With the grasses growing the Willows had a life to them that Stark had never experienced. What that also meant for the hopeful male was that he was finding more prey along the pathways through the land. He spotted a hare, nose twitching, nibbling on some of those tail grasses. The dark male approached at a crouch, his tail lashing behind him as he zeroed in and prepared to pounce.
He was slow to integrate himself and his progress was minimal at best. Silas tried to explore a little more day by day but he usually lost energy quickly and didn't want to really mingle with near-strangers. The long-legged, awkward-looking youth just wasn't in the best of spirits so he was finding it difficult to hit a good stride here.
But somewhere on his wanderings, he spied the dark wolf moving across the landscapes. From a distance, he tracked along well behind him -- and took care to be quiet when it looked like he was gearing up for a hunt.
For now, Silas observed and studied this.
For a moment he was so intently focused on the hare that he didn't consider anything else. He narrowed his eyes, so hyper focused that he didn't consider the world around him. It was nothing. Gone. The green and the grey of the rabbit was all he saw. The little waif didn't see him, or if it did, it did not react in the way that Stark imagined. A pause here, a little twitch there, nothing - and he was fine with that.
A few moments though and he recognized the scent on the wind - one of the puppies of Harlyn. Silas? It was a guess, but, it was a hope that he was correct. Stark slowed down and turned his head, nodding towards the pup to approach. "Do you see it?" He asked, keeping his voice low. It was enough to make him draw back to the rest of the world. He didn't know the history and he didn't need to - this was a chance for the pup to learn something, if he wanted to try.
Silas was unquestionably nervous about this. When the dark male looked his way, seemingly gesturing for him, the youth licked his lips anxiously before he moved his paws forward. Once he got going again, it seemed to come a little easier but he knew he had a wary look in his eyes and his splayed out ears probably didn't help the vibe any either. He didn't want his overwhelming uneasiness to come off as rude! He was just...he didn't know, this was hard.
But he was interested and hoped to convey this with a small nod after squinting his bright eyes towards the quarry. He did see it, the single hare loitering along as they often seemed to do, so he knew to mind himself unless he wished to scare it off. Back in the rich foliage of the Hollow, Silas had worked on his stealth plenty and because of that, he had the basics down. It was a start.
What's next? a silent but inquisitive glance upwards suggested while he hunkered low. Slowly, but surely, he was easing himself into the dark male's company as well.
The child didn't shy away from him, even though they barely knew each other - even if they'd only exchanged brief names and little more. They had been a quiet lot, exhausted, and he understood that feeling. He could only imagine how they all felt given their father was gone and things had become so precarious. They were older than Tambourine, they couldn't entirely depend on their mother's milk to keep them alive. They needed food, real meat, they needed sustenance.
The boy stayed quiet and Stark watched up ahead, the hare hadn't given chase yet. "It'll be fast - we'll get closer, and when I say we make a shape like this," He explained, gesturing a near half moon. "You go this way, I'll go the other - if the hare starts running from me, you guide it back to me." He suggested. They'd take it down together. "Don't be afraid to use those teeth."
Instructions followed.. which laid out like that seemed perfectly doable. All together, it was the basic shape of a plan. Hopefully, a tactic for success. He'd try his best, so the Ostrega nodded intently and mentally rehearsed the key points here. Guide it back if necessary, it will be fast... use those teeth.
"Got it," he said in a small whisper and another nod. He swallowed and attempted to wipe the look of grim worry off his face to channel something meant to imitate a hint of confidence. He always thought of his parents when he needed to be better because to him, they were everything he wanted to be one day. That, and he wanted to make his mother proud, if he could.
And, he could do this.
So he was as ready as he was ever going to be with his sights split between Stark and their prey's movements.
Stark had never considered himself particularly good with children. He hadn't the experience to be familiar or comfortable with their actions or preferences, but, the fact of the matter was that Stark was spending more and more time with the children of his pack and was growing more relaxed around them. Stark had no idea if Silas had ever tried to help with a hunt before, but, it was as good a time as any to let the pup get involved.
Stark was moving slow, keeping his feet quiet and crouching so he wasn't so visible. The pup was already small enough to not need much more though it was a natural posture to take up. When they were about twenty feet away Stark gave a little nod, splitting from Silas to round off one side so the pup could do the same. With the hare in between them, he made a sudden move - hoping to get the rabbit into a little game of chase to give the pup a chance to participate too.
It's a step forward for him, and one in the right direction. He does everything he can to study Stark's moves and translate them onto himself, all while being quiet (something he's good at anyway) so not to spook the prey. In part, he feels he's successful enough as they press forward. So, tiny bit by bit, a hint of confidence attempted to grow in him and his steps do not waver quite like they did before.
His gold eyes went big when he saw the nod: the signal, and like this was some momentous next step, Silas arced his own pathway into place. Now, he gave the rabbit even more focus, trusting that he could mirror Stark well enough to let this work -- even without watching him intently.
And soon, the chase is on. He saw the black male's sudden movement and its almost enough to startle him, too, but the rabbit's flight is what zeroed him back into the moment. Silas felt himself move in instinctual purpose, forward, and when the time was right, darting forward to attempt to intercept the rabbit's path -- and it's quick, oh my god it is so fast! he panics. There's a zig and a zag, then another and maybe even another. He loses track somewhere.
The boy's breath comes in a quick rush and when he sees himself beginning to lose ground where the prey gained it, he reaches out a long leg to swipe it at the hare as it ran past him, hoping to make it falter somehow.
His blue eyes watched closely, focused on the way the pup moved - how quick he was at adjusting himself depending on where the hare was going. It was promising, but no hunt was ever considered beautiful on the first go, but Stark can tell Silas is trying his hardest. If he was watching on the sidelines he might have cheered him on, as it was, he was adjusting himself to launch for the hare when he spotted Silas swipe at the hare. There's a little motion, a sound of the hare squeaking and Stark knew that there was a success there.
The hare was moving slower now, the ground that had been gained between it and Silas was easy to see. Stark moved in then, closing off the path for the hare and giving it less options to escape. He gave a snarl, snapping a couple times when the hare got close to him, placing a wound on it's shoulder but leaving it for the most part intact. He wanted to let Silas have this, only imagining what the victory might do for the child.
He gave a nod, eyes locking on Silas for a moment - he'd keep the hare there, but, this was Silas' kill.
He's far from perfect. He knows it. It feels like nothing more than a great big scramble, like he's just charging and his body is doing whatever it can do with its speed and size. Silas still has a lot to learn about himself, for starters, and then maybe then he can begin to truly hone his skills.
But, everyone starts someplace. With Stark there to help him fill in his blanks, it's far easier to not be as discouraged just by one missed mark so that the hunt continues. Silas rights himself and when he smells blood thanks to the older male, it's a new fire lit beneath his paws. He charges for the wounded prey newly uninhibited with a quiet growl and grabs it when he gets there.
Initially, he's unprepared for the noise the hare lets out and its a big ugly one paired with a full-body twist as panic flooded the creature. Silas' ears went back and his first grip slipped almost immediately because he'd waned in light of such a screech right in his face like that. But, the wounds have a compounding effect for the rabbit and he's able to make another grab soon after. With this one, he's better equipped. He gets his teeth and paws on it, digs deep with some messy chomps, gives it a crunch, a twist, and then there's finally a sudden silence.
Satisfaction follows and he unclamps his teeth with a big gasp of air. The hare still writhes because it is not a neat, clean kill exactly, but life is well on its way out at his paws. His breath is still coming fast, he's panting, but he tasted his first rush of a true hunter's success. The fresh meat goes limp and as it does, his tail picks up a steady rhythm. Far more expressive than he had been before, he beams excitedly at Stark.
Watching Silas makes Stark think of his childhood. It makes him think of hunting attempts in his youth - of chasing after foxes with Banner, of hunting hares with Captain. He can't remember his first hunt though, the first thrill of chasing something down and of landing a real, true kill. He grinned as he crouched, watching for a moment at Silas' misguided attempts to down the hare. The split second of doubt flashed across his face and Stark wanted to step in, he wanted to reassure him but the little pup wasn't going to be deterred.
Stark watched him recover though, it was a moment where he could almost feel Silas regroup, focus himself and make his second attempt. This time there is a sound, something that isn't kind at all but the blow has been delivered. When Silas releases it Stark steps in, snapping it's neck effectively before stepping back to grin at the pup.
"You did a great job." He said brightly. "We never want them to suffer. So if that happens and your bite doesn't kill, show mercy. A quick death is the best gift we can give." Stark stepped forward and gave a little nudge to the pup's shoulder, licking the bit of blood of his own lips. "We should call your mom - I bet she'd love to see this." He said with a grin. He could only imagine how Harlyn would feel, seeing her son's victorious hunt.
He watched with his heart still racing. Stark put the hare to its end and he kept peering wide-eyed at the event until it was all said and done. A merciful death, of course. He intended to remember this and all of Stark's words, but of course, his fledgling attempts at killing anything were bound to be clumsy at best. Yet Silas was still pretty satisfied with his own accomplishments, even if some of it just felt like good luck and a big awkward blunder. He would learn that was sometimes part of the hunt, or even the very nature of it. Then, he nodded as that realization settled onto him. His mom!
"You think so?" he quipped, eyeballing the still rabbit.
"I think I know where she is," he mumbled, doubting she would be too busy. He had last seen her with Larkspur, milling around someplace.
Anyway, he refocused with the scent of blood in his nose, then tipped it back for a reedy little howl.
"Hey Mom," he sang, eager to show off to
@Harlyn what they had accomplished.
"Come see?" he asked. While he certainly enjoyed the glow of Stark's approval in his words earlier, having his mother be proud of him would really sweeten it.
Stark could only imagine how Silas felt. Heart thrumming, blood pumping, whole body still full of adrenaline and encouraged by the whole event. Taking down a kill no matter the size in a time like this was monumental. Stark grinned at him, nodding. "Oh yeah. She'll be over the moon!" He said with a little chuckle. "You caught dinner, that's gonna be huge." He said encouragingly. He could only imagine how excited Harlyn would be - and he hoped the other little ones would be just as proud of their brother.
He listened as Silas called for Harlyn, sitting down to wait with the boy. His tail thrummed a few times, looking the pup over. "A little more practice and I bet you'll be able to take down all sorts of things." He said warmly.
Harlyn was intrigued when she heard Silas's voice in the air. While it was perfectly normal for Larkspur to request her presence every moment of the day, her boys were generally more independent than her blonde little girl. There was nothing to make her nervous in the tone of his call, and so it was curiosity that drove her swiftly across the Keep to answer his call.
She found Stark alongside of her son when she arrived, and she fixed them both with a thoughtful gaze and a tilt of her head. The scent of blood was strong, but they both seemed to be safe and whole and quite happy to boot. "What are you boys up to?" she asked wryly. It took a moment for her eyes to find the rabbit at their paws, and then only a second for it to click. Her smile brightened and she looked eagerly to them both, seeking the explanation she suspected.
Dinner.
That alone.. appealed momentously, even as overcome as he was he could see the worth it in -- especially since he had practically adapted (best he was ever going to) to these times of almost nothing to eat. "I hope so," he replied with an eager exhale when all sorts of things were mentioned for his potential future. Now, if only prey would flourish again before long so that he may truly enjoy the variety the Teekon could offer.
Soon after, he saw his mom and all attention directed to her. "Mom!" he greeted with a breathy yap and bounded towards her to lick her chin. She keyed into the situation quickly enough so he wasn't no time filling her in more appropriately. "We hunted it," he spun to gesture purposefully for the dead mangled thing then glanced quickly to Stark for support. "I helped chase it. A dinner." As if that wasn't clear enough but he was excited so words were not exactly his strongest suit as he panted happily at Harlyn.
Right then the choice was solidified that Stark would take no part of this hare. Silas had caught it ultimately, Stark had only helped to herd it properly, and so the pup would be given all the glory and his mother and siblings would have an actual meal for a change. When Harlyn approached Stark gave a polite bob of his head, looking from the woman to her child and then back. When Silas explained Stark shook his head, blue eyes crinkled a bit mischievously. "No, ma'am." He said with a smile.
"Silas here caught it - this is his kill." He countered. Stark could only imagine how the boy felt, thinking back to his first successful hunt. He was fairly sure that it was with Lock. There was a part of him that felt bad that he wasn't Mordecai, that he'd encroached on this moment. He couldn't turn down the opportunity to help a pup learn though, and so he hadn't - he'd let Silas take the opportunity.
The boys were quick to explain, and though Stark offered his own comments and she heard them clearly, her gaze was offered only to Silas. A broad smile unfurled across her muzzle as she learned of what had transpired. Her son had participated in his first hunt, and furthermore, he had been successful.
The matriarch's initial instinct was to rush to him and embrace him. But, something held her back. Stark was there, and she innately recognized him as one that her son would have an easy time looking up to. As such, he would not want to be coddled so by his mother in front of a man like this. He was too old for that, as she realized quite suddenly. He was growing up, and was no longer the little boy that had snuggled at her side with his brother and sister. He was becoming a man.
Her heart panged quite suddenly and painfully for Mordecai.
"I'm so proud of you," Harlyn replied after a deep, happy breath, "A rabbit, no less. Those take some skill." For Harlyn, all game took skill, but she still recognized the merits of one catch over another. Gopher and muskrat were slow, lazy things. Even raccoons and squirrels could be caught unawares. Rabbits were swift and always wary.
His ears gave a wiggle when Stark provided more clear details of what had transpired. Silas just peered, feeling good about himself with or without all of the credit so his tail waved merrily. He still felt as if the dark male had guided a lot of what had happened, and given him the needed encouragement to help get it right, but he wasn't going to argue it. Silas was thankful, happy, plus his mom looked really proud of him and there was dinner. What else could he need?
He beamed at both of the adults, basking in the glow with a puffed out chest and an elusive moment of pride for the relatively mild boy.
"Want some?" he asked in a big, excited breath. He would enjoy his spoils soon enough. He was too caught up in the success of it all, and less about the notion of actually having food to eat.
"I wanna tell Spur," he informed them all, and maybe share some too. Something about that filled his heart with warmth, so he was suddenly ready to divert his focus that way and track her down; she couldn't be far!
feel free to wrap it up if you guys wanna, i kinda held it up a little but i think it can conclude near here ^^ <3
This seems like a good place for an ending!
He was glad to see the excitement on Silas' face, the look of pride in Harlyn's - this was something comforting to him in it's own right. It made him think of his own mother, of moments that he'd shared with her. He missed York considerably, but he couldn't focus too much or else he would end up angry. Silas sounded so excited and understandably wanted to go see his sister. "You guys enjoy it. Let me know if you wanna practice again, Silas." He said encouragingly. He'd enjoy seeing the pup progress and while he didn't know what they'd be hunting, he was desperately hopeful that things would change.
After a few more moments he gave a polite nod to Harlyn and stepped forward, bumping his snout against Silas' shoulder. "You did great." He said with a smile before he headed back towards the Crook to rest. He'd be hungry that night, but, the children wouldn't and that was far more important to him.