Balance

Myriad Reality

*Kleid and the other hunter have disappeared into the forest by now.*

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Bret: *Nods.* You also get to lead the way. I can't see how well you do until you make your own choices.

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Lu: *Responds quietly without much emotion in my voice.* I'm Luceil, but I prefer that others call me Lu. *Shakes your hand, though not for long.* You get to lead unless trouble occurs.

@Darlit Glitch

Then let's forge ahead. *Starts walking forward, stepping lightly; an owl screeches above us and then I turn slightly right, dropping breadcrumb-like objects from the hunter's hall along the way*

Myriad Reality

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Bret: Most of them don't unless they're sick or have their young nearby.

@Darlit Glitch

Makes sense. I'll keep an eye out.

Myriad Reality

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Bret: Besides the bears, probably any lynxes or wolves, since they also put up a nasty fight. Hopefully we'll have luck avoiding all of them.

@Darlit Glitch

Will they ever engage first if they see us?

Myriad Reality

*The hunters finish checking the number of traps they recovered and shortly after two hunters start walking back in the direction we came from with all of the traps and rabbits. This leaves the two of you, Kleid, and three other hunters left in the forest.*

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Kleid: Most of us hunters look forward to this part, so you've got nothing to worry about. And like I said, Bret here is gonna be with you in case you run into trouble. *Pats the shoulder of a black haired hunter who rolls his eyes before walking over and offering up a handshake.*
Bret: Guess I'll be sticking with you this hunt. Let's see what you got.

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*There isn't any noticeable movement in the forest around you besides the two hunters heading back to town.*
Kleid: *Spots you looking at the treeline already and motions for a brown haired hunter to join you. She quietly walks over and waves nonchalantly once you notice her.*

@Darlit Glitch

*Shakes your hand* I won’t disappoint. Is there anything we really shouldn’t confront?

Myriad Reality

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Kleid: That makes a lot more sense now that I've got the context. Hopefully that'll help you when the hunt starts shortly.

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Kleid: *Smirks.* Staying quiet should be priority number one, but beyond that I'll be sending a hunter with each of you in case you run into something that wants to fight you. They should know how to respond to any signals I send out, and they'll let me know how well you did in case you guys decide you want to stay with us hunters for a while longer.

@Darlit Glitch

Got it. *Rubs my hands* I’m not sure how wise it is that I’m looking forward to this. Usually these kinds of things take me by surprise when I’m not best equipped.

Myriad Reality

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*The other hunters walk over with both traps and some of the prey they caught with them.*
Kleid: Yup, though we only really leave them out every now and then at different locations. Once we've got everything accounted for, we can start hunting properly.

@Darlit Glitch

Sounds good. Anything else to know before we start? Stay quiet, for example?

Myriad Reality

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Kleid: *Holds back a chuckle.* You can do that if you're up to it, but I was mainly saying that in the context that birds are harder to hit then most mammals in this forest.

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Kleid: Huh. I was hoping for more of an answer, but that works just as well. *We stop for a moment before me and some of the other hunters spread out and start messing with things on the ground, with some of us holding up a rabbit or two and others making a quick handsign.*

@Darlit Glitch

Oh, okay. I'll stay careful. Checking out traps?

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Oh, that's...just a second

*Jogs over to Soren and whispers*

So, is that chick in the loop about powers and all that?

@CuttleFish

Eirene? No. Neither is the guy, Kleid.

Myriad Reality

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Kleid: You probably should, since we don't always have the supplies to make more.

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Kleid: Oh? I figured you must have some experience considering how comfortable you seem to be with your choice of hunting tools.
*Points to the knives and spears you picked out.*

@Darlit Glitch

I’ll use them carefully and favour getting up close.

Myriad Reality

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Kleid: Maybe if we had materials to spare, but they don't really have much on them that's useful outside of feathers. We mainly focus on hunting stuff like deer, with rabbits being a nice alternative at times.

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Kleid: Kleid. You ever gone hunting before Keith? *I start moving slower and more deliberately as we get farther into the forest, with the other hunters doing the same.*

@Darlit Glitch

Makes sense. Should I spare my arrows, then? *Slows down as well*

Myriad Reality

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Kleid: *Nods and starts walking towards the forest* Yea, though we won't see much wildlife until we're a bit deeper into the tree line.

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Kleid: I like your spirit. What's your name by the way?

@Darlit Glitch

*Some birds fly above us, squawking; one of them is an owl; I look up and then look back forward quickly* I’ll keep a close eye. Are we hunting birds?