a Rosebud in a swamp???

Eric had layed beside Hazel the entire time Kineks was hunting when he saw her come back he raised a suprised eyebrow he then looked at her "promise me next time you'll take me" she said and smiled and cocked his head at the kill

"promise" we both said...
"now then where is that-"
"Kineks, you used the dragon again"
"uhhh, yeah, you said i couldn't ride it not that i couldn't play with it" i said with a smirk and then weent back to my bag taking my quiver off adn searchign for my pocket knife..
"Hazel can you pull the skin off , do you mind helping her Eric?" i shouted still searching for my pocket knife...
"you were useing it for target practice last time, in the tree" shouted Hazel
"thanks" i shouted back and pulled myself up to the lower tree branc which was quiet high.. i then grabbed the one above and stood on it looking around i spotted it and then climbed up and grabbed it before climbing down a bit and then jumping down...
Hazel began pulling some of the skin around the neck to make it easier to cut

Eric had already bent down and started to peal the skin off on the other side of the elk, watching Kineks with one eye

"careful not to rip off too ,uch, this has to last us a few days since hunting here isn't very good" said Hazel...
i then shouted "Hazel this isn't my pocket knife" "other side, honestly am i your mother?" "yep yep" i said and climbed back up i ducked under a branch and pulled out my pocket knife from the tree falling backwards and landing on a branch below "ouch" i said and jumped down walking over "thanks a lot" i said to them both before bringing up the blade of my pocket knife"let's see" Hazel had a stack of fur in onecorner and brung some freshy washed fur over to wrap up bits of it in..
i kneeled down infront of th neck and clit it cleanly not even causing any bleeding...i hjad soon cut off the head and put it to one side... "there, now then leg, belly, tail and that's it" i muttered to myself carefully... Hazel had also torn off some skin just above the meatless legs

Eric nodded and did it more carefully, he looked at Kineks "are you allright" he asked her, honestly worried than saw that Hazel had already taken care of it, he was slightly amused by this, a female wolf taking such good care of a young girl like Kineks

i cut the legs off carefully and put them beside the head before cutting the tail off and then waiting till Eric finished ripping the skin off before beginig to pick out bits of meat from it... "Hazel what does it smell like?" "hmm, this is a perfectly healthy deer no worries for poisining" she said and i smiled "perfect, this is the best catch in a while, i'm getting rather fed up of fish and birds" i said happily before i pulled over some of the freshly washed fur and carefuly cut the stomache open before Hazel began ripping the skin off carefully.. once they had finished i spent a while cutting it into large chunks... i then wrapped some of them up in the fur and then Hazel and me took them over to the huge tree and i went in my bag and pulled out a lemon and put lemon on the fur before taking the chunk i left there to the fire with some twigs.. "hey Eric, this has been bugging me for a while, do you eat raw meat like wolves?" i stoped and Hazel began growling.. i slowly stood up making the sound of my breathing stop..."shh" i said keeping very still...

Eric watched, intrigued he had never seen anyone prepare meat this way he finished peeling skin of and watched as Kineks prepared the meat "yes i do," he answered her question, he heard Hazel growl and his ears went down as he raised his head and looked around,

the same dragon from earlier appear "you lead it here?" "hey i only-"i ducked as it swiped a claw at me and then jumped into a tree... "aww, do i have to play i hungry" i whined at it and it roared.... "for crying out loud, this is why i told you to stop doing that, why? because this would happen" said Hazel.. i smiled cheekily and jumped down as the dragon tried to hit me again... "spoil sport" i said and lead the dragon away jumping through the trees before singing a rather harsh tune causing it to stay away.. i headed back pretty tired i had put the meat on sticks in order to cook it and smiled "it's done" i said "the dragon helped to pass time atleast"
Hazel sighed and licked my cheeck as i sat down and handed her a meat stick for her to eat and then gave one to Eric before eating mine

Eric watched as Kineks ready to jump up and help her but saw she was pretty capable of handiling it herself, Eric was impressed he looked at the meat stick and looked at kineks "thanks" he said before lying down in front of it and begginning to eat he looked up curious about Kineks life in the forest "so what have you been doing all these years in the forest" he said with his head cocked "hasn't it ever occured to you to maybe go back to civilization" he asked her

"sure it has, but it's much more interesting out here, also i want to find out why this place remains night adnd never turns to day" i said simply "life is short adn there is so much to learn and explore i have learnt enough about the towns and technoligy, the wild is more.. curious i guess and far more complex"
Hazel finished hers and lay beside me with her head on my lap

Eric sighed "i guess your right, maybe thats why i haven't even used my human form'" he grinned a big wolfy grin "i don't even know how i look" he said and glanced at Hazel

Hazel had fallen asleep i yawned and grabbed another meat stick "you can help yourself" i said and took a bite from mine happily staring at the moon through the trees my eyes filled with curiousity... the alarm on my watch went off and Hazel woke up and looked to me and i stroked her head before she took it off my lap and curled up... "i'm going to speak with an old freind, so i'll be back later" i said "like i said help your self to the meat set out" i grabbed another to go and quickly ate it before kissing Hazel goodnight and standing up heading for the direction of the moon through the tree

Eric looked at her and shook his head "im full for now but thanks" he looked at Hazel "do you know where she's going" he asked a tired Hazel

"yeah, she's goign to sing, there is another lady who lives nearby, on the next island.. Kineks sings to her everyday since that;s the only thing that lady looks forward to .. but she creeps me out so i don;t go" answered Hazel "she looks like a witch and also she can do magic so supose that's why" said Hazel hafl asleep

i was making my way across the river carefully in the darkness to the next island.. when i got there an old lady in a rocking chair was there with a small house behind her.. "hey, i'm here Grandma" i said.. i called her that since she was kind to me..
"helo, Dear Kineks" "hey i found a coal black rose bud today" "ah just like you a Rosebud in a swamp" "yeah, that's right Kineks means Rosebud" i said happily "what song is it today Kineks?"
"songs don't always have names, they have lyrics" i answered and began to sing a sweet song
" Hey, must everything in this world change?
Tell me, Is there nothing left in this heart to express?
In the depths of night, mourning awaits, and the day repeats.
Hey, if even our promise will one day be forgotten,
Oh, how I wish for this song to reach you
From the end to a new beginning, these tears greet the day.
Far away. Far Away. The shadows of days past yearn for light.
Far away. Far away. I hold onto the delicate Shimmer.
The ever-shifting, ever-changing, light and shadow. Just what awaits us beyond them?"

ooc- the orginal song is japanese so i've just posted a link for the japaneese song with english lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vttph9W11-M

Eric nodded and lied down near Hazel, falling asleep, he could almost hear Kineks sweet voice singing. He fell into a deeper sleep

i finished my song adn came back half an hour later.. i was about to speak when i saw them both asleep... i silently walked past them and ate the meat that was left before putting some more twigs on the fire... i took my ribbon out and tied it round my wrist before looking at my watch "midnight huh?" i said to myself and sat down oposite the two sleeping wolves on the other side of the fire..Tadewi landed when i lifted my hand up and i spoke to her "how's it going, and i've got the mice i owe you" i said "i'm fine, where are they?" i stood up carrying her on my arm and picked up three mice "here, like i promised and you need to becareful, i heard there are shooters coming in about a wekk maybe earlier i don't want to loose another freind now do i?" "no, and i don't want to loose my life, you need to be more careful than me, your voice can make peopel mistake you for a Siren and since there is so much water here they will think the same also a siren is around here as well and how long do you plan to play with the dragon?" "don't know, i better get to sleep night Tadewi" "night" she said adn jumped off as i curled up with my back towards the fire and fell asleep

Eric heard the voices as he slept, interrupting his dream. He felt the warm fire, and opened his eyes a little too see Kineks had come back. He shifted his position slightly and fell right back asleep

both me and Hazel were fast asleep...

Morning~

i stayed asleep and Hazel woke up and then stood up shaking her head to wake herself up before looking to Tadewi "what time did she get back?" "about Midnight i think, that lady is acting really strange" "thought so" "go with her next time" "i know, i know" she said they spoke in hust tones so they didn't wake anyone up...
15 minutes later i woke up and sat cross legged yawning.."ok, let's find breakfast, Tadewi where's the berry bush again?" "the island not far from the old lady's" i nodded "thanks"

Eric rolled over in his sleep and was on his back his legs slightly in the air, he looked amusing as he kept sleeping

me and Hazel looked to each other with Tadewi and watched Eric we all then laughed slightly trying not to wake him i covered my mouth to smother my laughter... "what is he doing?" said Tadewi laughing "hey didn't you promise you'd take him with you next time you went hunting or collecting Kineks?" said Hazel stopping herself laughing.. or atleast trying to.."yeah, your right" i said and stopped laughing and looked to him "hmm, should i wake him or just go?Hazel, Tadewi?" they both gave me different answers

Eric yawned widley and slid to his side and looked at them as they were all laughing at something he pricked his ears "what?" he asked and stood up and stretched

"nothing" we all said as we stopped laughing "anyway, remember yesterday i promised i would take you with me next tiem i went looking for food?, well unless you want to stay i'm going to get breakfast, i use the meat for dinner since it'll last longer and lemon and vinger preserve it(not true made up by me) for a few days i have to feed Tadewi as well so... anyway want to come?" i said and stood up Tadewi perching herself on my shoulder and Hazel sat beside me as i went and got my handmade shoulder bag to put fish,fruit and veg in...

(lol nicee i heard they put salt on it! )

Eric stood up quicky "of course i want to go" he said and wagged his tail "i haven't been hunting in a while"

"fair enough, but i'm fishing so unlesss you can catch fish you won't be doing much hunting" i said adn me Hazel and Tadewi wondered through the forest untill we got to the edge and i squinted my eyes at the sunlight..."c'mon then" i said adn jumped on the rock crossing to the next island and waited for Eric..i then moved on another few islands and then sat down on one a fair distance from my home... "here we go and this one is connected to the forest that surrounds this place, now i need to find some of my nets and check my traps" i said and Hazel nodded with Tadewi "we'll check the traps for you, find the nets ok?" "yep yep" i said and carefully slipped into the water after rolling up my bottoms and tying my hair back again... "let's see" i said and took a deep breath before lookign at my nets.. i came back up and gasped for air "aww, thoose crocs came here and ripped my nets,what a pain, oh well, Eric if you see a huge silver fish in the water try to catch it with your teeth" i said and tok a deep breath and dived back under and searched for fish i came back up really annoyed

The moment they got to the river, Eric jumped in playfully splashing everyone around him he swam around for a few moments before going up to Kineks and shaking his fur drenching her in water he looked at the nets and cocked his head "yah but you have something else to use other than those nets right" he said before jumping back into the water and ducking his head under the small waves that he had caused