archenthorpes quest

After many months watching his new shan're brothers and sisters returning from glorious raids agianst the kathian border enemys, Archenthorpe grow tired of being forced to sit back and watch feeling the title theroshan was holding him back in his desire for true prowess on the battlefield and decided to ask his dorini jhreica for the honour of taking part in the next graduation event. Seeing young kathians passing him by in the ranks only encouriged Archenthorpe to train harder, everyday working himself to exhuastion in the quest to prove himself ready for the task. Eventually the day of the graduation came would his name be submitted as one of the honoured few to prove themselves infront of the dathanar and respected dorini council?

((just thought this was a good way of finding out what exactly is expected of you when it comes to graduating or attempting to graduate, just tell me if this is forward but i thought if we were going to find out, why not find out with my charecter:)))

Jherica was wittling when Archenthorpe came to her. Hastily, she shoved the wood and small knife into a drawer and slammed it shut, smiling at him charmingly.
"So you are ready to move on, yes?" she asked walking around her desk "Well, I'm glad to hear it. I've been watching you, you are a dedicated hard worker and I appreciate that."
She sat across from him again, folding her hands on her lap and giving him a serious look. "I will grant you this if you do something for me." She cleared her throat then continued.
"We train birds to carry our letters and small packages. They are fast and efficient. Due to recent events and old age however, we are needing to replace those that have fallen. Fortunately, this is a good time to do so as breeding season is nigh and hawks will be laying eggs again." Jherica stood. "Come here," she beckoned walking across the room pulling the cloth from over a large square cage atop a pedestal. Inside there was a large bird. His crown was dark grey then a paler grey on the nape of it's neck and upper back. It was darker again on it's lowerback and the tail feathers started white then grey then white again. "I'm sure you've met Raul, have you?" The bird perked at the sound of his name and he shifted back and forth on the perch he stood on "He is a Pale Chanting Goshawk and my bird of choice. I would like you to take the eggs of these birds and bring them back to me for training." Jherica reached in stroking the bird on the head fondly before covering the cage again.

"This may sound simple enough I'm sure," she said turning to Archenthrope. "I assure you going to war would be easier. They are a wary breed, you cannot simply climb the mountains and help yourself to their eggs - indeed, you're not allowed to. You are to gain their trust, let them know you're not intending to hurt them and they will allow you to take an extra egg. Doing this will allow the birds to care soley for one youngling and the other will not perish. You are only to take eggs from nests that have two or more eggs, and you must care for them so they do not die inside their shells or become victims of other prey. I would of course do this myself but I must stay here to give orders. Though, I feel that I am giving this mission to the best person. Do not dissappoint me."

As Archenthorpe sat frozen to his perch high above the hyborian flatlands he cursed the task jherica had given him. Months had past since he had left Kathia on his quest to find the goshawk nesting ground. Although he had finally tracked the elusive birds nesting gounds high in the Eiglophian Mountains he had come no closer to taming the pair he now watched unblinkingly infront of him, everyday he would set fruit and seed for the mating pair and everyday in the few hours of sleep Archenthorpe took the food would be gone, the cunning birds having stolen it in the night, and with them any chance of whispering the words the elder clan members had told him before his departure, the words that would surely allow him to befreind the birds.

Another week past by and still no chance had presented itself to talk with the birds until one day when the weather on the peaks was at its most harsh Archenthorpe had seen since he arrived at his cave hideaway, as he lay delirious from the fever that had taken him he saw a small figure appear at the ever shrinking cave mouth, as it drew nearer he recognised the destictive grey and white patterning around the now clearly visable birds body, it was the goshawk he had strived to tame for so long and in its mouth a dead mountian hare.

Sevral days past as Archenthorpe grew in strenth and every day the bird returned with a fresh dead hare in its talons. Eventually the time came for breeding season to finally begin and as Archenthorpe sat and watched the female goshawk lay three perfectly white eggs he new the time had come to leave the mountian peaks, reluctantly he reached into the nest and removed one of the eggs from its warm place and quickly coverd it with his linin cape, the goshawk looked at him as he did it and bowed its head nowingly.

As he saw the great gates of Kathia emerge in the distance a mixture of great triumph and great loss overcome him. He opened the linen cloth a looked in at the now twitching egg " we are home little one, now we must find jherica"

Jherica sat at her desk a quill between her fingers as she scrawled atop a bit of parchemnt. Outside of his cage, Raul the Chanting Goshawk danced from one end of his perch to the other, bobbing his head. Looking at him she thought of the Bantholos she sent out months before. It has been a long time and she was convinced he was dead by now. Guiltily she dropped the quill and reached into her drawer for a small block of wood and her carving knife, furiously gouging into it and sighing loudly. What was she thinking, sending out someone so green? She should have done it herself! She knew those mountains and knew where the birds were - did she really kill off a future member of the family?

She placed the wood, now with a deep slope in it's center and the knife back into her desk and picking up the parchment, stood walking over to the bird on the perch "Tsst, come here Raul" She said gently and the animal shuffled back in her direction and stuck out his leg expectantly. Jherica smiled and tied the bit of twine around his leg before attaching the parchment. "Come on then" she continued to speak in a soft calming voice, holding her gloved hand out. Raul placed one foot, then the other onher her leather covered wrist, his talons digging in deeply. Jherica walked towards the door and throwing it open, she held her arm out. "Once more Raul, go find him." Raul unhooked his talons and spread his wings, making a little hop before he was inflight. She watched him assend for a moment, until he became a small dot in the sky. Turning, she went back inside, back to the bit of wood in her drawer.

Raul soared high, his head down, eying the ground below him, through a small opening in the gates he flew, turning on his side and flattening his wings against his body. Outside, he could see the mountains looming far in the distance. He spread his wings again, turned his body and continued, flying over the familiar road. There, further down he could see it: a figure walking directly towards the gates. Swooping, he flapped, picking up speed, tallons outstretched as if hunting and flew right over Archenthrope, hoping to get his attention and narrowly missing him. The bird swerved and turned around. Slower and lower, he flew over him again before landing in front of him. Making no sound, the animal held his leg up and looked up at Atchenthrope expectantly

Raul, still silent lowered his leg and cocked his head at Archenthorpe, seemingly waiting on something - perhaps the order to go or stay or... he continued to stand there, looking up at the man towering over him.

Jherica sighed loudly for what could be the thousandth time and stroked the tip of her knife over the peice of wood, now a vauge shape of a large animal. In her head she went over the last conversation with the Bantholos and in her head she could hear her stern voice and see what she could only imagine her expression to be like. She felt liek she should have told him.. told him that he didn't have to do it; that he would have been promoted anyway just because he was a such a hard worker
"And now he's most likely a block of ice with a corpse in it," the thought niggled in the back of her mind. A twinge of guilt made her stand, pushing her chair backward aruptly. She move to the door, opening it and poking her head out her eyes towards the skies. She sighed again and stepped outside, straightening her shoulders and started down the road to look for her sister.

Let out a sigh as she walked down the road leading to the nature clans district, in her left palm lay a wetstone she used to sharpen the blade she carried in her right, another near identical blade was strapped across her back. She would've missed her sister if it wasn't because she saw her reflection in the already overpolished metal. Dorini! She exclaimed in surprise and quickly dropped onto her right knee, her head lowered as she let her sword slide into the empty sheath on her back, crossing with the other and she stuck the still wet stone into her pocket.

Jherica frowned at this but said nothing instead gesturing for Leikin to rise. "Funny you should be the person I run into. I'd like to have a word with you if you will? She gave her sister a pleading look. "Though, if you're busy..," She shifted from one foot to the other. "It won't take long I assure you."

"Of course my Dorini! What will you have me do?" She said and raised her head to look up at Jherica, slowly standing up on both feet, her back straight and proud.

"I.. I don't know." She sighed then looked around, as to make sure no one was listening in. "I think I sent Bantholos Archenthorpe off to die," Lowering her head she told her sister everything and when she was finished she looks at her trying to read her face. "I didn't intend for him to .. well perish. I thought I was doing as the Dathanar intended me to do! But, well I wasn't expecting to send him on a suicide mission."

"Dorini Jherica, nature is your clan, whatever you require of those that have sworn to serve you shall never be too much. If he has died in his attempt to do this mission for you then he has died an honourable death, in the line of duty."She had a firm look upon her face, no mistaking she agreed to what she was saying with all her heart.

Jherica looked into her sister's eyes, seeing that she meant this. She couldn't help but nod in response and give her a slight smile. "Of course you're right Leikin. Oh, thank you. It has been bothering me for months.I suppose hearing that .. " She looked around again before curtseying low before her sister then straightening quickly. "Sometimes I.. " she paused to furrow her brow "well, nevermind. I have business to attend to. I'll be heading back to my office." She smiled at her sister again, the look in her eyes grateful and turned on her heel walking back in the direction of her quarters.

Raul flew in through the window, seemingly weighted down. Jherica looked up from her pile of parchment "What is it Raul?" she asked standing up and moving towards him, noticing his mouth was full. Jherica took the package, still warm from the hawk and unwrapped it gently. "Oh!" She gasped peering down at the egg. "Oh! He's alive!" Shaking, she cradled the egg, wrapping it again and setting it carefully into a basket sitting behind her desk. She placed the basket on the table and holded her hands, watching it carefully. It was moving which was a good sign. It would be any moment now.. .

"Enter," she called nervously her eyes glued to the door and her heart pounding so she could hear it in her ears.

"Master Dorini" Archenthorpe bowed as he enterd not dareing to look at the Dorini " i apoligise for the late return mistress i feel i have failed you, give another task so that i may yet prove my worth, I will not fa......" Archenthorpe turned round at the sound of barely audiable cherping, on the table just visable in its bundle of hey was a tiny beak poking out from the now cracking egg, Archenthorpe looked up at the Dorini a small grin starting to spread across his face.

To say she was surprised would be almost true. She knew it would be him that entered, though she steeled herself incase it wasn't. Jumping up and moving around the desk she reached out to touch him, placing her hands on his shoulders. A woosh of breath escaped her - it being of joy and relief. She intrrupted him cutting into his apology with one of her own while occasionally breaking that with an expression of wonderment, then that of impressiveness.

She turned her head looking in the direction he was though she was too involved in Archenthorpe to notice the chirping. Gasping she removed her hands from his shoulders and moved back to her desk. A smile curved her lips as she looked up at Archenthorpe. "You didn't fail, Bantholos." She murmured. "As you can see, This youngling arrived in perfect form." She turned her attention back to the wriggling bundle. "You did a fine job - I am quite impressed."