by Simmarrah » Wed Jun 10, 2015 5:24 am
Tradition
First Contact
The dust hung heavy in the air, almost as choking as the heat. Simmarrah adjusted the bandana over her nose and mouth making it easier for her to breath. She then put the binocs to her purple eyes, searching out the flash of white she had spotted earlier. The young woman rested on her stomach close to the lip of a ridge, and below in the dust storm were several new Narakari. The young animals had just arrived through the Hell Gate, and the heat of the summer was nothing new to them..
Sam grinned and sat up, slipping the binocs into her pouch. She turned to her brother, Zack, who was sitting the back to her own patiently waiting Narakari Rowena. "It's a good batch this year. Yama was right about the timing. They came through less than 2 hours ago judging by the dust." Zack nodded and slipped down from the brindled mares back. "Can I go this year?" He whined, his voice starting to rise up through his nose in that way that she hated. "No" She responded firmly. "You are too young. Maybe next year."
She jumped up onto the bare gray back of her mare, enjoying the feel of the warm skin under her bum. "Now stay here, I'll call you when I need you." He nodded his affirmation, and she leaned down to rub her mares neck. "Are you read girl?" The gray dipped her head and snorted. Sam smiled and squeezed her. "Lets go."
They travelled across the top of the ridge until they came to the steep path that marked the beginning of their hunt. Simmarrah leaned back, giving Rowena her head as the mare half jumped half slid down the slope When they reached the bottom Sam paused them for a moment so she could catch her breath and steady her hands: the trail was one of the most dangerous around. She patted the mares neck, grateful for the sure-footedness of her split hooves and pushed her On.
Ahead she spotted the herd of hell horses, some of them starting to quiet down as they realized how tired they were from their journey. A head or two perked up at the sound of the approaching hooves. She smirked as she crouched behind the mares neck, making the Nari seem riderless. When they were close enough for her to see the sweat marks in the Narakari's fur, she straightened up on the mares back, whooping and shouting to startle the herd.
Sam weaved her mare behind the herd, much as a stallion would, to keep them running. Rowena played the part, snaking her head at the Naris, her ears flattened and her teeth bared. The woman took her time judging the individuals within until Some of the Nari began dropping from the running herd. her mare was fresh and had many miles left in her. They had trained for this moment all winter and spring.
With only a few Nari left in the herd, Sam decided on a blood bay Appaloosa stallion. His eyes and horns a dark gray he was stunning to behold, and had incredible stamina. She urged the mare to his side, he pinned his ears at them and tried to move away but Rowena kept close. Taking a deep breath, and hoping the stallion was exhausted enough, Sam threw a rope around his neck and slipped onto his back.
The stallion was hot from running, and his muscles tensed at her weight asbegan to buck and crow hop beneath her. Sam kept her legs clamped to his sides and a tight grip to the rope around his neck. She don't know how long he bucked and reared, it seemed like an eternity, but eventually his efforts slowed and he began to walk, breathing heavily. Rowena came back to his side, and Sam slid onto her back. Both of them were out of breath, and her hands were shaking where they gripped his rope. But she had done it, for the second time, she had completed the traditional Narakari hunt of her ancestors and had captured a beautiful stallion for herself. "Or for Zack," she chuckled as he galloped up on his pony.
Last edited by
Simmarrah on Fri Jun 12, 2015 6:21 am, edited 3 times in total.
My 2 idiots, day 3 after I got the snowshoe kitten.
Still looking for names for the snowshoe kitten 
.