Brown paws slid into the white sand. Little pert nose lifted to the air, following a scent he was unsure of, but it smelled a bit like the meat his mother would give them, except well different.
He wasn't certain exactly what he was looking for, but as he made his way from the sandy beaches to a more meadowy area, the scent hit him full force. He had to stop and blink, as scents assaulted him all around, and he could feel thrumming beneath his paws. This was different.
This did not feel like the ocean, it felt, different. Teeming with life. He bent his nose to the ground sniffing, and followed the trail, little tail in the air, swaying to it's own beat. Golden eyes straight forward, oblivious to anything around him, except this scent.
Life went on. And while Chacal continued to try and plan out how they could possibly extend their search for Requiem, she had a pack to lead as well. Borders to maintain, and three more children to guide and care for.
She followed Etienne’s tracks toward the meadow. Unusual, she thought- he seemed to favour the beaches, as did most of them. But it was not unusual for a young lad to want to see more of his home.
When she caught sight of him, she too caught the scent, and she realized then that perhaps her son was tracking. She felt no need to step in and guide him; so she remained distant, proud, wondering if his nose might lead him directly toward whatever it was he tracked.
Etienne followed the path of well worn feet, though the tracks that were in the dirt and grass were not like his. He had measured. Stopped motionless, to study the two, even holding his paw up and then setting it down next too, These prints were small and when he snuffled at them, they smelled of the scent on the air.
He followed them and there in the corner of his eye he caught movement. It was a small bunny if he wasn't mistaken. He stared at it, suddenly his mouth salivating, and his heart sped up a notch. Unsure what he was doing, he shifted his paws, and wiggled slightly trying to find a good feeling way to do. Then with a small burst of speed, he raced towards it, but before he could grasp it, it disappeared.
He whined unhappily, but studied the terrain. There was a hole there. He would go about it, sniffing and inspecting and learning. Unsure how to get the rabbit out, but he would figure it out. He hoped, wouldn't that be a lovely prize to bring to Suzu, or manman.
Like a shadow, she simply watched without intervening as her son tracked, and when the rabbit came within view she held fast. This was Étienne’s quarry, and part of his learning experience would come from trying, without guidance. He put in a valiant effort, but the rabbit was wily and quick, and outran her son.
She could hear his disappointment but he did not linger on it long- and had moved on to study a hole in the ground. Chacal sniffed the air as she approached, and gave her son a soft nudge once she reached his side.
”Who ‘ave you found ‘ere, Chéri?” She chimed softly.
Eti looked up to his manman and smiled at her. And licked her face with gentle tongue.
'ello.
He was disappointed that he hadn't caught it, but now that his mother was here, it didn't seem so bad. He got to spend time with her. Maybe she would teach him?
I saw Lapin, and wanted get it for you or Suzu. Maybe it make Suzu, Kè kontan.
He motioned at the hole. Was too fast, but it went in dere. I am lookin' for way to get it out.
He looked up at her. Do you know 'ow to get it out?
Her heart swelled. Her sweet, thoughtful son- so attentive to the feelings of others, and so endearingly kind to his little sister. She was glad that they had been supporting each other through their loss. She did what she could for them…But found it almost impossible to speak of the incident without possibly upsetting her children with her own grief. She had to hide it, bury it as much as she could, so that she could keep them from seeing how dark life could be.
”It would make Suzu très kontan, mo chère enfant,” She said warmly, nuzzling the top of his head. He looked to her now for advice, and she was glad for the distraction. ”Lapin be clever, an’ digs many tunnels. Dere be no point trying to dig ‘im out. But we fill dem in, so den ‘e be funneled, to only one exit- where we wait for ‘im to come out.”
Eti wasn't sure where his life was, or what it held for him. And he didn't really understand his core personality yet. However, what he did no, was that he didn't like his family sad. The vibrations that came from them in those times made him uncomfortable.
Eti smiled bashful at his mother's leave that his sister would be very happy. He buried his face in her chest momentarily as she nuzzled him, though quickly enough he learned to her.
Eti looked at the hole eyes wide. We cover deir 'ome?
He stared at the hole and then nodded, he bent his nose to the ground. I find de rest of deir 'omes. What kind of 'ole do I want to send dem to?
He was certain that there was something, some rhyme or reason down there. He stopped a moment to feel the dirt between his toes. Then he looked at his manman.
Manman, can I feel dem like I can feel you and Suzu's vibrations, like da ocean? If I make dem run, can I feel it?
He lifted a paw and set it back down, unsure if he was making it clear what he meant.
”We cannot know, which one be de right one. But we cover up as many as we can, an’ hope day is de way dey run.” The mother replied with a shrug of her shoulder. The rabbits were underground, out of sight. She began to scuffle dirt into the nearest hole she’d found, blocking that off as an exit. When she looked over at Étienne, she was about to inform him on what to do when he posed an odd question.
She looked at him and leaned a bit closer, so she could peer into his eyes to see if she could determine his meaning. He could feel their vibrations…Something about the ocean…Waves? She drew closer, and placed her paws on the ground. ”You feel…” She’d not thought of using the ground as a means of sending movement. Her paws were tough, her paw pads thick. But Etienne’s paws were small, young and soft. Perhaps…
She reached to nuzzle his cheek. ”Ti Rena entelijan mwen an!” She praised. ”I fill in de ‘oles, an den will be still- you try an’ fin’ dem, an’ den we go for de kill.”
Etienne moved his tiny paws to mimic his mother. Though he couldn't put as much effort into it and his shoveling pawfuls were not large, he was trying.
Eti nodded. Yes I feel it, it is like a drum, 'um deep under dere. And I can feel it when you speak and sing. When Suzu is sad, 'er body vibrates different than when she is 'appy and de way our 'earts sing.
Eti nodded his head. His mother quickly covered the holes and then all was silent. Eti closed his eyes and took even breaths. The world around him silent and still. Then he felt it, it took him a few minutes to pinpoint movements, but he slowly followed the feeling of and sound of pattering paws. It was more a disturbance beneath him than anything. He followed it to a hole and then with a snuffle. He gave a sharp yip and then he could really hear the pattering feet and feel them jumping, hopping beneath his paws.
With wide eyes he watched his manman to see what to do from here, as rabbits burst from the ground.
She would continue to dig and fill in the holes, but her movements slowed as she listened intently to what her son was saying. What it meant to her was that he had a musical ear- and perhaps that he had sensitive hearing. He was listening to the earth, tuning into its vibrations; it would make him a good hunter, she thought. Naturally, she felt that this was all good news. "I think, Eti, dat you 'ave a good ear. You listen for things others struggle to hear." She chimed.
She watched him as he searched, and was led to a hole in the ground not yet filled with earth. He was observant, and she crept forward, thinking that perhaps her son had been sensing the movement beneath the ground with his paws. It was at that moment that the rabbits fled the trap, and Chacal lunged forward with a happy yip, brushing against Etienne's side, hoping to encourage him to give chase on his own.
Having been backed into one exit tunnel, there were a few targets to choose from and terror made the rabbits zig-zag in confusion. Chacal missed one, only to have another dart right into her path. She gave chase, and slapped the paws out from beneath the animal, sending it tumbling before she grabbed it.
She didn't kill the rabbit, but held onto it. It went still, but she could feel its heartbeat racing against her teeth. She looked to see where Etienne was, and if he'd managed to chase anything down.
Brown oversize ears tilted towards his manman, as she spoke and he smiled. Yes like dat. Glad you undastan'
Eti was able to pinpoint the rabbits and then his manman was there and jumping. Her side brushed his and he rushed forward, trying to mimic her movements and positions. It took him a few tries to get his paws under him and in the right direction, but he got it. Then he was gone from her side.
Eti tried to mimic his mother and he caught one with larger paws than he was used too. It was a small one, so once he hit it, he leapt forward to dig teeth into it's throat.
He didn't know how to kill something, but something took hold and he grasped hard and squeezed and gave a few shakes. The small rabbit hanging limp from his maw.
He dropped it to his feet and stared and then looked at manman. Did is not good....Suzu can't go 'unting......she 'ate blood.
He frowned and looked over it again. I guess i'll just 'ave to 'unt all 'er food.
He shrugged small shoulders. To him there was no other way.
She smiled at her son, who seemed to resonate from within with good energy. She was proud of him, for being so sensitive and so curious, well-spoken and responsible. When she looked up, her clever boy had caught a rabbit, though he looked a bit less pleased than she had expected. Chacal assumed the excitement for him, and gave her own rabbit a swift shake before she bounded over to him.
Her rabbit was still barely alive- if he had not caught one, she would have offered hers for him to chase but she had other children she could offer it to. She placed it on the ground and held it down with one paw, while she reached out to lick a bit of rabbit fur from Etienne's cheek.
His words were touching. His concern for his sister made her heart melt, though she too shared his concern. Suzu ate, but she was reluctant if the meal was messy. She seemed to prefer seafood, but that would not sustain her when the months changed. Her son offered to feed her- and while the offer was genuine, Chacal knew that Suzu would need to learn to hunt on her own, so her brother could have a life as well. "Eti, Eti, mon chère p'tit," She crooned proudly.
"We will teach Suzu, an' she will learn.
'Er fear of blood, I 'ope, will cease to be a concern.
It is our nature to kill an' eat,
I 'ope with time, her fear she will defeat." She said.
She nudged his cheek. "You 'ave done well, Eti, you make my 'eart dance.
Now- let's take dis one to Theo, an' give 'im a chance." She said, gesturing to the frightened rabbit she had contained.
Eti wasn't sure where he fit with his siblings, so he had decided. He would fit where they needed him, and hope for the best. He was still learning. Still watching.
Eti cooed quietly as his mother licked his cheek. His own tail wagging to and fro, while he stared down at the rabbit furrowed brow.
Golden eyes lifted up to study his mother's sweet face. Ears tilted upwards to listen. I want to teac' 'er too. I promised Suzu always be dere.
Eti sighed. I 'ope so too.
He nodded his head and bent to pick up his rabbit. He shifted and led the way towards his brother's haunts. Hoping to share in the good fortune with Theo. And he would lick most of the blood from some of the choice rabbit bits for his sister, maybe if he could get most of the icky off, she'd eat it.