[Open] Nothing so strong as gentleness

[the_effect_she_has]

WHO: Katniss, a baby wolf, and you.
WHAT: Katniss finds a baby wolf in the forest, and brings it back to Skyhold, and begins to raise him on her own.
WHEN: All during Drakonis
WHERE: Forest outside of Skyhold, inside Skyhold.
NOTES: Welcome to Katniss's specialization reward, aka Ranger. Warning for wild animal death.

Closed
The forest was starting to come alive again. It was still cold, of course, with patches of snow everywhere. The temperature was just starting to warm during the day, to where you couldn't see your own breath. There was the start of flooding in the lower parts of the forests, and in some of the caves, carved out of the mountains themselves.

Katniss's boots sunk into the soft, frozen muck slightly, as she made her way through the trees, up the side of the mountain. Today was not a day for rabbits, or even snofleur. The wind was high, and she had seen geese flying across the sky again. She could get a few decent birds for the kitchen, and more than a few for the refugees. She tilted her head to the sky, breathing deep, closing her eyes to feel the sun on her cheeks.

That's when she heard it - the soft whine of something that sounded like a dog. She frowned, worried that some mutt had wandered up the hillside, and gotten caught in one of those damned bear traps. She stepped through the bushes, and made a soft noise of shock and pain. A wolf mother, and her pups, all dead from their burrow being flooded. But she had heard a whine ...

There! Crouched yet to his mother, whimpering. Katniss moved close to the pup, who looked at her with scared golden eyes. She crouched down, taking out a piece of meat, and leaving it down for the pup, before backing away. It looked half starved and cold, and it reminded her ... well, he reminded her of herself, she supposed. All alone, out here, and he had no idea how he was going to make it.

And just like that, Katniss's decision was made for her.

Open

Which was when Katniss brought a wolf into Skyhold. She figured, hey, she already brought in a grouchy horse and a demon cat. What was one small wolf?

All right, one small wolf that would grow into a full-sized wolf, but you could train wolves, right? The Emerald Knights did it. Of course it would have been helpful if the Chantry hadn't killed all of them and probably burnt all the damned records that would teach Katniss how to do the same, but she'd learn.

For the little guy's sake, she'd have to.

So for those looking for Katniss during Drakonis, they'll find her mostly in the courtyard with a young wolf pup. Feeding him warm milk and small bits of meat, running him around the yard, or just sitting there with the wolf curled up against her, sleeping. Mostly, you'll find her trying different ways to train him as a companion, and not as another one of the not-so-adorable lapdogs running around the camp. The amount of success she has? Really varied on the day.

Comments

[the_effect_she_has]

"Well since those people are typically nose-in-the-air Orlesians ... how much do we honestly listen to them anyways?" She looked thoughtful at that, "Asher. I've heard that name. I'll have to write him a note, and see."

[el_tybs]

"Not much honestly," he agrees with a chuckle. Least not any nose-in-the-air nobles. "I'm sure he and Brunson would enjoy showing others how to track. They're very good at it, too." Seen it first hand himself back in Emprise.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Precisely so." She smirked a little, before she looked more thoughtful, "Then he's the man I need to speak to. Beyond that, he's a good man to trade leather with so, there's that."

[el_tybs]

"Well he isn't hard to find that's for sure. At least when he's in Skyhold or at camp - I think he's out for the month though. Easy enough to get a hold of with the communication stones though."

[the_effect_she_has]

"True enough. I'll reach out to him today, hopefully. If not ... when I next have time to truly dedicate on moving forward with the pup's training." Katniss gnawed on her bottom lip thoughtfully.

[el_tybs]

"Well don't worry about it too much right now. There's no rush, right?" Reaching over he rubs at the pups head before patting Katniss on her knee. After doing so he slowly pushes himself up. "Let me know if you need anything, alright? I'd stay longer to talk or play, but I got some things that I need to attend to."

[the_effect_she_has]

"No ... he's still too young to really do anything more than basic commands anyways." She smiled, briefly, at Sam before giving him her usual serious face. "Then I suppose I'll see you around."