Wolf RPG

Full Version: Get yer meathooks off me!
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Though nearly all timeline of Merlin's existence before he had been picked up by the bachelor pack in the wilds, had been wiped from his memory, now and then some random snippets would resurface. It could be a particular smell that would evoke an emotion in him - warm feeling in his belly, fear, anger or curiousity. It could be a sound - more specific someone's voice telling him something, uttering a phrase with the rest of the speech turning into an incoherent banter. It could be a tiny detail in the landscape - his eyes caught sight of it, while his brain tried to figure out, why was it important at all. Was there any meaning attached to it. 

And something had shifted in him, when he had found a teeny, tiny succulent, ledged on a nearly vertical cliff wall, shivering, but standing boldly against the cold wind that brushed past it. Merlin knew he cared very little for plants in general, but for a moment there he had thought of someone, who would be very interested to have it. He had not yet made many friends here and Njord had more interest in girls than flowers, so he lingered at the spot for a while, trying to find out, why did this little plant felt important to him.
Rosalyn stalked the cliffs for birds today.  Many of the annoying creatures had fled south for the winter, but a few remained to squawk at them from the heights.  None seemed keen on coming down at the moment, but as the tide shifted, perhaps that would change.  She kept her one good eye scanning while she went, but what she found was a bit large for a bird.

Find something worth having?  She asked conversationally, coming up near Merlin but not imposing too much in his space.  She'd not spoken much with the younger man but had liked what she saw initially.  He reminded her of his seeming friend Njord; the same eager respect and kind manner.  Rosalyn was well past the time of appreciating harsher personalities.  When it came to family and her children, she wanted them surrounded by those who would be open to them.
The plant did not speak and did not instill any other emotion in Merlin other than strange sense of longing for someone. As if having heard this unspoken thought, Rosalyn entered the picture. He turned to face the scarred leader, secretly feeling glad that it was not Erzulie standing before him and talking now. With her wife being the more masculine of the too, it was easy for the young fellow to consider her as another buddy. Almost like Njord. 

"Oh, no, it's nothing. Just a wee little plant," he beckoned to the object of his interest and waited in expectant silence for the alphess to steer the conversation, wherever she wanted it to go.
It's unclear what Rosalyn's reaction would have been to be termed masculine... but unfortunately, we will never find out!  Merlin seemed amicable enough as he dismissed the plant, and Rosalyn gave it another look before putting it from her mind as well.  Plant life had never been of interest for her outside of the few times she'd had specific use for it.  That time was long past.

I take it you aren't a healer then,  Rosalyn chose to answer a little drily.  She couldn't imagine many in that trade considering a wee little plant nothing.  But she relented with a small smile.  Neither am I.  So, what do you prefer to look for, if plants won't do?  There were a few ways to answer that question, but she'd let him interpret it as he would.
"I would not even trust myself in my care - so, no, not a healer," Merlin cracked an awkward joke and smiled at Rosalyn. He then thought about the O'Mally guy, who had told him about juniper berries, but he was not sure he would be able to identify again, if he was to asked to bring them now. 

"Like now?" he furrowed his brow, wondering, what the leader had meant by this question. "Food. I am kind of hungry every day," he shot out the first thing that came to his mind. "And I kind of have heard that people seek for purpose in life too, but I will be fine with food for now," he added thoughtfully.
There was no judgement in the smile she returned.  She appreciated that he was aware of his shortcomings and willing to admit to them; she was the same.  She'd never bothered to try to treat her own injuries except for in extreme circumstances, and those few times had not turned out well.  

Food is easier,  she replied with a small laugh and a shake of her head.  Purpose in life was a bit of a far reach, from her estimation.  It wasn't something a wolf found by looking; she'd only ever managed to stumble into it by accident, and rarely recognized it at first glimpse.  I was looking to snag a bird or two, if you wanted to join me?  They are loud, but they make for a good lunch.  This time her smile contained a few teeth, and she glanced up at the rocks overhead.  One or two circled, but they'd probably need to go further along to catch any unawares and within reach.
Merlin followed Rosalyn's gaze, where their intended prey was flying around and he wondered, how exactly did she plan on catching any one of those. It did not seem likely that she would be able to sprout a pair of wings and fly after them and, while he did not doubt his leader's prowess in the bird-hunting trade, he did not see, in what way were the winged things easy to get. 

But - as he had said earlier - he was hungry and that effectively erased any further rational ponderings on his side. He left it to the leader to figure the puzzle out, he would watch and learn. "Okay - lead the way," he suggested.
She caught his look and smirked as she turned and led the way.  Falling into a companiable walk, she glanced at him.  The trick is to come upon them when they are on the sand or lower cliffs.  Take them by surprise.  We'll want to be quiet.  She said in an undertone.  There was a chance there would be none, but as the tide pulled out, the sand was generally scattered with food that the greedy flappers couldn't resist.

Before long she spotted three... two hopping a bit closer to the surf, the third pecking at something nearer the foot of the cliffs.  She stopped, then glanced at Merlin.... waiting.  Would he take first pounce.  She tensed, preparing to creep forward.
"Is it that easy to do? Take them by surprise?" Merlin asked, as they padded towards the shores. He lifted his head up to watch the sky above, several of the birds flying above them. It occured to him - did they form similar friendships as people did? Did birds have their own literal wing-men, who watched their backs? But when he was about to ask this t Rosalyn, they had arrived and his leader had got all in hunting mode. 

Crap. He shot a puzzled look in the lady's direction and shook his head lightly to indicate that he had no idea, what he should be doing now. He watched her expectantly instead, hoping that she made the first move and that he would be able to copy it effectively.
Mostly luck, but they aren't that smart.  She responded, answering with a bit of a half-answer.  It wasn't exactly easy, but it wasn't the most difficult thing either.  They just had to hope they weren't spotted.

When she dropped into hunting mode, he didn't go to lead, but instead stared as though he had no clue what was happening.  If he had no experience chasing down birds, she'd apparently need to show him how it was done.  She crept forward as far as she was willing to risk, keeping silent, and watched.  Birds in the tide were bold... they trusted their wings more than they wanted to leave their findings.

She tensed visibly, then sprang forward, lunging for the two nearer the water.  The nearest of them uttered an alarmed squawk and lifted off in a flurry of wings, but Rosalyn leapt, hoping to intercept the creature in the air.  Her aim was off; she didn't even manage to snag feathers.

She landed back, paws sinking into the sand, and blew out a frustrated breath.  Damnit.  Quickly she cast her good eye over, wondering if he'd taken the cue in time and even attempted.  Perhaps his aim was better.
Nope. Merlin had missed the cue, too wrapped in watching Rosalyn go for the kill and trying to catch all of the important details and managing to figure out exactly nothing. Had he been familiar with Winnie the Pooh, he would have made some references about having only sawdust for his brain. Because, while at times it was capable at elaborate brilliancy, at others it failed him completely. Especially during the most crucial of moments. 

He craned his neck, watching the birds fly over his head, then he turned his gaze back to Rosalyn. "Say... uh... I don't think those birds will be exactly my game. Too fast for my coconut," he told her honestly. "But - what about scavenging? Is there much to scavenge along the shores?" Picking up trash was always easier than being the one to chase after it.
He was standing where she'd left him, but she could hardly be annoyed when she herself had failed as well.  It wasn't a typical form of hunting, but it was one she'd picked up over the years, and she was sure he'd catch on it he changed his mind.

Aye.  There's no chase to tire you out, but if they catch wise too quick, there's nothing for it.  She looked up at the vanishing shapes, then sighed.

There's scavenging, but it's a bit less reliable.  We can see what we find.  It's usually better after rough waters.  Oftentimes they'd find some unfortunate creature after a storm, something cast too far up on shore to make it back, or something that had encountered some trouble unknown in the water.

Do you have much experience with hunting?  She asked, keeping her one eye on the shoreline for the most part, but sharing a glance his way every so often.
"Uh... yeah... enough. I am alive stil - that's a proof," Merlin replied awkwardly, as he followed Rosalyn's lead to whichever trash pile washed ashore was best to find gourmet wonders. "With my old pack we hunted elk and I lived on small critters, occasional hare," he thought he had covered all the things that he had ever eaten. He left out some of the more disgusting stuff though. 

"Just not used to, what this area offers me. But I'll learn," he promised. "Though you do go out to hunt inland too, right?" he asked, suddenly worried that, if these guys strictly stayed within Sapphique and gorged themselves on everything that the ocean had to offer (birds included), then he was probably in for a very tough winter.
We do.  She responded, though it was tempting to keep him on the ropes a bit considering how nervous he seemed otherwise.  There is large prey both on the coasts and in the forests and plains inland.  With no packs nearby, we can range further.  She thought of Sagtannet, no longer a threat.  Spring would be better for it.  If you have any interest in tracking herds, we could some scouting in that regard.

She was adept enough at small prey, but the movements of herds were not something she'd ever mastered.  She'd been a loner more often than not, and this was why when she vetted those to join, cooperative hunting was a skill she prized.  She'd like to learn, and more importantly, she needed their children to learn.  They were neither pirates nor vagabonds any longer; they had the numbers and needed to use them effectively.
"That would be wonderful!" Merlin replied and wagged his tail. True - his lean and lanky form was more suited for tracking, running and chasing rather than being stealthy as a cat and attacking from an ambush. Plus, it meant team-work - if you stumbled and made a mistake, someone else could take cover for you, while you returned to the game. Plain and simple.

"What do you have here - deer or wild boar?" he asked next, having hunted or tracked both at some point in his career and learned the hard way that either prey needed different approach, if you did not wish to end up stomped to death, teared in half or kicked in the head.
mind wrapping this one? we can have another perhaps in the near future!

I could not tell you, but how about we find out?  You can show me, perhaps.  Rosalyn answered, amused and gladdened that he seemed to catch this idea with more enthusiasm.  She didn't intend to become an expert tracker at her age, but she would like to see what his skills consisted of, and it would give her a chance to share his company a while longer.  She would take it - being alone, of late, brought ghosts she'd rather not speak to.