The night air felt cool against my fur and the breeze rustled it slightly. It was a tactile feeling that I hadn't gotten in the facility. The padded cells had little in the way of ventilation. The system functioned, but not very strong. The air didn't really move, and being outside was refreshing in that regard. And the tree saplings had a wonderful scent, they smelled sort of like pine trees even though they didn't look like pine tree saplings. The sound of crickets in the background also sounded musical to a degree. It reminded me of when I was a kid, catching fireflies with Katie in our family's backyard. Now though, things were different, and the rumbling and gurgling from my stomach gave a clear indication that I was getting hungry. I'd hardly noticed being hungry earlier, either from trying to resist becoming what I was now or relishing in my own transformation.
"I suppose I am a bit hungry," I admitted with an embarrassed smile, "I suppose this means we have to go back in?"
I glanced back over my shoulder to the prison the Lycothans had taken over. As a prisoner, we were largely fed in our cells. A guard, a member of the Warrior caste, and for me, usually Lartara would open the door and a female Servant would bring the plate in and set it on the floor. It was one of the things I resented as a prisoner, that I wasn't allowed to eat properly. Now, though, I'd assumed I'd be allowed access to the prison's mess hall, though the meal served probably wouldn't be any different.
"Well..." Marrh commented, "We don't HAVE to go back in..."
"We don't?" I asked.
"Of course not," Marrh answered, "we could go out to eat."
I slowly looked around and thought over the line. In the near distance at the edge of the meadow, there were some trees as if they part of a city park and some ruins that would have indicated the presence of a modest sized town there before the invasion and the reclamation projects that Lartara had mentioned. There wasn't a restaurant to go out to eat at. The only other option would be to hunt, and once I realized that, my ears perked and I began wagging my tail again, bopping Eira in the butt as the appendage swung back and forth in my excitement.
"You mean going hunting?" I asked.
That got Eira excited as well, and I could soon feel her tail bopping my butt as well.
"Hunting!?" Eira spoke.
"Of course," Tarrgh commented, "there are a lot of deer out there... and on occasion, we've actually been ordered guard the saplings here... make sure the deer don't eat them."
"What kind of deer?" I asked.
"Mostly white-tailed deer," Lartara commented, "Some mule deer on occasion... some of the Lycothos deer may have been introduced... but for the most part we've only had white-tailed deer."
"And they're very tasty," Sartari said and licked her muzzle. I found myself doing the same in anticipation.
"And judging by the wagging, I think our newbies have an idea on what they'd like to eat," Marrh commented, giving a short laugh as she did so.
The others were quick to nod in agreement. I gave an almost embarrassed whimper at how easy I was making it for the others to catch onto my excitement.
"Okay then, girls... we have a dinner order for a few white tails, I'd think two or three should suffice for all of us," Lartara came forward, "You have one hour to catch and kill. Howl once you have them, and Harkaal, Eira, and I will come join you..."
"And make sure we bring all the deer together?" Raksha spoke, more a statement than a question. Lartara nodded to this.
The others began to jog off toward the woods, which we had come fairly close to in the course of the walk outside the facility. Eira and I turned back to Lartara who hadn't moved from where she was on the path.
"We can't go?" I asked.
"You're both only just received the gift," Lartara answered, "In that way... you're like children in that you're adapting to your new instincts and wants... hunting takes some time and patience, along with some self control."
"We can do it," Eira argued, "We're strong enough!"
"Of course you're strong enough, Eira," Lartara gave a knowing smile, "but both you and Harkaal began wagging your tails in excitement at hunting... an experienced hunter wouldn't do that. Deer will notice the movement, regardless of their exact species. Your training will help you both be ready for hunting... to be swift and silent and that the deer will never see you coming."
"But we'll get a shot at it?" I found myself asking.
"When you're fully trained," Lartara nodded.
I felt my stomach rumble again and I looked toward the woods where the others had jogged into, some of them dropping to all fours as they went.
"I hope they don't take too long," I commented, rubbing my stomach and relishing the feel of my fur on the pads under my hand and fingers.