Moonspear was beautiful. Toad wanted, more than anything, to be able to support Kukutux and her litter. Hydra too deserved this support, and largely they were getting it nicely from both their husbands as well as the hunters of the pack. Still, Toad could not help but want to give more to these youngsters as they grew. There were many stories to tell. There were many hunts to have.

That day Toad had brought a gift to a cache beside the rendezvous. This time, it was a hare, small but meaty, that the woman carried in her jaws. The hare was a good size and a solid catch for anyone hoping for small prey among the mountain. The huntress began to dig to bury her catch such that others might be able to find it. Part of her hoped that she might find her packmates while doing this, despite the day being rainy and unwieldly.

The dirt was uncooperative. The soil easy to dig out because it was so wet, but water started to fill the hole as she was digging, and it resulted in nothing more than a sloppy mess. She was letting out a frustrated sigh when a small voice asked her a rational, but aggravating question. She looked and found a white puppy that could only be Kukutux and Jarilo's little daughter.

The hare was still in the storyteller's mouth. She set it beside the poor cache and shook herself lightly, smiling at the girl. Toad wondered if they were fully weaned yet. Well, I was trying to fill a cache in case someone was hungry later, but it's too wet, she explained. Are you hungry? She wanted to make proper introductions, but first thing was first. Hungry puppies were always to be fed.

Toad nudged the damp hare lightly, looking at the pup, her tail wagging softly. She hadn't actually met Kukutux's puppies, but had been wanting to since she'd arrived.

Toad frowned. The pup was the curious sort. She was young; this was expected. The creamy girl was not hungry. She was also not the calm, submissive, lovely version of a pup that Toad had somehow conjured from her mind of what a Kukutux child would look like. This girl before her was instead a rebel of understanding. She was a true child of wonder and exploration. This was something Toad very much approved of.

So you could eat it, she answered. The girl asked her name. Toad. The girl was an Ostrega. She would grow to be fierce. This, Toad was positive of. She would bet her life on it.

The little girl finished with a question that Toad had to take apart in order to understand it. Even then, she didn't know what an ugi was. Since the girl was not going to eat it, and since Toad could not cache it, the woman did not hesitate in ripping into the hare and stealing a portion of it. She swallowed it before answering any of the girl's questions, allowing for a healthy silence to step between them. I don't know what an ugi is, but it was your mother Kukutux that brought me here. This in itself was sort of an untruth, for Kukutux had never asked for her to come. The invitation had been fond and swift, however. Toad waited for the further onslaught.

The girl had a pleasant little voice. Her giggling and awed expression made the huntress grin as she continued eating, swallowing large chunks of the rodent whole. Sialuk declared swiftly that Toad was to be her ugi, and the newly declared ugi was quite confused over the title. The girl seemed very excited about this. Toad blinked and smiled as she swallowed the meat, completely mystified. She racked her brain to try to figure out why Hydra would bring anyone here for someone else's child.

All she could think of was a teacher, so she went with that.
Then the duckling asked about food. Again, Toad blinked.

Well, hmm, she thought for a moment, tilting her head to match the girl. She looked sideways as if deep in thought. I would say... Boysenberries and boar! Toad said it partly because it was the most elegant-sounding dinner she could think of, but she really was a fan of the two things. Boar had such a nice, sweet taste to it.

It was clear that Toad had done little except confuse young Sialuk, who looked quizzically as she sought more information. Toad tried to clarify. It's a sweet little fruit that grows on these long green vines. And uh, boar, but Toad didn't finish. Instead, Sialuk continued by explaining that indeed she was supposed to learn about what foods Toad liked. Because..?

Toad was completely at a loss, but the last question was easy enough to answer. Of course I'm staying here. You're like family now, she said, though she didn't know what the girl meant by waiting twenty four months. I think maybe I should learn your favourite food too! she decided, which made sense since Toad was the hunter after all.

She was very confused, but children were confusing people to talk to sometimes, and that was just something Toad had accepted.

Toad appreciated young Sialuk's bright spirit in these soggy days. Her curiosity and strange questions provided a much-needed injection of joy into the lives of Moonspear members. Although the weather was poor, Toad hadn't seen much in the way of hardship. Hunting was still decent enough and the packlands were largely unaffected by the downpours, despite the mud.

Fish?! Exclaimed Toad, as though greatly astounded by this choice. But what about all those little bones in there? What about that weird taste of lakewater? She decided to play the game of asking the questions this time. Toad was actually indifferent to the flavour of fish, although the ones with eggs stuffed in them were quite nice.

Toad maintained a shocked expression, making faces as Sialuk explained that it was the crunchy bones that made the meal. NO, she answered in the way a girl might answer her brother telling her she liked eating mud. Toad stuck her tongue out at the thought of mud in her mouth. It's not just water it's like grimy and weird tasting in the fish, she explained. It was true that lake fish had a peculiar flavour to them that reminded her of the way the lakeshore smelled. As a lady of refinement, she started, speaking in a faux British accent, standing tall and keeping her head high, I much prefer river water.

Toad she her eyes, as though the mere mention of lake water was offensive. She opened one eye to peek at Sialuk, a smile breaking through to show she was only kidding.

Never ever fish! Got it! Toad admired the girl's propensity for getting to know her, although she didn't fully understand the reasoning behind it. She wasn't sure how to answer the question, either. She attempted to fake her way through it. Why, a lady of refinement, she began, adjusting herself and dancing somewhat on her paws as to portray a woman of high breeding and integrity. Is a woman who, Toad paused again, looking to the pup for apparent dramatic effect as she searched for words, knows what she likes and what she does not like. Like, really knows.

This didn't make much sense, but Toad kept going with her goofy fake accent and overly expressive faces. Are you a lady of refinement?

"Doesn’t everybody know what they do and don’t like?"
Toad wanted to laugh, but resisted. Instead she gave a soft smile. Sialuk was too young to explain such high-order concepts like "how does one know what one wants?", and the huntress was positive that she wouldn't even be able to give a good summary. Instead, the brown woman simply shrugged. She accepted that sure, most people knew what they wanted (they definitely didn't).

Of course, Jarilo interrupted their party. Bye! was all Toad could manage as the little white puff left her. She still didn't know what an Ugi was. She made a note to ask Kukutux, but also knew that she would promptly forget. Alas.