Hynes Family/Alois/Peer of the Realm/RP30

The stag was running ahead of them, but they were closing the gap fast.

He was holding on with all his might, bouncing in the saddle as the horse thundered across the soft ground, kicking clods of dirt high into the air. Hooking his boots in the stirrup, he couched the lance and dug the spurs deep into his Mount's flank, forcing the animal into a faster gallop. The animal was almost spent, lathered and frothing. Standing in the stirrups, he shifted his weight from the faltering left side to the stronger right, and the horse straightened his gallop.

The stag bolted suddenly to the right, towards the tree-line, and Liebert was there, running the animal down. The lance was inches from the animal, the distance closing, and suddenly it stretched out its entire body and bolted into the tree-line, and with a crash Liebert followed, storming through the underbrush just ahead of Alois.

They careened between trees at a breakneck gallop, the Stag always just ahead of them, but losing ground fast. Liebert's horse caught a hidden log, stumbled, and Alois blew past him as the Captain fought with all his strength to stay in the saddle.

He leaned as close as he could to the Mount's neck, gritting his teeth as limbs and undergrowth smashed against his steel-covered face, jarring him to the bone, struggling to keep his focus on the deer and his grip tight on the lance. Again, he jerked to the left, and Alois fought to bring his horse around in time. The Stag was ahead of him once again, eating up ground as it moved as far away from him as fast as it could. He spurred the mount again, shifting his weight in the saddle and struggled through the underbrush.

The Stag lept, dissapearing suddenly, and Alois followed, Lance couched. Horse and Knight crashed thorugh the underbrush, leaping into a clearing with a small meadow, and impaled the Stag on the steel-tip of the lance. The blade ripped through fur and flesh, sliding between the animal's ribs and into its heart. The Stag jerked once, momentum pulling the lance from Alois' grip as the animal tumbled across the ground, and landed limp in the knee-high grass of the clearing.

Breathing heavily, Alois dismounted. Behind him, Liebert was crashing through the underbrush. Walking over to the Stag, he pulled the lance free and held it out to the Captain as he dismounted.

"Nice kill, Ser," Liebert said as he took the lance, watching as Alois unsheathed the massive dagger and set to work stripping the Stag.

"It was more luck than skill." He could hear the Beaters, peasants who went ahead with dogs and cudgels to flush the game for the hunters, and the members of his personal guard approaching through the forest behind them. "But then again," Alois looked up at the Captain and smiled, "So is battle."

He was nearly done when the others arrived. One of the grooms he had brought with them took their horses and began to rub them down, a pained expression on his face. Alois knew they had probably lamed the horses, but Hunting was one of the few things he had to keep his skills honed. A lame horse was a small price to pay. "So, tell me about yourself, Lie," Alois commanded as he started towards the meadow, motioning the Captain to follow.

"Not much to tell, really," the Captain said as Alois bent to wash the blood from his hands.

"Fight many battles?" Alois asked, wiping his hands on his breeches and grass.

"No, Ser," the young Captain admitted, blushing slightly.

"I bet that Monster fight was your first, eh?"

"Oh, no." he said suddenly. "I've been here since I was fifteen. I've fought quite a few bandits and rogues in the last eight years."

"Oh," Alois said, "Yes, bandits and rogues. Not much of a battle, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, Ser."

"I don't mean to insult you," Alois said, "It's just that I like to know the mettle of my men. Way you chased that deer, though, I figure you got some mettle in you, at least." Grasping his arm, Alois turned him towards the impromptu camp that had been set up in the clearing. "Come one, we'll have some wine and eat our kill, and then we'll be so drunk we'll barely be able to set our saddles."