The rays of the morning sun crept across the floor towards the low bed. A warm breeze shifted the curtains as the sunbeam climbed the lilac scaled tail that had slipped free of the blanket. Feeling the growing warmth, Sierra stretched out of her curled position as she started to wake. Slowly raising, she looked around her room until her pink eyes fell onto the mess left on the table from last night.
She had stayed up later than she should have tinkering on that toy. But just as her candle was petering out, the mechanical bird once again began to sing. Now there were just a few tweaks and fine tuning to handle before it was ready to gift to the young halfling that thought it forever broken.
Rolling out of her bed, she moved to the sink of her smallish home to wash her face and fully wake up. Cupping her clawed fingers, she soaked her snout with the chill water and scrubbed the top of her snout until lilac scales glinted in the morning light.
"Good Morning, let's see if our traps caught anything that we can use for the welcome feast tonight," she said in her delicate voice to no one in particular. Just herself, really.
She gave the mechanical bird on the table a brief look. "I will be back to finish you up shortly," she promised.
As she turned away to grab her hunting bag, a wisp of purple light floated off the toy and it gave a chirp, as if in response to her statement. Sierra gave its action no real response or thought. The broken toy had chirped at her several times as she worked to repair it.
As she stepped outside, she could see the halfling village, that was her home, just a short stroll away along the shore of their lake. With a practiced flick of her reptilian tail, she closed the smallish door that led into her home. From the outside, all the average traveler would see was a door in a round wooden frame at the mouth of a cave entrance that seemed to go down below a small hillock. On even a moment's closer look, one would start to notice the small array of potted plants and well maintained doormat.
Turning away from the worn path that led to the village, Sierra began to hum a slow hiking tune and headed into the forest. Considering the hour, she didn't expect to interrupt any of the village's hunters, at least not until she was heading back with any game her traps had caught overnight.
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Sierra's Journal: Spring
Note to self: Look into a candle snuffer. Or maybe an oil lamp. Staying up too late working on that toy made this morning's trap check a slog.
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With a bundle of small forest critters from her traps slung over her shoulder, Sierra made back to the trail leading to the village. Humming a tune familiar to only her, she walked through the sun speckled shade from the canopy overhead knowing that anyone hearing her little humming would not mistake her for their hunt. Because despite the color of her scales, some inexperienced hunters have been known to let loose their arrows at any motion in the woods.
Soon, turning past a thicket of bushes just before the final stretch towards the village, she spotted and was spotted by a pair of halfling hunters. The two raised a hand in greeting and she returned the gesture. Coming to a stop, she waited for the hunters to approach. The two were familiar to her and it was not uncommon for her to cross paths with them in the woods.
"What game are you after this morning, Zalbin?" she called out cheerfully as they drew within speaking range.
"Ahh, good morning, Sierra. We were thinking about snagging a deer or two," Zalbin Leabarrel responded casually.
Joining the conversation, Tever Glenglide spoke, "Did you see any sign that we should follow while checking your traps?" He shifted his head as he drew nearer to see what she was carrying, "And a good haul for you it looks like, right?"
"There was a group of deer upstream from the lake this morning." She moved her free hand to under her snout and gave a thoughtful scratch, "Though they seemed further from the lake than usual. And the bucks seemed to be on guard." She gave the two a wry look and a teasing smile, "You two may not be the only 'hunters' out looking for deer this morning. Be careful and watch each other's backs."
She shifted her catch to her other shoulder and gave Tever a pat on the shoulder as she started to move past the pair, "I would avoid going downstream too far, if I were you. Something has the deer spooked and if you haven't used up all your luck on dice, it is just wolves." She gave them both a wave, "Shall I tell the chief to send out a rescue party if you aren't back for Midday?"
With a pat to his belly, Zalbin chuckled. "Even with a big breakfast, I am not likely to miss a meal. Even if I have to drag myself back for it. Safe journey, Sierra."
"Safe hunting, Zalbin, Tever," share said. She started her tune again, a few verses further along in her head as she headed to the area of her home.
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