Hunting

"Darian?" Keisha asked as they were eating breakfast, "Do you have anything you need to do today? I would like a chance to get out of the Vale for a bit and Cala wants to do some hunting."

"Not really," Darian replied. "Firesong told me that he was not going to teach me today because we were both up late last night dealing with a pack of wyrsa."

Keisha shuddered. She did not like the scale-covered blends of snake and dog. They traveled in packs and their fangs were extremely poisonous. If you killed one, you had to kill the rest of the pack or they would hunt you forever. She had only seen them once, and she did not want to again. "I trust that neither of you was hurt, seeing as you didn't wake me up when you came back last night?" she asked.

"We were both fine," he assured her. "Now, about going on an excursion outside the Vale. I think that is a wonderful idea. Kuari wants to go hunting as well. We had him flying scout last night, which means that he didn't get to help dispatch the wyrsa. His hunting instincts have been aroused since last night and that did not make for restful sleeping. Maybe hunting will calm him down."

"And I would like to gather some herbs," she told him. "The hertasi usually do it, but it will be a nice change to gather them myself."

"Good," he said, "then it's settled. I think I'll do some hunting myself as well. Go get your baskets and things, and I will get my bow and let someone know where we're going. I'll meet you at the entrance to the Vale." With that, he got up, kissed her and left the eating hall.

Once she left the hall Keisha called to Cala. The hawk landed on her wrist looking rather upset. :What's wrong sweetheart: she asked her bondbird.

:Crows teasing me and chasing me: Cala replied.

:I'll talk to Daystorm about it tomorrow: Keisha told her. :Darian and I are going outside the Vale to do some hunting and gathering. Would you like to hunt:

:Yes: Keisha could tell Cala was excited. Neither of them had been outside the Vale since they bonded.

:Come on then.: Keisha boosted Cala into the air and began the walk to the small house she shared with Darian, Cala winging her way behind her. She and Darian, unlike most of the rest of the inhabitants of the Vale, still preferred to live on the ground rather than roosting in a tree. After gathering her things, she headed for the Vale entrance. Darian was already there, waiting for her with his owl, Kuari, on his shoulder.

"I told Snowfire where we are going," he told her when she reached him. "He said it was a good idea and that he would have come as well if he weren't so busy. I also asked Kel if he wanted to come, but he was hunting all day yesterday, and, much as he likes hunting, he's not sure he wants to do so two days in a row."

"Well," Keisha grinned, "then it's just the two of us." Kuari hooted, and Cala flew down and pulled at the feather in her hair before landing on her shoulder. "Four of us," she corrected herself. "Well, let's go then."

They spent a delightful day, with Darian and Kuari hunting, Keisha gathering her herbs, and Cala dividing her time between the two activities. They returned to the Vale as the sun began to set, and arrived just in time for dinner. Since neither of the bondbirds were hungry, having eaten quite a bit of what they had caught, they flew up and roosted in the rafters while their bondmates ate.

"So," Darian asked, "did you enjoy our day together, ashke? I certainly did. Hunting is a nice change from lessons in magecraft."

"Don't even try pretending you hate learning magecraft as much as you did when you were twelve!" Keisha told him.

"Alright," he grinned, "so I don't, but you still haven't answered my question."

"For your information," she said, "I enjoyed it very much. As I said this morning, I've never been hunting with Cala before. It was…an unusual experience."

Darian knew exactly what she meant. He had felt the same way when he first experienced the euphoria of the kill radiating down his bond with Kuari. For Keisha, who was a healer, this must have been a stranger experience than it had been for him. "Did you get all the herbs you needed?"

"Yes, I did"

"Good." He yawned. "Then, if you have no objection, I think it's time we both went to bed"

She grinned at him, the yawned herself. "I quite agree with you. Shall we go?" Arm in arm, they walked out, following the path towards their small house; Kuari and Cala winging silently after them.