Greatwater Lake Run, whirlwind, run

 

For @Wraen <3

It had been a while since she crossed the borders of her faithful mountain home. The moose had been feeding the mouths of her pack for days and Nara had felt like she could take a break from hunting. At least for a little while. 

Now the caches were starting to become empty and it was time that she descended and go hunting. So she went out to the lake below. High grasses surrounded her and only the birds that flew overhead could see the fair-pelted wolf. This would give her an advantage if it wasn't for the deafening sound the grass made when she moved through it. Any rabbits or other small animals that lived in these grasses would hear her coming from miles away. Nara sighed and decided to take a nap close to the water - waiting for the day to end. Maybe she would have more luck in the dark.

Nara was not the only one, who had ventured outside Sunspire that day. Wraen - as per usual - was down in the Hoshor plains since early morning, mousing diligently, in order to bring back the half-digested rodent-soup back to the whelps, who were beginning to live on more solid food. 

Feeling quite safe in the tall grass, she had curled up and taken a nap, and was awoken two hours later by approaching footfalls and rustling of the green stalks around her. The approaching person was not particularly keen on not making her presence known and the accompanying whiff of smell told Wraen that this - in fact - was no stranger, but her good friend.

She got to her feet, stretched and set out to follow the fellow hunter, until she caught her sight and greeted from afar: "Hey! What brings you out here?"

Nara had picked out a napping spot, but she didn't get any time to sleep - a familiar voice called to her from behind. She turned around. Wraen! she greeted the other wolf. Nara was happy to see her friend, but also a little disappointed that she didn't get a chance to take a nap. (But you know what they say, friends before being well rested). I was on the lookout for game but this high grass is really getting on my nerves she said, trotting towards Wraen.

"Total mood-breaker, I agree," Wraen replied with a laugh and met her friend half-way and doing the greeting ritual. "Thought that the grazers should be more hard at work eating it all up," she added, thinking about all the ruminants that wandered around the area and, how their contribution was not enough. "Fancy going on an egg-hunt?" she offered.

The observation that her friend had made was right. Where were they? Nara could remember deer and those fatter, bigger deer roaming these grasslands in the past. She didn't give it much more thought, though, because Wraen said something that grabbed her attention. An egg-hunt? she echoed. She could remember Terance and Seabreeze organising an egg-hunt before, but for some reason Nara didn't think her friend meant it like that.

"Well... more rather checking, if there are any eggs around this late in season. Me and Maia were pretty lucky several weeks ago, when we swam to an island in the middle of the Greatwater lake," Wraen explained. Come to think of it... she had not seen any fluffy and awkward looking bird-babies around now. Perhaps that season was truly over.

"Or... we could walk up to the Northern part of the plains and see, if there are any signs of herds there. With that rate the kids and moms back home are eating, we have to organize another pack hunt soon. And it better be something big than small," she offered an alternative, which sounded a lot better and more suitable for the situation. But Nara would have the final say in the matter.

Yes, I like that better Nara said quickly. The idea of breaking and entering a bird's home made her shudder. She did not want some crazy momma-bird to take out one of her eyes. 

Nara sat up on her hindlegs and tried to scan the horizon for movement. She didn't see anything that caught her attention. I suggest we walk north along the tree line. These animals could be looking for shelter in the nearby forest she said.

"In that case - lead the way," Wraen agreed with her companion and took a step to the side to let the fellow hunter get up and start to move. When they had made out from the worst of the tall grass and entered an area in the plains, where the ruminants had been more diligent at eating, she thought it was a good time to spark a conversation. "How have you been faring so far? I am out of Sunspire so often on the lookout for food that I hardly meet anyone else to find out, how they are doing."

It's mostly the same for me she responded, her eyes trailing along the forest edge. Then she stopped and turned to her friend. I did take a small break from hunting a while back she admitted, Honestly, I feel really bad about it now. She started moving again, her eyes fixed on the ground. I feel like I failed the pack Nara continued in a soft voice - so soft, she wasn't sure Wraen had heard her. 

Well it doesn't matter, I'm all back now she said and shot her friend a bright smile. 

Frankly speaking, Wraen did not consider that anyone had slacked in regards of feeding the hungry mouths of the pack. She worked very hard and, though she did not meet many of the others during her quests, she took it for granted that they put just as much effort. 

Therefore she took Nara's words as a sign that she did not appreciate her investment in the common good. "Well, there is no good in a hunter that is about to fall off it's feet from exhaustion, is there?" she asked with a good natured grin. "Don't worry about that at all - now that we are so many, we will have to cut the small missions and go for the big game. Plenty of time to rest and practice, and be ready inbetween," she encouraged. 

"Oh - would you look at that," Wraen stopped suddenly and looked over to the furthest edge of the plains. If she was not mistaken, there were dark figures moving around. Presumably the ones they had been looking for.

 

how did i forget about this thread for so long *hits self*

Nara was glad her friend didn't question her loyalty. However, there was not a lot of time to think or talk about that anymore, because Wraen had spotted something of interest on the horizon. She followed her gaze. Animals big enough to see from this distance moved slowly and steadily. What are that—deer? she questioned, tilting her head to the side. She couldn't quite make out if they had antlers, however. They might just be grazing with their heads down, or they might be a whole other species of ungulate all together. 

"Maybe," Wraen replied, narrowing her eyes to have a better focus on the dark figures, but, since she was slightly near-sighted, this did not particularly improve the vision. "It's hard to tell from this far, but let's get closer and explore," she told Nara and without waiting for an answer proceeded. The grass was at a comfortable length - meaning that it was tall enough to hide them, and sufficiently sparse not to prevent their movement forwards. 

Eventually they came to point, where it could be seen clearly that the dark shapes were a small herd of deer, consisting of five or six does and a tall and proud male further in the background. "So, what do you want to do now?" Wraen sat down and looked over at Nara.

Nara nodded shortly and followed the beta into the tall grass. Walking directly behind her was easier than side by side. This way they would also leave less tracks. 

Short as she was, Nara was completely hidden in the grass. However, this also meant that she couldn't see which direction they were going. She trusted Wraen with this. When the other wolf stopped, Nara did too and she had to stretch her neck to see the animals. It was clear now that they were in fact deer.  

The females were grazing, but the stag seemed to be keeping watch—his head held high and his ears moving restlessly. I think the male might alert the herd even before we can get close she said. They were hidden from sight, yes, but the rustling of the grass might give away their location. Maybe we can use that to our advantage? Panic will scatter the herd and then we could pick out a target? Nara proposed.

So, Nara had been aiming high all along. This came as a surprise for Wraen, who never went for a prey that was just as big or bigger than her, if there weren't at least two or three more wolves to flank her. Therefore the long and thoughtful look - first given to her fellow hunter, then to the herd in the distance. She was not sure that they had enough wolf-power for this, but on the other hand... what was life without some risks?

But - no - she would try to convince the girl otherwise. "I don't think that we will be able to take any of them down on our own. Not enough mass and numbers, but I suggest we do some "test-scares" to see, which one of them could become a target the next time we assemble a crew," she offered. "Deer are not stupid and they know, when we mean trouble for real or, when it is just that we want to see them run a little."

All right she said, maybe sounding a little disappointed. She really wanted to sink her teeth into some deer today. Not even a little one? Nara had wanted to ask, but decided not to. Her friend was right, there were only two of them and a lot of them. Not to mention a lot of antlers. Their chances of catching something were surely higher when they could hunt as a pack. 

She liked what Wraen proposed. This way, they could still have some fun and do part of the job in advance. Her eyes swept over the herd. They hadn't noticed them yet, which was good. Well, how do you want to start?

"Well, we can approach herd from different angles. First at a slow pace and then advancing in a run, putting just enough pressure to get them moving," Wraen explained the theory of what she had seen her parents do in practice. "If they are not keen on moving a nip at the heel could work, but usually they ain't that stubborn," she added. 

"I will take this side and you can go that way," she finished, moving away and approaching the herd in a steady trot from the left. They did this for a while longer and, when satisfied with findings and results, returned to Sunspire.