WC: 317
total:

With Satoru in tow, Hanako set out with the intention of catching even more fish. By now, as far as she knew, the Armada's pantry was mostly restocked, enough that it wasn't a life or death situation-even with the winter cold breathing down their necks. And still she persisted, willing enough to earn her keep as she bounced across the land with a spring in her fiery steps. She had no real hunting destination in mind, simply followed the coast till she came across the muddy tangles of the Mangroves. She wrinkled her pale nose at the sight of it, wondering whether they ought to just skip around it and keep heading east. But then again, it wasn't as if Satoru was allowed to roam that far, the last thing she wanted was to get into trouble on his behalf. No thanks.

Ever so carefully, she made her first hesitant step into the muck, lured close by the movement at the water's edge. She didn't know anything about swamp or mangrove fish and was a little surprised to have come across something so readily, but there they were: blurred shapes in the water close enough to grab without the risk of getting her paws wet. She hadn't expected to find an easy meal out here but she wasn't gonna let this chance slip by. Not if it meant she could easily get some praise in the process.

She cast a look over her shoulder to the slave and eyed the sack slung over his shoulder, ready to hold their spoils. Doubtless she was going to take the easier role in this, lest her pristine coat got dirty.

"You see those fish? Go fetch some. I'll hold the bag. She reached over and unfurled it from his shoulder. With a paw she opened up the lid and spread it wide, ready to catch whatever he handed her way.

"speech" "Japanese" thoughts "others" When he'd been approached by the pale non-Nippon wolf with a proposition, there was no way the dark coated slave would have been able to turn down the opportunity to leave the borders and explore a little. Fishing with a pretty koi-marked girl, too? Well, that was a bonus. They loped quite a distance from the borders of the Armada, and for a moment Satoru wondered if he could subdue the larger female and make a break for it. She was just as wiry as he, and with limited experience in battle. Then again, she seemed like the type to snitch and have the Warlord hunting him across the continent for the remainder of his days. Perhaps best to simply bide his time. The stench of mud and stagnant water reared before them as they approached the edges of a mangrove swamp, of which the male had seen very few in his days. A tiny scowl crossed his features when the fae led him closer, toeing the line where soil turned to thick mud. Was she really intending to try and fish here? Hanako cast her mercury gaze over her shoulder and wordlessly drew him forth, the waifish male following her line of sight to notice the strange, sleek bodies moving through the murky water near the shore. He felt the bag over his shoulder being pulled away by careful paws, but paid it little heed. It was only when the fae spoke that his gaze lifted from the strange, flitting shapes that were diving through the water and skirting over the mud at the edge of the water."You see those fish? Go fetch some. I'll hold the bag." she demanded, followed by the sound of burlap shuffling as the knot at the top was loosened to unfurl the top. Sea foam eyes cut between her decidedly serious expression and the slimy creatures at the water's edge. "I'm not certain they are fish, my lady." he muttered with a tiny frown, taking a careful step towards the water. Then another, warily eyeing the way the mud coated bodies seemed to grow more frantic without fleeing his approach. Slender skull lowered towards the ground, dark auds lowered warily. The moment his jaws parted, four little fishy bodies came flying from the water to rear up and face off with their own mouths agape! With an undignified yelp, Satoru flinched back and nearly tripped over one of Hanako's paws. "Fuck me!" he cried in his native tongue, staring at the strange little creatures that had leapt from the mud to challenge a wolf at least fifty times their size. (WORD COUNT: 437 / TOTAL WC: 754 / 1500) ;DOWN HERE YOU LIVE FOREVER;

WC: 352
total:1106

Satoru might have had a point, but it felt too late to back down now. To come out all this way only to return empty pawed would make the both of them look bad, and though Hanako was already out of the proverbial doghouse she didn't want to mess things up just yet. If ever again. She understood his hesitation though, but instead of showing some compassion she doubled down and with a flick of her snout gestured him on. How hard could it be? They didn't seem to be moving very fast and were no doubt sluggish from the cold weather. The sooner he scooped them up the sooner they'd be able to leave this terrible, muck-ridden place. It was a win-win for both of them, and Hanako might even throw in a good word his way if she continued to feel so generous.

Except things didn't ever go quite according to plan.

Hanako watched as he went to make a grab for them, the white teeth of his standing out stark against the brackish water. She leaned forward a little, curious, only to flinch in alarm as he surged back with what she imagined was profanity spilling from his lips. What? What was wrong? He nearly stepped on her paw but she was quick to snap it out of the way-and then she saw them. Nasty creatures that didn't look like fish at all now they were slugging along on dry land. Worst of all were their mouths, gaping wide open as though they were ready to devour the earth along with all of its inhabitants.

The stuff of nightmares, and certainly not good for eating!!

Hanako skittered back, dropping the sack as she made to put as much distance between herself and those-those things! She was just managing to hold onto the shreds of her waning dignity and the expression on her face read nothing but horrified.

"Actually you know what, never mind." She was quick to back peddle, pacing away carefully as she could without spraying mud everywhere. "I think you're right, they're probably not even fish...or edible. "

The supple, lifeless form of the burlap bag brushing against his hind paw only added to the shock of the situation, and the poor man flinched away from the touch. As his head whipped around, he spotted and promptly recognized it, and kicked the offending article away. Fucking thing, scaring him when he was already being attacked by mud beasts. When he glanced up to Hanako's she looked about as horrified as he felt, and he was sure his own expression matched hers right now. There was a distinct squelch of the soggy ground underfoot as she took a few cautious steps away, wary of the strange new fish that were eager to push back against a predator. "Actually you know what, never mind." the pale fae announced as she created more distance between herself and their once-quarry. He hesitated, pride flaring in his chest and demanding he do something to save face. "I think you're right, they're probably not even fish...or edible. " she added with a small frown. As much as the egoist in him delighted in being proven right, there was still the underlying desire to get back at the little bastards.

"Well, I don't want it to look like a little fish got the better of two masters..." he muttered, scowling at the mudskippers that were still flaring their gaping maws and slapping their weird little tails against the muck defensively. Lips peeled back, he snarled defensively. Fish weren't deaf, but these ones were certainly unaffected by the threat. Brave little bastards. Dark ears lowered to his head, the wraith stalked forward once more. The mudskippers stood their ground, tails smacking the mud and jaws open wide. Well, if they weren't going to attack.. In a flash of movement, he snapped his jaws shut around the small, squirming body of the nearest one. It flailed, spraying loose mud all over his face, but didn't bite, pinch, or otherwise attack. He flailed a paw towards the bag that he'd kicked a foot or two off to the side, hoping Hanako would get the hint. They'd find out if the stupid bastards were edible soon enough!

(WC: 357 / TOTAL WC: 1463 )

"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2021

WC: 231
total:1694

Hanako supposed he had a point, but still felt as though it was better to move on, to find more appealing fish elsewhere. She knew there was plenty if you knew where to look and this venture had already proven to be a waste of time, so why drag it out even more? Seemingly determined to show the fish-things who was boss, Satoru ignored her obvious show of hesitance and went in for round two. Teeth snapping as he snarled, he grabbed a hold of one and tossed it her way, making Hanako flinch as though struck as she deftly stepped out of the way. It wasn't even close to hitting her but still!

It landed with a disgusting squelch, right next to the bag and-oh. Hanako could take a hint. Most of the time. Her faced wrinkled in disgust as she opened up the bag with one paw and flicked the fish into it with the other, touching it with the tips of her nails as though not to ruin the fire of her paws. She'd never had the displeasure of touching such a repulsive fish before and if she had her way she'd never have to do this again, ever ever ever.

"This one will do. We'll catch something else along the shore." She told him, not quite spelling it out but her desire to leave was obvious enough.