Complete - Ant-eloper | Page 2

Last time they had been looking for a foal, a single and scared thing really, and also had a soothing bell the little beast was used to hearing and coming to for safety. That had been relatively easy once the twins had pinpointed its location, but here...

Any chance the old lady gave you anything that might be familiar to Lusitania...?

It was worth asking, with some luck the doe's owner had taught ahead in a similar fashion to the way the father and son pair Milah had worked with before had done. Other than that the Felis didn't really have much of an idea as to how to handle this situation... she was good at tracking things, that did not meant she was good at handling whatever she traked down.

Honestly speaking, Milah would prefer to avoid having to arrow the buck into the ground for no reason. He wasn't being hostile (yet) after all, but the bottom line was that the doe had to be returned back to her owner. If the buck got in the way of that... well, Antelopers were also a good source of protein too.

Maybe if we can get her to come along he'll follow too...?

 

Manya wracked his head, trying to remember anything that he had which would convince the doe that he wasn't around to harm them. What could it be...

Granny Fairweather had given him...of course! Manya's hand almost jerked up in his usual swift manner to open up the Palm Menu, but he stopped himself in time before he tensed up, and slowly opened the Menu, accessing the inventory and in his hand, a small sack of feed appeared.

"I got some feed, and I think it smells a bit like Granny Fairweather, so maybe..."

Maybe it might work? They had been watching each other, the antelopers and the adventurers, that each moment without action was starting to pump the tension up. But Manya, in a sudden fit of bravery, took a small step forward. The diminutive Faerin slowly extended his hand, holding the feed bag in front of him. The scent of ground and roasted herbs and grains, as well as Granny Fairweather's old-woman smell, would waft from the sack in the breeze. They were still downwind, but they were close enough that the antelopers would pick up on it.

Lusitania looked warily at Manya, but he seemed so disarming and small that it was hard for a full-grown anteloper to be afraid of him. The scent of the feed was also quite tempting. So with cautious steps, she moved from behind her mate's protective stance, cloven hooves slowly making way towards the Faerin boy.

As the doe approached, Manya opened the sack a bit wider, showing her the feed. He looked up towards her, as his innocent eyes blinked at her animal pair.

And one could almost feel the tension loosening. Lusitania at least didn't see Manya as a threat. Manya smiled in return, still staying calm.

But inside, he was overjoyed! He could deal with animals now! It was such an exhilarating feeling, as he let out a pent-up breath. He glanced aside to @Milah and nodded slowly.

"I think...it's alright to step a bit closer?"

 

Homemade feed? Yeah that could surely work in luring the doe back--after all chances were. I thing out here would taste better than what Manya had been hiding in that feed sack. Milah nodded encouragingly to the smaller Faerin as he stepped closer, watching the doe finally step from behind the larger buck and closer to the player. Lusitania's new mate snorted, perhaps not as assured as the domesticated doe, but aside from stomping the ground with a clove hoof a few times he remained in place.

I think we should stay here... but you're doing good! Maybe hold some out so the buck can see it too?

After all said buck still had his eyes trained on Milah and the squirming wolf pup of corrupted nature in her arms. Sure, it looked un offensive enough for Milah and Manya but for a while animal a predator was a predator regardless of size. Stepping closer to the pair seemed like a bad idea, at least for the ranger, and simply putting the pup down on the ground was out of the question... Mika was sure the second she did that it would scamper off towards the Antelopers for sure, andrhat would most definitely start a fight.

Do you have any rope we can put around her neck loosely?

 

Manya nodded at her suggestion. A bit of rope would help guide the doe back home - Lusitania wouldn't be a stranger to harnesses and such, so she'd not panic, and the buck might follow behind her out of protectiveness. However, that was one thing he did not prepare for. He did not want to check his UI inventory in the middle of this.

Lusitania finally reached Manya, barely a handspan away from the tiny Faerin, before she lowered her head, eating from the small sack. Manya was nervous at how close she was, as her horns tapped against the brim of his hat, but as he stood there, fear seemed to drain away and in its place, wonder and fascination surged up instead.

"She's beautiful...", he exclaimed softly. Hesitantly, he let one hand go from the feed sack, and carefully, oh-so-very-carefully placed it between the horns, gently patting the doe.

"There, there...", he said, smiling. Lusitania didn't mind the affection - or rather, she was more interested in the food than in the Faerin giving her headpats.

Manya remembered Granny Fairweather's instructions though, about how antelopers are a lot more docile once their passive aeromancy is suppressed. He closed his eyes and focused, slipping out a small bit of energy to fuel his Spellbane ability to suppress Lusitania.

She gave a small sound, a braying that had a hint of annoyance to it as if she was being collared and didn't like it, but she was neither uncomfortable nor did she resist. Once he was done, she simply went back to eating - this time, a bit calmer, a bit more happily.

 

There was a shift in the air, faint realy and barely noticeable, but the Felis managed to catch it just before it dispersed... and so did the buck. He brayed in annoyance, perhaps caught in whatever Manya had done, before finally taking a few steps closer to the Faerin and his mate. Another snort as the buck sampled the air around the palyer, catching the aromatics of the roasted herbs and oats, and with a final push of his snout to topple Manya's hat (perhaps bothered by it) the buck also sunk his head carefully into the bag once Lusitania gave him a chance.

Don't know what you did, but good job!

The Felis gave a thumb up to the Faerin, grinning widely, before her attention focused to her own UI and inventory. With the buck no longer having his eyes trained on her like a guard dog she was able to procure a piece of rope. Holding the pup with one arm against her hip (a somewhat hard feat considering the squirming it did) Milah managed to tie a loose noose into one end before carefully approaching the doe.

There, there... who's a good girl, mmm?

The ranger waited until Lusitania had lifted her head up, giving the buck time to eat, to softly place a hand atop the head of the Anteloper. Cooing softly, and offering a few additional pats, Milah attempted to slip the noose onto Lusitania... hopefully with success.

 

Lusitania didn't resist it, and as the rope came over her neck and rested there, she simply gave it a dull look. Granny Fairweather often used to take her grazing with one on, so it wasn't anything new, or threatening. And the two people who had approached her both seemed and felt harmless. She did shake her head a bit, moving the rope to lie more comfortably on her neck, as she withdrew her head from the sack.

When Manya felt his hat drop, he gave a small giggle at the playfulness of the buck. His sandy hair was a messy mop, with bits sticking up here and there with no rhyme or reason. He moved the feed bag to the buck as well, hoping that he'd like it too.

"Phew...they don't mind us. We should lead the both of them to Granny's place, and hopefully, she might decide what to do with them." She didn't seem the type to refuse the buck, especially since having him around made Lusitania happy! Manya motioned for Milah.

"Come on, let's go back to Honeyhome. Granny's farm is...on the southern outskirts! You bring Lusitania around, I'll lead the buck, and we'll leave the forest now."

Indeed, they were done with their 'quest'! Now they simply had to get back, out of the forest and back to the farm. It was still daylight outside, and Manya smiled, even as he slowly moved back, hoping the buck would follow the feed and his mate.

He had done a good deed! But that wasn't all, he had made a friend, too! He turned to smile brightly at @Milah .

"Thank you, for all your help!"

 

Though this really hadn't been part of her daily plan at all when the Felis has ventured into the forest in search of some herbs Milah couldn't say she minded how the events had turned out. After all Antelopers were quite fascinating, and meetingthe smaller Faerin who was apparently also from London hadn't been bad either.

This is gonna be one lucky grandma, huh? Two for one type of deal and all.

At least the buck seemed mellow enough at first glance, now that he was sure Lusitania and him were in no harm or danger the buck was focused on the feed bag... so long as the doe wasn't too far away of course. Hopefully it would mean the buck wouldn't give the older woman too much trouble, and with company around maybe the doe would stop her escapades... not that Milah herself knew much about those.

The ranger kept the pup in her arms as she and Manya led the pair, not daring to try and rope the buck the same way they had Lusitania. Surely the grandma would know how to deal with him once they got back.

Huh? Oh yeah, don't worry about it really. It was an interesting mini adventure.

She gave a smile to the other player before beginning the process of leading the small group now through the forest and back into the road that would lead to Lusitania’s home. Though Milah wouldn't go as far to call the Faerin a friend, after all she'd only known him for a couple of hours, the Felis hadn't minded his company… so perhaps he might turn out to be an alright player?