Shadewood Dreams seem so real

It was morning and the sun speckled the ground in thin rays of light that the trees casted. Although the rays were scarcely scattered throughout the forest, they still provided small patches of warmth on Ryes fur. He was on patrol but only 10 to 15 feet from @Effie , at most 20. Occasionally he would check in on her, but for the most part he wanted to know the comings and goings in the small area they claimed for that night. However Rye wasn't constantly on the move, he patrolled, checked in, maybe patrolled some more before finally going back to the den to nap. Of course those naps never lasted long. Anxiety never sleeps so why should it let Rye?

By first light Rye was still tired but by then he was accustomed to it. He kept checking the makeshift border, checking for predator and prey alike. Rye wished on the northern star something edible would come his way but nothing did. He would've gone searching but didn't dare leave Effie. He would have to come up with a different plan. For now he would finish his last lap of patrol and return to Effie.

After being separated and on her own again, anxiety plagued her sleep as well. She slept deeply for the first few hours but woke often after that. She could tell Rye was anxious too; he came and went from the den often, and she could hear his soft steps as he patrolled the area around them. She felt a little guilty about it, assuming it was partially her fault because they had been parted and now he was worried it would happen again. She knew it was also because they were in an unprotected area without the the support of a pack, but that didn't completely absolve her of her guilt; nothing would, not even his reassurance that he didn't blame her. 

Sometimes, he would return only briefly, and she assumed it was to check on her. If she was awake when that happened, she would offer him a small smile to assure him that she was okay. The times he did allow himself to sleep, she would curl up against him and fall back asleep. But those times never lasted long enough; soon he was leaving again and walking the invisible perimeter he had made. 

When light finally started to filter into the darkness of the den, she was already awake, wondering when Rye would return. Her stomach vehemently protested its emptiness, and she decided that she would offer to help him find food when he came back. She wanted to help make things easier for him so that maybe he wouldn't have to worry so much. 

It wasn't long before she heard his steps approaching, and she rose to a sitting position, her lips drawing into a shy smile as he entered the den. Hey, she greeted softly, rising to her feet to cross over to him and offer a gentle nuzzle under his chin. We should find something to eat, she told him next. I can help. She wanted to help. She needed to do something other than sit here and watch him worry. Hopefully he would let her.

Would you like to do dice rolls to up the stakes for the hunt? More so when they're actively chasing the animal. Also sorry for the long post!

Those soft smiles Effie gave were the highlights of his night, little boosts of energy with each one; and the times she curled up against him was his cue to try to relax. Rye hated leaving her, leaving the warmth, the comfort and the tranquility within the den but it was a better safe than sorry situation and it got them through the night safely. He was thankful for it, and thankful Effie trusted him enough to be their lookout. 

Rounding the last corner of their border, Rye headed back to the den with haste, ready for another round of sleep. When he saw Effie already awake he greeted her with a smile and she returned with a smile and a soft nuzzle under his chin. A marvelous start to the morning and with a little hard work, Rye hoped they could keep the morning going strong well into the afternoon.

"That sounds like a good idea," he started, giving a second to think things through. "How about we turn this into a lesson of sorts? I can teach you all I know about hunting and tracking while we wait for game to come out of their burrows or hidey holes." He said. Hare, squirrel, maybe raccon and other small game would be on the morning menu but bigger game they came across would need to be left alone. A buck, boar or whatever else roamed the forest could more than handle two wolves not up to full strength. "Let's get going." Rye began leading the way, getting distance from the heavily wolf scented den.

Before he began to lecture, Rye thought it prudent to explain a few things. "I may say things you already know, if I start to, ignore me and if you need further explanation, let me know." He stated, "Anyways, first things first. You always remain upwind or else prey will smell you a mile away. Another thing to do is check for tracks, the bigger the animal the bigger the imprint." Rye paused for a moment, trying to summon some other helpful tip fo hunting. "Oh and keep your paws light, watch where you step. Dirt, soft grass, moss and other stuff like that is perfect for stepping silently." He explained. 

The plethora of information might've been too much for that short of time but Rye wasn't too worried, if she needed extra time to process things she could just say. They were upwind too and with it came some scents but Rye remained quiet, wondering if Effie would pick up on it first.

yeah sounds good!
and don't apologize, i love reading rye posts!

To her delight, he accepted her offer to help. Not only that, but he offered to teach her what he knew about hunting and tracking. Her face lit up and her smile grew. I would love that, she told him, diligently following at his side as he started to lead them from the den. 

She listened quietly as he began to list things she would need to keep in mind while looking for prey. Keeping upwind, making sure to keep her steps quiet, which meant finding soft substrate to walk on—those things made sense, and she could easily commit those tips to memory. The tracks and other signs of prey was a little more difficult, though. She knew scents, and she could find things that way, but she wasn't sure she had ever paid attention to the tracks of the other animals around them. She nodded anyway, unsure how to ask for clarification. She supposed it was probably straightforward enough that hopefully she would pick it up as she went. 

So where to start? When she hunted on her own, she usually tried to find the scent of something, so she lifted her delicate muzzle up and drew in a breath through her nose, inspecting the scents the wind brought to her. There were a few things she recognized, but the most enticing was the scent of multiple deer. She looked to Rye. I smell deer, she told him. More than one. She wondered if two wolves could take down one deer? Maybe two experienced wolves could, but she worried she might make things difficult for him if they tried.

Ryes' nose agreed with her findings but it was troubling news, he wasn't as heavy and healthy as he used to be, nor was Effie. Taking a fully grown deer down would be a big task, a risky task. If the buck, or bucks, of the herd decided to fight back the pair would surely leave with wounds. "Back home there was always one male deer with the herd of females, so he could be a big threat." He stated. Rye needed to make a decision, take on big game or leave it for smaller. However the male wasn't confident in his ability to make the right choices, making things harder for him to chose. The phrase 'high risk, high reward' kept echoing in his mind. Endanger themselves for a few days worth of food and reap the weight gaining, muscle building, energy boosting rewards or get injured and starve another night. Despite his lack of confidence in the decision, Rye went with bigger game. It would help with their trek to the Grove more than any amount of small game could.

"If we're going to take one down our best bet would be to single one of the females out. Find the weakest and chase it out of the herd then go for the kill. We can pick one out before we stirr the herd. Well - Hopefully." He said. In truth, Rye was scared, he didn't want to endanger Effie or himself; neither could afford to be put on bed rest from injury. "With our combined weight I doubt we would have issue dragging one down."  The male took a deep, anxiety filled breath before speaking again, "I say we try but if that buck comes back for one of his females, we have to high tail it. I don't think it will but you never know." Much like their fellow wolves, deer were unpredictable and precaution kept him alive this long, might as well stick with it.

She was pleased to hear that her nose was correct; at least that was something had done correctly. But she quickly grew worried when Rye mentioned that there might be a large male with the group of deer. She couldn't help imagining something happening to him, and then she would be all alone again, and most upsetting was the fact that he might get hurt and it would most likely be her fault. She was the inexperienced one here, and so she regretted even bringing the deer up in the first place. 

She took some comfort in the fact that he seemed to think they might have a chance if they were able to isolate one of the smaller female deer. And she appreciated the exit plan he presented; maybe it would keep this from ending badly. She'd rather go without food another night than Rye get injured or worse. How will we chase the female from the herd without alerting the male if there is one? she asked. That seemed like it would be the most difficult task.

There was little to no evidence I could find about deer, specifically bucks, fighting back against wolves. I searched and searched but couldn't find anything conclusive. I've seen a buck defend itself with one wolf but two is a different story. So maybe a dice roll? Or would it be just as realistic for the buck to simply run? I don't know, what's your opinion? 

 

Although Rye still had concerns about the buck, he knew deer were much more likely to run than fight. At some point in his youth Rye witnessed a female deer leave her fawn behind in order to escape. A harrowing sight, it opened his eyes to just how brutal the world can be. "If there is one, it will probably run like the others, too focused on survival than his females. We can't not alert him, I don't know a wolf out there that could quietly lead a single deer away. " He said. For a moment Rye gave in to the thought of fighting back against the buck but that was the lack of sleep and hunger speaking on behalf of the brain. "We should get moving before the herd wonders away too far."

Knots twisted in his stomach for the hunt they'd soon begin. Rye knew he didn't have the energy for it, the only thing that would be his save and grace was adrenaline. However that could only last for so long, his steam would run out just as quickly as it formed. Rye took lead without a word in advance to Effie, he was too consumed with the possibilities and outcomes of the hunt to remember the hunting lesson. He switched between contemplating about the hunt and tracking; his nose often dipping down to pick up scents before moving on without a word. 

It wasn't long before the scents became stronger and calls from the deer could be heard in detail. The deer were grazing and wondering while the fawns played in the mix of the adults, a peaceful sight ready for chaos to erupt. Rye got down low and scanned the herd, looking for the eye catching antlers atop a deers head, and there it was. Two thick beams with multiple tines protruding out of it at odd angles, they looked nightmarish. Yet, so soft? Rye inwardly questioned the sight before him and took a moment to correct his weary brain. His head slowly bobbing up, down and side to side, trying to get better angles. There was no way that buck had fur on its anlters. With a little bit more looking/straining with his eyes. No, yeah that was fuzzy antlers.

His tail began to wag, the revelation was brilliant and soothed most of his worries. "That deer has fur on his antlers so, his threat level goes down a few notches. Hopefully at least." A shread of doubt still wormed its way through. He wasn't entirely sure if the antlers would be less deadly but he wanted to believe it. "We should still be wary of him but the new odds are probably in our favor." He explained with suppressed excitement in his hushed voice. 

Now was the precursor to the main event, they needed to find a female that was easy to take down. After looking through the lot Rye liked the look of the doe in the back. Thinner, slower looking and duller in color than the bright browns next to it. "You see that one towards the back? Its coat is darker than the rest." Rye gave Effie a moment to find it before quietly speakin again. "I believe that one's older, I'm not sure but that looks like our best target. What do you think?"

yeah, i think it's safe to assume that the buck would take off with the rest of the herd whenever they start running. i'm definitely up for a dice roll too, if that's what you'd like to do! or maybe even just a dice roll to determine difficulty maybe?

Her face heated and her ears fell when he answered her question—her dumb question, at least she felt like it was now that he had made his very logical point. Oh...right; that makes sense, she said quietly. And when he stated that they should get going she obediently followed behind. 

He didn't offer her any insight into what exactly he was doing, and she was too insecure to ask, so as best that she could, she tried to study what he was doing. She watched him periodically stop to inspect the scent on the ground and then he would be off again. She would try to inspect the same spot, but she never wanted to get too far behind him, so she only gave herself a few seconds each time; it was enough to pick up the scent of deer, but she wondered how he knew which direction to go. She almost asked, but she easily read the nervous tension in his body language, and she didn't want to distract or annoy him. 

Effie had many shortcomings, but even she could tell when the scent got stronger. She also heard the strange sounds they made, which only solidified her assumption that they were in the right place. She stopped when Rye did and crouched down next to him. Her gaze drifted over the herd as well, although she had no real clue what she should be looking for. Rye seemed to know, though, or at least she guessed by the focused look on his face and the way he seemed to be calculating things in his head. She like seeing him focused and working; it was cute and made warmth spread in her chest. She might have had more of a reaction to that realization too had she not been so nervous about the impending hunt. 

She swallowed and followed his gaze to the buck as he mentioned the horns having fur and that meaning that he was less of a threat. She looked back to him, her expression curious, and whispered back: Why does fur on his antlers mean he's less trouble? She would still watch out for him regardless because she was not interested getting hit with one of those antlers. 

Rye started scanning the herd again, and she followed suit, wondering what exactly he was looking for. When he spoke again, she moved her eyes to the deer in the back that he mentioned. Once he pointed out that she was darker than the rest, she could definitely see. Effie nodded her understanding. He stated that he thought it might be older and then asked what she thought. She looked away, almost awkwardly, unsure what to say at first. She had way less experience with this stuff than he did, so she wondered why he asked for her opinion. If you think that's the best option, she told him first. You know more about this than I do, so if you think she'll be easiest for us to catch, then I trust your judgement.She looked back to their target and then back to Rye. What do you want me to do?

Rye shifted his paws under him, widening his stance snd alleviating the growing static in his leg. His ears flickered between Effie and the herd as he listened for sounds from both. Occasionally his eyes would join the indecisive movements as well, he remembered what his father always told him, 'look at someone when they're talking to you' and for the most part, it always stuck with him.

Getting the jist of Effie question, Rye was drawn back to some of his earliest hunts on his own. A few times he would see male deer with shredded and bloody antlers walk past him, with pieces of flesh hanging off his head, some even had tines that were broken in half. Rye wrote it off as an exploitable weakness but never bothered to test his assumptions. "They're weakend when they got that fuzzy stuff on them. They can break in half too." He explained.

Rye understood Effie was inexperienced but he wanted her to feel involved nonetheless, her opinion matter to him, regardless if it was about the hunt or not. Plus, he wanted a little reassurance he was chosing right and Effie delivered perfectly. Rye smiled and felt the pressure relief, knowing Effie trusted him was a confidence booster and got him to trust himself a little more. "Thank you for trusting me, it l means a lot" He said sincerely. "As for what I need you to do, well, the female we want is at the back, so I'll want you directly behind her but at a distance. I'll be directly to her left pushing her towards the right. If she tries to turn around and run back, the sight of you will change her mind. Don't worry if she bolts away from me, thats what we want since I'll be the buffer between her and the herd." The herd was grazing north, while the female was grazing a tad north east. Rye wanted her to run that direction once the chaos exploded, away from the herd and into thicker forest. "Once she's away from the herd, catch up to her and go for the neck, I'll be right behind and I can get her back leg. That will be sufficient enough to bring her to the ground. After that, the deer is ours. Any questions?" His heart had been racing as he explained the plan, as if he was already running for the deer. The anxiety was kicking into top gear, Rye knew how much they needed this food and failing could spell serious trouble for them.

"Effie I'm sure you're worried about this but I trust you, I know you'll be able to do this. Also, when you finally bite down thrash around, it will help slow the deer down." Despite him worrying for her, he gave his best reassuring smile. " Dont forget I'll be right there with you. You aren't alone." Rye gently nestled his muzzle into the fur of her neck and for a moment, he held it there but soon moved it back. 

i'm very sorry for the wait! i'm going to try and prioritize this thread going forward <3

She nodded at his explanation. She might have asked more questions in a different situation, and she still might later once she wasn't so nervous but for now, his answer was sufficient. It made the horns weaker, and that gave them an advantage. 

When he expressed his appreciation, she smiled shyly. Of course I trust you, she said softly. How could she not. He had never been anything but kind to her, and now he was teaching her a new skill that would benefit them long after this hunting adventure. 

He explained what she would be doing, and she listened carefully and nodded along. Hang back behind the deer and help him steer her away from the herd, then catch up to her and try to sink a bite into her neck. It seemed mostly doable, but she had to admit, she was nervous about actually making an attack on the deer; that sounded easier said than done. But it was helpful to know that Rye would be right behind them, dealing his own attack so if she missed the first time or made some kind of mistake, then maybe she would have time to correct herself. She shook her head. Um, no, I think I can do that, she offered with a nervous smile. 

He seemed to sense her nerves and offered encouragement. She felt the words in her heart, and it only made her adore him more. He would be there to help, and he trusted her to be able to do her part; that helped immensely. She released a long, soft sigh. Thanks, Rye, she murmured, leaning into his affection. That helped soothe her nerves as well. When he drew back, Effie smiled at him and waited for him to give her the cue to start.

Its not problem, take all the time you need! 

If you want, you're more than welcome to control the deer/herd, Rye too. The roll was 8, so medium difficulty.

Rye nodded at her appreciation and followed it up with a smile of his own before looking back at the herd. Although Effies reassuring words soothed the immediate worry, it did little for the impending doom and gloom feeling the hunt would bring. Uncertainty was rife and thick in the air and his paws felt stuck in place, unwilling to move as more tension built. Now or never, so he looked back at Effie and gestured towards the herd, it was time to make their move. Slowly, painfully slowly, Rye snaked his way closer, weaving through dead leaves, fallen sticks and patches of unstable small rock. His ears cupped towards the unsuspecting herd, eyes keen on the dark female but then -- crunch! 

Rye felt his heart dive into his stomach, his once careful movements was completely negated by thin twigs he didn't notice. The herd reacted quicky, not wasting any time investigating sound origin and ran. Rye chased after but the distance was almost enough to unerve him but giving up wasn't an option. Regardless of the distance Rye was pushing himself, forcing his legs, lungs, and heart to work harder, faster and stronger. The distance was slowly closing but his body was beginning to run out of fuel. Rye needed to get that doe away from the herd before muscle failure kicked in.

The doe remained close to the herd, almost bumping into the female running beside her a few times. Rye knew getting into that mix of frightened deer could be disastrous and potentially fatal. Despite the risks, the reward of knowing Effie could sleep with a full stomach was his motivator. He took on the challenge and inched his way in-between the females, finally pushing the dark doe away from the herd. 

Effie followed closely at his side as they slowly made their way towards the herd. Her heart beat fast in her chest as she watched the deer graze and waited for Rye's cue to begin. But the cue didn't come, instead she heard the crunching of twigs and winced. The sound was followed by the immediate thundering of the deer; the entire herd was startled into movement. Rye took off after them, and Effie followed, pushing the muscles of her legs to go faster than they ever had. She didn't know much about hunting, but she knew this was bad. They had lost their element of surprise, but she still hoped that they could catch up with the deer and take down their target. 

The doe stayed close to the herd, so even when they made up the distance lost, their plan would be difficult to execute. She hated the idea of Rye running into the stampeding herd; what if he got hurt, or worse? But what could they do now other than continue with the hunt. They had already put forth all this energy and planning, and she really wanted to have a decent meal—she was sure Rye felt the same way. She she raced forward, closing in on their prey and remaining behind her just as Rye had told her to do. 

She could feel her heart and lungs protesting the exertion, pain rippling from her chest out. But she ignored it, just as she ignored the screaming of her muscles. Her gaze flicked to Rye as the herd parted just enough for him to get in, and she waited for him to take the chance, keeping her distance behind the doe until she knew the moment was right.

He was close, on the cusp of winning the battle but the doe was old for a reason. She was wise and fought to stick with the herd. Rye, already exhausted and weak, would have given in, resigned himself to another loss but he wasn't alone, there was something to uphold for Effie. Rye pushed himself hard, his legs reaching their absolute limits and his muscles kneaded rougher than before. Pain wasn't close to describing the ache his body felt, it was more cloee to bolts of white hot agony being etched down his muscles with every stride.

Rye detested the pain, the exhaustion and the hunger that didn't cease reverberating the same messages. To say the least, he was getting annoyed, not to mention fed up with the doe's lack of compliance. Rye pushed towards her but the female kept her nerve and the male was more than willing to test how much nerve that doe had. This time Rye was abundantly more aggressive, growls, snarls and barks alike came out to show and tell. Finally the female relented, taking a sharp right turn from the herd at record pace. A pace Rye couldn't keep up with, he was out of steam, he couldn't push no more but would instead ensure the doe didn't come back towards the herd.

Rye looked to Effie, she needed to make up the difference he couldn't. He glanced back at her, his head giving a cue with a random assortment of movements. The male didn't think it prudent to pick only one, his brain was a cache of meat, dusty, long dead and rotting. That was it, he was fried. There was no telling what else he would screw up.

She ran behind the herd, gaze never leaving Rye. So when the doe finally veered off on her own and he gave Effie the cue she had been waiting for, she wasted no time rushing forward to pick up the slack. He had done his part, and now it was time for her to do hers. Doubt and insecurity threatened to slow her paws as they thundered against the ground, but she clenched her jaw and pushed the thoughts away.

Effie picked up speed with the last bit of steam she had, which wasn't much, but it was enough to intercept their target. She was able to close the remaining space between her and the deer but had to steel herself for the actual attack. She wasn't sure she could do this. What if she failed and this was all just a huge waste of time and energy. She didn't like the feeling of having so much riding on her success; it seemed like a recipe for disaster. Still, she refused to give up. When she thought she could manage it, she jumped up and snapped her teeth, grazing the hide of the doe's shoulder. The creature released a panicked sound and suddenly changed direction in an attempt to fake Effie out. But she made up the distance eventually and snapped at the deer's thigh, earning her a kick to her own shoulder—she managed to dodge the brunt of the kick, but the hoof still clipped her, leaving a shallow gash and forcing Effie to learn a valuable lesson. 

For now, she ignored the stinging and moved back to the deer's side, jumping up again and dragging her teeth along the wound she had already made on the doe's shoulder. The deer tried to change directions again, but Effie grabbed a hold of her front leg. There was a snapping sound she hadn't been expecting and with a pained cry, the doe stumbled and fell, taking Effie to the ground with her. She had to dodge kicks from the back legs as she scrambled to get on the other side of the fallen prey. It was with none of her usual grace that she managed to jump atop the doe. She wanted to take the final bite, but she was having trouble keeping the doe where she was and shifting closer to her neck. So she looked back to Rye, wherever he was, her expression asking him to help her finish this.

Rye wasn't hot on Effies or the doe's heels, it was more like medium hot, his body had demanded he slow down before the ensuing tackle and maul began. However he stayed close enough the doe surely saw him as a threat but far enough he could make slower wider turns with the animal. Effie was beginning to catch up to the female and she went for the lunge soon after; out of the corner of his eye Rye partially saw her mistake. She didn't sink her teeth in. The sight was nearly nerve breaking and for a painfully slow minute Rye thought it was all over, going as far as slowing down. His eyes never left Effie, anxiously waiting to see what her next move was and to his delight, Effie kept going. 

She snapped at the deers thigh and the animal fought back, a swift hoof connecting with Effies shoulder. Rye could feel his guts twist as immediate regret took hold. He should've been the one to take the hit, not her. Panic began to spread like wild fire in dry brush, his belly felt flustered and apprisenive for her next decisions. He wasn't sure how Effie would handle the blow, if she quit pursuing he wouldn't blame her, deer kicks were no joke but Effies' tenacity never ceased. She kept going and Rye picked up speed once again, if Effie took another risky lunge he would no doubt step in. 

She lunged again, this time it was a success, the doe fumbled to the ground, dragging Effie with it. The kicks and escape attempts looked violent from Ryes perspective, he caught sight of Effies silent pleads for help and wasted no time sprinting to her aid. Rye instinctively went for the throat, his jaws squeezing the flesh between his mouth together and within no time the bitter sweet liquid was oozing from the deer. The thrashing from the doe came to an end and victory was finally at their doorstep knocking with gifts in hand.

After Rye was absolute on the deers demise he removed his teeth and licked his maw of any remaining blood. At first, Rye was overjoyed with their successful hunt, on the edge of breaking out in celebration but he remembered Effies wound. Second thoughts rushed in and began burrowing their way into his conscious. Maybe he should've been the one to bring it down but hindsight is always twenty-twenty. "Effie," he nearly murmered, "How's your shoulder?" Rye wanted to comfort her, to withdraw any pain from her shoulder but he wasn't a medic, nor did he know how to properly comfort her but he would no doubt try. There was no lying to himself, he cared for Effie and seeing her injured certainly pulled on his heartstrings.

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long for Rye to answer her silent plea for help. She could feel her control over the fallen doe slipping, and she hated think of them losing a meal after being so close. But he was there, finishing the job when she couldn't. She felt the deer slowly go quiet beneath her as Rye took hold of her throat.

Even though the hunt was over, Effie stayed where she was for a few moments, panting and trying to calm her racing heart. She couldn't believe they had actually done it. They had actually taken down a deer together. Well she could believe that Rye had done it, but she was honestly surprised she had been able to do as much as she did. Instantly she was overcome with excitement. Rye asked softly about her shoulder, but she barely registered the wound yet. Instead, she jumped up from the doe and leaped over to Rye, a wide grin spreading across her face. 

She gently landed against him, possibly taking him to the ground in her excitement. In a rare moment of boldness, she expressed her gratitude and happiness by peppering his face in kisses if allowed. But modestly quickly took hold again, and she backed up and took a seat, lowering her gaze shyly and offering a soft: Sorry. 

She looked to her wound and then lifted her gaze to Rye. I'll need to clean it and see what plants I can find, she explained quietly. But first, let's eat. She looked over to their prize with pride and hunger but waited for his okay before starting.

Almost two months in the making, this thread lmao 
Fade with them staying in their current spot for the night?

It took a moment for the males body to remember it was exhausted and remember just how hard it was pushed. For a minute, Rye nearly felt like puking, his stomach churning and gurgling in protest to anymore labor intensive activities. His mind concurred with his bodies requests, he was more than prepared to overindulge on food. The pair worked hard for their meal and Rye was happy they managed. For a few days, food would be the last of their problems. Although food also brought in a few new issues but Rye would settle that later.

Suddenly, Effie bounded into Rye, almost knocking him over and leaving him in confusion; until she began peppering him with kisses. Excited panic was perfect words to describe Rye that minute. Followed by joy, shock, and adoration in quick succession. The utter chaos of his mind was beautifully woven into the calm of his heart. Two opposites colliding to make for a confusing wave of emotions that enveloped his senses like his own fur to his body. What was he to do? It was over quick and Effie was already apologizing but Rye was visibility lagging. The cocktail of exhaustion and emotions really slowing down his CPU or in other words his poor brain.

Eventually, he was slapped back into reality with Effie explaining what she was going to do with her wound, then suggesting they eat. Rye was more than happy to oblige that idea, the butterflies weren't filling enough. "You get first pick, you dragged it down, so you get the best." He explained. Rye was genuinely proud of Effie and he certainly hoped she felt proud of herself. He smiled softly, content with the days victory and adding a swift kiss to Effies forehead to add to the victory pile, if allowed.

i know LOL i'm sorry i'm slow! 
fading here sounds good and then maybe they can have an updated thread

When he suggested that she get first pick of the meat, her surprise was apparent in the lift of her eyebrows and the widening of her eyes. Some things had been ingrained into her psyche from a young age, and she found them hard to overcome even with Rye who had never been anything but sweet and generous. She trusted him completely, but still found it hard sometimes to remember that things were different now than they had been at home. The need to turn down first pick and offer it to him was strong, but she didn't want to make him feel like she didn't appreciate his recognition of her part in the hunt. 

So instead, she smiled shyly and nodded. Then she turned and inspected the doe. After only a few moments, she pulled a big chunk of meat from the thigh and then settled down to start eating. 

Once they were done, she would tend to her wounds, help Rye find a safe place to store the food, and then hopefully they could settle down for the night; she knew they would sleep easier with full stomachs.

its okay, I understand. I'm not too quick myself. You can start one if you want, or I can. Ig whoever gets to it first.

Everything was prepped, the food was buried, Effies wound was taken care of and their bellies were nearly bursting at the seams. For the night, all was calm and life was good. Rye hunkered down in the makeshift bed and invited Effie to lay beside him, if she chose. Whatever was the case, he was fast asleep before much thought of anything could pass through his mind.