summer has been kind to the caribou. their calves have grown bold enough to stray from their mothers, though never so far that a sharp bleat cannot summon them back. fa’liya watches one such calf investigate a particularly stubborn patch of wildflowers, its narrow muzzle disappearing among the blossoms.

she has been here since morning, content to spend what little strength she possesses in their company. the herd seldom requires anything of her, and there is a peculiar comfort in being permitted to exist without expectation.

the calf discovers her soon enough. it approaches with the graceless curiosity of the very young, stretching its neck to investigate black fur. its mother watches from several paces away, untroubled. it is this small exchange that occupies the girl when another presence disturbs the grasses behind her.

fa’liya obliges with a patient lowering of her head. hello, little one.

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backdated heavily! early summer. for Yanggadi Saghani

Yanggadi Saghani walked through the forest, thoughts wandering as he did so. He was remembering where he buried a particularly interesting stone. It was one that was formed into a strange swirling circle towards the middle, ribbed. He was perplexed by the shape, having never seen anything like it. It was…animal like, but not like any animal he had seen.

As he moved, remembering trees, stones, and bushes, he saw the herd not far off in the field. Ah yes, he knows this tree, with the weird crook in the corner. It should be 5 trees to the right. He loped forward, counting the trees, and finding the very spot he buried his treasure. He dug, and quickly unearched the thing. As he snatched it with his mouth, the movement of the small caribou caught his attention, and it was then he saw Fa’liya.

Yanggadi Saghani trots over, the calf engaging while the mother watches on. Yanggadi Saghani narrowed his eyes. He wondered why the mother did not engage. They ate the caribou. Was she stupid? Yanggadi Saghani blinked, looking now to Fa’liya, dropping the odd stone (an ammonite).

”Why do they trust you when you eat them?” he asked bluntly, tail swishing behind him as he watched them carefully.