On the hunt

[Shea de Vermandois]

We kept a slow pace until we were out of the palace proper. Once on open ground, we urged our mounts into a gentle lope.

“Do you go out riding much?” I asked Fydor, curious about him.

[Fydor Romanov]

"Sometimes. I like to ride, but I like to get into trouble near home too," I said with a grin, enjoying the wind across my face.

[Shea de Vermandois]

“I think you and I have more in common than I realized,” I told him, grinning.

[Fydor Romanov]

"Are you a maker of trouble also?" I asked with a chuckle.

[Shea de Vermandois]

“Only when I’m awake,” I said, laughing. “Perhaps we should go have a meal after we’re done hunting?”

[Fydor Romanov]

I chuckled again. "I think that is good idea. A good idea," I corrected myself without much thought of my own pride. "We will be hungry I think. Well, I know that I will be."

[Shea de Vermandois]

“I will be too,” I said, laughing.

We came to the top of the rise and I reined my mount in gently, brining her to a stop.

[Fydor Romanov]

We came to a stop at the top of the ridge, and I looked down at the clearing. It looked like a very good spot to let the falcon fly. "You move to City close to present?" I asked, wondering about one of his earlier comments.

[Shea de Vermandois]

I looked at him as I puzzled over his words, then thought I understood. “I came to the city permanently a little while ago. I’ve visited often. My family’s estate is not that far away,” I answered, smiling.

I glanced back out to the clearing, making sure there was nothing to threaten Horus once I let him go.

[Fydor Romanov]

"If you do not mind that I am asking, who is your family?" I asked as I waited patiently. He was still looking around, but it was his bird that he was sending up, he obviously took it very seriously.

[Shea de Vermandois]

“de Vermandois,” I answered.

I looked at Horus, seeing the eager tension in him. “As soon as I take his hood off, he’s going to launch. It will be quick,” I warned Fydor.

[Fydor Romanov]

Vermandois... the name was familiar. I should've know it. "I am ready to be watching," I replied to his warning.

[Shea de Vermandois]

Nodding, I undid Horus’s hood and pulled it gently off him. The leather was barely free before Horus launched into the air. His wings spread wide as he became to climb the air.

I smiled wide as I watched him. “The first time I went out with a full grown falcon, I wasn’t braced right and he dislocated my shoulder when he launched,” I said, chuckling.

[Fydor Romanov]

The falcon flew up on graceful wings, obviously happy to be free in the air. "Dislocated?" I asked, not having heard the word before.

[Shea de Vermandois]

I pointed to the spot where my arm and shoulder met. “My arm came out of the socket,” I explained.

[Fydor Romanov]

"Ah," I said with a little smile that faded. "I think I understand. That is much pain yes?"

[Shea de Vermandois]

“Oh yes, very much. Even more when they put it back together,” I said, chuckling.

I looked up, seeing that Horus had gained his height and was now circling. “Time to fine him some game,” I said, grinning at Fydor. “Ready?”

[Fydor Romanov]

I grinned and shifted in my saddle slightly to settle. "Yes."

[Shea de Vermandois]

I grinned wider and squeezed my knees in, urging my mount forward into a run. I headed for the tall grass to one side of the clearing. I’d found hares there before and was wagering I’d find them again.

[Fydor Romanov]

I urged my mount to a matching speed and spread down the meadow from him to flush more game. I whooped with glee at the fun of it all.

[Shea de Vermandois]

I heard his whoop and looked back at him, adding one of my own. The ground raced by and we hurtled into the long grass. Not two strides in we flushed three hares and they took off in bounding leaps into the clearing.

I eased up my mount and turned to face the clearing so I wouldn’t miss it. I looked up and saw Horus turn on a wingtip, letting out a piercing cry as he did.

“Here he comes,” I said, grinning at Fydor.

[Fydor Romanov]

I got my horse around and reined it in so that I could watch the show. The falcon suddenly dove at an amazing speed, causing me to grin. My father's eagle was never so swift.

[Shea de Vermandois]

The first time I’d been out and watched one of the falcons dive, I’d been certain it was going to plummet straight into the ground and die. It seemed impossible that anything could pull out of that streaking dive in time to survive. Since then I had learned the abilities of the falcons, but still my heart froze every time I watched one of my beloved birds dive. The anticipation and fear and exhilaration were amazing.

The rightmost hare didn’t feel Horus’s presence until too late as the falcon timed his dive perfectly and got the hare midleap, wings unfurled instantly to halt his dive and both of them hit the ground as one.

Filled with pride, I looked at Fydor. “He’s amazing, isn’t he?” I asked, grinning.

[Fydor Romanov]

I chuckled as he beamed at me. "Oh yes. He is very fast and very... easy in air."

[Shea de Vermandois]

“Shall we get closer?” I asked.

[Fydor Romanov]

I nodded and we rode over to where Horus was happily preening over his kill. I chuckled again. "He is... proud like his master."

[Shea de Vermandois]

“He is,” I said, chuckling. I reined in my mount, still a short distance away, making sure Horus wouldn’t feel threatened. Dismounting, I stepped closer and held out my gauntleted arm. Horus leapt to my arm and settled as I dug some chunks of raw pigeon from my pouch and offered them to him. He glanced at the hare once more, blood from the animal staining his beak and then took the pigeon from my hand.

[Fydor Romanov]

I dismounted as well and fetched the hare while Shea looked after his falcon. "A good dying," I observed, deftly holding the hair to keep the blood from my clothing. "Do you have a... game bag?"

[Shea de Vermandois]

“On my saddle,” I said, indicating it with a nod of my head as my hands were full. “Thank you.”

[Fydor Romanov]

"No problem," I replied with a friendly grin. I went over to his mount, careful not to spook it with the smell of blood, and deposited the hare in the sack that I found. "Is he more calm now?" I asked as I wandered back over to where Shea stood.