Kiva had been awake since dawn, which was saying something considering she’d given up a good opportunity to sleep in. There were important things to do, though, and she’d been planning this little event for days. She’d spent all morning running between Eastborne and the surrounding territories, tucking little treasures into hiding places and making sure her clues weren’t too difficult to figure out. Well, she’d gotten a little carried away with one or two, but where was the fun in making everything easy? Besides, she had faith in her fellow Eastrenhold wolves. Surely they could figure out a few riddles without too much trouble.

By the time she returned to Eastborne, she’d brought back a little pile of prizes for whoever managed to win. There were glossy black feathers, pale stones worn smooth by running water, and a little collection of colorful pebbles that she’d spent far too long sorting by size. Her favorite was a piece of amber-colored stone that caught the sunlight beautifully, and she’d debated keeping it for herself before deciding that wouldn’t be very kind of her. She’d even managed to find a few colorful flowers to decorate the gathering area, although she’d spent more time fussing over their arrangement than she wanted to admit. Everything needed to look nice! This was an official event, after all. Or, well, official enough. She’d declared it official herself, and that had to count for something, right?

Now came the hard part. Getting everyone to participate. “Alright, Eastrenhold! Gather ‘round!” she called, her tail wagging as she looked around for any familiar faces. “I’ve got somethin’ fun planned for everybody, and before anyone asks, no, it’s not mandatory. But I’ll be disappointed if nobody joins me, so there’s that. We’re havin’ a scavenger hunt! I’ve hidden a bunch of little treasures around Eastborne and some of the nearby territories, and it’s your job to find ’em. You can work by yourself or team up with somebody. Whoever brings back the most treasures gets a special prize, and also bragging rights.”

She paused to let that sink in, but she was eager to explain the rest. “Now, there are a few rules. No fighting, no stealin’ from anybody else, and no cheatin’. If I catch you cheating, you’ll be disqualified, and I’ll be disappointed in you. Trust me, that’s worse.” Her expression turned mock-serious for a moment before she broke into another grin. “Oh, and nobody has to climb a mountain. You’re welcome!”

Kiva stepped aside, revealing three small collections of stones she’d arranged on the ground to represent the different routes. She’d chosen a yellow stone for Golden Glade, a dark gray one for Bison Crest, and a pale, weathered stone for Quiet Moors. Each route would lead to a handful of hidden treasures, ranging from unusual feathers and polished stones to little bundles of dried flowers she’d tied together with long blades of grass. Some were tucked beneath exposed roots, while others rested in shallow hollows or behind rocks. There was nothing stopping anyone from attempting more than one route if they had the energy.

“Now, listen closely, because I’m only sayin’ these once!” That was a lie. She’d repeat them as many times as needed, but she liked the dramatic effect. “For Golden Glade: ‘Where golden leaves dance overhead, seek the roots where shadows spread.’ For Bison Crest: ‘Where rolling hills meet open sky, beneath a lonely stone I lie.’ And for Quiet Moors: ‘Where grasses whisper, soft and low, beside still waters, treasures show.’”

There. Simple enough, right? She thought so, anyway. “Once you’ve found somethin’, bring it back here so I can count it. And don’t worry if you don’t find everything! This is supposed to be fun.”

She settled onto her haunches, looking over the gathering area with a hopeful expression. She’d spent so much time putting everything together that she hadn’t given much thought to the possibility that nobody would show up. That would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it? Well, she’d cross that bridge if she came to it. At the very least, she’d have plenty of pretty rocks to take home. “Alright, who’s ready? And who’s gonna be my first victim! Er, I mean, volunteer?”

OOC: Feel free to get creative with the scavenger hunt! You’re welcome to decide where your character finds treasures along their route, what they discover, and how many they collect. You can also team up with other wolves or explore multiple routes. No need to wait for Kiva to reveal hiding spots. Just have fun with it! This is just a casual, collaborative event.