[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]

The pup goes up to sniff Sam's hand, before he nipped it lightly, tasting Sam, before giving him a lick and giving his hand a bump with his wet nose.

"His mother and siblings died because of the flooding up in the mountains." She whistled at the pup and he turned his head towards her, ears perking up. "And right now, he's just pup. I'm trying to come up with a proper elvish name."

[el_tybs]

"Do I taste good?" He's amused at the nip, feeling the pricks of its teeth in his skin, but nothing too painful or worrisome. At the lick and bump of its nose, Sam reaches in a bit further to lightly scratch his knuckles along the pup's neck.

"That's rough. He's lucky you found him then. On his own I doubt he'd make it, and I don't think many would take a wolf in." He's a cute little fella though, and Sam cannot help but tilt his head a bit, mimicking the pup a bit. "What are usual proper elvish names for a wolf?"

[the_effect_she_has]

"He always does that. Chews on it first to test his teeth and then if he likes it he licks it." She shakes her head, amused. "Like he's taking possession. He did the same thing to Buttercup -- I thought the demon cat would take his nose off."

She nodded her head soberly, "We orphans have to look out for one another. Besides, I learned from the Inquisition. They took me in when no one else Rwould." She blew out some hair, "Oh you know, Foxglove, Revan, Fenrir ... names that are something, mean something, or are shortened from something else."

[el_tybs]

"Oh, well I guess I belong to him now. He's chewed and licked me." He gives a small huff of a woof at the pup when it yips at him again, then gasps playfully when it sets its paws a bit ahead of itself and leaned back, wagging its butt.

"Foxglove?" he asks, looking up at Katniss with a raised brow. Not a bad name, but for a wolf pup? No judgement though. "So like Ironbark?" Heh.

[the_effect_she_has]

"Yes, now you are his official chew toy." Katniss said with a completely straight face, even as the wolf wagged his long tail.

"Foxglove." Katniss shrugged, "I can't make these things up." One corner of her mouth twitched up. "Yes, like Ironbark.... which I will not use, thank you."

[el_tybs]

"Well that is a very important role." A pause. "Course he better not come finding me in my room and chewing on me. I do like my sleep."

Ah, he got you to smile, Katniss. "Why not? It's so fitting!"

[the_effect_she_has]

"He's too little to be doing that." She paused, and added with a slightly devious look. "Yet."

She snorted softly, "Because I would be mocked by every Dalish I know, and I know a lot of them. Besides it's a horrible pun."

[el_tybs]

"If he starts doing that I'm going to assume that you have taught him such a thing." Or at least if she's taught him to open a door.

Well he thinks the pun is funny and adorable, but he supposes she has a point. Sam gives a shrug. "Well you know my suggestion. Don't know enough Dalish to give anything else."

[the_effect_she_has]

"That would be an assumption that is most likely correct." Katniss stated with a solemn look.

Well, Sam is usually funny and adorable, but his pun needs work. "There are a few things ... someone suggested I name him 'Dragon'."

[el_tybs]

You're going to teach him to open doors just to sneak into his room aren't you now, Katniss?

Usually? Harsh. Course you know puns are supposed to be terrible. "Dragon? What, so you can have a reason to yell that and probably confuse the hell out of people?"

[the_effect_she_has]

This may end up being a future lesson, Sam. Just to warn you if you get a cold nose on an early morning.

Katniss has never claimed to be anything else, but yes, puns were notably meant to be terrible. "I was thinking because he was so persistent, like a dragon, but that works as well."

[el_tybs]

Well if it happens you'll be sure to receive the same kind of wake up in the future. Fair's fair.

They're terrible and he likes them. You'll just have to live with it, Katniss. "I generally think of bears when someone brings up persistent animals to be honest."

[the_effect_she_has]

She warns you, Sam, she eats chickens. Just saying.

Sigh, it's a good thing she likes you, Sam. "Hmmm. That is not a bad name for a wolf either. Might want to name him in a different language though."

[el_tybs]

So does he, but he's not talking about the chicken. Leave his chicken out of this, Katniss.

It's a very good thing if they plan on teaming up for Everdeen & Gareth Co. to ever start. "Well I only know this one, so I pretty much can just give you ideas. The rest is up to you." A wolf named 'Bear', ha.

[the_effect_she_has]

Well she did think they were talking about pets ... what precisely was Sam planning on letting loose in her room?

That is true. She'll have to deal with his puns. He will have to do with the grumpy faces. "A wolf named Bear ..."

Honestly, this one was going to stick with her.

[el_tybs]

Not telling. It would be close enough to a pet.

"A wolf named Bear," he agrees, smile widening, but only by a smidgen. You have to admit, that or Dragon, would certainly be fun. And they were powerful animals with great meaning.

[the_effect_she_has]

It had better not be a rat, that's all she's saying. She also has eaten rats.

"Or a wolf named Dragon. I suppose it would be cruel to name him Bear Dragon." She mused aloud, because people staring in two different directions would be kind of funny.

[el_tybs]

It won't be a spider, that's all he'll promise. 'Cause gross.

"As amusing as that would be that indeed might be a bit cruel. To him of course. Unless you're going to nickname him Beargon or something."

[the_effect_she_has]

Well thank you for that, Sam.

"Beargon... that could also work." And it sounded vaguely like it would come from one of her people.

[el_tybs]

You are so very welcome.

Oh, see? He's being helpful. "Well better than calling him Gordan."

[the_effect_she_has]

You're such trouble, Sam.

"Gordan? What is a Gordan?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

[el_tybs]

You knew he was trouble when he walked in by.

"Just an anagram for 'dragon'. Clearly not as great sounding as Beargon."

[the_effect_she_has]

Like he could be anything else but trouble.

"Ahhhhh, should have gotten that one right off the bat." She stated with a faint smirk.

[el_tybs]

No one else has figured it out, sh.

"Yes, really. Please do keep up, Katniss." He gives her a serious look though it's thoroughly ruined with his own smirk creeping in.

[the_effect_she_has]

She gave him a wry look, before going to push him in one beefy arm, her hand curling around the wolf pup so he wouldn't tumble out of her lap.

"You're an utter brat, you know that?"