[closed] we played hide and seek in waterfalls, we were younger

[lacere]

WHO: Lace Harding and Katniss Everdeen
WHAT: Harding and Katniss go out into the valley together like they used to when they were kids. In other words, quality bonding time.
WHEN: Wintermarch 18, morning
WHERE: Frostbacks, Hinterland valleys, etc
NOTES: No warnings at present, will update.

It hadn't been planned. They'd talked about it offhandedly, sure, but it wasn't until that morning when Harding had been in the right place at the right time and it had just happened. Not on patrol but awake at dawn none-the-less, her morning had been largely empty. Not anymore it wasn't, and she didn't mind it - there were far worse ways to spend a morning than on a hunt with your childhood best friend.

It's familiar, in a nostalgic sort of way, even if, at the time, it had always been something more of a novelty to not be guarding sheep and rams. This was Katniss' livelihood, something she had done every day, and Harding had followed without complaint, willing and ready to learn what she did not, and to improve upon what she did. Now was different; going down into the valley happened on a fairly regular basis when she and her fellow scouts were instructed somewhere. But, again, today was different than that, too, because it wasn't just about observation and survival. Well, sure, it was, but that didn't take into account the hunt.

And, well. There's far less ears out in the crisp winter air, which makes it a good place to talk if they want to - even if puffs of smoke form as she exhales and trudges along with bow over her back. She's swapped the Inquisition emblem for jerkin, but kept the plate and mail. The mountain is always snow covered (and a pain), and the valley is much the same this time of year, but at least it thins a little, with forest being the dominant feature. Maybe the bears have finally started to hibernate... she doubts it, but she does hope they don't have to fight one off this morning. Less fun.

Harding expertly clambers up a slight ridge to a vantage point she's used in the past for scout detail, even if now, the forest is still and potentially asleep. "As good a place to start as any," she calls over her shoulder to Katniss. "Am I right?"

Comments

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss had talked about it - over dinners where Harding was working on paperwork, or when she was writing her own observations about her training. Harding's were, as always, better spelled, but it was work and Katniss did it. They talked about it turning training sessions, briefly once when Katniss was teaching John how to track animal prints - and John had made some sort of joke about being so much of a city boy he didn't know anything of how they made it in the Hinterlands.

A laugh, they moved on, but this morning when Katniss was lacing up her boots, there was Harding and she had no reports and no uniform so Katniss asked her to come along. It was like old times - two girls trekking across the forest, their breaths frosting in the early morning light. You couldn't talk until you had caught your breath from the cold, and not until it was just right to start tracking.

Lace took the high position, and Katniss knelt on the ground, eying the snow. Larger animal tracks she avoided - she and Harding couldn't bring back anything larger than a snofleur on their own unless forced. She found some smaller tracks - fennecs, snofleurs, perhaps a few wolves and of course rams. She made a soft noise of approval and nodded her head.

"We should head east from here -- I think there's a stream that runs from the hot springs - animals will be gathering there to drink. She unhooked her bow, pulled out an arrow, and kept it on the ready for anything on the fly. "Keep an eye out for geese - some might have wandered over the mountains this late in the season."

She started to move down the trail, glancing over her shoulder with a faint smirk, "So I hear you and Bruce are going to be sharing the same tent soon?"