(Anat & Ethe) Planting the seeds of friendship

[jinxgirl5]

"Oh, they'll climb up pretty much anything they can get support from," Ethe said conversationally. "As they grow upward tendrils grab onto things and curl around them or conture to shapes or wedge themselves into crevices. When they get that support they can pull themselves up and grow higher and higher, and spread out further and put out more tendrils to support itself."

She tapped her necklace. "Ivy does that, but there's only one variety that'll put out flowers. Tiny little violet ones, but you have to look to see them." She moved her paw to tap one of the dangling leaf packets. "These ones are all specifically flowering types and will get lots of big, bright blooms on them. I don't know if all of them will grow though," she said, looking down at the multitude of packets. "I got these from a bit of all over, the environment I settle in might not be to all of their likings."  

[lisais-fire619]

"Well I have a place in mind that I think you might like and I would assume that it could support most your plants. Though I'm not completely sure. You would have to be the judge of that. I...uh... I'll tell you more about it if you like the place when I show you." He didn't want to tell her exactly where they were going because it might steer her away from the den. Though It really would have been perfect for her. He just hoped she agreed to hear him out.  

[jinxgirl5]

"Really," Ethe asked, looking interested. "Well I'll certainly be willing to take a look at it if you want to show me. I haven't had any luck so far."

She tilted her head, a smile playing on her lips. "I'm afraid I'm being picky. I'm decent at manipulating my surroundings if there's something just a little off, but every place I've seen so far has had something wrong with it that I can't fix."  

[lisais-fire619]

Anat nodded. "Yeah I can show you and we can talk about it when we get there?" He asked making sure she understood they would have to talk about something’s but as far as places go it was vacant and up for grabs. He turned just a slight bit to the right of them and started walking. The den wasn't too far away from them. All they had to do was cut through the corner of the forest and they would be at it. Since it was on the edge it gave one plenty of things to eat; probably why his mother liked it so much. He paused to look back to make sure she was coming.  

[jinxgirl5]

"Talk about it," Ethe asked, tilted her head and raising her eyebrow at the same time while she followed behind the male. "Why, is it on the edge of your territory or something?"

Ethe pondered over that. She wasn't exactly a solitary fox, and she was pretty sure she wouldn't have minded if she'd settled down somewhere with neighbors, but if the rest of his family was as territorial as the male was then she was pretty sure there'd have to be checking going on first. She didn't want to really live somewhere where plans had already been made.  

[lisais-fire619]

"Yeah it is kind of. But once you get settled everything would be fine. Everyone is pretty friendly but dad is protective and has taught us boys to be which was kind of why I acted the way I was earlier." Anat said not even thinking it could be anything different like oh say his personality. He weaved his way through the trees heading down a familiar path that he once used travel a lot.  

[jinxgirl5]

"Whoa whoa whoa," Ethe said, speeding up and wiggling around in front of the male to halt him. Her cerulean eyes were a touch confused and concerned. "Okay, let me get something straight. This place you're taking me to see is on your territory? Like actually on the land that you patrol around? Shouldn't you be asking your family about this before you go trying to move in a total stranger? I mean it's a lot to organize so an area isn't over-hunted or over-gathered, and it would be a very awkward if it turns out they take a dislike to me.

I mean I appreciate you trying to help me out-," she continued, "-but that just sounds a bit counter-productive for the both of us."  

[lisais-fire619]

Anat skidded to a stop not running to run into her but he was cutting it kind of close. He arched an eyebrow at her not expecting that but stopped moving none the less. "Yea its on our territory but it hasn't been used since my birth. You have six foxes that come and go to find their own mates and family. Than to more that have family in two different tribes and some that are nomads. So the area really wouldn't be over hunted with so much coming and going. Yes mother and father spend more time here than the rest but it can easily support you even if you stayed here 24/7." he told her while making his way around her and continued to walk toward the den's location.  

[jinxgirl5]

Ethe rolled her eyes at that last bit. No Modifox ever had anything to do with humans. The creatures seemed to think they were the smartest beings alive and treated everything else like a lesser creatures. Plus they trashed the planet. Who would want to bring them in the middle of a forest?

"An area can be just as over-hunted with comings and goings as with others living here if you have a lot of people coming and going, which is sounds like you do," she countered, following behind the male out of habit. "Plus the thought of living in an old birthing den, especially when your parents still live here, isn't exactly what I had in mind when I was thinking of finding a home," she protested.  

[lisais-fire619]

" I really doubt that we would over hunt the area. My mother's family is in the bamboo tribe or lives around near there. I have more family in Lunarie, Soliare. So again I don't see it being over hunted because my parents have knowledge of ways to make sure that it isn't so." Anat said his voice was an unreadable one. He continued to make his way to the den. "If it helps matters much my mother didn't actually give birth in the den. They were out visiting family when it happened. So it was really just a den that homed us till we were kits."  

[jinxgirl5]

Ethe tilted her head. "Wouldn't that make it a place that holds memories," she asked. "I can't remember where I was born. I think I might have been with my father, but it was a long time ago and I can't even remember where it was I hatched. Still, if I knew it would be a nice place to visit just to remember."

She had already stubbornly made up her mind. She'd look at this cave for the male, maybe even plant a flower or two for his mother, but she didn't want to move into what had been this male's nursery. Besides wanting a place that felt her own, what if his parents had kids? What if any of his visiting family came with kids, or what if the ones not in tribes had kids here? What if he had kids here? If the place was already fixed up to be a nursery, then it should stay that way for later generations to carve more happy memories.  

[lisais-fire619]

"I'm sorry to hear that. " He was even sincere about it. Family was an important thing. "Do you mind me asking if you were ever able to find your family again?" He probably shouldn't have asked that but he couldn't help himself.  

[jinxgirl5]

Ethe nodded. "Oh yes, after I got bigger I kinda went on my own a lot and Dad went on his own. Then a couple months after wandering about I came across Mom by like total coincidence." She laughed. "I was distracted with a plant at the time so my reaction probably wasn't what she was hoping for, but we had a nice chat before separating."

She looked around at the forest surrounding them. "Turns out she lives around here. Well, not around here here. She's in this tribe that lives in a huge forest. Joined up to be with her mate, who I haven't met yet. Oh!" She looked as though she suddenly remembered something. "I also got some new siblings! Six of them, she said. Never met any of them, but they're apparently around."  

[lisais-fire619]

A soft smile made it a crossed his muzzle.. "Glad to hear you were able to reconnect with your family. It sounds like you have a lot of catching up to do. Trust me you will want to get it done sooner rather than later. It saves from hurting others feelings and you will more than likely be happy that you got to meet them." He really was happy for her. He couldn't imagine what it would have been like growing up without his. He glanced at the area and could tell that they were almost there.  

[jinxgirl5]

"Yea, I was going to go find my brother next after I settled down," Ethe said, going over the mental list of family in her head. "After that if winter isn't too bad, Mom said my big sister had joined a tribe so I was going to go look for her. Then from what I understand the rest of my little sibs scattered around and could be anywhere, so I figure I'd just stay in one place and wait for them to make parental visits rather than go around looking for them."