Noctisardor Bypass He really threw the staplegun

'Cause of timelines, either Arbiter needs to not be involved in the successful catching of a deer if set at the time of original posting, or it needs to be brought forward in time to nowish. Got an opinion on which? :D  Cut the post off a little awkwardly because of that, haha.

She wandered. How long would it be for full herds to return? Winter was bleak on a good day, so how would it be in a month? Would there be the earliest signs of new life or would it be just as empty as it was now? She didn't like the hints, she didn't like the guessing -- just make it obvious and she'd be much more content, no matter which was the answer.

With a sigh that she could see pluming out at the end of her muzzle, she was about to turn back towards the lake when a sound caught her ear. Barking? It was still a fair distance off, but not so far. Curious, Arbiter trotted forward, through the clearer area at the valley's mouth.  She was out in the open, plainly visible to all who came by.

Whatever was going on, it sounded quite raucous, barking, clattering, the whole nine yards. Still, she wasn't expecting anything to come of it -- just an ordinary curiosity or something that she best not get involved in, probably. Except what burst from the bushes was first a deer! They do exist! And then the loud creature behind was particularly odd looking for a wolf so let's be real, 80% of her attention was on the deer. That and a tiny bit of judgement wondering whether that was a hunt or whether that wolf was chasing off prey with all the commotion they were making.

There was that moment where she froze, that half second while her brain clicked through whether it would be worth it -- whether the deer would be herded towards her or away. One was worth the effort, the other was not.