misborncat | Carpe - When the hunting is good... [Closed]

"Winters in my home land are rather long, by any standard," Benjen shares, wanting to allow Asato into his life more. He's just not certain Asato is interested, but he is a patient man. "It is good. We can enjoy each other in the outdoors while doing something useful."

Asato is always interested in hearing more about the places others come from, though it's not often that people share that information with him.

"I see. Then, I hope that this at least is a pleasant one for you." He smiles, a quick flash of fangs. "The weather and the forest here are both very kind and as there is not much hunting being done, many of the animals are easy enough to hunt."

"My family has a motto. Winter is coming. This place is mild in comparison, but I find other things that I prefer here to the better clime," Benjen replies, eyes on Asato. "That being the company. Yours."

The sight of fangs do not dissuade him in the least. In fact, he's intrigued. He wonders how it would feel to kiss him with that sharp danger between them.

"My company?" Asato is a bit surprised, but pleased as well. "Thank you. I don't think many outside of the forest care much for my company. Perhaps Neville." He shakes his head a bit and smiles again at Benjen.

"I enjoy your company as well Benjen. You are a good companion."

"Then it is both their failure to have met you on your terms and make themselves known," Benjen reflects. "Their great lack, while mine boon." And with this is a brief smile. "I should meet this Neville."

Asato crouches a bit to check a game trail, then straightens and smiles again, tail flicking with shy pleasure at the compliments.

"Neville is a good human. He has a green house where he grows plants. We went to the lake once and fished and spoke of plants."

Benjen watches the tail, and then Asato's face. He's making a note to himself that the ribika likes compliments. Not that he'll hand out any without meaning them, but it's no stretch to find things likable about Asato.

"I hope you will fish with me when the thaw arrives, but I am no expert on plants." He hopes this Neville is not interested in Asato. He tears his eyes away from his companion to look ahead, eyes narrowing. "There, do you see the bent twig?" A bush in the near distance bears possible evidence of an animal.

Asato has gotten so few that he wouldn't trust hearing them often of Benjen were the sort to do so.

"I do..." He tilts his head up a bit and sniffs the air carefully. "There's a number of trails, different ages, but I think ..." Another careful sniff. "This is a mix. Hare and a fox have both gone this way recently."

"Perhaps a water source nearby," Benjen notes. Not that it matters, a good trail is a good trail. "Your nose is most helpful in this," he points out. Another genuine compliment, based on fact. "It is good to hunt with you." He moves slowly and silently in the trail's direction.

"It was helpful back in my home forest, though there are fewer things that are a true threat here..."

He falls silent as well as they follow the trail, his ears flicking around to catch even minute sounds.

A seasoned hunter, Benjen's footfalls make no sound as he steps though the snow helps this a great deal. He pauses by the twig, certain upon closer examination that it was an animal. He quietly unsheathes his throwing knife from its scabbard.

Asato takes an arrow out and readies his bow to draw. He's silent as well, moving like a cat would through the snow and underbrush. His ears are trained forward and his nose flares once to catch the wind.

Benjen glances at Asato long enough to see the flared nose and the ears, and he finds it incredibly intriguing. Actually, he finds it attractive, and his attention is diverted long enough that the ribika likely spots the game first.

He does and he will gesture with a nod ahead. A good sized hare was crouched down beside a small, still flowing despite the snow, and was munching on a bit of newly sprung grass.

Benjen follows the direction of Asato's gaze, and nods. The ribika spotted it first, and so should have the kill. He lowers his arms to his sides, indicating this.

Asato lifts the bow in a smooth move and lets a slim arrow fly. It hits the hare, killing it instantly. Despite being a cat, Asato isn't one to toy with food.

Benjen's respect for the ribika grows tenfold. "Excellent shot," he says, so low that only Asato can hear him. He remains quiet though, in case the fox is still near.

One of Asato's ears flick to Benjen, a sign that he was heard, though the ribika continues to watch the hare.

The fox is likely nearby, though startled by the arrow no doubt. It may, however, come to investigate the kill soon enough...

Benjen is hoping the arrow was just silent enough to not spook the fox completely and like Asato, thinks it might come exploring. Easy prey for him, after all -- the hare is already dead. And their theory proves true when a sleek fox creeps close to the dead animal, bushy tail in the air. With a quick hand, Benjen's knife sails from his hand and into the fox, killing it instantly.

Asato's ears perk up and he straightens up, looking over the kills. "You have a good arm and good eyes," he says with a smile for Benjen.

He pauses for a moment longer, then steps forward, still quiet, to look over their respective kills. He takes a moment to silently thank them for their lives and promise that they would be put to good use.

Benjen accepts the compliment, pleased by it much more so than he might be otherwise because it came from Asato. He doesn't even question the why of that -- it simply is. He gives Asato his moment of silence, and then removes his knife. He'd made certain it was a clean kill, not harming anything useful. "I suspect we have scared away anything near. Shall we clean them here and bury the entrails? Before moving on."

"There's enough water here to make it easy enough," Asato agrees, carefully pulling his arrow free from the hare without doing damage to the coat or innards.

He crouches down, curling his tail around his legs to keep it out of the snow while he selects a good knife from the ones he's got on his person.

Benjen settles into the task as well, squatting comfortably, and using a different knife for the task of cleaning the fox. He works silently, efficiently, but will occasionally glance at Asato, his eyes warm.

Asato is quick with his task, focusing mostly on skinning the hare and cleaning it properly, but he does sometimes feel the gaze and will look up once or twice to offer a slightly confused and hesitant half smile before ducking his head again.

It's not long before he has the animal clean and drained.

Benjen likes Asato's smile, and his eyes are warm and friendly whenever their eyes meet. It takes him a bit longer, but not much, and he's finished with the fox. "Do you have many snares set?" he asks.

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