[h3][center][color=lightblue]Emil Durand[/color][/center][/h3][hr]

In the soft glow of the setting sun, the streets of Vaucluse quickly emptied as people fled the encroaching darkness. Fair enough, no matter where in Lutaire you went, as it got dark, the relative danger increased. Not that Emil ever feared much in the dark, man and beast alike tended to give him a wide berth when the giant bird beside him started spreading its clawed wings. Curled up in a lazy lounge in the somewhat rough feathers of Greytail, Emil sat on the soft rolling grass overlooking a small creek, his feet dug comfortably into the riverbank sand. Only vaguely aware of his surroundings, Emil snoozed contentedly as the line of a fishing rod nestled in the crook of his arm, was pulled taught. Shifting comfortably in his half daze, Emil as seemingly unaware as the fishing rod slid out of his arm and started retreating towards the water.

[color=palegreen]"Hey Emil, you're going to miss another one."[/color] commented his brother idly, also holding a fishing rod, though sitting more attentively. Both brothers sat taking in the cool breeze of twilight, their Stryxes nearby also relaxing. Work with the militia today had been sparse, their scouting flights had yielded no packs of monsters approaching the town, which meant the brothers had most of the afternoon off, which they decided to spend fishing.

[color=lightblue]"Ah shoot,"[/color] Emil replied absentmindedly, his eyes still shut. [color=lightblue]Greytail! Would you kindly..."[/color] he trailed off, lazily pointing in the direction of the river.

The large stryx breathed in deeply- if it were a human, one might have equated it to an exasperated sigh. The brown stryx took off with a massive beat of its wings, Emil rolling onto the grass as the bird deposited its human occupant and took to the river. A rapid beat of its wings brought it a few feet into the air as it dove its beak into the river. There was the sound of fluttering wings, and a spray of water, as Greytail pulled a large trout out of the river, flopping back and forth wildly, fishhook and rod still hanging from its mouth. Before either brother could say anything, Greytail shook its head rapidly, sending the hook and rod clattering to the riverbank, and started tearing into the fish.

Sigmund rolled his eyes as he reeled in a fish of his own. [color=palegreen]"Luckily for you, I'm generous, we can split this one tonight. I'm heading back now."[/color]

[color=lightblue]"I'll catch up,"[/color] Emil replied absentmindedly as he collected the remains of his fishing rod. 

By the time twilight had rolled through, Emil and Greytail were walking back to the Aviary, passing through town on their way, a pair of freshly caught trout hanging from either side of the Stryx's saddle. The streets were as expected, empty. Though not completely. By Alden's Tavern there was a small gathering, Emil immediately recognized one of the individuals in front as Vane, the butcher's son. They got along well enough, despite their differences. He seemed to be aiding what looked like Tristan, the local lordling turned bastard- the 'Vagrant King' as some people liked to call him. An unfortunate soul to say the least. Emil and his brothers had been friendly with Rodran, before the oldest son passed, but Emil had never interacted much with Tristan- he was too drunk most of the time. Sigmund and Duncan also disapproved of the middle Baske, and so, Emil's contact with the man was minimal. 

Nevertheless, he offered Vane a wave in passing as he and Greytail walked by. He was unsure what Vane was doing with the lordling but it was getting late out, and while Emil had no fear of the dark, there was no point in tempting fate if he didn't have to.