Wapun Meadow The King of the Forest

@Bazi did you want to work on your Gamekeeper trade? Anyone else welcome! I'm just bored and noticed it was foggy in-game, so that makes things fun. :D

A morning fog crept across the meadow. In the time it took for the northerner to descend from the mountains and march in to the flatland in earnest, it was a full-on fog; thick like a slurry of cloud, it's heavy belly brushing the grassland beneath. The humidity of the day increased, while the wind refused to bluster and blow. A soft crooning noise piqued his interest as it pierced the mist, forcing Njal to pause. The thick scent of flowers rose up around him and in that instant, he realized just how valuable this patch of land could be to the Swiftcurrent wolves - he was masked by the scent of many flowers, and again by the fog. A second call rang out and it was closer to him, prompting an instinctual lowering of his sterling silver body. It did not sound like a wolf. Coyote perhaps, but they had been driven afield by Bazi and Fox and many others. When a third call sounded he lifted his head, catching the silhouette of some sort of animal within his vision; but in that moment where his golden eyes caught upon the figure and its briefly exposed face, it too spied upon him. They were at a stalemate for only a breath before the deer lurched forwards, spooked but disoriented, and nearly charged right over the waiting wolf. Similarly, Njal launched himself after it - at least for the chase, since it would be difficult to take down the spry buck on his own.

Hey! :D Yes please! If they pin it against the mountain range or something we can do dice-rolls for whether or not each 'strike' is successful.

Bazi liked fog. It was the only weather apart from snow that granted her invisibility, and it made the landscape soft and otherworldly. It dulled reality's often cruel edge - to the mind, if not in reality - and made the entire world seem empty.

But it wasn't, of course. No sooner had Bazi thought these peaceful thoughts than they were interrupted by a sudden rush of movement. Two shapes - one larger than the other - churned the mist into a maelstrom, cutting a tunnel through the haze with the force of their movement. It took the little Gamma a fraction of a second to realize what was going on; she was on Njal's tail before he disappeared out of sight and level with the larger wolf within seconds.

They chased, the mountain and the ghost together, each keeping slightly to one side of the spry buck's flanks. It would tire eventually, or come up against an obstacle - they would be able corner it then and wait for an opportunity to strike.

Prey's Current HP: 25/25
Action #1: (Attack - 2) Draws up close to the deer and snaps at its legs.

The ungulate cavorted through the thickened mist, each stride churning the condensation which sat within the air. It charged without realizing where it was going. Twisting one way, turning another, at times slowing to catch a breath or to thrust its crowned head towards the ghosting sound of company. Njal followed after it eagerly, his own strides eating up the earth; a silver spectre amongst the dilution. Bazi was there quite suddenly, her scent masked by the wet taste he sucked in with every heave of his own lungs; they exchanged a fleeting glance before the fog rolled close and swallowed her up. But the wolves would work in tandem - avoiding the buck when it chose to defend itself, seeking the sounds of its gasping breath and deep grunts. Njal barked his own response to these sounds as he ran, hoping to terrorize the healthy creature and make it run itself to death. A few times he was aligned with Bazi and they swept towards the disoriented beast - with Njal diverting his course to sweep around it from one side, bare his teeth, and snap mercilessly near to the deer's parts.

Resolution: Glancing blow (-2 HP)
Prey's Current HP: 23/25
Action #2: (Attack - 5) Launches at hind quarters.

I hope that' right.

No verbal instructions passed between the two wolves. They were of one mind as they pursued the buck, spiking the poor animal's adrenaline again and again with vicious snarls, feints, and confusion. It was scared now, and tired - she could see it every time it wheeled around in defense, thrusting its crown at its fleet-footed pursuers.

Njal bit at the buck's legs, making it skitter and stumble awkwardly. Bazi took this opportunity to launch at its hind quarters, intending to stabilize the animal completely.

Resolution:
Partial Blow (5hp damage)
Deer Defends (5) Thrusts its crown at pursuers (Partial Defend -2)
HP: 20/25
Action: (Attack - 2) Attempts to make it stumble by side-checking it.

With two wolves vying for its blood the buck was losing confidence, and energy. While one would have been easy to scare away, the creature was constantly being tested by the pair of them. A sweep of its shining antlers would only churn the mist; a rear-aimed kick narrowly missing a target due to the sheer difficulty of sight; and they were upon him, grabbing with their teeth or snapping at the very least, to tempt his attention.

Njal was gleeful with this adventure. He did not have the highest faith in his own land-hunting abilities but with Bazi there to assist, they were sure to succeed. A flailing forelimb of the stag nearly clipped him in the side as it fell, sporadic as the animal danced in fear and desperation, but Njal was safe. He slunk alongside the deer and then lifted himself up, trying to tackle the animal's side and perhaps make it topple over.

Resolution after Njal's attack:
Glancing blow (-2 HP)
Prey's Current HP: 18/25

Next round:
Deer's Action: (Defend - 1) Flails front legs at attacking wolf.
Action: (Attack - 3) Springs up deer's line of vision, attempting to force an abrupt change of direction.

Their quarry stumbled hard, but managed to gather itself at the expense of speed - her own attack on its hind quarters had proved fruitless, at least in the short term. But this was not about the short term. The animal wouldn't be able to keep this up forever, not against two wolves.

Njal's attack put a dent in its speed, and Bazi took that opportunity to push ahead before it could resume its wild gallop - she disappeared into the mist only to explode out of it a split second later, leaping at the animal's throat. Slim legs came up to meet her as the buck reared, kicking its hard, black hooves at the attacking wolf.

Resolution:
Deer's defend (1) Miss - 0hp.
Bazi's attack (3) Glance - 2hp damage.
HP: 16/25

Njal:
Attack: (7) Attempts to grab the other side of the deer's throat.

The man managed to hit the deer, but not with enough force. He felt more pain in his own shoulder than the prey would - and this sensation rose as he descended to his feet again, stumbling slightly as he ran alongside the buck. Distracted as the creature was by the silver man, Bazi took the opportunity to launch herself at it's throat and Njal watched as her teeth grazed at the loose flesh as she caught a tooth within it. Blood sprayed in the fog, and for a moment Njal saw the air turn a pale pink; this spurred him in to motion, hungry now that he tasted blood upon the air. Like a shark after a weakened seal. He charged and attempted what Bazi had moments before - reaching and leaping, attempting to grapple the animal's throat with his teeth on the other side.

Resolution after Njal's attack:
Partial (-5 HP)
HP: 11/25

Action: (Attack - 6) Grabs deer's leg to bring it down.

Everything depended on getting the animal down. Robbed of its sharp, stinging hooves and lofty perch above the sea of nimble predators, the buck had precious little left; the wolves would swarm its soft parts and it would be over - done.

Unlike Bazi's attempt, Njal's attack connected - a heart-wrenching sound escaped the trapped deer when strong jaws closed around the loose flap of skin around its neck, dragging it down. Bazi rushed in to grab one of its front legs before it thought to use them on Njal, tugging hard to bring the deer down onto its front. One of those hooves had already bruised the side of her face, and she eyed the hind legs warily from her position at the front.

Resolution:
Bazi's attack - Partial (-5hp)
HP: 6/25

Njal:
Attack (5) Holds tight and pulls the throat, trying to tear it.

The buck wheezed and tried to pull away from Njal's grip, not realizing how futile its attempts would be. A flailing hoof was caught by Bazi's teeth and the creature's last efforts to fight off the swarming pair of wolves was in vain. It called out in to the mist, the sound a strangled plea that waxed and waned, made more haunting with the drifting of the air. The deer was buckled low by the wolves' attempts, struggling uselessly as the last of its breath wheezed out from its panicked lungs. Njal stood with his body hunched next to the deer as it gave a final series of flailing kicks, his jaw growing sore with the amount of pressure he was applying. To make it easier the man pulled back with his jaws set as tightly as possible, hoping to tear out the meat of the stag's soft throat.

Resolution after Njal's attack:
Partial (-5 HP)
HP: 1/25

Action: (Attack - 8) Immobilizes deer to allow Njal to finish the job.

Shall we conclude here? :D

This was it. The buck knew it. Bazi loosened her grip on the animal's front leg as it sank down, too weak now to fight back or stand. To protect Njal from any dying thrusts of its crowned head, she grasped the buck by the back of the neck to stabilize its lolling head. There was a wet rip, a spray, and a final spasm - and the buck became a kill.

Bazi felt its muscles relax and its heart stop beating. Death's calm settled over the scene like a thick blanket, cradling the frenzied, panting wolves in fog and silence. The youthful Gamma released her grip and sought Njal's eyes for the first time since the start of their pursuit, nostrils flaring with each breath. There was nothing quite like the primal ferocity of a hunt to bond two wolves, and she felt a great love for her Swiftcurrent brother then.

Concluding!

The frenzy was over. With the creature's throat torn there was only a matter of time before the end came. Njal tasted blood, he savored it as the metallic warmth slid across his tongue and slipped between his teeth; meanwhile, the buck gave a final spasm. It died with its mouth gaping wide, gasping for breath but expelling lifeblood with the effort.

At first Njal just sat there. He did not want to release the prize so soon, relishing in the success - but he did, eventually, and leveled a pleased expression upon Bazi. Blood coated his mouth and chest, painting a red bib that slicked his platinum fur in place. The enjoyment he felt was shared with a pack mate, which made it an insurmountable sensation - Bazi had evolved in her time with the creek wolves, and Njal was proud of her.