Verdant Basin Dodgeball

The hulking creature had made his way to a basin of water, huffing for a breath of air.

Settling down next to the body of water he tilted his head down, sipping the liquid with an odd sense of caution. He was quite thirsty.

The area was quite nice, well populated too. He would need to consider staying for the approaching hibernation.

Qvasir never had a plan. Well, his plan was to never have a plan. Life seemed to take him down narrowed roads, bumps, curves— all of it. But he still remained victorious— how could that be so? It had him chuckling to himself beneath his breath, though it died out once he made it to a clearing.

There he was met with a basin of water, but he was not alone. The roaming scent of bear glided through the air just as easily as a skunk's message had. He recoiled, ready to turn the other way, but his throat went dry. Not from nerves ( perhaps ), but from sheer thirst.

With a grunt beneath his breath, he stalked forward. Head low to the ground, he'd attempt to keep his muscled stature as friendly and non-threatening as possible. Only he, the walking hubris, would think he could take on a bear.

Toes soothing in the water, he made a low noise in the back of his throat. They had a meager distance between them, but still— no one wanted to poke the bear.

The sound of another approaching was quick to catch his attention. Nose wrinkled at the scent of canine, large dark eyes moved to spot the creature.

How odd it was to see one approach so willingly, but the bear carried no grudge. The winter approached, now was not the time to risk injury. He knew very well that a single wolf could be easily dealt with, but damn did those little claws hurt.

For a moment he questioned if the canine may reside in the area - if it had left behind food for Chunk to scavenge through. Maybe he could beat them to it.

Qvasir lingered at the edge of the water, his dark eyes watching the bear with quiet curiosity. He didn’t approach too closely, keeping a respectful distance, but his presence was undeniable. After a moment, his gaze flickered briefly toward the bend, a silent acknowledgment of the carcass beyond it. Take it, if you need.

He stood still for a beat, then turned his attention back to the bear, his posture low and neutral, offering no more than the barest hint of an intention to share the information. His presence remained like a shadow, neither intrusive nor overly forthcoming.

Words were understood only in pieces, and so Chunk stood in silence only momentarily before returning to the water. Wolves were odd creatures, always speaking in those ear-grating barks that he did not know how even they could fully understand.

Soon he turned, following the path the wolf had come from. Round, bumbling, he was pleased that he may be walking towards his next meal.

Qvasir muttered under his breath in a low, irritated growl as he watched the bear lumber toward the carcass, the distant sound of its heavy steps cutting through the silence.

Idiota, he grumbled, his voice rough with disdain. Bears and their constant feasting.

He didn’t make a move to stop it, knowing well enough that the bear would likely devour its fill. The wolf, for now, had little interest in fighting for scraps. The smell of blood in the air was enough to hold his attention as he stood, watching the large creature claim its prize, his sharp eyes gleaming in the shadows.

With a quiet, resigned sigh, Qvasir shifted away from the clearing, letting the bear have its moment. The hunt, after all, was far from over.

A carcass found, the bear was pleased to rip in and eat his fill with his stub of a tail wagging back and forth. Wolves were many things, but he did praise their generosity - even when it was accompanied by their sharp teeth.

Deciding he had taken what he wanted, he lifted his head and licked his lips.

Qvasir remained still, rooted to his spot, watching the bear feast with a faint flicker of dry amusement in his eyes. He didn’t mind the creature’s heavy breaths or the way it tore through its meal with such blunt ferocity. Strange, almost comical, the way he looked — but something in Qvasir softened for a moment.

Hope you make it through the winter, big guy, he thought, letting the quiet sympathy linger before it slipped back into his usual cool indifference.