wet behind the ears

WORD COUNT: 816
These days Kuroki didn't really have much patience for lessons and sermons, more often than not slipping away before the adults really got into the thick of the boring stuff. Learning new stuff was fun and all, and yeah some stories and culture stuff was fun to listen to, but Kuroki was a busy kid. There was much to see and do, things to sniff and places to explore, he didn't want to waste his days away like his sisters. All sitting prim and pretty, doing as they were told. He had no clue where his hog had gotten off too, no doubt was shoving his nose in the muck in search of roots and nuts, but the same couldn't be said for his loyal akita. She trailed behind him as the little prince wondered the wilderness, edging closer to the Rio as his ears took in the sound of rushing water. His kite soar on high, above the treeline, occasionally letting out screeching calls to remind him she was there. No doubt ready to swoop back to Ashen and tattle on his ass if he took things too far. Kuroki rolled his eyes.

The ground was soggy and sodden beneath his paws, mud squelching between his toes as he drew near to the riverside. The water that rolled on by was an earthy, almost greenish-brown hue, nothing like the crystalline waters that surrounded his home. Kuroki had never been fussy about his looks, only did the bare minimum to keep dirt and tangles out of his coat but the thought of taking the plunge in water that brown made his nose wrinkle. Still, his gaze was soon drawn in by grey silhouettes beneath the surface, their fins swishing and swaying as they struggled to swim against the current. It didn't take a genius to realise that last night's torrential rain had caused the river to swell and nearly burst its banks. Fishing here probably wasn't a good idea, but there were fish right there and the little prince had always liked a good challenge.

Grinning, all wide and toothy, he ignored the mumbled protest of his companion as he squared up to the bank. Though the fish were close enough to see they were swimming about in the middle of the river, well beyond the reach of a wolf. Pursing his lips in thought he glanced idly about, his tongue brushing against the inside of his sabres as he searched his brain for a solution. Back home Ashen used all sorts of nets and contraptions to fish off the shore, pulling in massive bounties that filled their pantries for weeks. He was certain using one here would net him a fish or two, maybe even ten but there was no way he was hauling ass back home just yet. If he was gonna fish then he'd have to cook up a new idea on his own, use what he had at paw.

Rocking back on his heels, Oki titled his head back and squinted up at the canopy above. Maybe he could snap off a branch and sharpen it into a makeshift spear? That would certainly make up for his lack of reach. Nodding to himself he bounced to the closest tree and used his talons to claw his way up to an overhanging branch. From the ground below his akita whined deep in her throat, her brows furrowed as she watched the young prince grab a hold of a stick and haul with all his might. It severed with a satisfying crack and Kuroki dropped to the ground with an inelegant thud.

Using his talons once again, Kuroki sharpened the tip to a point and held onto the stick in the middle. It was a little unwieldy, more awkward than he'd imagined, but the pup made do as he ambled back to the riverside. Standing to the side so he could hold it straight, Kuroki held the stick tight as he made his first jab at the water. He expected some resistant, a sort of squish as he impaled a fish but when he pulled back he realised he hadn't caught anything. Hadn't even gotten close. Muttering beneath his breath, Kuroki tried again, angling his neck differently, so his thrust would have more force. He missed again. And then again till he was gritting his teeth in frustration.

Letting out a snarl he snapped his neck like the cracking of a whip and felt the tip of the spear meet something soft and fleshy. He yanked it back throwing the fish onto the shore as it flopped and gasped to breath. The wound was shallow, just enough to hook on but it didn't matter as the momentum had helped him pull it off. Placing his paw atop the fish as though to claim his prize he shot a smug look at his akita. Easy.