(514-04-10) Hunting for Deer
Summary: Sir Gwynwyllyn, one of the older knights Robert's court has decided the younger knights ought to show their skill, with a hunting challenge to bring in the best game they can in time for the feast at the castle following court. That means, there is only a day to find something of worth, so do your best!
Date: 514-04-10
Related: http://knightlytales.wikidot.com/log:514-04-10-a-morning-hunt
coelwulf deryn landon 


Sir Gwynwyllyn, one of the older knights Robert's court has decided the younger knights ought to show their skill, with a hunting challenge to bring in the best game they can in time for the feast at the castle following court. That means, there is only a day to find something of worth, so do your best!

Coelwulf arrives on his black rouncy, a spirited mare, he is dressed in hunting leathers. At the horses flanks, boarhounds five or so of the great beasts, they yelp and bark in their excitment. Coel's squire and his kennel master bring up the rear. Coelwulf raises his spear in greeting!

Having heard of the hunt, Deryn comes prepared with her own squire following the dogs on loan from the Earl's own kennels. With lance and spear both, the lady knight rides with the others, giving greeting to those that have gathered for the hunt. Seems she's healed from her tourney injuries!

Sir Baverstock, the younger of the two of the vassal line, hadn't put his best face forward. That was, stoic, currently. He was snagged in the round up of the young knights, mounted on a thicker beast that could be said stronger to hold the larger size of the knight, as if the horse itself was mixed with a workbreed to support his mass. A spear is roped into his saddle as his hand holds a lance, unwieldly as it was. He's not far behind Deryn, but he does ride in the back of the pack, less eager probably than the others, until his shoulders set square on seeing the gathering coming together. "Ho thar," he offers, then with a cocky tilt as his hand drifts over the bear claws arranged in a pendant around his neck, "I'm pretty sure I could wrestle a bear again today."

Coelwulf points his spear at the forest, "GO!" he shouts. The dogs are off like a shot, the great beasts bounding into the thickets of the Greenwood. It is not long before the huge animals begin barking and yellping. "They are onto something!" he spurs his mare and the hunt is on!

Landon glances ahead at Coelwulf who calls first that the dogs have caught a scent. "Here we gooo…!" he grins at no one in particular, though he was near to Deryn all the same, nudging the stallion ahead and eventually spurring to encourage the thicker legged beast into a lope to keep with the front of the group.

Deryn nods to Sir Baverstock as he rides up alongside her. A smile is given but she turns once the dogs are given the signal forwards, listening to them bay as they catch the scent. Nudging her horse forwards, she rides out as well, alert for whatever the hounds might be trailing.

The dogs still bark in the distance Coewulf swings from his mount to kneel down, looking at the trail "Tis a Deer!" he calls out, then nods down a game trail, "this way." The Shrewton Knight climbs into the saddle, then spurs his mare. "heyaw!" he calls.

At the call of the animal they're tracking, Deryn smiles to herself, nudging her horse forwards once Coel is back in his saddle. Her hand grips her weapon, gaze intent upon spying the prey first.

Landon will take the call of a stag for what it is, hailing up the rein long enough for Coelwulf to inspect the tracks, before he's looking back at Deryn, "I don't suppose you're any good with the bow?" For he notes she too had a spear and the like, "It'll be a long chase to have with only spears to throw." An idle word but then the competition of first sight of the animal is on! He's nudging his mount ahead to continue, watching from the cues Coelwulf gives to change direction if necessary.

Coelwulf rides on the sound of the hounds growing louder, "the lads have his scent strong…" he tells the others, "His Lordship will have a fine Stag at least" he laughs, "the chase is where hero's are born my friends, any fool can stab a beast!"

Deryn chuckles towards Landon at his words, "No bow for me. If I can't manage to down it with a spear or lance…" Then it will get away from this knight! Kneeing her horse into a quick pace as Coel calls out, she listens to the dogs bay, keeping eyes peeled for sight of the stag. She fans out to the side, guiding her horse to one side of Coel, all the better perhaps to try to get the stag herself!

Landon is stretching up in the stirrups as the chase continues, heightened adrenaline as he grins after Coelwulf, seeing how Deryn takes to one side of the other knight and he'll do the same on the other. Or try to. But then a tree comes at him and he barely keeps the animal from close lining him! He loses ground as the stocky mount fights him, head shaking and pulling long the other side. A few curses fly underneath the radar but the Baverstock has no chance now to take the lead.

There's a growl somewhere, a predator in the vicinity.. it's not in the immediate area of the group, though it seems to have spooked the dogs just a bit, and throwing the hunters a bit off the trail!

Coelwulf holds up a fist "be alert" he warns "something is wrong!" Coelwulf adjusts his lance as he looks about, "a bear or a lion maybe…has the dogs spooked

While Deryn might miss the sound of the predator, she doesn't miss the way the dogs react. Nodding to Coel as he speaks of being alert, her hand tightening further upon her weapon.

"If it's a bear, they'll have meat all the same-" he notes, "I haven't tried a lion. I'd be willing to give it a chew." Landon reins up as he catches to the others, getting his lance ready pending the growl follows them rather than scaring off. His eyes search the woods for sign of movement.

The hunters don't find any sign of anything actually harassing the dogs, or otherwise attacking them, and the predator, whatever it was, can't be found. It has thrown off the hunt a bit, however as the group presses on in chase of the deer, when some sort of commotion can be heard echoing through the woods, shouting and yelling of people…

Coelwulf stands in the stirups, scanning the ground for sign of their pray, or what might have been growling, so intent upon his task he ignors or does not hear the commotion

Deryn hears the yelling, and gestures off in another direction, "Let us head that way, circle around. Might be the best bet." She'll nudge her horse, leading off to the side to avoid the commotion and attempt to once more find the prey.. or something else!

"Sounds like someone's out collecting good lumber this day-" Landon adds in on the commentary, nodding to Deryn, "We won't find any prey around that noise!" He settles back down in his saddle, letting his horse take a breather from the fast pace as they canter ahead, waiting to see if the dogs pick up anything.

Coelwulf calls "We should ride toward the noise, might be they will drive game toward us" he offers, "or we can look for different quarry…what say?"

Deryn considers for a moment, then shakes her head, "If they've been at it for a while, it's no use. Might do better away from the noise." At least that's her opinion.

Landon nods at Deryn, "She's right. Any animal around that racket has fled hours ago," he's all for carrying on with Deryn.

With a sharp whistle Coelwulf calls for the dogs. The big animals snuffle the forest litter, then begin to yelp and cry, "They have the scent again…GO!" he orders and the huge beasts break into a run. Coelwulf spurs his mare again galluping along the forest trail, "we'll get him this time!"

Seems the dogs are going to prove Deryn wrong as they manage to find the scent and pick it back up. Turning her horse away from where she was heading, she joins the group once more following the hounds, again keeping an eye out for the stag on the trail ahead.

Landon looks over at Deryn, giving her an approving nod for the attempt, "Day of the dog!" Then he's off loping his horse again as his eyes keep note of the baying dogs as they catch the scent. "Can you tell if we're near!" he calls up toward Coelwulf, relying on his ability with the dogs to gauge the matter.

The group of hunters continue on their way as they're trying to track down where this darn deer is, the trail gets a bit difficult to follow, the dogs having to re-aquire the sent here and there. The Hunters however, seem to have stumbled upon a cluster of nesting birds, startling the animals out, underfoot of the horses and causing a bit of a kerfuffle <Everyone check horsemanship!>

Coelwulf leans into the horse keeping his knees tight, his mare well trained for the hunt, he guides her around the flutttering of wings as he tries to keep on the stag

Landon's horse handles the flight of bird's as well as Coelwulf's, just a flick of the ears as the animal barrels right through bush and birds!

Deryn leans forwards, her horse skirting the rougher terrain. As the birds fly out of the brush, the mare is startled enough she rears up. That isn't the bad part. It's the fact she does a little hop and stumble to the left that leaves Deryn sliding off and taking a tumble to the ground. That's going to smart just a little! More to her pride, perhaps. Grumbling a few choice words beneath her breath, she manages to catch the reins, and gets herself back on the horse's back before the other hunters are too far ahead.

The group continues along, having been out tracking all day for this elusive deer that's been on the move all day, it seems. This time, they come upon a bit of growth.. within that grassy area however is an old ditch, probably from an old roman farm!

Deryn is catching back up to the others, feeling the saddle and keeping an eye on those before her. When the brush comes up, she spies the hidden ditch, managing to urge her horse up and over it, timing the jump just right to keep her horse on level ground, and her in her seat!

Coelwulf plows through the brush, spurring his horse to leap a small ditch "ON!" he shouts

Landon feels the odd impact and glances back after the horse had crossed the ditch, thinking nothing of it as he stays on the trail. His eyes are sweeping the forest but he hasn't noticed a damn thing. "Where is it?" he asks outloud, "as much as I like going for a ride we have to bring back something!"

Coelulf's mareleaps the tree, not pretty but he makes the landing spurring her on.

Deryn is intent on following those dogs, and thus the stag they trail. When presented with yet another jump, she spurns her mare on, and the horse sails over neatly. Thank the godess and gods!

"A bit longer then!" Landon bellows out of his deep chest behind Coelwulf, "But by the ass of my giddy aunt, if we cannot find it before we lose light completely, we're walking the horses back! But better that then coming back without a catch-" Eyes on Deryn, as he thumps his large hand on the neck of the beast he affectionately calls Behemoth, a dusty dappled bay animal with blond hair - mixed breeding and all that.

Coelwulf gathers his hounds and dismounts "We lost it" he says saddly, "crafty thing…" Coelwulf grouses.

Through all their efforst, the light was lost and so, it had become a little too risky to ride their mounts through the underbrush - not to mention that the horses needed a break too. Landon throws the reins over the gelding's head and bunches it in one hand, "Good day. Close I reckon. Next time." He pats the sleek warm neck of the stallion, "My horse is tired though. We should rest for a while before plotting a course back to the road."

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