Whittle Away the Time We Have

She managed a wry smile at his joke, through he seemed anything but thick-headed. At least he wasn’t pushing her boundaries. His attention moved to the elk, and he turned even this into a lesson. Despite herself, she listened with rapt attention. The more she knew, the more self sufficient she would be. It was better this way.

She leaned a little forward, watching without getting too close. He definitely looked like he knew what he was doing, peeling away the skin, flipping it over and doing the same to the other side.

She blinked in surprise when he offered her the coat. He had done the work in preparing them for her, and now he offered them to her as a gift. It was a treasured gift, too. She didn’t have any pelts in her den, and the nights could be cold. “Thank you, Alastor” she said softly. For the pelts - and for not pushing. The last was said with her eyes, which managed to meet his again.

She sat on her haunches while he pulled apart the meat. She expected him to eat then and there, but instead he collected the pieces and moved to the side. She realised, with a little tinge of shame and relief, that he did so to give her space. She moved forward into the space he had left her, and admired the pelt. The fur was quite soft, but she could wash it with soaps and dry it, and it might become softer yet. “I’m ranked lowly in my pack at the moment, but the more I prove myself, the sooner I'll get to advance. I intend to present it to my Alpha, proof of my learning” It was a lot more truth then she would have given him before the hunt, but he had earned it. She might be afraid of being up close and personal with another wolf, but she was beginning to trust him. To like him, even. There was a rough kind of kindness in him. “Did you want to keep the antlers?” she asked, tapping them with a paw.

"Speech"