Getting Ready For An Adventure

The young huntress finished packing the last of the dried meat. There hadn't been a lot of meat left in the smoke shack but there had been some. Islana knew that keeping in there was not ideal, due to animals, and they might be able to use it on the trip but what was the way to get to transportable, as the cold smoke method preserved the meat rather well but took a while plus transporting slabs of meat was bulky.

She put enough aside for the meals they would eat before leaving, and had put together a very basic rack. The rest of the meat had been cut into strips, then put on a makeshift rack over a hot but low fire. Left over the fire for a length of time, all the moisture was removed but it wasn't burned. Instead, what they now had was jerky. It was mostly venison jerky but there was, perhaps, a rabbit or two. Jerky was certainly easy to travel with.

That's how a portion of the first day of packing had been spent. In the morning Islana had gone into town and officially resigned as a hunter. Mostly just telling those in charge she wouldn't be back and collecting the last bit of pay they owed her.

Word went apparently quickly though that group, other hunters wished her luck on her future endeavors, (she hadn't gone into details). The young woman thanked them. It was good she was going but there was some concern because many weren't making quotas. The young hunteress had heard that, besides herself, Hunter and a few other hunters had consistently made the quotas but that was about it. Who knew maybe with more people headed up north and to other opportunities, the Duke might get a clue the quotas were at a ridiculous level and lower them. Islana knew that wasn't, at all, likely but she could hope for the ones left to hunt

She had made one more stop, picking up some candy at the apothecary. Days on the road can wear on people and having a little treat helped. It was enough to share but not a lot. The young woman would leave, perhaps, more potent treats for others, to bring.

Once the meat was done, it was to pitching in as needed. Her own personal effects weren't much. Pretty much fitting in a pack, a few outfits but her clothes were hunting clothes so nothing too heavy, of course her bow and quiver with arrows, knife and a few more items. She had done this part for several years but this time was very different; this time it was because she wanted to go and she wasn't alone. Different and much better

The horses had been delivered on the second day, Islana had offered to get them taken care of. This was so she could get a sense of each one without it being noticable. Not even certain if her ability would help with this, it might have been nothing more than guessing but she thought she had an idea of which one was going to be best for Gonyaul to learn on and ride.

Then the lesson began. It wasn't particularly difficult to keep a trained horse calm but some were not keen on having new riders on them. Islana petted and gently spoke to the animal which was standard.

She explained to Gonyaul to never make the horse think they are in charge, always make the horse think you are confident in the saddle, but to also be calm and gentle with them. That was the balance when it came to horses. Not that the man needed any help in the calm and gentle part but most new riders didn't feel secure enough to take charge of the horse.

Islana though was patient with Gonyaul, and as she thought would happen, the man did learn what he needed to know. A few days in the saddle and it would come even easier. It was about all the young woman could teach him anyway.

Once done she showed Gonyaul how to take care of the horse. It was good to know, another thing that would come easier in time. Then it was back to helping with whatever was needed. This trip had a definite feeling of an adventure.