Things were starting to get interesting. Since they had been around for a few weeks her mom had been getting back into the skill of healing. She had been bringing herbs home and beginning to teach Ulula the art of it. It gave her mind more knowledge to soak up and she really loved it. Plus it had given them something to bond over, which really they hadn’t had that kind of time since the attack that led to her brothers deaths. Of course they had been traveling over water and to ardent to get away from the war that had been unleashed.

Now that she had a bit of a run down on things her mother had decided to send her on a mission to further home her skills as a healer. She had given her instructions on what territory to go to and a what plant to look for. Ulula would have to go off of memory on the plant itself to be able to pick it out, harvest it correctly, and to bring it back home. It was exciting and the yearling felt ready for the task. She was even able to borrow one of her mother’s saddlebags which hung around her neck as she traveled.

Once reaching where her mother told her to go she slowed down and lowered her head as she carefully scanned, searching for the plant she was instructed to get.

“Gotta plan,” a young voice called out in a piping tune.

“Gotta plan.” Two other voices called out, one rusty sounding the other deep and solid.

“Gonna grab us a mouse! N’ then a crabbbb!” Yes, there was a young canine singing nearby and heading in this direction.  The scent was of a coyote and soon enough he came into view.  Above him were two birds circling about.  A blueJay and a magpie were in on the fun.

Nico skipped in the air for the next part of his tune, “nothin better than a huntin togetherrrrrr,” the pitch was actually pretty horrible to hear but in his own mind it was perfect and on point.

“Hunin togetheeeerrr,” the two birds repeated back.

The whole group of them paused on spotting the gigantic wolf.  Nico was only six months of age and the little coyote pup had some growing to do so Ulula looked ever so much the giant to him, and always would be considerably bigger.  The coyote's ears plaster back, wariness flicking on his features.  He knew Jack, and Jack was a real nice wolf but he was also a pup and not much bigger than Nico so far.

“Uh, hi?” The greeting was cautiously given.  Was this a friendly wolf or the type Echo and his mom had warned him about?  The birds kept circling around Nico eyes also on the stranger.  This was their child and both the birds were determined to protect the little coyote pup they had decided to protect.  Neither appreciated Nico wanting to befriend some wolves but they had both given up on the argument.

"Niko"

She did her best to take things slow and to make sure she inspected the plants before her. She didn’t want to risk picking the wrong one or even a poisonous one. She had to take her time not matter how much she wanted to prove to her mother that she had absorbed her teachings. Moving too quick can lead to the simplest of mistakes which could turn into bigger ones if she were to pick a poisonous one. She wasn’t into her search for very long before a cautious statement was called in her direction. Lifting her head her fiery eyes met his bright yellow ones. Then her eyes drifted to his companions before back to him.

”Hello,” she greeted.

She had come in contact with a coyote once. It had stolen the meal her mother had given to her, then her mother took off after it. This time she had no food, and this coyote looked very young. Also he currently did not look like a threat so there was no harm in being social.

”I’m Ulula Praetor,” she added with a small friendly tail wag.

Well, the wolves that decide to eat you probably didn’t give their name and wag their tail first, right?  Nico didn’t talk to his prey before catching it after all.  Nico reminded himself to not to fully trust too early but he did loosen up his muscles as she wasn’t acting mean.

“I’m Nico,” the boy offered back, moving cautiously closer, tail friendly wagging at the same time.  “Whatcha doin?  You eat flowers or something?”  Nico had a tendency to think with his stomach first it seemed.  Anything he looked at it was considered as potential food.

The magpie shot down and whacked his beak against Nico’s head, it looked vicious but it was no more than an angry tap.  “Wolf, wolf!”  

“Ow, stop it Echo.”  Nico shook his head and glared at the bird.  “I can see she’s a wolf.  I ain’t dumb.”
“Dumb,” the bird chirped back.

“Echo doesn’t like wolves,” Nico advised Ulula what seemed rather obvious on its own.  He could add there were a lot of things the magpie didn’t care for but the list would take a good bit of time.  

"Niko"