Emberwood Huntress

Paws of ebony and ivory tore up the ground as lithe body of smoke and ash shifted through the forest. The leaves dappling the colors of her pelt in many hues, digging into her skin. Leaving shadows where they breathed across her flesh like little tiny fingers.

She liked it here. There was a melancholy to her. Lucius was now gone. Anja was gone. What was a girl like her to do. So she sought out a way to make the pain ease. Something, anything to keep her mind as busy as her body and with that she went in search of prey.

She could fill their caches, and feed their bellies. She could fight and die to keep her pack safe, but she couldn't keep those she cared for close and it rankled.

She settled into a prowlers stance and nose down to find a scent of some kind to hunt.

He noticed the young wolf hunting. A lithe female and despite younger age, seemingly well seasoned in the art of hunting. He watched her from afar, not sure if she had yet caught the scent of prey, and not wanting to mess her up if she had, or even if she hadn't.

He stood where he was, just watching, hoping to stay unnoticed. Though he himself had been a hunter for years he rarely watched others perform it. And it was probably different from wolf to dog.

Inkeri didn't notice being watched. So intent upon the prey she was following. She hadn't determined as of yet, what it was, but it was something to fill their caches. Though she may need to fill her belly first, as she felt a low cramp of hunger tighten along her rib cage.

Paw step after paw step she closed in on the creature. And with a soft growl she pounced. Head snaking towards the squirrel that was foolish enough to leave it's tree. Sharp teeth caught behind it's neck and she bit hard and gave one swift shake. The bones along it's spine breaking, and it hung limply from her maw.

After watching her make the catch, Hershey revealed himself. Stepping out of the shadows he was blending in with, the lean chocolate lab appeared. "Nice catch." He said, congratulating her. And he had noticed how the way she hunted differed to his own. His paws were too clumsy and teeth too dull to make a catch as easily as she had.

He then dipped his head in a friendly greeting, his lean and underweight figure showing he too was struggling slightly from malnourishment. That along with his posture and the friendly tone he carried hopefully would show his friendly intentions.

Inkeri jumped and dropped her catch as he revealed himself. Her body shaking momentarily, but she got it under control.

You startled me. Me.

She eyed him. He seemed to mean no harm. But he seemed underfed and undernourished.

She pushed the squirrel towards him. You hingry?

"Sorry." Hershey said genuinely. He was afraid he'd startle her. But he hoped, and seemingly was correct, that once she saw him she'd no longer be frightened.

"Don't worry about me. It's your catch, so your food." He said. Sure he was hungry but with winter coming, everyone needed what they could get and he didn't want her giving him her catch.

"My name is Hershey." He said, realizing he hadn't introduced himself. "I'm a Labrador, which is a breed of dog, if you don't know." He explained.

is okay. she murmured. Though there was a shiver underneath her fur. A latent taste of fear still there at the back of her throat.

Inkeri pressed it towards him again. I am from pack. Not lone. You eat. Or I can hunt with you?

She could offer him that, couldn't she to hunt?

Inkeri is mine. Mine. Am wolf

Hershey still shook his head at the food. "no really, I'm alright. give it to you pack. the young, or old, or sick, or something." He said. "I can hunt for myself when I need." He assured her, and also made sure to back himself up there a little bit, because he didn't want to seem weak or unable to care for himself. "Save your strength for your own hunting. You do yours, I do mine." He added, declining her request to hunt with him.

"Inkeri is a pretty name, for a pretty wolf." He said, not flirtingly though, just complimenting.

He again denied her gift and she gave a soft nod of her head. Very well, she would not offer again. She pulled it towards herself and tucked it towards the ground. It seemed a shame to not hunt with another, it would be more food, but she wasn't about to argue the point, when he was adamant.

Thank you. Your name is not one I am used too. Is it from a different language?

"I'm not sure where my name came from. It's unlike any name I know either. My siblings and parents were named after nature-like things but I was given the name a Human's Pet would have. I was told it was the name of a sweet treat brand Human's like, but something that could kill a canine." Hershey explained.

Inkeri eyed him and spoke. What is a human?

She had not heard of these things. Were they predators? Creatures that would still children at night. A sweet treat.

Like berries?

She was puzzled and it beetled her brows together.

"Right, so I'm a wild dog, but a lot of dogs are owned by Humans. They are like predators. They will hunt and kill wolves and often dogs as well. But they are afraid of us and kill out of fear. If a dog is not owned by the Human they do not like them, but Humans love dogs they own." Hershey explained.

"As for my sweet treat name, I guess it's like how berries are for us. Something you love but can't always have, that you also don't need." He explained.

Ink placed a paw to her head. that is confusing. Confusing. Why fear us? ARen't they bigger?

Most dogs and wolves were not large. Inkeri herself wasn't the largest of the large. She was average she supposed.

who says you don't need berries? They can do many good things for your body.

"yeah, they fear us because we can bite them and we're strong. But they can kill us easily." Hershey said.

"And yeah, not quite like berries then. But sort of. Kind of like if you eat a berry just for the sake of its taste and not really caring how it affects you." He said.

Inkeri listened ears back. They sound frightening. I do not like them. Them.

She tilted her head and dipped down unsure. This makes sense. Berries can poison you.

You need a home, Hershey?

"Yeah, i dont either. neither did my mom. they kicked us out of their home when I was a tiny pup. my sister died because of them." Hershey said sadly.

"yeah, kinda like that. too much of it will hurt them and make them sick, kind of like a bad berry will." he said.

"I kind of wander on my own a lot. I don't mind it, but I do miss having others around." he admitted. "Haven't lived with my siblings for a long long time" Hershey added.

My sister Anja is gone, missing. I understand this pain.

She nodded. Her heart clenching at the thought of her sister. And the new fresh pain of Lucius leaving. But she tried to push it down. Far far down.

I live that way. Way. Kvarsheim. You decide want home come there.

Hershey thought about it. He wanted a family and others around, yes, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to be in a pack. He didn't know if he always wanted others around, since he wasn't that social.

"Can I think about it and get back to you?" He asked

She saw him thinking it through. That was fine, this was not to be rushed. She nodded.

Yes you think. Think. Come back tell Inkeri.

She saw him thinking it through. That was fine, this was not to be rushed. She nodded.

Yes you think. Think. Come back tell Inkeri.

"Can I meet you again here, say tomorrow around this time?" Hershey asked. "if not, where can we meet and when?" he asked.

She nodded. Yes. I will be here. Here.

She tilted her head and then blinking turned to leave. Safe travels. Travels.

Hershey smiled. "Meet you here this time tomorrow. Farewell for now, Inkeri." He said.