slowboat to Hades
#1
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(347)



Eris is by me!

The marshy coastland of the Borgata Xicohtli were a favored spot for Eris's hunting purposes. She rarely pursued prey larger than a raccoon, as she was certain of failure. Hunting landed game was not Eris's forte. She was not exceptionally good at fishing, either, but the dark-hued woman found hunting in the water quite easy with compared to hunting anything that could run away from her. At least with fishing, there were apparently tricks of the trade one could employ to make the job easier.

Eris turned her chartreuse gaze southward, peering toward the river's delta. The day was perfectly clear and free of fog, though a light coat of snow coated the ground from snowfall several days previous. Despite the cold of winter and snow, Eris had been working. She had first formulated a plan shortly after visiting the Borgata Mayate some weeks ago. Khirot had delivered valuable information to Eris, and the coal-furred Auxiliary had been tirelessly (well, "tirelessly" in Eris's definition, anyway) to bring their weir to fruition. Thus far, she had gathered several rocks from directly around the creek, moving them by her own strength.

It was tough work, for certain, but already it was paying off, both in the pile of rocks beside the Pictou's estuary and in the new musculature of her arms. Eris was not rippled with muscle and never would be, but she had lost some of her baby weight, to be sure. For the moment, the dark woman was taking an extended break, and had traveled downriver, hoping to find something to eat. She considered calling Molcaxitl for a moment, and decided instead to splash down and into the water.

She scrambled down the side of the bank without any grace and splashed to the center of the river, peering eagerly into the fast-moving water. It was low tide, and the tug at her ankles was not so great, but she had spent enough time in these waters as of late to know the high tide was much, much different.

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#2
The Russian traced the edge of the river, following the streaming waters along the banks. A little ways back she had seen evidence of some sort of project starting; rocks had been cleared away from part of the bank – though in no particular order that she could discern – and moved from the river. She was unsure of the purpose of the project, but was certain if she frequented the waters enough (and she did) that she would find out soon.

Just prior to finding the rocks, the day’s crisp breeze proffered something that always delighted the woman; the scent of the Auxiliary. Her trail was obscured by the setting; mud had been churned and fresh scents of sopping banks filled the air and masked the scent, but there it had been all the same, the delicious scent of her leader. Perking up, Liliya moved along the banks in the basic path Eris had walked, tracing her steps back to find the Dark Lady.

Today she tread with a satchel of tools that clanked softly as she walked. Luckily, though she was technically a hunter, she didn’t have to move about completely silent at all times. Of course fish could be scared away by noises and shadows, too, but when moving about on land there was no need to practice extreme stealth. This suited the hard working Russian, who frequently walked around carrying tools, scrap, and supplies.

Helping her along the bank was a long, thin branch that had been rudimentarily smoothed out with the rough surface of a stone. She had crafted the spear a few days ago, cutting off the smaller branches and grinding down the knots until she had a mostly straight, mostly sturdy staff. It was the first she had ever made, and sometimes where she hadn’t quite cured it right a splinter would trouble her, but mostly she was ok if she kept from sliding her hands along the wood too often.

After crafting the staff she whittled the end to a point; but not just one end, but both. One end could be used for its intended purpose – to spear prey – while the other could be dug easily in the ground to aid with walking, hiking, or wading through the marsh. Of course, it could also be used as a forward thrust, reverse jab weapon this way, too.

Chunk. Chunk. The sound of the staff as it dug into the muddy banks with each step, helping her move along the slick riverside with more confidence now. Finally she came to the point where Eri’s scent disappeared into the river, but she knew the Dark Lady was there long before, for her sleek shadowy form was easily spotted against the babbling low tide.

“Madam Eris,” she said, announcing her presence from the riverbank. She cocked her head, wondering what she was possibly after out there in the waters. Thus far, she hadn’t realized that the Dark Lady had taken up fishing, too. Oh, but if she had known, how greatly she would have loved to impart some of her expertise upon the woman; perhaps she could impress her with her extensive knowledge on the subject. “Can I halp you withs somesink?”

((wc 535 - Liliya is such a stalker.))
#3
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Eris is by Nat!

The dark woman's brilliant chartreuse eyes stared into the water, watching for the familiar silver flash of fish. She had learned this skill from Sirius, as with many others, and the sable coyote had improved upon it herself. Fish was a frequent choice of meal for her, as she found it much easier than land hunting. Eris was no longer a terrible huntress, however -- while she still thought herself incapable of felling prey as large as deer, she was now at least able to keep herself fed.

The woman watched as small silver fish darted about her ankles, far too small to catch. There was no sign of any larger fish yet, but the Auxiliary was certain they would come around before long. Her entry into the river had likely scared them off. She became engulfed in her task of watching the water, and did not hear Liliya's approach, despite the noise the woman made as she traversed the bank. The sound of the Russian's voice surprised Eris, but not greatly so; the woman merely turned quickly, her look of surprise changing quickly to an expression of happiness at the sight of her dear Family member.

Liliya, she purred, her tail swinging slowly back and forth to express her happiness. Perhaps -- if you'd like to fish with me? the hybrid proposed to her pied companion. I've taken a mind to pursue your same job -- that of the Pescador, the coyote added, having no intent to usurp Liliya. There was space enough for even another fisherman if Eris was successful in pursuit of the job.

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