I feel that you're trying to help your search party out with today's prompt; I still feel that the tiger knows more than they're letting on about the rabbit's whereabouts....
Night vision Hardras picked up the stag's trail after nearly half an hour of careful study and tracking; several of the hunters were astonished that he even managed to find the spots of blood on leaf litter and the single patch of fur against a tree trunk that he deduced direction from. But once he'd found a path they rapidly found more subtle evidence that he was right, and while they kept largely silent there was a very gentle sense of pride in their leader. They moved along in a loose pack, moving as swiftly as they could and keenly aware that given enough time the stag could get away or even recover to the point of fighting back when they found it. The sun sank steadily in the sky though, and there was a strong sense of relief that they broke from the forest onto grassy plains before twilight settled in. be-Amos looked at Hardras, and said quietly to Eltayba, "I think he's going to continue the hunt. The stag will look to settle for the night, if we can find it we'll have the element of surprise." "The stag will sleep early," said Eltayba. "Probably near water; it will find food there as well. But... men have poor night vision." She seemed hesitant, as though holding back saying something else. "We have covered lamps," said be-Amos. Eltayba tilted her head to one side, dog-like, and raised an eyebrow. "Enough light to avoid twisting ankles, but... here, let me show you." He loosened something cylindrical in a leather holster at his hip, and she looked surprised to see that it wasn't a knife but was a glass chimney atop a clay base. Wrapped around the glass was thin leather with small rips and tears in it. She took it and inspected it carefully, sniffing the top of the chimney and finding the screw that controlled the length of the wick. "Oil light," she said. "The leather... ah, the light seen from a distance becomes a dance of tiny dots, like shadows in star-light." She studied it again. "And there's leakage at the base, so your feet get illumination, but the ground reflects light erratically. This is... clever." be-Amos smiled and took the lamp back. "You would do it differently." "Elves -- all elves -- have good night vision," she said. "The stars seem brighter to us, and the moon is a beacon. But these lights are good, they will not blind me, I think. This is... good different." be-Amos shook his head. "There's something you're not saying," he said. "Do you think you'll offend me?" Eltayba shook her head. "There are two things," she admitted. "Not offend, but... I do not see that you can avoid both, and neither is something to look forward to." "What then?" She shook her head. "You've now told me I have two things to fear and I know nothing of either of them. That is worse than knowing with certainty about something else." She shook her head again. "The High Elves? They are hunting this way too?" The sun sank closer to the horizon, and the shadows became heavy before she finally spoke. "That is a good guess. And true. And if we are in their way then.... Then." "These are their lands," said be-Amos. "The treaties are clear; what befalls us befalls us and it is our fault." "These are not their lands," said Eltayba, with such reluctance that be-Amos felt guilty about questioning her. "These are the borderlands between Elves and Rakshasa." "The Maneaters?" be-Amos's voice was tinged with dread. "Tiger-headed man-like beasts as tall as a bear and stronger? Oh -- oh, that's why the ritual of the Tiger, right?" "Rakshasa have excellent night-vision," said Eltayba.
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I feel that you're trying to help your search party out with today's prompt; I still feel that the tiger knows more than they're letting on about the rabbit's whereabouts....
Night vision
Hardras picked up the stag's trail after nearly half an hour of careful study and tracking; several of the hunters were astonished that he even managed to find the spots of blood on leaf litter and the single patch of fur against a tree trunk that he deduced direction from. But once he'd found a path they rapidly found more subtle evidence that he was right, and while they kept largely silent there was a very gentle sense of pride in their leader. They moved along in a loose pack, moving as swiftly as they could and keenly aware that given enough time the stag could get away or even recover to the point of fighting back when they found it. The sun sank steadily in the sky though, and there was a strong sense of relief that they broke from the forest onto grassy plains before twilight settled in.
be-Amos looked at Hardras, and said quietly to Eltayba, "I think he's going to continue the hunt. The stag will look to settle for the night, if we can find it we'll have the element of surprise."
"The stag will sleep early," said Eltayba. "Probably near water; it will find food there as well. But... men have poor night vision." She seemed hesitant, as though holding back saying something else.
"We have covered lamps," said be-Amos. Eltayba tilted her head to one side, dog-like, and raised an eyebrow. "Enough light to avoid twisting ankles, but... here, let me show you." He loosened something cylindrical in a leather holster at his hip, and she looked surprised to see that it wasn't a knife but was a glass chimney atop a clay base. Wrapped around the glass was thin leather with small rips and tears in it. She took it and inspected it carefully, sniffing the top of the chimney and finding the screw that controlled the length of the wick.
"Oil light," she said. "The leather... ah, the light seen from a distance becomes a dance of tiny dots, like shadows in star-light." She studied it again. "And there's leakage at the base, so your feet get illumination, but the ground reflects light erratically. This is... clever."
be-Amos smiled and took the lamp back. "You would do it differently."
"Elves -- all elves -- have good night vision," she said. "The stars seem brighter to us, and the moon is a beacon. But these lights are good, they will not blind me, I think. This is... good different."
be-Amos shook his head. "There's something you're not saying," he said. "Do you think you'll offend me?"
Eltayba shook her head. "There are two things," she admitted. "Not offend, but... I do not see that you can avoid both, and neither is something to look forward to."
"What then?" She shook her head. "You've now told me I have two things to fear and I know nothing of either of them. That is worse than knowing with certainty about something else." She shook her head again. "The High Elves? They are hunting this way too?"
The sun sank closer to the horizon, and the shadows became heavy before she finally spoke. "That is a good guess. And true. And if we are in their way then.... Then."
"These are their lands," said be-Amos. "The treaties are clear; what befalls us befalls us and it is our fault."
"These are not their lands," said Eltayba, with such reluctance that be-Amos felt guilty about questioning her. "These are the borderlands between Elves and Rakshasa."
"The Maneaters?" be-Amos's voice was tinged with dread. "Tiger-headed man-like beasts as tall as a bear and stronger? Oh -- oh, that's why the ritual of the Tiger, right?"
"Rakshasa have excellent night-vision," said Eltayba.
Greg - yeah, I'm not sure this is going to end well for anybody. But I shall enjoy the journey regardless!
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