Wolf RPG

Skulking on the outskirts of the rise’s social circle, Masquerade honed a skill, mindlessly at first and then much more deliberately: stealth. It became a sort of game to her, tracking the various members of the pack as they came and went from the rendezvous site. She did her best to lurk undetected for as long as possible, slowly becoming the ghost who haunted the pack’s hub.

Today, she felt like carrying it a bit farther. She reasoned with herself: if she was old enough to join pack hunts, surely she could leave the rendezvous site independently. In any case, it could be a test of sorts. Masque hoped to slip away without anyone noticing and return just as furtively.

Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she crept through the undergrowth, her uncanny ability to prowl so silently allowing her to approach a figure in the distance. At first, Masquerade assumed it was a pack mate. She licked her chops, slowing down her pace to a crawl as she slithered through the brush, testing herself.

But as she approached, she realized this was no wolf. Masquerade slung her belly to the ground, breathing hard even as she stared at the beast. It resembled the elk the pack had hunted last month, though it wasn’t quite the same. It possessed long, spindly legs but stood shorter than the wapiti. Its comically long snout and oversized ears were what had given her a canine impression at first. She stared at its rear, conspicuously lacking any sort of tail.

The moose calf placidly chewed a leaf, gazing into the forest perpendicular to where Masquarade crouched.

Her sister had been subdued since her ordeal and while Redd did not understand, she was protective.  It was unusual for her to sneak so far.  When she left, the red-capped pup followed, slinking low as well.  She did not try to hide her presence and did not care if Masquerade noticed, but she respected her sister's desire to remain out of sight. If either of them drew attention they might be stopped.

She curled her lip when Masquerade stopped and scented.  There was something ahead... something warm.  Like the hunt but not, and it was not nearly so big.

Redd crept forward as well until she was alongside and touched her shoulder lightly to her sister's, though her gaze remained transfixed on the moose.  It was not as big but it was still big - bigger than them.  She wanted to take it.  There were two of them, and they were young, but she was emboldened for it.  Redd tensed, then looked at Masquerade.  We can.  Her meaning and her want was clear.

She felt torn between fight or flight, though she quickly began leaning in the latter direction. Ungulates were frightening enough with an entire pack involved, let alone on a solitary basis. Trying to control the slight quivering in her limbs, Masque attempted to backtrack without alerting the calf to her presence.

When she felt something cool brush her shoulder, she jumped a little but managed to stifle the yelp that tried to claw its way up her throat. Her head snapped around, wide eyes taking in her sister beside her. Now Masquerade trembled with the sheer force of her own rapid heartbeat, her pulse pumping so fast she swayed with it.

When her eyes caught Redd’s, she saw the look of determination there. She immediately began shaking her head. No. No way. She didn’t understand where her siblings got their bravery (or was it foolishness?). But Masque absolutely didn’t share in it.

But she was also settling naturally into a lower role in the pack’s hierarchy, so it went against the grain to refute someone outright, even if it was only her sister. Masque didn’t mind deferring to her litter mates, especially since they were so ambitious and unafraid compared to her. It was the natural order of things.

Perhaps there was a compromise to be struck here. Masquerade wouldn’t be able to bring herself to attack the beast, though perhaps they could track it for a little while. It would be a wonderful opportunity to hone that particular skill. But would that suffice for Redd? Masque’s scarlet face begged for understanding.

Her sister was afraid.  She did not want to hunt.  Redd was eager to try and potentially fail, but learn, and she stared a moment longer.

Then she sat down and looked at her sister, relaxing the previous tension.  Fine is what the change in her posture conveyed.  She did look at both with open curiosity though.  If she did not wish to hunt, what would Masque do?

Redd relented, taking a seat. Masquerade felt relief wash through her as she briefly met her sister’s questioning gaze. She tipped her head toward the moose calf, then tried to telegraph her intentions by very slowly resuming a crouch, facing it. She glanced sideways, motioning for Redd to follow suit.

Meanwhile, the calf paused and surveyed the forest. Masque watched, tensing a little. Had it caught their scent? Or had one of them made a sound, alerting it to their presence? These thoughts raced through her young mind as her muscles tightened, getting prepared for quick movements if they proved necessary.

She sucked in a sharp breath when she heard something crashing through the woods on the calf’s far side. The young moose didn’t seem the least bit frightened by the sounds, which would’ve clued in a more experienced hunter. But Masquerade could only exchange a confused glance with Redd.

When she looked back, she saw an enormous figure push through the foliage, stepping into view. The Bearn nearly wet herself as the calf’s mother loomed over her offspring, the two ungulates sniffing noses. Masque flattened herself to the forest floor, petrified.

Instead of hunting they would play a game.  Masquerade began to slink behind the calf and Redd caught on quickly and mirrored her.

She wanted to cut around and corner it.  She wouldn't attack, as this wasn't part of the game, but she did wish to see if she could.

Redd was beginning to creep around when the crashing came.  She froze as well, but kept her ears pricked as her muzzle snapped round to survey the calf again.  Something larger had joined it.

Now there was danger.  Redd slunk back and stood near, slightly in front of Masque, her ears flat.  They should leave before they were noticed.  She shifted uncertainly.

Redd moved in between Masque and the cow, blocking her view. It might’ve calmed down another wolf, though it made her feel suddenly frantic. She craned her neck to peer around her sister, peeling herself off the forest floor at the same time. Her heart felt like it was lodged in her throat.

Partly obscured by the other Bearn’s frame, the female moose suddenly stopped fussing over her calf and raised her head, huge ears pricking as she stared in the pups’ direction. Masque felt horribly exposed despite the screen of foliage in between them, not to mention Redd. Her eyes remained riveted on the cow as one of those enormous ears flicked backward, as if she was contemplative.

For several beats, there was a tense stillness. Then the baby made a bawling noise and the mother shook her head rapidly, those great ears and even her lips flapping with an audible snort. She turned and nudged her offspring, guiding it to the wolves’ right, heading deeper into the woods.

Redd wanted to leave, but she wouldn't unless Masquerade did.  She'd hoped that, by standing slightly ahead, her sister would get her intentions and lead the way in retreat.  Instead she seemed to try and shove past, causing Redd's ears to flatten further and her to step away quickly, hunching down a short distance away nervously.

She didn't know how to communicate it silently, but she didn't dare whine.  Instead she just watched, frustrated and tensed, and waited to either be noticed or for Masquerade to sneak away.  Her eyes didn't leave her sister, willing her to leave.  She didn't relax until she heard the large creature move away, but even then, her ears didn't lift.

As the pair of moose disappeared from view, Masquerade let out a breath and finally looked to Redd again. She saw the tension in her sister’s face, the question marks in her eyes. Masque started to nod, a silent agreement to retreat. But then she stilled, her eyes drifting to the spot where the mother and calf had gone.

Despite herself, she was tempted to try tracking them further. Masque bit her lip, feeling extremely nervous. What if the cow detected them and attacked? Could the two young wolves stay far enough back to learn something, without inviting a gigantic risk? She did badly want to hone her skills…

She would leave it up to Redd, in the end. Her sister was braver and more decisive. Masquerade closed the short distance between them, ruddy snout bumping questioningly at the other Bearn’s chin.

Redd was annoyed with her sister for freezing.  This surprised even her; but there had been more danger here and Redd hadn't wanted to leave her with it. They should have slipped away the instant the larger animal came.

She relented when her sister came and bumped her muzzle questioningly.  Redd let out a small breath, then shook her pelt and looked after the pair.  Tracking might be dangerous.  Even Redd was not foolish enough to challenge a creature of that size, and with a child beside it, she and her sister might appear as a threat to something that could normally ignore them easily.

They could follow until they heard it, but not move close enough to be seen.  This time if the same happened, she would ensure Masquerade understood her, and shove her if necessary to get her to run.

Her tail twitched as she contemplated, then stilled as she looked in the direction.  Then she nodded, once, before slipping quietly into the brush in the way they'd gone.  She'd ensure Masquerade was on her tail, then try and catch a scent to follow.

When Redd appeared amenable to tracking, Masque swallowed thickly. She couldn’t decide if she was more excited or nervous, though the sound of a trio of birds winging by overhead sent her crouching for a moment. She was definitely more skittish than anything else, though she tried to tamp down the nerves as she righted herself and tailed closely after her sister.

They were quiet enough that she could pinpoint the sound of footfalls ahead, the slow cadence of eight hooves moving through dry grass and leaves. Masquerade focused on that noise, soon ascertaining the difference in the two sets of footsteps. The calf’s were more frequent and a little noisier. The mother’s fell heavier and more muffled, as if her weight sank through the detritus on the forest floor and into the dense earth underneath. Or perhaps she was simply more careful than her offspring.

The Bearn paid such close attention to the variance, she forgot to be nervous. She was still quite cautious, hanging back a bit whenever she sensed the sounds were coming from just ahead. But the rhythm of the exercise settled her, especially when paired with the familiarity of practicing stealth. If there was one thing which came naturally to Masquerade, it was pussyfooting.

Redd drifted behind as well, ghostlike, content to remain out of sight from their quarry.  Her attention was less on the ways they moved and more on the where.  She noticed they walked a trail, of sorts, and wondered if more things passed here often.  It seemed so.

When the pair paused she did as well, tasting the scents in the leaves as she waited.  She couldn't pick up anything distinctive over the thick scent of the creatures' musk.

Redd glanced at Masquerade, ready to part ways with these and go back.  She'd like to show others what they'd seen.  If the pack came together perhaps they could hunt.

Masquerade lost track of time and everything else, the world consisting only of the two moose, her sister, herself and their immediate surroundings. Only when Redd eventually slowed and caught her eye did the rest of the world come back into focus.

She could’ve done this for hours, maybe even days. But Masque nodded at her sibling’s cue, sending one longing glance after the moose before turning to tail her sister back the other way. Any disappointment she felt at ending the exercise was erased the moment she realized they could now report their findings to @Avicus.