Foggy Bottom Way As Big as a Water Rat

Rodyn had visited the Muat Rya. He had found another pack a little further into the desert. That smelled like Coyotes. He was still torn between offering to trade or not. He had no problem with the Coyotes, but sometimes others did and he didn't want them to show up and have someone attack them at the group hunt. HE had to think about it. Not for the first time he wished Moonwoman was near.

Today he had caught the scent of Muskrat. Ugly big water creatures. But their pelts were nice and their meat wasn't terrible. But the smell. Gods the smell. He had crushed pine needles and placed the sap along his maw. It made his face sticky, but kept the smell at bay. He would definitely need to soak that meat in some sort of spices. Moonwoman would know what to do.

He already had a ragged Fox fur he had found bundled ot hold the Musk rat meat so that it didn't stink up the other ones.

He stalked the edges of the rivers and water. Looking for the entrance to the smelly creatures home.

She was looking for something to make everything good again.

Maybe the water here would be good for her mother and Fox. Maybe if she went back and told Fox about it, they could explore and things might go back to normal. Everything could just feel right again.

Only something started to stink. She was no grand hunter, entirely unable to figure out what would conjure such a scent. Another issue was that there was a stranger here. Someone she had never seen before. She was not aware that she had taken on a bit of a fearful, defensive stance as she stared him down.

Maybe the water here would be good for her mother and Fox. Maybe if she went back and
Rodyn was not prepared to meet the young girl in the forest. Nor was he prepared for the fear that lit up her eyes or the way she stood defensively as if he were the devil himself. He immediately shifted and back pedaled. Giving her space. And he tilted and ear forward. She was younger than his sons, but perhaps only by a year or so.

Uh Hello. I'm Rodyn Ardeth. From Village Moontide. I'm out hunting and trading. Are you, okay?

A cant of his head as he waited. Unsure. He sniffed at the ground again. I'm hunting a muskrat. Nasty stinky creatures, but their furs are nice once cleaned. And the meat is good after the scent is gone.

He spoke a lot. His introduction was long and left her with more questions than answers. What was a Village Moontide? What was trading about? What even was a muskrat? Why would he ask if she was okay?

Her gut twisted up.

Are you trading muskrats? Big golden eyes blinked at him. She figured that was as good of a place to start as any.

Rodyn spoke when he was nervous. And to have a youngling looking at him as if he were going to destroy her. It twisted his insides up and made him sad. So he spoke more than he should have.

Ears thrust forward at her question and he smiled. I am trading many things. I take furs or meat or other things that I may make or find, pretty rocks, plants. And I give them to someone in return for something they have that I don't. I live near the sea. So I will trade sea creatures that we can eat, for land animals we can eat.

That was the simpliest way he knew how to explain. He loved what he did, but sometimes it was hard to understand.

How did someone have so much to trade? Petal had never felt jealousy before, but it appeared now in the bit of her stomach. She wanted a village, she wanted so many things to trade, she she she

She was ashamed of herself, silently. She wished she was charmed instead of this ugly green feeling.

Can I trade you? She had nothing, but she liked to think she could rummage something up quick. Anything to come away richer from this interaction.

Rodyn had worked hard for his riches and his village. He had walked countless miles, hunted countless times. All to make sure that his family was taken care of, that the wolves underneath his leadership were taken care of. It had been hard and heartbreaking, but he would do it all again.

The girl seemed to be thinking through what he said and then she asked a question. He blinked in surprise.

Sure. What is it that you want? And what are you willing or wanting to trade for it?