Stavanger Bay A hunting we will go

She walked along the shores, the waves lapping at her paws and then retreating again. Her eyes focused on a flock of seabirds in the distance, picking at what looked to be shellfish or maybe just a rotting fish. They were focused on their meal and hadn't seen her approach yet so she continued onward, ears perked forward and eyes intense in the focus they had on those birds. 


Suddenly they flapped their wings and squawked and she froze, pressing herself to the sand and holding still as a boulder. They seemed to not notice her presence and settled back down after a few moments. Slowly she rose up and crept forward, now only a few feet away. She circled around behind them as they pecked and then lunged. The birds facing her took off, startling the one facing away from her. It took off too late and she leaped up, clamping down on a wing and feeling thin bones crunch between her teeth.


The bird dropped to the ground and flapped, squawking and shrieking as she leaped onto it and broke its neck. Panting softly she wagged and grabbed it's expanded wing and tossed it around, joyous and playful in her succesful hunt.

Rosalyn knew there were individuals here she had not met yet, and she was going to make it her goal to fix that.  She knew them by scent at least; the strange girl she'd encountered with the seal, but there was another, and it was she who Roz sought out today.

She found her on the strand and arrived just in time to see her leap, impressively snapping a bird from the sky and shaking it to end the creature.  She grinned, then approached easily, friendly.  There was no need to posture or any of that yet, and she wasn't about to start this off on the wrong foot if she could help it.

"Nice catch," she complimented, indicating the bird hanging from her mouth.

Of course she knew it was not only childish but wrong to play with your food, she just couldn't help it at the moment. Her mood within the past few days had been great between her time spent with Engel and meeting a few of the crew members. She hadn't noticed the she wolf approaching and gave the bird one last shake before she spoke and Awinita dropped the bird in a startled way and lifted her gaze, ears flicking back embarrassed.


She took in the friendly posture and relaxed a bit, a smile forming as she gave a slow wag. "Thank you, it's easier to creep up on them when they have their beaks buried in something to eat." she tried to brush it off as not a big deal and then placed a paw on the bird. "Would you be able to show me the cache? I'm Awinita by the way" she asked. She hadn't actually hunted since Wilhelm and her arrived here and helped Smokestep take down that sea lion.

The cache - could she? She might have scented one a while back, though with everything going on, she hadn't really checked in with where everything was just yet.  " I might know, we can check at least.  Name's Rosalyn."  She tipped her head the direction she thought it might be in.

"You been around the shore long?"  She asked, curious if this woman was one of the OG she hadn't met yet or a newcomer to Smoke's crew, similar moreso to she.  She was pretty enough, and that alone was generally a reason to be somewhat wary.

Awinita nodded and stood up to walk alongside Rosalyn. "If there isnt one surely we can make one?"She suggested. She kept her tail and posture in check, unsure of what Rosalyn had as a rank and not wanting to accidentally challenge her.


She had to think on how long she had been here. It had been a few weeks hadnt it? She hadn't seen Wilhelm for at least a week and a half. "A few weeks I believe. I helped Smokestep take down a Sea Lion. My friend Wilhelm too but he vanished"She said casually,trying not to physically show the pain she felt from the loss of Wirt. He had promised to protect her and never leave and hadn't he done just that?

Rosalyn nodded, but the next answer pricked a bit more interest out of the wolf.  She didn't care much about the vanished friend; one less wolf to worry about meeting? Too bad.  Alrighty, so that was a bit harsh.  But people tended to come and go as they pleased around here, much as Smokestep might try to corral them.  She wondered if he was on the captain's list now.

"Yeah?  And what D'you think of our captain?" She asked, friendly curiosity her goal.  If she was to be first mate, the crew might not be her first priority, sure.  But she needed to keep somewhat of a feel on its pulse; not all threats to a captain came from the outside.  She knew that from experience.

Rosalyn's question brought a slight halt to Awinita's steps and she opened her maw to speak before closing it again. She looked at her paws and felt her cheeks heating up. "I uh...well he's..."she began to speak and then cleared her throat. Should she be as honest here as she had with Engel? "I like him. He's charming, handsome, strong, seems to have a good head on his shoulders."She said as casually as she could, so much so that it ended up sounding forced and she cringed. "Okay I really like him. He's.. extremely good looking and that swaggering way he speaks and walks. It's just um...appealing"She admitted, her ears flattening back though she peered at Rosalyn from the corners of her eyes.


She wondered why she had asked. Unaware of the female's rank she began to wonder if she too held a romantic sort of attraction toward Smokestep. Did she have competition before she even began to try and court the captain?

The more she went in, the more Rosalyn's internal shit meter went off. Likely due to the fact that she herself wasn't exactly on the best terms with Smokestep, and hearing someone who had so recently and sorely wrung her out to dry praised so highly was hard on the pride.

And not at all because the thought of this pretty young thing cozying up to the captain made her want to snap her face off, oh no.  That would hardly be befitting a first mate, now would it?

"He's.... of a type, that's for sure."  She said somewhat dismissively, though her gaze was a bit sharp.  "I'd be careful who you set eyes on; the pirate type tend to be more... short term investment.  Unless you don't mind that sort."  She smiled, her words ringing true in her own ears as well.  It wasn't a slam on the captain; likely he'd wear the words as a badge of honor.  But she wasn't sure the type of wolf Awinita was, and if she could avoid some internal drama here, she was fine giving a small cautionary warning.

She flicked an ear at the way Rosalyn spoke, turning to study her for a moment in silence before turning forward again as she continued speaking. "I have had a few flings with different people but i do ultimately believe in settling down with one man"She stated and then snorted, a lopsided smile forming on her maw. "Cant deny that bedding the Captain would be an experience in itself."


As she walked onward she caught the scent of old prey and moved toward it, sniffing around till she found an old cache. She hummed and began to dig, tossing out all the rotten food. Then she placed her Seabird down and gave a satisfied sigh. "Thats done then. What...rank are you by the way? Im fairly new to this type of pack. I ask because I actually aspire to be an important rank someday"She asked curiously and then spoke with a hint of pride.

Hmm.  One man.  She did a bit pity those who had such limited sights, though she guessed they couldn't really help it, could they?  The same inner voice that marked Auditya 'rival' now also struck her from 'prospect'... not that the woman did much consorting with crew.  It was good to have a feel all the same.

She let the first discussion topic go and honed in on the second, inwardly (and hypocritically) bemoaning wolves and their focus on ranking.  "Right hand of the Cap'n, his First Mate.  But ranks in a crew... they don't really follow like your normal pack."  She smiled, despite the unwelcome tension she still got at times thinking about her own rank.  "You learn skills, hone them, and move up.  I earned my place by besting the one who held it first, but that isn't always the case."  Much as she might believe in the right of combat, she knew some titles wouldn't be gained like that.  She believed the higher ranks; those dealing with protecting the pack as a whole and leading it, should be in part.  But some would depend more on other aptitudes.  She wondered idly how Awinita was in a scuffle... not that she was too worried.  She had years on every wolf she'd met thus far.

She balked at the discovery that Rosalyn was the secondary to Smokestep's lead. She corrected her posture and lowered her tail in a manner that said she knew she was lower and gave an embarrassed and nervous smile. Despite knowing Rosalyn had gotten the rank by beating the one who had been given the rank, she felt she should respect her. 

Yet at the same time she was jealous. The emotion was unfamiliar and she didn't much like it. It felt bitter and nasty. She couldn't help it though, this woman was beautiful and confident. She had years on Awinita and could surely seduce the captain if she wanted to. She could hold this rank forever...she had experience that Awinita imagined to be better than anything she had to offer. Perhaps she too could fight for that rank, perhaps she could show Smokestep she was a natural at being a pirate. 

Her thoughts showed as her bright appearance turned into a wary frown, a gleam of jealousy in her eyes before she shoved it back down and grinned. "So you won it? Like a prize? Do you actually have any leadership experience?"She asked curiously, her tone void of the bitterness and envy she felt earlier. She now looked once more the ever innocent pretty little face she was known to be, as if a switch had flipped.

The frown, and the words that came from her mouth next, caused Rosalyn to stiffen, even with Awinita's clear deference in posture.  She couldn't have known, but they hit far too closely to Smokestep's to not catch in the auburn's woman thoughts and remain, igniting again the ire she'd felt when he had so slammed her worth.

Ye don't even have yer sea legs, lassie an yer tryin' to prove that ye can run the crew. Pathetic

"I led a crew of my own for a good long stretch before leaving to come north."  She said, her ears twisting forward, and lifting her head as if daring the other woman to say more.  That was the thing, the secret she had learned.  In her old crew she had not been the strongest, nor the most able.  But for a long while, she had been the cleverest.  The most likeable.  A crew needed leaders who could hold the place together, be it captain or first mate or bosun.  If any of them earned the crew's ire or lost its respect, it reflected poorly on the entirety, and it could split apart a group like this one at the seams.  She got the feeling none of the wolves in this crew felt that way and it set her fur on edge, even as she kept her tone carefully neutral.  She did not want to set anything off, but the captain's words were too recent in her ears to not have an effect now.

She hadn't expected the clear offense to show on Rosalyn's features and felt guilty and ashamed of herself. This wasn't who she was raised to be, she was supposed to be kind and positive, as beautiful inside as she was out. When Rosalyn spoke up finally and lifted her chin, Awinita sank down averting her eyes and frowning. She needed to fix this but how? "That's great then! You already have leadership skills and experience that's more than most of us probably"she piped up giving a timid and quick beat of her tail against her flanks as she peered up at Rosalyn. She offered an apologetic smile and flattened her ears, her posture asking for forgiveness. 

"I didn't mean anything...I promise. I just...I guess I got um...jealous. I considered you closest to Smokestep because you're his right hand woman, I suppose I felt like I'd have no chance in um...getting close to him"She began to stammer, the words flooding from her mouth like vomit, she wasn't able to stop them. Suddenly she looked once more like the scared and naive little girl she truly was instead of the lusty sea wench she tried to pretend she was.

The question might have been an innocent one, but it had hit a nerve.  The enthusiastic response made her wonder; perhaps it had been a (badly timed) attempt at conversation.  Or this woman was a friend of Sandpipers and irked she'd taken over as well.  Hmm.  But she seemed genuine.

Rosalyn breathed out and nodded.  She wasn't exactly thrilled with the next statement either, but it didn't warrant a negative reaction.  More of an amused chuckle, which she gave.  "It's not that kinda a role," she said, shaking her head.  "And we're hardly close, much as it's my job to back him up.  By all means, conquer away."  She cast the woman a knowing grin.  Her initial jealousy had been a burst, but the reminder of her last conversation with the captain was what she had needed to drop most of that.  Rosalyn didn't have any call to mind what he did or didn't do with the rest of the crew; obviously she didn't merit consideration.

"Just don't make too many messes along the way for me n Raptor to deal with, eh?" Sometimes courtship amongst crew could get messy, especially if more than just she were eyeing the captain.  They didn't need infighting if she was the type to give in to jealousy.

She gave a lopsided and embarrassed grin as Rosalyn said she wouldn't be with the captain like that. It soothed whatever remaining apprehension she had toward the female and she smiled earnestly. Perhaps they could be friends, the two of them. 

When Rosalyn told her to be careful she gave her a look of confusion. "Messes? What do you mean?"She asked with genuine curiosity. Having had no experience with romance she wasn't aware of the many problems it could cause between females and pack members.

She apparently wasn't aware of the chaos romantic entanglements could bring to a pack; that or she was looking for a one and done deal.  Which hey, Rosalyn could respect that.  She'd had her share of those with wanderers, but wouldn't be so risky as to do it here.  Crew mates could get attached and, as she said... messy.

"Dont upset the captain and give me more work, and don't upset the crew.  Else poor Raptor will have to run cleanup."  Simple, really.  Do whatever she wanted, and let Smokestep do whatever he wanted, but be smart about it.  If she started shoving her nose at every crewmate who looked at him, well... then there might be problems.

She continued to stare with a wide eyed look of confusion but as Rosalyn explained she suddenly understood. Jealousy. She would have to be careful and figure out what her expectations were with the sea captain, she didn't want to feel jealous of others or have others jealous of her  especially when she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted with him yet. "oh! I totally understand. I'll be careful, I promise." she said with a grin. She yawned suddenly and then blinked, offering a sheepish smile "Think I'll go rest up a bit...see you around?" she asked. If it was agreed upon she'd say her goodbyes and head to her den, glad to end the conversation on a pleasant note.

She agreed readily, and that put Rosalyn's mind at ease for the moment.  She supposed they'd deal with any trouble as it came, but at least there'd been warning made.

"Aye, definitely," she responded with a small smile, ready to be off to her own devices as well.  Rosalyn wasn't a social butterfly, per say, but she did enjoy making the rounds and ensuring everyone at least knew who she was.