The morning sun is truly a marvel, its bright and warm, and a great way to stretch and shake off the effects of sleep and especially today, when I have an extra special luxury. I tend to the washing of clothes for tomorrow, I ensure the cleanliness of bandages in case something happens, and the ointment supply which is near emergency state of needing replacing. The fishing lines need to be checked for weakness along with the rods that support the line, and the bows and arrows I have been able to acquire along my journey for bow structure weakness and string retention.
And of course, my most pressing project, cannot be tamed, they say, they are too aggressive and stubborn they warn me. Many have tried all have failed, this I already know. This is my fourth attempt now at this project, but till summer's end, when I’m expected back within the Kingdom borders, I will keep trying.
Even now, they are aggressive even with me. But this is their nature, and as such we have to respect this difference. Coming up to waist height of most mann, these two have shades of grey fur and long slender ears, sharp canine teeth dedicated to ripping flesh from animals it preys on. Their front paws tailor made for grabbing and holding onto its target. Their hind legs are suited for jumping and leaping distances I am still trying to measure.
Thou I am under no illusion, that if they had wanted to, these often times cute but deadly-dangerous creatures could rip me to sunder without anything I could do, yet they still walk freely around my camp.
These carnivores easily kill a Trison which is larger than my small mann form and much bulkier too. Having an impressive diet of meats and using trees to sharpen and trim their claws these creatures are playful, but typically their play leads to the death of the creature.
With these Carnis Rabbits in toe, the chores done and the sun slowly working to midmorning, we set off for what I would hope would be an entertaining event on the beach with these rabbits never having explored sands. My toes in the sand, the sun now at midday, the new terrain a surprising adventure for the rabbits. Before long, they are dusting themselves in the new sand condition but still superstitious about the water.
When talking to others before I started this project with the Carnis Rabbit, they often tried putting them in cages, and noticed they would never stop attacking things that came near them. Carnis Rabbits are social creatures in the wild, but after being in cages become anti-social, don’t recreate hunting tactics of tandem support to flank targets, and seem quite unstable if they are ever released from that environment.
For my second attempt, I tried this method, having them freely roam, it didn’t work out well, and I hate to admit it, I had to put them down in fear of my own safety and that of others working with me.
With open fields as large as the eyes can see, the space to run, jump and in this moment kick sand up in the air, these Carnis Rabbits, simply like freedom and become separated from their normal instincts when that is removed from them, lashing out then becomes their way of coping with the situation. My current set, specially selected for this purpose have been with me for a few months before I set off on my own. it would seem, the new locations we travel is to their liking and we have formed somewhat of a bond.Doing as they please they still return to camps I setup, and have slowly become used to the fires that are lit.
My hope, is they can be useful for those seeking protection travelling the long roads and distances with a cart near them. Protecting both person and goods for sale. They love to roam different landscapes, love open and hunting conditions, and when provided this, seem to be fierce and loyal, but not knowing when their own strength is too much for the objects they are interacting with.
Dislodged sand stings my eyes after being kicked up from the Rabbits play, I get to my feet alarmed this might be a possible attack and soon claim when I see they aren’t paying me any mind, I think my presence is being tolerated for the moment, and they still allow me to stroke their fur which is a delight I will cherish for the rest of my life. As I look towards the edges of the beach, I discover growing a bushes upon bushes of a plant I didn’t expect to see here.
Taking in small delights with pleasure, my Duchess will likely be impressed by this. Rushing to the camp, I collect some jars, cloths, and other tools, and set back to the plant I have discovered.
Using my canteen, I wash some of the leaves, take a small clip of a leaf and smell the strong scent of its oils being reminded of the scent of the plant, I taste it and confirm this is a small delight that will provide a small comfort is Peppermint.
Like all mints this Peppermint plant will spread like a weed if allowed to, will bloom flowers, and has red veins along the underside of the leaves we can harvest for food stocks.
Collecting a large supply of Peppermint from the bushes with no buds on them will give the perfect supply we need for winter, those with closed bud will be perfect for repopulation back within the Kingdoms borders, the ones with flowers can be sold to markets on my journey back to the borders. And as for the flowers themselves? The flowers will be my delight, perfect of a light tea before bed, and great for settling an uneasy stomach. There is enough here to make this a worthwhile journey of itself. If my plans with the Carnis Rabbits pans out like I want, this trip will be a delightful one.
Some of the clippings are wrapped in a damp cloth that will add to my morning rituals of watering, some placed in a jar of water, with a touch of sugar to keep them growing and prevent them withering. The winter supplies are grouped into bundles and tied tightly where it was cut. Just in case someone back home has developed a means of testing soils, I too collect a few jars of the soils and a bit of the sand too, and label every batch, with its own unique codes and as much information I can gather here out on the beach.
My delight in finding this plant is saddened by a sound behind me, something large in the water splashing and growling. It wouldn’t be the Carnis Rabbits, that isn’t a noise they make even in distress, I turn, and surging from the waters, is a grey rippled skin with a long body designed for water travel, its stilt-legs keeping its belly from touching the ground below, its feet webbed as if to make it even faster in water. This creature, which is a first sighting for me, would become known as a Kaprogator, a fierce creature that will hunt anything that near it.
But, right now, in this state my emotions clouded my judgement, I dropped everything, ran to the rabbits who had no concept of the dangers they could face and tried to lure this Kaprogator away. And I did, for a time, it was thanks to onlookers that my life was saved that day, for otherwise I would have been a happy meal for this new creature.
Those that had rescued me saw the Carnis Rabbits as something to be feared. In my weakness, and moments before passing out, I pleaded with them not to harm them, for they are decently nice considering their natures.
From the Kaprogator, I suffered a dislocated shoulder, impressive bites on my arms, and a broken leg. Considering my condition, this is a miracle that these people where in this place and came to my aid, for the Kaprogator is truly a mann eater.
Over the winter, I was recovering from my injuries, I found home outside the Kingdom of Aranor and even further away from the comforts of home within Evertide. I take great delight in the company of two Carnis Rabbits who every morning, got up and come to me, as if to motivate me to come for a morning walk with them, to busk in the sun that will slowly bring back the long days of summers warmth.
It was a great pride to see some of my traditions where being reflected in the rabbits. I am becoming ever attached to them, and also fearful if my plans don’t work for these fine creatures. But onward I press for this is something that needs to happen.
My time with these people sees me leaving their graces as a sad day, I had stayed with them over winter and most of autumn. While with them I taught them a few things with the plants around their location, took flower samples to dry and press, and seeds to maybe repopulate back within the Kingdoms border.
My time out and about is always an adventure, and now looking back on it after a long life’s work, this was the start of something wonderful, my son, the Worldography Investigative Founder, would grow with the same traditions and energy for world around us, exploring the locations, mapping the lands and the skies, and planning for the future. For this is what mann does, we seek to better ourselves and enrich things we interact with. To roam free, to jump and dance where you are, embrace the morning sun, and take life as it comes. For today and now is all you may have. My son’s legacy started with me, one of my most successful lives works is raising him, along with a small litter of Carnis Rabbits, and still fearing the time I let Carnis Rabbits interact with a baby child.
Worldography Investigative is part of the Duchy of Evertide, within the Kingdom of Aranor on the NW-W servers of Chronicles of Elyria.
This guild seeks to understand, document, research and develop five key aspects of gameplay. Cartography, Stellar Cartography, Flora Laboratories, Fauna Observatories and generic Biodiversity Research. We work with anyone willing to learn and understand these goals, wish to trade and supply where demands are, and to help foster communications between people.
He aha te mea nui o te ao
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
What is the most important thing in the world?
It is the people, It is the people, It is the people.
Gay He Tàngåtá