Thicket of Secrets BWP: Bed of Thorns

@Duckweed and SW/anyone else - A pig has wandered close to your territory, protect you caches!

 

After her success among the willows, Acantha was full of fire to continue her mission. This land surely held a bounty, ripe for the taking. The pesky mutts didn't bother her, they had shown their weakness already, they would not defeat her. Northward she went, into forests of cedar and oak, with floors full of delicacies for a hungry boar. It wasn't enough for the ambitious sow though, she knew there were secret stashes, dug by the overconfident mutts, filled to the brim with food enough for not just one, but many hungry pigs. These were what she sought, a price worthy of her mighty power.

Her search let her into a dense thicket, full of tight, thorny spots and unattractive, dry bramble. But the land hung heavy with the stench of mutt, whatever might have possessed them to settle here was no matter, Acantha plowed easily through the forest, snout buried in the muddy underbrush. She would seek out their treasure, but there was no hurry, right now she had found a particularly lovely pool of mud, nestled closed to a large stream. In the humid spring warmth, the boar would pause, enjoying a good roll in the dark mud.

Wouldn't mind at least one round of Acantha-antagonise/threaten-Duck before others join, but obviously it's up to staff <3

He was far better suited to these tighter spaces than he ever had in the open air of the mountain. It was easier to hide down here in the brambles, and for once his small stature worked to his advantage! He hadn't thought that would ever happen.

As was typical for the young wolf, Duckweed had headed straight for one of his typical streams come the morning, and had hunkered down for a good productive day of fishing. The creatures were a little elusive that day, but it was no matter; one bad haul was made up by one good one, and his average contribution to the pack was consistent enough. He might have been hopeless at rabbits and rodents and certainly no good at anything bigger, but this, this he could help with.

Relaxed and feeling safe, Duck registered the sound of someone moving through the thicket but didn't initially pay it any mind; it was likely just another woodlands wolf, probably even his mother come to check on him. He had never been disturbed before, not when nestled in the depths of the thicket like this. It protected him.

The sound didn't go away; he heard the telltale squish of something in mud, and idly wondering if his mother was planning some dirty plot, he pealed away from his quiet fishing spot and trotted towards the noise, ears forwards. He even felt comfortable enough to call "hello-" before he reached an earthy bank and there, only a few feet below and rolling in mud, was a hideous monster.

Any other words died in his throat, mutated into a twisted, garbled sound of surprise and terror before he could stop himself.