Blacktail Deer Plateau i lie awake and watch you sleep

rolled for a small hunt partner here, so @Nieve but AW! also don't care if they catch anything so it can be a failed hunt too :P

Huā had returned to the plateau, if only temporary. Upon excursions to the beach she'd met some folks, and reacquainted herself with an old friend. But she knew it was time to return as she met the northern beach. Back at home, or what she was expected to call home, Huā wandered within the core of the territory. Among trees- it was unlike her. 

But thank god, her time among the trees wouldon't be in vain. A scent caught her nose- raccoon. Land meat wasn't her favorite, but oh, how her mouth watered... She was off in no time, sniffing along the trail. Charcoal paws carried her on that invisible road. All the while, she hoped someone would join her- those little bandits could be tricky and she wouldn't mind some backup.

Nieve was moving perpendicular to Huā's trail through the woods, on a hunt of a different variety. She was finally feeling ready to search for Clementine and was on her sister's trail when she spotted the black-and-white figure of Huā moving through the trees. For a fleeting instant, Nieve's heart did a strange flip-flop in her chest. She hadn't noticed before, having been more focused on Ying's behaviour, but the woman reminded her starkly of Caiaphas.

Not in mannerism, oh no—Ying seemed to match that more—but in appearance. Caiaphas had had only the black head, while Huā had other markings, and the brilliant yellow of the Eyjolfur's gaze was lacking in Huā's, but nonetheless, Huā reminded her of the former Alpha.

She realized her mouth had gone dry and shook herself out of it, trotting to try to catch up with the other female while lifting her nose to try to detect what she was after. The scent of raccoon reached her soon after; she slid up through the trees and flanked the Iota, offering a hushed, want a partner? She didn't know the sea wolf very well, but she'd thought she was a decent and reasonable sort of wolf. That was all the reason Nieve needed to want to know her better.

As she followed that invisible road, a bit of noise and then someone joins her. She glances back with ocean gaze to see the golden youth from the other day. A girl who seemed a little over-confident for her age- but it was no fault of hers. She was raised in a troublesome culture, she wouldn't know any better. Putting all of that aside, she nods. 

"Yes. I want." She murmurs quietly, smiling at the child before turning back to the trail. It leads them through the trees, and she continues to follow, glancing back a few times to ensure the girl was with her. If they were lucky, maybe they'd find it asleep in its den. If not- they'd risk the scratches of tiny claws, but they'd get their meal either way- Huā was confident of that.

Huā was direct and to the point, which Nieve could appreciate. It wasn't her way—she was soft-spoken and enjoyed conversation, often willingly guiding so that the talk could continue—but when it came to hunting and getting to work, brevity was best. If nothing else, she was glad the seawolf hadn't brought up the incident from the other day. That wasn't something she was particularly keen to revisit.

Nieve was neither a good nor bad hunter. She was passable. Practice made perfect, but it wasn't a passion of hers, so she did it mostly out of necessity. Huā therefore was the authority, and true to that fact, Nieve didn't step out of line to make suggestions or otherwise guide their hunt. She fell in line with Huā and followed in silence, stepping off the path now and again to sniff at a bit of scat or an errant track. Once or twice she indicated her findings, but was otherwise mum.

That is, until they came across the raccoon's den in a hollow log. It was empty, which was unlucky for the pair, but the bandit's scent was fresh and strong—it couldn't have gone far.

do you care to use this for a trade thread? or are you fine with it being short? :o ++ sorry if this is going slowly I didnt want to do too much unless u r okay with it!

Huā was appreciative of the girl's general silence. Any good child would follow quietly in line, and it was exactly what she did. It had her rethinking her opinion on this girl- sure, she'd spoken out the other day, but now she seemed to know her age and what it meant about her appropriate behavior. Huā smiles vaguely at the thought- perhaps she was a good kid after all. 

The scent leads to a log- hollowed out, dappled with debris. The coon was nowhere to be found, but its shit was scattered around the place. And its scent trail lead away again then, fresh as ever. She knew they were close on its heels. Come on! We so close, She whispers with unbridled excitement to the girl. Nostrils flaring eagerly, she steps neatly over the log. Not too far away, she could hear something shift in the bushes. Her ears swiveled and she picked up the pace.

Nope, Nieve's not going for hunter so this can be short if you prefer that!

Huā's excitement lit the fuse of Nieve's own, and soon she was grinning as she followed behind the Eta. Huā stepped over the log and Nieve sprang spryly after her, pausing on the other side when the sound of rustling foliage caught her attention. Instantly she dropped her posture and looked to the older hunter for cues.

Huā's pace increased and Nieve slunk after her, smoothing the lines of her body so the height of her neck, shoulders and tail all aligned. She even swept her ears to the sides in an effort to seem less conspicuous. Every inch of her body was taut with anticipatory energy, so much so that when the raccoon moved through the foliage again, the sound of it made her jerk. She caught herself before she could charge in without a plan, but they were practically on top of their prey. It was hard not to loosen the reins on her youthful energy.

Nieve looked over at Huā. What now? her wide eyes seemed to ask.

ok sweet!

They were right on its tail. Huā, a little less cautious than perhaps she should be, was nearly prepared to rush in without a plan. But as she notices the girl catch herself and look to the siren for instruction, Huā devises a plan simple enough. Strategically sound? That would be determined soon. 

Wondering whether she could even whisper at this point, she hopes her eyes, her gestures can communicate enough. A paw to Nieve- you- pointing to the ground beneath them, stay on this side. A paw pointed to her own sandy chest, I, eyes moving to the foliage and paw turning a semi-circle, will go around. It was no use to stick around and try to comminicate further if the girl did not understand- so rather than wait for an answer, Huā turns. Slinks in a rather wide circle around the foliage, carefully as ever. 

Ears swiveling, hoping to hear that rustle again, and ah! There it is! Approaching swiftly now, she hopes Nieve would remain on the other side lest it flee her in the opposite direction. Beneath a bush she could see its fluffy tail peeking out. Licking her jaws, she rushes forward to greet it with pearly fangs. But suddenly the little beast turns, lashing out with little claws, and fleeing in the direction which Nieve presumably stood. A sting on her nose- like kitten-scratch- nothing beyond slight soreness, but unexpected nevertheless. Huā pursues it now at full speed, wondering if Nieve would help to intercept its path of escape.

Huā caught her attention and began to motion with her paws in a way that was entirely unfamiliar to Nieve. She tried to follow what Huā's strange gestures were, but she was left confused in the end. It wasn't a normal method of communication for her. Thankfully, Huā's movements themselves cleared it up and Nieve quickly realized what her hunting partner was getting at. As requested, she remained right where she was, sinking into a crouch so she could pounce at a moment's notice.

Nieve's inexperience and lack of particular talent for hunting would soon become evident. She flared her ears when the sound of scuffle began and flexed her paws against the ground, preparing. The raccoon was a lot faster than she anticipated. She saw the flurry of brown-grey fur in the grass and she lunged for it, but her teeth missed it by an inch when it swerved out of the way.

Shit! she swore, spinning and throwing herself into a headlong chase alongside Huā. In the end, they failed to catch their quarry and Nieve parted with Huā on seemingly good terms.