Private Law of Nature

[Colette]

The prairie buzzed with life this morning. Yesterday’s thunderstorm had come and gone and left plenty of pools in its wake. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but the worst of it had already passed along with the rain. There was a fresh crispness to the air and Colette took a deep breath to revel in all the smells and sounds she experienced. Worms seeking air and birds seeking to feed; preferably on the worms.

The morning sun peeked through the scattering clouds to offer its colors to the world and for a moment all was right again. She’d have enough of life’s smaller things that she could forego one or two of the truly horrific ones. Today there would be no injustices, only the open terrain and a good hunt.

And a good hunt wouldn’t be such a thing without good company. She’d signed up with a smaller crew on this one but a crew that she knew to be a good bunch. Perhaps not as rigorous in their field dressing as she was, but that could be excused.

Four people in total, two groups of two. The two beer-knocking elders in one and the juniors in the other. Which was to say, a recreational team and an actual hunting party with Colette’s being the latter.

“Sleep okay last night?” Colette asked and rolled her shoulder where she’d slung her rifle. “Storm got pretty loud when it rolled over.”

Drifter

 

[Drifter]

Colette
​

Drifter stood with his hands on his hips, surveying the wide stretch of prairie that glimmered under the fresh light of dawn. The air still smelled of wet earth, puddles catching flashes of color as the clouds drifted past.

[ Welp, here we are, ] he muttered to himself, visor angling down toward his datapad. The bounty list flickered across the screen. He was here to try and bag a critter or two, with some of those required by Black Sun.

With a lazy swipe of his gloved finger, Drifter scrolled down to the name Oggdo and gave a low whistle. [ ...Well, feth, that's a doozy. ]

But a voice nearby drew his attention, his polarized helmet swivelling over toward Colette, where her reflection shimmered faintly across his dusty visor as he gave a loud snorting laugh.

[ That wasn't the only thing that was loud, ] he replied with a wry grin in his tone.

Everyone knew what he meant. The Devaronian's snoring had nearly blown the tent stakes out of the ground last night. But hey, a good joke never hurt before a hunt.

[ Alright, looks like we are dealing with a heck of a critter. Full of teeth, lightsaber resistant hide, spikes, and a sticky eight foot tongue that will nab you right into its mouth. Not too shabby right? ]

 

[Colette]

Drifter

There was no outright laughter, but it could still be seen in the gentle squint of Colette’s eyes and the lopsided smile. Once you learned how to fall asleep hidden in caves during a sandstorm there were very few places you wouldn’t be able to fall asleep in.

“Right. Bogano native, likes to bite.” Colette said and gave their surroundings another scan. “More than just a pest.” she said and frowned. “Someone must have put it here on purpose.”

Which wouldn’t make a lot of sense unless it was some sort of targeted attack. A prairie was a poor location for a creature that’d otherwise thrive in the crampedness of a swamp. Extend the tongue and the target would have plenty of time to dodge, at least if they were capable of using the force.

“Haven’t been able to hunt one until now,” she added. Her eyes flicked to the scratches on Drifter’s armor with a curious glance. “Take it you have and that’s why you’re so kitted out?”

 

[Drifter]

​

Colette

Drifter gave a scoundrel's shrug, the black leather of his songsteel-plated armor flexing as that polarized helm turned toward Colette. Amusement edged his voice when he drawled, [ Well, a little bit of column A… a little bit of column B… ]

The easy confidence in his tone said plenty. He'd done this sort of hunt before and didn't doubt his skill when it came to tracking down beasts, big or small.

[ What about you, kid? How good are you at tracking these things? ] he asked, curiosity slipping through the usual sarcasm.

The last thing he needed was a squealer. A runner, though, that wasn't so bad. Runners made for good moving bait.

 

[Colette]

Drifter

It had been a while since someone last called her kid. Colette threw another curious glance in 'Drifter's direction and shook her head.

"Never tracked this type of creature before." She admitted and shrugged. "But I've taken down a voxyn, so I imagine this is about the same thing if things go south."

The mention of the beast made her otherwise happy smile fade for a moment. Her attention set on the ground beneath her boots. How long had it been since then? Seemed like the other week, yet so much further away. Reina had been there, and now…

… Now she was not.

"It was an experience," she said and swallowed the maudlin feeling at the back of her throat. "In that… Morbid kind of way."

"That whole beauty in its horror kind of way."