Sleepy Fox Hollow Lärm

@Siku?

Emmerich sniffed at the earth where his brother’s scent was the strongest. His hawk yellow eyes were watchful and searching for the pale cloak of the other boy.

The weather had started to warm, just slightly. On the best of those days, the snow would begin to melt and make Paleo wet with false rain. From the heavily wooded portions of their home, Emmerich could watch the drizzles fall without soaking himself. It was nice to see the world shifting and changing. It was good to know that they would have warmth in their future.

Vould you like to go for a journey, Siku? Outside of Paleo.

Emmerich had been itching for a small adventure.

100 for my brooother

he was in his own den. working away on a small stash of something special.

quickly tucked it away in favor of the voice of a brother. thankfully it was not anselm here to stab him with a stick again. it was only a curious emmerich come with a request.

one that gentle twisted his gut with a nervous flutter.

oh. he was flattered and horrified in equal turns. where...to? he blinked a little owlish.

I am the luckiest! <3

The white-hooded boy wondered if he had interrupted something important. Siku shuffled a bit before turning around and asking where they might be going. His eyes were wide, and he blinked slowly. It was clear that he had been deeply involved in whatever he had been working on before Emmerich had arrived. A small pang of guilt twisted at the guardian’s heart.

Not far, he assured his brother with an easy smile. The creek vill lead us to a dark forest. I only vant to see the edge of it.

There may be another day for venturing further into the forest. The trees were shadowed and looming, even from a distance. Each time Emmerich had looked out across it, he had wondered what kind of wolves might belong to the deep wood.

Vhat vas that you vere doing?

Yellow eyes shifted to where Siku had tucked his prize away.

a forest?

where was there a forest here? one that wasn't in the bounds of paleo? and a creek?

he began to carefully and slowly piece it in his mind that this was not an excursion on the mountains, surely. or if it was it was on a part of the mountain he had never seen before. not even mereo had a dark forest with a creek. not that he recalled.

he might have spoken up with soft worries if emmerich had not asked him what he had been doing. a sheepish look settled over the giant's features.

i'm — a nervous little wiggle of his tail. working on something. do you know there is a trader of furs in paleo?

surely he did! one could not hide in paleo!

The nervousness in the flick of Siku’s tail had drawn Emmerich’s eye. His brother was working on something, then mentioned that there was a fur-trader within their hollow. Surprised that he hadn’t heard of this, the young guardian canted his head in curious question.

I did not know this, he confessed, voice warm with interest.

Emmerich wondered if Siku wished to trade furs, as well. Knowing how well the pale-furred boy had hunted and tracked their prey, he would have made a fine fit for the job. What exactly a fur-trader did or what he exchanged his furs for was a mystery to the boy. He pressed closer to Siku, eyes scanning the area for signs of what he might have been working on.

Tell me about them. And about your- your vork.

Their scouting could wait.

how did he not!

but siku, a boy who was good at hiding away, did not fault his brother. not the slightest.

well, she is golden and white. mismatched eyes. she has somehow found a way to preserve the furred skins of animals.

a nervous smile crept over his features.

she has one i have never seen before that i want. she says the price for it is a pure winter fox, as intact as possible.

did his brother know how to get such a thing?

The woman who was described was distinct enough to draw Emmerich’s attention and hold it. He would need to search for this woman with mismatched eyes. She seemed to have a good deal to share with them. A momentary pang of regret filled the boy’s belly when he thought of Isa and where she was and what she was doing. The white-hooded pup hoped that she was learning and growing into something formidable, something wise. He could not know, though.

I vould like to learn this, preserving of skins, Emmerich commented, nodding sternly.

And ve must find your fox fur, Siku. Foxes that have vhite fur are not common here, but I have seen one. The yellow eyes of the young guardian shifted toward the mountains. Higher on the mountain. It would not be a long journey, but it would test their physical strength.