Ara needed to stretch her legs, and do something useful. She knew winter was coming, she could smell it in the air, and see it in the turning of the leaves. As she started to make her way to the packs border, she found Sera - a wolf she hadn’t spent much time with - staring into the distance.

“Hey, Sera, right? Come on, what to help me lay a trap for some deer?” she asked, waiting a moment for the other woman to agree, before trotting out of the pack lands and towards the lake. Knowing the lake made a good watering hole, and it would be easier to find a path used by prey animals.

"Naráca Mendacium"

Sera was startled from her thoughts with the voice of another. She glanced up to see the horned wolf addressing her, and took a moment to realise what she was saying. “Yeah, sure” she said with some relief. The need to be useful building inside of her. She wasn’t sure how much good she was doing for this pack. It would be good to do something, anything.

She followed Ara as the other wolf led them towards the lake. “What kind of trap are you thinking?” she asked as they arrived near the water. It didn’t look like Ara had brought anything with her.

"Speech"

She scouted the lake as Sara spoke, looking for the most commonly used path. “I was thinking we would dig a pit, and disguise it. Then lie in wait for the deer, and when they get close, spook them so they run directly into it without having a chance to realise what it is.” she explained as she found a place.

She scratched a quick outline line in the dirt. Long and wide enough to catch a couple deer. “Here should do it, help me dig?’ Digging would be the worst part of the whole job, and most time consuming. But, with luck, perhaps they could use this spot more than once in the future.


"Naráca Mendacium"

Ara explained her plan, and the scaled woman nodded. Sounded like the set up would be annoying, but the plan was a good one. Having set up a lot of boobytraps around her home as a rogue, she was accustomed to the work of it. As Ara set out the boundaries, she started to dig. Placing herself in the furthest corner, and as far as she could get from the other woman. It wouldn’t do to bump into her by accident, and display her fear of touch. “Are you thinking those bushes over there to lie in wait?” she asked, nodding her head to the ones she spoke of as she dug.


"Speech"

She dug quickly, putting her back into it as a mound of dirt quickly began to appear on the side behind her. “Yeah. and we’ll need to find some wide leaves and sticks to build a quick cover over the hole, too” she panted softly. Pausing only briefly in her digging to speak. After a time of that, she was happy with the depths of the hole. She climbed back out of it, and kicked over her dirt pile. Spreading it across the grass around them so it wasn’t so obvious. As Sera finished digging her section, she trotted around the lake to find the bits she needed to cover it. Coming back to find Sera spreading her dirt as well. "Here, spread these across your side.” she said, giving Sera roughly half of her findings.

"Naráca Mendacium"

Ara didn’t even seem to notice her careful aversion, and once her section was dough, Ara jumped out of the hole. Giving Sera more room to work. She picked up her speed a little, and worked to match the depths of the hole with Ara’s side. Thankfully, the horned woman wasn’t a chatterbox, so the work was done in relative quiet. As Ara picked up the pieces she needed to cover the hole, Sera climbed out and began to spread out her dirt, mimicking what Ara had done.

As the horned woman returned, Sera began to lay the sticks across the opening, and spread the leaves and clumpy moss across the sticks. Once they were done, it was still obvious to anyone who looked that it was vastly different. Sera supposed that was what the surprise jump was for. To ensure they didn’t get that second to check it out.

"Speech"

She smoothed the leaves a last time, and eyed their handiwork. With some more time and effort, they could cover the hole better. But, for now, it would suit their purposes. “Alright, I’ll get behind those bushes, can you fit yourself in the ones over there?” she pointed at another cluster on the other side. “That way we can herd them across the right path.” she explained, waiting for Sera’s agreement before she moved to her own bush covering. She wiggled and wormed herself into the depths of them, and was content to wait for as long as this took. She could be a patient hunter, she could…

"Naráca Mendacium"

Sera looked at the bushes as they were pointed out to her. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was relieved she wouldn’t have to share space with Ara. it was better that way. Safer. “Alright.” She agreed softly, and watched a moment as Ara was quick to borrow her way into the bushes on the right side. Sera made her way over the bushes. These ones were smaller, but Sera was the smaller wolf. She gave them a quick sniff, and hoped claustrophobia didn’t get in the way.

She eased herself gently into them. Tucking her paws and tail until all of her was inside the recess beneath the bushes. From here, she could see the trap, and the pathway to it. She couldn’t see the lake, but she knew the watering hole was just past their trap.

"Speech"

Ara was in her bush first, and was set and quiet as she watched Sera ease her way into her own bush. She gave the woman only brief consideration, before turning her attention back to the trap. She buzzed with energy, wanting this to work. This was her idea, after all. She could already imagine trotting home and showing her cousin two large deer, whose coats and meat would serve the pack in the coming winter. It would taste like victory.

The wait however, was longer than she expected it to be. She was all but falling asleep by the time she heard the sound of hoofbeats. She eased her head off her paws quietly, and glanced over to Sera. Whatever the girls faults, it was clear she was patient. She could see Sera already alert and watching the deer. She eased herself to her paws, and signalled to Sera with a raised paw. Wait, wait a moment. Let them get closer.


"Naráca Mendacium"

Sera waited, alert and patient for the deer. She could see the moment Ara lost interest, her head touched her paws. She seemed half asleep. Sera could only hope she would be alert once the deer arrived… dismissing the other wolf from her thoughts for now, she watched the track. If nothing else, the time spent with the man that demanded she call him father had taught her how to be patient. The time running from him had only strengthened the lesson. She could wait, alert and quiet and ready.

Her patience was rewarded, as she caught the sound of hoofbeats. She waited until the sound got closer, and closer, and then glanced at Ara. the other wolf raised her head a little groggily, and their eyes locked. Ara raised a paw, and Sera could only assume she meant for Sera to wait. The scaled woman gave one short nod of understanding.

"Speech"

“Now!” she howled as the deer started to pass the waiting hunters. With that startling cry, Ara shot from her hiding place, growling at the startled deer. She heard Sera’s answering howl, and knew the other woman was only a few steps behind her. She raced, herding the deer along the path, snapping at their heels if they strayed. And then they reached the pit, and Ara jumped. Leaping over the hole she knew was there, as two deer crashed into it.

She turned on a dime, and leapt into the pit. Grabbing at a flailing deer and piercing its throat with her teeth. Its panicked cries cut off, and it fell limp in her paws. They’d done it!

"Naráca Mendacium"

She waited, tense, for Ara to give the go ahead. It was very clear that the reddish wolf was in charge here. She crouched, ready to spring, and all but vibrated with the need to as she waited. The deer came closer, and the two wolves were lucky that the wind was still, and didn’t take their scent to the deer.

The deer came closer, and closer. Until they were right on with the wolves. Come on, come on… she thought. And then Ara howled, and Sera tossed back her head, answering the call as she leapt from the bushes and dove after the deer. They didn’t have far to lead them, and they chased the deer forward, into the pit. Ara dove over it, and Sera moved around it. The two lead deer crashed into the pit, and the following deer saw the danger and scattered to the sides. Sera let them go. Jumping into the pit, she took a hoof to her head. It dazed her, but the scaled absorbed most of the impact, as she ignored the pain and clamped her teeth across its throat. Holding it still, careful not to get hit again by thrashing legs as it died beneath her teeth.

"Speech"