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Bernon got out his cooking gear, and Mike pulled some snares out of his backpack and set off into the gathering darkness to lay them out. "When you're ready," he said to Tanrial before he left, "Come out and see if you can shoot some rabbits with that bow of yours. I doubt these snares will catch us much this late."
(Welp it's basically bed time now, this will be the time I log off for the next three weeks or so. Seeya tomorrow!)
Tanrial nodded, tending to the fire she had made for a little longer.
(Alright, seeya tomorrow!)
(sorry, what? I'm not sure what that means?)
(Stupid auto correct, one sec)
(Hiya! Wasn't sure if you would still be up ^^ How much more time do you have, for future reference?)
(Umm, (it’s only 9:30pm) depends on the day so maybe on hour or so??)
(Sweet! I'll also be trying to get up even earlier so this could be a good system ^^)
(Yeah, look like it)
Bernon retrieved the plants he'd gathered that morning and started to cut and clean them. "If you find a little plant out there that looks like clover with tiny yellow flowers, can you bring some back? I think they grow around here, maybe along the side of the road."
“Got it. I’m gonna go hunt some rabbits.”
(Sorry, I’ve gotta go, I’ll be back as soon as I can)
(Okay, seeya later ^^)
"All right, be careful."
Tanrial nodded and slung her bow over her back, treading off onto the road. She ventured a little ways into the forest they had just emerged from, climbing up a tall oak tree ad reading her bow.
The moon rose, bathing everything in light once more. Mike could be seen in the field, setting traps and scouting for edible plants. For a while, nothing stirred in the forest. Then, a small herd of deer appeared, cautiously picking their way out into the open. A few passed right below Tanrial's tree.
She shot, taking one of the larger deer out with two arrows. The others scattered and she only had time to shoot a fawn. Swinging down the tree with careful grace, she placed the fawn on her shoulders and difted the adult with a gust of wind. She was fairly drained so what should have been a five minute walk turned into fifteen.
The camp was just a few feet away when there came the sound of something howling faintly in the distance. A huge shadow passed over them, and something blocked out the moon for a moment. Bernon shielded the fire with his hands so it wouldn't be seen, and Mike was a black shadow dropping into the grass nearby.
After a few seconds, the thing passed over and all was quiet again.
Tanrial swallowed and quickly made the last few feet, gently placing the deer to the ground.
Bernon looked at her with wide eyes. "What the heck was that?" he asked very quietly.
“Nayla…” She said looking up in the direction it flew.
"Sorry, what?"
“Nayla. They’re like a mix between a dragon and a demon. But mostly demon…I thought they were a myth, a story told to children to keep them from misbehaving… clearly not.”
Mike joined them, his expression dark. "Is that what you guys call them? I've been calling them Sky Cats. Luckily I noticed that only the young ones go for humans. We're not a big enough meal for the adults."
"That's…good, I guess," Bernon said, starting to boil some water.
“They are far from cats, Mike.” Tanrial grabbed a dagger and started to skin the deer.
"Mm. They're solitary, nocturnal, acrobatic, and mean-tempered. That's close enough for me."
Bernon sighed. "I've never seen one before. They must not live further west where I come from."
(brb)
“Probably…” She sighed and began cutting the meat.
"Well, that'll motivate whoever's on watch to stay awake, anyhow," Mike said, helping Tanrial with the deer. After a minute he changed the subject. "This is a lot of venison. If we cook and dry it all it should last us for another day at least. Good work, Tanrial."
She smiled a little, “Thanks but it was nothing, really.”
Mike nodded at Bernon. "You did goo too, finding those plants earlier. Maybe you guys aren't as helpless as I originally thought."
Bernon straightened indignantly. "We were both perfectly fine and capable long before we met you, sir. Give us some credit."
Tanrial made a fake, shocked face, “I am insulted you thought we weren’t capable before. Oh the pain on my poor heart.” She said grinning.
Mike rolled his eyes, and Bernon snickered. "Don't waste your wit on this guy, Tanrial. He's got as much sense of humor as a hunk of petrified wood. Pass me some of that meat? The water's boiling."