Jyndri inched her way along a thin animal trail, swatting at the prickly thorns of a blackberry thicket. Why do creatures chose to travel through these things? She snorted. Not for the ease of it.

She stooped, shrugging her sleeve free of the thicket's verdant grasp. Hingle prints. A bit of fluff stuck on a thorn. We suffer the same ills.

The trapper smiled faintly, feeling camaraderie for her prey. There was something spiritual to her art, a bond with the circle of life and death, that few others knew. Would a potter ken the soul of the rabbit he ate? No. Not as well as the hunter who killed it. The hunter had to know the rabbit, mind, body, and soul.

Jyndri stood and began fighting her way to a grassy clearing. Earlier that day, she had set a deadfall trap intended for a bunch of rodents. A heavy log was placed at the top of an incline, and a trigger near the center of the clearing. When a small herd of bitty herbivores ate their way to the center, they'd get a nasty -- and very heavy -- surprise. Most would be killed or knocked out by the impact. Hopefully.

Reokan walked quietly, his cloth wrapped feet making no sound on the soft forest floor. He held his crossbow in hand, point down, as he make his way along, tracking the almost invisible trail of a lone great cat. A panther, young, inexperienced. It had been spotted hanging around the rice fields, scaring some of the women. Taking a small backpack with food and water, his crossbow and skinning supplies, dressed in the high waisted, bare torso outfit that gave him the most movement, the man had headed out to find the cat. If it wasn't stopped now, it would just get worse, till it finally got the gaul to attack someone.

A slight sound came to his ears, and the Hunter froze, listening carefully, eyes scanning the area. Ahead of him, the forest broke into a grass clearing, and he could see the tell tale signs of travel. The panther had passed through here, but so had a wick. He narrowed his summer green eyes and watched as someone entered the clearing, a Trapper. Reokan knew that face. He released the tension in his body and walked through the clearing towards the woman, eyes still watching for the cat he knew had passed through.

"Jyndri, I wasn't expecting anyone here. Has no one warned you about the panther stalking the rice fields?" He said gently, a warm smile dimpling his cheeks. The woman was older than him, and a mother. The man respected her, but also found it to be his duty to ensure her safety. All of their safety.

No hingles. They had been there -- some of the grass was nibbled to the shoots -- but they had not reached the center of the clearing. The trap was still armed. Something must have scared them off. Something like a...


The trapper waved her arms, warning Reokan away. "Stop! Go no further!" She pointed to a blue wildflower only two steps in front of Reokan. "That is where I laid a trap," she said, and then pointed to an innocent-looking log, "and that is what will run over your foot if you do not heed the wisdom of your elder."

Jyndri nodded once to the man, folding her arms with a warm smile. He was about the age of her youngest brother.


"Panther?" The woman snorted, quickly pulling her shortspear from the harness on her back. "So that is who frightened my hingles..." She glanced at the ground, noticing some fresh rodent droppings. "And not long ago."

Holding her spear ready, she scanned the edge of the clearing. "Two pairs of eyes are better than one. What say you, Reokan? Mind an old lady helping you, or do you want all the glory for yourself?"

The tanned man froze stock still, foot half lifted. His grin dimpled his cheeks as he slowly backed away from the blue flower, more than happy to heed his elder.



Reokan bowed deeply to the woman, hefting his crossbow as he came closer to her.

"I am not a glory seeker Jyndri, and gladly accept the help. Come, the trail heads past your traps, into the thickets over the other side." He paused a moment, before turning his green eyed smile on her again.

"Perhaps this one would wait for his Elder to lead the way past her traps?"

"Avoid the chicory," said Jyndri, pointing with the butt of her spear at two clusters of long-stemmed, daisy-like flowers. Like most trappers, she had a method for remembering where her traps were. In clearings like this one, she favored using tall, blue or yellow flowers as natural landmarks.

She bowed to the younger hunter, returning his smile. Her amber eyes flicked away from him, watching the thicket.

"I just came from that way. No panther sign there." She strode to a slightly larger deer path in the thicket, keeping her voice down. "I saw a doe and her yearling not long ago, down this way. The panther must be stalking them."

Jyndri waved Reokan over. The Roek tribe had a utilitarian sign language for use during hunts, and the trapper made the hand signals for 'the hunt is on,' and 'maintain silence.'

Reokan followed the woman on silent feet, already falling into hunting mode with the woman. His face became serious and his green eyes watched the undergrowth as they moved. He caught her eye and signed, pointing at the barely there tracks on the ground.

Two deer, yes. The cat stalks. This way.

He motioned onwards to the north west, before moving forwards. It wasn't that long ago the tracks were made either. Perhaps the days of hunting would be over in a morning.

Jyndri fell in behind the younger hunter, feeling the breeze on her face. South east. They were downwind of their prey -- neither deer nor cat would smell them coming.

Panthers being ambush predators, Jyndri expected the cat to be hiding in cover somewhere. She kept her eyes on the undergrowth ahead of them and her ears open for the rustle of leaves.

No thought was in her head. The woods and she were one.

Jyndri heard a faint rustle, roughly a hundred yards ahead. The leaves in the distance seemed to shiver slightly then go still. To a casual observer this would have been the same as the wind having caused it but Jyndri knew better. The panther was ahead but she could not be sure that it hadn't sighted them.

If it had they would have no chance of catching it, the panther would simply disappear into the forest like a ghost. They were going to have to devise a strategy to take it down, and quickly.

She pointed in the direction of the rustle with her left hand, holding up four fingers with her right. Each finger meant twenty-five yards.

Jyndri knew the most effective range of crossbows ended right about where the panther was. If Reokan shot from here, he might only cripple the animal, but if he moved forward, he might scare it off.

She silently nodded to the bowman, making the sign for 'your choosing.'

The hand sign had special significance to Roek hunters. It was a show of respect when an older hunter made it for a younger one; it meant they trusted in the other's wisdom and skill enough to let them make important decisions.

Reokan nodded once to Jyndri, heartened by her respectful hand over. He knew the distance was great, but the Hunter had extreme faith in his crossbow. One hundred yards was only a quarter of his range. Lifting the bow, he sighed down the center towards the brush, waiting. His eyes scanned the foliage, trying to catch a glimpse of bright yellow eyes. Shooting blindly into the undergrowth could possibly just wound the creature and it might charge them. He narrowed his eyes. Waiting.

The panther did not appear, though they waited for at least half an hour. It seemed to be laying in wait for something itself. A deer appeared in their sight, though far in the distance. The bushes before them shifted yet again, though as before the panther stayed hidden. It was likely now heading away, towards the doe that was grazing in the distance. The wind changed a little, now they were almost upwind of the animal. If they moved quickly and quietly enough, they might have been able to make it to a ridge nearby that would give them a better line of sight.

Reokan was statue still as they waited, sweat beading at his hairline and rolling down his tan cheek. Only his summer green eyes moved when the deer came into sight and the bushes moved. The panther was going. A slight breeze stirred behind him and slowly, he lowered the crossbow, touching Jyndri lightly. He signed to her.

This way. Around to the ridge. Quick, but silent.

Knowing she would follow, he began to move on bound feet, stepping fast through the undergrowth, but keeping his steps light and catlike. They rounded the side and forded the ridge. Turning to check on the position, Reokan hoped they had been quiet enough. If the panther got away now, he would have to keep tracking it. If he lost it, the guilt he would experience if it took someone in the rice field would be his to bear.

Jyndri padded behind the bowman, stepping clear of every leaf and branch on the way. She felt the warm air on the hairs of her neck, and listened to the twittering birdsong of spring. Larks. Wrens. Finches. One male jay.

Jays are very territorial, and will caw and screech warnings even at much larger animals... Like panthers. The jay was not making a racket yet, but if he did, he would be giving away the panther's position.

Even with her eyes on the foliage, she sensed Reokan's doubt. It was in his steps and in his breath. Without looking at him, she silently extended her field to him, gently, encouragingly.

Relax. Focus. The cat's hide is yours.

The hand phrase was both a reminder to be confident that he will succeed, and that to catch a cat, one has to be the cat. Not a worried wick.

The deer did not seem to have noticed their movements, although it did raise its head to look around. The two wicks caught sight of a panther from their new vantage point but it quickly disappeared again into the undergrowth. It was a juvenile, not as heavy on its feet as an older representative of its species. The deer seemed to still after a while, head beginning to lower down to the grass again. The small panther was probably trying to flank it.

Silence descended. The hunters could almost feel the panther getting ready to strike, back legs wiggling as it prepared to run. Ears shifting and eyes focusing on the prey, the kill.

Then something altogether unexpected happened.

Another panther burst out of the treeline, behind Reokan and Jyndri. The deer in front of them bolted and the panther they had been watching made a break for the trees. It had clearly been encroaching on another, older animal's territory. Had Reokan and Jyndri turned, they would have seen an animal they recognised, from warnings posted about the year before. The panther was enormous, with a scarred muzzle and a missing ear.

It was a maneater. If they didn't take it down, it would take them.

Stupid! Stupid! How had he not seen the second set of tracks?! How had he missed that.

No time to berate himself, Reokan didn't think, he acted. Turning to face the new panther, he pushed Jyndri behind him. Raising the crossbow, he eyed the scarred and bloodthirsty animal down the sight, and sure of his target, he pulled the trigger, loosening the bolt directly between the cats eyes. The crossbow made a crack as the tension released and the bolt flew out of the stock

Jyndri turned, flowing like water with his push. Her spear was already in her hand, and it pointed at the beast as if it knew the cat had been there. The wooden thing was eager to fly, but she would not throw it. Never throw the only spear you have.

She trusted Reokan's aim, but the cat looked tough. If his shot didn't kill it right away, those claws would be on him in a second.

The witch stood firm, using the reach of her spear to keep the point between hunter and prey. If the panther pounced on Reokan, she'd stab it in the gut and make it dead. Like she should have with that bear.

The crossbow bolt merely glanced off the cat's skull. It carved a deep red line that flashed white bone before the blood covered it. The panther screamed, a shrieking, growling sound that caused the birds to burst from the trees and into the air. The bolt did not stop the panther's forward motion, though it did cause the panther to land closer and with a far more angry disposition than it had possessed before. It paused a moment to claw at it's head wound, head shaking violently from side to side. It was in pain, agony and it was aware it would be in for more if it did not do something about the strange creatures before it.

Bipeds.

It recognised Jyndri's spear. It had seen spears before. The cat stood before them, tail twitching, violence imminent, torn between going for Reokan or Jyndri. It dodged forward, teeth bared, darting towards Reokan's legs. If he didn't move he was going to lose one.

Reokan swore, jumping to one side, crossbow falling to the ground. As he moved, he reached down to pull the dagger from his belt, brandishing it underhand. Like sucking in a breath, he pulled in his field and spoke quickly, dancing his hands and arms in a series of liquid movements, then pushed out towards the large, angry cat, stamping his foot at the same time. It was a call for Jolta, the wick aiming to push the creature away.

Jyndri jumped in the other direction, splitting off from Reokan. She felt a slight twinge of pain in her ankle when she landed, but ignored it. This wasn't the time to feel sorry for herself for being old, or she wasn't going to feel old for long.

While the panther went for Reokan, she thrust her spear at its side, hoping to stab it between the ribs.

Reokan's Jolta hit the cat like rolling boulder, his distress fueling the spell past his vocalised intent. The panther was near thrown aside, Jyndri's spear striking flesh, deep into the muscle, then breaking as the panther continued its path through the air. The panther growled, shocked for a moment into stillness, as it collided with a large and mossy rock. It shivered, trying to stand but unable to. The spear hadn't cleared its rib cage but it had ripped through muscle and chipped at bone.

The panther bared its teeth, not able to run but still incredibly dangerous. It still had an enormous set of teeth and now it was cornered. If they moved in too quickly it would still take a swipe out of them, something that they wouldn't be able to recover from, given the size of its claws.

Reokan grasped the opportunity to walk over and slowly pick up his crossbow, taking his time as he loaded another bolt, not wanting to provoke the seriously injured animal. It wasn't just a matter of safety now, they had to finish it for the animal too. It must have been suffering. He gave Jyndri a sad sort of glance, never wanting to cause suffering.

Raising the weapon slowly, he aimed for the big cat's head, the soft part of between the eyes. It would be quick and hopefully painless. At this closer range, it could quite easily pierce the thinner bone. Bracing himself, he let the bolt fly.

The crossbow bolt hit the panther right between the eyes. It twitched, tongue lolling and slid down to the ground. It's paws stayed moving for a moment but the creature was dead. If they had wanted it's pelt, they were probably hoping for a lost cause. It's fur was stained by the blood, nicked with old scars and fresh wounds. Now that it was still, it seemed smaller.

The forest remained quiet.



((AND PANTHY GOT TO LIVE!!!!))

Leaning on a tree, Jyndri dropped her broken spear to the ground. The stick was useless now. She mechanically made a prayer-sign with one hand.

"To Naulas with you, vreska." The mother swore, scowling at the lifeless black lump. Now that it was dead and the threat gone, anger welled up within her. "Traitor of nature."

It was unnatural for anything save fire to eat a wick. This thing crossed a line that should never be crossed. Other animals knew their place; they only attacked when threatened or provoked. They killed wicks, yes, but they never dined on their flesh. This was no normal cat. It was a monster.

"We should burn him here," she said grimly. To bring that body into the village would be to risk spreading its evil.

Reokan approached the dead cat, resting a hand on its shoulder lightly. What would drive it to attack them? What of its own hunting ground? With a quiet reverence, he pulled the bolt from its skull with effort.



Standing back, the man nodded.

"This one agree's." He said quietly, deferring to her wisdom and age. It seemed appropriate. Although the teeth and claws would have been a brilliant trophy, the circumstances were not right.