[amapup]

The brown animal crept beneath the cover of the thick-growing ferns. The large hat draped across his head may be useful for deflecting sunlight, but here it provided little comfort against the hot, thick air pressing into his fur. His tails carried only one of his species's signature pearls. The fenling stopped at a deep impression in the earth. A bootprint left by the humans he'd been tracking, partially obscuring an earlier print in the opposite direction. A trap had probably been laid nearby; Rookie was sure they would come through here again.

The fenling shrugged off the heavy rope that lay across his back, the sturdy coils sliding to the ground. Each end had been tied into a sliding loop. The animal studied the canopy for a moment, eyes peering from beneath the hat's brim. Then a loop was grabbed between sharp teeth and soon flew through the air from a sharp flick of the head, draping itself across the end of a stout branch. Rookie pulled down on the rope, and the loop tightened, the branch bowing slightly under the strain.

A branch cracked some distance to the left, and the animal froze, his ear raised. From the corner of his eye he saw a polly fly out of a tree a few yards away. A few minutes passed, silent but for the occasional insect. The fenling allowed himself to relax, and he returned to his task.

[Pyris]

Acane crept through the forest, following the faintest of trails.  She'd seen the man with the face scar speaking to one of the poachers she'd been tracking for a couple of days now.  The whiff she'd gotten from his shirt had confirmed that he'd been there when her brother was killed.

He may not be exactly who she wanted to find, but she was sure he had answers that would help her find the scarred monster.  She'd lost the trail halfway through the forest, barely catching the almost nonexistent scent to find her way back.  She wasn't even sure if she was going backwards or forwards, but if she lost this lead.....

She'd be back at square one.  

The rustle of feathers above her made Acane duck low, crouching between a fluffy fern and a thick tree trunk.  Not that she was afraid of a bird, but one never knew what another would do or say.

Her dual tails twitched when she realized the scent was a bit stronger than before.  Maybe she was going forward after all.

[amapup]

The stake was in the ground. The fenling methodically tied the rope to the second piece of wood. It was as he secured the trigger in place that the scent hit his nose. Someone feline, and close.

Rookie stopped and half-turned. His eyes and ears were on full alert, straining to identify the creature's location. The jungle appeared the same as it had moments before. The scent wavered slightly, slowly increasing in intensity. The snare lay in the path, secure but yet undisguised.

"Who's there?" Rookie demanded, maintaining an even tone despite a quickening pulse. A prehensile tail strayed towards his belt, hovering near the hunting knife that hung there, the other three tails splayed out defensively. It wasn't one of the poachers he was tracking, but it was possible this creature was aligned with them, or on its own money-making quest. And there were other, more natural dangers out in the jungle that the fenling equally wished to avoid.

[Pyris]

She heard someone call out, but wasn't entirely certain what they said or if they were aggressive.  She hugged the tree tighter, ears straining to locate the unseen entity.  She prowled around the trunk, body pitched forward to see around the edge before spotting a snare trap laying out in the open.  Her wings flattened against her body and she grit her teeth.

Was it a poacher?

She inhaled the air, hoping to find a scent, picking up a faintly... vulpine smell?  The poacher she had seen worked with a few animals, but she hadn't seen anything resembling a fox.  She stood, slowly emerging from the tree, still edging around it to see anything she could as she revealed her form.  If she hung against the tree, she would be harder to spot immediately with her brown fur almost matching the bark.

She stood about a hundred feet from the snare, if she were to guess and just beyond was a golden fenling, eyeing his surroundings carefully.  His stance was defensive, so she wagered that he'd seen enough violence.  He'd probably take one glance at her scars and think she wanted to attack him.

A knife was curled in one tail, others splayed about him in readiness.  Acane had no weapons other than her teeth and claws, but that had always been all she ever needed.  She wasn't sure if he would attack her on sight, but stood her ground, partially crouching as though ready to sprint if needed.

[amapup]

Movement.

Rookie turned his head slightly as he saw a shape emerging not far in front of him, near where the polly had been. It appeared to be... some sort of kuhna. Species unknown, he'd never bothered to study their identification much. He took in a deep breath of jungle air, testing the scent. No trace of human, aside from the staler scent at his feet, nor of any other identifiable creature. No surprises on that front then.

Had he been observed building the trap? The hunter knew that could put him in a precarious position. The snare was clearly too large for any of his meals, and there was the chance he could be mistaken for a poacher himself. If they were affiliated with the poachers, he might find himself in friendly company; but it was more likely he would be seen as an encroacher.

The feline crouched, and for a split second - would they attack? - no, that was a defensive stance. The fenling straightened his posture, acknowledging he'd noticed the stranger, and sheathed the knife which had become partially drawn. If the creature would show him no harm, then he would do the same. Perhaps they were just a traveler passing by, and would soon be on their way. It was better to not cause unnecessary trouble. The uncovered snare in front of him nagged at the back of his mind, but he pushed the thought aside, and continued to watch the stranger, waiting for their response. He wouldn't lower his guard just yet.

[Pyris]

Acane relaxed, mirroring the fenling as she altered her demeanor carefully.  She studied the golden creature, not certain of his motives.  Who was the trap on the ground for?  Would he get in her way?

She took a few steps closer, eyes monitoring the snare so as not to engage or disrupt it.  She dipped her head slightly, eyes meeting the other creature's as her wings twitched; a betrayal of her nerves.  It seemed that he didn't intend to attack, though that certainly didn't make him friendly, either.

She walked calmly around the snare, glancing at the ground to ensure her safety.  She stopped just outside the fenling's range of motion, sitting on the ground against her better judgement.  "Sorry to disturb your... whatever.  I'm looking for a human.  I tracked him near here.  Have you seen one?"

[amapup]

Rookie calmed a bit as he watched the kuhna come forward, noting the relaxed posture and wing twitch. Whoever this creature was, they didn't mean any harm for now. Satisfied, the fenling resumed working with a twitch of the tails, rearranging leaf litter and other debris to better disguise the snare without ruining it's functionality. He was still careful to never fully turn his back to the stranger while moving around, even as the latter sat down not far off. It was never wise to leave oneself vulnerable, and the kuhna's approach could be an indication that they would require something from him. He felt a twinge of irritation as he imagined a wayward traveler asking for directions or help with a petty task.

The feeling vanished as the feline spoke, and he gave her a sharp look at the mention of humans. He could feel suspicion begin to bubble up again. "Scented, yes."  He used his head to gesture at the tracks left in the ground. "That smell like the human you're looking for?"

[Pyris]

Acane rearranged herself to both face the fenling and examine the tracks off to the side of where she sat.  She tried to remain as passive as possible.  She didn't need a fight that she'd likely be able to avoid if she played her cards right.  This other creature certainly didn't seem to be an ally of the poacher she'd been following, at least.  Now she had to wonder if she had competition instead.  She bent low to better take in the fading smell; her nose didn't exactly compare as well to a canine as her species would have others believe.

It smelled relatively like the human she'd been tailing, but she wasn't entirely sure.  Her ears flattened in frustration as she hunched further, nose nearly in the mud as she sniffed the print again.  It was almost definitely him.  Tracking had never really been her strong suit; fighting had.  She frowned at the prints, but nodded just the same.  Giving the area a thorough stare didn't give her any real details, either.

She glanced up at the fenling, carefully deciding whether or not to ask him what he was doing.  If he was planning to trap the humans for whatever reason, she may have the opportunity to question the man in the hat about the one with a scar on his face.

[amapup]

The fenling watched her from the corner of his eye as he adjusted the last few leaves around the snare. The trap wasn't invisible, to be sure. But it would be difficult to spot for anyone who wasn't looking for it. And the only traps poachers typically look for are their own. Rookie looked at his work with satisfaction. It was too risky to smoke out here, with the chance of being detected (who knew when the humans might return), so he contented himself with a toothpick, gnawing on the tip.

He felt a twinge of amusement as the kuhna nearly face-planted in the dirt. Her ragged appearance might be strange to other pets, but to Rookie it was almost commonplace; a clear sign of the slums and the hard life he knew too well. It was true she was young to have so many scars, but such things did happen. His experience taught him that street creatures didn't come to the jungle unless for subsistence or because they needed something, and this feline did not appear to be especially skilled at navigating the terrain. What had drawn her all the way out here?

She was nodding. His thoughts ceased to wander, and the fenling stood up straighter, orienting himself towards the kuhna. She didn't need to speak out loud for Rookie to understand she had found what she was looking for. "Hope you don't mind me asking what business you have with a poacher." It was difficult to read his face under the shade of his hat; but although the words were friendly, the tone was hard and flat, and the corners of his mouth were drawn tight. He did not make any threatening gestures towards her, but it was clear the hunter did not view answering as a choice.

[Pyris]

"I'm looking for someone he knows," she stated simply, eyes wary of the other creature.  He hadn't made any aggressive movements yet, but she knew the tone of his voice well enough.  She was vaguely certain she could probably disarm him enough to escape, but he also looked like fighting was something he was quite proficient at, or at least knowing how to maneuver fighters.

She tried to relax her body from instinctively tensing, as it did whenever she sensed a potential threat.

He seemed to have finished the trap, though it wasn't entirely camouflaged.  She didn't really know anything about traps herself, so maybe it was intentional.  "A man with a scar on his face," she elaborated, unwilling to divulge more than that without reason.

[amapup]

"Humph." He didn't sound impressed. Rookie tilted his hat back to give the kuhna a better examination. A scar faced man... He may have seen such a man back when he'd been following the poachers more closely in the slums. He wasn't always able to be close enough to hear conversations, and by the time he'd been able to make out words the stranger was leaving and the lead didn't seem important enough to investigate further. But then again, scars in these parts were not all that rare; it was possible she was looking for someone else entirely.

The silence lengthened. It was clear she was after the same quarry as him, and that could pose a problem. If he allowed her to continue following the trail, she would likely encounter the poachers before him and possibly ruin his own plans. Letting her follow the tracks the other way would put her in danger of the poachers' traps, and Rookie was not so desperate right now to need another creature as bait. He still knew little about the feline, and although she showed no threatening signs there were those clever sorts of characters that could be dangerous in their own right. But as long as they shared the same goal, the danger was minimized.

At last the fenling returned his critical gaze to hers. "I might be able to help." He rolled the toothpick around in his mouth. "Depends if you'd be willing to help me."

[Pyris]

One of Acane's tails curled around her side, her eyes narrowing slightly in distrust.  She didn't know exactly what was going through the other creature's mind, but she could hazard a guess.

She only needed information from the one she was tailing.  She believed that the fenling and her ultimate goal were likely different, but their immediate target seemed to be the same.  He didn't want her getting in the way, so was probably offering her a deal so that he could keep an eye on her.  

She supposed that was fine, since she didn't care what happened to the man she was currently hunting after she got the information she required.

Another silence spanned between them as Acane briefly weighed her options.  "I suppose that would depend on what you need help with.  I'm not entirely adverse to a little help," she said simply, her other tail swaying subtly behind her.

[amapup]

The look of distrust on her face actually brought Rookie some comfort. It was smart to be suspicious of a stranger's offer, and he sensed he would feel the same. A too-quick acceptance would reek of either ignorance or a con. He gave allowed her the space she needed to think, not aiming to rush her. A dusty tail flicked as she finally delivered her calculated response.

So the kuhna was open to cooperating. She was strong, able-bodied, and her scars showed she'd seen her share of fights. Not a bad partner to have. He also saw the defensiveness in her posture, and recognized his words could be construed to have meanings outside his intentions. Time to hammer out the details.

"Nothing difficult," the fenling assured as he settled onto his haunches. "A paw with some traps, and protection so I don't get caught. In return I'll offer the same to you, and can catch you this man," - a glance over as a tail slid over the adjacent tracks - "maybe help with the other one too." Rookie looked back to the feline. "Deal?"

[Pyris]

His offer was.... very reasonable.  He seemed to relax then, going over his deal simply but clearly.  Protection was something she could most certainly do.  She obviously should be as concise as possible in return.

"I'm alright with that.  I've no problem giving you protection or a helping with traps," she stated, head tilting to the side as she took a moment to listen to the sounds of the jungle before continuing.

"As for the man- I simply need information from this guy.  You can do whatever you were intending to before after I am finished.  The man with the scar, however, is mine.  If you do not wish to help me find him knowing that, I will understand, but we can figure that out after we catch this one."

Acane was not used to accepting the help of others, but her tracking skills truly were second-rate and she had wasted enough time to have probably lost the trail entirely, so this fenling really was one of two very limited options.  "I'm Acane," she offered.

[amapup]

She agreed. That would make things easier. Rookie listened to her further elaboration, giving a curt nod in reply. So there was a bone to pick with this guy, eh? The fenling could respect that. He doubted their was much chance scar-face would pose an interest anyways, unless he happened to be in with the poachers - in which case, any retribution was highly deserved. He spat out the toothpick in his mouth as a form of punctuation. "Good."

As the hunter stood up, the kuhna introduced herself. Acane. He paused a moment, never enthusiastic about introductions. "Rook", he returned, not lingering long on the subject as he turned around. His full childhood name he kept to himself - he didn't want some youngster teasing him.

The fenling estimated they only had an hour or two before the poachers returned, so they needed to move fast. "Let's go." A tail beckoned to Acane as he headed into the underbrush. Then in a more urgent tone - "Watch your step."