The Dueron Plains

closed Rp for Me and Saphy with a couple of characters o3o

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Smooth rolling hills and sparse grassland stretched to the horizon, the occasional tree stood like a lone sentinel. A soft summer breeze swept through the grass, creating a wave affect across the small hills. To the east was the sea, and the city of Endora. The sky was clear with only a few fluffy white clouds dotted throughout, leaving the way clear for the bright sunlight to beat down upon the fields. Off to one side was a small hamlet of buildings, a large barn out the outskirts with a few houses dotted around. Much too small to be a village, but consisting of two or three families. Chickens squabbled by the barn and there was the occasional low of a cow somewhere behind the barn, a high pitch ‘scree’ made the chickens fall silent for a moment, listening to the tell tale cry of a bird of prey, before resuming their squabbling.

There was the faint sound of hooves and heavy breathing, as a small herd of horses chewed on long grass, moving quietly, only the swish of their tails and the thud of a hoof betraying their presence. A top a hill, another horse stood, golden-brown fur with dark muzzle and socks, a red and brown leather saddle indicating this horse wasn’t part of the herd below. His rider was crouched a few feet from him, inspecting the dirt and running his hand over a print in the soft soil. At a nicker from his horse the blond haired man stood, flicking his hair out of his blue eyes, putting his hat back on and walking over to his horse. He swung himself into the saddle and began counting the herd below.

“Twen’y-five, twen’y-six, twen’y-seven, twen— ...Twen’y-seven?” He counted slowly, careful not to miscount. “Damn it, we’ve gone and lost another.” He cursed sitting up straight in the saddle and scanning the plains, standing up in the stirrups briefly so to get a better vantage point. “Them other herd’s better be okay...” He sat down with a bump, making the buckskin mustang snort in annoyance.

“Sorry mate.” He said patting the horse’s neck and looking around at the sound of hooves. “That Shinlai’s gon’ and got another horse.” He called softly, so not to startle the herd, and gesturing to the print in the dirt, as another rider approached. The prints headed east, towards the city of Endora, he looked over to the second rider. “What do you think? The prints are relatively fresh, we could catch it...” He suggested, he had maps, his sword and his crossbow, he was more than willing to go after this Shinlai who thought they could snatch horses...

The wind blew a delightful breeze over the hills, which made them waves like a golden ocean. Alonso's bangs flew in the wind as he galloped towards his brother, slowly receding in to a trot, until finally stopped. The mustang snort, followed by a pitched neigh. Alonso tapped the horse's neck for the work. “That Shinlai’s gon’ and got another horse. His brother gestured at the tracks as he spoke "T's the third one this week" Alonso lift his hat to get a better glance at the prints "What do you think? The prints are relatively fresh, we could catch it...” Catch it huh? Now that sounded like a brilliant idea. A grin formed of the boy's face "Sounds like'a challenge." He turned his attention towards their house in the distance "Ya Recon we'll be back b' fore dinner?" He joked. A ride to Endora and back would be at least a day's travel and he knew that well. "Onwards Salvador!" he shout blissfully and pulled the horse's reigns to draw a circle in the dirt. "Last one there's a rotten egg!" A quick to the sides and he was off. Alonso whistled to Val, the bird of prey that circled over the grassland and now swooped down towards the two riders.

"Sounds like'a challenge. Ya Recon we'll be back b' fore dinner?" Alonso asked. "Onwards Salvador! Last one there's a rotten egg!" Marcus rolled his eyes but steered his horse around and followed at a gentle canter.

“First one there pays for the beer.” Marcus called calmly as his horse, Conrad, lopped along beside the other horse. As they rode, Marcus checked the saddle bags to make sure his equipment was still there, before sitting back, more than content to let Conrad follow Salvador.

“S’been ages since we las’ wen’ Endora...” He mused to himself. “Welp, should be able t’ find the pub.” He said with a grin, and gave Conrad a light kick, the canter increasing in speed.

“First one there pays for the beer.” Alonso head Marcus call, barely. He snort "You wish" he mumbled to himself with a contempt smirk as Conrad quickly caught up to Salvador. “S’been ages since we las’ wen’ Endora...Welp, should be able t’ find the pub.” And it begins. "Not even half way there, and yer 'lready lookin' for a drink, Marcus?" Alonso chuckled "Don't think we'll have'a problem. You have the power ta sniff out a pub a mile away"

"Not even half way there, and yer 'lready lookin' for a drink, Marcus? Don't think we'll have'a problem. You have the power ta sniff out a pub a mile away" Alonso said with a chuckle.

“What’s up, scared I’ll out drink you?” Marcus replied coolly, a broad grin on his face. “S’not my faul’ I got a stron’ liver.” He added still grinning. He didn’t drink that often but when he did, he made a point of enjoying it.

“What’s up, scared I’ll out drink you? S’not my faul’ I got a stron’ liver.”

"And one day ya'll have no liver, ey. Then i'll be the one laughin'." Salvador's gallop soon turned to a trot, then a steady walk. The horse breathed heavily, with the occasional snort and neigh. The boy pet the creature's neck in gesture of it's good work, then reached a hand out for Val to land on "Maybe we should send a letter home, eh?"

"And one day ya'll have no liver, ey. Then I'll be the one laughin'." Alonso said, before slowing to a walk. Marcus reigned in Conrad and slowed alongside his brother. "Maybe we should send a letter home, eh?" Alonso suggested, letting his red tailed hawk land on his arm.

“Pro’ly be best. Ma’ would skin us alive if we didn’ say.” Marcus agreed. “Shoul’ we wai’ till we reach Endora?” He asked, having a feeling their writing wouldn’t be eligible if written on the move.

“Pro’ly be best. Ma’ would skin us alive if we didn’ say. Shoul’ we wai’ till we reach Endora?” Marcus asked

Alonso snort "Don't matter much, I got's me a horrible writtin' either way" He laughed.

"Uh....Ey, Marcus, shouldn't we be followin' the 'lai tracks?" The boy raised a brow, fact is, he started to gallop blinding towards Endora, but the shinlai may or may not be going off towards the city. He pulled the reigns of the horse and let Val fly. A half circle in the dirt until he came to a stop.

"Don't matter much, I got's me a horrible writtin' either way" Alonso laughed. Marcus snorted, that much was true at least, he’d much rather sword fight than learn to write. And Alonso was probably similar. "Uh....Ey, Marcus, shouldn't we be followin' the 'lai tracks?" His brother said, turning in a half circle and letting Val take to the air.

“Aye that’s proba’ly true. Or yah could just use yea eyes.” He said, pulling Conrad to a stop alongside Salvador, and pointing off to his right. About ten foot away was a section of flattened grass with claw marks gouged into the earth.

Marcus slid off Conrad and flung the reins to his brother, before striding over to the paw print and taking long steps up to the next one. Reaching the next print he stopped and looked over at Alonso. “He’s movin’ at one heck o’a pace...” He said with a slight frown, crouching down he looked closer at the print, it was deep and had flattened the grass around it.