butter wouldn't melt

moon flower

Echo had never been much of a fan of Edinburgh. Sure, it was a pretty place with pretty surroundings and the people there weren't on the same level as the mainlanders by a long shot, but it was still a part of the Lowlands that was likely to have its fair share of Mainlanders. And by Mainlanders she specifically meant wolves of the Guard variety.

As it happened, as Echo laid low in the grass monitoring the path that led back towards the Mainland, there indeed happened to be a couple of Soldiers returning home. Their muzzles each carrying what was probably tax.

Echo side-eyed her companion. "I'm not saying it's a bad idea, I'm just saying if anyone asks this wasn't my idea."

.

"We are all young and naive still."

code by claerie

Nothing feels better than this

"Sure it was!" she whispered back, a wide grin on her face. Well it had been Nora's plan to come here and yet another was forming in her mind as they spoke. She hadn't been expecting to come upon any solders but as they did, she thought it would be great if they could steal the tax back for the people. Nora eyed Echo and wondered if she'd be up for the idea. It would be two against two and they could probably run and snatch the carcasses from their jaws before they ever even knew what hit 'em. "Okay... here's what we're gonna do... we're gonna take that tax back for the people." she said, voicing her thoughts aloud.

"I'm going to run out and try to snatch one, you grab the other!" she whispered excitedly. Causing trouble like this was just what she was here to do. Without another word, Nora darted out of the tall grass and up to the larger soldier (everyone was pretty much larger than her). She jumped up and grabbed at the carcass in his jaws and snatched it away before he could even blink. With a grin, she hollered and ran off while they were gathering themselves clumsily.

code & art by claerie

moon flower

Echo could practically see the plan forming in Nora's mind, not least because quite frankly it had crossed her mind as well. And more than once, and not just on this very occasion. She'd always enjoyed looking for ways to 'stick it to the man' or just to show her general disdain for the current establishment. But she also knew when ideas were risky...

But honestly, between them, it was really just a matter of who said it out loud first. Black lips lifted into a smile and she mock-sighed. "Thought as much."

What she wasn't quite expecting was for it to happen so quickly. One moment her dark companion was by her side, the next she was already darting out and snatching a carcass from a Soldier's grasp. Knowing to delay too long was to lose the element of surprise she darted out as well while the soldiers were gathering themselves, snatching the pheasant from the other soldier and tearing away after the dark form of Nora.

She could hear shouting and the pounding of paws behind her as the wolves took chase. "We got'a losh 'em!" It was hard to get her words out properly with a face full of feathers, but she was sure Nora got the gist.
.

"We are all young and naive still."

code by claerie
@Nora

Nothing feels better than this

The plan, poorly put together as it was, went off almost without a hitch. Those stupid soldiers hadn't even known what hit 'em by the time she and Echo had their precious tax in tow and were bolding across the rolling hills of Edinburgh. She heard her companion call out that they needed to lose them and interally, Nora agreed. If they were caught they'd likely be arrested on the spot for theft and then they'd be sitting in a jail cell somewhere. Nora's blue eyes scanned the landscape ahead of her and she glanced back at Echo with a gleam in her eyes. 'Follow me!' she hoped her gaze would convey.

She dove into some taller grass and turned so that their paths were not straight. She could hear the pawsteps thundering behind them as the soldiers gained on them. Suddenly the grass broke and she spotted a large hill in the near distance. With any luck they could make it to that hill and duck behind the huge fallen tree that rested atop it. Nora bolted towards their hopeful hiding place and dove behind the tree, hoping that she'd made it before the soldiers found their way through the tall grass and caught sight of her. She glanced around the corner, spotting Echo not too far off now. 'Come on, come on!' she thought with blood pounding in her ears.

code & art by claerie

moon flower

The feel of her paws pounding the earth and the thump of her heart in her chest was exhilarating. Mostly Echo didn't go looking for trouble on purpose... mostly. Usually it just seemed to happen without her even trying.

Clearly the Jacobites had rubbed off on her.

Following closely behind her companion she, too, crisscrossed through the tall grass. She lost sight of Nora for a moment but spotted her again running up a hill towards a fallen tree. Echo followed, pushing herself faster to make sure she got there before the soldier's behind spotted them.

She skidded behind their hideaway, almost tumbling over the other female in her haste, and spat the pheasant onto the floor between them. She spat out a few feathers too for good measure. "The looks on their faces will never get old!" Her voice was hushed, though she was pretty sure they hadn't been spotted.

Echo paused then, her nose scrunching and eyes beginning to water. "I think... I think I'm gonna sneeze..."

.

"We are all young and naive still."

code by claerie

Nothing feels better than this

The moment they both made it behind the log, Echo spat out her catch and Nora did the same. She drew in a few deep breaths before quieting down as the guards started to approach, though they were not heading in the correct direction. She turned towards Echo with a big smile on her face until the other woman said she had to sneeze. Nora's eyes grew wide and she pounced on her friend, swiping the remaining feathers from her face and holding her paws to her muzzle.

"Don't you DARE!" she whispered, the echoes of a smile on her muzzle as a little giggle escaped her at the thought of being caught over a sneeze of all things.

Nora glanced over the log as the guards began to turn back toward the grass. "Hold it in, damn it, they're leaving!" she hissed as she looked back into Echo's bright blue eyes, her paws never leaving her friends mouth. If she had to fight these guards today over this, she'd be a little mad but she'd do it before she ever set foot in a cell over what she liked to call 'reclaimed taxes.'

code & art by claerie