The Heartwood With an Angel's Face

Amalia stepped into The Heartwood, where she had first met her new leader. She settled down and stared at the contrasting place. She had visited the Neverwinter Forest had seen how beautiful a forest could be all alive, she had known, though even this one had riled even her families forest they called home.

This dead thing fascinated her. She could see the former beauty if she looked hard enough, and small living plants would snake up through the dirt and ash where it could. Many would look at such a thing and feel a bit sad, but she felt resilient, alive. 

This place showed hope, showed renewal, that was something the often overly optimistic she-wolf liked. She liked happy things, good things, fun things. If something could grow in such a dead place, well it meant that things were meant to thrive, and that made her happy.

tags for ref!

he told @Tytonidae he was going out for a hunt and departed before sunrise, agouti form picking a slow but nimble course across the pasture. but he was tired by the time he was in the woods—he was eight years old, after all—and soon sat panting beneath the charred boughs of a similarly old tree.

you and me both, he muttered to the blackened trunk, before he realized he wasn't alone.

aditya would have thought it was tytonidae if that wasn't completely impossible. then he remembered radha, and his throat clenched tight. but no—

why so many black-furred, green-eyed women?!

hello, adi called out, friendly and unthreatening, hoping not to take her off-guard. do you suppose anything worth eating lives around here?

work post

Amalia was startled from her reverie and turned towards the friendly voice. She tilted her head and listened.

He was older, an elderly gentleman. Agouti fur with well defined muscles. He was healthy. It spoke well for the area. She dipped her muzzle down. 

Theres always rabbits and squirrels. They can live anywhere theres little grass and though it looks pockmarked life peeks out around here.

he smiled at the answer, a brief puff of air escaping his nostrils in laughter.

would you like to help me hunt them? he asked, turning his head slightly to one side.

it would benefit them both. even a rabbit torn in two would feed tytonidae, who needed to nurse their fiercely nursing duo. he could starve for the while. he thought.

he stood, breathing slowly. i smell more squirrels here, he remarked, eyes instinctually climbing the trees. if they could wait and startle a few. . .

.

Amalia smiled herself. Laughter was always catching to the midnight she-wolf.

She moved closer her tail wagging. I'd love to. I love to hunt. You can take what we catch though I already ate.

Amalia watched his eyes climb and she mimicked his movement. The chattering going silent as they realized death walked here.

How would you like this to go?

hmmm, he pondered, tail swishing thoughtfully behind him. i still have my size, but you have much more speed. if you hide. . . 

aditya gestured toward nearby brush. your pelt will blend with the shadows. if i can startle them downward, you might be able to lunge and catch one?

he'd been trapping small game his entire life for survival; he knew the odds were against them. but at least they were two and not one, which helped their chances if only slightly.

he cocked an eyebrow. sound like a plan?

Amalia listened closely, her eyes darting to the spot he had pointed out. She would blend in well there. And she always relished a challenging hunt. She hadn't been the best hunter, until she had been on her own. Then it became commonplace for her to chase the smaller creatures.

Sounds like a plan.

She moved forward and into position, body low to the ground, her black pelt dipping into the shadows, green eyes alight ont he nearby foliage, Body poised and ready to leap from the small spot.

aditya was not a hunter. he'd never had much luck with hunting. he looked to the girl to strike first, watching her taut muscles, admiring the way she studied the landscape.

she was young enough to be his daughter.

everyone was, now, he supposed.

he sighed softly and flattened himself out further, waiting for woodland creatures to descend from the trees.

Amalia was a bit confused. She had thought he was startling them and was catching, but perhaps she was wrong.

So she bounded forward a growl in her throat. She snarled at the tree, the squirrels chattering and sniping. She startled them enough that they ran down.

Now it was up to Aditya.

im cool however you want to do this roll or non.

lmao Amalia is not confused, I just can't remember my own writing plans. rolled a failure for adi

aditya had one of those 'senior moments.' and by senior moment, i mean his human architect dropped the ball and so instead of his snapping jaws scaring the squirrels, it was up to amalia.

whoops.

but she did her duty, and he soon found himself with one of the chattering creatures headed straight for him.

it ran right through his legs.

there's another headed your way— adi called out, breathless from the sudden rush of adrenaline.

No worries <3 rolled a fail too.

Amalia was distracted adn distracted partners made for poor partners and it was clear as the other missed his squirrel and she was so distracted by his failure, that the squirrel coming towards her was able to leap and then across her straight to the tree.

She stood glaring up at it, but she shook her head, and put her nose to the ground. No she would catch something.

Maybe a rabbit will be more easier to catch? The tree rats are being difficult.

tree rats, he replied with a chuckle, rueful but amused. theek hai, let's try it then. lead the way, huntress.

perhaps they would have better luck this next time. aditya was more than happy to try something different if it meant a good meal. and besides, the girl was good company.

he wished her well when they eventually parted ways.

do you want to fade this out since old?

Hunting was not on their side tiday. Amalia managed to catch a rabbit. Which she offered to Aditya and then she too would be on her way for more fruitful endeavors she hoped.

At least his belly would not be empty. That was a small comfort for the obsidian.

certainly <3 )last from me thank you for the thread.