Ranger Log_1X.D7.Z2_D.Lupei
xxxxxOur branch in the Far Shore Sanctuary heard rumors about a Galingale Strider that had escaped from its owners and was now running loose, but it wasn’t until our team of rangers were specifically requested to assist in its recapture that I found out who exactly we were dealing with. Equeswire is a mega company dedicated to the art of equestrian sport. They host hundreds of competitions and training facilities around the globe. Equeswire is also known to be ruthless with their methods of acquiring champion stock. FSS is more focused on conservation and rehabilitation, so I was a tad confused when I got the call from our president tell me about the mission details. I had just recently brought in a Strider we named Laxmi, and considering she is our first and only Strider so far, I had a lot of work cut out for me with making sure she is acclimating to our reserve. President Zen couldn’t give me many details, just that I had to make it back to the main base to get packed for a trip to Domanian. A representative from Equeswire should meet me there with further information. Great.
Ranger Log_1X.D8.Z2_D.Lupei
xxxxxThe journey took longer than expected…but I finally made it to the world of Domanian. Equeswire has headquarters located here to act as a holding and training facility before they ship their products to the highest bidder. It seems cruel to me, but the buyers are usually just rich families that want something pretty to show off and have enough money to give the creature a stress-free life. There are also laws specifically for Striders to protect them, though I know as well as anyone that no law comes without its loopholes. The representative still isn’t here, strangely, so I was able to get some additional reading about Striders and their history. As people have worked more and more with these magnificent creatures, their breeding capabilities have increased. Some of the original studbooks document mares only able to have a few foals in their lifetime. As vitality became a desirable trait in the quickly shifting environment, Strider mares are now able to produce up to a dozen offspring, though these cases have only been documented in captivity.
Ranger Log_1X.D9.Z2_D.Lupei
xxxxxAfter meeting with the Equeswire representative Kristine Sansone, I am still in shock that our humble sanctuary was selected for this task. The Strider that got loose is one of their prize mares, #ES117, and my goodness I thought Laxmi was stunning. I’ve heard of Striders showing markings typically found on other species of animals but only seen them in illustrations. The photo that Ms. Sansone handed to me almost caused my heart to skip a beat. A beautiful tawny coat speckled with spots and stripes like a Bengal cat, her feathers outlined in gold and standing proud as if she knew that no one could resist her. I almost forgot where I was for a moment. Ms. Sansone will provide me with a team to lead as we explore around her last known whereabouts, a rest stop between the training facility and the pastures where Striders are able to graze and socialize. Equeswire is still investigating how the mare got loose, but at least I have a starting point. The urgency and nervousness in Ms. Sansone’s speech, as well as how she adamantly refused to show me any of the facilities relating to Equeswire’s work with Galingale Striders, makes me wonder. I hope I can find #ES117 soon.
Ranger Log_C1.N1.Z2_D.Lupei
xxxxxIt’s been two days since I left Equeswire headquarters. The team of four people that Ms. Sansone assigned to me are pleasant company, though they all become quiet when I ask about the treatment of #ES117. If I am to find this mare, why can I not know what made her want to escape? Most Striders are well above the intelligence required to wiggle out of any enclosure, and they choose to stay because they genuinely enjoy the time spent with their owners. I hope to reach that level of trust with Laxmi once I return to the Sanctuary. The caravan arrived at the site and set up camp alongside the investigators. Equeswire must be putting a lot of money into finding their precious mare. We traveled with quarter horses to traverse the rougher terrain and follow in the footsteps of natural trails created by hoofed and toed creatures alike. I, of course, got to work right away. Too much time has been wasted already and a crafty mare like #ES117 could be anywhere. I did notice a patch of dirt hastily scuffed to hide what appears to be blood, but the terrain turns into grass and any chance of finding prints quickly diminishes. My companions wanted to bring dogs to help sniff her out, but I told them that the dogs would only make her stressed, and she would know we were coming a mile away.
Ranger Log_C1.N4.Z2_D.Lupei
xxxxxMy team and I are now deep in the woods, and we are close, I can feel it. I’ve found many three-toed hoof prints, Strider scat, and even a few black tipped feathers that match #ES117’s covert feathers. I also found some discarded wound dressing shoved between some tree roots. Foul play was always a suspicion of mine considering who I’m dealing with, but now my suspicions seem to be confirmed. I have kept this to myself, hoping that my companions have not also found these signs. I think I’ll do a little exploring early tomorrow morning, just to scout a little farther without my Equeswire handlers.
…
xxxxxMy hands are shaking as I am typing this, not out of fear but of excitement. I found her! It was unbelievable. I got up very early and snuck out of our makeshift camp. The canopy in the forest is thick and it was very dark, I could bare see anything in front of me. That’s when I noticed two glowing yellow orbs. I dismissed it as an insect or trick of the light, and I almost tripped when I remembered that Striders have bioluminescent eyes. It had to be her. I tried to keep myself from shouting, and she disappeared into the brush further down the valley. I followed of course, stumbling, and cursing under my breath as low hanging tree branches painfully scratched my face. Every couple of minutes I would see her eyes again, looking back as she led me through the woods. I had to return because #ES117 lead me straight to the man responsible for her escape. Radu was her trainer back at Equeswire and learned of who she was destined to go to, a vile and greedy institution that could never appreciate #ES117’s true intellectual beauty. It was also Radu who got injured while horse-napping her and she led me to him because the wound had become infected. My team would obviously have found them within the day, so I used this chance to give Radu a promise that I’d continue his work and do everything in my power to get #ES117 out of trouble. “Not ES117,” he says. “Her name is Shobha. For she is brilliance incarnate.”
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