Post by The Smith on Jun 13, 2008 11:36:49 GMT -5
Aranya rode through the wood, alert and watchful. Wenhaver was sensitive and obedient, eager to please her mistress. Their minds were linked; Aranya’s bond with her grey mare was a close and powerful thing, even deeper than her bond with her hounds.
She controlled the falcon in the sky, periodically checking through its eyes to see if there were any others in the woods. On the ground, she controlled the dogs, sifting through the smells to find the one she was looking for. Then a black wolfhound picked up the scent, and set off, baying in excitement. The pack followed. Aranya put her heels to her horse, and Wenhaver shot off like an arrow, jumping over fallen trunks and never missing a beat or slowing down as she followed the hounds. She was swift and sure-footed, and her rider steered her safely through the undergrowth. Aranya weaved the mare expertly through the trees that grew thick together, maintaining a tight rein and relying on her horsemanship and Wenhaver’s agility.
Something flashed across her vision from the left, and then Wenhaver swerved and half-reared in fright, her ears laced back flatly against her head. Aranya fought to maintain her seat in the saddle and quiet the alarmed mare, murmuring to her softly and reassuring her with her mind. Aranya hefted her spear, looking around, but it was just a hawk, flying in the sky now. In the distance, the hounds were still baying, and Aranya kicked Wenhaver after the, inserting herself into the black hound’s mind to see where he was.
And then she saw what they were hunting.
As Aranya galloped up, the hounds’ barking was answered by a deep, rumbling, angry roar. Aranya could sense Wenhaver’s fear. The hounds had drawn together in a pack, but as the big brown bear roared and prepared to charge, Aranya made the dogs scatter in different directions, confusing the bear and making it hard for him to find one target. He blinked, growled, and then fixed his small angry eyes on the human and horse. Wenhaver’s nostrils were flaring.
Aranya turned her grey mare to face the bear, and steadied her spear.
The bear charged.
Aranya kicked Wenhaver forward, yelling, and despite her terror the horse obeyed, charging bravely and keeping a steady line. Aranya shifted her path as they approached, swerving off to the side and thrusting with her long spear. It had been an excellent cut, piercing through the hair and thick hide. The bear roared with pain and anger. The hounds came at him from behind, ripping at his flanks and legs, but Aranya made them retreat again as the bear turned to kill them. She wheeled Wenhaver around and charged again, and at that moment the hounds resumed their attack. The bear snarled and turned away from the charging hunter to deal with those attacking from behind, and Aranya’s spear sank into the bear’s shoulder. Wenhaver reared up, allowing her rider to aim a cut at the bear’s neck. Aranya tried once, didn’t manage to hit hard enough, and quickly thrust deep into the other shoulder, cutting muscle and tendons.
The spear and bear were bloody now, and even as the bear killed one of the hounds, Aranya pierced deep into the bear’s belly, backing the horse away as the bear desperately lunged at her, howling. She had to use all her skill with horse and spear to evade his long-reaching swipes, with those terrible claws. She used the spear to knock away his paw when she could, putting all her strength into it, summoning the hounds to distract again as she rode in a circle around the bear. She whistled to the black hound, who was in charge of the pack, and he led an attack on the bear’s left side, while Aranya charged from the right. The bear reared up on his hind legs, but Wenhaver, snorting with fear, cantered behind him at the last moment and Aranya thrust twice with her spear. She had to trust the horse to listen to her every command with alacrity, for using the spear meant that Aranya had to let go of the reins quite often. Luckily, the horse was perfectly obedient to her rider, even when she was frightened.
The attack continued, and Wenhaver grew more and more fearless, trusting Aranya to lead her through this safely. Aranya managed to maneuver the horse closer, and though she was bleeding in one arm, she managed to find innovative ways to hit and strike with the spear, and block the bear’s blows with it. She continued to attack the beast with her spear, meeting its ferocity with shrewd cunning Finally, the hounds overcame the bear, and she cut deep into its neck, and the wild bear was finished.
The hounds and the horse were trying to recover their breath, both she could sense exultation and relief in both of them. “Good boys,” she said, stroking their heads and they crowded around her horse and leaped up to sniff and lick her. “And you were a brave girl,” she added, stroking the mare’s damp neck. Wenhaver blew, growing calm.
Result:
Aranya advances towards Grandmaster Horse-riding
Aranya advances towards Grandmaster Spear
She controlled the falcon in the sky, periodically checking through its eyes to see if there were any others in the woods. On the ground, she controlled the dogs, sifting through the smells to find the one she was looking for. Then a black wolfhound picked up the scent, and set off, baying in excitement. The pack followed. Aranya put her heels to her horse, and Wenhaver shot off like an arrow, jumping over fallen trunks and never missing a beat or slowing down as she followed the hounds. She was swift and sure-footed, and her rider steered her safely through the undergrowth. Aranya weaved the mare expertly through the trees that grew thick together, maintaining a tight rein and relying on her horsemanship and Wenhaver’s agility.
Something flashed across her vision from the left, and then Wenhaver swerved and half-reared in fright, her ears laced back flatly against her head. Aranya fought to maintain her seat in the saddle and quiet the alarmed mare, murmuring to her softly and reassuring her with her mind. Aranya hefted her spear, looking around, but it was just a hawk, flying in the sky now. In the distance, the hounds were still baying, and Aranya kicked Wenhaver after the, inserting herself into the black hound’s mind to see where he was.
And then she saw what they were hunting.
As Aranya galloped up, the hounds’ barking was answered by a deep, rumbling, angry roar. Aranya could sense Wenhaver’s fear. The hounds had drawn together in a pack, but as the big brown bear roared and prepared to charge, Aranya made the dogs scatter in different directions, confusing the bear and making it hard for him to find one target. He blinked, growled, and then fixed his small angry eyes on the human and horse. Wenhaver’s nostrils were flaring.
Aranya turned her grey mare to face the bear, and steadied her spear.
The bear charged.
Aranya kicked Wenhaver forward, yelling, and despite her terror the horse obeyed, charging bravely and keeping a steady line. Aranya shifted her path as they approached, swerving off to the side and thrusting with her long spear. It had been an excellent cut, piercing through the hair and thick hide. The bear roared with pain and anger. The hounds came at him from behind, ripping at his flanks and legs, but Aranya made them retreat again as the bear turned to kill them. She wheeled Wenhaver around and charged again, and at that moment the hounds resumed their attack. The bear snarled and turned away from the charging hunter to deal with those attacking from behind, and Aranya’s spear sank into the bear’s shoulder. Wenhaver reared up, allowing her rider to aim a cut at the bear’s neck. Aranya tried once, didn’t manage to hit hard enough, and quickly thrust deep into the other shoulder, cutting muscle and tendons.
The spear and bear were bloody now, and even as the bear killed one of the hounds, Aranya pierced deep into the bear’s belly, backing the horse away as the bear desperately lunged at her, howling. She had to use all her skill with horse and spear to evade his long-reaching swipes, with those terrible claws. She used the spear to knock away his paw when she could, putting all her strength into it, summoning the hounds to distract again as she rode in a circle around the bear. She whistled to the black hound, who was in charge of the pack, and he led an attack on the bear’s left side, while Aranya charged from the right. The bear reared up on his hind legs, but Wenhaver, snorting with fear, cantered behind him at the last moment and Aranya thrust twice with her spear. She had to trust the horse to listen to her every command with alacrity, for using the spear meant that Aranya had to let go of the reins quite often. Luckily, the horse was perfectly obedient to her rider, even when she was frightened.
The attack continued, and Wenhaver grew more and more fearless, trusting Aranya to lead her through this safely. Aranya managed to maneuver the horse closer, and though she was bleeding in one arm, she managed to find innovative ways to hit and strike with the spear, and block the bear’s blows with it. She continued to attack the beast with her spear, meeting its ferocity with shrewd cunning Finally, the hounds overcame the bear, and she cut deep into its neck, and the wild bear was finished.
The hounds and the horse were trying to recover their breath, both she could sense exultation and relief in both of them. “Good boys,” she said, stroking their heads and they crowded around her horse and leaped up to sniff and lick her. “And you were a brave girl,” she added, stroking the mare’s damp neck. Wenhaver blew, growing calm.
Result:
Aranya advances towards Grandmaster Horse-riding
Aranya advances towards Grandmaster Spear