+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another
+5 Study herd migration habits
+5 Study and track footprints

Avaneira slowly slunk around the Fields, content to meander and let the grasses tickle her underbelly. Her eyes focused forward, watching as herds of deer and antelope converged upon the wintry grasses that had begun to blossom now that the snow and ice had receded. Her stomach churned, a soft growl nearly giving away her position to anyone that might be closed enough, and she quickly lowered herself to the ground to allow the wheat-colored stalks to cover her once more. She would soon need to hunt for Morrigan and their residence, perhaps even for her family. With a brood and blood shared between two prides, it was imperative Avaneira provide for both herself and for the others; and where Morrigan had always found strength in war and battle, Avaneira had always excelled in the art of the hunt.

Slowly, she began to whisk her tail behind her, hiding her trails while also studying the tracks before her. The formation of hoofprints had imprinted on the mud, slick from melted snow; the scent that lingered on them was fresh, and was more than likely from the herd a good half mile ahead of her. She had known that would come to the fields now that the cold had receded. This was their prime territory during the encroaching spring months, and would likely draw more predators here as well.

How often was it that Zoticus visited the fields? He couldn't say he ventured out much on his own anymore - he'd been tied up to his pridelands for days, weeks, a season perhaps? With everything going on he hadn't had much time to just... do his own thing.

But when the scent of deer came to his nostrils, the King couldn't resist the temptation of nearing.

Lowering his own frame, Zoticus winced at the movement of his wounded shoulders, but found his eyes greedily studying the herd before him, watching their moves, and imagining the taste of their savory flesh... he was so focused on them that he almost missed the trail of footprints before him, and found his gaze studying them, curious at how the herd was traveling.

But with the rolling breeze in the air, the scent of another vaguely hit his nostrils and the King found his teal eyes roaming the expanse, trying to find the source.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 0/2
+5 Study herd migration habits 1/2
+5 Study and track footprints 1/2
"" @Avaneira

Manip Image | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another
+5 Study herd migration habits (2/2)
+5 Study and track footprints (2/2)

It would not take him long to happen upon her. Avaneira had been so involved in her own tracking that she'd nearly missed his scent - he'd been coming up from behind, and Ava'd been so focused on what was happening in front of her, so enticed by the strategies she'd been forming in her head, the paths she'd carved out and assumed the deer would be taking. Certainly, they'd be trying to find shelter for the coming warmth, a safe place to raise their spring fawns? Ava would have the most luck on the fringes of this territory, where the meadows met the forests, and where the deer would spend the beginnings of this new season sowing their roots.

By the time @Zoticus had stumbled upon her, he was nearly on top of her. Her small frame, already so wedged below the tops of the tall grasses and focused on the doe tracks in front of her, was a glorified tripping hazard. “Nngh!” she gasped, before taking a few steps back. Her wine-pink eyes wide and wild. His pinkish pelt reminded her of Valhalla, but there was something vastly different about him; an unbridled and unfettered sort of strength different from the natives of this place. Wild, relentless. “I-I'm sorry. I was just...” trying to hunt. They'd be lucky if they'd not already scared off the herd.

His focus was locked in, attention fully on the herd as he trekked closer, crouched, trying to remain hidded as he watched them. Studied them. Their footprints were well in the ground, but that wasn't the only thing. The scent of another had drawn his interest, but by the time Zoticus found the source of the smell, well, he was quite literally on top of her.

"Oh!" Zoticus fumbled over his footing, trying to avoid putting a good majority of his weight on her, but he was sure some of him had stepped on her in some way. Her frame was small and she took a few good steps back, his teal eyes able to capture the full image of her appearance now. "I think I was a bit too focused on the idea of food that I wasn't paying attention to where I stepped.." He shook his head, chuckling lowly in an attempt to shine some light on this... odd situation. "Are... you okay?" The thought of her maybe being hurt because he had stepped on her wasn't an ideal one, and truly, was more embarrassing than anything.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 0/2
+5 Study herd migration habits 2/2
+5 Study and track footprints 2/2
@Avaneira

"Speech"

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another
+5 Study herd migration habits (2/2)
+5 Study and track footprints (2/2)

The nature of men in this country were so fickle. Avaneira had seen the worst of them; animals bent on conquering and blighting everything in their path, and men more keen on their softer nature. By the looks of his scarred and battle-weary demeanor, Ava had not anticipated the gentleness of his tone, and it caused her to blink, taken aback and breathless. He fumbled, parting from the pale lioness and giving her space to return to her full height, though she still struggled to stand past the tall grasses that tickled her flanks and danced about her in the early spring wind.

Are...you okay? @Zoticus asks, and concerned, and Avaneira feels a warmth unfurling on her cheeks. Whether it is embarrassment of another feeling entirely, she isn't sure. “Yes...I'm sorry, again,” she breathed, knowing that it was unkind of her to be slinking around half-hidden by the grass when there very well might have been other lions as keen for the hunt as she. “I was just...trying to track the herd.” Though she wasn't sure what she could do with such information. Should there be a sickly or young deer that strayed from the herd, she may be successful in hunting it; but she had no pride to back her up, and no stores to replenish other than her own belly. The man before her, whose scent was heavily mixed with others, would probably benefit from this hunt far more. “But if you've already got your eyes on it, I can leave.”

She wasn't a tall thing, that was for sure.

Her height barely surpassed the grasses around them, and she truly made Zoticus feel as if he was... huge. He did his best to not let it show, more worried that his large paws had accidentally done some type of harm to her. Her words breathed out and Zoticus let his teal eyes roam her frame just in case. "You're positive? I don't mean to judge but, you're uh, quite small... and i'm pretty fat." He put it bluntly, although a laugh did escape from the end of his words as he thought about himself.

She moved to explain that she was trying to track the herd and his interest perked. "My days of being selfish are far over, plus, I think you were here first." He mused while his gaze lifted to look at the herd from afar. "Are you of a pride? Maybe we could figure out a way to split the herd, or at least, who needs the food more." Well it was a bit rare Zoticus was being so nice when it came with food- but there was the chance she was apart of a pride around and he didn't want to step on anymore toes than he already had as of late.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 1/2
+5 Study herd migration habits 2/2
+5 Study and track footprints 2/2
@Avaneira

"Speech"

She might have been insulted by his small remark had he not also deprecated his own weight. Instead, she joins him in his humor, allowing a brief smile and a small giggle to slip through her lips. He allowed her the surrender of maintaining the progression of her hunt, affording Avaneira a swift sigh of relief. She hadn't wanted to try and catch another scent, though she had long prepared for @Zoticus staking his claim on the herd and sending her running. Are you of a pride? he asks, and his inquiry causes Ava to visibly stiffen. Maybe we could figure out a way to split the herd, or at least, who needs the food more. His further explanation eases her tension, allowing her shoulders to relax and her jaws to unclench. She had almost wondered if he had asked her as if he'd the intention to claim her (for that was what all men did, did they not? Is that not what Skarde had done?) Regardless, Avaneira belonged to the Hollow. Even if he'd wanted to, she was already fettered to a King.

At least Magnus had been a king of her own choosing.

“The Hollow,” she answered after those few moments of silence, her gaze falling onto the bright teal of his own. How strange, this man, to exude such strength and regality and still manage to make her feel at ease. “From what I can tell, there's only one other hunter there beside me. The food stores aren't low...but it can never hurt to refill them.”

He was glad to see the brief smile that came to her lips, and the laugh that left them as well. Having the air be lighter and more friendly around them made Zoticus feel at ease, and enjoy her company even more. Learning she was from the Hollow's perked his interest, nodding, glad to of learned this information.

"Well, the Hollows and my pride, Wolfbron, are allies- perhaps we could direct this herd to a more neutral land closer to the two prides, and do a joint hunt? I could call my members, and you could call for some of the Hollow to join?" The idea was one he felt sounded nice. "It never hurts to have more food in the cache, Wolfbron could use the extra- and we can gladly split the earnings between the two." That was, if she thought the idea to be a good one as well.

+10 Discuss hunting needs with a another 2/2
+5 Study herd migration habits 2/2
+5 Study and track footprints 2/2
@Avaneira

"Speech"

The news of an alliance was a welcome one, and something that further eased the ghost's worries. She'd been half-worried that the two had been enemies, that when @Zoticus heard of her home that he would turn cold and indifferent, or leave altogether. Instead, she was left pleasantly surprised by the warmth that followed. His proposition only furthered her curiosity, wondering if even she had the capability of calling the Hollow and having them listen (though with her and Kasia being the only current hunters, perhaps they would be wise to heed her call). She'd given them no reason not to trust her yet, and with Zoticus' added presence, perhaps they could very well succeeded in driving a large hunt that could feed both their prides.

She nodded, a blush unfurling on her cheeks, and a smile that desperately tried to hide it. “I'm sure Magnus would be happy for such a union,” she responded, hoping that the obsidian King would truly be content to have Ava and the Bluffs King host such an event. He seemed sort of like a stick in the mud, as far as she could tell, but Morrigan had done nothing but sing his high praises. “The Bluffs...are north of the Hollow, right? So we will need to chase them through the Pit and into the Badlands.” It would be an arduous journey, but Avaneira was an experienced huntress, and such a feat would not be impossible with the two of them.

@Avaneira seemed pretty receptive of his idea- at least, that was what he assumed when he saw the smile coming to her face. She spoke of how she figured Magnus would be happy with the union- and Zoticus hoped so. After all, what would a joint hunt hurt? Nodding at her words, Zoticus looked back to the herd. "Badlands it is, then." They had quite the task ahead of them and Zoticus found himself eager for it- even if it would be energy consuming. Turning to look at her, he nodded forward, letting her take the lead. "Lets get going." And with that, he was certain the two of them would fall into a silent work method.

/ exit zoti /"Speech"