[Gift] Stocking up on food

Obscura and Irody spent their first night on the newly laid pine needles floor. It sounded perhaps less comfortable than it actually was. For the green Styra it was the best sleep she had had for a few nights and she hoped that Obscura felt the same. It would be their home for the rest of the winter if all worked out. It was spacious enough for the both of them and it even had space left for food storage for the both of them.
Irody knew, even if Obscura hadn’t specifically said so herself, that the brown Pachy wanted meat stored at least for a while. She could live on berries and greens but Irody knew that she preferred to supplement her diet with green and berries. It hadn’t ever disgusted her. It had made her slightly uncomfortable in the beginning of their relationship to see the Pachy tear into her dinner with a hunger Irody had never felt for anything other than bushes and pine-trees. But the discomfort had been short lived. In the end, Irody had told herself, it was the way of nature and she had simply managed to get the front seat somehow. It was worth it to be with the Pachy, her company easily took away all the discomfort as soon as she was near. Obscura had only been oblivious to it in the beginning. Perhaps she had seen Irodys discomfort early on because she had decided to try and not eat meat in too close proximity to Irody after that.
Irody slowly nudged the sleeping Pachy.
“You don’t need to get up. But I need to go outside for a bit.” Irody used the softest voice she could get out of her as she spoke to the Pachy. Obscura lifted her eyelids and blearily looked over at the Styra before making an attempt to nudge her nose against Irody’s beak. It ended up becoming a shoulder nudge but the attempt was noticed by Irody and she smiled.
“Please be back soon,” Obscura yawned as she spoke and stretched out a bit and got comfortable again.
“Absolutely. I won't be far.” She carefully rose to not disturb the Pachy more than she already had. She had a goal in mind that day. They had already managed to get the small storage room they slept in comfortable enough to spend the winter in. If they had time they would perhaps get it even more comfortable. But their food storage was running low. And she had met a group of two dinosaurs the other day that could probably indirectly help her. They had felled a deer not far away from them and she was sure that she either could convince them to give her part of it if they were travelling or if they had already left she could perhaps take whatever they left. It would be perfect for at least a few days in their hovel and it would most likely make Obscura really happy. Two birds with one stone as they said. She quietly left the hovel.

Obscura pretended that she couldn’t really get up from the bed they had made the day before. That she was too tired. But when Irody turned her back on her she couldn’t help but to let out a smile and sneak a peek at her. She had the perfect plan for her girlfriend. Irody had spoken about strengthening their food supply before the worst of the snow came. They still had a bit of green left, and a handful of different berries. But it was not enough for a Styra to eat over the course of many days and the snow was threatening to come everyday. But Obscura, as she had run around the forest trying to find only the best sticks to put in their home, had found a practical buffet of perhaps the best thing; Blueberry bushes. They filled the entirety of an old backyard and were still bearing fruits. The birds hadn’t managed to eat them all - or perhaps they had saved them for a rough winter. Either way. Obscura knew her goal. She was going to get as much of that food - with branches - for Irody as possible. It was perfect for their winter storage and it would most likely make the green Styra happy. Obscura felt proud of herself and her idea. She waited eagerly at the base of the small collapsed tunnel out. She had to make sure that Irody believed that she was still sleeping tightly. She wanted it to be a surprise. And when she was sure Irody had left the area she ran out as fast as she could. It was almost a straight line towards the house with the backyard filled with blueberries. These were small plants that covered the ground and someone had most likely planted them in their wooded yard and now they had taken over it. The plants themselves were barely above the ground and they had small, green leaves. The blueberries were small and dark but Obscura knew they tasted amazing. She hurried to grab as many as she could until her jaw almost ached and then she ran back. She put them temporarily behind a bush just outside their hovel and then she ran back.

Irody was slowly making her way towards where she had met the other dinosaurs. They had been friendly yet she wanted to be aware of her surroundings. At least she knew they wouldn’t be hungry if she met them again. But she didn’t meet them again. They had already left the area after having their fill. She looked around the area before she walked up to the deer. She felt a bit bad as she looked down on it. It had frozen during the cold nights. She took a moment to stand quietly. Wishing the deer well wherever it now might be. Irody didn’t believe in ghosts or any of the stories the other dinosaurs would tell. But she still liked to think that there was something after all of this. A small amount of comfort. After a few moments she felt comfortable pushing it onto the small sled. It was a small sled. But it held what was left of the deer and it was better, and in Irody’s mind kinder, than dragging it on the floor of the forest. She didn’t wait around when she managed to get the rope over her shoulders again and started heading back home. She couldn’t help smiling as she walked back with the food. Obscura would be so happy. She could barely imagine how extremely happy she would be.

Obscura had arrived back to the pile of blueberry plants stacking high by the side of the house. She was proud of her work but she had to get it into the hovel as well. Getting the blueberries here was just one part of her plan. She carried them carefully down into the hovel. Despite doing her best to not shake them too much she still left a small trail of blueberries after her. She couldn’t decide where she should put them to make the biggest impact and she moved them from the two corners with the least sticks and branches on the ground. Eventually she figured it out. It would be the first thing Irody saw when she walked down into the hovel and Obscura knew she would be so incredibly impressed and happy. The Pachy hurried to bring it all down and then she waited. She sat inside the hovel. Having planned how she would call for Irody to get down. But Irody called for her to get out first.
“Obscura!” The Pachy would recognise her voice anywhere and she had to fight her instinct to run to her immediately. “Could you come out here for a moment?” Obscura squinted at the opening.
“It would be great if you could get down here.” Obscura said. Trying to not sound too excited. They were both quiet for a moment but Irody had evidently decided to see what Obscura wanted to show her first. The Pachy almost jumped up and down inside of the hovel as she heard her girlfriend make her way down into the hovel. As soon as the Styra took her first step on the floor the Pachy yelled:
“TADA!” As she gestured to the big pile of blueberries. Irody had to let her eyes adjust for a moment before she saw what the Pachy pointed at.
“Oh Obscura! That’s amazing! So many berries.” The green Styra walked up to the food and looked it over. Obscura practically bounced behind her. “It’s perfect for the winter.”
“They’re really good too! And the leaves can be eaten.”
“I think you should come outside with me.” Obscura noticed the smirk on the Styra's face as she said it and followed her curiously out of the hovel.
“Tada.” Irody mimicked the Pachy but perhaps with a bit less excitement in her voice, yet still a big smile on her face. Obscura looked at the food that the Styra had brought back with her.
“YOU hunted THAT?” There was pride in her voice.
“No, no I didn’t hunt it. But it is fresh.” Irody assured her.
“That’s still amazing!” Obscura stroked her head on Irody as to hug the Styra.
“However, you will have to bring it into the hovel. But now we should have a bit of food for the future.” The Pachy nodded excitedly as she started taking the food down into the hovel. “Please put it in the other part of the room.” Irody yelled into the hovel as the Pachy disappeared. She could hear an agreeing mumble. She sat down for a bit. They had food, shelter and a comfortable place to sleep. She wondered if there was anything more they could possibly do right now that would make them more winter proof. If it snowed during the night they would be comfortable enough to not even want to leave the hovel for a few days. And if they kept up with restocking their food evenly they would make it to spring without any issues at all.