Larksong Grotto I ain't worrying about nothing

@Aspen

Lunar had been busy these past few days, stockpiling herbs mostly. She had given up hunting for a few days to scour the territory for medical plants she could cache for the coming winter. Careful to leave enough for new growth, she had spread out her efforts over the whole territory, thus taking her several days to complete the task.

Deciding to pick up her aspiring trade once more, she left her den at early light as she sniffed after the scent of bird. The gamebirds that made their home here were abundant and the most reliable source of food. There were some other small mammals about and rarely, a deer of some kind.

Lunar had never seen nor smelt a duck before but it was close enough to the goose she had caught with Jhala that she recognized it as some sort of water bird. She tracked it across the pebbly shore of the stunningly blue lake, nose low and body crouched. 

Crouching amongst the reedy cattails that grew along the silty dirt of the shore she moved as silently as she could. She found the duck, nesting with its eyes half shut on its clutch of eggs contentedly. She crouched, muscles tensing to spring on the water fowl as she licked her lips, imagining the taste of the eggs the duck sat on.

Aspen was out and about, now that it had finally stopped raining she saw it fit that between storms she ought to take a walk around the territory. See what there is to see here and perhaps meet some of her fellow pack mates. She padded carefully over the undergrowth and weaved amongst the trees until from a distance she spotted a lake, not the one she had used to groom herself she didn't think, although she could be wrong. In daylight this lake was beautiful, the water was crisp and gorgeous the sun reflecting off the surface. 

As the slender gray wolf approached she caught sight of a white wolf of whom she had not yet met. She appeared to be hunting a duck that was walking along the shores. Aspen moved further down shore into the cattails as well and lay down. She hoped by sitting here if the duck tried to make an escape at least she was there to chase him back. She had no interest in keeping this duck as her own but she figure she might as well help somehow. She hoped the white fae didn't mind. She kept her head low and tail silent as the impending ambush began. 

Aspen was curious as to how good of a hunter this wolf was and whether or not in the future Aspen could use her help in some of her hunts. This wolf appeared to be a bird catcher, however Aspen could be wrong and this duck was just an exception to her hunts. 

Aspen herself had spend some time thinking about trades she wished to pursue. She definitely knew she wished to pursue guardian, warrior, and some form of a hunter. She had also given some thought into being an adviser to Reek or a mentor to youth and or inexperienced. 

Hola. Hope you don't mind that Aspen is going to help. She didn't feel like party pooping and scaring off the duck by speaking, or sitting on the sidelines. That's not really her style :P Sorry it took a couple days but here you go :)

The duck lifted itself from the nest, shook its tail feathers, and began to walk to the edge of the pond. It was most likely grabbing some grass from the edge of the pond where it grew or a quick drink. It couldn't leave its eggs too long in fear of predators, like herself.

Silently, she rose to her feet but only halfway. Keeping her body low and parallel to the ground she crept towards the abandoned nest. She knew that if she messed with the mother bird's eggs it would come running back to defend them. Lunar reached a paw over to just graze one of the eggs as the mother duck turned back.

With an angry quack, it began to waddle towards her furiously. Loudly flapping its wings, it landed in front of her and continued to flap as it squawked angrily, trying to peck her head with its round bill. "Hey," she exclaimed, reaching out to swat it as it tried to deter her from the eggs.

Growing tired of the duck's unintelligent antics, she lept forward and grabbed it by the neck much as she had done the goose. Wringing it around by its neck as she shook her head, it soon fell limp. With a sigh she plopped back down as she lay the dead duck beside her. 

The wind shifted, bringing the scent of another hidden amongst the reeds. "Again, if you're a ghost please sod off. If you're not, feel free to show yourself. I've got some eggs if you want to eat them," she shrugged, open to sharing her duck delicacy lunch.

Aspen watched as the duck bravely ventured from its nest only to have the white wolf start messing with its eggs. The white she wolf was smart. She knew that if she messed with the eggs the duck would come racing back to defend them and in its brief flurry of rage the fae grasped the duck by its neck and killed it. Seems Aspens help was not needed after all. 

Aspens ears twitched as the wolf spoke. The white wolf said something about a ghost and if she was one to just leave. A ghost? I'm no ghost. Aspen thought to herself slowly standing from the reeds. "I'm no ghost," she stated padding closer to the she wolf. "I am in fact quite real," she said looking herself over rather sarcastically. 

The white fae had also offered her some eggs but Aspen politely shook her head. Tail swinging low behind her she cam to sit near the wolf. "Birds were never really my style, I'm more small prey and deer," she paused for a moment before deciding to compliment the wolf on her hunt. "You seem to be pretty good with bird hunting yourself though, had it been me, in the heat of the moment I don't think i would have thought much of the eggs." 

She smiled slightly and then decided the wolf probably ought to know her name. It would be kinda weird if her pack mate spent time having met her but no name to call her by. "Name's Aspen," she said with a polite nod and proving in fact she was not a ghost. Aspen was fairly sure ghosts didn't have names. However she supposed she could be wrong as she had never actually encountered a ghost.

She watched as the female emerged from the reeds, jerking slightly as she realized this female could be related to Tavi. It wasn't her as evidenced by her scent but they damn well could have been related, only small differences could be pointed out between the two.

Her ears twitched as she listened to the other speak, nodding where appropriate. "Thanks, I'm not that good though. I only just learned how to hunt birds. Good luck finding small prey or deer around here, it's mostly birds." 

Aspen, a pretty name. She quite liked it. "It's a nice name. I'm Lunar Eclipse but most just call me Luna," she introduced herself politely as she gathered up the eggs to eat. They wouldn't last long in the cache anyways.

Aspen moved herself near the white fae and sat down. A little conversation with a new pack mate never hurt anyone right. She appreciated learning a little about who she lived with to see who perhaps was worthy and could earn her trust. Her trust was very fragile but once gained leads to a lifetime of loyalty. 

Aspen frowned slightly as the she wolf explained that finding small prey or deer around here was tough and that it was mostly birds. The meal didn't sound all that appetizing but Aspen supposed she would have to get used to it, and figure out how on earth to catch them. This whole hunter idea might have to wait a while, she would focus on warrior and guardian for now.  "I'll adjust," Aspen stated flatly. 

 "Takes some wolf to admit that they aren't perfect. Doesn't matter who they're talking to, I've met many a wolf that would do anything to avoid showing weakness," Aspen explained. She had gained some respect for the girl because like Aspen, she didn't seem to be afraid to admit she was wrong, or not that good at something. "Luna..Its nice to meet you," she said with a soft smile. The name suited her. The white fur almost milky made her resemble that of the moon. Her mother had been wise.

She nodded,"The same to you." Already Lunar liked this woman, she was smart and God knows the world needed smart people. She could see why Reek let her join, the two shared that same sense of honesty or lack of filter perhaps. 

She figured if she could adjust this Aspen could as well. She still had difficulty as evidenced by the sore spot on her head from the duck's hard hill. "Where'd you come from?" She sat back on her haunches, relaxing around the new initiate to the pack, ready to get to know her.

Aspen could tell that perhaps her and this wolf would actually become friends. She seemed trustworthy but Aspen was still cautious. Thanks to her past she had been given plenty a reason not to trust any wolf. Only those deserving would get it. Of course she had some extent of trust and loyalty to these wolves but its nothing compared to those that manage to earn her true trust.  

She paused to think as Luna questions as to where the wolf had come from. She decided she would tell a little bit but not too much just yet. "I was born up in some mountains far west of the wilds," she spoke. "I loved it there," she said keeping her childhood very vague. She need not mention that despite the place she was born the wolves there were not kind. Including her parents.

"After i was 8 months old I left my birth pack and joined up with another pack living in the valley from the area i was born. However, I was never really accepted by the wolves there," she stated before finishing with a small smile "and now i'm here in the wilds."

The two were alike in that they had both left their birth packs to join new ones in the wilds. Aspen made her think of Grace, the abused young girl back in the Phoenix pack. The two weren't that much alike, Grace being scarred and subservient and Aspen being reserved.

"Welcome to Larksong Grotto and all that shebang. Welp I got a duck to bury, you can come with if you want,"she offered as she got up, moving to leave. Aspen could follow or not if she wanted, Lunar wouldn't push her.

Aspen gave Luna a polite smile after the white fae welcomed her to the grotto, then mentioned she wanted to go bury the duck offering for Aspen to follow. Aspen thought for a moment before saying "I think I ought to be on my way, I'm going to tour some more of the territory, perhaps meet some more pack mates," she stated looking off in another direction and then letting her gaze return to the she wolf. 

"It has been a pleasure meeting you Luna," Aspen said with a warm smile before heading her own way giving a flick of her tail to signal a good bye. "Till we meet again." With that, Aspen loped off into the shadows to her next destination. Wherever that may be. 

Short post is short but it's been nice threading :) Hope we can have one again soon!