#nimble rabbit

FFXIVWrite2021 Day 4 Prompt Baleful

Nim stood staring at the hunt board looking for which mark was being the most troublesome.  It didn’t take long for her to find it.  The beast was a bane to existence if the actual bounty was any indication.  Reaching forward she pulled the bill from the board and read its contents.  

From what she could tell there was not much information to go on save that most of the sightings were in Western Thanalan.  Stepping outside of the Hall of Flames she intoned the teleport spell and felt her aether tugged along to the Aetheryte in Horizon.

Once there she sought out anyone who would have an idea of where to find the beast.  It didn’t take long just before Sunset Gate there was a Lalafell who bore the air of a beast hunter.  After a short conversation with her Nim realized why the beast's bounty was so high.  The Highwind Skyways had lost several ships to its attacks; naturally they would want the beast put down as soon as possible.

Problem was it was very difficult to get the elusive creature to descend from its lofty height; Lalafell had even said that she had only seen the beast land once.  That the sun reflecting off her pauldrons may have been what called the beast down.

If the sky was the beast's uncontested domain she needed to lure it to the ground somehow and rob it of its primary advantage.  She walked along the path leaving Horizon and then found herself staring down at Nophica’s Wells.

The area had steep cliffs that if she maneuvered right during the battle she could trap the beast against.  It was out of the way of the main tradeway so a good way to ensure that no bystanders were caught in their fight.  The question would be how to get the beast down there. 

“Attracted to flashes of light,” the Hells Guard murmured softly watching as the sun danced across the ripples of the Well’s water, “It couldn’t be that easy could it?”

She had a hobby of fishing and as such learned as much as she could about any and all potential fishing spots across Eorzea.  She knew for a fact that here in the Wells was a very bright, very flashy fish, the Glimmerscale.  At its largest the fish was a little over one fium in length so it might not be enough to lure a Cloudkin down from the heavens but one never knew and it couldn’t hurt to try. She certainly wasn’t going to stop the beast standing here staring at the water.

Making up her mind the Warrior made her way to the stairwell that led down into the Wells themselves once at the bottom she informed the Brass Blade standing guard there that she planned to lure Zona Seeker down to her and asked him to keep any and all that might venture down that way away from her and the beast.

The Blade looked at her like she lost her mind but agreed to keep others out of her way.  Choosing a location that was out in the open but near the bridge she planned on luring the beast under robbing it of the capability of dropping on her from a massive height.  She dropped her pack between two nearby palms and pulled her collapsible fishing rod out of it.  She then searched the bag till she found her bait tin and pulled out a nice plump butterworm.

A few hours later and sever fish including a couple of small Glimmerscales Nim finally pulled up a pretty big one.  No sooner had she heard a piercing cry from above.  Dropping her rod fish and all she darted to the side as a puddle of some sort of venom landed where she had stood.  The creature then let out a piercing shriek that rattled Nim’s bones.  The Warrior gritted her teeth then flung her tomahawk at the beast, getting it to follow her beneath the bridge where she then unsheathed her axe.  It dove at her swinging its tail forward, another bit of venom oozing from the tip of the bulge at its end.  The tip screeched off her armor leaving a wet streak where it landed.  

Before it could recover Nim brought down her axe in a Heavy Swing down upon its right wing joint nearly severing the digit to the bone.  The beast crashed to the ground and rewarded the strike with a spit of that original venom that hit Roegadyn squarely in the chest.  Suddenly her limbs felt heavy as she brought the axe back up attempting to Maim the beast further.

It flapped with its good wing scrabbling back muck of the water beneath the bridge so her strike did not hit as well as she had hoped.  The beast then lashed out with a burst of wind aether and Nim felt the sting of windburn as it got through portions of her armor.  She retaliated with her Storm's Eye strike, weaving the spell that bolstered her attacks with it.  Then reaching deep within she called forth her Inner Beast a burst of Fiery Aether surrounding her the cloudkin side stepped hissing in warning before he exhaled a concentrated blast of air aether before it.  Nim  dodged it and swung her axe in the combo once again striking the beast in multiple parts.  

As the cloudkin awkwardly tried to strike her with its tail again she swiftly cast Vengeance and was rewarded with the screaming in pain as the spell's effects harmed the beast.  She then swung the combo again and with the built up aether lashed out at it with a steel cyclone.  Another burst of wind aether smacked into her and Zona Seeker once again cried in pain as her Vengeance spell retaliated.

Finally the battle took its toll on the beast and it began to stumble and its attacks became less potent.  Nim carefully waited for the right opening dodging and parrying the beast's weakening strikes before she swung her axe for the telling blow.  At her final strike the creature gave one last bone rattling shriek before it fell to the ground lifeless.

Panting Nim shook the blood from her axe then sheathed it in the harness on her back then she reached to her right ear activating a link pearl. “Huntmaster,” she said between breaths, “Tell the Highwind Skyways that Zona Seeker will trouble them no more.  It's dead. I felled it in Nophica’s Wells. So do I need to bring a part of the beast for confirmation or will there be a representative sent to confirm the kill?”

Stay in the area there will be a representative sent shortly.  Nice work Miss Rabbit.  We appreciate when you down these fiends.

She gave a toothy grin stating, “I do what I can fer folks that need it,”

Nim then hauled the beast’s corpse out of the water before it turned in the Thanalan heat.  Last thing the folks of the area needed was the Well’s watercourse fouled by a corpse.  It didn't take long before said representative, a Immortal Flame came and confirmed the beast's identity he then gave her the reward purse and thanked her for her service to Ul'dah.

“Ye two alright back there or is the cold getting to ye, we could stop an rest though there’s a tower a little ways ahead where we can get outta the wind.”

“Immm ffiine just a little cccold,” Tataru replied before burying her face into Bleibhar’s back the Lalafell trying in vain to get even closer to the warm bear.

“WWe sshould presss on dear friend, the qquicker we gget to the city the wwarmer overall wwe wwill beccome,” Alphinaud added his cheeks ruddy in the brutal winds.

“As ye wish,” Nimble responded, “Alphi join Tataru on Bleibhar his heat can help ye both a bit and yer weight will be nothin te him with her since hes used te bearing me.”

Despite the young Elezens protest the Hellsguard plucked him up and placed him on the bear behind the Lalafell.  Tataru scooted closer to Alphi overtly seeking his body heat to help along with the bears.

“Let’s pick up the pace bud, get em te the city quicker.” she stated to the bear before beginning to trot faster.  

FFXIVWrite2021 Day 9 Prompt Friable 

Nimble carefully added the birch syrup to her pan of sugar and water hoping it would do the same as the honey the recipe called for.  Mostly she had learned from Lucia that Ser Aymeric preferred the Birch Syrup over honey for a sweet additive.

Please forgive me Tateeya I know this was your mothers recipe for baklava but I want to make sure he likes it. She silently told the old cook of the Fair Winds.

Though given why she was making this she was pretty sure the old woman would be cackling with delight and telling her parents to soon be expecting grandchildren.  Nim felt her cheeks redden at that thought.  She had no idea if the man felt the same for her as she did but she was damn sure gonna give him a gift when she had the opportunity.

The Roegadyn shook her head, focusing on the mixture in front of her so she didn't burn it.  Within a matter of moments it blended properly and she pulled the pan off the stove and opened the oven pulling out the Baklava and pouring the syrup on it for the final touch.

She then carefully boxed up the Baklava and did a cursory check to make sure she didn't have like flour or some other bit of baking material on her before teleporting straight to Ishgard.  She paid the subsequent teleport fee.  She hurried her steps to the Congregation knowing he should be in his office at this time.

As she entered she saw Handeloup and Lucia exchange amused expressions and motioned to the knight guarding the Lord Commander’s door to let her pass.  Inwardly she was shaking, worried he might not like her dessert.   After all, she wasn't sure if the birch syrup would have the same effect on it as the honey.  In theory it should work fine the flavors would merge well together but she still found herself uneasy.  Outwardly she was the calm, collected Warrior of Light she had learned by watching Captain Zirnbhar how to put on a face when others looked to you even if you were inwardly screaming.

She gave a light tap on the door with one hand and heard a muffled enter.  As she strode in he looked up at first confused then a warm smile broke out on his face, “Dear friend what brings you here today?”

“A gift,” she replied, “I heard from a certain Temple Knight that another was working through his nameday and I thought at least to bring him something sweet.”

He gave a laugh then said, “I assume the same knight mentioned I have a weakness for sweet things hmm.”

The Roegadyn gave him a toothy smile relieved that she could use the banter to ease her nerves as she replied, “Aye here,”

She then placed the box on his desk and hid, she hoped well, her eagerness as he opened it.  Swiftly she placed a fork and knife on his desk for him that she had stored in her apron before leaving.  He gave her a grateful smile and then cut himself a piece.  Nim was relieved to see it crumbled where it was supposed to and it appeared the consistency was correct even with the supplement of the birch instead of honey.

As he took the bite he closed his eyes for a moment savoring the taste then opened them looking her square in the eye saying, “This is heavenly, did you make this?”

Hoping the blush wasn't noticeable she nodded, “Aye learned the recipe from Tateeya she was the cook on the Fair Winds, the ship I was born on.  She hailed from Thavnair and apparently this is a common desert in those parts it's called Baklava.”

“I dare say you learned well from her,” he responded, taking another bite once again, closing his eyes in the pleasure of the taste.

“I uh did modify the recipe since I know yer more fond of birch syrup than honey. Normally honey is used for the glaze.”

He smiled back at her nodding while finishing the bite then stating, “It tastes perfect with that alteration in my opinion.  Though I confess I’ve never had the authentic version.  I hate to impose but mayhap one day you could make that one for me too?”

Nim laughed and nodded, “If ye want Aymeric, certainly I could bake it in my sleep with how many times I watch old Tateeya make it.”

He gave a laugh then after another bite motioned his approval which she laughed in kind and then began telling him of her most recent adventures.