The pair had moved swiftly to the Wetlands, noses searching the air, hopeful to discover something delectable. The earth was fully covered in most places by salty water such that the white wolf's legs would be partially submerged. Otatso was a challenging place, and he knew that the elegant woman would likely find it deplorable conditions for hunting. They stood on "dry" land for the time being, though it too was muddy. Marsh birds of all kinds hunted for fish and bugs in the watery landscape ahead, and many creatures could be heard calling and splashing.
It may not be ideal to move through, but if we can find a good in, the rewards are plenty, he said quietly to her. Moving through the landscape would indeed be difficult, but there were enough dry areas and roots of trees to stand on that it was possible to approach many areas without as much noise. Flushing out water rodents would be easy, but getting close enough to catch them was the real challenge.
Taikon stepped into the water, looking back at the Déorwine expectantly.

It was muddy, but as Célnes held an especially dark pelt, the mud didn't look too different from her normal tones. A lighter look stared out, with a persona of a pleasant smile simply staring out. She followed the golden man to his locations, as she took fully what was new. She heard so much life, but all seemed to be drawn near the waters.

She wondered what could be lurking.

"What do you reccommend hunting here?" She took note of the difficulty it may be, and lifted herself out of the murk and onto a dried root. The Déorwine wasn't too pleased on the location that was given, but didn't let it show.

Muskrat, he said, not bothering to note the expression on her regal features. Taikon had expected her to be none-too-impressed by his choice of territory, but it didn't matter. Smaller prey had long been his choice of meal. This had also not been a place he had expected to find prey originally, but that was precisely why he had chosen it. The animals that lived here were far less used to dealing with wolf predation in the area, and that made their reaction time slow. They often searched the skies for eagles and hawks, and muskrats were so at home in the water, they assumed nothing could possibly get at them.
There are tons of them in here, and they aren't used to us giving chase. If I make my way toward the other end of that bank, he paused here to gesture with his nose to the eastern side, which was a good distance away, I can flush them out toward you, and you'll have the buffet. This was something he had recently started to specialize in. Beaver and muskrat were large enough to be a meal on their own, but they were also clumsy on land. If you could get them out of the water, even easier.
Within the water, there were also heron, ducks, and other birds that could be reasonable to catch as well. Unless.. do you have a better idea? He asked the question seriously, looking at her. It was quite possible she was a better hunter than he was, particularly since she had probably hunted with her siblings quite often. Taikon, while proud, made no claims to fame for his hunting prowess.

"That is fine," she wasn't specialized too much in wetland rodents. Muskrats were akin to literally, giant rats. She never particulary remembering tasting them, but it never hurt to try. Despite how, groggy this place was, she couldn't imagine they would taste very good with being covered in the mog.

"You're the lead hunter," she smiled sweetly while gently staying afloat on the branch, "you take the lead."

The trees overhead were a welcome shade from the warm sun overhead. Célnes seemed perfectly fine with the prince leading the hunt. Taikon nodded to her, and looked out across the water. He would need to approach at a wider angle than usual so as not to disturb the water or the birds surely hanging out in the trees overhead. Hopefully, his last hunt in the area had been long enough ago that the animals had forgotten about the white prince. Very well, he said. I'll make my way toward the area beside the yellow lilies, just there, he gestured.
He moved away from the elegant woman, wading slowly through the water until he reached a patch of root systems to stand on. Carefully, he splayed his toes out to get better traction among the roots. Looking behind him toward where he had left the huntress, he made sure to keep an eye on her position. It was possible she would find a better one, hidden among the reeds in the water, or behind a tree on land.
Eventually he approached the spot by the lilies he had shown her. Peeking through the tall flowers and aquatic grasses, he could see a heron poking around the water. And, as he'd expected, there was at least one muskrat gathering the roots of plants in the water. He sniffed calmly at the air. His partner's scent was not detectable from his spot. He peered over to her location, hoping that she had readied herself.

She felt like a panther, cautiously moving root to root, avoiding touching the ground. To others she may look like a perfect stalker, a huntress in the water; though she didn't want to touch the mud. A smile coyed to her face, waiting and watching along with Taikon, lurking in the back while he too jumped to a root.

Her nose waved into the air, Célnes could smell just two near. Perhaps the muskrats? Rodent-like, her fruity-eyes glazed over to Taikon and motioned her snout to the right, where she could faintly smell them. She held downwards, trying to make herself undetectable from them in particular, but still refraining from stepping into the mog until the time came.

She really didn't want to go into it.

Célnes was poised on a dry spot. He caught her subtle movement and adjusted his pathing such that he would be able to startle the muskrat he could see toward her. If they were lucky, she might not even have to get too messy. Personally the prince didn't mind a bit of mud, particularly on warmer days like this one. He had no qualms about venturing in when the time was right.
He bowed his head low and moved to approach without startling the heron. He stepped slowly forward, his paw dipping just so into the muddy waters. A frog croaked. A garter snake slithered over his wrist. He flinched.
The heron spotted the movement and flew upward. The muskrat swam quickly away from him and he failed to so much as get a glance at it. A second rat ran in the same direction that he hadn't even spotted.
Two rodents were frantically swimming right toward the dark huntress; Taikon gave chase into the filthy water, but the muck made him slow and incapable of catching anything. So, he made as much noise to drive them to her. It was all up to the Déorwine now.

It seemed like chaos, and she had to blink for a second, processing who to chase first. Though it seemed the High Elk blessed her so, as two came before her. The golden man was stuck, trying to get through the mud, but not fast enough to help. Both were in sight, and Célnes could forsee herself easily catching both-

so she leapt, straight at them. However her foot, tangled at the root, and she slipped. Her eyes widened at the mistake made, but she was lucky, as her body fell right ontop of them. Mud was flying, and so were fangs and claws, as the Deorwine ripped at one with an ease of a crush of his throat, but the other tried to flee. One seemed to be down, and now, the swamp-monster that was Célnes, was making a swan dive as the other tried to escape. Her fangs, bite into it's legs.

Trudging through the mud, Taikon managed to pull his feet free of the bottom and rushed forward. Other animals that had been peacefully enjoying the Otatso fled from the wolves. It was impossible for him to see what was fully happening where Célnes was waiting. He saw only a mess of fur and water, plus a familiar screeching sound that signified at least somewhat of a success. His mouth watered with excitement at the prospect of eating and his pace quickened.
Seeing on arrival that she had grasped one by the leg, he tried to help and snapped his teeth at what looked like the rodent's face, growling. It was flailing about in such a way that not only did this not work, but it grazed his lip with its chisel-like teeth. The animal was screaming and the noise echoed terribly across the water. Taikon could only wait for his dark hunting partner to shake the nasty little thing dead. He didn't notice the small cut that was starting to bleed.

There was a flush of anger- especially on how dirtied she became. Célnes always held herself with grace, as so the Deorwine should be, as she was raised to be. The thought of who she presented herself let a rage flow, a hidden anger that she immedietly snapped toward the prey, and with the help of Taikon, she purposely, made it struggle.

Perhaps it simply looked like a rough tussle, and finally, she let of it's leg, and bit hard on it's neck. An easy death, and delicious meal. Though at the cost, of what she thought, was her dignity.

"I'm going to wash off." She said with a rush, wanting no more to look like a mud monster.

Despite the kerfuffle, both muskrats had been captured and killed. Célnes managed to get the second one, no thanks to him. She seemed quite bothered after the proverbial dust had cleared. The elegant woman did look all kinds of messy, covered in mud, wet, and unamused about being so. Quickly announcing that she was going to wash herself, Taikon lifted his head in a sort of "cool" half nod and licked his filthy chops.
He pulled the first dead muskrat from the water and crushed its already broken neck between his teeth. The dirt hardly tasted pleasant, but the rodent was a delightful flavour. He moved out from the water onto dry land and shook himself, scattering mud and water everywhere. He lay down near the edge of the water on some grass, though the soil beneath was as sticky as everything around him. This didn't bother him. He set to work devouring the catch, tearing it apart until nothing but the chewy tail remained. This he left for other animals — he had no taste for these bits.
The prince looked like a proper disaster. He wandered to find the Déorwine, eager to thank her for the help.

She was quick to tidy herelf up. A clean pond, anywhere with water that was not covered in mud and anything else that could taint her fur. Fustrated, quick to clean and constant licking until near perfection. She was wet, but, she was satisfied as much as she could get off, that was visible. Thankful to the blessing of the High Elk, she was given dark and brown-tones that would be hard to distinguish if she truly was dirty.

Upon satisfaction, Célnes walked back with a peaceful smile, and didn't comment on what had been done to her, "You did good today."

He found Célnes we, but no longer filthy as she walked back to him. The prince was a sore sight. His coat was smattered with muck in virtually every flavour of brown. She, in stark contrast, was as elegant as ever despite her soaked fur. The hunter also seemed pleased with him, as she told him he had done well. He let a small smile slip across his lips, tail waving slowly behind him. Well, you were excellent, he told her, meaning it deeply. He hadn't really seen the kerfuffle of her tripping over a root and falling on top of their quarry.
Should we head back? Taikon gestured toward Whitebark. The travel had taken them some time from the Maplewood. The wetlands were certainly no place to be in the dark. Everything was a tripping hazard, and the moisture made everything cooler and more unpleasant than usual.

She did not mind her partner was dirt, as long as the elken woman was clean. She felt pleased with being so clean now, despite soaked through. As she had to take a dip into a pond to clean so, it made no difference with the rain dripping upon them, "Thank you." Célnes graciously accepted so with her iconic smile.

"Yes, let us head back." She lost her appetite upon being so filthy, and didn't ask about the prey. It was assumed he had devoured it so. Though as now sky was darkening, it was wise to return.

There was a moment as they started to move in the same direction, briefly, that he wished to rally with her primally. They were equally regal in holding themselves, yet that moment proved that he wished for more from her. The desire to rally and smash her fur against him and smell her fully and flag his tail against her were great, but he was polite and did not act on any of it. The instinct was something he held fast, as he would an animal under distress.
Calmly, the dirtied white wolf and the elegant and beautiful elken women moved forth, heading toward Whitebark Stream as pack members. Taikon trusted that he had not gained the information he needed to be sure why she had moved with her siblings to the stream. She was a trustworthy she-wolf, he decided. She was one he could very well see would go places. She would rise.
On the darkening sky they moved, shadows of the hunt night.