#elsewhere

the trees stir then "noted. be cunning, be quiet, and...ware the dogs"

Zara places a hand on her chest and bows. "My thanks, wise tree."

The sluagh crouches, gathering damp mulch from the forest floor. It is, in fact, not so far off from her usual perfume - the sick-sweet smell of rotting leaves, that of turned earth and winter and cold water.

A simple enough fuddle - to smell like the slumbering trees and snow, to smell of everything and therefore nothing.

And so she sets up the fuddle

"Nice" Earl compliments

"Dogs." A gentle shrug.

"Who will still rip us apart if they hear us.. be careful, love" he draws his blade that veils him

Zara nods - but silence has never been a problem for her.

And they move on...

And Zara stops, as her delicate foot step feels something under it, heavy, metal... she had almost put her slip of a weight down

Zara balances, and looks for a way to avoid the trap.

bear trap light, but much easier to set of. she wobbles herr foot free and places itt safely to the side

there maybe more though

Oh, there certainly are.

no alerrt, Zara has a better chance of finding the next one. And she may realize, veiling won't save Earl if he steps on one

"My love, watch for bear traps."

He finds one "Holy shi" he whispers "something even sluaggh have to watch for"

it's a few minutes later when they find the blood stains around aother, old,, dried... no doubt from an escape attempt

Hissssss

Earl frowns "We don't trap hunt on DeBuke land for damn good reeason"

"Too much could be hurt on accident, aye." She leans in, sniffing the blood.

she suspects from a kith sister

She murmurs a soft promise to the blood, and continues.

And they move on. Voices in the distance, Zara hears "...isn't it exciting to be so challenged?" /"they're vermin, how challenging can they be?"/".. very. vermin can be very sneaky" two women chatting like it was shoe shopping

Zara narrows her eyes.

Oh, two Varich women in fine hunting voile, though they don't seem to be hunting now

HOw beautiful, one raven haired, the other golden

Eye-roll.

They do not see Zara. As they keep talking "So ttomorrow is a morning hunt?" /"At Dawn yes. So don't stay up late"/"Oh I look forward to it.. too bad sluagh don't scream" //"Oh," Airily "We'll find a waay to get them close to one"

Zara seethes. Well, those two shall be disappointed.

"Have you seen Encanto?" /"I love that movie. Surface Pressure is such a powerul song. Sometimes I feel like if I show weakness, like... being too nice to a commoor, I'll fail the house"//"So sttressful"

Zara listens, and waits.

The coast will be clear, eventually.

Annd patience works ... They turn about, and NOW she knows where the steel traps end

the coast appears to be clear

Zara presses forward.

The hunting ground is lovely, with low hills and lighter forest to be sure , there is a semi slavic feel to it, which fits. She sees the hounds patrolling, it stops and sniffs

Zara stays very still.

It smells, but .. no, it smells the earth, and soil...

A beautiful animal, a shame what it has been trained to do

The dog is not responsible for the training it received. Animals are innocents.

It walks off, far less offensive than the Varich women

Zara sneaks and creeps.

She closes , she can feel the glamour of the hold... and notices a lush fountain ..itself with glamour

She kens the thing.

As she kens, it shimmers and...sings? A song of rest.. .yes, rest here... Zara feels the urge to curl by the fountain, and sleep