[u][b]The Hunt[/b][/u]
[i]Southern Mountains from Mt. Jura just outside the Jura claim[/i]

Spring, when all life on earth begins to rise, hunt, gather, and explore what the world has to offer. Snow on the mountain was not quite finished with its residency but slowly the thick packed white fluff became no more than a thin layer of its former self. Rocks became more visible on the ridges, paths were clear of ice, and the wind began to change its persistence. Mountains to the south, where the Jura territory halts just shy, the sound of feet could be heard beating the surface as a group of seven humans were running close to the ridge line of their position on the mountain. Fear painted across their faces, each one gripping their weapon of choice until their hands became white, like the snow nipping at their toes. They weren’t ready, not for what was to come.

[i][b]Moments Earlier…[/b][/i]

“Father! Father! Look, over there, what is that?” a young boy dressed in fur of another animal called over to a man with broad shoulders, standing with the height of at least six young boys. This man sported a black beard, black long hair, with white peppered throughout. His demeanor showed confidence, and power, the one to be assumed leading the others. He began to ascend over to the young boy perched on top of a rock around the corner of where they had been resting, He used his back to climb, fingers to grab hold, and feet to push, reaching the rock with little effort. All of the males in attendance were great climbers, they needed to be, or this trip would have been unsuccessful.

“My boy, that is a mountain goat, a great spot, as it makes for a great meal.” He placed his large paw of a hand on the boy’s shoulder, and whispered, “But for another day, my little sapphire.”

The boy showed his disproval in his father’s last remarks but could not voice it, a sign of disrespect is to question elders. Nonetheless the man could read it on his boy’s face, he patted his son’s head and turned him around, sending him off the rock and back to the group. When he looked back to spot the goat, there was nothing to see, it had vanished.

[i][b]Present…[/b][/i]

“Where are we to go?!” One of the men called out as they entered a crevasse that provided no answers to their predicament. The group was now sandwiched between two large rocks and to their backs was a steep drop off that would send shivers down spines of even great climbers.
“My little sapphire, go with Gregur, Yalwe, Dunga, and Bramin, take the front, Gregur, take the two boys to the rear. We will wait this out, and move when the sun begins dropping below us.” 
“I don’t know if we should wait Kain, we need to keep moving. We are trapped if we stay here.” Uncomfortable with the situation, Yalwe opposed the plan, but regardless took his position.

[i][b]Moments Earlier…[/b][/i]

Kain turned around on the rock and climbed down himself after the boy and approached the men gathering their things together. Breaking camp in the morning had always made Kain smile, a start to a new day with the fresh mountain air running through and escaping his lungs. 

“We move East, and begin our descent, we have enough food that the climb will prove difficult but once finished, the bellies of our folk will not go denied.” The men grunted in agreement with Kain as the final packing had been completed and the group made their way down. It had been long into the afternoon with still a day out from their homes at the base near the river. Two kids had accompanied the men on this hunting trip, two of the oldest in the village from where they came, learning the ways of their fathers to better fit themselves with the skills necessary to become great hunters and provide for the village’s future. These two children were becoming fatigued much quicker than the men folk and it showed in their posture, they were tough, and willing to move forward, but setting up camp soon would be ideal before the night fall.

“Barta, Yalwe, take a look ahead as the path narrows here and the bend holds tight to the mountain side, make sure we have safe passage before the boys.” Barta and Yalwe both nodded and began their movement toward the path, everything looked just as it was left when they made the trek up. 

“It is safe!” Barta called out, and began to walk further across the ridge and on the narrow path, if there were any loose rocks, he would be the first to know and warn the others. Yalwe awaited to see everyone catch up around the bend, and then turned toward Barta, but as the others began their approach…Barta met his end.  A direct hit from a large spear impaled Barta in the side of his abdomen, penetrating across his body and through his shoulder on the other side. Barta had no time to give out any sort of yell as blood rushed through his innards and choked his throat from within. All he could do was try and turn to see the others one last time, but as he did his footing slipped and he fell down smashing the rocks below. 

“BARTA!” Yalwe yelled as he turned to face the direction in which the spear must have come from, below…staring at him and the others were four lizard men, they each had a different color to their appearance, but all of them looked like Osai, having to of at least stood at 6 to 7’, three with broad shoulders and one slightly slender. 

“WE MUST MOVE! MOVE YALWE! FORWARD!” Kain shouted as he picked up the pace for everyone in getting across the mountain side. A second spear came soaring by and penetrated the wall of the earth directly in front of Yalwe’s chest. He was not sure if it was meant to hit him, or slow him down. It did not do the first, but having to crouch and get under a spear that protruded from the mountain side on a narrow path was no easy feat and losing your footing would mark the end of the road, as did the spear for Barta.

[i][b]Present…[/b][/i]

“I understand Yalwe, but if we keep moving, we will be open to their attack, you know very well what we just saw out there.” Yalwe could not believe it either, Kain was right, but it seemed that they both knew the odds were not in their favor no matter what decision they made. 

“Osai? This far South? They have never been seen this far.” Bramin was not a man of words but this was not common, nor expected.

“I saw them too  Bramin, it is –“

One of the boys yelled and as the others turned to face where they were at in the crevasse, Gregur’s neck was cut, and all of them could only watch the horror play out. An Osai stood behind Gregur, standing just below 7 feet. Its skin was a light brown with a tan under belly, and bright green eyes. The Osai’s claws had come from behind Gregur’s head cupping his skull, one claw even penetrated the right eye of Gregur before the knife finished the job. Both boys yelled, running back to the group and Gregur’s body went limp to the floor, tossed to the side, lifeless.

Right after Gregur’s defeat, Bramin coughed up blood, Yalwe heard Bramin’s flesh being torn and spotted a spear emerging from his waist. Everyone had been startled by the boy’s screech that they took their eyes off the entrance to the crevasse. Yalwe quickly reacting turned around only to be smacked by large claws across his shoulder that sent him down to the dirt. Kain rushed the Osai who had just killed Gregur, first launching his spear and then drawing his sword to attack. The Osai had to move quickly, upon evading the spear he met Kain’s blade with his own, deflecting Kain’s assault as the dagger was not strong or big enough to take Kain’s sword head on. 

Yalwe began picking himself up while Dunga battled the Osai who had just killed Bramin and sent him to the dirt, toe to toe they fought, Dunga using his ability to wield a spear, and the Osai staying agile and alert evading Dunga’s attacks as if it were a choreographed dance. It was on the eighth or ninth thrust, just before Yalwe got up, that the Osai was able to grab a hold of Dunga’s spear and pull it down at an angle, sending Dunga off balance. Drawing the dagger located in the sheath across the chest tied to leather on the Osai, the Osai met Dunga mid-way cutting the outside of his arm as Dunga maneuvered to protect his vitals. 

Yalwe saw his chance and charged the Osai fighting Dunga, but before he could get there, a dagger whistled through the air and lodged itself in his calf. Yalwe didn’t see from where and again dropped to the ground just feet from Dunga on his belly. Here he would witness Dunga’s final moments, the Osai continued to out maneuver Dunga, and the Osai was at Dunga’s back, it launched its claws into Dunga’s shoulder blade, following up with using its other set of claws to stab the lower back of Dunga from the other side. The Osai gave Dunga a second before releasing both hands and ejecting the claws from which they rested inside of him, his knees caved from beneath him, dropping to his hands, still determined to fight, but unable to move, soon unable to live.

Yalwe could do nothing but watch as his friend and brother had been killed without mercy. The Osai looked over to Yalwe and then over to the kids. 

“NO! NOT THEM!” Yalwe cried out as Kain was managing the other Osai from earlier. Cut for cut the two battled and it wasn’t until Yalwe’s cry that had Kain train his attention to his little sapphire. It was the moment the Osai needed to whip his tail into Kain’s abdomen, air broke from Kain’s lips as he smacked against the crevasse wall, ultimately finding the ground just as Yalwe did. The boys huddled in a corner as the one Osai who finished Dunga off approached them, Yalwe crawled on the ground toward the children trying to make an effort in defending them. A third Osai emerged, kicking the last weapon Yalwe held from his grip. The Osai slammed its foot on Yalwe’s leg that held the dagger’s blade, and Yalwe called out in pain as his nerves began firing off to his brain that this was really happening.

“This is mine.” The Osai said in a cold, dark voice.

The Osai pulled the dagger out and before Yalwe could scream showing his pain, the Osai thrusted a spear into the back of Yalwe’s neck, crushing the bone, and severing everything attached. 

Kain was sitting against a rock and saw that the two young ones were grabbed by the Osai who slayed Dunga. The Osai, Kain battled prior to his down fall, met his gaze, the eyes had this menacing yellowish green hue to them with a tongue that nearly reached his face with ease, and then the Osai knocked him unconscious.

“Salanth, quiet the human spawns and report back to Shedani Galzra, take Drakkar with you, he already has the first human we killed, you can take the one you killed for the trip. Kieran and I will climb higher for observation and set up post, have Shedani Galzra return you to me for further duties, I believe there to be more in these southern mountains than we know.” Zul ordered Salanth and then wrapped his claws around the human who he had just knocked out cold, dragging him toward Kieran.

Kieran pulled the spear from out of Yalwe’s neck, blood sputtered out and dripped from the gaping wound, a crimson run that had Kieran licking her chops. She saw Zul making his way over and heard the orders when given to Salanth, she dropped to her feet and threw Yalwe over her shoulder as Zul did to Kain. They both left the Crevasse and began their ascension of the mountain to gain a better view of the surrounding area. This was new territory to not only them, but Shedani Galzra and the Jura.