~Hunting seasonal prompt

Iðunn dropped the bundled long stalks and leaves on the ground, looking briefly at the other two before sitting back on her haunches. They needed a way to catch prey without expending too much energy this summer, and so she pitched an idea to Barghest and Róta that she had spent some time thinking of earlier that day. "We should create snares to catch smaller prey, that way we can set them out and check back in the next day," she said with a tap of her front paw on the bundle. "I was thinking we could weave ropes out of these, and I know how to set up a snare well enough. If you don't know how I can show you." She knew Barghest was proficient at catching his own prey, but whether he knew of how to trap prey was still unknown to her, and her cousin likely already knew at least vaguely how to make a snare, but she wanted to double check regardless. Iðunn then unwrapped the bundle and split it into three small piles between them. If they agreed with her plan she'd show them how to weave the stalks and leaves into thin and taut ropes, as well as how to make a slip-knot loop on one end, but perhaps one of them would have a better idea they could use. 227/1500

Róta joined her cousin and the big one thinking they might have themselves a real hunt, so when Idunn pulled out vines and twigs, she couldn’t keep the sour expression off her face. If she had of known this was going to turn into arts and crafts time, she would have long since slipped off to go and find some real fun.

It was odd to hear the priestess talking in the common tongue, and though she knew it was for the benefit of their found companion, she couldn’t keep the smirk off her face. She never thought she would see the day when her cousin adjusted her language to suit an audience that wasn’t from their motherland. She wondered if she could get away with giving her incorrect corrections, or if Barghest would pull her up on it. Probably best to do so without an audience.

Ró grabbed her bundle with a heavy sigh and a low grumble. We’d be better off finding pets with fingers to do this, no? She complained to Idunn, fumbling the weave in her clumsy paws. She had plenty of lessons growing up, and snares had always been one of her least favourite, if only because she was an impatient woman and snares required patience.

After much sighing, muttering, and outright cursing and throwing her weave two or three times, she finally had a few passable lengths to work with and got to tying her slipknot and preparing her snares to set. She was sure the other two probably didn’t have nearly as much trouble as she had, but maybe she would take her own advise and start looking into getting herself a companion that could be trained to do this for her.

“Speech”

lightning struck and I found my thunder

516/1500

Idunn called for him and Bodin was more than willing to answer that call. The giant, nebula of a brute was slowly integrating himself with the familial band. He knew that he was an outsider and that it would take a while to gain their complete trust, but that was something that he could understand. He wouldn't trust a stranger around his family immediately either. Although... Bodin had no family. Not anymore. They were all gone. Swallowed up by the sea. Surely other creatures had made it off of the continent, but he hadn't seen hide nor hair of another wolf from his land since arriving in this one. After a time, he simply believed that there would be no one. They were gone. Dead and gone. It was best not to dwell on the past and focus on the life ahead of him, so the red and blue giant threw himself into this new group, hoping to obtain a place within their ranks and create a home with them. The brute's skillset was geared towards hunting, despite his gargantuan size. He was rather stealthy and had a knack for stalking. Often he would return to camp with some dead animal or another clutched between his jaws. One couldn't say that he didn't pull his own weight and then some. Bodin was glad to see that there were many like minds within the group. Others that enjoyed hunting as well. He wasn't surprised in the least when he arrived to see that Idunn and Rota were prepared to make snares. He was more than willing to assist and would be able to point them towards the choicest rabbit hunting grounds once the ropes were constructed. Settling down on the ground on his dark belly, the man began attempting to plait the stalks, though it was rather difficult. He had big paws and it made delicate work like plaiting rather difficult. Rota made some grumbling remark in her tongue and the brute chuckled. "Whatever she said, I'm probably inclined to agree. Next time perhaps we should try vines." He wasn't criticizing Idunn in the slightest, it was simply a suggestion for their next hunting trip. He hoped there would be another, at least. In time, Bodin had a sloppy sort of rope created. The brute grimaced and pushed it towards the two fae's. "I don't think I'm very good at this," he admitted. Dark ears tucked to his skull in mock bashfulness. He wasn't ashamed by his shoddy craftsmanship. Bodin was a bit brute and his paws weren't built for such work. "At least I can show you where the rabbits are." The man's galaxy spattered tail thumped the ground good naturedly and his mismatched eyes crinkled at the corners as he grinned. Bodin continued to lay there upon his belly, waiting patiently for the pair of fae's to finish their task. This was Idunn's show, so he would wait for her to give the word as to their next task. "Speech" WC-500 Total-1016/1500

A soft hum slipped from her maw at her cousins grumbled words, trying to hold back the small smile that lifted up a corner of her lips. Róta was quite correct, but until that day they'd have to make do with their own paws, as clumsy and difficult as it would be. Bodin on the other hand began to weave with a comment of his own regarding the use of materials, and Iðunn took that as confirmation to begin working on her own. He seemed like he knew what he was doing, and she knew her cousin could do it well enough without any assistance. "I'll see about finding some vines," she said with a nod to him.

It took some finagling and a few muttered curses, but she eventually held between her paws a passable version of a weaved rope, and with a sideways glance could see her cousin had one too. Bodin then pushed his forward, and without any further comment other than a grunt in response to his words, she began to tidy up the rope he had created to the best of her ability. "Thank you," she said softly with a quick glance at him before continuing her work. Once she finished tightening up his rope she began to tie a slipknot loop on the ends of the two ropes, finding that part of the job far easier to accomplish.

Once she and Róta had completed all three snares Iðunn looked once more at Bodin with a motion of her muzzle. "Take us where you think it would be easiest to catch the rabbits." She knew they had warrens nearby, but as of yet hadn't gone searching for their exact locations. "Then we'll set up the snares." The snares themselves were quite simple to set up, needing only to be put in a narrow passage and sturdily tied so that once the rabbit was caught in the snare loop it wouldn't be able to break free and escape.

Iðunn collected the three finished snares and quickly bundled them together again, before looking at her cousin and Bodin expectantly. She'd follow their lead during this part of the process.

WC: 362 (1378/1500)

With her cousin carrying the snares in her mouth and Bodin set to lead the way to the warrens, there was little Rota could do but follow along. Under other circumstances, she might have rolled her eyes but she had endured far worse company in her day. She kept half an emerald eye out for short, stout branches that could serve as stakes to hold their snares in place. No point setting the noose if the rabbit was just going to run off with their hard work. Three was slightly more than she could carry at once, and so she hoped if nobody else thought to grab any that they would be able to locate another near enough to where the rabbits dwelled.

Once they had arrived, she took up one of the snares and lowered her nose to sniff at the criss-crossing paths. The trails seemed laid thickly enough across the ground, and with the sun growing low in the sky, she was sure the long eared snacks would be making their appearance soon enough. The pumpkin and mud marked woman chose her opening and secured a snare in position, mindful that any excessive wolf scent at the door might discourage them from leaving this way. She plucked some nearby vegetation and scattered it around and over the snare, helping to disguise it better (though she wasn’t sure it would matter in the failing light). Snare set, now all there was to do was wait, preferably somewhere warm, with food at the ready.

1633/1500