Private - Cleaning Up

The short but bloody war had left many marks in all involved regions, but there was no doubt that Astorea as a whole suffered the most. While Falderen might have lost many of its soldiers Astorea was the country in which the war was mainly fought, and it was the place in the most dire need for repairs and reconstruction. The city of Dormont had suffered heavy damage, even if thankfully the efforts of both soldiers and adventurers alike had managed to prevent its total destruction. Since Dormont was the heart of the nation most attention was on its immediate repair, both out of practical necessity and to show that even an invasion couldn't bring the young nation to its knees.

However this meant that the outskirts of the nation didn't always get as much attention, which had its own consequences. It made sense that the capital would come first, but that didn't make the plight of the surrounding villages any less as they had their own issues to deal with. The invading army had killed and eaten livestock, plundered the food storages, stolen anything of value that the villagers hadn't taken with them while fleeing, and burned and demolished a lot of things which they didn't want or need, including buildings and fields. If it wasn't for the fact that most of the yield had been harvested before the invasion the damage might have been even worse, but as it was it'd already be a challenge for everyone in Astorea to have enough food to survive the winter, with the added challenge of housing, clothing and fuel for fire to keep the cold at bay.

In a morbid and harsh fashion the fact that not everyone had managed to get away from the advancing army in time might in fact in the end help those who did escape have a better chance of survival, as the supplies didn't have to be spread out as thinly. But there were other threats, threats which hadn't been taken care of yet.

In one of the villages there was a bounty board... or at least, there used to be a bounty board. All the wood which hadn't been burned was needed, so instead someone had been trying to hang up bounties by sticking them in between the cracks of the stones of one of the buildings in the village which had been too sturdy to easily destroy, and lacking the amount of wood necessary to easily burn it. There were several bounties which were more pleas for help, ranging from helping gather wood from the forest to treating the wounded and the ill. One bounty was of a rather different nature however: it seemed that with the defences of Astorea weakened a lot of monster had become a lot bolder with attacking settlements, and in this village the people were suffering from the raids of a group of gnolls, which were much more dangerous in large groups than the more cowardly and stupid goblins that villagers usually had to deal with. Worse yet these gnolls had wargs as mounts, which both begged the question where they'd gotten their hands on wargs, why they were using those wargs to assault nearly run-down villages instead of ambushing rich caravans, and how normal villagers were ever supposed to take care of them.

Which was why there was now a bounty on the gnolls AND their wargs, as the people of Astorea wanted to be sure that neither rider nor mount would remain a threat in the future. The reward was gold, which might surprise one until they realized that to these villagers what mattered right now wasn't something like pieces of gold which were cold and inedible, but anything that would help them survive. Even if they greedily held onto the gold they'd starve and freeze to death, and in situations like this one you couldn't hang onto your greed when in the end all you were really doing was clutching at some pieces of useless metal.

Mizuki felt sorry for the people of this world who had to suffer in the aftermath of the war. Sure, the players didn't have it too easy either, but at least the players could log out and enjoy the prosperity of Earth, and even in this world almost every player was a powerful fighter, so for them gathering food and materials was significantly easier than these peasants and farmers for whom a group of goblins was a serious threat. She wasn't in a position to dedicate everything to helping these people, as she had her own issues to deal with both on Earth and in Terrasphere, but seeing this bounty she still felt that this was an opportunity for her to do something good for this world. It wasn't like she owned the people of Terrasphere anything, but she liked to think of herself as a decent and upright person when it came down to it.

However she wouldn't stand a chance against an entire group of warg riding gnolls on her own... She was pretty sure that one on one they didn't stand a chance, but there was a power in numbers which was difficult to overcome on your own. The bounty itself also asked for a group of adventurers and not a single one, which suggested that the villagers agreed with Mizuki's assessment. Opening her menu Mizuki searched through her inventory, then closed it and grabbed the bounty before walking to the inn. The inn was one of the few buildings which had been left largely intact, even if it was pretty much ransacked. There weren't a lot of people present, and most of those who were present looked like they were trying to forget the world around them. Nevertheless Mizuki raised the bounty over her head and called out. "I'm looking for someone who's willing to help get rid of some gnolls who have been raiding the area. The bounty offers a sizeable amount of gold if we can get them all, and anyone who's still interested in coin in this situation is free to join up." Most of the people who had already gotten themselves drunk ignored her beyond maybe a glance, but at least one or two people showed more interest.
@Comet

 

Even before the war she'd hunt nearly all day long for the love of a clean kill and improving the skill. Nearby villagers were best to give remains of creatures to since they'd take just about anything off of her hands. Not to mention cozy stays in the warm and welcoming homes were granted once long, pink locks and lithe limbs became well known among Astorea's multitude of villages. She traveled far each day, feeling unsatisfied if her boots were unable to crunch the grass beneath in as many places as possible. Comet's passion, bow, and passionate loyalty for Astorea meant she stopped taking more of the kill for herself - instead opting to drag the entirety of any creature unfortunate to cross her path to the nearest village. Poverty and hunger raged through the outer regions due to the immense focus on Dormont's restoration. Which was fair in a way. Refugees were settled there and the capital had only recently began its building from the bottom up. Now, the latest battle brought the city back down to its knees as well as the citizens. For Astorea to remain as well as hold power, and to protect the people, ensuring Dormont's success after such a devastating attack served as a reasonable purpose for authority figures and supporters alike.

It seemed few knew of the suffering going on elsewhere. Or perhaps only few acknowledged while the rest ignored or forgot. Her blue eyes softened whenever villagers desperately cried and gave thanks for her contributions. Nearly effortless and without much thought: Comet wished tracking or stalking or killing, that it all could come as easy to those who truly needed the benefits that come with specific masteries. However, NPCs didn't know and would never know about the virtual reality they were stuck in. That the skinny girl wasn't starving as they were - despite ribs poking out and dark eye bags and trembling limbs - when she ate beside them graciously. Of course, Comet needed a selfish reasoning behind her actions. Greed tormented her soul thus she turned loyalty-based and considerate actions into a desire to spread her name. To improve relations and to have a place to say whenever needed. To enhance already-trained skills. Anything to make her feel a bit better for "wasting time". A need beaten into her with harsh words and living life as a wealthy, spoiled child. Outsiders could care less about the intentions so long as their bellies were full and no immediate danger happened to be nearby. And a confident, brave young woman who managed a bow properly proved to be enough of a heroine for the villagers - even the elderly who were much more wise - to trust whole-heartedly that every so often she'd be back with some sort of meat or edible berry or strange plant. While praised, Comet would in turn pat herself on the back for investing time in becoming a true hunter who could identify things better than any other player around.

The bounty caught her attention almost immediately one day. Wiping both hands on her pants from a previous kill, taken off her hands by a group of thankful men, she approached the board that'd piqued interest. With a mind that tended to never forget what she saw the pink-haired woman left it for someone else to observe as well. Hopefully, they would be the same as her. Or most likely better, she reminded herself with a shake of the head - a reminder that she wasn't perfect or much of a talented player in comparison to others. This insecurity wracked her brain until she managed to give up on the thought of defeating both the Gnolls and Wargs: an unfair fight if not a slaughter. Comet made way for an inn she'd remembered being in close proximity to the area she found the bounty board in. Frowning, cheeks flushed in shame, she hooked both thumbs onto her belt while headed for the worn-down building. There, she remained hidden in the shadows of a corner-spot. Persistent and ambitious thoughts ravaged her brain and urged for her to tempt fate. Compassion and selfishness felt the same way but were pushed back by those rational and skeptical thoughts that kept her grounded. Both arms were crossed tightly over the chest in a form of protest against an ever-growing greed, however, for simply ignoring it certainly wasn't enough.

Fortunately, a release would soon be created for the words of a determined female reached a self-doubting and constricted heart upon being heard. She would've been out in the field sooner or later, going alone, if not for the stranger's request. Comet strode with long legs towards the Caenis after she'd finished speaking with a curl to her paled lips. "I'm willing to join you. We're more of a pair than a group, but it's better than nothing. My skills are pretty good, or at least I'm sure they are, in case you were wondering," the pink-haired woman paused, flipping long locks behind thin shoulders, before gripping her bow. "Whenever you're ready we can head off. It should be easy money if we're careful. I can lead the way if you're not sure where to start. I know Astorea like the back of my hand." she spoke with a slight smirk. Heart racing, gut churning with excitement; that old familiar feeling of a pleased gut that'd been relentless clawed at by greed ever since the bounty board was read. Comet hardly knew why she even tried to allow shame or doubt or anxiousness control the fact that she could get a good amount of gold out of the whole situation for doing something she absolutely adored. "Oh. My name's Comet, by the way. Might as well share it with my new partner, right?"

 

While most of the people in the inn were too drunk or focused on their own worries to care about Mizuki's proclamation it looked like she didn't have to wait too long before someone stepped up to the call. It wasn't often that she encountered a woman taller than herself, but the difference wasn't that big and besides it wasn't like she was a giant herself. Although if she were to compare volume she got the feeling she'd still come out ahead, since this one looked like she could use a little more meat on her bones. Of course since Mizuki was more of a brawler having enough meat and muscle was of importance to her, and Mizuki didn't miss the obvious clue that this woman wasn't a brawler with that bow on her back.

"The two of us should be sufficient I think as long as we are both competent and careful enough. The main threat in this scenario is that the enemy is with many rather than that they're individually strong, so as long as we watch one another's backs and don't get too reckless we should be fine." Of course a larger group would still be preferable in terms of safety, but the larger the group the less mobile they'd be and Mizuki doubted there were a lot of powerful adventurers in these parts. Almost all of those were gathered at Dormont or exploring other parts of the world, not lingering in a ravaged and raided village of no real importance.

"If you know how to find them we might as well immediately head out. I was originally planning to gather more information on where the gnolls and wargs were most likely to be though..." Mizuki considered this for a moment, then looked back at Comet. "If you have an idea where they might be we'll skip asking around. Otherwise your knowledge of the land will still be useful but it'd still be smarter to at least make sure we have an idea of where to search for them. I've got the Hunting mastery so I'm no slouch in searching myself, and from your words I assume you also have the Hunting mastery so we should be able to find them fairly easily once we've got a lead."

She answered the ranger's slight smile with one of her own accompanied with a nod. "I am Ueno Mizuki, usually called by Mizuki. My masteries are Body Combat, Berserk, Hunting and Rogue, and I've also got good Mobility. Once combat starts I'll do my best to keep as many of them busy as possible so you can safely use your bow, although given how wargs are supposed to be very fast you might have to be prepared for them bypassing me and coming after you. My Mobility may be good but I'm not at the level that I can outrun mounted combatants." Even as she talked with Comet both friendly but to the point Mizuki had this faint feeling that she'd met Comet before... It wasn't even strong enough a feeling to distract her, it was just something very, very faint in the back of her head which was either unable or unwilling to explain itself. Well, Comet looked like she would be able to handle herself as an adventurer, so whatever that feeling might be it was probably unimportant. "It is nice to meet you Comet, let's make this a speedy and successful hunt. Given the situation we might even be able to turn this into a double profit by giving the villagers the corpses as well for meat, although I doubt gnoll and warg meat is very tasty." Beggars couldn't be choosers, and Mizuki hoped that the villagers would see reason in eating something less pleasant while they were still busy making sure everyone had enough food.

 

As the stranger spoke Comet subtly inspected her with attentive emerald eyes. They glimmered with an unknown feeling, both to herself and to outsides, upon realizing the other's race. Caenis. The name stuck on her tongue unpleasantly. Though she hadn't been the one to torture the poor souls back in prison a guilt stick lay deep within her gut. An odd wave of sympathy had washed over her that day and began a small, slow change that brought her heart to change views previously held. A view that the Caenis were lesser than Humans. Not to be as admired or cared for or liked. After the war and experiencing the fright brought upon by them it seemed a reasonable explanation to dislike the dog-like creatures. However, after some time and thought put into the topic the young woman decided the racism certainly wasn't needed in a world where most came to escpae in much like herself. These thoughts hardly wiped away the negativity towards herself growing on the inside only to bubble in her throat. A million apologies rung in her ears as mistakes of the past were dweelled upon.

Her mind worked a mile a minute and far too quickly for her liking. Plastering a kind, warm smile on her face with softened eyes she nodded out of a respect for the stranger's words. They were both important and unexpected. Perhaps the dingy setting lowered her standards during the moment without much notice put into the unintentional judgment. "I like your thinking. I'm all about sneaking in and getting a good hit, but also staying sorta away from the enemy if I can help it. Bows are so good close..." she nervously chuckled, fingering the weapon slung around her torso, masking the embarrassment in not being able to multitask with the chosen piece of weaponry. Not being able to perform as well in areas that weren't far enough from the target wasn't a feat to brag about but she wasn't about to make herself, or the method of attack, sound bad due to a great amount of pride held with being an Archer. "I do!" she boasted, nodding excitedly in being able to meet another Huntress. "That matches your race a lot, huh? Cool. I think we should ask some villagers on the way, maybe see if there are stragglers here or near the bounty board? A lot of people roam Astorea and are smarter than they look. Probably me being a prime example," what seemed to be a joke based on self-deprecation was actually a method of defense to prove her worthiness and intelligence.

Often many based Comet's assets on her appearance alone. It got tiring and naturally she developed an insecurity only shown through the way she had a determination to protect her ways no matter how wrong or silly. "I have Incognito, Hunting, Range, and Acrobats. Plus my Luck is good enough to depend on most times. I'd like to say my hand is quick and mind quicker, but I'd rather show you when we get to work. Don't worry about me, okay? We're strangers, so that probably won't be a problem, but I wouldn't want anything bad to happen because you decided to look back at the wrong time, yknow?" with her question being answered by the willing, able, and seemingly strong Caenis Comet rubbed her hands together in anticipation, ready to begin their pursuit to complete the taken bounty. A strong feeling surged throughout the pink-haired woman's vein: she felt as if the two could take on anything. Hopefully, rising past insecurity and self-doubt, the positively effective adrenaline rush would last enough for success to prevail.

"Nice to meet you too, Mizuki. I love the name. I'm glad you didn't turn out to be weak-spined or shy. Straight to the point is how I'm feeling today. As promised," she began to head for the door of the building, opening it for her companion. "I'll lead. Unless you would like to start here for some information. To be honest the people don't look promising but I'll respect your decisions all the same." with a nervous and excited mixture lacing her tone of voice, Comet nodded towards Mizuki to choose whatever she pleased. Though Comet would prefer taking complete charge that often proved a futile and ill-reputable action in the past therefore attempting it wouldn't occur for quite a while and with much different people, most likely. The more her mind picked up little details of the Caenis, the more it began to wonder where she'd seen her before or if they'd met. She wouldn't ask, feeling too nervous for odd reasoning, but couldn't help but wonder. Frankly, those generous curves and such fine hair would draw just about anyone in the same way. Though Comet wasn't currently after the other woman in that sort of way as much as she wouldn't mind exploring.

 

Mizuki thought she could see some kind of reaction from Comet when the woman looked at her, but honestly she couldn't be sure, and it was so fleeting that she could also have imagined it. But she herself had felt something like recognition even though she could find no memories of the person before her. Maybe Comet felt something similar? If that was the case they should investigate it, but Mizuki didn't want to risk being wrong and sounding creepy. It was one thing to be to the point, it was another to potentially scare your hunting partner away by sounding like some madwoman who believes she recognizes you but can't remember you. If there was a connection between the two of them she'd just have to hope that she'd get more proof while they were hunting for the raiders, so she'd be able to ask about it.

"Indeed. Surprising them will make this a lot easier, since you'll be able to take some of them out before we'll have to move more defensively. Unless you also have a mastery which provides you with close combat abilities we'll either have to find a good place where we can keep them from reaching you or I'll have to stick close to you to keep them off your back." Mizuki frowned as she considered this, her tail swishing behind her. "Either way my task should be to keep them at bay. Since a large portion of this area is forested we might get lucky and you'll be able to shoot at them from a tree, which would at least mean that the wargs can't get to you and I can keep the gnolls from climbing the tree."

It was good to have another Huntress, so the two of them would have better odds of finding their prey without being found first. Mizuki didn't think it'd be too hard to find a band of raiding gnolls and wargs, but another part of the Hunting mastery was the ability to track down without being noticed. If Comet didn't have Hunting there was the chance that they'd be noticed before they were in the position to attack the raiders, which could end very badly. Even if the two of them were both skilled and strong they still had to deal with the fact that the enemy was many... and that even if you were strong that didn't mean you were immune against weapons used by creatures weaker than you. In this world there might be bigger differences between the strong and the weak than on Earth, but having your vitals pierced is still a real threat.

"It is very natural for a Caenis to be a Hunter yes. Even more so because unlike the other races we also focus a lot on our other senses." She indicates her ears with a finger, which twitch to emphasize the point. "Of course it's not like we have supernatural hearing, but our hearing is still pretty good, and more importantly we've got a sharp nose. I think the Hunting mastery actually enhances my hearing and sense of smell as much as my sight when I activate Investigation mode." She lowered her eyebrows slightly as she thought about this. "Unless it's the same for non-Caenis? Have you ever felt like the Hunting mastery might improve more than just your eyes?" Mizuki personally was very enthusiastic about being able to track things by scent and sound. It felt very... immersive in a way, to rely on senses other than sight and touch.

As Comet summed up her masteries and abilities Mizuki nodded, memorizing it all. "Sounds like you've definitely gone for the build of a sniper or stealth shooter. Good for securing a single kill, and with some planning it'll be good for helping take down these raiders as well." It was obvious that Comet's focus was almost entirely on sneak attacks rather than actual combat, but Mizuki was sure they could work around that as long as they played this smart. The gnolls and the wargs might be smarter than animals but they'd still not be on the level of two powerful players combining their might to bring them down. "I trust your ability, but I'll still be helping you out if it looks like you need it. Even the best can occasionally find themselves in a situation where they can't easily get out of by themselves."

She blinked when her name was complimenting, her cheeks going red for a moment before she regained control of herself and instead smiled. "Thank you. I also like your name. It sounds like the name of someone very confident and adventurous." She followed Comet outside, nodding to show her thanks when the other woman held the door open. "I was more of a worrywart when I started out, but I've become used to this world over time. And for now let's try to get at least some information out of the villagers here. If they have nothing we'll just start searching, but any kind of information at all would help down narrow down the area we'd have to cover." With that Mizuki invited Comet to follow as she went around the small village asking people about the gnolls and the wargs, explaining that she and her friend were adventurers here to help get rid of the raiders. She still had that feeling of familiarity in her mind, but for now was ignoring it entirely since it wasn't useful. Just like how Comet had been appraising Mizuki's appearance the Caenis was also aware that Comet was quite attractive, but she didn't pay that much mind either... for pretty much the same reason (that and it would have distracted her too much).

"Not all the villagers say the same thing, but I think that it's safe to say that we have the best odds finding our prey somewhere to the northwest. That's where most of them seem to think they must have gone. I guess that also makes sense, since the raiders wouldn't want to get too many people hunting them and the northwest keeps them away from the trade routes between Falderen and Astorea."

 

"Hmm, I'm not sure how much acrobatics would aid me but it certainly would help if I had to face these things up close for whatever reason. A tree is a very good idea, though. We can scout out the region first, I'll climb up for a better vantage point, and then send you what I see afterwards. Our attack would be more precise that way, I think. And safer. If you need any help I'll only be a moment away. If retreat is needed we should definitely consider creating some sort of landmark or place that'll get us out of battle quickly and lead to somewhere efficient for escaping," her lips twisted, as if mentioning the possibility of giving up physically hurt to say. Comet's determination fueled the blood in her veins. It made her heart beat pick up effortlessly at the thought of a victory. Anytime she won something, or could, the young woman hardly hesitated to become nothing but excited. The thrill of the hunt also turned adrenaline on from within. Her cold soul seeped warmth, and lightened up. It'd be temporary, until insecurity coated her with a thick layer once more. But for now she could enjoy her time with @Ueno Mizuki as they destroyed the enemy as a team. Seemingly the perfect team in her emerald eyes. Hopefully, she thought, Mizuki saw her in the same enchanting way.

"Oh?" her head tilted in curiosity while an adoring gaze flickered to the large ears atop Mizuki's head. She fiddled her thumbs. Felt so childish for wanting to run her fingers on them, to feel the soft fur. The pristine appearance of her companion contrasted with the rough, mistrusting Caenis locked up behind prison bars or those who attacked beloved Astorea in the war. This site made her wonder... If everyone saw Mizuki would opinions change about the mysterious race? Comet hoped so. Guilt still hung itself on her heavy heart. Caenis didn't have to be seen in such a negative way. They were normal - perhaps not common or like Humans or the Elven races - and deserved to fit in. Though she wasn't completely sure if everyone had used diplomacy or tossed away racist values within the game or didn't care about difference; one thing the pink-haired woman knew for sure that there was a looming indifference existing within Terrasphere. She'd eradicate whatever lasted of it, for sure.

"I've always wondered what benefits came with races like yours and Felis'. I mean, a little bit of a better something like hearing would make a lot of sense," she paused to taking in their surroundings with a whole new meaning before shaking her head. "Weirdly enough I've only ever focused a lot on sight. It must be since I've always been naturally observant. I'll make sure to try to see if having Hunting boosts my other senses. That's not a concept I've thought about, actually," she felt a tad silly for seeming so oblivious to the abilities available to her. After all she'd chosen what masteries to hold and use as a player. Often times Comet saw the surface, and could easily analyze that with detail, but hardly took time to pick through and see what lay deeper. To think creatively or more efficiently or being able catch true meaning.

"I appreciate your concern for me!" she nodded enthusiastically, smiling, with a clap of the hands. Truly, it hadn't been expected of Mizuki to actually care for her. They'd only just met a few minutes ago and were simply combat partners until the gold was made. This sort of view plagued Comet's mind only slightly, however. The Archer had faith in the Huntress beside her. They would plan accordingly, attack, and triumph hand-in-hand. Right? The compliment distracted this train of thought. She too held back an impending blush as much as possible. Mizuki's beauty happened to be as unique as her name, Comet thought. To be seen as confident and adventurous and with a nice name wasn't completely plain to her. Most of the time nice comments were thrown to the side. They were flat and common and usually repetitive. But the reason given wasn't flat. It wasn't repetitive. It spoke to the pink-haired woman even if only a little bit (seeing as the words had only been a small return).

"You think they're from Esuilus or Norforva or the Eastern Mountains... somewhere out of Astorea? It seems strange they are attacking only small villages without much resources after the war. Perhaps they aren't aware of what's going on here, and from out of this land area in general. Some sort of monster with or without purpose, or spawns meant to wreak more havoc than already here," she shrugged at the end of these suggestions, picking up the pace. "I know the way if you'll follow." she winked in Mizuki's direction, but quickly shifted back into a serious expression. With experience as a cartographer and explorer Comet had no troubles regarding direction or finding out how to get somewhere. She'd familiarized herself with the map - almost imprinted within her brain. "I'm wanting to know where they're from because if we find the source of the raiders we could try and take out all of them. Or at least warn people around and gather a band of adventurers or warriors like us to take them out. I don't want to come back to Astorea one day only to be told our efforts were almost useless, yknow?" her mind became anxious about the future. About their efforts. Excitement continued on, it lasted, but endless worries never failed to return.

 

Ever tried to climb a tree while wearing armour and equipment? Acrobatics is good for that kind of thing.

Mizuki nodded as Comet explained her idea, agreeing for the most part with the pink-haired woman. Although when she suggested a landmark that'd allow for them to regroup to a safe location she frowned.

Astorea is mostly forests with little in the way of mountainous or rough terrain. Maybe if there was some kind of swamp... They'll be riding wargs, which makes them faster on flat terrain but we'll have the advantage with climbing and the like. We'll have to see if we can find anything but we might end up being reliant on trees.

Mizuki wasn't fond of retreating, although she wasn't planning to give up after a single attempt. A retreat would be an opportunity to figure out how to improve their approach and try again... or lure their targets into a trap. Holding her chin with thumb and forefinger she frowned, looking thoughtful as her tail went from side to side behind her.

Well, for now we'll just have to see what we'll find.

It wasn't difficult to see that Comet was interested in the ears. Partially because almost everyone appeared to be curious, so you got used to picking up on it. Mizuki didn't mind too much, although sometimes she found it a bit embarrassing to have everyone pay such close attention to her ears like that. Well, as long as Comet didn't just grab them without asking the Lupis would remain friendly.

Yes, people often talk about how good wolves and dogs can smell things, overshadowing their good sense of hearing. While it's true that we can track prey for large distances with our noses we can notice a lot of things by sound as well. And while our eyes aren't as amazing as those of humans we're better at seeing things with little light.

Mizuki was bragging a bit at this point, unable to help herself. Granted the part of the eyesight was true for normal wolves, but Mizuki was pretty sure that what difference she herself had noted was more likely to be a result of her Hunter mastery, since it wasn't like her eyes had become worse or she'd lost the ability to see colours as vividly as others.

I suspect it boosts your senses proportionally, so it might be that while I get hearing and smell your eyesight improves a lot more than mine does. Which is good for someone who uses a bow, since it means you could accurately shoot from a longer distance while for me getting closer to my prey without letting them spot me is more important.

She smiled at the woman, looking a tad amused and a tad embarrassed.

Well, looking out for your fellow hunter is important, after all.

She had to admit that the woman's friendliness and charm were getting to her, which meant she had to make sure she wouldn't get distracted at a vital point during the hunt. Mizuki looked at Comet for a couple of seconds before blinking and looking ahead instead, focusing on the path they'd have to follow according to Comet's information. When Comet commented on the idea of wiping them out at the source Mizuki frowned, considering the suggestion.

So far as I'm aware both Norfova and Esuilus are dangerous for nearly anybody, so I'd expect the gnolls to come from the mountains or maybe further to the west... They might be strong in groups but they're not the type of creature to survive well in unusually dangerous areas.

If they came from Esuilus they'd be tricky, since that place was known for having strange flora and the fauna had most likely adopted. As for Norfova... mutant gnolls? Mizuki shook her head.

I think they're attacking the villages because they're easy prey and spread throughout the countryside. Even if they've become aggressive enough to raid settlements they're still gnolls, they know that if they were to attack a big target the adventurers and soldiers would retaliate heavily. They're not the smartest creatures but they've got a certain cunning and sense for survival. Taking them out might become necessary, but I'd suggest starting out by trying to discourage them by taking out their raiding parties. If they no longer believe that the villages are easy prey they might just retreat to their homes.

Although the pink-haired woman did have a point that the villages didn't even have that much to steal currently... Maybe the gnolls just wanted to grab what they thought they could safely get away with? Scavengers didn't need to hit the jackpot, they could accumulate what they needed through stealing alot of small things with minimal risk. At least, that's the best reason Mizuki could think of.
@Comet

 

A frown on the Caenis' face sent a chill of displeasure down the young woman's spine. She hoped that any of her comments hadn't been too insensitive and unrecognized. It'd be a shame to lose an ally - a possible friend - so quickly to a few works misspoken. Though once the frown seemed to be connected to the idea of creating landmarks in case retreat were to be ordered out of concern, she lightened up. Mentally Comet never stopped tracking. It'd become as inevitable and automatic as blinking after so long within Terrashpere. She knew that even without Mizuki's approval paths would be made for both following and retreating.

Caution washed over a lithe, slightly trembling body to fuel such thoughts of safety. And perhaps it derived from a bit of worry for her companion as well. Impressing someone consisted of keeping them alive. The Caenis wasn't someone Comet wanted to ever risk getting hurt for many reasons; mostly because they'd only met. It would appear - in her own vivid imagination - as if her hands were soaked in vengeful blood if Mizuki suddenly got dangerously injured. Better to keep things nice and clean and spotless, she decided, for anything could happen despite their levels of talent.

"I'd like to say I've gotten pretty good at that," she hummed with confidence in regards to her own skill with a bow. Being given credit shifted tension threatening to build up into more of their light-hearted conversations. For once the pink-haired woman felt comfortable within her own skin. As Comet. As an Archer on a mission with a Caenis to help out the innocent and defeat their foe. "I'll keep an eye on you... It'd be hard not to anyways," a subtle tone of tease laced her assured statement. All the while, she had the ability to control expression and reaction and aura due to years of brutal practice. It held fake confidence alongside all sorts of forced smiles flashing pearly whites. No blush would sneak up on the young woman who resented whenever natural emotion would shine through barriers built up.

"You're right, we could very well scare them away with our attack. Like a warning. At least there won't be many problems for us to solve in the future if that works," a nod of the head implied gratefulness for what sounded like a relatively small enough population of Gnolls riding Wargs available to be easily intimidated. Insecurity, however, delved deeper and deeper into her soul before their chance encounter with monstrosities. Soon enough combat would begin. Soon enough skill would be tested. Luckily, adrenaline and excitement and Mizuki's strong presence pushed defensively at this forming sense of doubt. "Your ideas sounds good to me! I'm glad you're here," emerald eyes gazed into the horizon, glimmering. "We're heading in the right area but I can't say when we'll encounter the enemy." she pointed to a map pulled from within her tidy inventory to inform Mizuki of their whereabouts. Her knowledge instinctively had a thin finger skimming over memorized areas.

"What do you think?"

@Ueno Mizuki

 

Hearing Comet's comment that it'd be hard not to keep an eye on Mizuki the wolfwoman blinked, looking somewhat embarrassed for a moment before nodding.

Likewise.

She refrained from elaborating on whether she was agreeing with keeping an eye on the other or it being hard not to, instead focusing on moving onwards while thinking about the fight they'd end up in for this task. Comet did have a point that they'd have to try and find a favourable position, and they'd need to agree on a place to retreat to if necessary. So far they'd mostly been planning according to the belief that they'd be sticking together for the entire operation, but that wasn't a guarantee...

If I'm correct and these raids are an attack of opportunity the problem will be solved the moment it's no longer easy. I highly doubt the gnolls were planning to execute large scale raids in Astorea before the war made it so tempting.

Shaking her head Mizuki realized that she was basically just rephrasing what was already said, once more looking embarrassed before composing herself.

Our priority is protecting the villages, so let's not give chase if they're already showing themselves frightened. That is, unless you're willing to join me in a full-fledged hunt...

For a moment the Caenis looked a bit less controlled, the golden eye that Comet could see from her position to Mizuki's right glowing briefly as her teeth were more prominent as she spoke about an actual hunt. It only lasted for a moment before Mizuki's normal expression returned to normal.

Well, work first, fun after. The more dead the less eager they'll be to try again.

She had never had the opportunity to hunt wargs before, as they weren't that common. While showing strong similarity to wolves they weren't exactly the same, and aside from that Mizuki had an interest in strong prey. The gnolls could also be interesting due to their cunning, but she'd hunted those before in the past so she was more interested in something new.

Hearing Comet declare that they were already in the right area and seeing the pink-haired woman pull out a map Mizuki came to a halt, stepping a bit closer to Comet so she could take a better look at the parchment while letting out a thoughtful hum.

This would be easier if we knew were their camp was... or if we knew whether they had a set camp. Let's see... As expected there's almost only forest in the area, which is beneficial for us but makes it less obvious where they'll be... Wargs are nimble but they'd still prefer open areas especially when carrying gnolls and weapons...

As she thought out loud she let her finger slide across the parchment, exploring the area Comet had singled out with her own finger as the Caenis tried to figure out where the gnolls were most likely to be.

They haven't been caught yet so they're smart enough to stay a safe distance away from any roads or directly in between settlements. Maybe they're close to the small river here? If they moved around too much outside of raids people would notice the tracks everywhere... wargs may be nimble but they're not very stealthy when carrying heavy things. What do you think, shall we head towards the river?

@Comet