Coralian startles a bit before tightening the strap and moving forward to pat the ankylo on the head.  "Should we check it out, buddy?  Let's try and be quiet, ok?"  She knocks an arrow and stalks forward trying to remain unobtrusive.  As she moves, she tries to identify the type of dinosaurs making the noises.  Ajax moves along behind her and slightly to the right, as quiet as a creature that big can manage.  The ruckus they are investigating provides some sonic cover, at least.

"Stupid bird" he mutters to himself.
Roam is on his feet and makes one last attempt to salvage the original plan.  Careful to note the way Kelasie moved he pointed to take advantage and summons his disciplinary voice for the Dino and yells to her.
"Tarla, Chase that way!"

Tarla lowers her head in guilt, before circling into position.  Hissing, Tarla raises her claws and sets herself to intimidate the bronto into bolting.

Coralian continues to steal forward, gently pushing fern fronds out of the way and keeping the arrow knocked.  She does her best to figure out what's going on ahead and what danger it might pose.  Ajax moves slowly behind her, watchful as ever.

Tarla gets with the program, hissing after the bronto with gusto, making mock-dashes until she starts the bronto into running.  Kelasie tries to run at an angle, ready to fire off another dart if the bronto tries to turn from the path.  The bronto runs across the clearing, turning and circling, but Tarla runs after him, nipping at his heels to keep him going.  He seems reluctant to fully leave the clearing, but is definitely afraid of Tarla and keeps the pace up!

--

Coralian, you come across a scene of mini brono with an old shackle bolting across a clear, followed by an argoraptor, followed by a man in hunting gear, paralleled by a slim woman in tight leathers clutching a blowtube.  It seems a hunt is on!

Coralian looks around, trying to determine if the trio tailing the little brontosaurus¹
is the only hunting and chasing going on, or if she and Ajax need to watch their backs as well (even if just to avoid getting stepped on).

"What do you think, buddy?  Should we follow them or make straight for the road?  We've got a festival to attend, but we have a little time to dawdle along the way."  Coralian has slowed to a relaxed amble as she follows the hunters' path, rubbing Ajax's head as she muses.  The bow and arrow is still gripped for easy use in her left hand.

¹ OOC: Woe to the oft-neglected apatasaurus. 

Coralian, it looks like they are hunting the broto, not anything that moves.  As you watch the hunt, something else catches your eye: a shimmer in the air, a place where the trees and ferns don't quite line up correctly... a time anomaly not more than a dozen paces from you!

---

Roam, as you, Tarla, and Kelasie try to corral the bronto, running it to exhaustion, you think you spy another form lurking (or perhaps just standing) outside of your hunting clearing.  The broto is beginning to slow from the effects of Kelasie's poisoned darts, and Tarla is making eager noises, ready to pounce on the prey.

Coralian smiles and thinks We got lucky today.
 Assuming that the anomaly or the path to it wouldn't interfere with the actions around the little bronto, she'll take the chance to harvest some cyphers.  Leaning down, she whispers to Ajax, "Ajax, watch my back.  Quietly, please.  I've gotta stock up."  Then she walks with all due stealth to the time anomaly.  No good adding more stress to the hunting she observed.

Ajax seems quite pleased to watch and protect Coralian from any threats, and takes up a vigilant stance.  As Coralian steps into the anomaly, she feels sort of tickle at the back of her throat, a sound of rain but in whispers, and a feel of wind, but inside-out.  She feels cyphers settle into her system, one to hold creatures in stasis, the other to create an electrical wall.

Coralian smiles as she returns to Ajax, quite content with her little foray.  She returns to the spot beside his head and resumes watching the action around the mini-long neck.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Thu 22 Aug 2019.

Roam, Tarla, and Kelasie manage to keep the little bronto running for several minutes, feinting to keep it from dashing too far away (which it doesn't seem inclined to do anyways) until it finally keels over on the ground, succumbed to the drugged darts.  However, as the bronto drops, Roam spies a nearly full-grown ankylosaurus just outside the clearing!

Coralian, feeling the eyes of strangers on her, smiles and waves in greeting.

She's relaxed, but the bow and arrow is still ready in her left hand.

Roam sees anklo, then the person standing close by.  He gives a quick wave as he approaches the little bronto.  Quickly he approaches the neck of the bronto and kneels pulling his knife the special glass glinting in the sunlight.
"Here is the tough part, Kelasie please hold the head down.  It will start to buck."

Waiting for the woman to take her place, Roam then signals to Tarla.
"Good job girl.  You were great."  Roam looked at Tarla in the eye and gave her a strong gaze.  A wave went bristled through her feathers and a small twitter from her snout.
Roam knelt back onto the upper neck and pointed Tarla at the lower part.
"I honor you with the kill."

Tarla swung her tail anxiously and stalked forward before stretching up and 'barking' to the sky.

Coralian remained quiet as the scene unfolded.  This did not appear to be sport hunting or wanton violence.  An explanation could wait until the stress was over.

Ajax occasionally moved his head from side to side, scanning their flanks.

Tarla takes a couple of bites to finish the job, and Kelasie actually gets bucked clean off the bronto as it thrashes in its death throes, but eventually the beast lies dead.

Coralian, as you and Ajax wait and watch, Ajax notices something, and snuffles into the bushes to get your attention.  Not too far from where the brono lies is a large egg on a nest!

Coralian follows along to where Ajax is indicating.  She scans the area, just in case a protective parent is watching the egg.  Examining the ground, nest, and general area, as well as the egg itself, she tries to identify the creature and if it's likely the parent is nearby.

As far as Coralian can tell the egg looks like a bronto egg, very likely belonging to the one who just expired, which perhaps explained why it didn't break for freedom out of the clearing.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:10, Sun 25 Aug 2019.

Coralian gently picks up the egg, wraps it in rags, and slides it into her backpack.  This could be another something to sell at the fair, unless she thought maybe her parents might want it for the farm.  She'd have to think about during her travels.

She whispers to her traveling companion.  "Nice find, buddy.  We'll have to get you a treat tonight."  She smiles and rubs Ajax under the chin before standing and walking back to her previous observation point.

Roam set to preparing the bronto with his glassine knife.  With some minor direction he was able to have Kelasie assist with the harder parts of cleaning the dinosaur for transport.
"We should be able to get some chunks out of here and get them back.  The rest will go to waist if we leave it at that.  Tarla can't drag this much.  If you take back a load, Tarla and I can wait and keep other scavengers away until you get back for another load.  When you return try and bring a sled or something to drag a bigger portion.  Even a tarp would do.  I'll let T have a little more.  She did a good job."
Roam stood Tarla greedily licked the blood off his hands.  Roam thanked her and rubbed the crest of Tarla's skull, eliciting another set of coos.

As Kelasie was preparing to head back, Roam looked off in the direction of the figure he saw before.  Calling out "Hail, how goes it out there?"

Coralian steps forward with the ankylosaurus following.  "Hi.  I'm Coralian.  This is Ajax.  We're doing just fine, thanks for asking.  How are you three doing?"

Bow still in hand, Coralian rubs Ajax's head.  He'd been around blood and raw meat before, of course, but a little extra comforting was important around strangers.

Roam noticed the bow and Ankylosaur as they came forward.  The ankylo seemed healthy and strong.  Roam pulled a rag from his pocket and wifed his knife clean and slid it away.  He wiped at his hands cleaning off the last of the blood and dino spit, before holding it out to the new arrival.
"Hi my name is Roam.  This is Kelasie and Tarla is my raptor.  We came out to find some food for an inn keepers baby-rex's.  It looks like we have got enough for that, plus everyone there.  You're welcome to come along, but we were just figuring out the logistics of getting this thing back."
The rag was slipped away and the canteen came out.  A deep drink helped him settle even more from the earlier activity.
He clipped it back to his belt and straightened his hide leather jacket.

Roam is tall and lean.  The sides and back of his skull shaved to stubble.  His clothes are worn and practical, it is obvious he spends more time out of the cities than in them.

Coralian's attire has a ruggedness similar to Roam's, primarily stout, worn leather and sturdy canvas. While there's dirt under her nails and plenty of smudges on her clothes, her face, at least, is clean.  Her hair is just shy of shoulder length.  For a woman, she's rather tall.

"We're on our way to the Wild Walk.  Maybe we can help each other out.  Ajax can help haul your carcass and you can get us room and board for the night.  A shower and soft bed does wonders for a weary traveler."  She smiles with earnest optimism, offering her hand to shake for the deal.

Roam gives a shake and turns to Ajax.  "If you are willing to help big fella, we would appreciate it."

He moves to the carcass and starts preparing it to be moved.  "I think for this much meat the owner would definitely take in another person.  Just don't use all the hot water!"

With three people and the two dinos the group loads the carcass onto the ankylosaur and trudges back to the inn.

As they travel Roam decides to learn more about his companions.  "So you are joining the Walk as well?  I met Kelasie at the inn.  She is as well.  I was helping a brother and sister that got waylaid on their journey.  It seems like every time this many people start getting together there is always drama."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:00, Mon 26 Aug 2019.

After the handshake and before the butchering began in earnest, Coralian would point out the time anomaly she'd found, if it was still present.

As for hauling the meat, she'd try to cobble a sled from saplings and vines so Ajax could drag it behind him without having to worry about getting blood and guts all over his shell.

After Roam and Kelasie have had their chance at the anomaly (assuming they need it and it's still there), Coralian will walk along with them toward the inn.

"Yeah, I haven't been in a few years.  I've got some herbs and roots to sell.  A few minerals I picked up also.  Maybe I can make a few more connections in villages I don't get a chance to visit."

With Coralian and Ajax's help, the butchered meat is loaded up onto the sledge and dragged back to the roadhouse.  The proprietor is well pleased as your hunting, and cheerfully accepts the nominal fee for your stay.

"And since the lady with the tank helped you, you can have a space here for three nautils as well," he adds to Coralian.  The roadhouse provides fenced-in areas for people to camp, and access to bathrooms and cleaning facilities.

"That was a good hunt, and spares me a few nautils, so thanks for that Roam.  Maybe I'll see you at the Walk!" Kelasie says, and retires for one more palm beer before sleeping.

Roam, you see Mira and Quill have retired to your space, Quill juggling a small, fat pouch of what sounds like nautils, and Mira shaking her head and laughing.  When she spies Roam in the company of a stranger who definitely wasn't within the campgrounds before, she looks a lot more wary, standing up and putting her hand on Gaytha to calm her trike.

Coralian thanks the innkeeper profusely for the room and board.  She takes some time to observe the other humans and dinos at the site, judging who might buy or might sell, which might be a threat.  After making sure Ajax was safe and comfortable in the stables and that her possessions were secure, she sought out Roam again to check on his plans for the night and coming days.