Hungry Like a Wolf

Posted on 09 Aug 2022 @ 5:53pm by Mage Kalian Winter & Warrior Katya Charbonnet (Shar-bon-ay)

1,838 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Once Upon a Codex
Location: the forest outside Jader
Timeline: 9:30 Dragon, mid-Blight in Ferelden (about 3.5 years in the past)

OOC: A few days after post "Not the Hard-Knock Life"

With the influx of Fereldens displaced by the Blight, meat was in short supply in Jader. Kalian's sister and father struggled to source good food to serve their customers, whilst keeping their prices reasonable. His new friend Katya had mentioned similar supply problems at the orphanage, and she had suggested they hunt together.

Kalian waited at the northwest edge of Jader on the Imperial Highway, past the fully-occupied Grey Warden compound, ready to hunt with his bow and a full quiver of arrows. All was cold and gray in the pre-dawn light. He had suggested meeting here instead of the Raven, to avoid his family's disapproval. Hunting wild animals was dangerous. Alone, he could utilize his magic to defend himself. With a partner, he might have to reveal his apostasy.

Katya walked up to Kalian. She was ready to hunt. The kids needed food and with the blight and everything food wasn't nearly as plentiful as it used to be. However both she and Kalian would see what they could catch for all their loved ones. "Morning Kalian. Ready to hunt?"

"I am indeed," said Kalian with a grin. He started walking down a footpath that led away from the road toward the forest. Even though he had the distinct impression Katya wasn't interested in him as more than a friend, she was very attractive and he could not resist adding an experimental flirtatious comment. "Rising early to spend the day with a beautiful and dangerous woman... I'm a lucky man."

"I appreciate the flattery my friend, truly I do. However I should let you know I only date other women. However were I interested in men, then I might go for you. That said I am glad we are friends."

"Ah." Kalian nodded to himself, then grinned. "Good to know. Me personally, sometimes I'm attracted to men, but usually women. Regardless, I admire you and consider myself lucky to spend the day in your company. Friendship without complication, I think I'll like that."

"Thanks Kalian! You're a good guy. I think we will be good friends!"

The main footpath led to Caldera Springs Lake, a popular place for ordinary folk to go swimming in the summer. An estate that belonged to a local noble family occupied a section of the lake at the far end and featured a natural hot-spring pool. It was not uncommon for teens to sneak onto the estate grounds to use the heated pool when the family was away in Val Royeaux. But Kalian veered away from the lake and into the deep forest along a deer trail. "Where did you learn to hunt, Katya?"

"Oh gosh, well it was a man named Hugo Beringer. A local huntsmen. He took a shine to a persistent teenager who wanted to learn how to hunt. I basically kept pestering him until he gave me a try. It went about as well as you can expect for a first hunt. Still he saw potential in me and took me under his wing. Pretty soon I was a half decent hunter. I kept practicing until I was an excellent hunter. I like to go out when I can, especially in times like this when supplies like meat are scarce to make sure all the kids at the orphanage have enough to eat!"

"Hunting is a useful skill, especially now. My father taught me the basics of handling a bow when I was a kid. Before-" Kalian hesitated, recalling the chevalier who had murdered his mother, crippled his father, and triggered the manifestation of Kalian's magic. "Well, back when my dad could walk and draw a bow himself. My grandmother taught me the rest, but as you say, getting better takes practice."

"Hugo Beringer... the name sounds familiar. Is he still around?" asked Kalian.

"Oh yes! He and I still get together now and then and hunt! He's getting old but that old man has still got it! He's pretty well known in these parts! He is a master hunter!" Katya said with a smile. "He can be cantankerous at times, but he's really a lovable old guy when you get to know him!"

Kalian recalled where he'd heard the name. A warning from his grandmother that Hugo Beringer was indeed an expert huntsman – skilled enough to identify the difference between a deer killed with an arrow and a deer killed with magic then stuck with an arrow for appearances. "I remember now. He has quite the reputation, but I haven't met Monsieur Beringer personally. You were lucky to have such an excellent teacher."

"I most certainly am!" Katya said with a smile.

The two friends stopped chatting as they made their way deeper into the forest, to avoid alerting game to their presence. Passing a shallow stream, they noticed deer tracks in the mud, and the torn tender new leaves of shrubs, indicating deer had been grazing.

Kalian gestured to the torn leaves, the tracks, then ahead to where he thought the deer were headed. He hoped it was a herd of bucks. If he'd been alone, he would have shifted to wolf so he could detect if it was a herd of does and their young, and whether other predators were in the area. Instead he quietly adjusted his quiver of arrows for easy reach and nocked an arrow but didn't draw his longbow. Then he looked to Katya to check she was ready.

Katya nodded as she had an arrow ready. She saw the tracks and suspected their prey was near. With luck, they could get enough meat for the orphanage!

Checking the direction of the light breeze, Kalian crept forward slowly. They were at least downwind, so even though he was limited to human senses, the deer would not smell them. But if he or Katya made a sound, the deer would be warned.

The olive-green light of the dense forest brightened slightly ahead. They were approaching a clearing. Kalian caught Katya's gaze to confirm she'd noticed also, then proceeded with utmost caution. Finally, the two humans still mostly concealed by forest undergrowth, they could see six young bucks grazing, and a seventh buck sporting a magnificent rack of antlers with his head up, alert, attention directed away from Kalian and Katya. Kalian drew his bow.

Katya did the same. One shot did not always take down the deer. She would be ready. However if Kalian got the buck in the leg then that would slow him down for Kalian to take the killing shot and she could go after another deer. There were a lot of mouths to feed at the orphanage and the more meat the better!

Kalian indicated his target with the tip of his arrow, a buck to their left at the edge of the clearing. It was best if they both shot their prey at the same time, since one arrow would send the whole small herd running, and they might not get another chance with spooked deer. The difficult part would be tracking an injured deer, if one of their shots wasn't lethal. Kalian waited for Katya's signal that she'd chosen her target.

She nodded to him and cocked her head at the sizable buck. She knocked her arrow and waited for him to take his shot.

The muscles of Kalian's back and arms pulled against the tension in the bow, and he did not hesitate any longer. Taking careful aim, his thumb just brushing the anchor point along his jawline, Kalian relaxed his fingers on the bowstring, and loosed an arrow. Crimson erupted from the buck's neck where the arrow lodged deep. The creature shuddered, turned and staggered a few steps, then collapsed.

Katya smiled. Andraste has surely smiled on them. She quickly let loose on another deer she had her eye on. That deer dropped almost as quickly as the other one the rest of the herd scattered. Now there would be food. Still there were a lot of kids at the orphanage and the staff and Kalian was going to have his cut. It was only fair after all as he did half the work. Still this was a good start. Usually it took several days of hunting to get enough of the orphanage for a while but she was dedicated and would do whatever it took.

"A successful hunt," said Kalian, and clapped Katya on the shoulder. He jogged to the deer he'd dropped and pulled a dagger from his belt to cut its jugular to make certain it was dead. With a silent prayer to Andraste and to Andruil, he started to gut the animal. The clearing was now empty, the rest of the deer long gone and unlikely to return to this particular clearing anytime soon, but two bucks was almost more than he and Katya could carry back to town. When he was done dressing his buck, Kalian looked to Katya to see how she was getting along.

Katya had almost finished herself. This was good. She took a moment to thank andraste for the gift. These creature's gave it's life so that others may live. It would go a ways for the children. She was properly grateful for the gift. "We have been blessed this day my friend. A good hunt!"

Kalian regarded the two field-dressed deer. He was confident that he and Katya could carry their kills for a short distance, but it would be a long walk back to Jader. The guts were already attracting flies, and the blood would bring larger predators. "The downside of such a successful hunt is, now we have to get the game home. Probably best to make a couple of travois, unless you have a better idea?"

"I'm all for that Kalian! Let's do that and get these back to where they can be properly butchered and we can get the meat to those that need it."

Together, Kalian and Katya managed to find four sturdy tree branches, fashioned them into two drag-sleds, and lashed a deer carcass onto each. Then began the walk back to town pulling a travois with the spoils of their hunt, subjectively much longer than their hike into the forest had been. As they got close to Jader's outskirts, Kalian said, "Let's avoid walking past the Grey Warden compound, in case they try to 'conscript' one of the deer." He veered slightly, closer to the river. "My family will be very pleased with this deer. Fresh venison to serve customers, plus we'll be able to take good hearty stew to the alienage and the refugee camp."

"Yes and this will help the orphanage as well! A good venison stew can go a long way! Times are difficult. We two are blessed as we are able to find food but we need to help those less fortunate than us. " Katya said

"We are indeed blessed," said Kalian firmly. "And I count myself blessed to be your friend."

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