Word count: 213

With a basket handle in maw, Maki was eager to do something, anything that wasn't sitting around and being sad. It felt never ending, the sadness just didn't dissipate as she thought it would. It lingered, malignant, like a wound that didn't feel clean no matter how much she licked it. She had plenty of people who loved her and offered support, hell even Uncle Chi let her drop by whenever she wanted to, but it just felt- well she'd never realised that angst would hurt this much and that comfort only took the edge off. Didn't heal it entirely. In her stories, love had always been enough, so why wasn't it for her? Was she broken now?


Sighing, she trotted to a stop and dropped her basket by the little pot on the fire. She may have...borrowed some mead from Víðarr, but didn't like the taste much, so maybe adding some fruits and letting it simmer would make it taste better? She thought it was worth a shot. Dropping the contents of the mead flask into the pot, she started to rummage through her baskets for the fruits she'd gathered along the way. Mostly had swiped them from the edge of the orchard, but had found a couple of trees elsewhere too.

table coding by bunni ♥

The chimeric pup was out wandering the ravine that day. Sun spindled down from the canopy, twirling beams of sparkling light, casting shadows across the leaf riddled floor. Her dainty paws barely made a sound as she moved from place to place. Admiring, exploring, discovering. Though she had been to the ravine more than once before, she found something new each and every time she was there. Amazed at the beauty of the world around her, Gem barely noticed the much larger and older girl sitting before a fire an pot. It isn't until her companion, Hem, is growling and bristling his fur does she look up from the flower she is smelling. Gem's eyes widen for a moment, head tilting to the side. Oddly enough, the girl looked similar to her. One side white, one side black, but unlike her own cloudy grey sides, this girl is covered in a monochromatic array of spots. Maybe this was a family member? A sibling she hadn't met yet? Gem can't help but wag her tail a few times even though she hangs back a moment. What if it was a trap? Her father had warned her about these things. She couldn't be too trusting or she'd surely be kidnapped. Letting out a quiet bark to get the girl's attention, Gem smiles in her direction. "Whatcha doin'?" Gem asks, her smile wavering as she wonders if its a good idea to talk to a stranger. Gem Klein

wc: 243
total: 456

word count: 240
total: 696 heh

Maki wasn't expecting company, but she could hardly complain about Ashen wolves wandering around their own home. She was a guest after all, Maki could play nice, she always did. She wagged her tail in greeting, taking in the sight of the pup and concluded she had to be a cousin, maybe? They both looked real similar and as silly as that sounded it was a nice thought, of having family that looked like her. Like Maki was a part of something bigger. It was easy to feel alone, when her thoughts spiralled and her head and heart hurt, but she knew if nothing else she would always have wolves to lean on. Either in Ashen or Heiðinn, maybe even Tojo-kai, she wasn't so sure about that one just yet.

"Making a drink." She felt a pang of guilt that she'd yanno, stolen from Víðarr in the first place. She could have just asked, he woulda probably said yes anyway. She eyed the concoction, figuring she ought to light the fire sooner rather than later. Or rather her little ratty did, she had far more nimble hands then Maki's clumsy paws. "Don't really know what I'm doin'," as the random assortment of floating fruits and spices suggested, her little mouse stood on Maki's head, reaching down with a long stick to stir it as the koi-wolf didn't do much to be of use. "What else should we add, you reckon?"

table coding by bunni ♥

Gem is pleasantly surprised when the other older girl responds to her question. She's older and prettier and way over her league so Gem is happy that she's getting to talk to the girl at all. Ignoring the apprehensive glance from Hem, Gem steps closer to the concoction that Maki tends to. Pushing her nose closer to the pot, Gem inhales a deep whiff, her eyes closing slightly so she can take in all the different scents. When her eyes open again, she can't help the little gasp that escapes when she watches the rat scramble down to light the fire before heading back up to sit atop the girl's head. With wide eyes, she watches the similar appearing duo as she moves to sit close by to think about what else they should add. "Hmm," Gem hums softly, her attention turning to Hem for a moment. She had just the right idea for what to add to Maki's concoction! "Go get the berries, pleeeease," she says sweetly to the dog before he takes off into the brush. "I think maybe we could add some blackberries and raspberries? They're very sweet this time of year and there's so many of them!!" Plus it was her favorite berry to paint with. They were soft and pliable enough that they could easily be squished and utilized with her paintings. If it had been spring, the berries would have been too hard, not quite ripe enough that they would've been practically useless and really too full of seeds to be delicious. Secretly, she hopes her idea is good enough because well, she only wants to make friends and screwing up would mean possibly losing Maki. "Don't really need to know to have fun!" Gem says, smiling up at the girl. her tail thumping against the grass a few times. "I'm Gem Klein, by the way. My daddy is Chimera, he runs Ashen. Do you know him?" Her head tilts to the side just as Hem is wandering back with a basket full of red and black berries. Hem moves to place the basket beside the pot so that Maki and her companion could have a good sniff at them as well. Once the basket is set down, the dog steps back and takes a spot to lay behind Gem, just enough to keep an eye on her, but to also stay out of whatever they were cooking up. "Awe, come on, Hem, I know you want to try it!" Gem teases her companion, turning to look over her shoulder at her mastiff whose expression clearly states that he does not agree with her opinion. He gives her a quick shake of his head, muzzle drawing into a taut expression that was to mean business. There was no way she was getting any of that liquid closer to his mouth. "Maki, don't you think he should try some?" She continues to tease as she looks back to Maki, a sparkle in her eye that meant she was trying to be mischievous, but it didn't really feel like it was working. Gem wasn't really the bully type. With the fire crackling loudly beneath the pot that Maki's rat stirred with a stick, Gem was eager to get her berries added to the bunch. As soon as she receives Maki's okay to add the berries to the mix, she picks up the basket and tilts her head to the side. Watching the berries tumble out the side, plopping into the water with little plunking noises, she giggles to herself. Oh, what a funny noise! Once they're all added, Gem sets the basket down and takes a step back for a moment to admire Maki's companion's handiwork. For a rat, Gem is surprised at how well the rodent is using its hands. Did Maki have them use their hands often? "It's starting to smell yummy already!" Gem says suddenly with encouragement, tail thumping against her legs and smile pulling at her two-toned lips. Little time passes before Gem is eager and impatient to give their concoction a try. Stepping forward as the rat stops stirring, Gem looks over to Maki. "Think we should strain the seeds out first?" Her brow furrows in question, trying to think if that would be a good idea. Eh, they could deal with it! Plus, she had helped mash up the chunkier bits quite a lot so it should've smoothed out! Right? Well, Gem would be proven wrong. Carefully ladling a few scoops into a wooden bowl, Gem blows on the warm liquid few times until the steam rolling off of the surface dissipates. Once its cool enough to drink, she takes a few laps of it. That was all she needed before pulling back with a wrinkled muzzle and scrunched up nose. "Oh, it needs something sweet!" She exclaims, ears pulling backward as she grimaces at Maki. "Did I ruin it with my tart berries?" Gem asks, her grimace turning into a disappointed frown. Gem Klein

wc: 833
total: 1529