[PRP] Fawns are friends, not food [Namid x Asku]

[Skyflu]

The moon cast a lovely light through the canopy of the trees. Just basking in the cool rays instantly made Namid happy and content. Of course, her friends were out tonight and so was the closest one of them all, the sun. Though, not in the sky now (since it wasn't her time to shine) but her presence could be felt from the reflection of the moon.

Namid's stomach gave a rumble to let her know that it wished to be feed. Well, she will please her stomach with something tasty. So now, the hunt. Namid placed her head close to the ground and gave a couple good sniffs. Her legs carried her forward as her nose guided her. In seconds she caught the scent of something tasty. Namid wasn't quite sure what it was, but her nose will lead her to it.  

[SilverLutz]

Ah, night. Namid was usually quite calm at night. That was good for Asku who, although slowly becoming nocturnal, enjoyed being able to lay around and not worry about the female toddling off to get in trouble. He was currently stretched out on his back and looking up at the many stars that dotted the night sky. It fascinated him how some could be so bright and big and how others, although smaller and fainter, could still be seen. There wasn't one place in the whole sky that was dark. It was crazy.

"Hey...Namid? How many stars are there?" he asked as he pawed at the sky. "And why can't we touch them? They look kinda close sometimes...do they tell you what they feel like? They seem like they're shiny little rocks."

He went unanswered and, after a moment, he twisted to look at where his companion once was. All that remained was a matted down patch of grass. Oh no...

He got to his feet and looked around, catching her tail flick as she disappeared behind a tree. "Hey! Namid, where are you going?" he asked as he bounded after her. Normally they just laid and looked up at the stars together, but now...well. She was obviously on some kind of mission.  

[Skyflu]

Oh,oh,oh~ something smelled good, really good. Like....water in the desert good. Well, water doesn't really have a taste. Though, it could taste bad if there was bacteria living in it. Usually the rule went like this: moving water is ready for drink and still water is ready for death. It would sound better if it rhymed... but Namid wasn't good at those things.

Her nose lead her to a little bush growing in between two large roots from the tree next to it. It could shelter a number of tasty treats, which Namid will feast on as soon as she addressed Asku's question.
"Look, Asku. Not with your eyes. Look with your nose. There's something quite scrumptious living here." She licked away the drool that began to seep between her lips. It wasn't very lady like to drool...not that Namid cared.

She raised her paw and pushed back the bush and out popped two big, black eyes set in a little head. The small thing was shaking so much that the bush moved too. Humm...it wouldn't fill Asku's and her belly very much. They'd have to keep hunting after this little one. Namid leaned down to pick it up with her teeth.  

[SilverLutz]

Asku didn't bother sniffing. Normally he couldn't smell what Namid was tracking, since it was cosmic dust or something similar. But now, as she told him to sniff, he realized the scent of fear was thick in the air. He looked down as Namid pushed the bush aside and...oh. A baby deer. He tilted his head just a bit and smiled at the wide eyes. Aw...it was so cute.

Wait...wait what was..."Namid! What are you doing?" he gasped, jumping in between the fawn and Namid. "You can't be serious about eating this poor fawn, can you?" He knew that lots of wild dogs didn't really have many 'rules' about what they did and didn't eat, but when babies were concerned, Asku always said no. They didn't offer much meat and if you let them grow, they could feed a whole pack! It just didn't seem right eating something so tiny, too.  

[Skyflu]

Namid pulled back, not wanting to bite Asku. She took a couple steps back, since there wasn't much room between the tree and the fawn. Wait... did Asku just say not to eat it? "Of course we're going to eat it." Why wouldn't they? "Obviously the mother isn't here to protect it. So eating it would be the best solution. Besides, it won't survive the night." The meat would be wasted if they let it sit. Either something else would come along and get it or it will spoil over time. This wasn't an opportunity to be missed.

Namid peered around Asku to get another look at the fawn. It just sat there, terrified as anything, but just..there...ready to be eaten. Though, it was cute, but everything was cute at one time or another. Soon it will not be cute and then they could eat it?  

[SilverLutz]

Asku shook his head vehemently as Namid spoke. No no no, eating babies was out of the question! It was always sad when someone in a pack was killed, but it was a tragedy when a pup was the victim. He knew that there was a difference between prey and predator, but he could only imagine the heartache the mother deer would experience when she found the remains of the fawn.

"It looks just a few weeks old," Asku argued. "The poor thing is probably frightened out of its wits. It has barely had time to live. Besides, that much meat could scarcely feed you, let alone the both of us. Wouldn't you rather take down something that will fill us both? And who knows, perhaps this fawn will grow up to do great things for their herd."

He could go on and on for hours about things like this. He felt very strongly about children. They were the future, after all. What would happen if they didn't take care of their physical embodiment of said future? When it came down to it, the prey animals were just as important as the lions and the wild dogs and everyone else. Without them, they wouldn't survive.

Asku bowed his head a bit to get himself between Namid and Asku again. "Please, Namid...we can find food elsewhere. Let this fawn go."  

[Skyflu]

Namid let a out a large sigh she's been holding during Asku's speech. She was really hungry and the fawn would at least curb a bit of the demand. Namid found no joy in killing the fawn, it's just...she needed food to survive. All creatures needed nutrients or they'd be dead. A dead Namid was not a happy Namid.

She didn't see the fawn...as well.. a little baby deer. She saw it as meat. Though, if Asku kept talking, it will become more difficult. Namid scratched at the ground in frustration. Asku was making her have conflicting emotions. Things were so much more simple before. It was working though... the more he talked the less Namid felt compelled to eat it.

"Fine...If we can't eat it, grab it so nothing else can too." Namid backed up to give Asku some space. "We can take it back to the cave for shelter." She was disappointed that it wouldn't spend the night in her belly...  

[SilverLutz]

Asku remained on alert, his ears high and his head low to intercept any possible attacks. He could see Namid's resolve was faltering and if he held his ground just a bit longer, he might be able to save this little fawn. Finally his companion caved and he let out a huge sigh of relief. Good...if there was one thing about Namid, once she agreed to do something she never went back on her word. He could trust her with the little scared creature.

"Thank you, Namid. I'll go get something for you that's much larger and much more filling once we make sure this little guy is okay," he said, relief evident in his voice. He turned back to look at the fawn who had yet to move other than the slight back and forth motion from shaking. He lowered himself to the ground and pressed his ears flat against his head to appear as less of a threat before moving forward.

"Hey little guy...we're not gonna hurt you. C'mon..." He gave the little deer a nudge with his nose to get him to stand. The poor creature gave a cry of fear but got to its feet, still shaking like a leaf in a storm. "Hey...it's okay," Asku said with a weak smile. "We're not gonna hurt you. I promise. Do you know where your mom is?"

He had no idea if the little creature could understand him or not, but from the way he wasn't getting any sort of response he was starting to wonder.  

[Skyflu]

The fawn was completely afraid of the two dogs. They were easily five times bigger than the little thing. It was a little frustrating the way things turned out, but I guess she will be rewarded in some way or another. Asku's declaration of finding better food calmed Namid's rumbling stomach a bit. She was hungry, but not starving. She should be glad not to have to grovel for her food. Some were not so lucky.

Namid observed as Asku tried to coax the baby out of its hole. From the way it shook, it didn't seem to want to go near Asku. Namid couldn't blame the thing, having two big things in your face didn't seem like a pleasant experience.
Namid laid down and let her ears fall back, making herself seem smaller. She then closed her eyes to slits. She figured that having hungry eyes staring at it didn't help. Namid tried to look like she was sleeping. Maybe a sleeping Namid isn't as scary as an awake Namid.  

[SilverLutz]

Asku glanced back at Namid, his tail wagging very slightly as she closed her eyes. He was glad that she wasn't doing something to make the deer nervous. He reached back for a moment to bump his nose against her shoulder in thanks, before turning his attention back to the fawn.

"It's okay," he repeated quietly, his voice soft. The fawn actually started to calm down a bit as both of the wild dogs remained on their stomachs. It took a few steps forward and leaned down to sniff at Asku, then Namid, before its little tail gave a few flicks of happiness. Asku grinned and pressed his nose against the fawn's chest, pushing it back just a bit. Rather than shake in fear, the fawn jumped around the two canines in delight.

"Ha...look at how happy it is," he said quietly. He watched the little fawn dance around them a few times before bounding off to the left. He lifted his head in surprise and spotted a much larger deer. The fawn's mother. The two bounded off into the night, leaving Namid and Asku on their bellies.

"Ah...well. That was nice," he said as he stood. He shook himself before walking over Namid, bumping her back with his paw. "I'll go see what I can find," he said before charging off in the opposite direction that the two deer had disappeared in.

FIN