When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

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When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Roan » August 19th, 2017, 5:57 pm

Bastian Vass
A morning mist seemed to hang a few inches above the forest floor, while dew glistened on leaves whenever the weak rays of the morning sun shone through. With the humidity so high this early in the day, chances were high there’d be a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Game tended to disappear before a thunderstorm. If he wanted meat for dinner, then the man who seemed to move silently through the underbrush needed a successful morning hunt.

Bastian Vass learned from his father how to hunt game, and how to hunt so that he wouldn’t deplete the forest near his cabin in the woods of game. Now that it was just him, he didn’t need as much meat, and one deer could last him a month if he cleaned it and preserved the meat well. He hadn’t had venison in two months as he’d focused most of his efforts on smaller game like rabbit.

He’d seen a stag stalking around the woods near the cabin, and from the number of points, it was a good age for hunting. Bastian left his cabin just as the sun was breaking the horizon, and had been quietly stalking his prey. He’d caught sight of the buck once or twice, and knew it was heading to the lake that wasn’t all that far away.

Careful to stay downwind of the deer, Bastian had his bow at the ready, hoping for a clear shot. Unfortunately, one wasn’t forth coming until the buck stepped onto the shore of the lake, which meant Bastian would have a longer walk back carrying the thing. . .if he managed to get a clean kill.

As expected, the buck stopped to take a long drink from the lake. Taking a slow, deep breath, Bastian let the arrow loose, and it slammed home. The shot was clean and the buck fell in an instant. His father taught him how important a clean kill was when hunting. “You never want what you hunt to suffer. If you hit, but it isn’t a clean kill, the best thing you can do is end its suffering as quickly and painlessly as possible,” the words still echoed in Bastian’s mind.

By the time Bastian reached the stag, it had breathed its last breath. Setting his bow down, the hunter knelt down and lifted the stag up to drape it around his shoulders. The beast was heavy, and it was awkward, but it would be the easiest way to get it back to the rack he used to clean game. He grabbed his bow as he stood up and carefully made his way back to the cabin. The rest of his day was planned for him, as it would take him that long to skin and butcher the deer. By the time evening fell, his coffers would be stocked full with meat, some salted, some not. Dinner would be a venison steak.
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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Roan » August 19th, 2017, 5:57 pm

Bastian Vass
An hour later, Bastian was already in the middle of processing the deer. He had a long knife he used for such jobs which was razor sharp. On a table near by were his two axes and his bow, though he’d already unstrung it. The skin from his kill was hanging up off on one side, and he’d see to cleaning it later. For now, he was focused on butchering the various cuts of meat. His father was big on using everything from snout to tail, though Bastian just didn’t have a stomach for the organs. He’d set them aside and trade them with a farmer for some vegetables later in the day.

Just as Bastian was about to see about the tenderloin, he heard voices coming from behind him. . .near the cabin. He stopped what he was doing to listen, and didn’t like what he heard.

“Someone owns it. . .see the smoke?”

“No one’s home,” said another voice.

“Well. . .what if they never come home? This place is close enough to the road that we can hit caravans from time to time, but far enough away that we have a place to hide,” said a third voice.

“Not a bad thought,” said a forth. “What do you think, Winton?”

There were a few moments of silence before a fifth voice spoke, “I think it’s a fine plan. If there’s smoke, whoever owns the place will be near by. Find ‘em and kill ‘em.”

After sheathing his knife, Bastian grabbed his two axes off of the table. Whoever the men were, they were not there to see about bartering goods or services. The clearing where the deer was wasn’t all that far from the cabin, and Bastian intended to be out of site as long as possible. Five against one. . .the odds were not in his favor, but he wasn’t going to run away. His father taught him how to defend himself, and how to fight. The cabin was his family home, and he would defend it to his last breath.

As large as he was, Bastian could move quickly and silently through the woods, something else his father taught him when teaching him how to hunt. He was always mindful of where his feet went, mindful of what he brushed against, and careful not to step on anything that would give him away.

“Winton! Whoever it is, he’s close! Got a dead deer that’s half butchered here!” a voice called from behind him.

“Fan out! He can’t have gone far!”

Frowning, Bastian moved purposefully, still hoping for the element of surprise. The cabin was off to his right somewhere, and he intended to come up behind his would be attackers. As he came around to the front of the cabin, he saw one nervous looking man pacing in the clearing out front. He could hear the others off in the direction of the clearing he used to clean game.

Three quick strides saw Bastian clear the distance between him and the lone man ‘watching’ his cabin. He was quiet, but not quite quiet enough as the man turned just as Batian reached him, his right axe raised and ready to swing. The man blocked the initial swing, but the larger huntsman brought his left axe to bear, slashing into the man’s forearm. He cried out, which would give away Bastian’s position, but there was nothing to be done of it.

The man dropped his block as the first axe sliced into his arm. Bastian brought his right axe around, and landed a killing blow. He pulled back and looked towards the clearing. He heard someone shouting a name, but he also heard someone crashing through bushes, not bothering to be stealthy.

Bastian didn’t hesitate as he turned and went around to the backside of the cabin and slipped into the woods. He knew what direction the others would come from, and he wasn’t going to make things easy on them. Unfortunately, two of the group didn’t head straight from the clearing, and the huntsman came face to face with two of them.

“Well now, what do we have here,” said one who sounded like the one they were calling Winton. He stood not quite as tall as Bastian, but he was solidly built. A scar down the right side of his face, and another across one of his forearms spoke to a hard life. He currently held a sword and was pointing it at the hunter.

“Looks like we found the owner, boss,” said a man who was at least a foot shorter than Bastian, but likely weighed just as much judging from the man’s girth. He also held a sword, but while it looked like an extension of the one called Winton, it looked out of place in this man’s hands.
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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Roan » August 19th, 2017, 6:11 pm

Bastian Vass
Always go for the weaker targets first, his father’s words echoed in his mind as Bastian continued to size the two men up. In an instant, he was a flurry of motion as he charged the smaller bandit, whose eyes went wide. He held his sword up awkwardly to block Bastian’s left axe and just managed to parry the blow from the second, all the while as he was back-peddling. Bastian didn’t let up, though he knew the one called Winton was on the move. He ducked a slashing sword from his right as he pushed forward. The smaller man screamed as he tripped and fell backwards.

Seeing his chance, Bastian landed his axe between the man’s eyes. He didn’t stop moving, but he wasn’t fast enough to avoid Winton stabbing him through the shoulder. The pain exploded, and he roared as he rolled away, pulling his axes with him. He managed to come up on his feet facing Winton. He knew his cabin was behind him, and when he heard others crashing through the underbrush from either side, he only had one way to go. There was no way he could take on three men at one time.

Turning, he sprinted for his cabin, crashing through the back door, but Winton and another was on his heals. The cabin wasn’t overly big, and he had no intentions of staying in it long if he could help it. . .it would be too easy to get trapped. The second man to join Winton charged forward, swinging his sword wildly. Bastian brought his left axe up to block, but snarled with the pain. The injury cost him mobility, but he just managed to block it. Winton came up on his right and thrust at his midsection, but he managed to parry the blow as he backed up. The first man went to swing again, and knocked over an oil lantern that was lit, starting a fire.

Bastian couldn’t worry about the fire. . .he didn’t have time. It was his turn to back up, and he did his best to head for the front door to his cabin, pausing long enough to push the table at the first two. It gave him time to turn and get the door open before they cleared it. The fight continued in the clearing in front of his cabin. Bastian had trained with his father, and he’d seen a skirmish here or there, but he’d never had to fight off more than one attacker. Now that he was injured, he knew the odds were against him, but he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Bella » August 20th, 2017, 7:41 pm

[subtitle]Miahala Darrow Sedai[/subtitle]
Miahala could not remember why they were in Kandor. No, that wasn't true. She did remember, just wished she didn't.

"If Lady Ammelya ever sends for me again and claims that it is urgent, remind me to sew her poofy lips shut," Mia muttered once they were well far enough on the road for there to be no one to hear her outright petulance. Then again, she almost said that to Lady Ammelya when they were there. So maybe she wasn't very concerned about witnesses.

Nobility had always annoyed her. It may well have sent her running for the hills from Caden, had he not learned of it so late in life. She could tolerate it because she already loved him. Scarred face? No problem. Angry at the world? Easy. Voice that sounded like rocks being run down a washboard? Piece of cake.

Lord Ives? Kill me now.

Okay, maybe she was feeling a little feistier than usual because of the baby and all. Pregnancy had a habit of bringing that out in her, but she felt pretty close to this at other times too. She had traveled all the way to Kandor for what amounted to trivialities. Her! Miahala Sedai!

She was lured away from her thoughts by a thick plume of black smoke rising from the trees off to their left. She brought Seren to a halt and looked at Ravak before turning back. "That looks like more than a fireplace fire," she commented, then she thought she heard the sounds of a fight coming from the same direction. "We should investigate. Someone may need help."

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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Craig » August 25th, 2017, 11:42 pm

Ravak Darrow
The Warder - ever vigilant for danger - may have been amused by his wife's annoyance, had he not shared them. Nobles in Shienar were leaders of men, trusted fellows you would see on the battlefield, and not merely at the back overseeing proceedings. The business of those lords' wives and daughters were of no concern to the menfolk, as per the tradition of Shienar. Not so much in Kandor. Ravak had never been particularly traditional when it came to leaving women business to the womenfolk, but he wish it had applied for these last few hours. Lady Ammelya's name and face and voice were permanently scarred into Ravak's mind. Let's place Kandor alongside Amadicia and Tear as places never to visit again.

Impala made his own way along the road without more than the barest instruction from his rider. That was just as well, because Ravak found himself distracted by a scent in the air. It wasn't the smell of burning wood, although the Shienaran wouldn't have been able to smell it if he was standing in the inferno. His senses were attuned to violence, and violence had passed this way recently. He was looking towards the fire just a moment before Mia raised her voice in interest.

Rather than verbalising a response, Ravak pressed his heels into Impala's flank. He took a hold of the reins in one hand whilst drawing free his longsword in the other. The Gaidin was not versed in the arts of mounted combat, but he wanted a head start the second his boots hit the ground. Mia was close behind him, not that he glanced back. Irritation at nobles had been replaced by a keen focus from the both of them.

What the pair found was a cabin in the midst of the forest. Immediately in front of them was a clearing, into which a man was running. Behind him, moving out from a doorway that was backlit by flames, were two more men. Instinct told the Warder that these two latter individuals were to be trusted less than the former, but he opted to take neither side. Freeing his feet from the stirrups, Ravak slid from Impala's back, landing in a roll between the three men. As Impala rode back a little distance towards Seren, the Master of Arms drew his sword-breaker, pointing one blade in either direction.

"I demand to know what's happening," he called in a voice that brooked no argument. He was prepared to fight, but Ravak had no desire to take anyone's life today. Don't give me a reason to use these swords.
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Elan wrote:Of course, the problems with observing a chain of command arise when the one in command decides to do something unspeakably idiotic, like taking off on his own for no discernible reason in the middle of enemy territory.

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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Roan » August 26th, 2017, 10:26 pm

Bastian Vass
Where did they come from? Bastian wondered as the man slid off a horse between him and the one called Winton. One of Winton’s other men came to stand by his side, which left one more unaccounted for. The woman wasn’t quite in the middle of things, but she certainly wasn’t slinking away from the fight. There was something about her. . .something about both the new strangers. . . like a commanding presence, though the huntsman couldn’t exactly put words to it.

Was the man with the two swords friend or foe? There was no easy way to tell. Bastian’s lip twitched as he glared at the one called Winton. Behind the bandits, Bastian’s cabin was going up in flames. He still held his axes up as if waiting for someone to charge him while trying to keep an eye on those in the clearing that he did see.

He answered in his deep voice, unable to help snarling as he spoke, “These men thought to relieve me of my cabin and me of my life. I took exception to their plans.” He heard a twig snap behind him, and spun in time to see the last of Winton’s party crashing through the forest to launch himself at Bastian.

Letting go a roar as he turned to block the man’s wild swing with his sword, Bastian followed up with a swing of his axe, but the man jumped back. He slashed wildly and the huntsman blocked the next blow, but grunted with effort as pain vibrated along his left side as his shoulder protested. “Idiot,” Bastian snarled as he swung his other axe, landing a slicing blow through the other man’s forearm. The bandit’s sword and hand fell to the ground as he sunk to his knees, looking at his stump with horror in his eyes.

Winton and the other bandit decided then was a great time to make their next move. . .
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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Craig » August 26th, 2017, 11:07 pm

Ravak
When the fourth man appeared and blood was split, Ravak gave himself the barest moment to feel regret. His stomach dropped whilst a tingling sensation rushed over his skin. It was anxiety and fear.

But only for a moment.

The ko'di closed off such distractions. There were three armed men standing besides himself. The one with the axes had made his case, claiming this property as his own. Whatever counter argument the other men planned to give was irrelevant; they were the ones that smelled like violence. Even now, so soon after the moment, Ravak could taste the ash on his tongue from the scent of sulphur.

Arson.

The thought flickered on the outskirts of the ko'di before the sight of movement pulled him back into focus. The two bandits moved towards the house's owner and Ravak stood directly in their path. Rav turned to face them directly, angling the flat of his blades towards them, revealing the heron mark on his sword-breaker and the sinuous disc of black and white on the other.

"Look to my weapons," the Gaidin commanded. "I am a Blademaster of the Grey Tower. Lower your swords and you won't come to harm. I have my word."

One of the men paused from that eloquent little speech. The one with the scarred face did not. Maybe he didn't hear from the sound of blood pumping through his veins, or perhaps he didn't believe Ravak's claim about being a Blademaster. Unfortunately it didn't matter. He swung his blade towards Ravak, an arcing slash at chest level. With his sword-breaker, Ravak caught the weapon in a notch as he pulled down and towards him. The bandit's sword sunk into the ground between Ravak's boots. Scarface hadn't the wisdom to let go of the hilt, so he was tugged towards the Blademaster's other sword pommel. His nose connected with an audible crunch, then he fell straight back on the ground from the rebound off Ravak's blade.

Rav's attention shifted to the man that had paused, now that his companion was disarmed and stunned. "Lower your weapon." Ravak stalked towards the man, limiting the time he had to think. He was pressing the situation towards a conclusion one way or the other.
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Elan wrote:Of course, the problems with observing a chain of command arise when the one in command decides to do something unspeakably idiotic, like taking off on his own for no discernible reason in the middle of enemy territory.

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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Roan » August 26th, 2017, 11:21 pm

Bastian
Blademaster? Bastian looked to the man who stunned Winton with another level of respect. He remembered his father speaking about blademasters, and what it took to earn the right to carry weapons marked with the Heron.

The last of Winton’s men thought better of his predicament and dropped his sword. He then pointed at Winton, “This was all his idea. He saw the cabin, n thought it would be a good base for us. We didn’t know anyone was still here. We thought it was abandoned.”

Bastian growled, “Liar! You knew I was here. I heard you.” He lowered both of his axes as he shook his head, “I had no quarrel with you, yet you came here and destroyed my home. You would have killed me. You are filth.” He looked to his cabin, his brows furrowed as anger still clung to him. What now? Rebuild?

Pushing any thought of his future to the back of his mind, Bastian looked from the woman, who he now assumed was likely an Aes Sedai, to the man, “Thank you for your aid, Blademaster. I doubt I could have handled all three of them. They were less than happy I managed to kill two of their own.”

The Huntsman’s anger started to ebb away, and with it, the adrenalin that had kept his mind off of his injured shoulder. It wasn’t a mortal wound, but still, he’d lost a lot of blood. His dark complexion turned ashen. “Why. . .are there now two of you?” With that, the giant of a man fell to the ground, passing out in a very unmanly way.
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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Bella » September 1st, 2017, 12:24 am

A cabin aflame. Armed men with dangerous intent. Bloodshed. Hard words and hard lines.

...and Mia didn't get to kill anyone.

Between her husband with the two swords, the stranger with the two axes, and Mia with her too little ability to wrangle the One Power like she had when she wasn't pregnant...well, they ended the battle quickly. Most dead and one surrendered, done with as Ravak saw fit. There was certainly benefits to having a warder. Aside from that which interrupted her channeling.

Miahala turned her keen blue-green eyes to the big one and immediately saw the blood soaking his clothing. Just as she was dismounting, he passed out.

She was hardly a Yellow, but she was able to Heal some--as soon as she could get Saidar to listen--and she wasn't heartless. This man had been clearly attacked and his home was in ashes. She sensed truth about him, and the words of the one surrendering confirmed it, so she moved to the big man's side.

The Green left the remaining bandits to her husband while she closed her eyes and dragged the One Power to her. It came, if sluggishly, and she deftly wove the Delving net. "He's lost a lot of blood," she said, forming the Healing weave and letting it fall over him and knit together his wounds.

Some might question if it was their responsibility to care for them, but did not Aes Sedai mean servant of all? "He's going to be ravenous when he wakes," she commented.

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Re: When the Hunter becomes the Hunted [attn: Bella and Craig]

Post by Craig » September 6th, 2017, 10:35 pm

Ravak
What Rav did with the leftover bandit was knock his lights out. Part of the required training for a Drin was to learn how to tie knots in rope, but even a bundled parcel could still squirm. This way he would be nice and unmoving until they got him to the local magistrate, or perhaps back to the Tower. And what an unfortunate surprise that ought to be. Shaking his fist from the strike, the Shienaran walked back over to his wife and their new concern. If something could be done for the house then it was outside his power, and Miahala was busy tending to the axeman. It seemed unfortunate and wrong just to ignore it, but he didn't have an ocean in his pocket to solve the situation.

"He's going to be ravenous when he wakes," the Green commented as she straightened up. Rav could feel that she'd channelled, even without needing to see the mended wounds.

"And where's he going to wake?" Rav asked, scratching his beard. "I really don't fancy going back to Lady Ammelya. And it's what, an hour to the nearest town?" He glanced towards Impala, who'd collected himself and had come up beside Seren. They'd not really been riding for too long. "We can carry two extra on the horses for an hour. Dump them both there for the locals to deal with."

Looking back at the axeman, a sigh escaped Ravak's lips. "I hate to say it, but he could be good in the Yards. And he probably has a better chance of survival - both physically and mentally - if we take him back to the Tower. The Yellows will make sure of that."

Rav cast a wary glance back to his wife. "What do you think? Nearest town, or the Tower? How long would it take to open a Gateway, if you can?"
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Elan wrote:Of course, the problems with observing a chain of command arise when the one in command decides to do something unspeakably idiotic, like taking off on his own for no discernible reason in the middle of enemy territory.

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