Smoked Elk [AW]

Deftly, the sharp-edged bear claw snicked through flesh as the Adravendi worked the hide from an unlucky elk cow that had stepped into a root hole in the ground and snapped her own leg. She was pregnant, and keeping herself healthy and well-fed would be difficult with a broken leg, so when Cairo had come upon her, still stuck and struggling, panting, in the natural snare, he’d capitalized on the situation.

It was too far to drive an injured and panicked elk home to possible contain and care for her, and there wasn’t a ready pasture anyway, so he dispatched the elk and began processing the carcass.

Enito helped, skinning the hide back with a sharp knife fashioned from one of the scraps of metal from the Plateau. Cai kept the skinned carcass on the flesh-side of the hide as he began breaking down the elk cow in practiced efficiency, setting aside each cut while the Mandrill moved to strike a camp and got the fire going to dry the meat.

The Valley was one of his favorite spots, even in winter, and Cairo didn’t mind camping out for the night while the meat dried. He did wish he’d brought a few extra large pouched for all the bones, but he figured he could probably cache them, though it was likely such a cache would be found.

As he settled by the fire, butchering and processing completed, he stretched, then began slicing the foreclaw of his right bracer through each cut of meat, making strips and leaving them to Enito to spear on long fronds from the willows, stripped of their leaves, and hang them on a tee-pee of saplings, so that the meat would hang over the fire and absorb the smoky flavor while they dried.

“I think once we get back it’ll be time to call the next fight training session.”

The comment was idly spoken, a thought aloud, but Enito grunted in response, adding, “Think there’ll be any apprenticeships started?”

Cai huffed a soft laugh, shrugging, “Better be. I’ve made my choices already. Ardyn, Tel, and Possibly Fidelias if he’s open to it. Aurielle mentioned Caelia might want to train him.”

He settled back as the last of the meat was hung up and sighed. “Hopefully they’ll be trained enough to do well in the next raid, at least defending.”

The Mandrill shrugged, plopping down and putting his nimble hands to work packing the bits and pieces away for storage. Silently, Chrystal swooped in from the now-evening sky, perching nearby and swiveling her head, great owl eyes taking in the surroundings, listening for mice and approaching steps.


Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think