Gathering of friends

[survivesitall]

It had taken a lot to convince Clayton this was a good idea. He didn't like having people around his home he didn't need to, and liked crowds even less. But Elena had insisted, some of the people invited as close to Pack as they'd have here, and others hopefully trusted friends. He'd even coughed up a name or two when she pushed, something that made her happy. She found she had a lot of leverage since she'd agreed to start trying for children, even if that was something that scared her no matter how much Jeremy had told them of their future.

The setup was simple enough. They'd opened up the doors to the barn and set tables around in front of it. Clay had set up a spit with a deer, and it was likely better if no one asked how they'd caught it. There was a regular grill sizzling with sausages and for whatever people brought, and a bowls of salads for anyone who wanted them. Elena wsn't sure of how much others ate, but she knew she and Clay could pack away enough for three humans. There were pies inside the house for later, once they'd all eaten their fill of everything else.

There might have been a chill on the air, but that just made the day more special to Elena. There were only a few more weekends they could do this before it got too cold for most.

Comments

[thelocalpsychopath]

Clayton didn't know half of the people who had come to Elena's party but he was playing nice. It helps a bit that he could smell other wolves. Sure, the age old instinct to growl and protect his pack (well, Elena) is there but he was learning not to look at every wolf as a Mutt and therefore a threat.

Hearing someone approach, he glances up at the young girl with the bright blue eyes and grunts in agreement. "It does." A slight pause. "How much do you want?"

[rulesofthewild]

She blinks the blue away and looks up at him with human eyes. "All of it," she says, bluntly honest. "But that's probably not allowed, so. As much as you can spare?" She shifts slightly. "O-or maybe you could even take me hunting so I could get my own and keep it for later!" She likes the prospect, even though she doesn't know Clay as well as she does Elena. But she can't take a deer down on her own.

[thelocalpsychopath]

Clayton looks amused at first at her answer and then surprised by the eager way she asks him to take her hunting so that she can learn to do it herself. Normally people don't ask him to do that sort of thing and he sort of likes it as he eyes her with a nod. "I can do that." He decides then with a grunt. "It's good for someone to learn to do things on their own. I could even show you how to clean it and cut it up."

Though he really doesn't care that much sometimes about that sort of thing.

[rulesofthewild]

"I'm not worried about that part," she says with a dismissive hand-wave. "I know how to hunt. I just can't down a full grown deer by myself." She'd always had to find roadkill, or a very young or very sick deer, if she'd wanted it herself. "Derek and I went hunting during one of the full moons, but we ate it right there. There wasn't much left to save. But if you help me, then I can store it in my freezer, right? And eat it whenever I want."

[thelocalpsychopath]

"I could do that." Clayton nods again, thinking about how to make the kill a little more clean than he normally would so they could get it all packed up and put away into her freezer. "When do you want to do this?"

[rulesofthewild]

"Now?" she says immediately. Then she remembers: they're at a party. That would be rude. She clears her throat and grimaces faintly. "Or . . . or later," she offers instead.

[thelocalpsychopath]

The idea of going now was more than intriguing though he knows he would get in trouble for it. "I think my mate would have my head if I left right now." Especially since the party was important to her and that mattered to him.

Still, he gives the trees around them a look of longing before nodding. "Later is good."

[rulesofthewild]

Malia nods. "Is the deer ready yet?" she asks. She looks around, at the others that have shown up, and feels protective to the delicious meat cooking not so very far away.

[thelocalpsychopath]

"Yes." Clayton nods as he glances back at the deer and then motions for her to follow. "Grab a plate and I'll get you some." He will probably give her a lot just to make her happy.

[rulesofthewild]

She grins brightly and finds herself a plate. There's a pasta salad that smells good, too, like bacon and chicken and ranch, so she grabs some of that . . . and puts it on a separate plate so she has room for the deer. She stacks the plates haphazardly together as she joins Clay by the roasting deer. It smells so good.

[thelocalpsychopath]

Clayton is cutting off pieces of meat when Malia comes back to his side. "Here you go." He starts stacking the meat onto her plate and it's clear he is willing to be more than generous with how much he gives her. Stopping after a few slices, he glances up. "That good?"

[rulesofthewild]

Malia eyes the plate hungrily. Then she nods quickly. It's good, it's so good. She grabs a handful of meat and rips into it with a tiny, puppy-like snarl. Oh yes. It's perfect. Her eyes flash blue as she looks up at Clay gratefully, but the words don't actually come. Which is probably good, because she's not really giving herself much chance to speak, anyway.

[thelocalpsychopath]

The little puppy like snarl earns her an amused smile as he nods in complete understanding. So much so that he grabs a plate for himself and starts piling some meat on. "Come on, let's find a quiet corner and eat."