one of the advantages of growing older was that teya could invite
@Hymnal out upon more excursions.
today it would be far beyond the fen. there was a meadow of snow to cross in between. and the tuktu eventually spread upwards into the heights she had once hunted with kynareth.
"how are you doing?" she asked eventually of the girl, coolwater eyes resting toward hymnal.
Hymanl was beyond excited to get to leave home and explore today. She was even more excited that Teya was the one to take her. The dark girl had come to really like her; she was kind and had peaceful energy.
She had skipped through the snow in the meadow, completely obsessed with the stuff ever since the first time she had seen it. She had looked up in awe as the land shifted towards the sky. She wondered how anyone could even make it up to the top.
It seemed for now, all they had to do was lightly climb the land as it slanted up. It was more climbing than she had ever done, and her legs had started to get tired. She refused to complain, though, afraid Teya might take her home if she thought she wasn't enjoying herself.
She grinned up at Teya when she asked how she was. I'm awesome, Miss Teya,
she answered, her tail wagging behind her. Thank you for taking me out to explore.
Hymnal looked up at the mountains. How do you get up to the very top?
she asked. It seemed impossible.
teya grinned at hymnal. "this my pleasure," she told the girl softly. the pair of fenwolves climbed the boartusk spires. eventually they could look at over the flatter lands, and also turn to see a view of the empty strath.
"you walk and walk," the raven said solemnly to her charge. "but i have never been to top. too many fun things to see on the way." she motioned with her muzzle. there was a hawk in a lightning-struck tree, watching the wolves with inscrutable golden eyes.
Teya spoke of many fun things on the mountain that had prevented her from making it to the top. Like what?
she asked with open interest. These things had to be really fun to distract someone from climbing to the top; Hymnal didn't care that it required a lot of walking.
The girl's silver gaze followed Teya's to the large bird that watched them from a tree. She wondered what kind of bird that was, but she shelved the question for now; she was more interested in hearing about what things they could do on the mountain.
"well."
teya glanced to the left. "look at this." a dark boulder, slashed open by some prehistoric feat. mica glittered like rounded teeth along the crevasse. she grinned at hymnal.
to their right she heard rooting, and froze, motioning tightly toward a wild sow, grunting not far from them in search of vegetation beneath the snow.
Hymnal's eager gaze moved to the rock when Teya pointed it out. It was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. Wooow,
she whispered. So many questions sprang up in her mind, and she had every intention of asking Teya every one of them, but then she heard a strange sound.
Her gaze whipped in the direction of the movement, her eyes wide. She glanced up at her guide. What is it?
she murmured as quietly as she could manage.
"a boar."
she nudged the girl backwards along the route they had taken up, then to the left, cutting into the underbrush. she had only traveled this area once with kynareth, but she felt it was remembered easily. recalled for its intensity.
when they had gone a good ways, she stopped, checking behind herself and hymnal. the sow was gone. "boar have sharp teeth. tusks. do not hunt without others. never alone. can cut a wolf and you bleed quick." teya would walk on with hymnal, though there was no rush now.
A boar, she answered. But Hymnal had no idea what a boar was. She wanted to ask more questions, but then Teya was motioning for her to move. She sensed the urgency in her movements and she saw the worry on her face. She moved with Teya without any questions.
When they slowed again, Teya explained more what a boar was and how dangerous they could be. She warned her to never hunt one alone. The mention of getting cut and made to bleed was enough for Hymnal. She nodded quickly, her eyes widening. I won't, miss Teya,
she promised as they started to walk again.
Now that the danger was gone, she relaxed and was quickly hopping here and there in front of her guide. She was completely content here.
she brushed hymnal's ear with her muzzle and grinned. "i like fishing more than hunting. it slower. more control." she laughed. "once i hunt boar here with another wolf. he was from saints. very big. bit into boar like nothing."
did she miss him? teya did not know, but the unsurety of her response not being a no was enough to keep it to herself, forever. reyes wouldn't understand. she was secure with him but her memories belonged to her.
Teya was a great fisher, Hymnal had seen that for herself many times.
The blackthorn girl looked to Teya with wide eyes as she told her of the time she hunted a boar with only one other wolf. But that wolf seemed very skilled; he bit into the boar on his own. Hymanl knew nothing of the creatures, really, but judging by the way Teya had quickly ushered her away with the warning to never go after one alone, she figured hunting one was not easy or without considerable danger. Woooow,
she said softly, dragging out the word. He must have been very brave,
she commented.
Where is he now?
Hymnal asked, always curious and never shy about asking questions.
"very brave. but also very large." her cheeks warmed to think of the brindled man now. hymnal's question curved her shoulders in a shrug. "i not know. used to live over the heights. in strath."
the two white she-wolves staring at her with hatred and knowingness.
she would never go there again.
"maybe you will grow as big, hymnal," she laughed. "then we come back and hunt boar again." it was an experience she would like to repeat.
Hymnal listened with wide eyes as Teya told her of this large, brave man. But she didn't know where he was now. The girl thought she saw something on the woman's face as she spoke of this man, but she was not skilled enough in emotions to understand.
Teya said maybe she would be big and strong one day, and Hymnal giggled. I don't know miss Teya. I don't think I'll ever be that brave.
The boar seemed a little frightening to her.
shall we fade for another? <3
"oh, yes you will. you are brecheliant wolf. we live in water." she chuckled. "no one is as strong as fenwolf."
on a whim she dodged playfully to the side, reaching to chivvy hymnal back down along the ridge. toward the bottom she would stop them for a rabbit hunt, but for now she only wanted the speed of their headlong race.
sounds good!
Hymnal smiled at Teya's words, committing them to her memory and letting them warm her heart. Maybe she would grow up to be as brave as the big man that had killed the boar.
She giggled at Teya as she urged her back down the ridge. She would happily race even though Teya would likely win. The rabbit hunt would be exciting too, and she would beg miss Teya for more adventures in the future.