I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Curiosity drew her farther south into the hotter climates and hunger and shade lured her into the mangrove. Birna crouched upon the maze of roots eyeing the fish that swam in and out of the maze of foilage, some of them seemingly blissfully aware of the predator that lay in wait above them. She was a patient creature and would wait for a larger fish before striking. The electric current in her paw pads was exceptionally useful for fishing even if it was a prey source she rarely partook from growing up in the mountains. She looked up now and again to keep an eye on the various predators. She'd seen a few caiman as well as electric eels. The eels she would pass on, some of the smaller caiman she might be able to predate upon if she really felt like getting that wet.


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Nami found herself spending a lot more time than she'd originally planned her, but she quite like this strange waterlogged forest. She'd never been a huge fan of wooded landscapes in general but she'd never seen anything quite like this. Here land and water intersected, trees and their roots growing despite the streams that flowed freely between the patches of dry land. Gleefully she hopped from one patch of land to the next, her attention only diverting from her little game when the scent of a stranger touched her nose. It was not wolf, but... intrigued she zeroed in on it, giving the cat a friendly grin as she drew closer, wading through a patch of water to head her way. "Are you fishing too?" She asked conversationally. She'd never fished with a cat before but she presumed they were pretty good at it.

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna watched the fish, her eyes focusing on a foot long black sea bass. That would do, if only it would come a little closer. She held her paw lightly above the water as she waited for her prey to get a little bit closer. Her ears flicked back at the sound of something approaching and she risked taking her eyes off the fish to see a wolf approach. She seemed friendly enough. "Yes, I am. Are you fishing for anything in particular?" She looked back to the water, watching the fish continue to swim about. The black sea bass was coming closer now. "Dibs on that one." She declared extending a claw toward the fish she intended to snare.


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Her presence didn't seem entirely unwarranted, which she was glad for. Nami moved with grace through the water opposite where Birna was fishing, trying not to disturb the water too much. Given how close they were to the ocean, this area wasn't terribly still anyway, so she didn't think she'd be ruining her hunt. "Nope. Whatever I can find," she admitted with a soft laugh as she leapt up onto a patch of soggy land, near the roots of one of these mangrove trees. She kept a good distance from Birna still, out of politeness more than anything. She didn't like others hovering too closely while she was trying to fish, at least most of the time. "I'm Nami, by the way," she offered, hunkering down to scan the water and look for something of her own. She had her eye on a smaller fish - maybe a perch, it was hard to say with how it was dipping between some nearby tree roots.

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

"Birna." She offered her name back to the wolf called Nami. Her focus returned to the fish as the sea bass got closer and closer. Her whisker's shifted forward, her tail twitching in her eagerness. So close, and then finally the fish was within grasp. Birna's paw struck water, the electric shock from her paw pads zapping the fish and slowing it down as her claws lanced its body, her dexterous paws enabling her to flip the fish up and into her mouth where she secured and slew her prey. She wandered farther inshore, making sure she would not lose her prize. She settled her paws on it before speaking softly. "Do you often fish here?"


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Given a name in return earned a wide smile from Nami. "Birna! It's so nice to meet you," she greeted her, glad for some company no matter what species they might be. It mattered little to her who her companions were. She wasn't really like most of the wolves she'd met anyway, at least not the ones back home. That was why she'd left to begin with. She nearly jumped as she saw Birna snatch a fish out of the water from the corner of her eye. She swore she'd seen a little zap - or maybe heard it? She wasn't quite sure. Eyes widened for a moment before she refocused on the water, finding the perch that had been lazily swimming nearby and diving in to snatch it up. She returned back to shore with her own prize, ensuring it stopped wiggling before she laid it down at her paws. "Lately! I'm not from around here, but I've been staying here for a bit now - I like it here. What about you? You're not from around here, are you?"

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna hid her fish nearby. She planned to eat it soon but it would take more than one fish of that size to satisfy her hunger for the journey ahead. She leapt back up onto the roots and approached the edge of the water again. Her eyes landed on a sizeable gray snapper and she waited once more, engaging in small talk as she watched the fish.

Birna shook her head in response to Nami's question. "No, no. I'm from very far up north but I wanted to explore more of this land. It's a bit… hot down here for me but I am glad for the shade of this location. I'm used to seeing wolves in packs. Are you ought seeking to form your own?"


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Nami trained her eyes on the water, searching for a second fish to add to her own pile. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Birna pushing hers aside, but she thought little of it. Before long she saw another flash of green-grey beneath the surface and she struck again, snatching one up fluidly and adding to her little collection. Her mouth was already beginning to salivate at the thought of devouring them soon. "Right, right," she acknowledged with a little nod. "No, I don't think so. Kind of a free spirit myself. Don't like to stay in one place for long," she admitted with an almost sad grin. She was flighty and hardly dependable, driven largely by her own whims rather than any feeling of needing to pull her own weight anywhere. Packs just weren't for her.

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna's whiskers twitched as her head lowered closer to the water, one raised paw hovered just above the surface like a strange furry log as she waited for the fish to grow closer. Bugs buzzed around her, her ears twitching every time one landed there but the rest of herself she held still, waiting for the gathering of insects to lure her prey closer. The fishing wolf explained that she wasn't out to start her own pack, rather that she was a wanderer of sorts. Birna spared a curious glance at Nami before focusing back on the fish. "I see. That is common of my kind but I did not know there were wolves that shared that sentiment."


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Two fish was enough for now. Eating small meals throughout the day like this was common for her. Sinking down to her belly on the patch of dry ground where she stood, she began to tear into one of the fish she'd gathered, bones and all. The small fish had tender flesh that she swallowed easily before lapping the remnants from her lips. "Not too many, it seems, but I was raised that way. My people are fishers - we go where the fish do," Nami admitted with a bright grin. She moved on to the first fish she'd snatched, eating it just as quickly as the last. "I ought to be going now, but it was nice to meet you, Birna. Good luck fishing!" She offered a little nod of her head before setting off, away from the direction Birna was facing so as to not disturb her fishing session.

-exit Nami-

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna's attention shifted back to the fish as it swam closer and closer. The tip of her tail twitched and as the fish swam closer she darted her paw into the water, zapping the fish as she scooped it out and flung it onto the shore. A minute later she was on it, using her fangs to rip the gills so it would bleed to death faster. It was time for the wolf to leave and Birna nodded. "You as well, I wish you luck on your journey." With the pleasantries give it was time for Birna to enjoy her fish feast. She settled down and began to eat, seeking to move swiftly lest the smell of fish guts attract bears or other rival predators.

-end-


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