Neverwinter Forest She don't fuss, she don't whine

Early morning Eydís rose from her den. Lowering to the ground to stretch out her limbs, letting out a satisfying yawn, she then hopped up and shook out her fur.

The air still carried its chill as she searched for @Luhtar, the woman deciding it was time for their hunt. If he were not awake, then the poor man would be soon.

She was not a patient woman when it came to her prey. It was time to eat, time to run. Though some would question if the prey was awake yet either.

yay!!

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Sleep clung to the heavy coat of the pudgy man. Having returned to his little hollow in the mid of night, he'd curled up and faded into a restless sleep immediately. Only to have it disturbed come morning by the faint, approaching crunch of leaf underfoot.

His head perked upwards almost immediately, sleepy eyes blinking at the blurry figure of a woman. His nostrils, ringed by wet, twitched with cautious curiosity.

His worries were quelled by recognition. Eydís! Sleep had been lost on the man suddenly, paws pressing into the earth below to haul himself upwards. He gave his coat, messied and ruined by sticks and leaves, a brisk shake.

"Góðan daginn, Eydís."— Good morning. He hummed sleepily, tail hitching into a quick wag behind his rump.

Luhtar. She responded in gentle greeting.

Eyes searching the man she leaned to take a particularly clingy branch from his fur, tossing it aside. We are still hunting, yes?

Truthfully, the 'we' did not matter. Eydís would go with or without the man. His company was preferred, however.

Maybe she had been looking forward to it - just a bit.

Luhtar’s nod came quickly, almost too quickly, betraying the eagerness he didn’t bother to mask. He was glad to see Eydís again—more than he expected. Their conversation from the other day had stuck with him, a pleasant memory in the quiet of his thoughts.

He leaned forward, pressing his nose lightly against her shoulder in a warm, fleeting gesture before stepping back. His tail swayed faintly as he motioned for her to take the lead; afterall, she was the huntress.

“How you sleep?” he asked, his thick accent softening the edges of his words, the cadence lilting with his native tongue. His eyes followed her, warm with curiosity as they moved. “You feel… good here? Settling in Forneskja?”

He cared to know, not out of duty, but because her being here felt like it mattered—not just to the pack, but to him.

She allowed the momentary gesture. Only a greeting, she told herself.

I feel rested. Her answer was simple, as many were. She began to move into the outer forest, snout lifting to take in the surrounding scents. She felt rather surprised to hear such words leave her mouth - it had been some time since she had slept so well. Forneskja is good. You all have been good to me.

By now, Eydis believed that she would stay. She had found a home in Forneskja - there was no sense in abandoning something so precious.

Her focus, however, was now on her hunt. She was hungry, and she was sure Luhtar must be as well. She wanted big game, something that would feed both of them and more.

Luhtar walked alongside Eydís, his ears flicking toward her as she spoke. Her words brought a faint smile to his face, and his tail swayed briefly behind him. “Good,” he replied, his tone warm. “Forneskja… is lucky for you to stay.” The words were careful but genuine, his thick accent rounding the edges of his speech.

As she lifted her snout to scent the air, Luhtar mirrored her movements, his own nose twitching as he searched for any trace of prey. He stayed a step behind, watching her with a quiet curiosity. “What you smell?” he asked after a pause, keeping his voice low.

Faint. Nearly inaudible.

His yellow eyes scanned the area briefly, his steps careful and deliberate as he waited for her answer. He was eager to contribute but content to let her guide the hunt, more than happy to trust her instincts in this unfamiliar part of the territory.

Her mind was focused on the task in front of her. Ears forward, waiting for a sound. A sign of life. Deer. She spoke after a moment, her eyes turning back to Luhtar.

You look like a strong enough man. She stated, We'll handle it just fine. Eydis was confident, eager, hungry. A single deer should be no issue. They were tough, yes, but they could handle a hoof or four.

She began her trek, head low to the ground as she meticulously tracked the ungulate.

Luhtar’s ears twitched at her words, and a faint grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Strong enough,” he echoed, his tone carrying a flicker of humor as his tail gave a brief wag. Her confidence was infectious, and he found himself mirroring her eagerness, his steps growing more purposeful as he followed her lead.

He let his nose dip to the ground, searching for the faint musk of deer among the forest scents. It didn’t take long to catch the trail—a faint but promising sign of their quarry. His yellow eyes flicked to Eydís, and he gestured subtly with his muzzle toward the direction the scent grew stronger. “There. They pass here.”

Though his instincts urged him to press forward, he held back, keeping a respectful distance behind her. This was her hunt to lead, and he was more than willing to follow her direction. Yet his muscles coiled with readiness as he moved silently, his large frame surprisingly light over the forest floor.

Luhtar’s voice was low, barely above a whisper, as he spoke again. “Close now. I follow you.”

She followed the path laid out, eyes hungry and body close to the ground as she remained hodden in the foliage.

The deer was in her sights now, she could nearly taste the savoury meat on her tongue. She looked to Luhtar, a short movement of her head signaling that they would be moving forward.

Creeping closer, the deer stilled at the slightest sound of leaves rustling or the lightest pawstep. Eydis kept her eyes fixed, and the moment it's movement ceased she shot out from the bush.

The chase had begun.

Luhtar crouched low in the shadows, his broad frame blending surprisingly well into the foliage despite his size. His breaths were slow and even, a faint mist curling from his nostrils in the crisp morning air. He tracked the deer with narrowed yellow eyes, his muscles coiled like taut rope, ready to spring.

When Eydis flicked her head, her silent signal to move, Luhtar gave a minute nod in return. He shifted his weight, each step deliberate, his paws pressing against the earth with practiced care. Though he wasn’t as sleek or silent as Eydis, he’d hunted enough to know how to let the forest cover his presence.

The deer froze, its ears swiveling as it caught the faintest whisper of their approach. Luhtar halted, holding his breath, his focus unwavering. Eydis was already poised, her body a blur of tension and hunger, and the instant the deer stilled again, she lunged.

The explosion of movement shattered the stillness, the deer bounding away with frantic strides as Eydis burst from the brush. Luhtar sprang into motion behind her, his heavier frame crashing through the undergrowth with less finesse but no less determination.

It was a rush of adrenaline. The wind in her fur, the rub of leaves and branches as she ran past, the sound of hooves on the ground. The art of hunt was one she intended to perfect.

It was simple in theory; chase your prey until it was too tired to fight, then bite, bite, bite until it went down. But without the agility, stamina, and patience for such a task, there was no point. One had to be able to swivel around trees and dodge or jump over fallen branches, run long enough to keep the prey in sight, and focus until the job was done.

Hooves were dangerous, a single kick could take you out for a week or two if you were not careful. Eydis kept this close in her mind, remaining a measured distance behind the deer barking and snarling to drive it to continue it's evasion, to scare it away from turning and fighting back just yet.

It was not yet time to strike. Not until the creature had fallen, or found itself too tired to outrun them.

Luhtar followed Eydis closely, his larger frame thundering through the underbrush with far less grace but no less determination. Where Eydis moved with precision, her lithe form dodging and weaving, Luhtar relied on brute force and sheer momentum, his muscles coiling and releasing with every powerful stride. The thrill of the hunt coursed through him, sharpening his focus, though his yellow eyes never left the deer ahead.

He could see the panic in its movements, the erratic way its hooves struck the ground. It was tiring already, but not enough. Not yet. Eydis knew that as well as he did, her barks and snarls urging the deer onward, away from any hope of stopping to turn its fear into defense.

Luhtar’s jaws parted slightly, his breath huffing in bursts as he pushed himself harder. The wind whipped past him, carrying the mingling scents of prey and earth, and he growled low in his throat.

As the chase stretched on, the deer’s movements began to falter, its strides shorter, its breathing ragged. Luhtar’s ears flicked, his focus narrowing as he recognized the signs. The creature was close to breaking, its stamina no match for the relentless pursuit. A glance toward Eydis confirmed she was waiting for the right moment, her eyes locked on the prey, calculating.

Branches whipped at his fur as he surged forward, adjusting his position slightly to push the deer closer to Eydis’s line. His muscles burned, his breath came fast, but he kept moving, the hunt driving him as it always did.

With Luhtar pushing the deer into her path, it only took a final lurch forward for Eydis to grab a leg. Her grip was strong, remaining even as the ungulate continued to move. She had slowed it down significantly, and now her eyes moved to Luhtar. 'Bite. Bite. Bite.'

Her teeth cutting through flesh, she could taste the blood as it hit her tongue. This was not a meal she intended to lose. They would revel in their victory, eat together, and then make a triumphant return to the densite with the remains.

She was nearly surprised of how well things had gone, how well he was able to hunt next to her. They were cooperative, they clicked. It was a new kind of rush.

Quickly, she brushed thoughts of Luhtar aside. Now was not the time.

Luhtar surged forward as Eydis locked onto the deer’s leg, his powerful strides closing the distance in seconds. The deer stumbled, its movements panicked and erratic as it fought against Eydis’s unrelenting grip.

Yellow eyes honed in on the exposed flank, and with a low, guttural growl, Luhtar lunged. His jaws snapped around the creature’s throat, the impact sending a jarring tremor through his body as they both hit the ground.

The taste of copper filled his mouth, hot and sharp, as the deer thrashed beneath him. Luhtar’s grip was ironclad, his powerful muscles working to keep the animal pinned.

Its struggles began to weaken, the sharp kicks of its hooves growing sluggish. Beside him, Eydis held firm, her snarl a constant rumble in the background.

It felt like a whirl of teeth, hooves, and growls each time, and yet Eydis was confident in their success.

Soon the cries of the animals stopped, breathing slowing to a halt as it lay beneath them. Only then did her sharply locked jaws release. Satisfied, her tail waved as she looked to Luhtar. Yes, he was a worthy partner.

Good. Her words were blunt, but it was a compliment at the very least. No half-baked advice or stumbled words. Just.. good. A smile was even offered.

He met her gaze, noting the faint curve of her lips—a smile, genuine. For a moment, it caught him off guard. He hadn't expected it from the woman. His own lips twitched slightly, a faint smile tugging at the corners.

“You too,” he breathed out, sides billowing up and down as he fought to catch his breath.

The hunt had been seamless, their movements aligned in a way that felt natural, instinctual. She was fast, calculated, and bold—a perfect counterbalance to him. He wouldn't be opposed to hunting with her again in the future. Perhaps soon.

He shook out his thick coat, dislodging flecks of dirt and the faint spray of blood that clung to him.

“We take what we need,” Luhtar let his gaze drift back towards the woman. “Bring rest back. Let Forneskja see our worth.”

She gave a nod to signal her agreement, giving Luhtar a gentle bump to the shoulder before settling down to chew on a leg. They had always been her favourite. She was not too hungry, and would likely only take a small amount.

Looking to Luhtar, she gestured to the stomach of the deer. That is what most prefer, yes? She asked. Take it.

He had done well, he deserved to eat the part he wished for. A good hunter deserved a reward equal to his skill.