Father would have been proud. The hunt had gone exceptionally well this season. The slow muties had come out of the hills early this year. But so had spring, after all.
Whatever warmth they derived from the deep holes and warrens they hibernated in had kept the muties quiet all winter. Now that the frost had turned to dew, they were once again on the prowl for meat. A good spring cleaning had been in order.
The dog had done his part, too, had he not? The long winter nights of cleaning and oiling its various mechanisms seemed to have paid off. Whatever ancient magics or incantations powered the beast required only the most basic of upkeep.
The axe, unfortunately, was only an axe. He feared he may have split the handle on an errant swing during the day’s work. Replacing it would be the work of a couple days and a few false starts, more likely than not. Still, a small price to pay, all things considered.
The boy and his dog had bought themselves at least a couple days. Four or five, more likely. The muties were dumb but not suicidal. They’d move along for a stretch before heading back towards the estancia. The defenses needed some maintenance. Any extra time would be well spent.
I liked the way this unlikely pair came together. The boy is a leftover from a 1/35 kit of Eastern European civilians during WWII. I found the oversized hat in the spares box. I thought that helped to sell that he was only a boy.
The “dog” was found on Thingiverse. I think it started life as one of the villains in a Wolfenstein game.
I used Milliput as the stone tile they stand on. A plastic knife provided the lines in the tile. Acrylic washes and dry brushing added effects to the stone.
Flocking applied to painted-on PVA glue added the moss effect. A snipping of AK Interactives “Summer Foliage” provided the vines.
I hope you enjoyed the story and small diorama. The stories build themselves along side the models as I work. I thought others might also like to hear the narratives that bounce around in my head.
Modeling and Storytelling 