10-07-2011, 03:07 PM
Alma carried a goat over her shoulder and her bow in one hand. She had been hunting just north of Inferni's border, near the Halcyon Mountains and was now returning home.
The sight of a large white reindeer traveling in Inferni lands stopped her in her tracks. She stared at it, wondering if she should string her bow. Then, she saw that there was an orange coyote clinging to its back. The contrast between the coyote's orange fur and the reindeer's white coat was so bright that Alma was surprised she hadn't noticed him before.
The creature appeared not to be alarmed by his presence, or trying to get the coyote off. It must be like a horse, Alma realized. The predatory gleam in her eyes disappeared. It would be rude to kill someone's pack animal, so she banished the thought of hunting it. She didn't know how to tan a hide, anyway, and a creature that beautiful would need its fur preserved.
As she scanned the area, she also realized there was another coyote nearby, underneath a large oak tree. There was a fire in front of him. She could not recognize either of them, though she could smell the scent of Inferni on them - even over the fire's smoke.
One of them appeared to be talking.
The rust coywolf padded closer, to better hear his words. She made no effort to hide the sound of her footsteps, or the rustling made from the grass as she walked.
"...Do you have any meat?"
"I do." Alma said, stepping forward. She set the goat down between them. "Please excuse me if I was interrupting something, but I do not believe I have seen either of you before." The recent successful hunt had given her confidence. Her speech was slow as usual, but her ears were relaxed while her tail was held high in triumphant.
Alma crouched down beside the goat. She took a knife out of the flax cloth bag tied around her waist, and began working on cutting the goat's hooves off. "You can both take what you wish, I only need the hooves."
The sight of a large white reindeer traveling in Inferni lands stopped her in her tracks. She stared at it, wondering if she should string her bow. Then, she saw that there was an orange coyote clinging to its back. The contrast between the coyote's orange fur and the reindeer's white coat was so bright that Alma was surprised she hadn't noticed him before.
The creature appeared not to be alarmed by his presence, or trying to get the coyote off. It must be like a horse, Alma realized. The predatory gleam in her eyes disappeared. It would be rude to kill someone's pack animal, so she banished the thought of hunting it. She didn't know how to tan a hide, anyway, and a creature that beautiful would need its fur preserved.
As she scanned the area, she also realized there was another coyote nearby, underneath a large oak tree. There was a fire in front of him. She could not recognize either of them, though she could smell the scent of Inferni on them - even over the fire's smoke.
One of them appeared to be talking.
The rust coywolf padded closer, to better hear his words. She made no effort to hide the sound of her footsteps, or the rustling made from the grass as she walked.
"...Do you have any meat?"
"I do." Alma said, stepping forward. She set the goat down between them. "Please excuse me if I was interrupting something, but I do not believe I have seen either of you before." The recent successful hunt had given her confidence. Her speech was slow as usual, but her ears were relaxed while her tail was held high in triumphant.
Alma crouched down beside the goat. She took a knife out of the flax cloth bag tied around her waist, and began working on cutting the goat's hooves off. "You can both take what you wish, I only need the hooves."