These things take time

*Kai* · (This post was last modified: 04-30-2019, 06:55 PM by Kai.)

Kai exhaled slowly, watching as a puff of white air rose over his nose and dissipated quickly into the darkness. His pale silver gaze was set firmly in the distance, seemingly unblinking in its steadiness as he studied the group of caribou resting in the far distance, huddled against the crumbling stone wall. The faintest hint of light just barely crept over the horizon, spreading a soft pink palette of colors across the skyline and signalling the arrival of dawn, and cast a long shadow of the wall across the tundra. Soon it would be the perfect time to make his move, when the herd was at a disadvantage after rising from one of their semi-frequent periods of rest. He'd never be cruel enough (let alone foolish enough, for that matter) to try to trim the herd when their defenses were completely down. Something like that would be weak and cowardly, two things that Kai prided himself on not being. Though chaotic to the core, even the wild Jarvela had his principles and rules he was unwilling to bend, especially for himself.

Preserving the herd and helping it flourish was as important to him as eating ought to be, he knew that. Such was the way of his family, and he often wondered if he should strive to be more like Mikkal, devoting himself to protecting the very herds that had given the Jarvela clan life. Instead Kai had chosen a more selfish path, just as his father had, but reverence for these caribou was ingrained deeply into his character and he wouldn't deny an opportunity to tend to them properly. Perhaps a proper hunt would make up from where he'd been slacking. He was thoughtful as he watched them, squinting into the shadows to get a better look at them as he adjusted his position, creeping around the shrubbery he'd been crouched behind.

Kai had been following this herd for weeks now. Now that the herds were breaking apart for the season and traveling to less forested lands to mingle and prepare themselves for breeding soon, it was increasingly obvious that the winter had taken its toll on the group. After a few days of trailing after them it became obvious which ones wouldn't make it to the next winter. While Kai's constant presence at the rear of the herd was enough to scare off any less forgiving predators, it also gave him time to properly watch the group and assess which one needing culling the most. Killing the young, unless they were gravely injured, was almost unthinkable - they were the future of the herd and protecting them at all costs was important. The younger caribou were far more dangerous and unpredictable targets in general. He'd heard his father tell a story of taking down a badly injured young caribou who'd been surprisingly strong even in its dying moments. But the younger ones had the advantage of their smaller size. Fully grown caribou were no joke, even the ones who could hardly walk - even if you took one down, its dead weight could mean certain injury if you didn't move out of its way fast enough. The oldest and weakest were the obvious target despite their weight, but many of the oldest of this particular herd were the ones that tended to lead the group. They were respected and acknowledged as leaders, and taking down one of them wasn't a decision he could make lightly.

Kai had his eye on an older female, one who tended to stay near the back of the herd rather than lead, whose legs he'd seen give out on her more than once when she struggled to stand during a long rest. After a few long nights of deliberation he decided putting her out of her misery was for the best. It'd be a surprise if she made it through summer at all, and she was only slowing down her herd, as far as he could tell. It wasn't an easy decision, nor one he took lightly. Kai knew the herd was aware of his presence by now, so when he finally lifted his head to let loose a low call for any who wanted to join him in a hunt, he knew they wouldn't be startled. Perhaps this was one of the herds Mikkal had looked after; his family protected the caribou as often as they hunted them, and he knew in his homelands they had shared a symbiotic relationship that allowed both creatures to flourish. Kai could only hope someone else might be interested in joining him, deciding the hunt might be rather dangerous solo, though it was a risk he'd decided to take.

Spring Year 13 - Hunting Skill Prompt (Group)
Words: 782

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