The Smell of Snow ~Suflare Vitale! VoP~

Discussion in 'The Salty Dog Tavern' started by The Watch, Jan 2, 2014.

  1. The Watch

    The Watch Well-Known Member
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    Ascher tightened his knees and lifted gently on the reins of his horse. Shadow eased his raised hoof gently down, and held completely, silently, still... Ascher lifted his nose, and inhaled deeply.

    He frowned.

    For a moment he had been sure he'd smelled snow. That clean, crisp smell that's so dry and cold that it tingles the inside of the nose. He had grown up in that smell, dancing across the rocky foothills and high peaks east of Yew. The smell of snow had often hung thick in the air just before a winter white storm. Ascher knew that smell well.

    He had never expected to find it in the hot, humid forests just north west of Trinsic.

    Ascher very gently touched Shadow's ribs with the points of his toes, and the horse began to ease slowly forward. With each step, the smell of snow and icy cold grew stronger...even the air itself took on a chill, and Ashcer began to see his breath in short puffs.

    Then, the trees parted, and Ascher froze in place. Huddled in the center of the clearing was a massive creature with a thick, twisted torso. His limbs all seemed too long for his body. The thing was covered in long, coarse silvery white fur. Both hands had long, thick fingers that ended in curved claws.

    The grass around the thing was shimmering and white, frozen to a crisp.

    Ascher had heard tales of the yeti when he was a child, but this was the first one he'd seen.

    The beast turned its broad, flat face, and sniffed deeply in through a wide nose. It growled an evil laugh and rose awkwardly to its feet. It shambled with alarming speed, shuffling sideways towards Ascher, knocking trees aside with casual swipes of its massive hands.

    Ascher uncased his bow and strung it in one smooth motion. He knocked an arrow, drew, and let it fly. The shaft sailed through the air, and landed with a resounding thunk; buried deep in the yeti's throat. The creature uttered that same eery laugh, and a thick black blood oozed out around the wound. As soon as the viscous liquid touched the air, it hissed and froze solid, forming a seal.

    The creature kept on coming.

    Ascher turned and dug his heels into Shadow's flanks, sending the horse leaping through the trees. He would have to stay moving, make himself a difficult target.

    This could get interesting....

    *********************************************************************************************************************************


    Several hours later


    *********************************************************************************************************************************

    Ascher slumped back against the tree, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Shadow had bolted, thankfully, drawing the yeti's attention for a moment. Now, though, the creature was back. It rank breath thick in the air, along witht he snuffling sound of its snout.

    Ascher was hidden in a small depression beneath a fallen tree. The yeti was on the other side of the massive root ball from him, but Ascher could hear the creature moving. Slowly, he eased himself out from under the trunk. He rose to one knee, and when the yeti turned, Ascher fired his last arrow. The shaft whistled softly as it flew, and the hammered iron point drove straight through the yeti's right eye.

    The creature shuddered twice, and fell.

    Ascher breathed a deep sigh of relief, and rode up to the massive corpse to collect his rewards.

    The Village of Paws was safe once again....


    SUFLARE VITALE!!!

    Ascher Kraw,
    Keeper of the Watch

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