preferably someone Nerian has not met but all are welcome
Nerian slipped from her shared den that night, it felt stuffy right now but the extra warmth in winter was going to be well appreciated. Tonight however... Nerian wanted out.
As she trotted toward the fresh water lake she gazed up at the sky, the moon was very full actually it was larger then normal, brighter even... The moon was bright enough to cast shadows.
Ah the harvest Moon! The half grey female stopped and stared up at the moon appreciating natures beauty. She wished she had another to share this with, but she was not about to wake up Ragnar he needed what little sleep he managed to get and she was truthfully to far away from the den to easily to get Thistle which might wake up Ragnar and defeat the purpose of not sharing it with him in the first place.
Nerian looked down and noticed the reflection of the super moon on the surface of the lake, oh how beautiful it was. She couldn't help herself now she looked up at the sky and began to howl softly at first a song a happy song to the moon thanking it for it's beauty and purpose
One on one with his ummm idk second mom?....uh yea no clue....
Tveir had woken when Nerian had, he heard her moving around. At first he thought it was his mother, but then he saw as the grey wolf continued out. He thought about rolling over and not paying any attention to it, but he wanted to be a warrior to protect them all. So why not start tonight, he got to his oversize paws, with his overly large ears and his squat body and followed her out.
Tveir stared at the moon and had an urge to run around crazy like and howl at it. Nerian did howl at it. He couldn't help himself his young immature voice joined hers, but it still sounded nice. He wagged his tail, until his entire body moved with the surpressed joys in his voice and the air. He ran up to nudge her in the shoulder. Whys the moon so big Nerian? Much like his mother this wolf was small and he was already half her size, almost the same size.
The more the pups grew the easier Nerian felt about them but when they paid her direct attention she still felt awkward, her face slipped into it's pleasant yet neutral visage as she turned her attention to Gunnar, She hated using the number name for him, she liked using the names they were born by, the one her god would recognize them most. Thnking it that way was almost a direct tug on her heart she had no say on what he called himself and that was the name she'd use. it was his right.
Well Tveir, Back 'home' When I was a youngling This was called 'the Harvest moon' it's the brightest moon of the whole year, the moon and sun are both really close to the earth and it makes the moon so bright it allows the moon to cast shadows almost like the sun would, She paused for a moment and then began reminiscing her tone changed to a more distant one, like she forgot he was even there
while My Sisters and I would pray and howl We would sing to the god and thank him for the moon's presence and it's never ending job in our night sky; the worker wolves would harvest this night and bring in any food they had been growing all year. The herbalist wolves would harvest their healing supplies all in the cool night when there was lots of light to do so. .
But a full moon like this also means the deer and small game would be up and about easier to see and hunt. Our hunters would have their paws full building our food stores for winter this night, This moon represents a lot of work for my people and a lot of praise to be given to god for the bountiful harvest.
A tear slipped from Nerian's eye even though her expression remained neutral, not happy or Sad. She turned her head from Tveir and toward the sky again.
Did you want to hunt? I bet the burrow dwelling vermin are out in plenty in the forest
Tveir did not know much about the she wolf in front of him, or what she was to him. Second mother? Friend? Foe? He didn't know and he didn't understand, but he was willing to try to get to know her for his father's sake, and because his mother told them to not worry about how she felt about it, they were vikings. She had also told him that she cared about Nerian in her own way, but he didn't think the she wolf needed to know that, figuring she already did, his mother was a honest she wolf and told the truth always at least in his minds eye anyway.
Tveir listened to her explaining the way of the moon and he smiled I think that this would be a fun time? Why aren't we doing that? You are daddy's wife too right? So why don't we do some of your traditions too? Why aren't we harvestin' and huntin? He was confused, they did what his dad wanted and his mom was a viking, but Nerian wasn't right? So why shouldn't she have her own traditions to uphold.
He saw her cry and he stifled a sigh, he was tired of girls always crying ugh. But he didn't say anything, he just leaned forward and licked her cheek, It's okay to cry Nerian. Next year, you and I we'll do singing, and harvestin' and huntin' yea? Then you don't have to do it all alone. he didn't say it, but he would get his sister and his brother involved too and maybe his mom and dad, it wasn't fair that she didn't get to have her holidays too.
He wagged his tail so that his whole body wiggled , Yes i would like to hunt with you please! I want to be a gamekeeper, well and a warrior and a healer, that way I can take care of you and mom and all my brothers and sisters by feeding you, and protecting you and healing you. he nodded his young head, his overly large ears flopping up and down with his enthusiasm.
Nerian shook her head, No my old life, and this one are far to different to uphold any traditions I grew up with, besides the wolves here don't plant food, your mother and I just keep the best stocked healer's garden in all the teekon wilds. Nerian gazed up at the moon and was unaware the tear have slipped down along her fur until Tveir's tongue picked it up and brushed it away, Nerian gasped just slightly and glanced at him, giving him a sidelong but affectionate smile.
Nerian enjoyed his enthusiasm and stood lets start with game keeper, I bet if we gather a bunch of nuts and put then in a small area I bet we could trick some rodents into coming to us, once we have a bunch in one spot we can pick them off. Afterward if we skin them and hang them to dry their meat will last longer then other meat in the winter, they become almost like jerky
Nerian got up and started sniffed around for nut which were easy to find in the bright moonlit night, carefully she gathered a mouthful and brought it to the base of a tree
From a distance we'll kick dirt onto the pile the smell of nuts and fresh earth will draw them in and help to cover our scent a little more. Nerian spared a glance to tevir as she worked to find more bait.
Tveir listened and stifled a grunt of irritation. Women he already didn't understand them, good gods what was he going to do when he was older. They wanted something, but then when you offered it to them they didn't want it. He just didn't understand. Tveir frowned realizing he couldn't let all of the conversation go. Why not make your own that are like that? Can you do that?
Tveir joined into the gathering of nuts with a gusto, most would be envious of. He watched as Nerian grabbed some nuts and he followed suit. Asking questions as he went, What is Jerky Nerian? He toddled off to gather more nuts as he asked his question over a mouthful of acorns.
His tail wagged and he made a few more trips pleased as a peacock at their small stock pile of nuts. He had even bit into one to taste, it was a strange taste, but it was wholesome.
Nerian let the first question slip away unanswered, as she watched him gather nuts, she was faster at it then her.
jerky is chewy dried meet that takes a while to eat very pleasant to eat on a long cold winter day when there is little else to do. She forgot these younglings have not seen winter and snow or the bitter cold yet...
Careful now do not get to much saliva on the nuts we want as little of our scent as possible. I think that enough look there is a mouse already by the tree curious as to what we are doing
Nerian trotted a few stepping away and began to sling dirt with her back paws toward the nut pile,
not to much dirt just a bit more
She'd nodded proudly at Tevir as she then casually walked away a few more steps and hunkered down, it wouldn't be long she could hear a squirrel chattering from the treetop already. The rodents were hungry looking to stock pile food for winter and curious because of the bright moon lit night to boot.
Gunnar worked harder at keeping his scent off the acorns and other nuts. He found that if he dumped them on the ground and rolled them around, they lost his scent or at least the highest part of his scent.
he stepped up next to her and started tossing dirt up and on the nuts as well. His tail was wagging and he watched her movements mirroring them to the best of his abilities. he followed behind her as they hunkered down to watch. He had to stifle a giggle, because he was excited but he watched with wide slate grey eyes.