OPEN

[hornedomen]

Date & Time: All throughout January
Location: Outside places.
Characters: Ico and you!
Summary: Hunting and following hunters.
Warnings: Animals will die.

[a]

[The natural talents of a Sacrifice could only go so far. Though Ico picked up the bow and arrow with eerie efficiency, hunting was an entirely different matter. Not all his hunts were successful. It took time and failures for him to learn. Though at times he grew frustrated, he persevered.

Successful hunts ended in the death of a small animal such as birds. Ico did not enjoy it, but it was necessary. He prayed over the animal in a strange language. Because he had never hunted back in Toksa, he made up the prayers, and even the act itself. Once he finished, he hesitantly grabbed his knife.]

How am I supposed to do this?

[b]

[What better way to learn than by learning from a hunter? The hunters of Toksa village often hunted in groups, so he believed that by joining others, he would also better his chances of a successful hunt. Should Ico see another person hunting, he did not hesitate to follow. Snow crunched loudly under his feet as he quickly approached.]

Hey! [He waved to get their attention.] May I hunt with you? I'm still learning.

Comments

[B]

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris had only hunted when he absolutely had to back home, when he couldn't find a market stall he could steal from. But things were dire, and he moves silently through the snow, sword at the ready, poised for any prey that happens to come his way.

And then Ico decided to be loud.]

That much is obvious. If you are unable to be silent, you will not hunt anything.

[At least that wasn't a no?]

[hornedomen]

[He hushed his voice.] Sorry.

[In the absence of a no, he followed Fenris. It sounded as good as an invitation. If Fenris did not want him around, he assumed Fenris would tell him. Ico held his bow in his hands.]

[Quietly:] What are you hunting?

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris walks in silence for a moment, before exhaling]

Whatever I happen to find.

[hornedomen]

[Now he was beginning to see that he should just stay quiet. He nodded and he did not say another word. While he looked around, he noticed something. He reached out to tap Fenris' arm and he pointed to where he saw movement in the distance.]

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris turned with a scowl, ready to berate the youngster again, but...oh, there was indeed something. He gives the smallest of nods, to acknowledge Ico did well, before starting to stalk quietly after the prey]

[hornedomen]

[He observed the way Fenris moved and followed him closely. The animal they followed was unlike any that Ico had seen before. If Ico were to try to describe the arctic fox, it looked closest to a dog to him.

He raised his bow and he looked at Fenris for guidance.]

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris turned to watch him, before sinking down closer to the snow. Pointing to Ico, then to the fox, lowering his hand too. Sneak up, quietly, and shoot the thing down]

[a]

[inhumanity]

Which part of it? The killing, or what comes after?

[Hello, friend! Christopher may have popped up from nowhere, but given the kris in his hand, dark enough to eat light and stained in blood, it's pretty obvious what he has been doing. Of course, he approaches Ico with a bright, friendly smile. Because friends are great.]

[hornedomen]

[He did not expect an answer, especially when he did not hear anyone coming. The knife dropped next to the still bird.]

Christopher? What are you doing out here? [He looked at the blade in his hand. So he was out hunting, too?

Oh, right, he asked him a question.] I mean the part that comes after.

[inhumanity]

[The knife disappears, which is apparently Christopher's version of answering the question.] The feathers have to come off first. But in this weather, you ought to head back before doing that sort of thing. As great as it is that you're challenging Nature, she'll probably win and kill you if you stay out here too long.

[hornedomen]

It's not that cold.

[But he picked up the knife and bird like he was getting ready to leave. It was much warmer now that he had cover for his horns. He tugged on one of the warmers, getting a spot of blood on it.]

Do I skin it or do I have to pull them all out?

[inhumanity]

The skin should stay on for the cooking. You need to remove the feathers and the innards.

[Christopher's information is second-hand from listening to humans talk about it, but he is reasonably confident that this is correct. If it isn't, then now is the time to find out.]

[hornedomen]

[He turned the bird around in his arms. He saw how Charlie removed the insides of a deer, but how would he do that to a bird? They did not look similar, so their insides might be different.]

Would you help me, please? We can go inside. I live nearby.

a!

[postpones]

I'd say "soak it in water," but you're gonna have to strip away the stuff on the outside too.

[have a shadow cast from the front. No ambushes here, hah.

That fur doesn't look very edible, by the by]

Maybe you could take a video of it.

Re: a!

[hornedomen]

Kirika!

[He smiled happily. He was glad to see her again. The rabbit did not move, even as he turned it around. The fur was not edible, he knew, but his problem was removing it to begin with.]

Why should I make a video? Wouldn't everyone get upset?

[postpones]

Not...everyone. Just the squeamish ones, I think. [vote of confidence right here, isn't it]

And with so many people watching, there's always the chance that you could reach somebody who knows what to do.

[she prods the rabbit slightly] Dead? Or just knocked out?

[hornedomen]

[He did not look certain. It still seemed like a video would be a bad idea.]

It's dead. [He turned it around. The white rabbit had a streak of red across its neck.]

This doesn't upset you? I don't think anyone else wants to see a video.

[postpones]

[moving in closer to examine!]

Neat. [the kill, mostly, rather than any particular appreciation for the morbid. She doesn't have quite as much patience for tidiness]

You could try to describe what you want help with, but wouldn't it be easier with some visual illustration?

[hornedomen]

Probably. It'd be even better if someone could show me how to do it here in person. Maybe I could ask Rinth; she's always hunting.

[He considered it for a moment. It was difficult to tell if Rinth would help him.] Or, do you know any hunters, Kirika?

01/06 [A]

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan stumbled upon Ico by chance; he'd been out hunting, too, and was on his way back home with his catch (just a rabbit, today). He hears Ico's question before he sees the boy; it's only a few minutes later that Bariyan finds him behind a snowdrift.

He called out while he was still far away, to alert Ico to his presence. ]

Hello! What have you got there?

[hornedomen]

It's. [Uh. What was it? He shouted over his shoulder.] I think it's a dog!

[It was not a dog; it was an arctic fox. Ico looked at who was coming. He did not know his voice, but something about him was familiar. Only when he came closer did the boy recognise his face.

No.

He froze, much like a frightened deer.]

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan, oblivious to Ico's strange reaction, drew in and dropped to a crouch to examine the animal. No. No, indeed, this was not a dog. ]

A fox, actually! [ Carefully, Bariyan placed his own kill back down in the snow; it was already dressed and cooled, and he wasn't terribly worried about it spoiling. Not in this weather. ] You could make a nice fur out of this thing. And dinner, I suppose.

[hornedomen]

[This was Bariyan. He could not forget him. Bariyan looked different now, but this was him. Ico did not stop looking at him, not even to assess the fox's fur.]

You're back. [He said coolly. Martin was not here, he did not have to hide his resentment.] Martin will be happy to know. Did you see him yet?

[stonefaith]

No, not back. [ Bariyan's digging about his own person now, looking for something. ] There was someone else here with my name and my face, a few months back. I'm not him.

[ He finds his knife, and unsheathes it. Then he smiles at Ico. ]

I have seen Martin, though. Are you a friend of his?

[hornedomen]

[Ico started, jumping to his feet. He did not trust Bariyan enough to believe he would not harm him. Seeing the knife, he grabbed his shield.]

You're lying! That doesn't make sense.