Zorroku and Peaches

The Hunt

By mid day- and according to Crowthu- you were officially, more or less half way home. The nine of you stopped to hunt a couple of deer for a late lunch. Which you were of course expected to cook and prepare, which you figured as much.

But once you got the fire started as Crowthu and his sons were talking about what prey should be in the area based on the kind of terrain was all around you. You took the bow and the arrows that were gifted to you from Shuzug.

"Razor- scout." You commanded Razor before you did a series of whistles, chirps and trills which made Crowthu and his sons pause in talking as they watched and listened to you before Razor to the skies and began to fly around in an ever increasing circle like a spiral. You waited and listened as Razor flew around and made a particular screaming cry whenever he found deer through the trees that were still budding.

"There's a herd of seven deer that way." You pointed in the direction of the few screams Razor had made. All of Crowthu's sons except for Zorroku left to go in that direction. While Crowthu and Zorroku stayed behind with you as you emptied the contents of one of the baskets into another so you could use the basket yourself.

"Where are you going?" Crowthu asked as you started going into the forest in the opposite direction that his sons had gone into.

"Foraging, wanna come?" You answered before Zorroku offered to come with you and help you forage which made you nervous as you looked from him to Crowthu questioningly.

"Don't touch her." Crowthu practically snarled to his son as he resigned himself to hold down the fort so to speak. Although he was grateful he could give himself time to think over the morning's events and make the spits himself for when his sons and new daughter would come back with food.

"Wasn't gonna." Zorroku answered back calmly and casually. You actually got the sense he was telling the truth - which got you to relax a little, before the two of you went off in search of what you could find in the forest.

"So what are you looking for?" Zorroku asked you in the common tongue once the two of you were out of earshot from his father as he made sure to walk beside you but at a respectful distance as you had untied your skirt from your belt so your lower legs weren't so exposed.

"Uh, well, it's spring. That means ramps, fiddle heads, green garlic, green onion, morel mushrooms- if we can find any of the trees they like to grow next to. Otherwise if we find any edible mushrooms period, that would be nice." You answered honestly as you looked around the forest floor for the mushrooms.

After walking a few moments, with your eyes scanning the forest floor while Zorroku's eyes scanned the forest for potential threats or potential prey. Then you saw a huge clusters of black oyster mushrooms growing on several drying trees, and you wanted to squeal in delight. But your sudden quick gasp with an excited smile and quickened pace brought Zorroku's attention back to you as you began taking them off the tree and putting them into your huge food basket.

Zorroku subtly tried to observe you as you did so. He realized that it'd be easier on you if you had a good knowledge of who were choosing between and wanted to make the best impression he could and be the first to try. So that at least you had him and his personality to compare his brothers to. Even though he was first born and would be the next Clan Chief whenever his father died, or simply retired from that mantle. It was something his own grandfather had done in his later years- so he could enjoy his grand-kids and family. Zorroku was hoping that you'd actually grow to like him as a person. Marriage was much more pleasant when the partners actually knew each other well and liked each other if not loved each other. even though the latter was rare but he could hope. He had gotten lucky once, he was hoping he could get lucky twice and actually manage to keep a wife alive this time. Even though he had lost his first through no fault of his own.