Blackfoot Forest A hundred jewels between teeth

Birdsong awoke Minna, she rolled onto her side and opened her eyes a fraction. As she slowly woke, the hot, humid air became apparent, as well as the steady drum of a summer's morning rain outside her stone den. She opened her eyes completely, morning sun muted by the rain and clouds that had to be above. She stretched with a smile, for the rain was welcome. It was light but offered precious water to the many recovering plants below. She stood, and strode to the entrance of her stone den. Scenting the air, she noted not only the scent of rain, but of birds, raccoons, squirrels, deer, and the faint, yet noticeable scent of skunk.

Deer.

Her eyes widened, her nostrils flared as she sought to catch the scent again. She stepped out of the den, rain dampening her pelt, and peered through the thick, moist foliage. She could not see anything, but a scent told her that it had to be true. Her small frame trotted quickly along the river's edge, nose to the ground, fighting for a single scent above hundreds of others. But, suddenly, it strengthened, and Minna's keen eyes sought out a small pile of droppings, perfectly small and round in their form. Most definitely deer. So the land had returned, after all these weeks, and that meant that the Wilds were recovered. The famine, at least here was over. 

And so the hunter, the lithe girl with the patchwork pelt, lifted back her muzzle, calling for those of the pack. She called for those that would heed her call, those who wished for the chance at a meal. They would need larger numbers to take down this prey, for many weeks of near starvation had left them weak. But this, this was the perfect chance to reclaim their lost weight, to strengthen themselves. 

She set off on the trail of the deer, as it distanced itself from the river, rain falling all the while through the humid, warm air. She passed piles of droppings along the way, and then she passed one that was fresh. Her amber eyes gleamed, and she stilled her figure. She crept along the scent trail now, and, quite suddenly, there they were. Three of them, all does, one looked younger than the rest. She was still crouched low in the undergrowth, hoping that the others would heed her hunting call.

@Leto @Liri @Amara @Aaron @Pallas Stormthorn @Kierkegaard @Samuel @Aveline