Berra — Racing Hooves
1627, Fire Season
Context
Early Fire Season, on the way to rescue Mirava. [[[s02:session-40|Session 40]]]
Events
On that afternoon a bird of prey circles overhead. Xenofos is riding on the left flank. His horse seems to be spooked by something and for a while he seems to be struggling to regain control.
Berra, who hates not putting herself up at the front, angles over that way on her bison. Her control is good. Bisons suit her style, or at least, her habit of standing up in the saddle to look at things.
She does that now, looking about for danger, making herself a target.
The bird of prey that swooped close enough to spook Xenofos mount has distinctly lizardly appearance.
Berra drops off the saddle to grab her bow, walking alongside her stalking beast, and looking over its hump plaintively, as if hoping the thing will give her a chance to improve her skull collection.
Xenofos is eyeing the apparition sideways while talking softly to Creamy.
The flying lizard lazily gathers height from the Air rising to challenge Yelm.
Berra sighs. “We’ll give it a few minutes,” she says from behind Followed.
“Too far high for a javelin, maybe for a bow too.” Scribe says “I think there is another in direction of Yelm – the shadow glides over us every now and then.”
“I didn’t see it coming in. Only once it was going back up again.” Berra is walking backwards, watching the sky. “I’ll try for it if it comes again.”1Berra passes Scan.
Indeed quite high, looking like a falcon from this distance another flying lizard is circling, turning languidly towards left.
Berra sighs a little, but she looks up and then walks on and then looks up again, now giving herself a new direction to watch.
“Not a dragon” Xenofos notes. “Way too like one for comfort though.”
“I’d still shoot it if it was a dragon,” Berra says. “But that might end quickly.” She gets back onto Followed. “Maybe if it sees me getting off to shoot it’ll be nervous.”
“If it has enough brains for that…” Xenofos pats his horse. “It passed, Creamy. Nothing to fear. To be wary of sure. But no reason to panic.”
“Mmm…. I don’t think it’s smart enough for me to be able to sense if it means harm. So that means it might.” She perks up.
Xenofos peers from under the brim of his helmet towards the sky. “Time for one shot when it dives, I guess.” He says with disapproving look.
“Depends how close I let it get. Two if I don’t mind the first arrow probably being wasted.” Berra looks upwards as well.
“Hopefully you will not need to.” Scribe answers. “Although if we are like rabbits hopping under a hawk, it is as well to be spiky.”
“Yeah. I think it was coming down to see if one of us could be frightened off, or if we’d scatter. They must see riders from time to time. So they know how we behave.”
He nods and checks javelins are where they should be.
Berra says, “While I’m here. What does the word ‘snivvel’ mean to you? Because I know what I think it means, but it doesn’t make sense.”
“Sounds a bit weird. Snivel? ” he asks.
“Yeah, probably. But imagine it’s being said by someone who isn’t me, so says it your way.” Berra tries out the word, sounding it silently, with a puzzled look.
“Sniffing? Crying? Complaining with a cry and sniffing?” He explores the word.
“Yeah, I thought so.” Berra looks confused. “I think someone else was using it differently, though.” She shrugs, and glances longingly up at the sky.
“I suppose in other cont… in other idio… it could maybe used for one who does those things?”
“It doesn’t really make sense, but maybe.” Berra shrugs it off. “Do you think those things hunt at night?”
He looks upwards. “Hard to say. I have never seen those before. But I guess if they hunt in daylight they would have trouble seeing in the darkness.”
“Maybe there are some that hunt at night as well. But we’ve never had trouble here before.” Again, Berra shrugs. “Not a problem. You wanna race to that outcrop?” She looks suddenly hopeful.
Xenofos looks at the route up and deems it safe enough for a horse.2Xenofos passes Scan, even with Berra next to him.
“Sure. Tallyho!” Xenofos rides at best possible speed towards the small knoll, leaving the bison and its rider behind.3Berra fails Ride (Bison) but is riding in the hope of being attacked by pterodactyls anyhow, so she is not worried about being behind.
Berra boots Followed into motion, giving a wave to the group so they know there is not a problem. Her natural aptitude for the bison is not enough to make Followed any faster than a bison should be.
A shadow passes over Berra and followed. It swiftly overtakes Xenofos and Creamy but there is no swooping death from above for Berra to target.
Berra rides onwards, looking both forwards and up, but to no avail. Nothing comes down to visit, and no targets are viewed, and she pulls up by Xenofos and Creamy with a messy haul on the reins that makes Followed revert to being lazy, more than giving her a signal to stop.
Xenofos smiles at Berra as she approaches.
Berra grins widely too. “Well done.” She looks proud of him, and happy.
“Creamy is light on his feet…” scribe admits, giving the horse a pat.
“Horse, bison. I was going to have to get lucky, but that’s fine. It was well ridden, and I was falling behind anyhow. Nothing to do with the horse bit.” Happy words tumble out.
“Quite a lot to do with the horse, little cousin. But riders do like to hear compliments too.” Scholar notes with warmth in his tone.
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Berra fails to shoot a pterodactyl
- 1Berra passes Scan.
- 2Xenofos passes Scan, even with Berra next to him.
- 3Berra fails Ride (Bison) but is riding in the hope of being attacked by pterodactyls anyhow, so she is not worried about being behind.
