Gifts are tricky things

*Naiche* · 04-03-2021, 01:32 PM

Naiche knew what to do in regards to Asla for once! One moment he felt certain she’d like his gift, the next his belly would twist with worry that despite his confidence she’d be wrong and he’d even look silly for trying. It didn’t matter as Naiche preferred action to wasting time in pointless thoughts and what-ifs.

It wasn’t going to be the fastest present but it would be doable. Stopping by his old den he took the best of the furs there and had Pan help balance them on his back. The next part would have been easy in a normal spring but was a pain-in-the-tail in the current weather. Naiche made his way to the soulless forest. Even before he entered the forest the sunlight had been a weak thing as it was hidden behind snow clouds that threatened another snowfall but so far luck had held.

Inside the forest, the snow was still there but the tree’s trapped a lot in their boughs so a much smaller amount was on the ground, and traveling a bit easier. Naiche took his time, while the snow wasn’t as thick it did a great job of hiding branches or holes in the ground that could easily trip an unwary wolf. Eventually, he came to her tree and all its bone decorations. Time for the work to begin.

“Alright Pan, you know what to do?” Naiche had never expected to find a little non-wolf companion that he'd like. Pan was perfect and the little guy was happy to help. The little Pangolin liked Asla. He also enjoyed the tree's out here, hopefully when the weather was better they could spend lots of time here.

Pan nodded, hopping off Naiche and climbing up the tree with a hide. A hole had been put in a corner that the pangolin could slide a leg through and he made his way up a good 6ft or so to a stable branch. The pangolin took the blanket and looped the hole in one end to stick around a smaller branch that broke away from the large one. The plentiful vines were then used to sew one side of the pelt in place. The pangolin came down partway to get another pelt from Naiche and take it up the tree, this one was connected across two branches. So the two continued setting up the pelts until they had made a stable tent using pelts, branches, and vines to keep it in place. It was long enough that it a wolf could lay stretched out, though only with a few inches to spare and a bit shorter on the width. All the tree branches above should help protect the amount of snow that landed on the pelts so that it shouldn’t weigh them down overly.

Pan climbed down the tree and as Naiche kicked out the snow that was inside the little tent Pan used his powerful claws to pull out a few roots and dig up some fresh dirt that would be dry with the snow having never touched it. Once it was all done Naiche stepped back to consider his work. Admittedly someone who practiced the crafting arts could have made it look neater but Pan had done a pretty good job tying and sewing in the pelts to the tree so that they would hold, and the branches Naiche had used as pegs on the ground likewise appeared sturdy. He’d take Asla out here and let her enjoy her tree while remaining dry. He couldn’t keep all her decorations free of snow, but they could occasionally be cleared off. Naiche cleared off a bit of snow from some knowing a new coating would be there later, but less than if it was on the old snow.

Naiche still wasn’t the master hunter that Asla was but he did manage to find a pair of snow rabbits to bring back to the little den. Dinner. Once it was all set up Naiche and Pan hid in the little tent and enjoyed a bit of rest. Whenever he scented Asla he’d go out to meet her a short distance from the present so he could point her to it to see her reaction.

She was sure to like it! Crap, what if she didn’t? He was going to feel really stupid if he’d done all this work and she didn’t like it. What if she didn’t like how it made her tree look? What if she thought it ugly or silly? No, she’d like it. Hopefully. With concerned thoughts in mind, Naiche lay his head down to rest noticing that Pan had already fallen asleep.

"Naiche"

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