Once everything had settled and the rest of the pack had been sent on their way, Gilgamesh stood before the falls. Unscathed minus some bruises, he looks upon Ethne's inner sanctum. It is a quaint area that honestly fits Haydee's demeaner. Delicate, beautiful, serene. It's a shame that they couldn't stand to the test of the Raiders though. He can see the chickens not far off. Held in a makeshift pen, hovering under some cover while the rain continued to pour from the sky.

Turning to look at Modesty and then at Jael, Gil smiles. Though he's furious about other things, he's going to take the moment to relish in the fact that they are going to take what they came for. "I hope you two are ready for some new friends," he teases both of them, knowing that they've been livestock shopping for some time now. Not so much enemies as he'd originally thought they'd be. "Let's go before we overstay our welcome," he tosses his head toward the chicken coop and begins to make his way through the mud toward them.

Speech

coded by NachoMumma

It's almost serene here. Almost. Jael knows that they've shattered that serenity, but she won't dwell on it. Not right now. Leaving Sid in Sakana's capable hands, she's close on Gil's heels. Keen eye, gaze resting on the world around her. Here, there, and again. Tense. Dwelling on all the things she could see, and any threats she couldn't. They'd won their raid and they'd take their prize. Trotting carefully a half step behind Gil, she still hovers anxiously near.

The coop sits quiet, still shuddered in the early morning. Keen gaze, making their way to the fenced yard where the building sat. “Only take hens with thinner feathers, and naked legs. They're the ones that will do the best with the summer heat.” Jael's insight is given with a firm nod. With a quick gaze around the rustic farm setup, the girl is quick to grab a large covered basket and a roughly woven sack.

Assigning herself the short straw, she sets the basket in front of Gilgamesh and Modesty. “I'll grab a rooster if you want to pick hens.” And then she's sheepish for having taken charge, a wide-eyed glance in Modesty's direction. Taking a step back, head lowered for a moment.

“Speech.”

coded by NachoMumma

Modesty was hopeful she wouldn't have to go through a raid again any time soon, leave that to the brawlers. Her stomach twisted in knots over Siduri's state and she hadn't had a chance to look over the other kids yet. A fucking polar bear. Really? In this climate? She gave her head a small shake. The sooner they got this shit done, the sooner they'd be back to Sakana's bungalow to get the kids patched up. Mud caked her long fur uncomfortably and she wasn't sure the swim back home would be enough to clean it out. When Gil worried about them overstaying their welcome, Modesty gave a warning growl, squatting right then and there to leave a mark, right leg lifted ever so slightly off the ground in defiance, dragging her pads through the soil for good measure sending grass clumps and mud spraying out behind her. She didn't give a fuck what they thought.

Modesty was sure she looked like a puffed-up cat when she turned her dual-tone gaze to the pet, slightly arched spine, all quills and hackles and a bottle-brush tail, canines exposed with her half snarl. She hoped the girl knew it wasn't aimed at her, then again, knowing her she would probably think it was, but there was nothing for it. Jael was the livestock expert, Modesty had no problem with her taking the lead here, but with these two, she didn't feel the need to be so put together. Jael would figure it out one day. She exhaled sharply through her nose, a chuff of acknowledgement and a nod. If the girl wanted to tangle with a rooster, she was welcome to it.

Naked legs a plenty once she got among the birds, there were some set apart that obviously held more sentiment than the others and while the desire was there to do to those birds as they had done to her daughter, for flinging a rock no less, she would be the better wolf this once. There would be time for that sort of pettiness later. They had come for resources, so they would take what they needed and go home.

She was no herder, and her frustration only grew as she tried to separate out the birds, but they kept flapping their wings and scattering inside the makeshift coop. “We might have to let them out and sort them as we go.” At least gathering up the cast offs wouldn't be her problem.

“Speech.”

coded by NachoMumma

Gil would not miss Modesty's warning growl. In a way, he's humored by her actions, but also impressed that she's moving into her position of power so easily. He doesn't look when she marks her territory, moving on his way toward the chickens to give her time to do her business. More power to her to put her scent all over Ethne's territory. And there isn't any pause when Jael speaks up. Gil knows she's hovering near him both as protection and because she's not entirely comfortable with Mod yet. It makes him want to chuckle, but he keeps it to himself for now.

Though a draw of concern crosses his expression, he doesn't let himself falter. He doesn't want Jael tangling with a damn rooster, but he had to pick his battles. If the girl wanted that short straw, that was her own death wish. And he felt that even more so as they entered the chicken coop. Trying to help Modesty corral some of the hens, his own frustration mounted. "Stupid birds," he growls under his breath, brow furrowing as he steps back and watches the erratic birds flutter around the coop.

His eyes brighten at Modesty's suggestion. "I say we try it," he agrees easily because dammit, he's no herder either and he didn't want to let Jael gather them all up herself. Snatching the basket from the corner, he heads out the coop door and lowers the basket down in front of the entry. "Ok, scare 'em this way," Gil says to Mod, knowing she would enjoy it most getting to snap and clack at the chicken's heels.

Speech

coded by NachoMumma

It's true, there's nothing for it. Jael was already on edge, even the rational parts of her head wouldn't work here. Flinching at the look from Modesty, she tries not to be shaken too far out of her head by it. While she should know better, sometimes it's hard to block out the mean voice in her head. Jael doesn't think about it too hard. She can't. If she gets stuck on one thought for too long, if she gets stuck in her own head, that's dangerous too. It's too dangerous. Keep her head down, keep focused, keep moving.

As the others set about collecting hens, Jael moves to the individually caged roosters. A handful of them, each with a different coat of feathers and demeanor. Three, all looking equally ornery. A soft groan to herself as she pokes at them through the bars, a little manual encouragement for the birds to stand so she can get a better look at them. With a deep sigh, Jael realizes that the most ornery looking one will be the one she needs to bring back. The others are too dense, too heavy, have too many feathers. Isn't that her luck?

Of course this is well built, permanent housing she can't just pick up and bring. No, that would also be too easy. While she has the bag ready to grab the bird the moment she pops the latch, she isn't able to wrangle the creature before it rakes a talon across her muzzle. She yelps, whimpers, the sting of tears in her eyes involuntary. Taking a deep breath and securing the bag, the rooster already squirming and seething.

Bloody slash across her face, she sets the writing sack down in the basket that awaited the hens. Tense and ready, she could help collect any strays that tried to pass Gil on the side.

“Speech.”

coded by NachoMumma

Modesty held her place while Gilgamesh moved to hold the basket. Her attention was broken by the high-pitched yelp that came from Jael and she bristled once more. As if it wasn't enough the members maimed her fucking children now the rooster was maiming Jael. The angry red mark was evident across her muzzle. Why did they need a rooster anyway? It didn't reduce her desire to just eat them all.

With the smaller woman in position though, she felt better placed to drive the chickens towards the basket, slapping her paws towards those with fluffier legs to drive them flapping away from the ones that would suit them best according to Jael. One or two probably still ended up in the basket but once they were home, they could separate those ones out with the airlock door in the chicken pen (and eat them). Modesty decided in this moment, that chickens were very stupid, and she didn't like them as much as she liked little shaggy cows.

“Speech.”

coded by NachoMumma

He stands at the ready, waiting for the go ahead from the two women. As he does, he looks at the chickens. Some fluffy, some sleek, some slimmer than others. There's a variety, but they also seem... off. Were their eyes a bit dull? A lack of shine where fear should be taking ahold of them. He thinks to mention it, but holds off. Whatever was wrong with these chickens would surely get better once they were in some sunshine, right?

Once the door is opened, he holds steady the basket that will hold quite a few hens, but not enough for them to take all of them. They wouldn't need all of the chickens anyway. With the one rooster coming with them, surely they'd be able to breed some and produce their own. They would need to anyway if they wanted to keep the flock alive and well down down the road. As each chicken fluttered and flapped their way into the confines of the trap, Gil made sure to keep an eye on the two wolves. Jael already had a scratch across her muzzle and if another chicken dared attack her, he wasn't against shedding a little blood right here and now.

Speech

coded by NachoMumma

Rounded up and dumped into the basket, they did look a bit sluggish.  Jael wasn't sure she liked it, but it was a problem for tomorrow.  They needed to get the hell out of here.  As it stood, the humidity was making her edgier than usual.  Shifting her weight, gaze darting far and away.  Tail twitching.  Lip twitching. Her eye is intent, keen, but it doesn't always work so well on chickens.  Sketchy fuckers.  These are no different.

As the chickens were driven her way, she's quick. One or two would slip past, and she'd let them. Still, they were moving more slowly than she would have expected. Strange, but she guessed they'd caught them before they'd otherwise have woken. Maybe they were groggy. Still, there were other things on her mind. The quicker they could get the birds swept up and secured, the quicker they could tend to the more pressing matters.

Chasing one of the faster stragglers, Jael is quick to scoop the bird up and sling her into the bin as well. A grumble as she does, the stress plain in her body language and on her face. Gaze darting between Modesty and Gilgamesh, as it seemed they were nearing what they needed.

“Speech.”

coded by NachoMumma

Modesty counted as the chickens were bagged, 10 should be plenty and they would probably appreciate getting out of the humidity and mud. She eyed those left behind and got a sinking feeling, they seemed much more alert than the ones they had rounded up, but it was late and dark and she was still caked in mud. She just wanted to get home. Nodding to Jael and Gilgamesh, she left the door to the coop open, sure someone from Ethne would be along to round up those that had escaped and secure the pen from other predators that might think to make a meal of them. It wasn't the intention of the raiders though, they wanted these birds for eggs, and they had a dry and ventilated palace awaiting them on the other end. It was time for the Raider's to take their leave with their winnings.

“Speech.”

coded by NachoMumma