Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it (Day 2, Early Morning)

[Raven Cadera]

The plains and the green were perhaps the finest sight Raven had seen in a good while, and for sure the prettiest sight on Kamda itself. Concord Dawn had little preserved wilderness, and too many worlds she had visited lately didn't have much in the term of greens or farmlands.

Geared up (though without the extra burden of carrying all her belongings with her), the helmeted Raven looked to Praxton. "So who are we looking for?"

[Honor]

Nearby they left the speeder-bikes that the Enclave kept on hand, stored away. Praxton stood out in the grass with Raven as he looked toward a nearby, un-named forest that looked promissing. "Tiroc, one of our number had found a promising foundling. One we believed, given the training, might one day stand among us. In order to test this foundling he brought him out here, to hunt. It has been some days and neither has returned."

Confirming for himself he strapped the macrobinoculars back to the side of his leg, "Mandalore has tasked you with this goal. To find one of our own and return him to us, and if we can the foundling as well. As your sponsor it is my honor to stand beside you on this trial."

[Raven Cadera]

"Hmm..." she gave the surroundings a sceptical look, but the expression was lost underneath the helmet. "What's the wildlife out here... or do you think it might've been something more human responsible for their disappearance?"

Raven checked her own gear over once more. Good, her father's hunting knife was with her still.

[Honor]

"A Nexu," he said, "that is what they came to hunt. We do not believe it was born here, but if it remains it could take root. We thought it would be a service to our warriors and this planet to remove it from the eco-system. However, it is a beast that should have been easily felled by two skilled hunters," he said, glancing over toward the forest as he thought.

"Though we do not know of any enemies we might have on this planet."

[Raven Cadera]

The Empire, for starters, Raven thought grimly. "Ok, on the lookout for Nexu trail then. No doubt, our comrades will have found those tracks too and we'll find theirs, hopefully."

At least, it seemed right to take lead if this was to be her trial.

[Honor]

"On your lead, Sister," he said, ready to move.

[Average Survival Check to find the Nexu's trail inside the forest.]

[Raven Cadera]

Having grown up on Concord Dawn, and had later had to make do on her own living off of whatever she could find, Raven wasn't unused to the hunt despite the unfamiliar terrain, and soon enough she had the lead on something. Hopefully the tracks of their fellow Mando'ade as well.

----

D2 EM Survival (Cunning) to look for tracks. +1B from Explorer's Knife: 1eP+1eA+1eB+2eD 1 success, 3 advantage

[Honor]

She found her lead, and it was only reinforced by the fact she also found the tracks of a careful footed individual and another that appeared much the rookie.

Tracking the tracks there was a point of disturbance and some blood, the two sets of humanoid tracks set off toward a pile of rocks that likely contained a cave system and the Nexu limped off further into the forest.

[Raven Cadera]

Raven moved with ease as she follow the trail, confident and unafraid of what dangers they might possibly find along the way. The sight of blood and disturbance gave her pause, and she took a moment to consider how fierce the conflict might've been.

"Mando'ade fought here," she said, after deducing the scene, lifting her gaze towards the rocks to make a gesture in its direction. "They moved this way... their quarry, the nexu," a gesture into the forest, "continued further in, limping. Not sure if it's mortally wounded or not. Two set of tracks that way indicate that both were walking at least, so there's hope."

Standing up, she put away her hunting knife and opted for drawing her sword instead, in case there were any nasty surprises awaiting within the caves. "Looks like a cave system. Could be they chose to go in here, to recover from the fight before moving on."

[Honor]

While Raven searched the battlefield, Praxton did his own search of the tree's around. Looking off into the distance he seemed to focus on something, looked back, and then out again. As she explained Praxton returned to her side and listened.

"Keep your senses sharp, Sister," he said, indicating the spot he had noticed. "Had someone taken a position there, they might have interrupted this battle. That it might be another lends itself to the evidence that.." he shrugged, "might be there. Lead on," he said, pulling his blaster rifle off his pack and swinging it in front of him."

[Raven Cadera]

Taking a look at what he was pointing out, Raven nodded thoughtfully. "Well spotted, Brother."

With the lead given to her, the young Mandalorian advanced towards the pile of rocks and the cave system that was likely there.


---

Raven has Scanner Goggles that allow her to see normally in dark conditions.

[Honor]

Finding the cave entrance was easy, especially consider that the closer they got blood started joining the one trail and when they went over rocks it was the only trail that they could follow. Inside, just inside, nothing notable was visible but upon entering they'd hear someone shift around inside.

Following up on the sound she'd find a small area, just off the main mouth of the cave, where a woman in some basic armor and holding a rifle sat up against a rock. With her lower torso bandaged up skillfully.

[Raven Cadera]

Upon seeing the woman, Raven lowered her weapon but not fully, and she stopped in her stride. Perhaps Praxton recognized her.

"Su cuy'gar," she greeted cautiously, in case the woman understood the Mandalorian greeting.

[Honor]

"I- I don't know what the KRIFF you just said to me but if you're here to finish me off you got another thing coming," she spoke big, but didn't move for her weapon. Perhaps she couldn't, from the looks of how deep her injury ran.

Praxton entered behind, holding up his hand with his palm facing the woman, "Ease, it is me, Praxton. We met before when you were brought before Mandalore for your acceptance foundling," he said, calmly.

[Raven Cadera]

Oh phew, it was one of the two they were looking for. That was a relief.

Raven lowered her weapon completely now. "Not much of a medic, but I got a stim to help you out. Can you tell us what happened?"

[Honor]

"That'd be bleedin' great," she said, holding out a hand for the Stim. "And.. yea, yea I can tell you what happened," she said.

Praxton took space up on a rock, sitting down for the moment. Watching both the way they came, and then further into the cave system.

"So.. here we came, huntin' this bloody-vicious creature. Maw filled of teeth, Nexu is what Tiroc called it. Anyway, the hunt was proceeding to plan until Tiroc noticed somethin' but before I could act on it I'd been skewered by something mighty fast. Didn't feel like any old blaster, sharper.. harder, nearly knocked me off my feet as I felt it tear right through me.." she shuddered at the memory.

"Anway.. Tiroc gave the Nexu a wicked gash when it tried to pounce me. Wanted to carry me out but I wouldn't have it, still.. threw my arm over his shoulder and got me here. Once he had me down he put the rifle in my hand.. but my bodies weak, lost a lotta blood.. I think.. don't quite have the moxi to rip your heart out with a blast if I wanted to," she shifted a little, tried to hide the soured expression she wore. "Left me here though.. said he'd come back when he found out who was huntin' us and get us home. Told me it was a good first step what I'd done, what I was goin' through.." she shook her head, hid her expression.

"He's been gone for a while now.. I don't even know how long."

[Raven Cadera]

Raven approached the foundling and handed her the stim, listening to her talk. What she was saying was making sense with what they had both seen it seemed. "He's right. You've done good, surviving and staying alive so far," she agreed with the words of Tiroc. It was not just comforting words to an injured kid.

"We should get her back to the enclave..." she remarked, looking to Praxton for his opinion. While the stim would work, chances weren't looking good for an injured foundling on her own out here.

[Honor]

Praxton was silent, thinking.

The foundling, however, wasn't, "Nah.. no, no way are you bringing me back without Tiroc. Man saved my life not just once, but then he offered me this set-up y'all got going here and went and saved my life again. No way am I letting y'all leave without looking for him. I'll.. I'll be fine, nothin' has come into this cave yet and with the stim.." she had injected it into her arm, raising him somewhat although it clearly still pained her.

"See, good as new.." she grimaced through the pain.

[Raven Cadera]

For a moment, Raven was glad for the helmet that hid her own conflicting feelings. On one hand, she could relate much to the foundling, with much to prove and not wanting to be seen as weak or a liability. On the other hand, she could understand how Tiroc could feel, alive or with the Manda, if the foundling died alone here and his people hadn't brought her back to safety.

"... How fresh do you think those tracks were?" she asked Praxton, as she tried to think of how much time they might have to save Tiroc.

[Honor]

"An hour, maybe two," he said, his voice stiff. "One of us could go on alone to seek him, but as I am your sponsor I hesitate to allow you to face this alone. Yet, as I am also your sponsor I cannot allow myself to take on the danger inherent in this trial for myself while you secure the foundling."

"If we are lucky.." he said, standing, "they may have stalked one another for long enough that we can yet catch up with them. Whoever this other hunter is, they are skilled to try and be so successful in a hunt of a Mandalorian and his foundling."