Postdating this to December 30th, just so my threads are a little spaced out. Hope that's all right.
The stables reeked of horse and cow and pig and sheep, it was not an unpleasant smell, simply strong, and Finn had to expend great effort in keeping her mouth from watering. Naniko had told her about these animals. They were not to be touched. Finn had found it amusing that wolves kept horses about to ride on and sheep to gain wool. Wolves had their fleet paws and their fur to take them from place to place and keep them warm! But even as she scoffed at this sentiment, she realized a little shamefacedly that she herself employed an animal to be her friend, where no one else would. Besides, her own fur was less useful than a sheep’s in blocking the cold.
Yawning widely, Finn trotted out into the cool, dim morning, fresh snow crunching beneath her paws as she broke into a steady lope. One week. She’d been here one week. That was the longest she could remember belonging to any pack. Besides her father’s anyway. And that hadn’t been much of a pack either. Anathema was different. Everyone seemed to go about their business peacefully enough, without fighting, or hurting each other with teeth or words. Much, much different than what she was used to.
Finn smiled a secret, happy smile to herself as she reached the tree line. Alastair’s scent was on the wind, so she sent out a thin, piping howl to summon him. The grand red deer stepped out from behind a tree so suddenly, it was as if he had just appeared there. His coat had grown even shaggier over the last few days, and his antlers remained unbroken and unbowed, crowning his head in a great, twisted wreath. Still caught amongst the branches, the shinny red ribbon Finn had tied there snapped in the wind. But something was wrong. He moved gingerly, putting most weight on his back haunches and left front leg.
“Turn about, then.” She murmured, nudging the deer with her snout. He obliged, though shying away slightly as he presented his injured side. Finn tsked to herself, frowning at the teeth marks marring his shoulder. They were relatively fresh and they were of wolf height. More importantly, however, was that they were not of a dangerous depth. Finn’s grimace grew more pronounced, her brow furrowed. Hopefully it had not been a wolf from Anathema, since Naniko had promised to spread the word that the deer with the red ribbon was also not to be touched. However, even Finn couldn’t keep track of everywhere that Alastair roamed, and it was possible that a loner skirting the border had taken a passing snap at him.
She nodded to herself, knowing just what to do. Turning tail and heading back towards the mountain, Finn did not wait to see if Alastair would follow. She knew he would, when it was just the two of them he would follow her anywhere. As the cave mouth came in sight, the deer stopped short, snorting violently. His antlers shivered in the breeze. “It’ll be fine, me lad.” Finn soothed, trying to get him closer to the entrance. When he finally stopped and went no further, Finn groaned quietly and circled around.
“Come on, you bloody stupid animal! It’d be safer if you’d just stay inside!” Finn ground out, one shoulder braced against Alastair’s back legs, trying to bodily shove the deer through the tunnel mouth. It was like trying to move a sack of rocks. Alastair’s feet carved little furrows in the snow. Finn finally gave up, sitting heavily upon the ground, her tongue lolling as she panted. “Stubborn beast.” She snapped, as Alastair delicately boxed her ear with one hoof in reproach.