Dragoncrest Cliffs footwork

She needn't go far today to check on Broken Antler. They moved along the stream that cut through parts of The Tangle and along the far edge of Sapphique's claim too. Haunt ghosted their steps, maintaining her distance but keeping a watchful eye on them as they cantered southwest. The stream ended in a ravine, Haunt knew, and she assumed they might stop to graze in the field due west of it. That would require crossing it at some point.

Haunt stopped at the edge of the pack's territory and watched them go, her eyes lingering on the two does at the herd's rear. They were slower than the rest, presumably due to their large bellies. The young she-wolf had never witnessed pregnancy or birth, in her own species or another, but she recognized it on some instinctual level. They were carrying young. Her knowledge ended there, however. She would have to seek counsel on the matter from someone more experienced.

After waiting for the deer to move out of sight if not earshot, Haunt sent up a howl to invite her pack mates to join her near the southwest corner of their domain. She secretly hoped it would be @Njord or maybe @Merlin, though she would be happy to discuss this topic with just about anybody. Stalking deer had certainly become her favorite hobby of late.

"My name is Chacal Dahomey-Rivaini. My name is Chacal Dahomey-Rivaini. My name is Chacal." 

Over and over she worked the phrase, trying a different melodic contour to shape her phrase, trying to find something that wasn't too flashy, but also had a nice lilt to it. She didn't want to be too dramatic and come off as being facetious, and she didn't want her melody to be too noticeable either. So she began with something that rose and then fell, and began to re-work the melody so it was a bit more conjunct, allowing her to speak the phrase in a sing-song voice without outright belting it like an opera singer. That just sounded ridiculous, and would make a terrible first impression. 

She meandered along the borders and had begun to contemplate leaving and going for a walk- perhaps to track down another flock of spruce grouse if she could find the lodgepole pine trees they liked again- when she heard Haunt call out. She responded, her howl as pure and clear as her singing voice, though it trembled lightly at the end as the swinging of her tail sped up causing her to wriggle slightly. Haunt had invited her to investigate deer herds with her- perhaps this was her shot at learning a bit about hunting larger herbivores. 

So she loped along, and found the tracks of the herd which had obviously been pursued to the borders by the pale huntress who was still waiting there when Chacal found her. Her tail still waved from flank to flank in a low, wide arc as she approached, chattering her teeth together in a fond greeting.

A sonorous howl cut through the silence and Haunt's lips curved into a smile. Chacal, she thought, tipping her head a little to loose a quick reply along the lines of, "Okay, see you soon!" She doubted Chacal would be able to tell her anything about the life cycles of ungulates, though she was nonetheless welcome.

She settled down to wait, using her teeth to pick at a small pebble stuck between her toes before moving onto her paw pads. She was a little footsore lately, so she soothed each with her tongue. By the time she finished her third paw, her pack mate arrived.

Haunt set down her leg and pricked her ears at the queer chattering. She was used to such strange noises from Chacal by now, though she couldn't quite stifle a little chuckle at this particular idiosyncrasy before she said, "Hey, Chacal. Would you like to meet Broken Antler today?"

Unlike Valravn, who might've tried to instigate a bit of a playfight upon seeing her approach, Haunt was much more calm and seemed content to welcome Chacal into her presence without initiating a game of some sort. She did like it when Valravn was mischievous, it was a very endearing quality, but sometimes he'd take things a bit too far and push her buttons a bit too much. She was growing out of playing tricks and wanting to sneak up on others and chase their tail. 

She assumed they would be tracking the deer- but she tilted her head quite far to the side when Haunt asked her about broken antler. Having been practicing a simple melody that suited her introduction fine, she decided to apply the same tune to her question. "Who is Broken Antler?" She chirruped, tilting her head to the other side.

She expected both the question and the song, though the reality made it impossible not to smile. It had hit her as a little odd before, though Haunt was quickly growing accustomed to Chacal's unique speech. It was an interesting quirk, to be sure, like an accent but different. It made her unique, when so many wolves were largely unremarkable, Haunt included.

"That's what I call the herd," she replied with a switch of her tail. "When I was watching them one day—the same day you told me to get lost, actually—a piece of the lead buck's antler fell off. I found it and kept it," Haunt shared. "There are seven members in the herd. There used to be nine but we ate one and a mountain lion ate another. We could worry about the herd being killed off but two of the does are pregnant, I'm pretty sure. Anyway, you ready?"

She flinched obviously when Haunt reminded her that she had once turned Haunt away, because she didn't want to share her hunting and tracking with one of the wolves who had participated in the Seafoam Run. Her knees bent lightly, and her tail stopped waving almost immediately. While she didn't seem particularly perturbed about the incident, and only mentioned it, seemingly, to make a reference to a certain time, Chacal couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Haunt held a grudge. She was a sensitive wolf, though, so she couldn't help but read into the mention of that day and wonder if maybe Haunt was about to tell her off just to get her back. 

Everything else about what Haunt said was spoken in a light and informative tone. There was no reason for Chacal to get as hung up as she did about being reminded that she'd fended Haunt off once with a surly glare, but she did anyway. So it took her a few moments to recover, as she was no longer certain that she deserved to be included on this mission to check on the deer herd. She felt as though she ought to apologize, but she also didn't want to have to explain why she'd been so upset. That was a whole bucket of worms that her mothers were trying to sort through, and the time she spent away from them, simply interacting with other packmates, was a welcome distraction from all of that stress. 

Obviously, Haunt had learned a lot from the herd that she'd gone tracking, rather than hunting grouse with Chacal, so felt a tiny bit relieved to know she hadn't spoiled Haunt's day completely. Still- she couldn't help but feel like she'd been a jackass, and while Haunt hadn't intended to call her out on it, even just mentioning it was enough to remind Chacal that she'd been very rude. 

She pawed the ground lightly, frowning. "Are you...Sure you...Want me?" She asked softly, her melody thin and shaky.

Chacal's question was met with a completely nonplussed look. It was as singsong as the rest, though quite shaky and full of misgivings that came out of seemingly nowhere. Haunt's yellow eyes shifted to the side as she wondered, Did I miss something? She replayed her own words in her head, yet found no fault with them.

Eventually, she had no choice but to say, "...what?" She was mostly confused, though slightly frustrated too, as she wanted to get underway and simply didn't understand the sudden doubts and delay.

Well- she'd definitely sidetracked that conversation. Haunt had been happy as a clam explaining about Broken Antler- and all of the things she'd noticed about them, and Chacal had cottoned on to one little thing that made her feel insecure, and had drowned the conversation. She hadn't said much- but apparently, she'd definitely gotten a conflicting idea across and made Haunt confused. She looked a bit worried, too, but mostly confused. This was Chacal's fault. 

"I am sorry, Haunt," She sang softly, and she straightened up a little bit. If she was going to prove to her mothers that she was worth her weight in sea water, she would have to do what they'd asked of her, and communicate effectively. Part of her hated the fact that she was forcing herself through this predicament just so that she could get noticed- but communicating also brought her joy. "I owe an apology to you. I am sorry I brushed you off, de day you found Broken Antler." She sang with a dip of her head. The melodic line repeated a few times- she really needed to work on coming up with other melodies so she didn't sound like a broken record- but coming up with new melodies on the spot was difficult.

Chacal apologized for brushing her off that day, something of so little import to Haunt she hadn't considered it a point of contention even in her recollection. She shook her head at the unnecessary apology, making a mental note about Chacal's thin skin. It was hardly the first time she'd come across as a little hypersensitive. Haunt didn't judge so much as make the observation.

"It's fine, really," she said. For all her mental notation, it came out pretty dismissively. "No apologies necessary," Haunt added with a tight smile before motioning with her head and thrusting out a foreleg. "Shall we...?"

Rather than fawning over Chacal's submissive display, Haunt was dismissive, which made Chacal feel as though perhaps she'd made a fuss over nothing. It felt important for her to fit in and be included in things like hunts so that she'd never again be put on the sidelines to watch, silently. 

So she dipped her head as though to issue an apology for her apology- but waved her tail and perked her ears when Haunt reassured her that she still wanted to take Chacal to see the herd. She nodded quickly and moved forward, indicating that she would follow if Haunt led the way.

Relieved when Chacal made no other remarks, Haunt swiveled and began trotting due west, soon breaching the edge of Sapphique's claim. As they approached the area where she'd last seen the herd, she motioned for her companion to slow and proceed with caution. The deer came within sight soon enough, loitering now near the ravine's edge, still on this side.

"I'm wondering if they'll cross to the field over yonder," Haunt said very quietly, gesticulating toward Barrow Fields. "Looks like they're parked for now, though. We should do the same, find a..." She trailed off as she scanned their surroundings, searching for someplace that would serve as a hunting blind.

Sniffing stealthily forward, Haunt led Chacal toward a spread of shrubs and slung her belly to the ground. They were still sparse due to the season, so the two yearlings could peer through the branches and still see the herd. Haunt shifted until she was comfortable, then glanced sideways at Chacal to see what she made of Broken Antler so far.

Like a shadow, she followed along, close to Haunt's flank. Perhaps not quite as closely as she might have followed Valravn, whose hocks she had tripped over on occasion on account of following too closely- but no more than a foot away at more regardless. It was simply a habit which had never been discouraged, and she liked being close to others when she travelled. 

Their pace slowed when they neared the ravine, and she attentively copied Haunt's behavior, slinking forward as quietly as possible when she could see the deer there, grazing. Her breath caught and she froze when Haunt's voice dropped off, but she was quick to follow her pale companion when she pointed out a place for them to hunker down together and observe. She slid in next to Haunt's side and wet her lips and nose with her tongue. 

She panted lightly as she observed the herd, trying to recall what it was Haunt had told her earlier, and began to search the small group of deer to see if she could spot which ones were pregnant.

The Beryl's gaze remained fixed on the half a dozen deer milling in the open space beyond the screen of brush. Haunt watched Chacal watch them for a few beats before turning her own head to peer at the deer now as familiar to her as her own pack mates. Her yellow eyes quickly sought the stag with the missing piece of antler, then the two pregnant does.

"Wonder how long it takes?" Haunt wondered aloud, her voice low. Her eyes flicked to Chacal's face again. "For the babies to... form, or whatever." Was it a matter of weeks? Months? Years? Did it vary by species? Did deer have litters, like wolves, or birth singly? Haunt had so many questions.

Only after a brief, considering pause did Haunt think of how that comment might sound. "I know how mating works, how it leads to pregnancy and offspring. But I guess I only know the basics, nothing specific. How about you?" she mused to her companion.

She could pick them out from the rest by their bulging bellies. There was quite a difference, she noticed, between those two does and the others, and even the buck- while he was in good condition- wasn't nearly as round around the middle. There was a difference between being healthy and fit and well-fed and being pregnant. The bulge sat lower in their abdomens, ballooning out behind their ribs. 

"I do not know," She said in a fluty birdsong, barely above a whisper. It was harder to sing this way, and made her throat feel a bit scratchy. She would have to work on learning how to sing quietly, or how to whisper-sing, if that was at all possible. When Haunt mentioned conception, one of Chacal's ears flicked back. That was a very intimate subject, not one she'd ever really expected to discuss with anyone else unless she planned on finding a male to have children with...And she was still a year away from even being capable to conceive. But Haunt was fairly casual about the subject, which made Chacal aware, and not for the first time, that she might be a bit more immature than her counterpart. "I know," She confessed. Were they supposed to talk about this now? "My Maman told me." She said. Not that she wanted to share the entire conversation with Haunt, but she felt it might be enough to curtail the conversation a bit. She kept her gaze trained on the deer, hoping they might do something and distract Haunt from that uncomfortable conversation topic.

Chacal said she knew, though she didn't elaborate, nor offer any answers to Haunt's questions. The pale youth peered at the side of her face, noticing how her companion refused to meet her eye. Once more, she found herself a little nonplussed. If she was reading Chacal right, she had caused discomfort of some kind. Haunt rewound her words and couldn't figure out what she might've said wrong.

She huffed out a breath, mildly frustrated at her inability to comprehend Chacal's mercurial moods. "Who is your maman?" she asked distractedly, though before Chacal could answer, she guessed, "Erzulie? Or Rosalyn?" And just saying their names begged a ton more questions. Haunt forgot her momentary irritation as she asked, "They're... mates aren't they? How did they have puppies if they're both female?"

Her yellow eyes fixed on Chacal's face, this subject suddenly much more fascinating than the deer. She was pretty sure she was right about her cohort's parentage, so she didn't voice her skepticism about the women's arrangement. They were her superiors too, and Haunt didn't want to disrespect them. But she found the whole thing extremely unusual.

Thankfully, the topic of her mothers, and how she referred to them, was an easier question to answer. Having never tracked deer before, she worried that if they continued speaking, they might spook the herd- but given the fact that Haunt was more experienced in tracking and seemed comfortable enough to keep a conversation going without worrying about the deer, then Chacal supposed they might be alright. It was awkward trying to find a way to sing in a hushed voice, but it was something she figured she should practice regardless. 


"Maman is what I call Erzulie. 
Mother, is what I call Rosalyn."
It sounded strange to say their names, but it was simply an explanation. 
"But they mean de same t'ing.
'Maman' is 'Mother' in de language of my Maman."
She wasn't sure why Haunt seemed so interested in the relationship her mothers had, as it was the only relationship she'd known to exist within the pack. Haunt had said she understood how children were conceived, so Chacal was not entirely certain what she didn't understand about her mothers being capable of being mates and having children. "Dey are mates. Dey have children de same way children are born to any female," She answered, simply. If Haunt understood the mechanisms of creating children, then what was there that she didn't understand about both Erzulie and Rosalyn having children together? Of course, she'd grown up without having a father figure present, and while she was aware of the fact that a male had been involved in her creation, none had had anything to do with being a part of her family.

Chacal's latest verse answered her questions, albeit indirectly. For a moment, Haunt squinted disbelievingly at her companion. That simply wasn't possible. But then comprehension slowly dawned on her. One or both of them must've mated with a male to bear young. She found that thought distasteful. It just... went against nature.

Due to her own discomfort and her unwillingness to offend Chacal—who tended to be very sensitive—Haunt simply replied, "Oh." She then forcibly returned her attention to the herd, shifting her weight as she noticed the lead stag looking right at their shrub.

At first, Chacal thought that Haunt looked a bit confused still by her family, or perhaps she didn't quite understand that she spoke in two different languages. But when she heard a soft exhale of breath that was much closer than she'd expected, she snapped her gaze back to gaze through the bush again- and saw what she figured had made Haunt say oh. The stag, the one with the broken antler, had turned its head to look right at them. His eyes were large and dark, and there was something intelligent about his expression that made Chacal feel as though she was being regarded with scrutiny. Could he see them? And furthermore- was he dangerous?

He was very large- and she felt so very small in comparison. Not knowing exactly what else to do- if they should run or stay put- she quietly and carefully squished herself closer against Haunt's side, exhaling a timid breath into the deerstalker's ruff.

She went very rigid, only moving to shake her head lightly at Chacal when she moved. But she pressed in nearer and settled again, so Haunt just let out a breath and went very still again. "Stay very still," she hisspered out of the side of her mouth. They would need to lay low and stay quiet until the stag's attention went elsewhere. "We could be here a while..."

This may be a good place to fade? :)

MK :) The board ate my post soooo here's the abbreviated version heh

She fell still the moment Haunt moved her muzzle, though she would slowly and carefully rest her own against Haunt's shoulder so that she could have her head supported while they settled in to observe the deer herd. While they didn't use the opportunity as a chance to put the herd in motion or test their mettle against a potentially dangerous herbivore, it was nevertheless a beneficial experience in tracking and observing what would likely become one of their most valuable food sources.