A Stallions Hunt (rp story)

[ApetheticOrange96 92]

 

A Stallion's Hunt

 

After speaking to Lady Azruphel about his final task to become a full ranger- to hunt a dangerous animal from the list she gave him and deciding to go after the largest animal on the list, a moose. Veyric goes about the arduous task of gathering up the supplies needed. First, he went out and gathered the necessary weapons to hunt large game: a crossbow and a large supply of bolts and bolt heads; then he gathered enough basic rations to last him at least three months. Two wheels of cheese, several boxes of dried meats, and a large quantity of bread. Then, after filling his bag with his supplies, he made for the library to research the basics of his target, a moose. Finding out they live in colder climates, he goes around the Idunian vassals to gather from several places the necessary clothing to prevent exposure to the elements and being too cold.

 

Gathering his pack and his bedroll, Veyric sets all his supplies on Ember, his trusty steed. Setting off to the north from Ardrossil, he follows the roads until he reaches Norland, where he leaves the roads and goes into the forest on horseback. He travels several days roughly north, where he decides to set up a more permanent base to hunt from. He finds a cliff face at the bottom of a large mountain; travelling along the base of the cliff face, he finds a small cave just big enough to house him and Ember with some room to move around. 

 

Leading Ember into the cave, Veyric retrieves his lead from the side bag on his saddle. Finding a large but relatively thin pillar at the back of the cave, he hitches Ember to it by wrapping the lead around the pillar and attaching it to Ember's bridle. Then, Veyric goes around the cave and gathers some stones to make a small circle in the middle of the cave for a small firepit. Finishing the firepit and grabbing his hatchet from his bag, he heads out and down into the treeline to retrieve the various supplies needed to start and supply a fire for a few days. Returning to the cave, Veyric arranges the supplies by the firepit but far enough where there is no danger of a spark setting it ablaze. Looking out the cave entrance and seeing the sun beginning to set, he turns and sets up a small fire before taking his flint and iron and setting a spark into a bundle of kindling and gently blows into it to set the embers to be strong enough to light the rest ablaze.

 

During the first week of residing in the cave, Veyric gathers supplies from the woods around the cave. He gathers red berries from bushes that resemble the ones around Ardrossil that he gathered when he was younger, the mushrooms that he read were safe to eat, and the various fruits and vegetables that resembled the examples in his field guide. 

 

During the second week, Veyric went out to try to find a trail left by a moose, preferably a male moose. He tracked along a nearby trail, along the side of a pond, and finally along a small ridge. Alas, he was unsuccessful in finding a track to follow.

 

During the third week, Veyric finally managed to find a set of hoof prints in the mud. He carefully follows the hoof prints for quite a long distance, over hills and through glades. Finally, after miles of following the trail, he comes across a male moose. Quickly, Veyric hides behind a nearby tree, hoping not to be spotted by the moose.

 

Veyric carefully sets down his bag, and pulls out his crossbow. He, as quickly and as silently as he can manage, cranks the crossbow to arm it. He loads a bolt, before stepping out and aiming the crossbow at the middle of the moose's chest.

 

TWANG!!

 

The bolt hits the moose between the ribs directly in the heart. The moose collapses to the side, into a nearby tree. Seeing this, Veyric gives a noise of victory after weeks of wandering these woods and finding nothing, he finally has his prize!

 

Veyric moves quickly to grab his pack and runs up to the downed moose. He retrieves the rope from his pack and strings up the moose from a strong branch of the tree. He carefully begins the arduous task of field dressing the moose. Removing the pelt and the legs, then cutting deeper, he cuts open the stomach and removes the innards. He disposes of the legs and innards in a pile nearby. Then, Veyric wraps the remains and drags them the long distance to his cave.

 

Finally arriving at his cave, Veyric begins to break down the moose further. Cutting huge pieces of meat to carry back with him, he disposes of a large portion of the bones and what he can't bring with him in a small clearing outside the woodline, giving back to nature the meat and bones he doesn't need.

 

Bundling everything he is bringing back with him into the pelt, he rolls it all up and ties the bundle to the back of Ember's saddle. Veyric leads Ember out of the woods, then he hops into the saddle and begins his long journey back home.