Blacktail Deer Plateau you're gonna wanna be my best friend, baby

The pond was recovering from the trauma caused by Ying and @Clementine. The holes were filling in with thin layers of ice, easily broken with a touch of pressure. The cracks had been sealed, but the huntress was hesitant to test them. 

She wandered along the water's edge, looking aimlessly into the depths.

she'd stayed rather far from the pond since that initial day, but time had a way of dulling the sharp edges of fear. eventually, it had mostly been forgotten, save the memory of that fish drew her near once more. she is not alone; a familiar face drifts along the pond's edges. "ying?" she calls in quiet greeting, tail swaying already.

The huntress looked up from where she stood. Clementine was approaching, her little frame worthy of a wide smile. Hi, Clem, Ying called back, Wanna hunt? She was getting better at common, if only for Aningan's past help. 

Her gaze shifted back to the ice. A flash of silver elicited an excited giggle.

ying is certain more upbeat then when she'd seen the woman last; clementine's smile widens in turn. she supposes it might have something to do with not having to drag her out of a frozen pond, this time. 

the woman's proposition is met with an eager nod, gaze following hers when a giggle escapes her maw. "could you teach me?" she requests, nervousness canting back her auds.

She'd never considered herself to be a good teacher, but she hadn't been labelled as a bad one, either. Ying gave the question a moment's thought before offering a shrug of her shoulders. Sure, she told her, Can you do a thing for me? 

I want learn more Common. You can teach me, and I teach fishing. The deal seemed fair enough; Clementine was a native speaker, and Ying was a born hunter. Neither would have to step too far from their comfort zone.

the proposition sounds fair, and she agrees with a nod, stepping closer to the edge of the pond to peer into the depths there. fragile ice has covered some of the places they'd left bare, but there still remains a good amount of open water. 

"ok—should we, um, just talk, then? and you could tell me about fishing." a normal hunting lesson, then, just with more talking. an idea strikes her, then, and she offers, "I could tell you some cool words I know, too." 

Cool words! Ying exclaimed. She thought about it and added, I have trouble with stuff, like...'do' and 'to'. I not know how I put this. Her voice slowly levelled out as she spoke and shifted her focus back to the water.

She stood and walked a few steps around the perimeter of the pond. A yip was sounded for Clementine to follow so that she could see the huntress in action.

After making sure that her student could see, Ying said, Watch for when he is almost at the top. Timing was key; it was the factor that often ruined a hunt's potential. Then, be quiet, and... — a snap! as she broke the water's surface and rearose with their first catch — Fish!

her tail lashes at the woman's excitement, proposing next, "ok - I'll try to use those words lots, so you'll know what to do." she begins carefully, mind already working at the possibilities. at the woman's call, she follows, and eager student as she first listens keenly, an excited whine slipping from her muzzle when the huntress makes her mark. 

"I'd like to try, please," she admits, tail wagging still. an effort to calm herself, as she would before every hunt, and then she steps near, wavering near the edge of the bank. "how do I stand, to catch the fish? and how do you know, when to grab for one?" she questions carefully, words slow as she tries to fit as many to's and do's in as possible.

Sure. She snapped the fish's spine and tossed it toward the bank, then stepped out of the way so that Clementine might take her place. Ying listened carefully to each question before answering. You stand this way — lowered to the ground, legs bent and ears flat for the dive — but when no ice is here, you stand this way. She stood upright and straightened herself, turning her head downward as if looking directly into the water.

Clementine was alone on the ice now. Ying had moved out of her way, so that the student would have enough space to begin her attempt. When the fish is almost up top, and you see maybe, some shiny...then you bite. She would wait for further questions before settling to gnaw the head from their first catch.

---

After their quick lesson was finished, Ying nodded her goodbye and picked up the scraps to bury in a nearby cache.