It was a lazy day that led Triss to the creek that flew from Waterfall Peak towards the pack she called home. At least here was a territory she could explore without being too far from what was familiar to her. She didn’t know how to swim, but that didn’t stop her from entering the brisk water. She kept to the shallows of it, and kept an eye out for fish.

She still didn’t really know how to catch them, but she managed to get one by fluke once before. That victory outshadowed all of her failure, and she was determined to manage it again. Soon, rather than later, if she could. She splashed a paw lightly across the surface, watching the fish dart away from her as she smothered a yawn.

"Speech"

okay, so maybe they hadn't been given express permission to go this far from Armada territory...but no one had ever said they couldn't, either! which was its own kind of permission, surely? regardless, Araneae is ridiculously pleased with the sight they stumble upon: a stranger (new person to meet!!) catching fish (yum!) with their own paws! (how cool!) heedless of the consequences, they break into a trot and rush down to the water's edge, splashing loudly into the shallows. their noisy gait likely disrupts many a fish, but it's a concern far from their youthful mind. "hi! hello!" they call out, cheerfully boisterous. the stranger is dark in colour, with glowing markings and an odd tail. woooah. "what are you doing? are you fishing? can you teach me?" "Speech"

This time, Triss recognised the smell of Armada almost instantly. This was the third wolf she had stumbled on from that pack while exploring Waterfall Peak. But this would be considered the neutral ground between her own pack, and those wolves. So perhaps she shouldn’t be too surprised. Clearly, they were a curious lot as well.

She smiled somewhere in the vicinity of this wolf's paws. Missing their strange eyes in the process as the shy girl smiled at them. “Hello” She said “Are you a Fatalis by any chance?” She asked. So far, all the Armada wolves she had met had been. “And I’m sort of trying to fish. I don’t actually know how” She admitted a little sheepishly.


"Speech"

the girl's warm reception only buoyed them further, and Araneae practically skips through the water to their side. their tail slashes an energetic trail through the current, sending up a torrent of droplets. "what's a Fatalis?" they inquire, head tilting in question. "well, whatever it is, i don't think i'm one - i'm a Spider!" they grin good-naturedly, oblivious to the misleading nature of such a statement. at the girl's profession that she does, in fact, know how to fish, Araneae sighs."oh, i see..." their ears droop, momentarily disappointed - before perking up again with the excitement of a new idea. "how about we learn to fish together?" they turn their gaze to the water below, scanning it with a brow in concentration. "it can't be that hard." "Speech"

Well, she hadn’t expected them not to know what a Fatalis was. Considering her current pool to work with was two out of two wolves were of the Fatalis family, she thought they must be fairly big. “Well, Fatalis is a family name. I’ve met two wolves from the Armada who had the last name Fatalis” She explained. This wolf - Spider, as they called themselves - was also the first one she had met that didn’t tower over her. In fact, they seemed a remarkably sensible size.

“That’s actually what I was attempting to do. I’d love some company, however” She said. Some of her natural shyness melted away in the face of their obvious youth and excitement. “Here, lets see if we can see any fish” She suggested. Her eyes already falling back to the water. Water that was remarkably free of fish. But then, Spider had been splashing rather enthusiastically just now.

"Speech"

Araneae bounces on their feet, practically glowing with enthusiasm. this girl was cool! she was nice and willing to let them join in - and she wasn’t a huuuge giant like everyone else (no offence to Bas, whose piggyback rides more than made up for it.) more to the point, Araneae wanted to impress her! squinting down into the water, they try their best to keep still, straining to remain stationary despite their obvious excitement. after a moment, a shadow floats by in their periphery - and Araneae perks up immediately. “there!” they hiss to the girl, angling an ear. they turn minutely, poised and ready to pounce. vaguely, they have very faint memories of Ex-Mum trying to fish…wasn’t there a lot of slapping involved? “i think you just gotta…there!” shooting a paw forward, Araneae tries to scoop the shadow up with a lightning quick move, letting out a triumphant cry as their claws strike something. unfortunately, that triumph is short-lived. “aw, shit,” they grumble, scowling at the soggy piece of bark hanging from their paw. "Speech"

Triss’s eyes moved through the water until she found the fish that Spider was pointing at. She saw the glimmer of pearly fins, and then found herself blinking rapidly as Spider thumped a paw against the water. Sening water flying. She didn’t realise immediately why her new friend sounded dejected. She blinked water from her eyes, and squinted at what was in Spider's paw.

Once she realised, she started laughing. The shy girl found herself giggling so hard she was choking on it, pointing at Spider's paw. “Great catch, Spider!” she spluttered, before getting control of herself. “Are you going to take a bite?” she asked, another titter escaping her.


"Speech"

Araneae’s mouth works open and closed, unable to settle on any one expression - amused, angry, embarrassed, wry - until finally they give up and just settle on fixing the girl with a quirked brow, attempting to emanate an unimpressed air. “ha ha ha…very funny.” but the more they look down at the sodden piece of bark, the more the absurdity of the situation hits them…until their shoulders begin to shudder and laughter wracks their frame, giggles exploding forth. “thanks,” they chuckle, puffing out their chest in mock pride. “this’ll keep us fed for days!” still snickering, they toss the bark onto the bank and nudge the girl’s shoulder. “okay, your turn! let’s see you beat that.” "Speech"

She looked across at the younger pup, and then grinned again when they finally joined in the levity. Tossing in a joke of their own as they began to laugh. She snickered a few more times, and then paused as she needed to take in a few slow and wheezy breaths. Her heart fluttered as her crystal-induced asthma warned her that her laughing was going to cause a fit. After a few slow breaths, she felt the squeeze in her throat lessen.

She turned back to Spider and the water around them. “Beat one the size you got? Hmm… lets see” She said. Her movements a little more careful as she looked around the water. She held still, watching to see what came around her. “Ha!” She said, slapping a paw forward above where a fish was swimming. She felt a claw grip scales, but the motion of her overly-excited smack carried it over. Before she knew it, her fish went flying. Smacking Spider across the face.

"Speech"

Araneae watches eagerly as the girl jabs a paw into the water, eyes widening as they watch her paw graze the slippery, scaled body of a passing fish. they lean closer, so far in that they almost topple over and fall face-first into the water. catching themselves last minute, they miss the leaping of the fish - but they definitely feel the wet smack of it across their face, sending them reeling back on their hind legs while they bat harried paws at their face. a comical squawk leaves their mouth, followed by a wet spluttering as they flail through the water, scrabbling for purchase. it takes a few heartbeats for them to scramble to their feet, shuddering as water drips unpleasantly off their pelt. baffled, they gaze wildly around in an attempt to gain their bearings...then snort when they catch sight of the girl's fish lying on the bank behind them, having landed there after Araneae batted it away. a shocked laugh chokes out of Araneae's mouth, urging them to meet the girl's gaze in order to share their mirth. "well...that's one way to do it!" "Speech"

Trsiss could only watch in horror as the fish flew through the air in what felt like slow motion. Inching towards Spider’s face as she was powerless to stop it. The fish hit them with a wet sounding smack, and Spider clearly flailed in surprise and shock. She raced forward, ready to offer some support to the wolf she had accidentally assaulted. Before she could, Spider rightened, and their eyes directed Triss’s to the bank. Where their prize lay, motionless on the bank. Wait, she had actually managed to catch a fish? Even if she had used Spider’s face to do it.

She raised a paw to her mouth, caught between shock and amusement. “I… I’m sorry Spider” She said, choking back a laugh.


"Speech"

Araneae snickers, though a part of them is rather proud of the girl. she technically caught something, after all! “that’s ok! now we have something to eat!” they lick their lips at the very thought, stomach rumbling. “that is…if you don’t mind sharing.” casting a doubtful glance at the water, they track the silver shapes still flitting through the water. maybe they could catch their own if they really try…and a part of them does want to try again, now that they know fishing really was possible! but their stomach is grumbling and it really has been a while since they’ve eaten, so they turn big eyes up to girl and blinks hopefully. "Speech"