#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Well, I have friends who love this." She holds up the meaty nugget that the dogs love.

"OooOoooooo. Is it... CRUNCHY?"

"....Do you always have dog bones in your pockets?"

"Nevermind, of course you do. Who am I talking to?"

"Savory" Gwen offers it, then looks to Thistle "An artist has her tools handy, you know that."

The vole snatches the treat greedily and dives into the hole!

Hurmph.

It may seem like they've been ghosted, but after a few moments, the squeaky voice echoes up, "Take the path the tall fat-fat no-horn deer ride on with their hard hooves, to avoid the lovely brambles. Then, left at the big rock!"

"Horse trail. Okay."

"Thank you, bon appetite"

"She has to have co-conspirators."

"If the Nevers are unionizing, we have a problem" Gwen mutters and follows the instructions.

SNORT.

They follow the horse trail as it winds gently through the trees, the ground soft beneath their feet. Soon, the path opens up into a wide wildflower meadow, bright with bursts of color and alive with the hum of insects and the sway of tall grasses.

Near the far edge stands the big rock the vole mentioned—a weathered, moss-covered stone - it's not REALLY a big rock, but it would be massive to the small chimera.

The trail curves left there, leading up a narrow, winding path toward a hill.

From the meadow to their right, faint sounds of movement catch their attention—soft thumps and rustling that don’t quite match the soft rustle and tweets of the forest. Something stirs among the blossoms, just out of sight.

"IDJIT."

Stomping, rushing, sneaking, or striding in like they own the place?

Turning left at the 'big rock' and heading toward the hill, and, well... she winces as stealth maybe required but tries it.

(Same for Thistle?)

Stomping right towards the flowers!

(So, we're splitting the party? As Gwen went LEFT along the instructed route up the hill,and RIGHT goes into the meadow)

Gwen stops, and instead follows thistle. But lets her take lead. Splitting the party sounds.. unwise.

Thistle, never one for tiptoeing when she could stomp, strides straight into the meadow with her usual determined energy. The tall grasses part in her wake, wildflowers bending beneath her boots.

By the time she’s halfway in, the meadow has gone utterly still.

No sign now of what may have been going on, though there is a wide area of grass that is pressed flat. Now, she spies only a few stray tufts of fur clinging to a leaf here or there, and a ripple in the tall grass that might’ve been a hasty retreat.

(Perc + alertness for both! Diff 😎

/roll 6 8

(AHEM, Slack. Diff... 8. )

(HEE)

/roll 5

Thistle’s heavy steps crash into the meadow, scattering butterflies and sending birds flapping skyward from the tall grass. The wildflowers sway violently in her wake, petals tossed into the air like confetti. Whatever hint of presence might’ve been here is quickly erased underfoot.

But Gwen, with her sharp eyes and knightly reflexes, catches something—a flash of motion at the far end of the meadow. Just for an instant, she sees the unmistakable shape of a fluffy rabbit tail vanishing into the undergrowth, the rest of the critter - or critters? already gone.

Whatever was here, they’re not waiting around to be found with a nocker on the warpath!

She DID notice... it was a chocolatey brown fluffy tail. Rather distinctive amongst rabbits, in fact.

"There... a rabbit tail? Brown... is someone framing our Bluebell?"

She points

Long gone.

"*(&%$%$%$#!!!"

The wildflowers curl up and wither a bit at the cursing

A elder dandelion gives a plaintive mrow! As his fluffy mane drifts away on the breeze.

"I swear I may get the dogs out and hunt this down yet," A glower.

"Muppet is good at Citrine tracking..."

"Let's go back the way to the left of the boulder"

Huff. "Fine."

As they follow the left path, it winds up to the crest of a hill. The scent of honey, berries, and warm bread carries on the breeze. Stomachs rumble - the position of the sun overhead reminds the two that it is now right around lunchtime.

Soft chatter, not quite decipherable yet... they'll need to follow around a bend and choose an approach.

Her nose twitches.

A few loose cabbage leaves are along the path, all showing neat nibble patterns like the earlier ones. And yes, golden sparkles here and there.

A look at the nocker with an 'after you' gesture.

"Swear t'jiminy jumpin' cricket..."