20 Ash, Year 122
[Closed - Solo]
It had been an interesting day, what with meeting the stoneborn Gnome down in the Umbrium. Aardwalden’s passion had been inspiring, and he had accomplished something she had resisted thus far to date: Hilana had gone about the bookstores in the Sub-Forum until she found a small book on the disciplines of World Magic, complete with some Pictographs. She knew she would have a look at it later when she had some time, but she had it, and she could start to research it and read about it. She had a feeling Runeforging was not for her; when it came to tradeskills she lacked the patience for most of it. The only sewing she enjoyed and did well at was with the suturing flesh. But then again, there were surely others. And Hilana was always interested in learning... even if these subjects were those she had studiously, determinedly avoided. It was a matter of stubbornness and pride at this point, but in a way, none of these were a Cardinal Rune unto themselves, so it was something that she could read about, and perhaps see if any of them interested her enough to warrant further study. If not, then the only thing she lost was some coin on the book, and she could just resell the thing. Or donate it. Books were always valuable somewhere.
But by the time she got home from work, the sun was already starting to set. The day had gone on a bit longer than she had planned for, and with the Equinox preparations coming... Hilana didn’t really feel ready. There was more to do. Perhaps it wasn’t necessary, but to the Vastii, she felt it was important. She supposed she could have gone and attended the Radiant Mass the next day and offered a Prayer, and visited the Temple in the Umbrium in the evening... but it rubbed against her wrong in the same way she knew it was wrong to attend someone else’s fire and come empty handed. It was always remembered. They had been watching out for her two seasons ago, Hilana knew that she owed them, and owed them big time.
She had a quick dinner of leftovers. That was the easy part of her day; as much as she loved cooking it was quite easy to make larger batches of a meal and then eat the remainder over the next couple days. When her work schedule changed and she stayed longer or not, it was nice to come home and not have to worry about cooking. Hilana plated and portioned out her meal from the refrigerator: rice, lentils, and beans, along with chunks of stewed goat in a tomato sauce with pieces of roasted squash. It was washed down with a glass of hibiscus iced tea, and the young woman grabbed her backpack, starting to put together her supplies for the evening. She had a number of ropes and a heavier rope net, all of which she bundled under her arm and hauled it down to the stables.
“Hello, Hayima’el. Are we going hunting tonight?” Hilana smiled at her camel, greeting him as she came in and setting her pack and nets down at the side of the centre aisle of the stable before she opened his stall door to let him out, the camel illuminated in the lights embedded in the ceiling. It wasn’t the same as starlight, but it was nice enough. It got the job done. She went over her camel with the brushes, checking his legs and footpads as a matter of habit, before getting the saddle pads and blankets in place before positioning her wooden saddle. She didn’t need the sunshade, not with the sun already gone, and truthfully, with where she was going and what she was going to do, it was just going to be a hindrance and further in the way. She attached her backpack with the assortment of ropes to the saddle, grabbing the bundled up net and securing it under her arm for the time being. She secured his halter, and led him from the stables and out of the secured yard, letting the gate close behind them before she walked him over to the hitching post. With him positioned beside it, she deftly boosted herself up onto it and into the saddle before she positioned the bundle in front of her. She would need that later.
She headed for the Southwest Gate, because she had a good idea about where they were going, as the camel walked along with the goal of heading towards the River. She had to cross it if they were going to find those aoudads, the smooth-haired sheep. She had asked around the fringe neighbourhoods over the last couple of days since she had first spotted the wallow and tracks, and the consensus seemed to be that it was a wild herd. No one had ever heard tell of it being tended to, and that meant it was free game. Unless, of course, there was a shepherd out there, in which case Hilana would have to make alternate plans. But as it was, the Vastii was stubborn enough to go and try to catch not one, but two of them. One for Avaerys, one for Varvara. She had seen the tracks along a small tributary, and now she had to hope against all odds that she could find some wallowing in the water in the coolness of the evening.
They were tricky creatures. They were fast, they were wild, and they were flighty as all get out. They could jump well over her head from a standing still position, and that narrowed her options in terms of trying to catch some in the open area. Especially since she was riding solo. If she had had another with her, then it would have been relatively easy. If she had had a Rune or someone with a Rune, it would have been easier still. But as it was, she was just her and she was working as she always did: with what she had.Hayima’el would be an important part of her plans, but at the same time, there were a number of things the big bull couldn’t do, and she was on her own for it. And further, she was gambling that they were still there. If they weren’t, then she would just have to go empty-handed to the Port Vasta bazaar and see about finding a couple of goats to purchase to sacrifice, but she had to at least try first. Effort counted for something.
Hayima’el padded across the bridge, and Hilana continued on down the river. She could start fixing her net and rope while they were walking, because she had to be prepared if... when... they found their prey. If she wasn’t ready when she got there, any suspicious sounds or movements would just send them fleeing, and almost certainly faster than she could actually catch them. There was, of course, the issue of the wind, too... With the way the wind was blowing so far, she was at least downwind of where she knew the tributary to be, but she was going to have to hope that her luck held out. She was keeping her head on a swivel either way in the night air, but she trusted her camel. His senses were better than hers. Some part of her thought about the bighorn sheep that were more likely to be found amongst the cliff ranges, but she knew that that was too far to travel to and from in one night, even on Hayima’el. She would need to be back in time for Mass, and frankly sooner, because she would have to go and render the sacrifice to Divine Avaerys before, then go to Mass...
As optimistic as she was, sometimes reality could not be avoided.
She was settled in her saddle, content under the light of the moon and stars to use that light to start securing the first length of rope to a corner of the heavy net, and attaching it to the bar on the front of the saddle. Hilana took no chances, securing a second rope to the net and saddle as well. She was only going to have one chance at this, if she got any at all, and she would need two. And if she lost her element of surprise, they would be gone. As fast as the camel could go, the aoudads were faster, and half-assing her goal did not appeal to her. Risking everything for nothing at all was senseless. Or worse, getting Hayima’el hurt. But as she went over her ties and knots, she found herself satisfied with her handiwork. She let the net rest on her lap, the two other coils of rope draped crosswise over her shoulder and torso.
At least it was a beautiful night.
She could see them as she crested over the dunes to get a view of the low tributary. The tracks were a bit further away than she had anticipated them being, but there was nothing she could do about that. What was another bit of time in her saddle? Considering how much Hilana enjoyed being out here, and riding with him... it was a good trade off. She could hear the sheep before she saw them, staying as still as possible in the saddle and letting Hayima’el continue his steady walk. She didn’t turn her head, didn’t make any extra movements, as she took note of the situation below her. There were a number of the wild sheep in the water, and she saw a couple of good candidates for what she wanted. She didn’t want them to be too young; that effort wasn’t going to count for much with the Founders. She didn’t want ewes if she could avoid it, simply so that the numbers of the sheep were not lessened dramatically by removing two ewes and their ability to produce a number of lambs each year. That left the rams that weren’t too old, but weren’t the big powerful herdmasters yet. Those were needed to protect their numbers from predators, and, well, they were going to be too big of a challenge for the lone girl. Even if she was a lone girl armed with a very big, well-trained camel.
[Part II]
[Closed - Solo]
It had been an interesting day, what with meeting the stoneborn Gnome down in the Umbrium. Aardwalden’s passion had been inspiring, and he had accomplished something she had resisted thus far to date: Hilana had gone about the bookstores in the Sub-Forum until she found a small book on the disciplines of World Magic, complete with some Pictographs. She knew she would have a look at it later when she had some time, but she had it, and she could start to research it and read about it. She had a feeling Runeforging was not for her; when it came to tradeskills she lacked the patience for most of it. The only sewing she enjoyed and did well at was with the suturing flesh. But then again, there were surely others. And Hilana was always interested in learning... even if these subjects were those she had studiously, determinedly avoided. It was a matter of stubbornness and pride at this point, but in a way, none of these were a Cardinal Rune unto themselves, so it was something that she could read about, and perhaps see if any of them interested her enough to warrant further study. If not, then the only thing she lost was some coin on the book, and she could just resell the thing. Or donate it. Books were always valuable somewhere.
But by the time she got home from work, the sun was already starting to set. The day had gone on a bit longer than she had planned for, and with the Equinox preparations coming... Hilana didn’t really feel ready. There was more to do. Perhaps it wasn’t necessary, but to the Vastii, she felt it was important. She supposed she could have gone and attended the Radiant Mass the next day and offered a Prayer, and visited the Temple in the Umbrium in the evening... but it rubbed against her wrong in the same way she knew it was wrong to attend someone else’s fire and come empty handed. It was always remembered. They had been watching out for her two seasons ago, Hilana knew that she owed them, and owed them big time.
She had a quick dinner of leftovers. That was the easy part of her day; as much as she loved cooking it was quite easy to make larger batches of a meal and then eat the remainder over the next couple days. When her work schedule changed and she stayed longer or not, it was nice to come home and not have to worry about cooking. Hilana plated and portioned out her meal from the refrigerator: rice, lentils, and beans, along with chunks of stewed goat in a tomato sauce with pieces of roasted squash. It was washed down with a glass of hibiscus iced tea, and the young woman grabbed her backpack, starting to put together her supplies for the evening. She had a number of ropes and a heavier rope net, all of which she bundled under her arm and hauled it down to the stables.
“Hello, Hayima’el. Are we going hunting tonight?” Hilana smiled at her camel, greeting him as she came in and setting her pack and nets down at the side of the centre aisle of the stable before she opened his stall door to let him out, the camel illuminated in the lights embedded in the ceiling. It wasn’t the same as starlight, but it was nice enough. It got the job done. She went over her camel with the brushes, checking his legs and footpads as a matter of habit, before getting the saddle pads and blankets in place before positioning her wooden saddle. She didn’t need the sunshade, not with the sun already gone, and truthfully, with where she was going and what she was going to do, it was just going to be a hindrance and further in the way. She attached her backpack with the assortment of ropes to the saddle, grabbing the bundled up net and securing it under her arm for the time being. She secured his halter, and led him from the stables and out of the secured yard, letting the gate close behind them before she walked him over to the hitching post. With him positioned beside it, she deftly boosted herself up onto it and into the saddle before she positioned the bundle in front of her. She would need that later.
She headed for the Southwest Gate, because she had a good idea about where they were going, as the camel walked along with the goal of heading towards the River. She had to cross it if they were going to find those aoudads, the smooth-haired sheep. She had asked around the fringe neighbourhoods over the last couple of days since she had first spotted the wallow and tracks, and the consensus seemed to be that it was a wild herd. No one had ever heard tell of it being tended to, and that meant it was free game. Unless, of course, there was a shepherd out there, in which case Hilana would have to make alternate plans. But as it was, the Vastii was stubborn enough to go and try to catch not one, but two of them. One for Avaerys, one for Varvara. She had seen the tracks along a small tributary, and now she had to hope against all odds that she could find some wallowing in the water in the coolness of the evening.
They were tricky creatures. They were fast, they were wild, and they were flighty as all get out. They could jump well over her head from a standing still position, and that narrowed her options in terms of trying to catch some in the open area. Especially since she was riding solo. If she had had another with her, then it would have been relatively easy. If she had had a Rune or someone with a Rune, it would have been easier still. But as it was, she was just her and she was working as she always did: with what she had.Hayima’el would be an important part of her plans, but at the same time, there were a number of things the big bull couldn’t do, and she was on her own for it. And further, she was gambling that they were still there. If they weren’t, then she would just have to go empty-handed to the Port Vasta bazaar and see about finding a couple of goats to purchase to sacrifice, but she had to at least try first. Effort counted for something.
Hayima’el padded across the bridge, and Hilana continued on down the river. She could start fixing her net and rope while they were walking, because she had to be prepared if... when... they found their prey. If she wasn’t ready when she got there, any suspicious sounds or movements would just send them fleeing, and almost certainly faster than she could actually catch them. There was, of course, the issue of the wind, too... With the way the wind was blowing so far, she was at least downwind of where she knew the tributary to be, but she was going to have to hope that her luck held out. She was keeping her head on a swivel either way in the night air, but she trusted her camel. His senses were better than hers. Some part of her thought about the bighorn sheep that were more likely to be found amongst the cliff ranges, but she knew that that was too far to travel to and from in one night, even on Hayima’el. She would need to be back in time for Mass, and frankly sooner, because she would have to go and render the sacrifice to Divine Avaerys before, then go to Mass...
As optimistic as she was, sometimes reality could not be avoided.
She was settled in her saddle, content under the light of the moon and stars to use that light to start securing the first length of rope to a corner of the heavy net, and attaching it to the bar on the front of the saddle. Hilana took no chances, securing a second rope to the net and saddle as well. She was only going to have one chance at this, if she got any at all, and she would need two. And if she lost her element of surprise, they would be gone. As fast as the camel could go, the aoudads were faster, and half-assing her goal did not appeal to her. Risking everything for nothing at all was senseless. Or worse, getting Hayima’el hurt. But as she went over her ties and knots, she found herself satisfied with her handiwork. She let the net rest on her lap, the two other coils of rope draped crosswise over her shoulder and torso.
At least it was a beautiful night.
She could see them as she crested over the dunes to get a view of the low tributary. The tracks were a bit further away than she had anticipated them being, but there was nothing she could do about that. What was another bit of time in her saddle? Considering how much Hilana enjoyed being out here, and riding with him... it was a good trade off. She could hear the sheep before she saw them, staying as still as possible in the saddle and letting Hayima’el continue his steady walk. She didn’t turn her head, didn’t make any extra movements, as she took note of the situation below her. There were a number of the wild sheep in the water, and she saw a couple of good candidates for what she wanted. She didn’t want them to be too young; that effort wasn’t going to count for much with the Founders. She didn’t want ewes if she could avoid it, simply so that the numbers of the sheep were not lessened dramatically by removing two ewes and their ability to produce a number of lambs each year. That left the rams that weren’t too old, but weren’t the big powerful herdmasters yet. Those were needed to protect their numbers from predators, and, well, they were going to be too big of a challenge for the lone girl. Even if she was a lone girl armed with a very big, well-trained camel.
[Part II]
