Private Finished Hunters in a Bountiful World

Bracken nodded and walked with her without hesitation. His face stayed perfectly calm, but there was relief in his eyes for those who knew him well enough to spot it. He couldn't offend Rho by thanking her so instead he left a mental note to do something to help her in the future in exchange.

"I wouldn't be opposed to that. If we really are going to be hunting soon I will be very pleased. I've found myself wandering in the woods some even on my own. Keeping myself prepared." And slaughtering creatures of course. Bracken needed to get his claws bloodied every so often or it felt like he was being lazy and letting his skills slip.

"Where were you thinking of checking out?"

Bracken continued walking alongside Rho as they left for their more secluded location. "You mean to tell me you haven't been doing any hunting on your own Rho? That doesn't sound like your usual way. Are you losing your touch?" He was teasing her. Even if she hadn't been out to slaughter any creatures in the woods, had she really not preyed on anyone here? Even harmless glamour tricks to mess with them?

"I'll have to let you know when i'm feeling restless and in need of a hunt. There's plenty of fun to be had in the woods here. We just have to check for tags before making a kill." Part of the reason he'd taken a job at Forest Respite was to be out away from the city more. To give him more access to the woods as well as limit the minds he needed to be in contact with all the time.

Bracken nodded. Those foolish little pieces of metal were quite annoying. But not so annoying, he assumed, as it would be to deal with the authorities for having hunted a citizen here. What a messy business, that would be for sure. "Shifters, yes. Too many people here seem to like to hide as something different and run around. Almost like they're tempting hunters to go after them. Val would be quite disappointed if we caused an incident with something like that."

He shrugged and leaned his shoulder against the rough trunk of the tree. Noting casually the small squirrel nest in the branches above them. "But of course we don't intend to hunt people. From what i've been told there are many dangerous beasts deeper in the woods. Some of them might even give us a challenge." He smiled openly at that idea.

Bracken would have been perfectly fine with immediately going on a hunt with little to no warning. Person, beast or otherwise- it mattered little. But there was no need to share that. They all knew each and every member of the party was in said party because of their hunting prowess and desire to be the best at what they did.

"That is a song I would look forward to hearing. Mostly because I know that you and your bow are on our side and not on that of our prey. I would not want to be hunting any of the rest of you. Even with my Melding connection."

"Speaking of which, i've noticed something disturbing with my Meld. There are those here who are shielded from me, but there are also some that seem to fight back when I try to make contact. Even unintentionally."

Bracken stood quite still, appearing on the outside at least to be completely calm and passive. No one would be able to eavesdrop on this or tell that he was revealing a weakness. As it should be. To reveal weakness was to give your prey or your rivals power over you.

Internally though he was free to communicate with her via the Meld. "I always could before. Except for those with even more skill than me with the Meld. But here, here there are people who I cannot touch. Some of them even hurt to attempt it."

Bracken sent a feeling of unease towards Rho. He was not a fan of people taking his sense of control and confidence away, and a hidden mind scared him. A hidden mind was a dangerous mind. "Just as there are some here who even you could not hurt with your arrows. That's why i've been scouting out the people and places here. To learn just how dangerous it is for us, beneath the pretend complacency they project."