The horses were back again and this time, little Fin was prepared to take that autumn foal down. He’d realized that he was not only vastly outnumbered but outsized and just generally outmatched, and so rather than try for a physical takedown of brute force he knew he needed to be a bit sneakier. He’d swiped a few ropes from Fireside’s stores - they had a bazillion of them, they wouldn’t notice them missing, right? - and got to work settled in the grass to try and figure out how exactly the adults in his pack used them to catch anything. He held the rope between his feline paws, tilting his head and staring at it from each angle. Occasionally he’d grab a bit of the rope in his mouth and try and tug it around itself, but in the end it fell apart into a loose puddle and not a knot. The familiar buzz from above caught his attention and he glared up at the visiting hummingbird, almost certain the thing was taunting him. It took only a feisty growl to send the small bird fluttering back away, and he returned his attention to his would-be-snare. "Speech" "Thinking" "You." table art by nightauctor

Ysmir mostly stayed by the barn, setting his sights on prey that was attainable to his young paws. He’d seen the buffalo from a distance, but had little desire to try his luck with one of those great beasts. Rats, opossums, and he was debating about the raccoons, were all in his ability. Buffalo and horses were not. Still, big puppy paws carried him through the grasses and knolls towards his brother’s presence.

The boy was silent, at least from his mouth. He was quickly getting bigger and his whereabouts were easily given away by the sounds of the grasses being disturbed. Bright dual toned gaze quickly found Fin’s form and the rope at his paws. With a tilt of his head Ysmir gave his sibling a curious glance in silent question. What was he doing out here?

The familiar pawpads from behind had Fin giving a glance over his shoulder to acknowledge his brother's presence, but his attention went immediately back to his attempt at tying the knot. He had one back paw outstretched from beneath where he sat to hold a portion of the rope, his forepaws working on another portion, and occasionally he bopped his nose down upon the rope to try and hold it steady but each time the knot broke apart. "Ack!" He grumbled. Then he remembered Ysmir and gasped, standing and spinning to face him. "Can you help me?" His brother wasn't much of a talker, so Fin didn't wait for a verbal reply. He grabbed the rope and moved forward, shoving it towards Ysmir and attempting to loop it beneath one of his elongated canines. "Stand still, 'kay? Just hold this for me?" While he worked he explained the goal, and if Ysmir held onto the one portion he could work at trying to loop the rope over itself while his brother held it. "I'm making a snare. So that something steps in it, gets stuck, and then we can kill it together okay? Everyone will think we're the best of all of Fireside after we bring home something like a horse." "Speech" "Thinking" "You." table art by nightauctor

Fin was far from quick with his answer, but if the young hunter was anything it was patient. He lowered himself to dark haunches and watched his brother’s work before he turned to him again. Bright dual toned eyes searched his brother’s features as his presence was remembered. The other pup was going to need help. Brows raised and a head tilt were the only answers given and Fin knew he wouldn’t get much of an answer anyway so was already talking.

He did as he was bid, but straightened his head as his brother explained and began his sorcery. With the rope looped around one elongated fang Fin explained further. This would be a snare and they were going to prove their worth with it by catching a horse. His surprise was shown in the way his eyes widened slightly. He could hardly dream of bringing home a horse, but maybe they could with what their brother was proposing.

A hint of a whine left his throat in protest though, and with one free cat paw lifted to his throat he made a strangled motion. He wasn’t sure how to get the loop high enough even if they could find some brush big enough, but if they got its neck they wouldn’t even have to work very hard to kill it.

Tyrfing was used to Ysmir and his silent ways, his gesturing, and how to work around it and understand him anyways. What else were siblings for, if to not understand each other's innermost thoughts? "We'll find a way to hang it on a tree or something, somewhere high up." He decided after a moment, still working to tie the knot in the rope. After watching him struggle, his hummingbird descended from above and snatched the end of the rope from Tyrfing's jaws. It looked heavy for the tiny thing, but he still managed to fly it over towards where Ysmir held it, and with it's body weave it through the hole. Fin quickly stole back the end as soon as the hard work was done, and worked to tighten the knot his companion had made.

"What do horses like to eat, like more than anything else in the world? We should figure that out, and then hang this in a tree with their favorite food near it. When they reach their necks up to eat it..." Fin did his best dramatic performance, arching his neck like a horse grazing up high before feigning capture. His paws lifted to his throat as if an invisible rope was around it, and he pretended he couldn't grasp air. Then after a moment, he collapsed onto his side with his tongue sticking out -dead.

Fin had no trouble deciphering what the silent boy had to communicate, not that his siblings often did. His brother’s words were confident and quick as he explained his idea further. They’d find a place to hand it up high just like Ysmir was envisioning. The boy might have nodded in affirmation but he didn’t want to mess up the knot that was being tied as the tiny hummingbird helped the boys out. Ysmir wondered for a moment where Barenziah might have gotten off to. The young gyrfalcon had just learned to fly and keeping her close on a regular basis was difficult. The boy couldn’t blame her though, if he had wings he’d want to fly all the time too.

Tyrfing went on and asked what Ysmir thought horses might like to eat. Dual toned eyes widened slightly, uncertain of the answer. He wasn’t even sure what his favorite thing in the world might be to eat. Careful not to mess up the creation of the snare he shrugged a little, but ran his cat paw over the grass at their feet. He always saw them eating grass so could he say horses favorite was grass? But he’d also seen the older pack members feeding their livestock fruits. The animals seemed to go crazy for apples. ”h..app..l.” The boy whispered almost incoherently.