Do you know what happens when chickens cross roads?

Modesty was hopeful she wouldn't have to go through a raid again any time soon, leave that to the brawlers. Her stomach twisted in knots over Siduri's state and she hadn't had a chance to look over the other kids yet. A fucking polar bear. Really? In this climate? She gave her head a small shake. The sooner they got this shit done, the sooner they'd be back to Sakana's bungalow to get the kids patched up. Mud caked her long fur uncomfortably and she wasn't sure the swim back home would be enough to clean it out. When Gil worried about them overstaying their welcome, Modesty gave a warning growl, squatting right then and there to leave a mark, right leg lifted ever so slightly off the ground in defiance, dragging her pads through the soil for good measure sending grass clumps and mud spraying out behind her. She didn't give a fuck what they thought.

Modesty was sure she looked like a puffed-up cat when she turned her dual-tone gaze to the pet, slightly arched spine, all quills and hackles and a bottle-brush tail, canines exposed with her half snarl. She hoped the girl knew it wasn't aimed at her, then again, knowing her she would probably think it was, but there was nothing for it. Jael was the livestock expert, Modesty had no problem with her taking the lead here, but with these two, she didn't feel the need to be so put together. Jael would figure it out one day. She exhaled sharply through her nose, a chuff of acknowledgement and a nod. If the girl wanted to tangle with a rooster, she was welcome to it.

Naked legs a plenty once she got among the birds, there were some set apart that obviously held more sentiment than the others and while the desire was there to do to those birds as they had done to her daughter, for flinging a rock no less, she would be the better wolf this once. There would be time for that sort of pettiness later. They had come for resources, so they would take what they needed and go home.

She was no herder, and her frustration only grew as she tried to separate out the birds, but they kept flapping their wings and scattering inside the makeshift coop. “We might have to let them out and sort them as we go.” At least gathering up the cast offs wouldn't be her problem.

“Speech.”