hope it's okay if i join :D
the valley behind the bypass was filled with a profusion of flora and fauna. mahler had seen most of it before, but had remained in awe of spring, billowing toward summer.
this was where he had suggested wintersbane might lead them for a hunt, but as the months wore on, he suspected his former brother might have become more concerned with matters at heart.
a blink as an unfamiliar howl rose, and mahler loped to meet it, charcoal ears cupping curiously toward the tiny variegated wolf-creature who had made the sound. deer, in the distance.
"might i join you, frau?" mahler called softly, a sway of his plume to accompany it.
<3 no worries whatsoever!
assured, invited, he came closer to take up a watchful position alongside this imaq. "i am mahler, of rivenvood. ve are your ally." unsure of what else wintersbane had said on their merit, if anything, he chose not to wax about his position there and instead set his lavender gaze upon the herd.
"are you here to observe them or to hunt?" the gargoyle inquired lowly, happy to be of whatever assistance the wolfdog would want. he did not stare at her mottled self, only quietly marvelled at the variance of creatures in the world.
what sort of woman was imaq? a small woman, with a voice accented against his own. he would learn of her slowly.
Imaq smiled as easily as she had spoken with the lilac-eyed he-wolf, finding his company amiable and enjoyable. Cracked aquamarines, struck through with neptunian sapphire, drifted over the Graf’s inky shoulder to the horizon that would lead her back to Duskfire.
“Just Imaq and Mahler,” the isabella merle surmised in her jilted speech before her gaze returned to her companion. “Mahler think they hunt good, just two?” It was embarrassing that she lacked the capability to express more complex thoughts but she was improving and tried to take heart in this fact. Besides, Mahler seemed a patient and kind sort — even if they hadn’t known each other long. Imaq didn’t think her lack of proper syntax and grammar would change his opinion of her.
Imaq nodded along with Mahler, offering a small but wry grin at his commentary. At his question, the Aussie turned and squinted at the distant brown blips of the herd as they flickered subtly with small movements. "Jah, Imaq see one. It's leg," she explained as best she could when she turned back to the silvered shadow, giving a tiny shake of her head to signify its leg was lame. A hobbled ankle, she'd thought when she'd first seen it.
"Imaq show Mahler," she both suggested and promised as she trotted back towards the herd, moving in a southeastern direction so as to loop around and come upon the grazers downwind, hopefully avoiding spooking them. Her tuliped auds gave a slight flicker as she left, as if straining to make sure that the Rivenwood wolf followed.
When they had stopped, Imaq's tropical optics scanned the mass of grazing bodies -- landing on the hobbled deer she'd mentioned to Mahler earlier. Her freckled diadem swung loosely to gesture in its direction, pointing it out to the argent he-wolf. "There," she breathed, reluctant to disturb the creatures. She didn't want to mess this hunt up; if they were successful, it would mean valuable resources for both the Glacier and Rivenwood, not to mention it would strengthen their alliance with the the other pack.
"Imaq could sneak, chase. Bring to Mahler, Imaq help Mahler take deer?" she suggested, glancing towards the Graf as she spoke, making a few small gestures with her spotted muzzle as if to indicate that she would circle around and startle the deer. From there, she would do her best to herd the injured ewe towards her companion without sending too many others towards him and risk Mahler getting caught up in a panicked stampede.
He had said he was stronger than he was fast. The Waterwitch thought the two should be able to bring down the white-tail together, so long as she managed to chase it close enough for the lilac-eyed woodlander to attack. Still, woman-who-hunts waited with silent patience to see if he had any objections -- willing to hear them out.
With a small, albeit bright, grin and an enthusiastic nod, the speckled she-dog slunk away through the tall grass and low brush. Tupilak had to physically restrain herself from scampering in her excitement or rushing -- invigorated by the fresh air in her lungs, the heavy musk of the deer close by, and the anticipation of the hunt. Each step of the merle's feathered paws was placed carefully, avoiding any deadfall that might crackle and crunch under her weight or any stones she might knock aside.
When, after eons had passed between the heavy thuds of her heart, she had found herself in the proper position behind the content herd, Imaq took a quick breath, lips twitching as if to give shape to the wordless thought she offered the inua.
Then, she was doing what shepherds did best.
Perhaps it was unrefined, even domesticated of her. The Glacier cur burst from her hiding spot, racing toward the deer -- darting between the bodies that suddenly reared and twisted and whirled with panic. A flash of gold and speck of ivory was seen here or there as she snapped at the ungulates' ankles and legs, flitting away from the flying hooves and clods of dirt.
When the majority of the deer had cleared out, her cracked gaze of seaglass landed on the targeted doe, limping heavily as she attempted to flee to safety with the receding members of her clan. Imaq lunged, speeding towards her and circling around the wounded grazer with care.
She kept a safe distance away yet stood her ground as she barked at the injured doe, jumping back to avoid the lowing creature's clumsy kicks. Almost a dance between predator and prey. Until Imaq happened to snap her fangs a little too close to the deer's foreleg for comfort. It turned then, towards the rise where Mahler was hidden, picking up surprising speed as terror gave it a second wind.
The wolfdog followed closely, nipping at the doe's pale underbelly to herd her along.
She kept pace alongside the fleeing beast, nearly forgetting her next task in the hunt when they reached Mahler and he lunged — seeming to wrap himself around the doe’s throat with lethal grace in spite of his advancing age. Imaq slowed for only a second, watching in awe as the pair tumbled to the earth, before racing forward to help her ally.
When the two had stopped rolling, Imaq pounced — jumping up onto the deer’s spine to sink her fangs into the back of its nape. She clung there, opposite of the Graf, digging in deep with hopes of severing the fallen grazer’s spinal cord or at the very least, bleeding it out and speeding along its asphyxiation.
The she-dog didn't quite make the connection until she caught the way Mahler dug his claws into the earth, only then noticing that the creature was swaying dangerously. It was going to fall.
The merle released her strangling grasp on the doe's neck and dove to the side with as much force as she could muster, tumbling rather than rolling away when her body struck the ground. A dizzying crash reverberated through the loam, through her bones, and when the seawolf had glanced up again -- the ungulate lay on its side, bested by the duo finally.
Triumph and pride swelled to life in her chest, haunches wiggling in place of the tail she had been born without. Without prompt, Imaq's head fell back and she howled for both of their packs -- hoping Mahler might join in so that Rivenwood wouldn't be too alarmed by the sound of a stranger calling for those in their ranks.
Perhaps a few others might spare the time to help them butcher and divvy up portions for both tribes. If not, it would be up to Mahler and Imaq to finish the messy task of splitting up the meat.