Herbalists' Cache with my eagles t-shirt hanging from the door

@Masquerade! Sorry for the wait!
Set after this thread.

Eshe had managed to pull down a large branch, and the fruits of her labor were plentiful. But, while finding an oak tree and collecting its leaves was what she had set out to do, she quickly realized she couldn't carry all of it in her mouth. It'd be a waste to leave so many of them behind.

She had had the benefit of proximity when picking herbs at home, but now that she had nowhere, and no cache, to return to, she was in a pickle—especially since it was getting dark.

Eventually, she decided that a pouch would work best. But what material would work best? Using a leaf would be quick and easy to make, but it would be less durable. On the other hand, a pelt would last longer, but it'd also take more time to craft. It'd be a no-brainer if it had been earlier in the day, but she was quickly losing light.

"You know," she murmured, studying the pile, "I don't think I even have time to find a leaf big enough for all of this."

Eshe didn't want to sleep in the open—there had been a few suitable and abandoned caves she'd found earlier in the day—but if she wanted to collect them all, she might have to make sacrifice her comfort.

They found it difficult to concentrate, though Masquerade forced themself to leave Avicus’s den to hunt down some supper for their mother and siblings. Their (admittedly distracted) tracking led them due south toward the plains beyond the rise, though the scent trail led came to a dead end at their far side. Masque paused, tail flicking in agitation, trying to figure out their next move.

They thought they heard a voice speaking softly in the forest over yonder. Masquerade went very still and listened, though they heard nothing more. They raised their reddish snout into the air, sniffing after a scent. They were on edge due to the recent uncertainty in their pack’s hierarchy, their golden eyes flicking around rather more defensively than usual.

Someone was nearby—Eshe could smell them. She lifted her head, sniffing the air, and turned in the direction where the scent came from. She had also smelt the pack-scent a while ago but had yet to consider whether or not this territory was their hunting grounds.

Her stomach dropped as she combed through the overgrown landscape when the thought came to mind. 

"Hello?" she called, "I'm not here to cause any trouble." She held her breath, waiting for a response.

From what they could gather, there was a single, middle-aged she-wolf in generally good health nearby. If she was alone, then who had she been talking to? Motionless, Masque pondered this but decided they did not care enough to investigate. They turned to depart.

“Hello? I’m not here to cause any trouble,” a feminine voice said from much closer at hand now, prompting the Caru to freeze and swing around toward the sound.

A large, thin gray wolf materialized from the cache’s underbrush. Masquerade’s gaze swept over her, catching a glimpse of honeyed eyes set in a freckled face, before averting their own eyes to the side. They didn’t want a confrontation, though they hesitated as they considered the woman’s words and her presence here.

I don’t think there will be any trouble, Masque said, ears folding. My pack lives there, they added, motioning toward the rise to the north, so you’re not too close. I’m Masquerade, by the way, they offered a little awkwardly, not really one for small talk.

Eshe turned as Masquerade spoke and searched for them until she spotted them within the tangle of the underbrush. Although her view was obstructed, their mask was striking and stuck out against the contrast of the greenery. Her gaze lingered on their marking for a beat longer than what would be considered normal; they had reassured her that she was fine where she was.

She only glanced away when the news of the nearby pack piqued her interest. "I'm glad that I'm not infringing on your packlands," she said with a smile, her tail wagging.

"I'm Eshe. Nice to meet you, Masquerade." Their name was as unique as their markings were. 

Eshe sensed the edge of awkwardness in Masquerade's introduction, and she happily took charge of the direction of their conversation."Random question for you," she began, "I'm trying to transport a bundle of plucked oak leaves, and I have no idea how to transport them. Do you know if there are any large leaves in the area that I could use to make a pouch to carry them in?" She figured the other wolf would have a better idea than she did.

They shifted their weight a little, expression unchanging as Eshe provided her own introduction. Masque supposed that once they exchanged pleasantries, they could be on their way back to the rise and Eshe could continue whatever it was she was doing here in the cache.

But then she tried to engage in conversation. The Caru stiffened, feeling quite out of place. They listened, though, and gave her question some critical thought. Masquerade did not concern herself with plants very often but she knew someone who did: Ashlar.

They thought of that night when they’d transported eggs. But this entire situation was different. Besides, Eshe had asked a very specific question: did Masque know of any trees that produced leaves large enough for her to fashion a pouch?

No, they answered honestly, hesitating for a beat before adding, but I could help you look.

Masque was a hunter, so some of those skills would translate into the search. Whereas their sense of smell was their primary tool when it came to tracking prey, they figured they would largely use their eyes in this endeavor. Already they dropped, scanning the immediate forest floor, though they saw nothing.

Meeting Eshe’s eyes briefly, they began to move, continuing to scour the ground for any large leaves. Meanwhile, the cogs in their mind turned a little, wondering if there wasn’t a better solution to this problem.

What if, they said after a short silence, we caught a small animal—a rabbit or squirrel—and cut it open so you could stuff the leaves inside it? That would be easy to carry.

Masquerade offered to help despite their palpable discomfort, and Eshe couldn't express how much she appreciated it. "Thank you so much," she replied, her eyes warm with gratitude. "And if there's anything I can do to return the favor—just let me know."

Their search started, neither of them speaking, and she began to look high and low for anything she could make into a pouch. Not too long after they began, Masquerade had an idea. She turned towards the other wolf, considering the suggestion. It wasn't a bad idea—especially if she planned on carrying a heavier load of supplies—but she had some questions.

"So I would carry the herbs in ... it's stomach?" she started with. She wasn't sure if storing the medicine within another's body would have any adverse effects.

Eshe didn’t look entirely convinced, asking if they would stuff herbs in the animal’s stomach. Masquerade pondered this for a moment, then shook their head. They looked around as if wishing a dead rodent would appear to demonstrate, but of course that didn’t happen.

Not exactly. I was thinking we would make a small cut in its belly and stuff your leaves in there, alongside the stomach and the rest of its organs. It might be a bit messy but you said they were oak leaves, right? I think they’re tough enough that they wouldn’t fall apart. You could wipe them off after you pull them back out.

It sounded like it would work in theory, though of course it could be an entirely different thing in practice. Masque found themself wanting to try, though. They hunted primarily for meat, secondarily for skins at times. Never before had they captured prey with the intent of using its corpse as a makeshift purse.

Masquerade explained their thought process and gave Eshe a clearer picture of how they could make it work. It would be messy—she couldn't deny that—but the structure's integrity was appealing. Especially since she was living on the road.

"You're onto something with this," she said after a thoughtful pause. "It'd be much more durable than I thought would work."

Eshe began planning the logistics and decided: "I'm thinking a squirrel would work best for now, but I may try a large hare in the future, depending on how this goes." She looked at them with silent inquiry in her eyes, wondering what they thought about the idea.

The idea had merit, if Eshe’s reaction was any indication. She said she would prefer to experiment with a squirrel. Masque nodded, thinking it was very pragmatic to start small. If it worked, Eshe could always “upgrade” later.

I’ll help you, they said, even more willing to assist now that they would be hunting for fauna rather than flora. Between the two of us, it shouldn’t take long to catch a squirrel. I think we should split up, try our luck in different spots. When one of us catches something, we can come back here and call for the other. Does that sound like a good plan?

Congrats on 100 posts!

Thank you so much! Sorry again for the wait.

Masquerade offered to help and suggested they split up to find a squirrel. "Sounds great," Eshe agreed with a nod. "I'll see you soon." Without another word, she turned on her heel and headed in that direction. Before she was out of sight, she turned and looked over her shoulder to say, "Thanks for the help!"

The trail that she decided to follow weaved through the woods. She could tell the squirrel was young, healthy, and carrying some blackberries. Hopefully, if it was eating when she found it, she could catch it off guard and quickly kill it.

Eshe found the animal enjoying its food just out of reach on a low-hanging branch. She frowned, not at all pleased with her discovery.

Eshe agreed with the plan, quickly disembarking to begin her hunt. Masquerade watched her go, tipping their snout a little when she turned back and thanked them. Their ears then splayed as they considered which direction to head, ultimately deciding to follow a straight line in the opposite direction.

They moved like a ghost through the unassuming forest, the tip of their long tail twitching as they sifted for signs of small game. There was so much undergrowth here, it was hard to discern a fresh scent trail. Masque nosed past countless berry patches and clusters of mushrooms, wondering if squirrels fed on them or stuck to acorns.

When Masquerade finally came across something worthwhile, it couldn’t have been more different than the sweet-cheeked, bushy-tailed rodent they sought. Their marigold eyes trailed along a long, naked tail to a disheveled salt and pepper pelt. The critter turned to look at them from their perch atop a mossy log, beady eyes peering from a ratlike face. Its long snout parted to reveal sharp teeth.

The opossum was rather ugly and it was no squirrel. But the young wolf lunged at it, catching it by its tail as it scurried toward a small hole in the top of the log. It yanked free at the cost of about an inch of said appendage, vanishing inside the dead tree. Masque thrust their snout into the hole, then sprang to the side, looking for a proper entrance into the deadwood.

It was small, though the yearling squeezed into it and snapped their jaws at the opossum huddled just out of reach. When it froze and pretended to be dead, it did not deter the hunter. Masquerade shoved further into the log, scraping their whole body in the process, but eventually managed to get their teeth on the creature and drag it, screaming, into the open.

It landed a couple solid bites on the way but as soon as Masque could manage it, they found the opossum’s hideous face and wrapped their jaws around it, crushing it into oblivion.

Unlike Masquerade—who seemed to have things under control on their end—Eshe wasn't successful. She frowned to herself, watching as the squirrel nibbled away at its lil treat, as she considered her next move. Climbing the tree was an option, but it wasn't a risk she was willing to take. Another option was to go and find another scent to follow, but she didn't know how long that'd take.

Eventually, Eshe decided to go with an option required the least amount of effort. She tipped her head back and howled to Masquerade to ask: "Hows it going?"

Alerted by the noise, the squirrel perked and then bolted up the tree, leaving its meal behind.

Belatedly, Masquerade remembered this wasn’t just your everyday kill. Their jaw went slack and they let the carcass drop to the ground, the opossum’s face absolutely mangled. The rest of its body remained intact, though, so hopefully Eshe might still make use of it.

Masque licked the blood from their lips, frowning thoughtfully. Was this critter too big to serve Eshe’s purposes? Her voice rose into the air right then, prompting the Redtail to snatch the dead marsupial out of its pool of blood and begin carrying it toward the sound of their acquaintance’s howl.

I know, they said the moment they dropped the Virginia opossum at her feet, it’s not a squirrel. If you don’t think you can use it, we can always eat it. But it may be worth a try. I’d just, Masque continued, putting a toe against the animal’s soft underside, rip a small hole here. Maybe we could remove some of the organs to make room before we stuff your leaves inside.

They paused and glanced at her face. Eshe seemed the type to go with the flow, yet just because Masquerade had some ideas and suggestions did not make this their project. It was hers, so she should make the executive decisions.

Masquerade didn't respond, which concerned Eshe. Was everything going okay? Did something happen to them? Time seemed to slow as she waited silently, awaiting any indication of their status or an update.

When they arrived, she released the breath she'd been holding and looked between the hunter and their prey. Although it wasn't a squirrel, Eshe felt they could make it work. But, for now, her mind wasn't on their project.

"Are you okay?" she breathed, looking them up and down as she stood. "I got so worried about you when you didn't respond!"

Eshe’s concern made them blink and reply, I’m fine. I just had a dead opossum in my mouth, their lips curling into a little bit of an amused smile before adding, I’m very interested to see if this works at all…

They dropped to their haunches, expression expectant. Of course Eshe should do the honors, though Masquerade would be happy to pitch in if she needed their help with anything further. The hardest part would be making the incision in the animal’s belly large enough to accommodate the leaves without accidentally tearing it open, spilling its contents and rendering the carcass useless for her pur(se)poses.

Eshe chuckled at Masquerade's reply. "Well, I'm glad it was because you had the possum and not because something happened."

When they reclined and looked expectantly at the possum, her attention turned to the project before them. It was intimidating, to say the least, and she wasn't sure how to go about this. "Do you ... have any idea how we should do this?" Eshe sat and curled her tail around her forepaws a she closely examined the body. She glanced at its face and a shiver ran down her spine; it was brutal.

Eshe’s question stumped Masquerade, in part because they’d already described what they thought she ought to do. The Caru tried to read her body language, noting the way her brow scrunched as a small shiver went down her spine. It seemed she was not keen on performing the task.

Allow me, they answered simply, thrusting out a paw to pull the carcass closer.

They turned it over and examined its belly, then realized why Eshe had hesitated at this step. The hole ideally needed to be small and neat, yet the implements at their disposal—teeth and claws—were not exactly intended for surgical precision.

I’m just going to… they decided aloud after a moment’s study, bending and nipping a chunk of loose flesh with their front teeth.

Holding fast to that pinch of skin, Masquerade brought a free paw into the picture to hold down the corpse. They then ripped forcefully, hoping to tear a small opening in the animal’s belly. It didn’t quite work like that, though. Masque did pull the flesh apart, yet the hole was crude and much larger than intended.

We should let it drain, they said as blood and viscera spilled out of the opening, and then pull out anything else that’ll fit through to make space. After that, you can try stuffing in your leaves. Sorry, it’s a bit messier than I’d hoped.

Eshe breathed a sigh of relief when Masquerade offered to see out the task at hand. "Thanks. I feel like I'd ruin it—my paws aren't as steady as they once were," she said, relieved and thankful.

Eshe watched with bated breath as Masquerade forcefully tugged at the skin until it ripped open. The opening was crude, but they had managed to do the job better than she would have been able to. "It's alright," she said, watching as everything drained from the tear.

Then, as the thought struck her, she asked, "Have you done anything like this before?"

No, Masquerade said, pausing to ponder and then laughing lightly, I can’t say that I have.

As they reflected on their myriad hunting experiences—none of which had ever required this relatively delicate touch—a frown pulled at their lips. They thought of Avicus, her leg injured and her title compromised. Masque swallowed, thinking of the pups who were counting on them to provide now that their mother couldn’t.

What were they thinking, wasting so much time on this idle project? Masquerade had enjoyed Eshe’s company well enough but they needed to get back to the rise, preferably not empty-handed.

You can take it from here. I have to get going, the yearling said, a little sad they wouldn’t get to see the end result but much more anxious about their family at the moment. Sorry to rush off, I just… I have to go. I hope it works out, Eshe. Goodbye.

And without further delay, the Caru loped back toward home, hoping to hunt up something on the way.

"I'm surprised," she admitted. "You seem like you could do this in your sleep." Eshe was impressed.

Their conversation continued; although hunting wasn't her favorite subject, she enjoyed it. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Masquerade said, "Sorry to rush off, I just… I have to go. I hope it works out, Eshe. Goodbye." Eshe frowned; she hoped their leaving was because of something she'd said. "No worries," there were many worried, "Thanks for the help."

Left to her own devices, Eshe tried following Masquerade's directions and failed spectacularly. She had managed to knick the intestine, and the project was ruined as far as she was concerned. Frustrated, she stress-ate and nearly ate the entire carcass herself.

When she was done, she left behind the giblets for the scavengers and searched for a place to sleep for the night.