Now that spring was here and the weather was a bit more forgiving, she was even more eager to get her youngest pups out into the world a bit more and let them experience more of what Boreas had to offer. She had already taken a short trip or two with Mariah to visit some of their allies so she could learn from their healers so now it was Malico's turn. Her aspiring hunter had been exposed to what was arguably a more difficult form of hunting on their mountainous island home, going after mountain goats and traveling over uneven terrain, but she thought there was a specific kind of difficulty found in hunting out in the open too that she thought he could learn from.

They certainly could have found flat land closer to home, but she enjoyed taking her son on a little trip just to add some extra fun to what would otherwise just be a lesson. They crossed into the wide open plain of tall grasses and she paused near the fringes where the grass wasn't quite so thick. It seemed that this plain really had regrown into its full, plush glory with the absence of the Armada. "Here we are," she said with a smile as she glanced over at her son who was growing far too fast for her liking. "Care to take point and see what prey you can find?"

"Manea Mendacium"

The warmth of spring is a welcome friend and, along with the sun, prey animals have become more plentiful. When his mother had approached him with the chance to go out beyond the borders to hunt prey, Malico had been eager to accept. Together, they traverse the lands, easily making it to the place where the long grass grows wild. A breeze rolls across the stalks, making them ripple like the waves of the ocean. Manea turns toward him and the boy’s attention immediately snaps to her, ears perking as is eyes move to mouth.

At her words, the boy’s tail wags loosely at his hips and he eagerly says, “Okay!” Eyes are bright with determination as he turns toward the grass, pulling in a deep breath through his nostrils. Within the span of a few seconds, Malico’s brain filters through the scents, picking out the familiar prey animals and determining which one was the closest. He had seen buffalo before when a herd had passed by the borders of his home and their scent has stuck with him. Now, he finds them again and he signals for his mother to follow him.

While the animals are huge and usually tend to gather in herds, it is worth checking out since spring means new babies. Silently, the pair move toward the animals, making sure to stay downwind of the herd. Soon enough, they find an area of flattened grass and the boy skirts the edge, using the tall grass to remain hidden. While he moves, Mal scans the animals, searching for a youngster who has strayed a little too far from the safety of the herd. He finds it and stops in his treks, looking to his mother before inclining his head in the young buffalo’s direction. A brow lifts in silent question.


"Malico Mendacium"