Namir stretched lazily, watching with amber eyes as her new travelling companion set off at a brisk trot to do…whatever it was he did when he went off. She yawned, tongue rolling out of her mouth as she considered her options. The fog that had obscured her view before still seemed to blanket both the forest and the open lands beyond. So far, they hadn’t run into anyone who had information about their queries. It was hunting, and sleeping, and looking for wolves who might know something. She could waste an entire arvo just lazing around -- or she could do something.

They were awful near borders now – and that gave her a wee little idea.

With a grin, the loner gathered her feet and set off at a lazy lope, catching up with Buzzard easily. She bumped into his haunches before rolling in front of him, urging him to halt. “Hey now,” she drawled, ears pushed forward. “I gotta idea. We’re real near a pack, see? Can smell ‘em on th’ wind. Now, I know a thing ‘er two ‘bout gettin’ easy dinner, but we gotta be quick, and we gotta do our work first, and you gotta listen to me. Got it?”

Little Crow grinned up at the older wolf, tail waving behind her easily.

Huh.

She’d never had such an easy time convincing someone to do something. Sure, most of it was probably because she was an omega’s daughter, but most of it was because she didn’t have that bit of meat hanging behind her back legs all the powerful wolves seemed to have. It took Little Crow a moment to process, that she was actually being taken seriously, and gave Big Buzzard a wide swing of her tail.

“Okay – first things first. Gotta get wet an’ muddy. Mask our scent. ‘Cos it’s important not t’go in blind, but if they smell strangers, they’re gonna know before we even try, right?” she explained, turning to lead her partner in crime to their most recent watering hole. Once they arrived, she wasted no time diving right in, wetting her fur and smothering herself in mud. It would go far to dampen her smell, and make it unfamiliar enough that they wouldn’t know just who was on their borders. Glancing over, she wiggled her tail at the other wolf, raising her brows. “C’mon in. Gotta get real covered. Then we go check out the borders. Try t’ find a cache near, so we get in, an’ get out, real fast.”

Little Crow rolled to her feet, pausing for a few moments as she fought the natural urge to sling all the mud off of her tawny coat – that wouldn’t do at all. Would defeat the purpose. At the sound of Buzzard’s voice, the bandit glanced up, mouth pulling into a scowl as she realized that stubborn white star was still poking through. Unless the guy near drowned himself, he wasn’t going to get it covered…or…

Heh.

The loner reared upwards on her hind limbs, balancing precariously before placing a small paw firmly between his eyes. <b.“Boop!” </b>she hummed, pulling back and splashing back down as she tried to admire her handiwork. There! “Yer a different man now, Buzzard,” Little Crow announced, clearly pleased with her brilliance. Mud was still dripping from her tail and undercarriage as she turned, motioning for the larger wolf to join her as they made a beeline towards the pack borders. Which meant it was time for the next lesson.

“No straight lines,” she told him, careful to follow her own advice, zigging and zagging, doubling back as they travelled towards the homestead. “When we run, yeah. But when we scout, no. Don’t want them t’track us if they got like, a super sniffer ‘er somethin’, yanno?” She loped an easy circle. So as we get close, y’keep yer nose open fer somethin’ that smells like food. Got it?”

“Good.” She grinned to herself, continuing the irregular pattern as easily as she did breathe. When this was all you grew up knowing, it came like second nature. “Y’know, y’ain’t half bad, ‘fer a big brute. Most of ‘em can’t even pick up this shit.” She wasn’t sure if it was the Big Bad Male syndrome, or maybe if a pair of balls just made it harder for them to think, but either way, this guy was different. Maybe he didn’t have an alpha daddy, or something.

They made it to the rye fields quickly enough, stinking of a sizeable pack with several males, and at least a pair of females, if not more. So that meant two things: lots of caches, and probably lots of guards. They’d have to be smart, find something within striking distance, and take off again. Little Crow wondered if her new companion was any good at eating on the run. Multitasking seemed a little…difficult for him. But that was okay. As long as he could bite a jerk or two in the face, that was all she really needed.

Slowing down to catch up with her companion, she tipped her head and spoke softly. “One cache. S’all we’re lookin’ fer,” she drawled, eyes scanning the waving grasses. “Smells like lotsa wolves, so we gotta play it cool. Play it quick.” Her tail snapped from side to side and she was moving again, not wasting any time while the mud continued to dry. They’d have to leave again before their scent became apparent.

That wasn’t a half-bad idea…and not actually something that had occurred to Little Crow just yet. The tall grasses seemed pretty perfect, but her companion was absolutely correct. The fog was gonna help them. It dampened the smell over everything, and it would make two murky wolves difficult to find. She hummed thoughtfully, giving the older wolf a small nod of approval. “Yeah, good call. Think I smell somethin’. Remember this spot.”

She turned about, slinking down to her belly and disappearing completely into the grasses. There were definitely some advantages to being small and slender (not that she ever complained, not her), becoming one with the landscape as she waited for Big Buzzard to do the same. It was quite a test for a pair of wolves who’d only just started to work together…frankly, she’d never done this with another wolf in tow at all. Her Mama had taught her, yeah, but any actual jobs? Her alpha sent her Mama until she couldn’t go anymore, and then it was up to Little Crow, even before a year of age.

But she did it.

That’s why she was Little Crow now. That’s why she had a place at Crow’s Crossing – even as omega’s spawn – if she came back. Because she was Little Crow, and she knew what she was doing. “C’mon. Let’s not waste th’ opportunity.”

Exit.