Warmblooded

[goldenambition]

Who: Will, Clive and Joshua (Bird)
What: Hunting a biblically accurate deer to appease Winter
When: Some time before the god fight, just in case
Where: The Woods
Warnings: Animal death, gore, occultism

[Will would never consider himself a hunter- for all his adventures, he was always more a city boy than not. He COULD snare a coney or shoot down a bird for a meal. But full deer hunting was something he was not that experienced in.

But he had an ace, if what he was told on the journals was true. But that just made this all the more dangerous.

He was bundled head to toe in winter gear the sad-looking shopkeep had provided, his armor on under it and his bow unslung]

So 'pparently these deer are meat eaters, so I gotta package of roast steak here- [He pats a cloth bag on his hip. It has a bit too much give to be anything but wrapped raw meat. And if the brothers have a decent sense of smell they can likely smell it out right.] - so we can try to bait it out. This time'a year a fresh kill outta be tempting for all kinds of beasties.

You two still up for this?

Comments

[aneikonic]

[ There's really no masking the smell of raw meat. Especially to someone whose been around enough of it. The coppery tang of death. The question makes him nod and settle the thicker furs on him better, making a face.

He's not used to wearing items like this, he feels hampered. ]

Of course. If this is enough to settle this Winter, then it'll be worth it.

[ Ifrit is still weak, grumpy over the cold, but the inner flames should be enough to keep the worst off. ]

Joshua?

[kingincognito]

[ The sad-looking shopkeep has apparently been all over bundling up the newcomers, because Joshua is just as bundled up as the rest of them. It isn't bad in the greater span of things, but it's more bulky than he's currently used to.

As Clive turns to look at him, he's frowning and picking at the sleeve cuffs of his coat, but he does look up at his name. He's not ignoring the conversation. ]

Provided we can fight like this, yes. Do we know where to best lay the bait?

[goldenambition]

No sure, but my bes' guess would be an animal trail. Even under all this snow I should be able to sniffer one out eventually.

[ He peers at Joshua, amused]

Not used to wintering up, lad?

[aneikonic]

[ Like Torgal....

His amusement is plain as Will questions Joshua, glancing at him again, giving him a lopsided smile. He looks like he did when younger and bundled up. Whiny and fat. ]

We're not used to extreme weather.

[kingincognito]

[ It is not his fault he has to layer up! It isn't his fault he's scrawny! Don't laugh at him Clive you're bundled up too. ]

Not quite like this, at any rate.

[ An animal trail... Not a bad idea. So long as Will can find one for them, they should be just fine. ]

Well then, be my guest. Hopefully we won't have to look for too long to find one.

[goldenambition]

Don' worry! If this works you can shed it down to just a couple of stones worth of layers instead of you twice over.

[He makes his way to the woods edge, kneeling down with one gloved hand on the packed icy earth, nose twitching]

Hm... not much this close to town. Most everything is probably hunkered in, so we might have to trek pretty deep.

[aneikonic]

Not surprised. Wild animals wouldn't come close to a settlement without good reason anyways.

[ Or Akashic. ]

We'd best move in a line to cover our tracks.

[ Though he doubts animals won't smell them, if there's humans looking to take advantage of people in the woods, it'll hide their numbers. ]

Would you like me to go first, Will? I should be able to break through heavier snow.

[kingincognito]

[ Little does Will know, Joshua plans on doing that anyway! Especially if it gets too in the way. ]

Right. If you take the lead, Clive, I'll follow behind.

[ He puts his hand on the rapier at his hip. The bulk of his layers at least doesn't cover it, but it wouldn't exactly be his first instinct to pull it anyway. That's what magic is for, weakened or not. ]

[goldenambition]

[Will's ears twitch, and he half shrugs]

Make a guy wonder if you're callin' em short.

[His tail wags though, he's not actually mad, and he falls in line behind the other two]

Better for my bow anyways. Lead on, bossman.

[aneikonic]

[ He huffs a laugh and starts walking. ]

More like you both look like a strong wind can knock you over.

[ Sorry for catching you in the crossfire Joshua. But also not. He narrows his eyes and lifts his hand to keep them shaded from the cold and wind. ]

Let me know to stop.

[kingincognito]

[ Nothing any different than the usual banter whenever they're walking from point A to point B. He isn't too bothered, really. ]

At this point I wouldn't put it past the weather to make that happen.

[ There's already been biting wind. Why not more? ]

[goldenambition]

Ha! He says when he's not the tallest bloke here.

[He pats Joshua on the back before going quiet, nose slightly lifted to try and catch what he can. But the wind is not making it easy]

[aneikonic]

[ HUFFS. ]

I am the biggest otherwise.

[ He means width-wise, okay. He falls silent as well, frowning into the weather. They'll likely run into Wraiths before a deer... ]

[kingincognito]

[ The pat is at least taken good-naturedly! Probably partially because there's so much padding he hardly feels it. ]

Between the two of us, we might make a small Titan.

[ He follows it with a soft laugh, but that's all. They'll get nowhere if they're making a bunch of noise. Either they'll scare off their eventual quarry, or they'll attract unwanted attention. ]

[goldenambition]

[They trek for awhile, and Will's ear rotate this way and that... far in the distance he can hear the echos to the wraiths anguished howls. Far enough away for now... but it's only a matter of time if they don't find anything soon.

But eventually:]

Wait. I smell something.

[ He freezes, eyes focused on a bush like a pointing hound]

[aneikonic]

[ And Clive stops instantly, on command, his hand going up and back to his sword hilt but otherwise he freezes. He's squinting but he doesn't see anything. Or smell anything, other than the smell of winter.

So he tilts his head, questioning. ]

[kingincognito]

[ The moment that Clive stops, Joshua stops. His hand is on his rapier, but he remains silent, eyes narrowing. He can see where Will is looking, and like Clive, he gives a questioning look.

No sense in raising his voice to ask. ]

[goldenambition]

[He leaves the forged path, the snow slowing him instantly and ruining any attempts at stealth he normally would manage. But he stalks to the bush.... and suddenly gives it a shake. A warbled cry and two nesting snow white birds shoot up into the sky. If not for the patches of moss and four wings on each they'd look like partridges.]

Ah ha, we're on the right track! Look around for tracks or scat.

[aneikonic]

[ The birds don't startle him, but the fact they're covered in moss and have four wings each? That does.

Then he sighs as Will says to look for poop. ]

... Right.

[ Yes he's grumping, letting go of his sword to carefully begin to fan out, eyes down on the snow. ]

[kingincognito]

[ Joshua, however, does startle just the tiniest bit. It's partially the sudden flight of the birds when he's already on high alert, and partially the slight unnatural shape of them. Birds shouldn't have moss... Four wings, perhaps, he doesn't know these birds well enough to say, but moss indicates a sedentary lifestyle. ]

Well, I suppose that and tracks are our real clues...

[ A true side quest. Now they're looking for poop. He heads in a different direction, just to make sure they maximize coverage. ]

[goldenambition]

[Will chuckles at Clive's grump, once again kneeling, and doing a lazily little ape-like walk, hands to the packed snow and nose low. His tail is arched, vibrating slightly like an excited cat's]

Hmmmhmmm.... ngh, Winter's frosted tits there's so much snow! Might covered everythin- oh?

[He crouches even lower, sniffsniff, then jerks up with a sneeze and curse]

Ugh... yeah, we're in the right place.

[aneikonic]

[ Oh. The sneeze makes him stop and glance over his shoulder, then smirk to the curse and the confirmation they're in the right spot.

That's what you get for making them look for shit, Will. ]

Glad it was you.

[ He reaches into his furs and pulls out the netting, looking around for a tree to make a snare. ]

Snare or do you want to try our luck between the three of us and herding it?

[kingincognito]

[ Oh. Well. That's an unfortunate way of finding it, but at least they've found it! Joshua turns around, moving toward where Will is. ]

Personally, herding may be the better bet... Considering the cold, I'm not certain we want to stand out here waiting for one to pass by.

[ That, and the wraiths. With things as they are, waiting isn't a safe option. ]

[goldenambition]

Ha ha. Poor old Will, un-lamented! Without sympathy!

[His bemoaning sure sounds like a whining dog. he stands up fully, pondering]

Ya. I think Joshua has the right of it. Time ain' on our side- once night falls we won' last out here.

[aneikonic]

[ Like Torgal....

Nodding he tucks the netting back away. ]

Let's find our quarry, then. Was it fresh? [ The shit. ]