Also curious, he nodded as Miriam asked,
"What are we hunting today?"
"Deer… one for certain, maybe two if enough arrive to help."
Towser's tail waved, just happy to be a part of it all. He looked around as one by one the others appeared. The two eager near-yearlings Addison and Atara, the gray-pelted shaman Miriam, Leader Finley, and one other youth, Micaden. He knew their names in passing and recognized them all by scent, but had yet to immerse himself to become one of them. While all could easily be considered a friend, he knew from experience that he was still a stranger. And, he had yet to be trusted.
"'Lo," he returned Atara's greeting with a soft note.
He turned to Nadine, green eyes bright and wide. She was quick to brief them, relaying her findings of a nearby herd. Towser sat up, ears open and forward like satellite dishes. Considering the turnout, he agreed they had enough for two hunting teams. Or, at least a very well-rounded group of chasers and a good-sized group of tacklers. As Nadine saw fit, she separated them into groups, setting him up with Finley and Addison. They would take down the injured deer she had singled out.
Towser's attention went to Miriam as she took her leave, already getting into position. Finley's voice brought him back.
”Who would you like doing chasing, and who would you like doing the ambushes?”
"I can ambush," he volunteered, standing now though his voice was still on the quiet side. He could have bragged and verbally laid out all his father had taught him, but instead, he waited. The women knew what they were doing. If they thought otherwise, he was certain they would let him know. With him being a bit heavier than most, it seemed like an obvious choice.
these bad omens, I look right through them that's what you do when you love somebody |
TOWSER |