It was a small Viking party that reached the crest of a small hill and paused to survey the area. One of the soon-to-be Reavers stuck his chest out proudly, his half grown mane fluttering in the breeze. Cinàed 'the Dragon' as he told others to refer to him as stood overlooking the rogue langs, an eager grin making his already permanently smiling features a bit wild and terrifying. There it was. The world was his for the taking!

"Let's go!" he crowed as he went to bound down the hill, excitement filling him, but a paw stopped him from moving. He looked over at the brown female with a scowl, golden eyes glowering over at the older lion.

Eydis didn't give Cinàed the time of day as she stopped him from charging head-first into potential danger. The Viking was really more of a trophy hunting mission as news of an elephant heading for the elephant graveyard had caught the Stormborn's attention. Elephants weren't a usual target of lions, but one that was dying anyway wouldn't be much of a fight and elephant bones were certainly prizes to cherish. Yet even though the elephant was on its last legs, it didn't mean it wouldn't put up a fight.

"Charging in will get us all killed, little Freeborn," she drawled in a bored tone of voice which got a scoff from Cinàed. "There's a reason we're stopping on the high ground. This is my first Viking and even I could tell you that."

"But where's the fun in stopping and looking around?" the youth challenged, reaching up to swat away the paw that held him back. He didn't, however, charge down the hill as intended. Instead he sat - grumpily - and stared out over the savanna with the rest of the Viking party. Sure enough, a long shadow was cast by an old bull elephant making its slow, methodical way to the place where all elephants went to die. It was so slow Cinàed wasn't sure it would actually make it there before biting the dust. Vultures were already circling over the creature as it lumbered along and in the distance the cackle of hyenas could be heard.

The noise made Eydis' ears p***k up and her fur stood on end. She was only on this Viking to become a Reaver so she could try to find a suitable mate outside of the pride. She'd bring him in and make him become a Reaver as well, of course, so she could live the lifestyle she had always dreamed of - staying in a well-kept den full of furs and treasure, decorated with prizes brought home by her loving mate, cubs running around and Thralls to boss and scold. None of the males in the pride seemed to fit the bill, so clearly her Mr Right was out there...somewhere. She didn't sign up to go on this Viking to possibly face a pack of hyenas.

"Come on!" Cinàed nearly whined, his feet stamping in the dirt. "If we don't get a move on the hyenas will get there before us!"

"Hush," Eydis snapped, irritated with the young male. Her children would never behave as poorly as this one was. "The Captain will say when we push. It's not our place to determine when to go." She hoped that the Captain would just call off the mission and they could find someone else to bother. Hyenas weren't anything to play around with, and really, elephants weren't either. But the thought of a carved tusk dangling from her braid made her sigh dreamily and she held her ground.

The group held their position for a few hours, watching the slow progress of the elephant while keeping a close eye and ear out for the hyenas. The noises died off not long after the elephant reached a watering hole to take a drink. Perhaps they had been scared off by the idea that the beast still had some fight left in it, enough for it to stop and drink despite knowing it was reaching the end of its life. That was good news for the Reavers and Freeborns that made up the group, though, as it left the prize all to them.

"Can we go now?" Cinàed whined softly once more. The elephant graveyard was close to the hilltop and the old creature was close, within easy distance to outflank and attack. Yet the order never came. Even Eydis was a bit surprised as they retreated over the hilltop to wait longer, out of sight and out of smell should the wind change. The two would-be Reavers gathered with the rest of their group to listen to the Captain who spoke of elephants and their place in the world. They were intelligent creatures and had incredible memories, ones that lasted through generations. Although they were here to reap the rewards death would offer them, they would let it take its natural course. It would be a curse to take down one already on its deathbed simply for the decorative properties of the bones and tusks rather than to feast.

Eydis was bored with the speech after a short time, looking off in the distance at some gazelle that were grazing, but Cinàed hung on every word. He had big dreams for his future, ones where he was feared but respected through the rogue lands as the Dragon who could either show mercy or none at all. At times like this it would surely come in handy to know when to stay his paw and when to swing with all the might he could muster.

They ended up spending the evening there, approaching the hilltop again once dark had fallen. There were no movements in the graveyard, but they could hear the delighted cawing of the vultures that were picking at the recently deceased elephant. The word was finally given to move out and both Eydis and Cinàed trotted down the hill, eager to see their prize. Patience was an important part of Vikings, they were told as they walked, as well as the wisdom to know when to fight and when to back away. Eydis paid it no mind as Cinàed soaked it up, but by the time they reached the graveyard they were both much more focused on harvesting the best bits of bone and tusk for their prizes.

FIN
WC: 1069