Not Moving On

She still had her duty to the band, and maybe she was falling short on that but she was doing enough at least. They had all been so distant, maybe not from each other really. She remembered a time when they were all together, she cooked them dinner, and she felt like they were a big happy family. Sure they all needed to heal from both their physical and emotional wounds, but it seemed at least to her that that was the happiest time of their lives. Their lives. Not hers. She felt strong and sturdy as the group and family they were, she did it for Indigo. But her happiest days, her happiest moments were when it was only he and her. Even while the others were still occupying a different part of his heart. A heart that he didn't truly have for them.

Venturing to the Whistling Willows, she had a long line tied tightly along two pegs. She had more plans to dig a pit, set the line up so that the animals she would hunt would stumble over the trip wire and fall into the pit. But as her paws pressed the pegs down into the ground keeping the line tight across and marking her length of the pit, she realized just how out of shape she was. She didn't get out to hunt as often as she used to. She almost felt like she hadn't recovered from the birth of the pups, both physically and mentally. But it felt like that had been so long ago too. She occupied her time in different ways rather than her responsibilities, that or the depression had just taken over her days.

Pulling her shoulders back feeling like she had run a marathon already just from the travel here, she then moved forward and began to dig the pit starting at a corner. She did wonder what kind of prey would be nearby. Knowing this was one of the lusher areas of the west she knew it would be a stop for most. Though after The Long Night she expected prey to be scarce or at least a little smart to hide rather than wander and be vulnerable in desperate times.

Hunting Seasonal Prompt
Total Word Count: 372 words
Word Count Goal: 1500 words

"Duchess"