Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Hmm. I'll have a think about it. I have a few vague ideas.

Anyway, I've got to stop for dinner, so unless you're pulling an all-nighter, I'll say g'night.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Oh." Sabine looked to Bheja and a number of dots connected in her head in rapid succession. She found herself letting out a small laugh after a moment. Sabine covered her mouth as she stopped herself before talking. "Right. That explains a few things. I imagine that is also why Tzirret left so quickly." Sabine tightened the corner of her mouth, catching a curious glimpse at Ma'tanza's chest as well, but didn't linger like the boys did. "It is probably best to be direct with him if it is annoying. He does not get...intentionally offensive. Does it get annoying?"

Tzirret made an indecisive groan as he nodded his head from side to side, "Tzirret knows, really. Ma'tanza is not one he knows well enough to...like, like her. It's just..." he released his breath and tried to calm himself. "La'khay has been giving me...advice, and she said that there might be some girls in this clan that I might mate with for fun and...she is very beautiful. This one does not want to tread on paws." Tzirret touched his fingertips together nervously. He didn't even notice that casual mating was something he had never broached with Peiter. So much time talking with La'khay just made it sound normal to him.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine furrowed her brow awkwardly. "I could give you the recipe, yes, but I...do not have any parchment or ink with me. They are back with the pack supplies." Sabine raised her brow and her voice turned to be more consoling, "I could write it out for you later, though. The recipe is not difficult once you have practiced it, but there are one or two details to be mindful of."

While Ma'tanza finished applying her ointment, Sabine peered over her shoulder to Peiter's back as he walked off. "I wonder what Peiter was smiling about just before? Is there something in my hair?" She asked Ma'tanza.

"Well..." Tzirret began one they were out of earshot of Sabine and Ma'tanza, understandably nervous. He took a peek over his shoulder and he took in an audibly strained gasp through his nose at what he saw. His face shot forward, frowning with embarrassment and wide-eyed. Sabine almost spotted him. "Ma'tanza said just then that Bheja thinks Ma'tanza's large...ness...is a good thing. Does that mean they are..." Tzirret paused and weaved his hands together in front of him, "...as one?" Tzirret looked to Peiter's face, "You know more of this than Tzirret does."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine smiled and confirmed with a nod. "Yes, I am. It is my passion. Actually, I have some with me here..." Sabine looked into her shoulder bag and rummaged through until she pulled out what looked like a waterskin, but much smaller and evidently filled with something thicker than water. She held it out to Ma'tanza, "A small amount of this might help. I normally make some for when we travel long distances, but I can make more. It is easy."

That was the point at which Tzirret knew he had to escape. If Ma'tanza started applying Sabine's ointment right in front of them, he knew he would be caught staring. As much as he might have wanted to watch, he did not want to insult Ma'tanza a day after meeting her. The last thing he wanted was to alienate his new friends after going through the adversity of actually walking up and talking to them. "Uh...Peiter!" Tzirret said, walking up to Peiter and taking his arm, "Tzirret was wondering if you could spar with him, he needs to practice." Tzirret attempted to pull Peiter away somewhat forcefully, but as they moved, he leaned to his ear and rasped quietly, "Can Tzirret ask you something quickly?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

While Tzirret was about to ask about what clawed creatures Ma'tanza was referring to, he couldn't quite take in breath all the way in before the subject turned to something more awkward for him. He found his eyes going down to Ma'tanza's chest again and found that he did not have any words to respond.

Sabine being Sabine, she was not discouraged in the slightest. "Oh, that would be painful," she commented sympathetically, "I had a friend in the Bruma clan with a similar problem. She had to wear a tight leather jerkin whenever she did any running. It looked like it made it hard to breathe." Oblivious to the awkwardness, Sabine looked down and cupped her own chest. Although she wore a light hide top that supported her, the lean build she had was nowhere near as endowed at Ma'tanza. "I count myself lucky, not being too big." Sabine put her hands down and looked up to Ma'tanza again, "You know, if the pain gets too much, I could make an ointment for you to rub on the surface. It helps to keep away soreness and inflammation. It is good for joints as well."

Tzirret was agape as only certain words from Sabine filtered into his mind. Tight leather jerkin...hard to breathe...too big...rub on the surface...At that point, Tzirret had to close his eyes and shiver his head to come back to his senses. "U-um, what was it Ma'tanza said about clawed creatures in the river?" Tzirret said quickly, trying not to dwell on the previous subject, "Do you mean dreugh? This one did not know they were in the river." Tzirret's face turned concerned, "By Hircine, and we were swimming in it like there was nothing..."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Tzirret still had his eyes fixed on S'nishi as M'ibasa was creeping up, so he jumped in place when Ma'tanza shrieked. He lowered his stance and looked this way and that, searching for danger, but found none. The situation slowly dawned on him and he couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

Sabine noticed a bit too late, almost asking M'ibasa what he was trying to do, but not before the scream. She didn't laugh like Tzirret did, instead opting to watch on silently. She wasn't familiar enough with the dynamic between M'ibasa and Ma'tanza to know what to make of it.

In their next lap around, Tzirret thought to try and help and walked towards where M'ibasa was coming past. As swiftly as he could, he snatched M'ibasa's wrist to stop him. This had the unfortunate effect of allowing the scorpion to be struck free from M'ibasa's grasp and straight onto Tzirret's arm. When the tickle of the scorpion's legs grasped Tzirret's fur, he remembered in that instant that he wasn't too fond of scorpions either. M'ibasa was released. Tzirret's face contorted in terror. He yelped and leapt back in reaction, frantically brushing the creature off his arm. The scorpion tried to skitter away as soon as it landed and Tzirret clutched his arm with wide eyes, watching it and taking quick breaths through his teeth.

Now Sabine felt right to laugh a bit. "It is just a scorpion," Sabine commented.

Tzirret did not change his demeanour. "Yeah...just a scorpion," he repeated, trying to reassure himself more than Ma'tanza. He looked over to her anyway, "Is Ma'tanza alright?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sabine grinned at Ma'tanza. It actually might be some fun to have some competition from Tzirret if this girl would help him. After that, Sabine was about to respond to Bheja when the sun was blotted out behind her. She turned around and took in a breath at the sheer size of the Senche-raht that crept up to them, but she was not overly fearful.

On the other hand, Tzirret's reaction was to tense up as he slowly rotated to look at the monstrous Khajiit. His mouth hung open and he stood, paralysed. He thought the Senche from yesterday was big. He could not have imagined this. He was brought to his senses by Ma'tanza lovingly embracing the behemoth.

"Your...big sister?" Tzirret said, failing to sound unafraid. To describe S'nishi as 'big' seemed redundant. Tzirret took a breath and laughed uneasily. "Tzirret has...never met a Senche-raht before." He almost extended a hand, but retracted it as he realised the idiocy of trying to shake hands here, "It is nice...to...meet you, S'nishi."

"So, this is what Rhazii would have grown up to be if he was born early," Sabine said to herself, fascinated. She grinned and waved, "Greetings."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Tzirret's eyes went to Sabine worriedly. He could not think of how to interrupt just yet.

Being oblivious of Tzirret's approach with the group, Sabine frowned and raised an eyebrow with confusion at Ma'tanza's description of him. "He was not nervous at all?" Sabine asked with a hint of surprise, "Are you sure it was Tzirret you met? Tzirret has always been nervous about talking to new people. I did not even know he was capable doing as much on his own-"

"Hey, Why must Sabine doubt Tzirret?" Tzirret said in a high pitched, defensive tone, "He was not scared. Just..." Tzirret clutched his forearm and looked away, but kept a defensive tone, "He was a bit nervous. Who wouldn't be?"

Sabine was quietly astonished for a moment, but then she smiled and chortled at Tzirret's overreaction. "We are proud of you anyway, Tzirret."

Tzirret let out a huff. "It is just meeting new people," Tzirret mumbled without making eye contact. He then looked to Ma'tanza and felt as if he needed to try and restore his veneer. "These ones like to tease me sometimes," he said, managing a weak smile, "That is all this is."

It was only then that Sabine took the hint about the situation. For Tzirret's sake, she did not want to ruin it for him. "So..." Sabine asked with friendly eyes. Her gaze landed on Bheja and his equipment, "Are you going on a hunt today?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Sure thing.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

We don't have to play out discussion of all the plan's nuances, I just wanted to clear up the bits which would impact the immediate futures of the characters. Was there other stuff you wanted to discuss in the meeting scene?