Jacob

Name: Jacob Starling
Intelligent/Patient/Loyal


Quote: My Traps!

Position: Hunter

Personality: Jacob is generally quiet, preferring a quiet camp under the stars rather than a cramped place in a large den, he is loyal yet often times can seemed sour tempered- particularly around Desmond. he is genuinely affectionate toward his lover and is chivalrous, bickering with Kaliska over anything for the fun of it. he is a simple drake with a massive sense of justice and no fear of the challenges that face him, even so he is often surprised when his accomplishments are recognized.

Quirks: Over confidant, forgettable face

Background: he grew up on a farm and hated every second of it, he worked hard to earn coin and saved everything he could until he had reached his adolescence and caught the eye of his Uncle and the older male's friend. Jacob learned hunting from his father and found a talent for it and was given traps for catching all kinds of game, he took to selling the hides and bringing in a fair profit, he paid little attention to the dragons who came to buy his pelts and occasionally the meat he got from the animals he caught, only caring that they paid.
Jacob was close to his younger sister, Amra, and his younger brother, Ailre, and spent a great deal of his free time playing with them while he was home. Amra and Ailre loved playing games in the trees surrounding their home, often pulling Jacob into their games which Jacob enjoyed simply because he was spending time with his younger siblings. for him it was a peaceful life, do his tasks on the farm, go hunting, sell the pelts, and play with his siblings; it was something he enjoyed and in his opinion it was a good life.

Jacob was out hunting, Ailre, had gotten sick several days ago and he was hoping to catch something to make a good soup for his little brother. he had been out for hours hunting and trapping and had caught several things, meat he would sell with the fur, insects would be dinner and he had caught a good amount. he started to head home and as he got closer he could hear wailing and bolted to get home, his mother met him at the den entrance and told him through her tears that Ailre had passed; Jacob tried comforting his sister and mother and grieved while he was away.
His Uncle's friend, Egypt, took him under his wing after several years of trying to convince his uncle that an apprenticeship would be of benefit. Jacob worked hard trying to make himself useful and prove that the apprenticeship had not been a wasted offer, he kept in close contact with his family and visited them often, sending coin when he could. he spent years with Egypt and learned a lot from the older male and never thought anything was wrong or that everything he knew was going to come crashing down around him.


Egypt took the shop that his Uncle sold their home grown things from, everything they grew or made had been sold from the small store and Egypt fooled his Uncle into owing him a massive debt and when it was time to collect Egypt offered to take the store instead of the coin. Jacob found out through his own snooping that the debt had been a lie and Egypt had stolen the store and forced his family to stop selling through it completely, he was more than enraged at this discovery and started planning to leave to a new clan and make a life and coin.
When Egypt found out that Jacob knew life became harder, Egypt made his life harder and stopped the income he had come to rely on. Jacob felt more enraged, but waited several months before finally taking matters into his own hands and took the wages he had earned when Egypt was out as well as a few weapons and leaving. he ran with what he owned and was owed and never looked back, sending word to his family that he was leaving and would write again soon.

Jacob met Kaliska as they traveled and took to chatting with her although Kaliska was quiet at the beginning, but she warmed up to him slowly. they talked a little about their pasts, Kaliska never really telling him why she would leave her family and he, like-wise, didn't tell her what he had done and run away from. leaving his younger sister had actually hurt him a lot and she had been so angry with him when he had left, her anger hurt worse than leaving her.
She became his constant companion and talking to her about his sister seemed to help in a way he hadn't thought possible and she listened without judging his choices. "You only tired to help, provide for your family. There is no shame in that." she ad told him one day as he looked away, ashamed at having been away when his brother passed; he had hugged her tight at that not having the words to convey how much her understanding meant.

He included her in all his plans if he needed an extra set of hands, which usually ended up being any of the adventures he got into, and she humored him. they snarked at each other and had fun as they traveled from clan to clan doing what they had to in order to earn coin, some of which he sent to his family. it wasn't long before they heard whispers of a bandit clan in the area and Jacob started thinking of taking them on and driving them out to protect the clan.
The pair found the bandits and found a place to hide and watch the bandit camp and see how many and what schedule they kept, doing so would allow them to see when they might be able to clear out the bandits. there were six that they saw clearly and waited until most of them were out hunting to go and search the cave only to find that the bandits were far more in number.

The fight was brutal and Jacob had his doubts about being able to pull off a victory until one of the bandits was thrown into the one fighting him. he saw Kaliska looking a bit scared, but gave her a reassuring smile before continuing the fight until there were no bandits standing. they went in and freed the pair of dragons that were tied up and rested for a moment before starting their fight anew with the rest of the bandits and eventually came out the victor.
Both battered and bruised yet they still seemed to be in good spirits, Desmond was more than a little annoying and he had no trust for Consuela although they took them back to the clan and then let the two keep their company. Jacob was thrilled when the clan let them stay as when they had come back he and Kaliska had been leaning against each other to keep standing, so he gratefully took the offer to stay and encouraged Kaliska to do the same.

After some time Jacob noticed Kaliska seemed anxious to leave and seemed to be readying to leave the clan, he began preparing as well wanting to keep traveling with her. Jacob kept his peace as Consuela and Desmond joined them, but silently fumed as Desmond chattered nonstop and ruined several opportunities to hunt. when they made camp Kaliska distracted Desmond with making a fire and some stories she remembered which gave him an opportunity to hunt and bring back something for the pale dragoness to cook.
The clan they ended up in was tolerable, they stayed just outside of the clan with some witches that called the clan home. Kaliska flourished with access to herbs, powders, salves, and the like, telling fortunes for coin from a small hut just outside of their home. her fortune telling hut was full of cards, polished stones with symbols carved on them as well as the calming smell of incense. she let some sweet smelling herbs smolder at the entrance which spread this sweet smelling smoke, but never once did one of her customers enter her home proper.

Jacob took to trapping and selling what he caught and paid little attention to what his companions did, only knowing what was going on because he and Kaliska shared a home with them, their den had two smaller adjoining dens that the two stayed in when they were home. he made a decent amount of coin with his hunting and caught enough for them to have some preserved foods. he often came back to find Mitne at Kaliska's shop and each time he saw the bogsneak he felt a chill run up his spine, he quickly decided avoiding the dragoness was the best option.
Soon enough he found them a job, insisting Kaliska come with him as it would give her a break from Mitne's company. all four of them ended up leaving, being escorted by Shadow and his family to the gates of the kingdom and bid a fond farewell. the beginning of the trip was calm, it was supposed to be a easy trip to a nearby clan that wanted some pelts, Jacob thought the trip would be relaxing and a enjoyable break for all of them.

A group of Centaur attacked them, focusing their attacks on Kaliska, Jacob did what he could but when he heard Kaliska cry out in pain he backed toward her in hopes to protect her. a lucky blow with a hoof knocked him down beside Kaliska and they gathered their weapons again, he heard Kaliska mutter to herself 'no, please' just before there was a massive blast of dark magic and the Centaur were sent flying. Kaliska was standing, her eyes black and staring blankly ahead.
Jacob quickly stood and placed a hand on her shoulder "Kaliska?!" he called several times while Consuela slit the throats of the attackers who were still alive. Desmond was on her other side calling her as well and looking scared, once it was obvious the centaur were no longer a threat Kaliska's eyes returned to normal and she went limp, passing out, he caught her and had Desmond make a bed up to settle her in.

Jacob took to making a simple soup, it was honestly the only thing he could make without burning while Desmond stayed beside Kaliska and Consuela watched them all. once the soup was done he motioned Desmond to get some chow and sat quietly beside Kaliska, they spoke quietly of what had happened and agreed to ask when their friend had recovered. Kaliska woke with a start and Desmond was quick to get her a bowl of soup before she started talking of being banished and called a witch, she explained the danger and the group began planning.
The group went back home and sat together for a evening meal, it was a way to cement their bonds and reassure they would not leave. a drake walked into their small area and asked to join them for dinner, quiet conversation picked back up until the drake, Darling, started talking about hunting a dragon down. he was looking for Jacob Starling for murder and theft, Jacob stiffened and heard the others make excuses and heard Kaliska make introduction calling them all by false names; the drake finished his meal, thanked them, and left to continue his hunt.
The danger they were in was only growing.
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