Splash and Parhelion waited for Illisandre, Coco, and Laza to head out into the snow. While they had preserved the hojenst meat for the travel back to their own colony, they had heard that Skyward had a jaebo problem and were more than happy to help. Free food was free food, after all. Splash lead them towards the fields, Parhelion trotting along alongside them happily. The young aquatic liked nothing more than to chase the jaebo - and had come to terms with the fact that sometimes the population needed to be culled before it got out of hand.

Now, while snow was on the ground, the colony's plant growing had moved indoors, into climate-controlled greenhouses, and out of the jaebo's reach. They had left their fields to regain nutrients over the winter, and weeds and native plants were trying to sprout there. The jaebo were fewer in number and more desperate than their spring and summer counterparts, and it was a good time to take a few - the same number of jaebos killed would have a larger impact on the population.

Illisandre, Coco, and Laza had all brought snares. The ground was too hard and frozen to pound in stakes, so they were planning on tying them onto the nearby trees and bushes.

They walked through the ravine to the fields, Coco's long fur insulating him well against the winter cold, but Laza and Illisandre wore coats. Splash and Parhelion, being aquatics, had blubber to keep them warm. The ravine opened up to reveal the fields, now fields of snow with the occasional green peeking through, framed by the dark woods and mountains in the distance. Jaebo looked at them and then scattered, heading for holes, leaving tracks in the freshly fallen snow.

Parhelion let out a whoop and scrambled after them, kicking up snow, and Splash shook her head and sighed in amusement and Coco snorted good naturedly. "Don't mind him," Splash said, though it was hard to ignore the yelling and the scattering jaebos. "He'll tire himself out soon enough."

Illisandre and Laza shared amused glances, but started unpacking their supplies from their bags, pulling out the snares to place around the holes. Laza paused, though, watching the youngster chase the jaebos around chaotically.

"Maybe… we should wait until he's done."

Splash thought of the image of Parhelion catching a foot in a snare and winced. "Probably."

But further discussion was interrupted by a scrambling noise and a familiar horned head peaking over the cliff above.

"You!" Coco puffed up, and Illisandre and Laza tensed. Splash also straightened, eyeing the aerobic warily, but Egret just waved at them in a 'calm down' motion.

"Whoa, whoa! You're all out here acting like I stole your favorite blanket!"

Illisandre hissed softly in distaste. "You threw the herd into chaos for your own selfish gains!"

Egret placed a hand over her chest, pretending to be hurt. "Oh you wound me! But none of you got hurt, no?"

Laza shook her head, glaring. "Doesn't matter. It was still an asshole thing to do."

"Ohhhh…" Egret flopped over a moment, then perked back up, feathers fluffed out. "And yet you let the youngster run wild, sending this herd into a panic?"

Splash rubbed her forehead tiredly. "Are you here to judge and make snide comments?"

"Hmm," Egret tilted his head. "Tempting. But no. I would also like to help with your jaebo problem. I also brought a friend." There was another scrambling noise, and an unfamiliar winged draconic stuck their head over the ledge.

"Uh. Hi."

All four adults stared at them in bland doubt, while Parhelion whooped in the background.

"What?" Egret asked, blinking between each of them. "Ohhhh, this is the herd thing, right, right."

"Herd thing?" The draconic blinked. "Oh, I'm Mitro by the way."

Coco sighed loudly and threw a snare at Egret who screeched and flailed. "Here's a snare. Figure it out if you can." Coco pointed at the draconic. "You, come down here. You can learn."

The draconic perked up and slithered off the ledge, wings flaring to slow their descent before heading over to slither beside Coco. "Thanks!"

"Oh!"

Coco, Illisandre, Laza and Splash all shook their heads at each other and got down to business, Mitro looking on in nervous determination. Splash called Parhelion back over, settling down in the snow to wait until the aerobics were done, while the three aerobics set about setting up their snares around the jaebo's holes. The one upside of Parhelion's chase - all the holes were clearly visible, frantic prints leading directly to them.

After a moment, Egret fluttered down from the cliff, holding a snare in one hand. They looked at the three aerobics teaching Mitro and setting about their business single-mindedly, then at Splash. They hefted the snare and tilted their head.

"How exactly do I use this?"

Splash just sighed.