You are not connected. Please login or register

Pit Stop [FanaCorps Training]

Go down  Message [Page 1 of 1]

1Pit Stop [FanaCorps Training] Empty Pit Stop [FanaCorps Training] 24/10/15, 09:19 pm

Ayero

Ayero
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

While traveling over the Plains, the group would occasionally descend down onto the grassy lands in order to gather food and water, as well as stretch their legs. While the journey from Reim to Kou had been longer, it had been somewhat easier having Azix as company, even if the magician was angry with her for part of it. While she did not dislike her companions, she was far closer to Azix and felt as if she could act naturally around him as a friend, and not as a representative of her nation.

Regardless, the Fanalis woman attempted to maintain good ties with Hojo and Balsa, being more familiar with the former of the pair of Kouens. They talked strategy with bits of veiled politics concerning the dungeon, but Ayero wasn’t that interested and obliged conversation to maintain face. She noted how Yael, the other Fanalis woman seemed to listen quietly to their conversations, rarely interjecting. She was curious as to what Yael was thinking. Perhaps she did not think she had a place in the conversation, or maybe she was just non-intrusive by nature. But it was unlike a Fanalis to be so quiet, unless perhaps she was not a full-blood?

Ayero cast a quick side glance toward Yael, her eyes lingering on the redhead for a few moments as she took in her form. Yael was seated with her legs dangling over the edge of the carpet, leaning on her hands as she gazed into the blue and green abyss behind them. Her body was built like that of a typical Fanalis: tall and strong. She’s most likely pure-blooded. I wonder why she’s so quiet. Maybe she just isn’t interested in our conversation. Ayero’s eyes glazed over as she mused on her own reserved nature, wondering if it could be attributed to her human side.

Before she could think too hard on it, Hojo cleared his throat gently. The noise brought Ayero out of her thoughts and she stared at the dark haired man questioningly. ”I think,” He began ”It might be time again. Our food is running low.” The Kouen gestured to their meager supply contained in a single sack, and it was enough reason for Ayero to agree. Wordlessly, the Fanalis woman guided the carpet down near a river bank.

It was unfortunate that they had not seen a trading outpost or farm over the last few days, as they had coin to spare and could easily purchase more food and supplies. Ayero personally didn’t mind hunting and gathering sustenance from the land; it was almost therapeutic in a way. But it took time that they’d rather spend traveling towards Buer. As the group dismounted the carpet, Ayero scanned the horizon, her eyes settling on the clouds blooming in the distance. They had been keeping an eye on them while in the sky, but they had been faster than the storm so far.

Hojo caught the tiny frown of displeasure on Ayero face and turned towards the skyline as well. After a few moments he spoke up. ”It looks like the storm is not more than a few hours off. It might be best to spend the night here. Balsa and I can set up the tent and gather water while you and Yael hunt.”

Ayero agreed with a sharp nod, jerking her head toward the hills in a motion for Yael to follow. Pausing in her steps, Ayero turned to call back to Hojo and Balsa. ”Make sure to set the tent up behind the hill in case the river floods.” The two Fanalis then walked away wordlessly while the Kouens went to work with the tent.


[612/1000]


──────────────────────────────────────────────

Ayero

Ayero
Ω-Tier
Ω-Tier

After several hours of hunting, the pair of redheads finally returned with eight rabbits in tow. The little beasts fell to a combination of Ayero’s bow and Yael’s throwing knives, the former having more kills from her experience of living off of the land. Four of the rabbits were given to Hojo to cook over the fire, while Ayero set to work skinning the other four. Curious, Yael found her way over to the other Fanalis and sat down next to her. She observed Ayero for a few silent minutes before speaking, her voice strong and smooth.

”Colonel, what are you doing?” The words caused Ayero to pause slightly as she scraped one of the animal pelts clean, not expecting the question thought it was not unwelcome. She glanced over at Yael before continuing her scraping for a few more seconds, only to put the flint knife down and reach toward the makeshift smoker she had constructed from stones and wood, sitting over a low fire. She gingerly turned the pieces of meat resting there over, attempting not to burn herself in the process.

”Preserving the meat. We’ll never make it to Buer if we stop flying each time we get hungry.” Her tone was almost monotonous as she returned to scraping the pelt, focused even though it didn’t require much concentration.

”No, I mean…the fur. What are you doing with it?” The taller Fanalis pointed to the pelt and knife. This time, Ayero stopped and turned her head to face Yael. The question was certainly unexpected, but Ayero realized that what she was doing might look strange if one had never seen it before. ”I’m cleaning the pelt. It can be used for clothing if I find a tailor, or I can trade it.” Ayero motioned for Yael to move closer and gave her a rabbit skin that had yet to  be cleaned. When Yael produced one of her throwing knives, Ayero shook her head and produced a broad sided flat knife like her own. [color:8456=660000]“I’m not sure if this type of rabbit is common or not around these parts, so I’m not sure how much it would be worth. But it seems warm, which is good with winter coming.” She instructed Yael through movements, showing her how to scrape the innards from the skin to clean it.

”Do you hunt a lot?” Yael’s voice was light, cautious. In it, Ayero could tell that she did not want to intrude on someone else’s past and bring up potentially painful memories. ”In the past few years, yes. I find that living off the land feels more natural for me.” Ayero kept her eyes on her pelt, trying to scrape every bit of fat and muscle from it. She remembered fondly the Cambulac, how they taught her to hunt and live off of the mountain. The plains were very different though, and Ayero tried her best to apply her survival skills here. In truth, she didn’t really know what she planned to do with the rabbit pelts. But they were compact enough to justify taking along, and the Cambulac lessons of wasting no part of an animal were ingrained deeply into her being. Unfortunately, the bones and some organs could not be used due to their situation.

A curious look sparked in Yael’s eyes and she looked at Ayero for a few moments, watching the other woman work before returning to her own pelt. She hesitated before scraping off a layer of fat, grimacing slightly at the greasy feel when it ran up over the edge of the knife and onto her fingers. She wiped the fat on to the grass below and glanced over at Ayero once more, this time at the woman’s hands. They weren’t as rough as her own, but the Colonel had callouses from wielding both blade and bow.

”I spent my entire life in Remano, so I’ve never really had to do something like this before.” Yael mused, a bit of humor injected in to her voice. Unexpectedly, Ayero stopped working and looked up with a surprised expression on her face. ”Octavius let you come here even though you’ve never been outside of Remano before?”

There was a pause between both women, during which Yael’s eyes softened and she began to look away. Shaking her head, Ayero put down her knife and turned to face Yael fully. ”I’m sorry. I’m just surprised to hear that Octavius would send someone not quite….traveled to Kou. But he must see something in you to send you on an important mission.”

A thoughtful silence lapsed between the women as they worked, the sound of their knives scraping and the crackle of the fire only serving to heighten the possible tension. [i]Maybe…maybe she wasn’t a slave. But with her penchant for bare fisted fights and her lack of skill with the knives…is it wrong for me to assume, when so many Corps members used to be slaves? If—“

”Colonel! Your meat is burning!” Ayero was jerked out of her thoughts at Yael’s cry, scrambling upwards and rushing to remove the meat from the fire, burning her hands several times in the process. ”Shit.” Ayero cursed as she felt her hands swell and become sore where they had been burnt. Luckily, the meat hadn’t been totally burned to the point where it would be inedible.

Suddenly, a rumble sounded from above and droplet s of water began to sprinkle down on them. ”Double shit.” Ayero grunted, and Yael couldn’t help but chuckle softly as she stored the meat in one of their travel sacks. Hojo and Balsa appeared shortly after with full water skins, and Yael motioned towards the tent while Ayero extinguished the fire.

[Exit]

[1567/1000]


──────────────────────────────────────────────

Back to top  Message [Page 1 of 1]

Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum