Gunnar woke with a start and a groan. The autumn chill settling deep beneath his bones and deep into his fur. Sandy toes reached out to stretch, stretch far and wide, while mouth lolled open in wide yawn, pink tongue lolling outward and downward.
Slowly, with bones and muscles born with aches he stood, shifting and stretching out the kinks. His body popping and making all sorts of noises. And finally, he was able to stand and walk without as much pain.
This would be a hard winter for the old man. He gave a soft laugh, and he was an old man. Far too old. And it was then that he remembered brief glimpses of his former life. When he had been young and healthy and thriving and he had done nothing with it. A bitter taste of regret soured his mouth and he quickly waved it away.
It did not good to dwell on the past, and his life wasn't so bad. he had friends, a sense of family. Yes he was doing well.
Ike was sitting outside, staring off at nothing in particular. He wanted to hunt, or do something, as energy was bursting to be released in his legs, but he seemed to be the only one awake. That was until he heard the sounds of Gunnar rising. He heard the old mans struggles to get up, the grunts he let out, before finally rising and padding outside.
Ike approached him, dipping his head in a respectful greeting. "Good morning Gunnar, the chill starting to get to your bones?" Ike asked knowingly.
Gunnar heard the youngling speak and approach and he chuckled. Yes it is. I'm an old man you know. What brings you up and about so early youngling?
Gunnar shifted and sniffed. Smelling the air for what would come. Perhaps, trying to gauge the weather. He also was alert for any sign of prey. They needed to fill their caches as much as they could. Winter was fast approaching and they had many mouths to feed.
"I was restless. Been out here since before dawn. I like the feel of the cooler winds in my pelt while I can still withstand them comfortably. It'll get too cold soon." Ike told Gunnar.
"Would you want to go hunting?" He asked, his paws itching to be working.
Gunnar chuckled. I remember those days. Staying out until I couldn't.
Though the breezes had been colder near the sea, coming off the water. He missed the smell of salt and brine, and sand. But he also found contentment here, among the newfound.
Yes let's hunt. What are you in the mood for lad?
"Something I could give a good chase, or something that would take out some effort, like a deer or something. I really need to get my legs working." Ike said, hoping Gunnar was up for it.
Gunnar hummed softly and then motioned for the youth to follow him. Very well Deer it is.
He led the youngling to the edge of the herd, and watched and waited. Pick your mark lad. Who would you go after?
Gunnar found three that could be potential marks. One had a limp, one looked ill and the third was elderly.::
Ike hadn't noticed the elderly looking one, but the Ill and Injured called his attention. Though the Ill one was smaller, Ike was drawn towards the one with a limp, a seemingly younger stag, as he was still on the small side, but not as a small as the ill-looking doe. "That one, the stag to the far right with a limp." Ike said to Gunnar.
Gunnar nodded his head sagely. Alright lad you hunted deer before?
Gunnar eyed the limping one. Taking in the area around and where they could take it.
The two of them shouldn't have much difficulty.
Ike shook his head. "But with my sister, in the time after my dad left, we hunted a caribou, and they are kinda like deer." He told Gunnar.
Ike started to slowly move in on the limping stag. He tried to not draw attention to himself from it or the other deer, since if one let out a warning call or something, their target would try and flee.
Gunnar had meant what he said. This boy was going to lead the hunt. He was just the teacher if you will. The brute strength and years of knowledge that perhaps the youth didn't have yet.
Vital organs, eyes, legs. Those are the parts you want to get away from and yo uwant to herd him away from the group, or you'll get trampled.
Broad shoulders nearing to the ground as they slunk and slinked along the line. Sandy mask around gun metal eyes.
Ike nodded at Gunnars words. He was going to try and rake his claws down the face of his target, or at least the stag's throat. But first he had to get it's attention. Since it was off to a side and not in the middle, it was an easier target to lead away. He made a sharp movement in an area that would catch the stags eye, and as he had hoped, it turned towards him. Then he launched himself at its face, managing to get his claws down its eyes to startle it. It was facing the opposite way as the rest of the herd, so as Ike held it in place with his claws on it, the rest of the herd fled the other way.
Gunnar raced to the side Ike was not on and drove the beast from that side. Snaps to haunches, face.
He would drive the beast furthwr away and hopefully give Ike a handle on the creatures death.
Ike dropped back onto all fours and as Gunnar helped from the other side, snapped his teeth around the stags throat and neck, snapping it and pulling back, ripping its throat out and releasing a wave of blood, and after a moment, the stag fell.
Ike backed up, examining his work, and then looked at Gunnar.
Gunnar shifted and made sure the creature was dead. Well Done. let's be careful with the skin. I'd like to separate it and dry it. IF that's alright with you. This will fill our caches well.
The boy had done well. He would continue to do well he hoped.
Ike had no idea what he was talking about. The one time he'd hunted a similar creature he and Mya had just ripped off some meat and eaten their fill that day, and left the rest for scavengers.
"Uhm, I don't know what you mean." Ike said, kind of meekly, because he didn't like admitting his lack of experience.
Gunnar nodded. As a pack wolf. We dig caches. Holes around thr area to store meat for winter when hunting becomes harder. And you can dry the skins for comfortable laying places.
There was no harm in not understanding.
Ike nodded, starting to understand. "So you take the skin off the animal?" He asked, for clarification. He would've thought they'd have to just carry/drag it back. Thats what he would've done if Gunnar hadn't told him otherwise.
I would like too yes. We can drag it closer to our dens and do it there if you prefer.
Gunnar sniffed around the animal. It felt as if they could drag it and not cause too much damage. Though it had been some time since he worked with an animal of such size.
"We can skin it here, as to not damage it. Again though, I don't know how to do that, so I'll need some guidance." Ike said, getting more comfortable admitting to needing help. He liked learning from Gunnar.
Gunnar gave the youth a smile and bent to the task. He cut the skin near the chest, groin and legs. Long thing stripes, and then he slowly began to peel it back. He tried to show the youth how to pull it gently without much teeth, just grasp and tug, if it felt to tough to lessen the pull and move your position.
Once they had it removed. Gunnar would show him how to place it in the river and let the fish feast upon the meat.
It will stay there for one rotation of a day and then we will remove it and stretch it out with rocks to dry in the sun. It will dry for two days in the sun. THen it will be safe to put in dens.
Ike did his best to follow along the whole time, copying Gunnar in the stripping motion.
As he explained how long to leave them, Ike nodded. "This was fun, and a good learning experience for me." He said, sensing things wrapping up