Qeya River Clubhouse

The cracking of ram heads echoed off the mountainside. Eye to eye they stood, head lifted, after each thunderous match. The misty air from their breath curled in rings around the heavy spiral of their horns. They withdrew, each finding their way several paces back before they stood in an uneasy truce- and ran for each other again.

Ksura watched, entertained for some time, before he set his gaze on the ewes grazing below in the lower ranges. They were smaller, their horns barely spikes. Alongside them, this year’s young jousted and sparred, leaping about coltishly on the jagged rocks. 

These weren’t domestic sheep; they could not be slain by the dozen with their own fear. These were animals that knew that danger lurked in the wilderness, and that their true advantage came from their ability to race up sheer rock. 

But with the killer lurking above them, they would have to descend- to an area where wolves would have the advantage. 

The rams collided again; in the echo, Ksura sent up a short cry- hoping someone nearby might be ready for when he made his move.

"sheep killer find sheep," sun eater teased as the wind blew his fur, harshly jerking it in tufts around his scarred face. these were fine animals, fierce horned creatures who battled for strength in the same manner of wolves.

the single eye approved. he did not know sheep killer's history with the name given; for sun eater, to kill a sheep was a singular skill, a cunning not all possessed.

he was quiet then, joined beside the other hunter for the kill; he would not assume the lead, for he wished to observe as their race began.

it would be a good thing if others too gathered, though he prepared for it to be only them.

He salivated as he waited, breaths coming in short puffs. The tip of his tail slithered softly behind him with each great crack of the ram’s horns. He watched with narrowing eyes as the young lambs bounced from one rock to the next, throwing their heads back and showing the whites of their eyes as they leapt- so nimble that they could afford to be comical as well. 

His ear flicked as Sun Eater approached, accompanying him on the hillside. Now, he would be put to the test; now, he would shed blood alongside the man who had shed-

don’t think about it.

His panting ceased. He licked the trail of saliva from his lips, and his mouth suddenly became dry. The idea was fleeting- but the hungry flame at a match’s head, it was snuffed out before it could spread. Still, the matchbox smell lingered, potent and alluring. 

He would tuck it away for another day, turn it into a fantasy that might never become reality. 

He clicked his teeth together as a trio of lambs strayed further downhill, away from the ewes. He made gestures with his chin, and began to sneak forward. 

He would gain as much ground as he could, quietly- before breaking into a run that would spook the small herd into action.

lambs. sun eater's eyes were upon them; he lowered as sheep killer slunk forward. there was something additional to the man's movements that the lanzadoii hunter could not quite place.

it veiled sheep killer in a mystery that sun eater might one day need to parse for himself. but not this hour, reserved as it was for his assessment of the river-wolf's ability.

his companion was swift and did not wait to rush the sheep. sun eater curved his path away, driving off the rams, the ewes. he would describe a smooth wheeling back to sheep killer, some steps behind what path the other had chosen.

His breastbone scraped the ground as he moved forward, pausing every now and again to disguise himself in the shadow of a boulder, until there were no more shadows to hide in. He broke forward into a canter, still held low until the animals caught sight of the hunters that now charged toward them- then he stretched out into a gallop and careened toward the lambs as they scattered, scrambling down the slope. 

Above them, the ewes and rams climbed, bleating heartbreaking cries for the children who ran further and further from them, separated by two wolves. 

Two lambs fled together, side by side- having shared their mother's womb, they bound themselves together in flight. Ksura pursued them, with each turn and twist he cut off their route back up to the highlands, and forced them down toward the foothills-

-until he caught sight of the two, tall stones that marked what he called 'stone-jump bluff.' 

The lambs would make an easy kill if they simply kept their course straight, and went down into the foothills where they could not out-maneuver the wolves. Even if they split apart- which he felt they would eventually- one wolf per lamb was more than enough. 

But here was an opportunity for him to show not only his skill, but his understanding of the landscape, and of techniques that could be used not only for sheep, but other mountain-dwelling prey as well. Beyond the two stones was a drop that even the most sure-footed ram could not survive. He barked, and jerked his chin in the direction of the two stones, before he swerved to the right- driving the lambs in the direction of the unseen drop.