Akhlut
September 3rd, 2007, 07:52 PM
*Not that good, but apparently I'm okay at english.*
The water sparkled in the moonlight and silver fish darted into the reeds. The slight wind hissed in the leaves of the trees of the forest as if they were whispering. Far in the distance, a wolf let out a lonely howl. As the Otter clan hunter listened, she heard the hunter's solitary cry, and smiled as more voices joined it, weaving in and out of each other in a beautiful harmony.
71
As she listened, Toska moved towards the lake. She intended to hunt for fish, listen to the forest at night, and catch a sight of her guardian. Moving through the alder trees and fluttering reeds as silently as a shadow, she reached the edge. Being careful not to fall in, Toska watched as a sleek brown shape slipped into the water from the opposite bank.
136
She took in a joyful breath and felt her hand slide to her clan creature skin sewn to her jerkin. The otter gave a happy squeak as she rolled onto her back, mewing as the water washed gently over her. Elegantly, she rolled over and sumberged, tail disappearing silently beneath the water. There was a slight splash, and the otter re-emerged clutching a fat fish between her tiny front paws. She was only a young otter, and had many more moons to live.
218
Just as Toska was thinking this, more squeaks echoed from the undergrowth, and five tiny otters burst into the silvery light of the moon. Yelping, they tripped over each other in their hurry to get to the lake. Their mother called to them, and they too slid into the water, even if they were slightly less elegant than a grown otter. The youngest tripped over in his haste to get to the lake. Toska stifled a laugh. Yapping, he entered along with the rest, and the babies rushed over to try and take the struggling fish from their mother.
Maybe I could leave them an offering, thought Toska. I could leave it outside their den.
Walking away from the lake edge, she dashed through the brambles to the other side of the lake. The lake was small, so that it didn't take her long to reach the other side. Opening her food pouch, she slipped out some meat and cut it with her knife, into small, tasty strips. Then, she put her knife away and approached the lake.
Kneeling down, she began to track. The scuffled marks where otters had played on the earth. Fur, prints, all the signs. The den had to be here somewhere. Then, she saw it. A small hole in the earth surrounded by remains of old fish bones. She laid out the meat, and turned to leave.
As she was turning away to reluctantly return to camp, she caught a last glimpse of the otters on the lake. They had spotted her, and six sets of shining eyes were fixed intently upon her. The mother otter chattered angrily, warning her to stay back. Respecting the otter, she walked further away, staying clear of the lake. She desperately wanted to see the otter cubs again, so she climed an alder and clawed her way up into the branches. She could see them again, and now she was out of sight, they had gone to check out the meat by the den. Toska moved closer. She hadn't noticed how thin the branch she was sitting on was.
Suddenly, a loud crack resounded in the air. Toska shrieked as she plummeted down into the freezing water. The otters yowled in surprise, snatched the meat and darted into the den. Cursing, Toska swiped her long hair out of her eyes. She was shivering, and to add insult to injury, she'd upset the guardian. Muttering a quick sorry to the otters, she waded out of the lake, shook herself and, blushing, turned to leave.
Next time, she thought, I'll let them be. When the world spirit's hunters want to be alone, it's not our place to trouble them...
The water sparkled in the moonlight and silver fish darted into the reeds. The slight wind hissed in the leaves of the trees of the forest as if they were whispering. Far in the distance, a wolf let out a lonely howl. As the Otter clan hunter listened, she heard the hunter's solitary cry, and smiled as more voices joined it, weaving in and out of each other in a beautiful harmony.
71
As she listened, Toska moved towards the lake. She intended to hunt for fish, listen to the forest at night, and catch a sight of her guardian. Moving through the alder trees and fluttering reeds as silently as a shadow, she reached the edge. Being careful not to fall in, Toska watched as a sleek brown shape slipped into the water from the opposite bank.
136
She took in a joyful breath and felt her hand slide to her clan creature skin sewn to her jerkin. The otter gave a happy squeak as she rolled onto her back, mewing as the water washed gently over her. Elegantly, she rolled over and sumberged, tail disappearing silently beneath the water. There was a slight splash, and the otter re-emerged clutching a fat fish between her tiny front paws. She was only a young otter, and had many more moons to live.
218
Just as Toska was thinking this, more squeaks echoed from the undergrowth, and five tiny otters burst into the silvery light of the moon. Yelping, they tripped over each other in their hurry to get to the lake. Their mother called to them, and they too slid into the water, even if they were slightly less elegant than a grown otter. The youngest tripped over in his haste to get to the lake. Toska stifled a laugh. Yapping, he entered along with the rest, and the babies rushed over to try and take the struggling fish from their mother.
Maybe I could leave them an offering, thought Toska. I could leave it outside their den.
Walking away from the lake edge, she dashed through the brambles to the other side of the lake. The lake was small, so that it didn't take her long to reach the other side. Opening her food pouch, she slipped out some meat and cut it with her knife, into small, tasty strips. Then, she put her knife away and approached the lake.
Kneeling down, she began to track. The scuffled marks where otters had played on the earth. Fur, prints, all the signs. The den had to be here somewhere. Then, she saw it. A small hole in the earth surrounded by remains of old fish bones. She laid out the meat, and turned to leave.
As she was turning away to reluctantly return to camp, she caught a last glimpse of the otters on the lake. They had spotted her, and six sets of shining eyes were fixed intently upon her. The mother otter chattered angrily, warning her to stay back. Respecting the otter, she walked further away, staying clear of the lake. She desperately wanted to see the otter cubs again, so she climed an alder and clawed her way up into the branches. She could see them again, and now she was out of sight, they had gone to check out the meat by the den. Toska moved closer. She hadn't noticed how thin the branch she was sitting on was.
Suddenly, a loud crack resounded in the air. Toska shrieked as she plummeted down into the freezing water. The otters yowled in surprise, snatched the meat and darted into the den. Cursing, Toska swiped her long hair out of her eyes. She was shivering, and to add insult to injury, she'd upset the guardian. Muttering a quick sorry to the otters, she waded out of the lake, shook herself and, blushing, turned to leave.
Next time, she thought, I'll let them be. When the world spirit's hunters want to be alone, it's not our place to trouble them...