Ravensblood Forest River Fishing

Vale wanted to practice his hunting skills. It had been a few weeks since his last venture, and he was definitely ready for another. This time, he wanted to go with his mother. He found her at the spring, drinking, apprently just back from a patrol. His tail lifted, wagging happily at the sight of her.

"Mom! If you aren't too tired... can we go hunting? I really want to practice, but I know I'm not supposed to go alone," Vale looked to her with pleading gray-blue eyes.

Her son found her at the pond. She eyed him at his question, then dipped her head. "Very well, but it'll have to be a quick trip." She was tired, but she would not tell her son this. She smiled down at him, then nudged him with her muzzle. "What do you feel like hunting?"

Vale grinned, his tail wagging faster and harder as his mother agreed to take him. At her question, he said, "Well... I've already hunted a hare. Can you teach me to hunt birds? Or fish?" He would be the best hunter Sacrarium had to offer, eventually.

Violante smiled down at her only son, and she felt her chest constricting. One day, she hoped for more sons, and of course daughters, but Sacrarium had been blessed with four girls this year. "How about a fish, my young guardian? Your sister will no doubt be hunting plenty of birds, and we have few to fish the river." Fish were also easier to catch, and the large ones could feed two or even three wolves.

Fish sounded good, and it would be an entirely different way of hunting. Vale nodded, excited, and then his mother beckoned him to follow. She would lead them to the river, only a short ways away from the den. Sitting patiently, Vale looked to his mother and questioned, "How do you catch a fish? And do they taste good?" He'd never had any before.

Violante loved her son, without a doubt. She held him perhaps a tad closer to her heart, if only for the fact that he was, at present, her only son. She did not love him anymore than Asara or Violante II, of course, but she was simply more protective of him. Even now, she found herself proud of his patience, of his willingness to learn.

At the river, she told him, "There are many ways to fish, as there are many types of water. Here, at the river, we can see large salmon come in from the ocean, during their spawning season, for example. They jump, and are strong swimmers, but the river and their journey can tire them out. Many other fish call the river home, too, of course." Violante moved closer to the water's edge.

"Close to the water, you must wait for a fish to approach, unless you can find something to entice it towards you." Here, she showed her stance; poised, waiting to strike, eyes trained on the water. "You can strike with your paw or your mouth, whichever is easier." She relaxed.

"As for their taste," Violante gave a chuckle, "They are unique, much unlike land animals. Their taste depends on if they are saltwater of freshwater, the latter being more briny and tasting of the sea." She looked to her son. "Come and watch the river, I'll try to catch us something."

His mother had much to say on fishing, and Vale listened hungrily, intent. He knew at once that she was a good teacher, if a bit more cautious. Either way, he wouldn't question it. When she told him to move to the river, he did so, and he watched Violante take up her fishing pose again. Vale turned gray-blue eyes to the water.

Very small fish moved about, but they were fast, and surely too hard to catch — that was without saying how little meat they'd provide. It wouldn't even be worth it. He thought he saw one large, slow-moving fish downstream, and he eyed it, then his mother, questioningly. Would this be their lunch?

Minnows plipped about in the shallows, but like her son, the Vicera ignored them. She saw the larger fish, and she looked to her son, nodding. A small smile tugged at her lips as she waited, poised, for the fish to approach her. Ever so slowly, it did.

The Vicera preferred to strike with her muzzle, for better control. When the fish was in range, she struck out without hesitation, though she narrowed her eyes to protect them against the flailing of the fish.

It was in her maw. She tossed it to shore and she encouraged her son forward, barking, "Bite, just behind the head!"

His mother had hooked a fish, and he scrambled after it as it tried to flop back into the water. He had some adult teeth and some milk teeth, but they did the job with dispatching the fish. It stopped moving and Vale lifted it excitedly, tail waving behind him. "Can I eat this one?" he called over the water, and his mother nodded. Vale dug in, cautiously at first. The flavors were strong and salty, but unlike his normal fare. When he had finished, there was still a good portion left, so he asked, "What next?"

"The rest of this fish will feed me, but you must remember, as a hunter, you hunt for the pack, and not just for yourself." Violante took the fish from her son, and at his question, she gestured to the water. "Now, you try." She showed him her fishing pose again.

Vale dipped his head in understanding — he knew he hunted for all of Sacrarium. He told his mother, "I... want to give this fish to Lorelai." He thought it might cheer the Mystic up. It was his turn to try to catch a fish. He copied her pose as best he could, and turned pale eyes on the water.

It was very clear water, fed by the falls and the pond, and it moved swiftly down towards the coast. He stared into it, but the minutes passed with no fish showing. He looked to his mother, then moved downstream to try again.

Here, he would have better luck. A medium-sized fish moved languidly upstream, and Vale was poised. When he struck out, he struck true. Teeth clamped down over a strong, scaly body, but he did not let go as he moved swiftly from the river's edge. He released the fish, only to trap it beneath his paws as he bit it behind the head, ceasing its movements.

Tail wagging, he trotted happily back to Violante.

Fading for us!

Vale was a natural, and Violante watched her son with growing pride welling deep inside her chest. He would make a fine hunter and guardian, she knew. When he caught the fish, the Vicera cheered her son on. "Very good! We can end here for today — best to get the food to your packmates while it's still fresh." Smiling, she would lead her son back home, where he would gift his catch to Lorelai.