Wolf RPG

The red wolf scented the pack on the fringes of his nose. Turning towards the Plateau's territory, the expert combatant quickly made up his mind and began to pad towards the border.

Madigan raised his head and howled while he trotted towards the border. Pack of the Blacktail Deer Plateau! I come in peace! Allow me some of your time!

The master fighter lowered his head back down, his eyes glowing their odd, strange glow.

Peregrine refused to let any of his issues occupy too much of his attention today. It was tough but he managed to empty his mind. He kept busy by hunting, patrolling and, of course, dropping by the den site every once in a while to frolic with the puppies before heading back out again.

Usually, a howled summons grated on his nerves. Today, however, he was glad for the distraction. Striding purposefully toward the border, her adopted a kingly pose as he descended toward the stranger standing there waiting for him. He was rather average in appearance, though Peregrine noticed his glowing yellow eyes, even though they were fixed on the ground at the moment.

"I've given you my time," he said, coming to a stop, "what do you intend to do with it?" The Alpha male cocked his head and awaited an answer. Although he didn't quite look or sound impatient, it was clear he wanted his question answered promptly.

Madigan heard the voice and almost immediately lowered himself in a respectful manner. He looked up into the alpha's eyes to show that he held his complete attention.

"Greetings, Sir," Madigan began, "I am Madigan Hatter, and I hope to find a place among your pack."

The Red Wolf's tone was even, but respectful at the same time. The artist of combat dipped his head as he finished his sentence.

Although the stranger lowered himself in an unmistakable show of submission, he met Peregrine's eyes. Naturally, the Alpha male saw this as a challenge, despite Madigan's body language. He growled a brief note of warning which made his request clear: Avert your gaze, now.

"I'm Peregrine, the plateau's Alpha. What can you offer the plateau, Madigan?" he asked, keeping things simple. He almost asked what brought the red wolf to his territory specifically, yet he decided he really didn't care. Now that he was here, Peregrine just wanted to know what skills and assets he'd brought with him. Who cared about the past? Not him; he cared only for the future.

Madigan blinked and lowered his eyes. With a soft voice, he replied.

"I consider myself a cunning sleuth and a deadly opponent. I can pinpoint a weakness in a wolf's stance and take it to my advantage. I also consider myself extremely agile, so I can easily dodge oncoming attacks. This allowed me to develop the ability to silently stalk and follow, allowing me to pass by unnoticed by any wolf I come upon."

Madigan prepared himself in case the wolf should be asked to prove his statements. Already setting up the chessboard in his head.

Although Madigan spoke in the context of a warrior rather than a hunter, Peregrine naturally thought of how these supposed skills could be put to use to put food on the table. "And what about hunting?" he prompted. "I guess a Warrior's useful and all... but this pack needs more Gamekeepers—wolves that hunt and store food. We have many mouths to feed here." He shifted his weight as he spoke, his blue-green shrewdly probing the male's rusty red features.

"I can put my skills to that notion as well. I will assist in any way I am needed, and in any way that is required." the rust-colored wolf replied.

He glanced up at Peregrine, just a flick of the eye before looking back down again. It was uncomfortable for him to speak to someone without having direct eye contact. Madigan Hatter crouched a bit lower, seeming to shuffle his feet a bit.

"That's what I like to hear," Peregrine replied. He paused, then added, "Come with me," and turned to begin walking into the territory, presumably with Madigan at his heel. "Before I grant you an official rank, I want to hunt with you to get a feel for what you can actually offer this pack," he explained as he led the way up the slope and to the plateau proper. "If I feel you'll do well, you'll be a part of this pack. For now, stick close to me and do as I say otherwise."

They plodded forward in silence for a few moments as Peregrine made his way toward a familiar game trail. Once his feet found the familiar, worn path he motioned for Madigan to stop and swung around to face him. "There is a herd of deer here; that's how this plateau got its name. There are several fawns right now. You and I should be able to pick one off easily enough. If and when we succeed, do not presume to eat any of the meat; it will be for my family." Peregrine fell silent then, waiting for Madigan to acknowledge everything he'd said.

Madigan nodded. "Of course." He stood up slowly, and began to follow the alpha.

When upon entering the hunting grounds, Peregrine explained what to do and what not to do. He nodded again. "I would not have expected to take part in the food. It is your territory, and your food. I am not of the pack yet, so it would technically be considered stealing, wouldn't it?" he inquired, shaking his fur in preparation to loosen his muscles for the hunt.

Madigan's answer surprised a small smile out of Peregrine. "I like the way you think," he replied, appreciating the male's respectful approach to the matter. "Now, show me what you've got, Madigan."

Silently now, he began to weave along the trail. He picked up a scent fairly quickly, his lope slowing to a jog, then eventually transforming into a stealthy creep. When the scent grew strongest, he veered off the main path, following a much narrower and partly overgrown deer trail. It led to a clearing, he knew, where the herd must be grazing presently.

When they came close, he signaled for Madigan to swing left while he veered slightly to the right. Let's meet on the other side, his cool eyes said as he arched around the herd. As he crept around them, he ascertained their numbers. By the time he reached the other side and hunkered down behind a screen of shrubbery beside Madigan, he knew their exact dynamic and had chosen their quarry.

"See the two fawns with the doe on the far right? I'm going to go after the larger one, spook it and the mother. You're going to go after the smaller fawn; that will be our prey. We're going to make a direct approach. I'll jump out first to scatter the herd and then chase my target. When the timing's right, you go after yours. Got it?"

When he obtained Madigan's assent, Peregrine waited a few more minutes, silently observing the herd and its patterns of movement. When the mother shifted even further to the outskirts of the group, he decided to make his move. Like a panther springing from jungle greenery, he appeared with a jarring volley of barks. The deer bolted immediately and the Alpha male slipped after the mother and her fawns, dogging the heels of the elder and thusly forcing its smaller sibling to dodge to the side with a bleat of terror.

So far, so good; it was all going perfectly according to plan.

Madigan was not too far behind Peregrine, and when the small deerling bolted to the side, Madigan leaped in, cutting it off from the rest of the herd, and nipped at it to push it away from the group.

Even when certain he'd successfully forced the smaller fawn aside to be chased by Madigan, Peregrine dogged the doe's steps, always one leap behind her and her larger offspring. Eventually, he fell back, rolled to a stop, then swiveled and swiftly made his way back to see what had become of his potential Gamekeeper and their quarry.

Much to his surprise, the fawn they'd singled out suddenly burst across his path, with Madigan in hot pursuit. Acting quickly, the Alpha male sprang after the tiny deer, sweeping its spindly legs from beneath it so that it crashed to the ground with a shrill cry of terror.

"Finish her," Peregrine said as soon as he braked to a halt, his eyes finding Madigan's face.

Madigan was on the deer before Peregrine had begun his sentence. The wolf slit the deerling's throat, stepping back when the job was done.

Suddenly, Madigan crouched down, tail tucked. He looked at the dead animal and began to mutter.

"You were young, and strong. We thank you, young soul of the deer for giving your life so that we may live. Your meat shall sustain us."

He watched as the red wolf dispatched the fawn, which trembled on the grass and then grew still, blood pooling around its small head. Peregrine prepared to move in and claim the kill, yet he paused when Madigan crouched next to the carcass and murmured what could only be called a prayer of thanks. The Alpha cocked his head curiously, waited for Madigan to finish, then made ready to grab the fawn's torn neck and drag it back to his family.

Of course, there were matters to address first. "You'll make a valuable Gamekeeper. You show not only physical skills but a nearly flawless ability to follow instructions; that's very valuable to me. In exchange for this deer, you'll be given our Lambda rank. Keep up the good work and you'll find yourself higher. Unless you have any last questions, I'll be on my way. Got that family to feed."

Peregrine paused long enough to take any last questions, dipped his snout to Madigan, said, "Make yourself at home," then plucked up the fawn (it was small enough for him to carry relatively easily) and began to trot home to the den.