Summer Den

"Erm... so, uh, you want to go hunting?", the fae asked Vento again.

(Sorry I've been really busy)
"Umm.. sure why not," he said.

(S'ok)
"What should we go for? Elk, deer, or fishing? There are so many places to hunt!", the fae said excitedly.

"Fishing would be nice," Vento said after thinking about it, "And it would be a nice way to cool down,"
Velare chirped in response.

(School.... Who doesn't hate it....)

Shim walked back into camp, "go see your girlfriend," she said to Sedge, trotting into the clearing. The white female immediately walked to Chase, smiling. "Hello, Chase," she said, sitting next to him and watching the pack.

"Hey," Chase replied. "The pack's sure growing fast, isn't it?" He sighed a little. "It looks like everyone's getting along well." Airis, landing lightly on his shoulder, surveyed the camp with interest. "Where's Sedge?" He asked politely.

Raven had been exploring herself. She followed the scent of the old white wolf, finding the mauled body, the black shewolf gasped. The wolf's coat was practically torn to shreds, the flesh ripped away and scarred. Her throat had almost been severed, and intestines were strewn upon the ground.

On top of the wolf, on a shoulder, a dove was whispering words of hushed shock and sorrow. "Beautiful dove. I must ask why you are here." said the ebony fae. The dove only gave her a glance of pure sadness, and she understood. "Purdy was my sister." Four words out of the white bird's beak was all it took for the coal black femme to get the message. 'Purdy' was an old member of the original Feather-Wolves. She deserved the proper death service that Winged Hearts had come up with.

"May I ask that you come to see her buried?" the she asked the bird. The dove nodded. She began dragging the body as gently as possible, to not disturb it. Once she got back to the pack den site, Raven leapt up on a ledge and howled. As she did, the fae saw Rain walk back in to the den site, hopefully followed by Vento.

"Members of Winged Hearts Pack! There has been a murder to the east, near the mountains. I instruct all of you not to venture there. Whatever it is is looking for a fight. We are lucky enough to have been able to avoid being its target. However, a wolf was, and lost the fight. Purdy was an old, original member of the first Winged Hearts Pack, and we shall bury her as such." she then addresed the dove. "You are welcome to live here with us, if you like." Then, back to the pack. "Shimmer, when Vento gets back, have him look for some herbs, thyme and mint would be good. Chase, I'll want you to go hunt for something, a rabbit or a mouse. Rain and Hawk, will you help me begin to fix up the body?"

"Herbs?" Vento siad just walking into camp, "What Herbs are needed?"

"Ah, Vento, there you are, thyme and mint. Basil if you can find it." the black she wolf told her pack-member.

Vento nodded, "Ok," He left with Velare flying behind him. "Ok I'll find thyme and mint. You look for basil," He tolled the bird as they were walking into the woods.
"Got it!" the quetzal chirped before talking off to look for the plant.

Shimer smiled at Chase and replied gently to the bird on his shoulder, "He is somewhere," she looked around the camp, finding the little green bird and calling him over, "here he is," she said as Sedge landed on her head.

Chase smiled. "Nice to see you again," He told the small bird. "I'd better go hunt..." He nodded his goodbye, and left the camp, quickly finding a rabbit. He snapped its neck and carried on, looking for something else to bring back. Not long after, he came across a vole scurrying back to its den. When he had caught, killed it, and howled, he addressed Airis. "Think this is enough?"

Airis shook her head. "Maybe something else, too, it would be best for Raven to have her pick." Chase nodded slowly. Once he had added two mice to the pile, he headed home. "Prey is plentiful here, huh?" Airis nodded. They reached the camp, and Chase took his kills to Raven. "There's two mice, a vole, and a rabbit... I wasn't sure which was best."

Raven looked at the prey as she said a 'thanks' to Chase. Taking the vole, she said to him, "You can leave the rest in the middle of camp as food. Thank you for your service," and went back to the body. The she wolf gently licked the fur clean, trying to get the mauling to look as nice as possible.

Chase returned the rest of the food to the center dutifully, and rejoined Shimmer. "Well, that was quick. It's always sad to see a life lost." Airis had flown away somewhere, probably to hunt.

Raven took the herbs gently, spreading them around in the dead wolf's fur. "Alright. She's ready to be buried." Raven said, before dragging the body to a corner of the den area, it had several rocks piled. A rock per wolf who died. Standing on a large piece of ground.

"We did not know you, Purdy, but you were a member of us all the same. Without you we would not know of the east until it was too late. May your spirit carry on to the valley of the stars, and beyond, to the skies and clouds." With that, Raven howled, and stepped down to begin digging a grave in the soft soil.

Shimmer nodded, hardly able to move. "Purdy... What happened to you..." she whispered, letting the wind take her words. "May your soul go to rest with the avians of our world and skies." she murmured, touching her nose to the fur of the dead wolf and walking to help Raven. Sedge flew off Shimmer shoulder and began pulling small pebbles and clumps as big as he could carry, to the side of the hole and then going to get more.

Before Chase went to help bury the fae, he touched his nose to Shimmer's shoulder as a sign of comfort. "I believe you feel this more than any of us, except maybe Raven. I wish you comfort..." He just her in nudging the pebbles over the edge. He meant the words as nothing but comforting, and hoped she would not be offended.

Airis watched her brother attempt to comfort Shimmer. 'Nice....' She thought. From her point of view, it was obvious that he liked her.

Shim smiled, a sad smile, and looked into his eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. Shimmer could hardly handle it, the death of a wolf, nearly too much for her. She choked on words and instead rushed to Chase, burrying her face in his fur. "Thank you," she whispered again, nearly sobbing.

"It's okay, it's fine." Chase said, as Shimmer leaned into his shoulder. "You're welcome." He sat there for a moment, still gently nudging dirt and pebbles over the edge. 'I tell her... I tell her not... I tell her... I tell her not... I tell her... I tell her not...' Was playing again and again through his head. 'Not now,' He eventually decided. He would tell her he thought she was beautiful later, but now was not the time.

Airis chuckled softly from the branches above. 'Better not terrorize that hummingbird, huh, Chase?' She thought laughingly.

Shimmer pulled away, "I'm sorry, she mumbled, then walked to her den and tried to sleep, though sleep wouldn't be that kind. If only she could tell him how much she wanted him here with her. She howled for Sedge, who came in and landed on the floor. "Well?" he looked at her, seeing she was upset, he hopped over to her side and spoke almost silently, "I know, I know."

Chase sighed as she left, and finished pushing in the stones. He curled up in his own den, wishing for the comfort of Shimmer's company.

Now that the ceremony was over, Rain became OCD, pacing around, avoiding the other's eyes. She needed to do something, she felt the need to run burning in her spine. "Ughh... need to hunt..." she grumbled.

The brown-furred female stalked through the low ferns, hunting down the scent of a mouse burrow. SHe found a small hole in the ground near the river, and smiled. This part was easy. She dug down into the hole, to uncover a plump mouse staring at her. "Why hello there, little fat one," she smirked, she pressed down on it's back to hear a satisfying 'snap'. Rain gobbled it up, and lay contented by the water.

As the fae walked back into camp, she slumped onto the ground of Chase and her's den. "Eh, Chase? Can we talk?" she asked quietly. With a glance outside, the brown female continued. "I see the way you look at Shimmer, and I'm sure it's very noticeable how I feel about Hawk. So, I want to make an offer. We can talk, as Fliers, and the other won't make fun of the speaker. It may be my nervousness, or my lonliness. I just know both of us are going to end up wanting a friend, or at least, I will. And you seem to be pretty friendly."

"Er, sure," Chase said. "That'd be nice." He sat for a moment, contemplating... "Is it really that obvious?" He asked, somewhat embarrassed.