Jiro may be a tad lost. Just a little bit, not a lot. He would swear he knew where he was. Promise! Eh, maybe not so much. Not that it was his fault. That new pack that he hadn't realized had taken up post in Wraith's Woods had gotten him all turned around. He had been on his way to go see if Imogen wanted to spend the afternoon with him, but his detour around this new pack's scent and territory had led him the wrong way. The intent had been to go west, but east. Ugh, why hadn't he paid attention during those navigation lessons? He could have at least paid attention to the basics! Dumb boy.

Oh well, at least he could keep going around the woods and eventually start heading west toward the falls where Imogen mentioned candy grew. Which was cool and crazy, but he'd have to get there first. Dang, he was thirsty. Mm, did his ears hear running water? Enticed by the thought of quenching his thirst, the monochrome boy changes direction once more and follows the sound of drumming water until he sees the water cascading over the sloping ground. He wastes no time to rush over and fill his belly with water, but once he's done, he finds that it's not enough. There's a grumble now that indicates he's also hungry. Should've eaten before I left. Jiro chastised himself, plunking his butt down away from the water's edge, practically within a bush.

There was sign of woodland birds in the area so maybe if he waited long enough, one would appear. Light colored gaze watched his surroundings as he waited patiently and silently in his little hiding spot. Every so often, he would hear the flutter of wings, but had not yet sighted them. Hm, were they perhaps not here by the falls, but somewhere else close by?

word count: 316/1500

Asheila had often wandered the lands closest to her home, The Hallows, but she wandered the more southern lands of Auster just as much too. Recently she was around the castle pack with no intention of residing back inside. It was all mental, and it had nothing to do with anyone but herself. She didn't know how to get past the hump in the road since she returned to The Hallows, and that was ages ago. At this point she felt like the answer was outside. And it seemed like she was no longer in danger.

She had stayed at the falls for a few days at least, some wolves would walk through especially if they were heading to Boreas. But she remained pretty secluded and kept herself out of sight for the most part. Today would be different as she walked along the river banks and spotted a young boy half in the shrubbery nearby the water. She stopped and stood for a moment, watching to see what he was doing because it seemed he was focused on something. And then she would realize he was staring at the birds of the falls. She smiled gently to herself, having not really a soft spot for kids but it was just a kindness that came with her. She would by no means shoo the boy away. She had no right to do so as a public land, but she also would enjoy the young one's company.

She took a few quiet steps forward before fully approaching the boy, looking on the other side of the creek at the ducks and pigeons that picked through the grasses. She offered quietly, "Would you like to help me catch some birds? I was thinking of having some lunch soon." She only really offered because of what she saw the boy doing. Otherwise she may have left him alone or just said a quick hello. She was really too kind for her own good though.

Word Count: 647/1500 words

"Ashelia Carpathius"

The woods around Jiro began to settle. His predatory scent dissipated with the gentle breezes that shifted through the trees. He stays perched in the shrubs and shadows, allowing his body to relax and succumb to the patience that was hunting. Once the world around him believed him to be gone, the prey animals felt more comfortable to show themselves. An occasional chipmunk would chitter in his direction, but as long as he stilled, eyes unblinking, breath held, the small rodent would move on to the next tree limb. Minutes that felt like hours would pass until he heard the flutter of arriving wings.

Ducks with shiny green feathers lighted upon the water's surface, a certain sort of elegance that Jiro would never be capable of. He watches them float as his belly rumbles, mouth watering at the thought of duck for lunch. His attention draws then to the arrival of pigeons, each one swathed in grey and shimmering purple or green, seemingly all the same, but different in their own way. Beady black eyes staring into nothingness as they pecked at the dirt and grass, searching for their own meal. Would it be easier to snatch a duck or a pigeon? He isn't sure.

But perhaps his company would know. Doing his best not to startle at the delicate tones of the older wolf, Jiro turns to look up at her, a smile promptly revealing over his muzzle. "I was just thinking the same thing," Jiro states, his stilted common tongue showing how he's not accustomed to always speaking it. Damn his father for being insistent they speak their home's language. "I'm Jiro. Do you have a plan or?" His head cants, wide pale eyes blinking up at her as his tail thumps softly a few times against the ground.

word count: 948/1500

Ash kept that warm welcoming smile as the boy had agreed he had the same idea. The slight difference in his tongue interesting, but didn't bother her. She looked out towards the fowl of the falls that they had both spotted, some maybe catching on to the two's presence as they talked and were no longer part of the natural silence of the land. She spoke in a quiet voice not to let out their perch so easily. She looked back to the young man to continue their introduction, "My name is Ashelia." And then she'd look back at their targets as if thinking of the best way to go about the hunt. Not too difficult with the two of them.

"If you hide in the taller grasses by the bank, I'll go around behind them and lead them your way. And then you can catch them." It seemed easy enough she hoped, though she couldn't be sure if there were any language barriers with the way he spoke. She internally shrugged her shoulders at the thought, she knew they could make something work. "I think the ducks will be a bit easier since they are bigger, but you have to get them before they fly off." Hopefully it wouldn't be too difficult.

Soon Ash was walking out of sight to make a round on the feathered creatures, taking her time to not disturb them as she moved around the trees and shrubs. She couldn't see Jiro from here, but she hoped he would be all set and ready, and on the same page. When she was ready herself seeing the ducks and pigeons comfortably out in front of her, she made herself just a little more known with a bristle in the bushes. It got their attention, and with another shift through the leaves they started to waddle away from the sudden sounds of movements and toward where Jiro and her had originally met. She kept moving closer through the shrubs, making the birds stir with a little more panic as she didn't yield. She had to find the soft spot, if she let herself linger too long they would fly away but if she was too abrupt they would lose them too. When she thought the moment was right she would jump out from her hiding to pounce on the feathered creatures, aiming for two smaller pigeons hoping Jiro could snag a duck and they could give each of them a try.

Word Count: 1,362 words

"Ashelia Carpathius"

"Nice to meet ya, Asheila," Jiro replies chipperly, keeping his voice low and quiet so not to disturb their quandary that floated on the water. He listens intently to the plan that she lays out. If he can make his way to the tall grasses by the bank, she'd be able to spook them his direction. She even suggests that he go for the ducks which, as he takes a second look at the birds, makes sense to him as well. The pigeons were small and flightier, much faster than the water bound fowl that would need to take time to get up and into the air. "You got it," he agrees with a nod of his head as Ash turns to begin the best part of the hunt.

As Ash moves around toward the far side, Jiro slinks through the brush and shadows toward the taller grass she had pointed him toward. He takes his time, patient and diligent, trying to be serious even if he normally wasn't. The hunt wasn't just about him anymore, but her too and since he barely knew her, he didn't want to go pissing her off so soon. It was easier when it was his otou-san that he was trying to aggravate.

Once he's able to hunker down into the taller grass, his gaze moves toward the ducks to ensure that they were still there. A couple had taken off, surely spooked by the grass rustling nearby. Though there were still a few he could go for which he was pleased about. Jiro then moves his gaze toward the far side, barely noticing Ash's dark pelt hidden from her hiding spot. Once he's ready, he watches her moves forward to stir the birds into a slight panic. Just enough that they would flutter about, but not fully take off. At just the right moment, his breath bated, he watches her pounce from her spot toward the birds.

In tandem with her pounce, Jiro moves forward. His eyes are only for the ducks that begin to glide quickly across the water and away from her. They don't notice him at first until they've reached the edge closer to him. In their panic, the attempt to take flight straight up and find it difficult with the canopy of cedar trees above them. Jiro leaps upward as well, his teeth meeting duck wings, yanking one of them out of the air and pulling it down to the ground. Making quick work to snap its neck, he holds it up triumphantly for Ash to see.

word count: 1790/1500