to blind the beast.
But would it work?
Reaching back into his quiver, Timaeus could feel that the arrows he had were quickly dwindling. Knowing that he did not have any reserve weapon for when he ran out, Timaeus became more careful with his shots as a result. Instead of lobbing them off whenever he saw an opportunity, he watched the beast, trying to see where it was going in order to prepare for more forceful blows. It was then that the youngest of the party, like the others before him, realized that there was something odd with the cat’s behavior. For some reason, it kept returning to the brush and then would race out again, almost as if it was intent on killing the group before it would leave as any sensible animal would.
He couldn’t afford to dwell on this though as time was something that was not on their side. Instead, Timaeus only used the information to carefully line up his next shot, landing his arrows in more vital places. However, the beast seemed unfazed by the fact it was quickly becoming a pincushion. His jaw clenched in frustration, not understanding why this animal wasn’t behaving as it should.
Luckily, before his annoyance could lead to more sloppy shots, a nearby movement caught the boy’s eyes. Glancing upwards and through the brush, Timaeus saw Prince Vangelis also up a tree; a sight that he might have cracked a smile at the sight if it hadn’t been so serious. The Kotas man signaled for Timaeus to assist Nike in distracting the beast and leading it towards him. With a curt nod, Timaeus turned back to the beast on the ground below where Nike seemed to be doing a fantastic job on his own, but when Timaeus could see the animal try to break the trap, he fired off more volleys to further pen it in.
Without realizing it, the Valaoritis boy only had a handful of arrows left.
Reaching for another one, he watched Nike pulled two daggers from his belt and wordlessly Timaeus understood what the commander was doing. “Aim for the legs.” He quietly muttered the commander's orders from earlier to himself as he turned his arrow towards the beast. He didn’t have to wait long for Nike to let loose her weapons and Timaeus let go of the arrow. If all went well, it would rip through the beast’s paw and keep the daggers on track to blind the beast.
But would it work?
Vangelis waited, perched and careful. The creature followed its known patterns as any animal did when in fear or desperate. At just the right moment, Nike launched her daggers at the same instant that Timaeus loosened the string of his bow, sending shape metal towards both the creatures face and legs. The animal reared up, frightened of the attack towards its eyes and attempting to dodge the arrows fired low. The animal lost balance on its hind quarters, fell backwards onto its rear and then scrambled and rolled so put itself in the underbrush, directly below Vangelis.
Without thought or hesitation, Vangelis dropped from his branch. He didn't jump or cause the branch to judder and alert the animal of danger. Instead, she simply stepped off of it, his sword in hand, blade facing down.
Gravity ensured the force behind his weapon, all he had to do was give it a steady hand, a relaxed elbow and the right aid.
Within a heartbeat, Vangelis dropped from his bough, landed with feet either side of the fallen, scrambling creature, and had buried the blade of his sword deep into the side of his chest, his aim drew this time; between the ribs.
There was only a singular moment of tense muscles and a shocked gasp of pain from the animal and then all was still.
Leaving the sword embedded, despite the creature obviously being dead, Vangelis swung a leg back around and moved to inspect the creature and its carcass. His eyes were shrewd and his lips thin as he hunkered down beside the creature and reached out. The tips of his fingers brushed at the animal’s mouth and came away with bubbling white foam, as it seeped through the creature’s teeth. Vangelis pulled at the creature’s fur, turning up its eyelid so he could see the animal’s eyes better. The pupils were blown wide open.
Sniffing as he stood, Vangelis caught whiff of that smoke again as he turned to look towards the others.
"Everyone okay?" He asked, clocking eyes with them, before glancing back down at the dead creature at his feet. Something wasn't right in these woods...
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Vangelis waited, perched and careful. The creature followed its known patterns as any animal did when in fear or desperate. At just the right moment, Nike launched her daggers at the same instant that Timaeus loosened the string of his bow, sending shape metal towards both the creatures face and legs. The animal reared up, frightened of the attack towards its eyes and attempting to dodge the arrows fired low. The animal lost balance on its hind quarters, fell backwards onto its rear and then scrambled and rolled so put itself in the underbrush, directly below Vangelis.
Without thought or hesitation, Vangelis dropped from his branch. He didn't jump or cause the branch to judder and alert the animal of danger. Instead, she simply stepped off of it, his sword in hand, blade facing down.
Gravity ensured the force behind his weapon, all he had to do was give it a steady hand, a relaxed elbow and the right aid.
Within a heartbeat, Vangelis dropped from his bough, landed with feet either side of the fallen, scrambling creature, and had buried the blade of his sword deep into the side of his chest, his aim drew this time; between the ribs.
There was only a singular moment of tense muscles and a shocked gasp of pain from the animal and then all was still.
Leaving the sword embedded, despite the creature obviously being dead, Vangelis swung a leg back around and moved to inspect the creature and its carcass. His eyes were shrewd and his lips thin as he hunkered down beside the creature and reached out. The tips of his fingers brushed at the animal’s mouth and came away with bubbling white foam, as it seeped through the creature’s teeth. Vangelis pulled at the creature’s fur, turning up its eyelid so he could see the animal’s eyes better. The pupils were blown wide open.
Sniffing as he stood, Vangelis caught whiff of that smoke again as he turned to look towards the others.
"Everyone okay?" He asked, clocking eyes with them, before glancing back down at the dead creature at his feet. Something wasn't right in these woods...
Vangelis waited, perched and careful. The creature followed its known patterns as any animal did when in fear or desperate. At just the right moment, Nike launched her daggers at the same instant that Timaeus loosened the string of his bow, sending shape metal towards both the creatures face and legs. The animal reared up, frightened of the attack towards its eyes and attempting to dodge the arrows fired low. The animal lost balance on its hind quarters, fell backwards onto its rear and then scrambled and rolled so put itself in the underbrush, directly below Vangelis.
Without thought or hesitation, Vangelis dropped from his branch. He didn't jump or cause the branch to judder and alert the animal of danger. Instead, she simply stepped off of it, his sword in hand, blade facing down.
Gravity ensured the force behind his weapon, all he had to do was give it a steady hand, a relaxed elbow and the right aid.
Within a heartbeat, Vangelis dropped from his bough, landed with feet either side of the fallen, scrambling creature, and had buried the blade of his sword deep into the side of his chest, his aim drew this time; between the ribs.
There was only a singular moment of tense muscles and a shocked gasp of pain from the animal and then all was still.
Leaving the sword embedded, despite the creature obviously being dead, Vangelis swung a leg back around and moved to inspect the creature and its carcass. His eyes were shrewd and his lips thin as he hunkered down beside the creature and reached out. The tips of his fingers brushed at the animal’s mouth and came away with bubbling white foam, as it seeped through the creature’s teeth. Vangelis pulled at the creature’s fur, turning up its eyelid so he could see the animal’s eyes better. The pupils were blown wide open.
Sniffing as he stood, Vangelis caught whiff of that smoke again as he turned to look towards the others.
"Everyone okay?" He asked, clocking eyes with them, before glancing back down at the dead creature at his feet. Something wasn't right in these woods...
Decisions, Decisions Bring Back Its Head
The threat of the beast has been extinguished but the threat of the wild is still lurking. Where is the bear that is supposed to have attacked humans and settlements - despite it being winter? Why has this animal breached the safety of its den to attack instead of flee? The group look around themselves as if searching for an answer among the trees and leaves and can smell the cloying smell of burning from the north. The wind blows hard and a deep cold is setting in as the sun sets.
OPTIONS
1. Retrieve a token of victory from the animal they've now slain.
2. Propose they make camp for the night and continue the hunt in the morning.
3. Suggest continuing on their journey to hunt for the bear.
JD
Staff Team
JD
Staff Team
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The threat of the beast has been extinguished but the threat of the wild is still lurking. Where is the bear that is supposed to have attacked humans and settlements - despite it being winter? Why has this animal breached the safety of its den to attack instead of flee? The group look around themselves as if searching for an answer among the trees and leaves and can smell the cloying smell of burning from the north. The wind blows hard and a deep cold is setting in as the sun sets.
OPTIONS
1. Retrieve a token of victory from the animal they've now slain.
2. Propose they make camp for the night and continue the hunt in the morning.
3. Suggest continuing on their journey to hunt for the bear.
Decisions, Decisions Bring Back Its Head
The threat of the beast has been extinguished but the threat of the wild is still lurking. Where is the bear that is supposed to have attacked humans and settlements - despite it being winter? Why has this animal breached the safety of its den to attack instead of flee? The group look around themselves as if searching for an answer among the trees and leaves and can smell the cloying smell of burning from the north. The wind blows hard and a deep cold is setting in as the sun sets.
OPTIONS
1. Retrieve a token of victory from the animal they've now slain.
2. Propose they make camp for the night and continue the hunt in the morning.
3. Suggest continuing on their journey to hunt for the bear.
Sure enough, with both the young captain and Nike working together, the deranged creature was pushed right into the corner they wanted them in, and Nike held off her last few throwing knives just as Vangelis fell in out of seemingly nowhere, his sword poised just to give the mountain lion a fatal stab embedded right in between its ribs.
The moment the feline fell in a deadened heap at her general's feet, and only then did Nike straighten up, a satisfied smirk on her lips. Flicking the two knives she held in her hand, she slid them right back into the belt, jogging over to collect the few she could spy, before heading over to the general just as he checked on everyone's wellbeing.
The woman give a curt nod. Over the years, Nike had developed to be a woman of little words, be it by circumstance or if it was simply her nature, she would never find out. But whatever it was, she simply casted her gaze down on the creature, and frowned when the closer proximity brought to her attention the froth around the teeth. She may not have much knowledge regarding wildlife, but even Nike knew that an animal frothing around its mouth, added on to the way it was behaving earlier, was simply not right.
As Vangelis, she smelt the smoke as the wind picked up again, but by the time, the sun was beginning to make its descent. The group had hours left, but it was still precious hours, and they had to remember they needed to reserve enough time that would allow them to return to the township of Lyncaea before night blanketed the area and limited their vision. Being caught in the wild, regardless of whether they were military armed soldiers or not, was a dangerous matter, especially when the temperature could change drastically without the safety of fire and walls.
Looking up as if gauging their time, the Commander ran a hand through her hair, and then gazed further into the trees, in the general direction she suspected the smoke was coming from. "We promised Lyncaea we'd hunt a bear." she murmured, a tone soft enough that only those standing around her would hear. Nike was nothing if not beyond responsible, and she didn't enjoy the idea of the people in the province living in fear another day. The bear had terrorized enough of the Colchian men and women, and judging from the deranged mountain lion they had just fell... the Lyncaean's would have many more animals breaching the forest line to attack if they didn't do something about it.
"I think we need to hunt more then just the bear. Something's wrong in these woods." Nike finally muttered, using her boot to kick at the lifeless carcass of the lion. Her gaze was steely and sharp as she levelled them on her companions. "We should do something about that, should we not? No matter how long it takes?" To a certain extent, Nike would defer to whatever her General decided of course. She was a soldier trained to obey through and through, but that didn't mean she wouldn't toss her own ideals and wishes out there. Besides, Timaeus and herself were running short on ranged weapons, and she had only managed to retrieve half her throwing knives. If anything, they needed to recoup, and if the journey to return to Lyncaea was too far, then perhaps a night time camp would suffice.
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Check out their information page here.
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Sure enough, with both the young captain and Nike working together, the deranged creature was pushed right into the corner they wanted them in, and Nike held off her last few throwing knives just as Vangelis fell in out of seemingly nowhere, his sword poised just to give the mountain lion a fatal stab embedded right in between its ribs.
The moment the feline fell in a deadened heap at her general's feet, and only then did Nike straighten up, a satisfied smirk on her lips. Flicking the two knives she held in her hand, she slid them right back into the belt, jogging over to collect the few she could spy, before heading over to the general just as he checked on everyone's wellbeing.
The woman give a curt nod. Over the years, Nike had developed to be a woman of little words, be it by circumstance or if it was simply her nature, she would never find out. But whatever it was, she simply casted her gaze down on the creature, and frowned when the closer proximity brought to her attention the froth around the teeth. She may not have much knowledge regarding wildlife, but even Nike knew that an animal frothing around its mouth, added on to the way it was behaving earlier, was simply not right.
As Vangelis, she smelt the smoke as the wind picked up again, but by the time, the sun was beginning to make its descent. The group had hours left, but it was still precious hours, and they had to remember they needed to reserve enough time that would allow them to return to the township of Lyncaea before night blanketed the area and limited their vision. Being caught in the wild, regardless of whether they were military armed soldiers or not, was a dangerous matter, especially when the temperature could change drastically without the safety of fire and walls.
Looking up as if gauging their time, the Commander ran a hand through her hair, and then gazed further into the trees, in the general direction she suspected the smoke was coming from. "We promised Lyncaea we'd hunt a bear." she murmured, a tone soft enough that only those standing around her would hear. Nike was nothing if not beyond responsible, and she didn't enjoy the idea of the people in the province living in fear another day. The bear had terrorized enough of the Colchian men and women, and judging from the deranged mountain lion they had just fell... the Lyncaean's would have many more animals breaching the forest line to attack if they didn't do something about it.
"I think we need to hunt more then just the bear. Something's wrong in these woods." Nike finally muttered, using her boot to kick at the lifeless carcass of the lion. Her gaze was steely and sharp as she levelled them on her companions. "We should do something about that, should we not? No matter how long it takes?" To a certain extent, Nike would defer to whatever her General decided of course. She was a soldier trained to obey through and through, but that didn't mean she wouldn't toss her own ideals and wishes out there. Besides, Timaeus and herself were running short on ranged weapons, and she had only managed to retrieve half her throwing knives. If anything, they needed to recoup, and if the journey to return to Lyncaea was too far, then perhaps a night time camp would suffice.
Sure enough, with both the young captain and Nike working together, the deranged creature was pushed right into the corner they wanted them in, and Nike held off her last few throwing knives just as Vangelis fell in out of seemingly nowhere, his sword poised just to give the mountain lion a fatal stab embedded right in between its ribs.
The moment the feline fell in a deadened heap at her general's feet, and only then did Nike straighten up, a satisfied smirk on her lips. Flicking the two knives she held in her hand, she slid them right back into the belt, jogging over to collect the few she could spy, before heading over to the general just as he checked on everyone's wellbeing.
The woman give a curt nod. Over the years, Nike had developed to be a woman of little words, be it by circumstance or if it was simply her nature, she would never find out. But whatever it was, she simply casted her gaze down on the creature, and frowned when the closer proximity brought to her attention the froth around the teeth. She may not have much knowledge regarding wildlife, but even Nike knew that an animal frothing around its mouth, added on to the way it was behaving earlier, was simply not right.
As Vangelis, she smelt the smoke as the wind picked up again, but by the time, the sun was beginning to make its descent. The group had hours left, but it was still precious hours, and they had to remember they needed to reserve enough time that would allow them to return to the township of Lyncaea before night blanketed the area and limited their vision. Being caught in the wild, regardless of whether they were military armed soldiers or not, was a dangerous matter, especially when the temperature could change drastically without the safety of fire and walls.
Looking up as if gauging their time, the Commander ran a hand through her hair, and then gazed further into the trees, in the general direction she suspected the smoke was coming from. "We promised Lyncaea we'd hunt a bear." she murmured, a tone soft enough that only those standing around her would hear. Nike was nothing if not beyond responsible, and she didn't enjoy the idea of the people in the province living in fear another day. The bear had terrorized enough of the Colchian men and women, and judging from the deranged mountain lion they had just fell... the Lyncaean's would have many more animals breaching the forest line to attack if they didn't do something about it.
"I think we need to hunt more then just the bear. Something's wrong in these woods." Nike finally muttered, using her boot to kick at the lifeless carcass of the lion. Her gaze was steely and sharp as she levelled them on her companions. "We should do something about that, should we not? No matter how long it takes?" To a certain extent, Nike would defer to whatever her General decided of course. She was a soldier trained to obey through and through, but that didn't mean she wouldn't toss her own ideals and wishes out there. Besides, Timaeus and herself were running short on ranged weapons, and she had only managed to retrieve half her throwing knives. If anything, they needed to recoup, and if the journey to return to Lyncaea was too far, then perhaps a night time camp would suffice.
Vangelis' expression was neutral as he nudged at the large animal they had collectively brought down, but he nodded his assent with Nike's thoughts. The commander was right. They were here to perform a duty and that responsibility did not end the moment danger was brought to their attention. What was more of a concern, was the number of weapons and ammunition they had lost in the process of fighting the lion, when there appeared to be more than simply the bear to be fought against between now and the completion of their task.
With a steadying inhale and a slow exhale as the most logical steps seemed to fall into place in his mind, Vangelis turned to look at each of his accompanying men.
"Agreed." He stated to Nike, before turning to look at the other two. "Timaeus, find what you can of our weaponry. Some of it will be salvageable and we have limited stock. Find what you can to make replacements while you're at it." While there would be no replacing knives or blades lost, sharpened limbs of trees would make valid arrows - especially if the ends could be retrieved from their previously used munition. It might involve digging inside the lion's carcass to find them, but needs must if there was no sharp flint around.
Turning his attention to Lazaros, Vangelis looked out around the trees in their immediate surroundings.
"We're not going to get any further in the dark." Vangelis confirmed with decisive action. "We'll need to make camp if we're to find this bear tomorrow. Find suitable grounds and start on clearing an area that's easily defended. I doubt any creatures will attack provided we stay out of their territory but just in case we need to find something with advantage."
His gaze landed on Nike, his female Commander who had already suffered a dislocated shoulder and snake bite on their journey so far.
"Find us some firewood." He told her. There was no need to inform her that the drier the better, for they had each lived rough on campaigns before. Only a military newcomer would know not to select damp wood for burning. "I'll find us some food..."
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Vangelis' expression was neutral as he nudged at the large animal they had collectively brought down, but he nodded his assent with Nike's thoughts. The commander was right. They were here to perform a duty and that responsibility did not end the moment danger was brought to their attention. What was more of a concern, was the number of weapons and ammunition they had lost in the process of fighting the lion, when there appeared to be more than simply the bear to be fought against between now and the completion of their task.
With a steadying inhale and a slow exhale as the most logical steps seemed to fall into place in his mind, Vangelis turned to look at each of his accompanying men.
"Agreed." He stated to Nike, before turning to look at the other two. "Timaeus, find what you can of our weaponry. Some of it will be salvageable and we have limited stock. Find what you can to make replacements while you're at it." While there would be no replacing knives or blades lost, sharpened limbs of trees would make valid arrows - especially if the ends could be retrieved from their previously used munition. It might involve digging inside the lion's carcass to find them, but needs must if there was no sharp flint around.
Turning his attention to Lazaros, Vangelis looked out around the trees in their immediate surroundings.
"We're not going to get any further in the dark." Vangelis confirmed with decisive action. "We'll need to make camp if we're to find this bear tomorrow. Find suitable grounds and start on clearing an area that's easily defended. I doubt any creatures will attack provided we stay out of their territory but just in case we need to find something with advantage."
His gaze landed on Nike, his female Commander who had already suffered a dislocated shoulder and snake bite on their journey so far.
"Find us some firewood." He told her. There was no need to inform her that the drier the better, for they had each lived rough on campaigns before. Only a military newcomer would know not to select damp wood for burning. "I'll find us some food..."
Vangelis' expression was neutral as he nudged at the large animal they had collectively brought down, but he nodded his assent with Nike's thoughts. The commander was right. They were here to perform a duty and that responsibility did not end the moment danger was brought to their attention. What was more of a concern, was the number of weapons and ammunition they had lost in the process of fighting the lion, when there appeared to be more than simply the bear to be fought against between now and the completion of their task.
With a steadying inhale and a slow exhale as the most logical steps seemed to fall into place in his mind, Vangelis turned to look at each of his accompanying men.
"Agreed." He stated to Nike, before turning to look at the other two. "Timaeus, find what you can of our weaponry. Some of it will be salvageable and we have limited stock. Find what you can to make replacements while you're at it." While there would be no replacing knives or blades lost, sharpened limbs of trees would make valid arrows - especially if the ends could be retrieved from their previously used munition. It might involve digging inside the lion's carcass to find them, but needs must if there was no sharp flint around.
Turning his attention to Lazaros, Vangelis looked out around the trees in their immediate surroundings.
"We're not going to get any further in the dark." Vangelis confirmed with decisive action. "We'll need to make camp if we're to find this bear tomorrow. Find suitable grounds and start on clearing an area that's easily defended. I doubt any creatures will attack provided we stay out of their territory but just in case we need to find something with advantage."
His gaze landed on Nike, his female Commander who had already suffered a dislocated shoulder and snake bite on their journey so far.
"Find us some firewood." He told her. There was no need to inform her that the drier the better, for they had each lived rough on campaigns before. Only a military newcomer would know not to select damp wood for burning. "I'll find us some food..."
Paused Bring Back Its Head
Until Lazaros of Vlahakis has been reclaimed.
JD
Staff Team
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This post was created by our staff team.
Please contact us with your queries and questions.
Lazaros looked about the area. A clearing on a small rise looked to be the best bet for setting up camp. It was up against a rock wall facing the trees. The hunt had been difficult thus far, but Laz liked a challenge. He reported to Vangelis about the place of camp and began to set up. Laz worked at clearing the general area and making sure there were no immediate threats to their survival. He cleared a few small trees and brush from the edges of the would be camp. Sharpening a few of the small trees he then staked them, point outward, providing some small defense.
Laz dug a pit for the fire, the rocky ground made it difficult, but he was able to make it suitable for their temporary purposes. He examined his sword as he waited for the others to return. It had a few nicks in the blade and it needed a good cleaning.
He saw Nike returning with the wood and went to meet her to get the wood set up and fire started. She had found some good trees that were nice and dry, but would need chopping to make good firewood. As they chopped Laz asked her about her thoughts on the oddities of the lion. Soon they had many good sized pieces for stacking and the fire was ready.
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Lazaros looked about the area. A clearing on a small rise looked to be the best bet for setting up camp. It was up against a rock wall facing the trees. The hunt had been difficult thus far, but Laz liked a challenge. He reported to Vangelis about the place of camp and began to set up. Laz worked at clearing the general area and making sure there were no immediate threats to their survival. He cleared a few small trees and brush from the edges of the would be camp. Sharpening a few of the small trees he then staked them, point outward, providing some small defense.
Laz dug a pit for the fire, the rocky ground made it difficult, but he was able to make it suitable for their temporary purposes. He examined his sword as he waited for the others to return. It had a few nicks in the blade and it needed a good cleaning.
He saw Nike returning with the wood and went to meet her to get the wood set up and fire started. She had found some good trees that were nice and dry, but would need chopping to make good firewood. As they chopped Laz asked her about her thoughts on the oddities of the lion. Soon they had many good sized pieces for stacking and the fire was ready.
Lazaros looked about the area. A clearing on a small rise looked to be the best bet for setting up camp. It was up against a rock wall facing the trees. The hunt had been difficult thus far, but Laz liked a challenge. He reported to Vangelis about the place of camp and began to set up. Laz worked at clearing the general area and making sure there were no immediate threats to their survival. He cleared a few small trees and brush from the edges of the would be camp. Sharpening a few of the small trees he then staked them, point outward, providing some small defense.
Laz dug a pit for the fire, the rocky ground made it difficult, but he was able to make it suitable for their temporary purposes. He examined his sword as he waited for the others to return. It had a few nicks in the blade and it needed a good cleaning.
He saw Nike returning with the wood and went to meet her to get the wood set up and fire started. She had found some good trees that were nice and dry, but would need chopping to make good firewood. As they chopped Laz asked her about her thoughts on the oddities of the lion. Soon they had many good sized pieces for stacking and the fire was ready.
At the very least, the Commander was mollified that the General agreed, and was quick to get going on the work necessary once they had decided they were going to stay the night and wait till Apollo was on their side before they continued on their - what was starting to look like a futile - quest, to hunt for this mysterious bear. After a run in with a deranged looking mountain lion, the situation was looking more and more odd.
But Nike was nothing if not a responsible soldier, and that responsibility now stretched to the people of Lyncaea who had trusted them to hunt for the beast that terrorized the province now.
Nodding, she rolled her dislocated, still tender feeling shoulder once, and then got to work in collecting the driest firewood she could get her hands on. Her radius got larger as she collected more and returned to the spot where Lazaros picked, grinning at the male for a good spot. The rock wall provided good cover for them so they did not need to watch out all around them.
Her stomach had begun to grumble as she amassed a small pile of dry wood and twigs, tossing some of them in to the small pit Lazaros had dug, as the other male began work whittling down the bigger pieces she had found and managed to lug back. "The lion?" the female echoed at his question, and gave a shrug. Staring at the small pile in the hole, she crouched down next to it and picked up two closest rocks she could find, beginning to produce friction between them in order to start a fire.
"Something's odd about it. Mountain lion's don't attack unless provoked, and we certainly did not do any provoking. Something's spooking them." the woman mused, cursing lightly under her breath as she her shoulder's tenderness caused her to miss more then a few times, to create the spark needed to light the dried wood for fire.
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At the very least, the Commander was mollified that the General agreed, and was quick to get going on the work necessary once they had decided they were going to stay the night and wait till Apollo was on their side before they continued on their - what was starting to look like a futile - quest, to hunt for this mysterious bear. After a run in with a deranged looking mountain lion, the situation was looking more and more odd.
But Nike was nothing if not a responsible soldier, and that responsibility now stretched to the people of Lyncaea who had trusted them to hunt for the beast that terrorized the province now.
Nodding, she rolled her dislocated, still tender feeling shoulder once, and then got to work in collecting the driest firewood she could get her hands on. Her radius got larger as she collected more and returned to the spot where Lazaros picked, grinning at the male for a good spot. The rock wall provided good cover for them so they did not need to watch out all around them.
Her stomach had begun to grumble as she amassed a small pile of dry wood and twigs, tossing some of them in to the small pit Lazaros had dug, as the other male began work whittling down the bigger pieces she had found and managed to lug back. "The lion?" the female echoed at his question, and gave a shrug. Staring at the small pile in the hole, she crouched down next to it and picked up two closest rocks she could find, beginning to produce friction between them in order to start a fire.
"Something's odd about it. Mountain lion's don't attack unless provoked, and we certainly did not do any provoking. Something's spooking them." the woman mused, cursing lightly under her breath as she her shoulder's tenderness caused her to miss more then a few times, to create the spark needed to light the dried wood for fire.
At the very least, the Commander was mollified that the General agreed, and was quick to get going on the work necessary once they had decided they were going to stay the night and wait till Apollo was on their side before they continued on their - what was starting to look like a futile - quest, to hunt for this mysterious bear. After a run in with a deranged looking mountain lion, the situation was looking more and more odd.
But Nike was nothing if not a responsible soldier, and that responsibility now stretched to the people of Lyncaea who had trusted them to hunt for the beast that terrorized the province now.
Nodding, she rolled her dislocated, still tender feeling shoulder once, and then got to work in collecting the driest firewood she could get her hands on. Her radius got larger as she collected more and returned to the spot where Lazaros picked, grinning at the male for a good spot. The rock wall provided good cover for them so they did not need to watch out all around them.
Her stomach had begun to grumble as she amassed a small pile of dry wood and twigs, tossing some of them in to the small pit Lazaros had dug, as the other male began work whittling down the bigger pieces she had found and managed to lug back. "The lion?" the female echoed at his question, and gave a shrug. Staring at the small pile in the hole, she crouched down next to it and picked up two closest rocks she could find, beginning to produce friction between them in order to start a fire.
"Something's odd about it. Mountain lion's don't attack unless provoked, and we certainly did not do any provoking. Something's spooking them." the woman mused, cursing lightly under her breath as she her shoulder's tenderness caused her to miss more then a few times, to create the spark needed to light the dried wood for fire.
Paused Bring Back Its Head
Until Lazaros of Vlahakis has been reclaimed.
JD
Staff Team
JD
Staff Team
This post was created by our staff team.
Please contact us with your queries and questions.
Leaving the others of his party to the tasks assigned to them, Vangelis moved further out into the woodlands than the rest. Whilst Timaeus's responsibility would keep him in the area that had fought the lion and Nike and Lazaros would be prepping up camp in a nearby section of forest, the noise that the group and their adversary had created in the last few hours would have scared off all the prey in the surrounding trees. If they were to eat any form of meat that night, he would have to traverse further away, with the quiet step of a hunter, in order to find anything risking the danger outside their warrens or burrows that he could eventually have on a spit.
With his bow and arrow at his side (the use of a halberd on prey such as this would leave them will little left to eat), Vangelis walked with a pace and gait of one assured of where he was going. Despite his lack of familiarity with the area, it tended to be when you were walking too carefully or actually attempting to sneak that your occasional and infrequent noises alerted your quarry to her presence. An assured step, placed with care in order to avoid the drier patches of earth, kept you soundless even in the woods.
Bypassing wizened twigs that could snap under boot or fallen debris and leaves from trees that had not yet soaked into mulch of the pathway and might still rustle as he passed, Vangelis moved deeper into the woods, only raising his bow when he started to hear the soft scurry of animals in his proximity.
The key to hunting, his father had always said, was observation. Watching where you placed your feet, ensuring that you didn't knock into branches with your shoulders, watching for the tracks made by animals and learning to distinguish which ones were worth your time in pursuing and which were long gone or not worth the meal they would produce.
It took Vangelis longer than he would have liked hiding out behind a bush that held perforated leaves that made his arm start to itch, before he was greeted with the opportunity of a rich dinner for three adults... Ten minutes later, he was tying the hind legs of two hares together and attaching them to his belt.
Next, Vangelis took the water skins that he had snatched from each of his hunting partners and sought out the larger trees that offered wide leaves with grooving dips along their stems. They were the best source of water in Colchis when on the move and it only too one large cluster of the flora for Vangelis to tilt and run the captured water from the waxy green surface into the nozzles of each skin.
Seeing as he had spotted zero under brush or cops that might provide berries or bear edible fruit on his way towards workable prey, the crown prince didn't waste time searching for an addition to the basic meal of meat and water. Instead, he turned and headed back the way he had come, following the marks he had made in the heavy bark of particular trees.
By the time he returned to the clearing and found two of the three men working on the encampment, Vangelis looked around for Lazaros. Nike tended to the fire that the two of them had clearly gotten going and Timaeus had returned from his own assigned errand.
Perhaps the Vlahakis heir had left to find more firewood for later in the night.
The area the man had picked was a good one. With a large rock face against its southern edge, heavy woodland on the east and west, it was a funnel for threats but not a dead-end if escape was required. At its centre were a few logs that had clearly once been moved into place by visitors long before themselves, now dewy and moss covered; fused to the land beneath.
Finding himself a seat on one of them, Vangelis set about skinning the jacks, his movements quick and efficient, just as his father had taught him on training missions they had been out on when he was a child...
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Leaving the others of his party to the tasks assigned to them, Vangelis moved further out into the woodlands than the rest. Whilst Timaeus's responsibility would keep him in the area that had fought the lion and Nike and Lazaros would be prepping up camp in a nearby section of forest, the noise that the group and their adversary had created in the last few hours would have scared off all the prey in the surrounding trees. If they were to eat any form of meat that night, he would have to traverse further away, with the quiet step of a hunter, in order to find anything risking the danger outside their warrens or burrows that he could eventually have on a spit.
With his bow and arrow at his side (the use of a halberd on prey such as this would leave them will little left to eat), Vangelis walked with a pace and gait of one assured of where he was going. Despite his lack of familiarity with the area, it tended to be when you were walking too carefully or actually attempting to sneak that your occasional and infrequent noises alerted your quarry to her presence. An assured step, placed with care in order to avoid the drier patches of earth, kept you soundless even in the woods.
Bypassing wizened twigs that could snap under boot or fallen debris and leaves from trees that had not yet soaked into mulch of the pathway and might still rustle as he passed, Vangelis moved deeper into the woods, only raising his bow when he started to hear the soft scurry of animals in his proximity.
The key to hunting, his father had always said, was observation. Watching where you placed your feet, ensuring that you didn't knock into branches with your shoulders, watching for the tracks made by animals and learning to distinguish which ones were worth your time in pursuing and which were long gone or not worth the meal they would produce.
It took Vangelis longer than he would have liked hiding out behind a bush that held perforated leaves that made his arm start to itch, before he was greeted with the opportunity of a rich dinner for three adults... Ten minutes later, he was tying the hind legs of two hares together and attaching them to his belt.
Next, Vangelis took the water skins that he had snatched from each of his hunting partners and sought out the larger trees that offered wide leaves with grooving dips along their stems. They were the best source of water in Colchis when on the move and it only too one large cluster of the flora for Vangelis to tilt and run the captured water from the waxy green surface into the nozzles of each skin.
Seeing as he had spotted zero under brush or cops that might provide berries or bear edible fruit on his way towards workable prey, the crown prince didn't waste time searching for an addition to the basic meal of meat and water. Instead, he turned and headed back the way he had come, following the marks he had made in the heavy bark of particular trees.
By the time he returned to the clearing and found two of the three men working on the encampment, Vangelis looked around for Lazaros. Nike tended to the fire that the two of them had clearly gotten going and Timaeus had returned from his own assigned errand.
Perhaps the Vlahakis heir had left to find more firewood for later in the night.
The area the man had picked was a good one. With a large rock face against its southern edge, heavy woodland on the east and west, it was a funnel for threats but not a dead-end if escape was required. At its centre were a few logs that had clearly once been moved into place by visitors long before themselves, now dewy and moss covered; fused to the land beneath.
Finding himself a seat on one of them, Vangelis set about skinning the jacks, his movements quick and efficient, just as his father had taught him on training missions they had been out on when he was a child...
Leaving the others of his party to the tasks assigned to them, Vangelis moved further out into the woodlands than the rest. Whilst Timaeus's responsibility would keep him in the area that had fought the lion and Nike and Lazaros would be prepping up camp in a nearby section of forest, the noise that the group and their adversary had created in the last few hours would have scared off all the prey in the surrounding trees. If they were to eat any form of meat that night, he would have to traverse further away, with the quiet step of a hunter, in order to find anything risking the danger outside their warrens or burrows that he could eventually have on a spit.
With his bow and arrow at his side (the use of a halberd on prey such as this would leave them will little left to eat), Vangelis walked with a pace and gait of one assured of where he was going. Despite his lack of familiarity with the area, it tended to be when you were walking too carefully or actually attempting to sneak that your occasional and infrequent noises alerted your quarry to her presence. An assured step, placed with care in order to avoid the drier patches of earth, kept you soundless even in the woods.
Bypassing wizened twigs that could snap under boot or fallen debris and leaves from trees that had not yet soaked into mulch of the pathway and might still rustle as he passed, Vangelis moved deeper into the woods, only raising his bow when he started to hear the soft scurry of animals in his proximity.
The key to hunting, his father had always said, was observation. Watching where you placed your feet, ensuring that you didn't knock into branches with your shoulders, watching for the tracks made by animals and learning to distinguish which ones were worth your time in pursuing and which were long gone or not worth the meal they would produce.
It took Vangelis longer than he would have liked hiding out behind a bush that held perforated leaves that made his arm start to itch, before he was greeted with the opportunity of a rich dinner for three adults... Ten minutes later, he was tying the hind legs of two hares together and attaching them to his belt.
Next, Vangelis took the water skins that he had snatched from each of his hunting partners and sought out the larger trees that offered wide leaves with grooving dips along their stems. They were the best source of water in Colchis when on the move and it only too one large cluster of the flora for Vangelis to tilt and run the captured water from the waxy green surface into the nozzles of each skin.
Seeing as he had spotted zero under brush or cops that might provide berries or bear edible fruit on his way towards workable prey, the crown prince didn't waste time searching for an addition to the basic meal of meat and water. Instead, he turned and headed back the way he had come, following the marks he had made in the heavy bark of particular trees.
By the time he returned to the clearing and found two of the three men working on the encampment, Vangelis looked around for Lazaros. Nike tended to the fire that the two of them had clearly gotten going and Timaeus had returned from his own assigned errand.
Perhaps the Vlahakis heir had left to find more firewood for later in the night.
The area the man had picked was a good one. With a large rock face against its southern edge, heavy woodland on the east and west, it was a funnel for threats but not a dead-end if escape was required. At its centre were a few logs that had clearly once been moved into place by visitors long before themselves, now dewy and moss covered; fused to the land beneath.
Finding himself a seat on one of them, Vangelis set about skinning the jacks, his movements quick and efficient, just as his father had taught him on training missions they had been out on when he was a child...
With the final hours of daylight fading and the group preparing to camp overnight, Timaeus quickly scoured the glade for any stray weapons that could be recovered. Luckily for him, this wasn’t a hard task given very few of their weapons had missed their mark. It didn’t take him long to pull these stray arrows from the brush and dirt where they had landed. It took far more effort to not let himself dwell on the fact that the fletching on the majority of these arrows was a bright white with a few drops of maroon paint scattered about them. The colors of his house. Out of all the men, it was his arrows who had failed to strike the beast.
He was grateful that the others were not around as a wave of slight anger bubbled up inside of him at this quiet revelation. It was such a silly thing to be worked up about, but that didn’t stop Timaeus from seeing red all the same as he moved over to the carcass and began fishing what he could from it. In truth, he was embarrassed and frustrated that it has been his arrows that were in the brush. He couldn’t stop grumbling about it as he set about the rest of his task; dislodging Nike’s blades and finding just as many of his arrows in the beast as he did on the ground. However, his mind barely recognized this as he pulled the arrows out from between ribs that were far too thin for a beast like this; even in winter. It was far too focused on the supposed “failure” that was before him. He wasn’t counting as he dropped arrow after bloody arrow into the quiver on his back, barely remembering to wipe the clinging chunks from the tip before dropping them in.
Truthfully, it seemed like such a ridiculous thing for the young boy to get hung up on as he worked; especially as he knew that none of his comrades would be so bitter if it had been their arrows instead. Then again, they weren’t in Timaeus’s shoes. None of them had quite as much to prove as the young nobleman felt that he had on this hunt. He was only sixteen, a few months beyond his training with his uncle and earning the rank of Captain. The others had their positions for years and had far more experience under their belts than he did. Timaeus felt he had no choice, but to prove that he was worthy of being here on this hunt with the General and his Commanders; a rank that he too would have one day if all went well. He couldn’t give them a reason to remember that these men were nearly a decade his senior and find that to be enough reason to send the Valaoritis home. After all, a pup in the wolf’s den had no business being apart of the hunt.
This was all that was on his mind as he salvaged what he could from the beast and began to trudge towards their makeshift camp. All in all, he managed to recover the majority of their weapons, but some of them were far too damaged to be used in their current state again. So, as Timaeus made his way, he stopped now and then to gather the supplies needed to replace the broken ones. By the time he had wandered back into the camp, dusk was quickly falling and it appeared that Nike was the only one there.
He didn’t question where Lazaros was as he found his place next to the fire that Nike had started. As he was still sulking from the wound to his pride, he didn’t offer much in way of conversation as he took inventory of what he had. The throwing knives were set aside for the Commander to collect before Timaeus pulled out a small blade of his own to whittle the branches down into the arrows that he had been tasked with making.
Before long, a peaceful quiet settled over the pair as the two of them focused on their things. Wanting to distract himself, so the others would not know of his annoyance, he lost himself in the project and tuned out everything but what was directly in front of him. This was quickly shattered, though when Vangelis arrived back at the camp with the evening’s meal. It was only then that Timaeus realized that Lazaros was still missing from the group and his anger was momentarily forgotten as he shot Nike a worried glance, asking a question without words, ‘ Where did Laz go?’
However, the others seemed to not dwell on it too greatly, encouraging Tim to follow suit. The new peaceful quiet that settled over them did not last very long either as Nike mused over the reasoning for the beast attacking them. Thinking back to what he had seen earlier while fishing their weapons from the beast, he quickly piped up to say as he set down the arrow he was working on. “ The lion was dreadfully thin. I doubt that it’s been able to find a meal…. Perhaps it saw us as food?”
It was a silly suggestion, one that had long ago been ruled out as a possibility. What he did say though opened a new line of question. How could an animal that was near starving not attack them for food? It was more territorial than anything and it was erratic in that behavior pattern as well. The Lion seemed to defy all their logic and it was worrying, especially to the younger boy who had yet to grasp that the beast was likely alone in whatever affliction it had.
This worry was what encouraged Tim to turn to their leader to their expedition and hungrily eye the rabbits the man was skinning. His mouth watered at the sight of the meat, but luckily the boy was able to keep his sense about him long enough to look like a fool when he suggested to the prince, “ We should set some of that aside to burn for Artemis. Perhaps the gods could us with whatever is happening in these woods.”
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With the final hours of daylight fading and the group preparing to camp overnight, Timaeus quickly scoured the glade for any stray weapons that could be recovered. Luckily for him, this wasn’t a hard task given very few of their weapons had missed their mark. It didn’t take him long to pull these stray arrows from the brush and dirt where they had landed. It took far more effort to not let himself dwell on the fact that the fletching on the majority of these arrows was a bright white with a few drops of maroon paint scattered about them. The colors of his house. Out of all the men, it was his arrows who had failed to strike the beast.
He was grateful that the others were not around as a wave of slight anger bubbled up inside of him at this quiet revelation. It was such a silly thing to be worked up about, but that didn’t stop Timaeus from seeing red all the same as he moved over to the carcass and began fishing what he could from it. In truth, he was embarrassed and frustrated that it has been his arrows that were in the brush. He couldn’t stop grumbling about it as he set about the rest of his task; dislodging Nike’s blades and finding just as many of his arrows in the beast as he did on the ground. However, his mind barely recognized this as he pulled the arrows out from between ribs that were far too thin for a beast like this; even in winter. It was far too focused on the supposed “failure” that was before him. He wasn’t counting as he dropped arrow after bloody arrow into the quiver on his back, barely remembering to wipe the clinging chunks from the tip before dropping them in.
Truthfully, it seemed like such a ridiculous thing for the young boy to get hung up on as he worked; especially as he knew that none of his comrades would be so bitter if it had been their arrows instead. Then again, they weren’t in Timaeus’s shoes. None of them had quite as much to prove as the young nobleman felt that he had on this hunt. He was only sixteen, a few months beyond his training with his uncle and earning the rank of Captain. The others had their positions for years and had far more experience under their belts than he did. Timaeus felt he had no choice, but to prove that he was worthy of being here on this hunt with the General and his Commanders; a rank that he too would have one day if all went well. He couldn’t give them a reason to remember that these men were nearly a decade his senior and find that to be enough reason to send the Valaoritis home. After all, a pup in the wolf’s den had no business being apart of the hunt.
This was all that was on his mind as he salvaged what he could from the beast and began to trudge towards their makeshift camp. All in all, he managed to recover the majority of their weapons, but some of them were far too damaged to be used in their current state again. So, as Timaeus made his way, he stopped now and then to gather the supplies needed to replace the broken ones. By the time he had wandered back into the camp, dusk was quickly falling and it appeared that Nike was the only one there.
He didn’t question where Lazaros was as he found his place next to the fire that Nike had started. As he was still sulking from the wound to his pride, he didn’t offer much in way of conversation as he took inventory of what he had. The throwing knives were set aside for the Commander to collect before Timaeus pulled out a small blade of his own to whittle the branches down into the arrows that he had been tasked with making.
Before long, a peaceful quiet settled over the pair as the two of them focused on their things. Wanting to distract himself, so the others would not know of his annoyance, he lost himself in the project and tuned out everything but what was directly in front of him. This was quickly shattered, though when Vangelis arrived back at the camp with the evening’s meal. It was only then that Timaeus realized that Lazaros was still missing from the group and his anger was momentarily forgotten as he shot Nike a worried glance, asking a question without words, ‘ Where did Laz go?’
However, the others seemed to not dwell on it too greatly, encouraging Tim to follow suit. The new peaceful quiet that settled over them did not last very long either as Nike mused over the reasoning for the beast attacking them. Thinking back to what he had seen earlier while fishing their weapons from the beast, he quickly piped up to say as he set down the arrow he was working on. “ The lion was dreadfully thin. I doubt that it’s been able to find a meal…. Perhaps it saw us as food?”
It was a silly suggestion, one that had long ago been ruled out as a possibility. What he did say though opened a new line of question. How could an animal that was near starving not attack them for food? It was more territorial than anything and it was erratic in that behavior pattern as well. The Lion seemed to defy all their logic and it was worrying, especially to the younger boy who had yet to grasp that the beast was likely alone in whatever affliction it had.
This worry was what encouraged Tim to turn to their leader to their expedition and hungrily eye the rabbits the man was skinning. His mouth watered at the sight of the meat, but luckily the boy was able to keep his sense about him long enough to look like a fool when he suggested to the prince, “ We should set some of that aside to burn for Artemis. Perhaps the gods could us with whatever is happening in these woods.”
With the final hours of daylight fading and the group preparing to camp overnight, Timaeus quickly scoured the glade for any stray weapons that could be recovered. Luckily for him, this wasn’t a hard task given very few of their weapons had missed their mark. It didn’t take him long to pull these stray arrows from the brush and dirt where they had landed. It took far more effort to not let himself dwell on the fact that the fletching on the majority of these arrows was a bright white with a few drops of maroon paint scattered about them. The colors of his house. Out of all the men, it was his arrows who had failed to strike the beast.
He was grateful that the others were not around as a wave of slight anger bubbled up inside of him at this quiet revelation. It was such a silly thing to be worked up about, but that didn’t stop Timaeus from seeing red all the same as he moved over to the carcass and began fishing what he could from it. In truth, he was embarrassed and frustrated that it has been his arrows that were in the brush. He couldn’t stop grumbling about it as he set about the rest of his task; dislodging Nike’s blades and finding just as many of his arrows in the beast as he did on the ground. However, his mind barely recognized this as he pulled the arrows out from between ribs that were far too thin for a beast like this; even in winter. It was far too focused on the supposed “failure” that was before him. He wasn’t counting as he dropped arrow after bloody arrow into the quiver on his back, barely remembering to wipe the clinging chunks from the tip before dropping them in.
Truthfully, it seemed like such a ridiculous thing for the young boy to get hung up on as he worked; especially as he knew that none of his comrades would be so bitter if it had been their arrows instead. Then again, they weren’t in Timaeus’s shoes. None of them had quite as much to prove as the young nobleman felt that he had on this hunt. He was only sixteen, a few months beyond his training with his uncle and earning the rank of Captain. The others had their positions for years and had far more experience under their belts than he did. Timaeus felt he had no choice, but to prove that he was worthy of being here on this hunt with the General and his Commanders; a rank that he too would have one day if all went well. He couldn’t give them a reason to remember that these men were nearly a decade his senior and find that to be enough reason to send the Valaoritis home. After all, a pup in the wolf’s den had no business being apart of the hunt.
This was all that was on his mind as he salvaged what he could from the beast and began to trudge towards their makeshift camp. All in all, he managed to recover the majority of their weapons, but some of them were far too damaged to be used in their current state again. So, as Timaeus made his way, he stopped now and then to gather the supplies needed to replace the broken ones. By the time he had wandered back into the camp, dusk was quickly falling and it appeared that Nike was the only one there.
He didn’t question where Lazaros was as he found his place next to the fire that Nike had started. As he was still sulking from the wound to his pride, he didn’t offer much in way of conversation as he took inventory of what he had. The throwing knives were set aside for the Commander to collect before Timaeus pulled out a small blade of his own to whittle the branches down into the arrows that he had been tasked with making.
Before long, a peaceful quiet settled over the pair as the two of them focused on their things. Wanting to distract himself, so the others would not know of his annoyance, he lost himself in the project and tuned out everything but what was directly in front of him. This was quickly shattered, though when Vangelis arrived back at the camp with the evening’s meal. It was only then that Timaeus realized that Lazaros was still missing from the group and his anger was momentarily forgotten as he shot Nike a worried glance, asking a question without words, ‘ Where did Laz go?’
However, the others seemed to not dwell on it too greatly, encouraging Tim to follow suit. The new peaceful quiet that settled over them did not last very long either as Nike mused over the reasoning for the beast attacking them. Thinking back to what he had seen earlier while fishing their weapons from the beast, he quickly piped up to say as he set down the arrow he was working on. “ The lion was dreadfully thin. I doubt that it’s been able to find a meal…. Perhaps it saw us as food?”
It was a silly suggestion, one that had long ago been ruled out as a possibility. What he did say though opened a new line of question. How could an animal that was near starving not attack them for food? It was more territorial than anything and it was erratic in that behavior pattern as well. The Lion seemed to defy all their logic and it was worrying, especially to the younger boy who had yet to grasp that the beast was likely alone in whatever affliction it had.
This worry was what encouraged Tim to turn to their leader to their expedition and hungrily eye the rabbits the man was skinning. His mouth watered at the sight of the meat, but luckily the boy was able to keep his sense about him long enough to look like a fool when he suggested to the prince, “ We should set some of that aside to burn for Artemis. Perhaps the gods could us with whatever is happening in these woods.”
Raising a brow when the young Valaoritis walked back in what appeared to be a sour mood, Nike pondered upon enquiring after him for a moment, before deciding against it. It wasn't that the woman did not care for a fello soldier's wellbeing, but after a long afternoon that involved a dislodged soldier, a cavern full of snakes and a rabid mountain lion, she was really in no shape to figure out emotional volatility of a teenager, so she simply let the young man simmer on his own as she headed over to collect the throwing knives.
Sieving through them, Nike tossed out a few too blunt and bent to be salvaged, before bringing the rest of them over to where her waterskin was. There, she rinsed the blood off its tip, and then ran it a few times through the flames. If the mountain lion had been infected as she suspected, she did not need to risk it ending up in any of them, and she wasn't taking any chances.
By the time she finished sliding all her throwing knives back in her utility belt, Vangelis returned with what appeared to be two hares the man had hunted, and the woman smirked at the idea of at least a proper dinner for the night. Only when she noticed Timaeus's look, that she noticed Lazaros still had not returned, and shot him a look with a little shrug that indicated she didn't know. They had been too engrossed in their own tasks to not notice the loss of the Vlahakis commander.
"We aren't the usual food sources of a mountain lion though. And if Vangelis can easily get us two hares for dinner, I don't think there's a shortage of prey in the area." Nike replied in turn, motioning at where the crown prince was skinning the jacks. Heading over, she dragged out her emerald embedded dagger, grabbing a skinned hare to start gutting it. It was a task they both did occasionally out on campaigns, and familiar as they were, Nike operated as they would in a typical encampment.
Cleaning up the insides, the female grabbed a stick she had sharpened area, before passing both stick and gutted hare to Timaeus, clearly asking the man to spear it through and begin the cooking process before grabbing another hare to gut it. The suggestion by Timaeus made her pause however, before she shrugged and used her dagger to swiftly lop off the ears and feet of the animal, before placing it aside. "It isn't a goat, but it will do for now I suppose." she murmured in agreement, continuing to gut the remaining animal.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
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Raising a brow when the young Valaoritis walked back in what appeared to be a sour mood, Nike pondered upon enquiring after him for a moment, before deciding against it. It wasn't that the woman did not care for a fello soldier's wellbeing, but after a long afternoon that involved a dislodged soldier, a cavern full of snakes and a rabid mountain lion, she was really in no shape to figure out emotional volatility of a teenager, so she simply let the young man simmer on his own as she headed over to collect the throwing knives.
Sieving through them, Nike tossed out a few too blunt and bent to be salvaged, before bringing the rest of them over to where her waterskin was. There, she rinsed the blood off its tip, and then ran it a few times through the flames. If the mountain lion had been infected as she suspected, she did not need to risk it ending up in any of them, and she wasn't taking any chances.
By the time she finished sliding all her throwing knives back in her utility belt, Vangelis returned with what appeared to be two hares the man had hunted, and the woman smirked at the idea of at least a proper dinner for the night. Only when she noticed Timaeus's look, that she noticed Lazaros still had not returned, and shot him a look with a little shrug that indicated she didn't know. They had been too engrossed in their own tasks to not notice the loss of the Vlahakis commander.
"We aren't the usual food sources of a mountain lion though. And if Vangelis can easily get us two hares for dinner, I don't think there's a shortage of prey in the area." Nike replied in turn, motioning at where the crown prince was skinning the jacks. Heading over, she dragged out her emerald embedded dagger, grabbing a skinned hare to start gutting it. It was a task they both did occasionally out on campaigns, and familiar as they were, Nike operated as they would in a typical encampment.
Cleaning up the insides, the female grabbed a stick she had sharpened area, before passing both stick and gutted hare to Timaeus, clearly asking the man to spear it through and begin the cooking process before grabbing another hare to gut it. The suggestion by Timaeus made her pause however, before she shrugged and used her dagger to swiftly lop off the ears and feet of the animal, before placing it aside. "It isn't a goat, but it will do for now I suppose." she murmured in agreement, continuing to gut the remaining animal.
Raising a brow when the young Valaoritis walked back in what appeared to be a sour mood, Nike pondered upon enquiring after him for a moment, before deciding against it. It wasn't that the woman did not care for a fello soldier's wellbeing, but after a long afternoon that involved a dislodged soldier, a cavern full of snakes and a rabid mountain lion, she was really in no shape to figure out emotional volatility of a teenager, so she simply let the young man simmer on his own as she headed over to collect the throwing knives.
Sieving through them, Nike tossed out a few too blunt and bent to be salvaged, before bringing the rest of them over to where her waterskin was. There, she rinsed the blood off its tip, and then ran it a few times through the flames. If the mountain lion had been infected as she suspected, she did not need to risk it ending up in any of them, and she wasn't taking any chances.
By the time she finished sliding all her throwing knives back in her utility belt, Vangelis returned with what appeared to be two hares the man had hunted, and the woman smirked at the idea of at least a proper dinner for the night. Only when she noticed Timaeus's look, that she noticed Lazaros still had not returned, and shot him a look with a little shrug that indicated she didn't know. They had been too engrossed in their own tasks to not notice the loss of the Vlahakis commander.
"We aren't the usual food sources of a mountain lion though. And if Vangelis can easily get us two hares for dinner, I don't think there's a shortage of prey in the area." Nike replied in turn, motioning at where the crown prince was skinning the jacks. Heading over, she dragged out her emerald embedded dagger, grabbing a skinned hare to start gutting it. It was a task they both did occasionally out on campaigns, and familiar as they were, Nike operated as they would in a typical encampment.
Cleaning up the insides, the female grabbed a stick she had sharpened area, before passing both stick and gutted hare to Timaeus, clearly asking the man to spear it through and begin the cooking process before grabbing another hare to gut it. The suggestion by Timaeus made her pause however, before she shrugged and used her dagger to swiftly lop off the ears and feet of the animal, before placing it aside. "It isn't a goat, but it will do for now I suppose." she murmured in agreement, continuing to gut the remaining animal.
Vangelis remained quiet as he skinned the animals and listened to the theorising chitchat of his fellow hunters. They talked - as one might expect - of how the lion had come to attack them and what it might mean that he had been so thin. Vangelis' face had drawn into a frown of concern and thought as he instinctively handed the skinned animals across to Nike one at a time, so that she might perform the next step in securing them a meal of substance.
When Nike made comment about the fact that he had managed to secure two animals in the nearby vicinity, Vangelis' lips quirked into an amused smirk that was rare on his face and indicated strongly how little their current situation bothered him on an emotional level.
"Either that, or I'm simply better than the lion." He offered in an infrequent moment of smug humour that only avoided being read as arrogance because it was pure insanity to suppose any human to be a better hunter than such a magnificent creature - even one that was clearly limited in its effectiveness through sickness.
When Timaeus suggested offering part of the rabbit to the Goddess of the Hunt, Vangelis raised a querying eyebrow for just a moment. As it was rare for a boy as young as he to consider the Gods before his own rumbling belly. Especially when they had had such a trying day already. Vangelis turned to his friend and watched as she cut off the ears and feet of the hare she held and suggested that that would have to be enough to appease the deity in question.
"I doubt she can have much to be angry over." Vangelis commented. "We have left her a full lion carcass over there." He commented, with a gesture beyond their clearing.
It was in that gesture that he noticed the return of the Vlahakis lord, who moved to the edge of the clearing with a frown upon his face. Vangelis didn't get up but he did turn his profile towards the man, his expression questioning.
'If we're to stay here overnight and there are more predators in these woods, I think it best the horses are secured.'
His words were true enough. They had left their steeds on the edge of the woodland so they were lightly safe enough in normal times. But, given the complaints that had drawn them here had been because of carnivores prowling beyond their areas of forest, they couldn't leave their rides home unattended. It was a fair few miles between here and the nearest town and to return by foot if their horses were massacred would be an additional trial to their quest that no-one would need or appreciate.
It was clear from the way the Vlahakis lord's gaze fell upon Timaeus, that he expected the youngest of the group to be assigned to return to the horses and ensure their safety throughout the night. Vangelis followed his gaze before it drifted back to Lazaros.
"It was your idea, Lord Lazaros." He commented after a moment of hesitation. "Head back to the horses and ensure their safety until we return."
Vangelis reached to tear a large back leg of one of the hares and immediately tossed the meat and a water skin at the man. He would be able to produce his own fire when he had headed back to their animals.
"If we don't return by dusk tomorrow, return to the capitol and bring the Red Knights to aid in finding us."
And with so simple an instruction, Lazaros was dismissed and required to leave the quest, in favour of the less experienced Lord Timaeus remaining with the group.
Taking up one of the three remaining water skins and slugging from its neck, Vangelis said nothing over his decision in task allocation and, instead, simply saw to sharpening the blade of his halberd as the hares were spitted and placed over the fire, they were clustered around for warmth.
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Vangelis remained quiet as he skinned the animals and listened to the theorising chitchat of his fellow hunters. They talked - as one might expect - of how the lion had come to attack them and what it might mean that he had been so thin. Vangelis' face had drawn into a frown of concern and thought as he instinctively handed the skinned animals across to Nike one at a time, so that she might perform the next step in securing them a meal of substance.
When Nike made comment about the fact that he had managed to secure two animals in the nearby vicinity, Vangelis' lips quirked into an amused smirk that was rare on his face and indicated strongly how little their current situation bothered him on an emotional level.
"Either that, or I'm simply better than the lion." He offered in an infrequent moment of smug humour that only avoided being read as arrogance because it was pure insanity to suppose any human to be a better hunter than such a magnificent creature - even one that was clearly limited in its effectiveness through sickness.
When Timaeus suggested offering part of the rabbit to the Goddess of the Hunt, Vangelis raised a querying eyebrow for just a moment. As it was rare for a boy as young as he to consider the Gods before his own rumbling belly. Especially when they had had such a trying day already. Vangelis turned to his friend and watched as she cut off the ears and feet of the hare she held and suggested that that would have to be enough to appease the deity in question.
"I doubt she can have much to be angry over." Vangelis commented. "We have left her a full lion carcass over there." He commented, with a gesture beyond their clearing.
It was in that gesture that he noticed the return of the Vlahakis lord, who moved to the edge of the clearing with a frown upon his face. Vangelis didn't get up but he did turn his profile towards the man, his expression questioning.
'If we're to stay here overnight and there are more predators in these woods, I think it best the horses are secured.'
His words were true enough. They had left their steeds on the edge of the woodland so they were lightly safe enough in normal times. But, given the complaints that had drawn them here had been because of carnivores prowling beyond their areas of forest, they couldn't leave their rides home unattended. It was a fair few miles between here and the nearest town and to return by foot if their horses were massacred would be an additional trial to their quest that no-one would need or appreciate.
It was clear from the way the Vlahakis lord's gaze fell upon Timaeus, that he expected the youngest of the group to be assigned to return to the horses and ensure their safety throughout the night. Vangelis followed his gaze before it drifted back to Lazaros.
"It was your idea, Lord Lazaros." He commented after a moment of hesitation. "Head back to the horses and ensure their safety until we return."
Vangelis reached to tear a large back leg of one of the hares and immediately tossed the meat and a water skin at the man. He would be able to produce his own fire when he had headed back to their animals.
"If we don't return by dusk tomorrow, return to the capitol and bring the Red Knights to aid in finding us."
And with so simple an instruction, Lazaros was dismissed and required to leave the quest, in favour of the less experienced Lord Timaeus remaining with the group.
Taking up one of the three remaining water skins and slugging from its neck, Vangelis said nothing over his decision in task allocation and, instead, simply saw to sharpening the blade of his halberd as the hares were spitted and placed over the fire, they were clustered around for warmth.
Vangelis remained quiet as he skinned the animals and listened to the theorising chitchat of his fellow hunters. They talked - as one might expect - of how the lion had come to attack them and what it might mean that he had been so thin. Vangelis' face had drawn into a frown of concern and thought as he instinctively handed the skinned animals across to Nike one at a time, so that she might perform the next step in securing them a meal of substance.
When Nike made comment about the fact that he had managed to secure two animals in the nearby vicinity, Vangelis' lips quirked into an amused smirk that was rare on his face and indicated strongly how little their current situation bothered him on an emotional level.
"Either that, or I'm simply better than the lion." He offered in an infrequent moment of smug humour that only avoided being read as arrogance because it was pure insanity to suppose any human to be a better hunter than such a magnificent creature - even one that was clearly limited in its effectiveness through sickness.
When Timaeus suggested offering part of the rabbit to the Goddess of the Hunt, Vangelis raised a querying eyebrow for just a moment. As it was rare for a boy as young as he to consider the Gods before his own rumbling belly. Especially when they had had such a trying day already. Vangelis turned to his friend and watched as she cut off the ears and feet of the hare she held and suggested that that would have to be enough to appease the deity in question.
"I doubt she can have much to be angry over." Vangelis commented. "We have left her a full lion carcass over there." He commented, with a gesture beyond their clearing.
It was in that gesture that he noticed the return of the Vlahakis lord, who moved to the edge of the clearing with a frown upon his face. Vangelis didn't get up but he did turn his profile towards the man, his expression questioning.
'If we're to stay here overnight and there are more predators in these woods, I think it best the horses are secured.'
His words were true enough. They had left their steeds on the edge of the woodland so they were lightly safe enough in normal times. But, given the complaints that had drawn them here had been because of carnivores prowling beyond their areas of forest, they couldn't leave their rides home unattended. It was a fair few miles between here and the nearest town and to return by foot if their horses were massacred would be an additional trial to their quest that no-one would need or appreciate.
It was clear from the way the Vlahakis lord's gaze fell upon Timaeus, that he expected the youngest of the group to be assigned to return to the horses and ensure their safety throughout the night. Vangelis followed his gaze before it drifted back to Lazaros.
"It was your idea, Lord Lazaros." He commented after a moment of hesitation. "Head back to the horses and ensure their safety until we return."
Vangelis reached to tear a large back leg of one of the hares and immediately tossed the meat and a water skin at the man. He would be able to produce his own fire when he had headed back to their animals.
"If we don't return by dusk tomorrow, return to the capitol and bring the Red Knights to aid in finding us."
And with so simple an instruction, Lazaros was dismissed and required to leave the quest, in favour of the less experienced Lord Timaeus remaining with the group.
Taking up one of the three remaining water skins and slugging from its neck, Vangelis said nothing over his decision in task allocation and, instead, simply saw to sharpening the blade of his halberd as the hares were spitted and placed over the fire, they were clustered around for warmth.