Duck Lake Show and tell

It was time to take a small break from fishing. A larger girl might have been able to go on, but Qamar's mouth was small, and her jaws ached from the exercise. She sat and watched Orkan's next success, giving a small cheer as he yanked the fish from the water and chuckling as the creature nearly split in two because of his excitement in catching it.

They had four fish now, piled atop each other, a glittering heap of silver in the pale early summer sun. Orkan told her his plans, and she nodded along. That certainly was the smart thing to do. She had hitched herself to the first group she had come across. Maybe, if she had looked more. . .no, she thought, chiding herself for even entertaining the notion of regret. Ryujin is where I belong.

"Well, I mean, it sounds like you have things pretty well figured out," she said with a smile. He had asked her about her tribe, and she began to speak, careful to leave out any information that could be damning to them down the line. She had no reason to distrust this wolf, but she had no reason to trust him, either.

"We're of good size and with a strong leader. Our tribe is called Ryujin; our leader, Asterr Draconid." The image of Asterr, whom she had not encountered in a few days, rose up in her mind. "She's quite small, but carries herself like a queen. Gracious and kind. Very insightful. You'd like her."

Qamar looked toward the mountain, eyes lit at the thought of her tribe. "We are a mix of all different types--warriors and healers, hunters and stargazers. You'd fit right in. Anyone would."