A wild sow dug lines in the dirt with her snout. Her piglets clustered at her side, wary and watchful even at their tender age. The sow knew they knew to be cautious, as they had already lost one brother to a quick snake strike, and yet another to a hungry raptor, falling from the skies to snatch the child before it could even squeal.
The sow’s great, hairy ear twitched, then stood straight when a squealing cry rang from the bush. A wounded piglet. Quickly, she scanned over her children, not noting any differences, but the squealing came again. And again.
The mother moved, roaring into the brush.
The huntress moved.
The sow would come back to one of her children missing, and Tinúviel already long gone, meal hanging from her mouth. She picked her way across the isle, one ear listening for the mother in case she followed. She found a spot, warm in the afternoon but not too warm, and settled where she was to enjoy her ill-begotten food.
The sow’s great, hairy ear twitched, then stood straight when a squealing cry rang from the bush. A wounded piglet. Quickly, she scanned over her children, not noting any differences, but the squealing came again. And again.
The mother moved, roaring into the brush.
The huntress moved.
The sow would come back to one of her children missing, and Tinúviel already long gone, meal hanging from her mouth. She picked her way across the isle, one ear listening for the mother in case she followed. She found a spot, warm in the afternoon but not too warm, and settled where she was to enjoy her ill-begotten food.
June 11, 2024, 10:17 PM
While he had lost all of his supplies from the ambush, the territory he had found nearby was bountiful with useful herbs. He had been quick to bathe in a river, then set to scoping out marigold flowers and chervil and mixing the small amount and applying them to his wounds. The thieves had only managed to give him surface level scratches; none had been deep enough to be fatal, though he knew his fate would quickly turn should one get infected.
It had taken a few days to collect the plants and find a spot to mix them but finally, satisfied with the patchwork of poultices and leaves he had applied to his legs and sides, Quentin then continued on his trek inland.
It was the loud, repeated squeal of a piglet that had him diverge from his path, and the scent of blood and wolf led him to the sight of a two-toned woman peacefully enjoying her meal. A dangerous game to play, taking young from a wild pig.
Quentin made sure to approach from her front, and made every attempt to appear as weak and pathetic as he could be to ensure she didn't see him as an immediate threat. She could be the charitable sort, for all he knew. "Why, what a lucky find," he complimented, hobbling forwards with a wide smile. "Well done."
It had taken a few days to collect the plants and find a spot to mix them but finally, satisfied with the patchwork of poultices and leaves he had applied to his legs and sides, Quentin then continued on his trek inland.
It was the loud, repeated squeal of a piglet that had him diverge from his path, and the scent of blood and wolf led him to the sight of a two-toned woman peacefully enjoying her meal. A dangerous game to play, taking young from a wild pig.
Quentin made sure to approach from her front, and made every attempt to appear as weak and pathetic as he could be to ensure she didn't see him as an immediate threat. She could be the charitable sort, for all he knew. "Why, what a lucky find," he complimented, hobbling forwards with a wide smile. "Well done."
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