Arrow Lake The beat of the drums

@Stigmata @Mahler @Ketzia @Takiyok @Aurëwen @Blodreina @Praimfaya @Ingram @Sadiq Pack hunt! Sorry it took so long!

A loud bellowing drew her toward the lake, her flame hued orbs alight with both curiosity and annoyance. The sound was deep and loud, clearly from something big and she hoped it was something huntable. Lucky for her it was huntable but she'd need help.

By the lake stood the largest ungulate she'd ever seen, a bull moose with a rack that could prove to be quite dangerous. It dragged it's hooves across the ground, bellowing again and lowered it's head to drink clearly trying to make itself intimidating enough to be left alone. She circled it from a distance and spotted something that made her eyes brighten, it's left hind leg had a nasty, festering wound and the limb gave an occasional tremble, giving away it's weakness. She wasted no time and howled for the pack, her tone excited. If they could pull this off they'd eat good that night, with leftovers to store.

Just a cameo from me since taki will be with the babies <3

She heard the call from where she was perched just outside her den, watching the children explore. It had been a while since she had been able to participate in a pack hunt, but the pups were still too young to leave on their own for too long. She, personally, didn't like leaving them alone ever, but she knew that was just her being overprotective. 

So, she couldn't answer the call to hunt, but she could escort the children close enough to watch while still remaining a safe distance from the action. She stood, making the pups halt their activities and look to her with curiosity. Let's go children, she said, turning to move away from the den. I've got something exciting planned for you. She cast an expectant look over her shoulder and only when all four pups were at her side, did she start to move.

After some careful searching, she came upon an incline overlooking the lake. They were close enough that Taki could explain to the children what was going on, but far enough away that they weren't in any risk of being trampled. The incline was steep and littered with rocks and shrubs, making it the worst possible escape route for the large creature. Still, she kept a watchful eye out, ready to intervene if needed. This was how she was first taught about hunting, and she was excited to share this with her own children.

She watched down below and waited for the pack to slowly gather, the pups sitting around her, watching the scene with curious eyes.

ingram was loathe to leave blodreina alone for any length of time, but kazimir's howl prompted him to beg reina to forgive his absence. he knew with most of the women in the pack having whelps, that there would be very few hands on deck able to attend a hunt. it meant his presence was mandatory.

he threw his head back in an answering call, making sure to check around their den first that there were no lurking predators; content with his brief scout, ingram made towards the call and nearly died when he saw just what it was kazimir expected them to bring down.

a bull moose, massive, with antlers that spanned a length of at least two wolves; it looked irritable and already on edge. "we're hunting that?"  ingram inquired, biting his lip as he looked to kazimir for validation. he hoped more wolves showed up -- the two of them alone had less than a fly's chance in hell of bringing down even an injured moose.

to ingram's side mahler moved, and there was a deep amusement upon his face. "vhat a task you have set before us, kazimir," he remarked, but there was no sense of chastisement in his voice. the moose was large and powerful, but wounded; she had not chosen badly. only daringly. lavender eyes scrutinized the great beast. they would need at least two more diasporans, if not three or four, to weary and bloodlet the beast before it collapsed.
and surely they would come. unperturbed, he glanced between the hunt mistress and ingram, waiting for the others to arrive.

please skip me if i take too long to reply!

Like Takiyok before her, Aurëwen hoped that by bringing her own children along, they wouldn’t be prone to startle a stampede as someone had done at their age. Vonnaruil, who would preside over Dragomir and Isilmë while the errand was  ( rather literally )  being ran, met her critical eye with a roguish smile. ”Happy killing!” he cawed, while she nuzzled belea and balaur farewell.

It seemed the choice of the day had been selected by Kazimir, and the silver kept herself grounded as she fell in line with the dark kapitän, to whom she only offered a faint, distant smile. ”Nothing a grand centurion cannot handle, I am sure,” Aurëwen drawled, looking to Reina’s beloved with a wry eye before she assessed the scene once again. ”More will arrive.”

...Or, they would work with who they had; she was a wisp of a wolf compared to all this brawn, but perhaps her value lie somewhere in this.

if her babies can make cameos, I’m tagging @Dragomir and @Isilmë!

The man hadn’t been wandering far from Takiyok when the call arose, a hunt, for once a genuine smile graced the man’s lips. For while he did not posess his sister skill in the art of hunting, he was no push over. Sadiq loved to hunt, his size and strength making him the ideal finisher. Trotting after the sound, the foursome became five, and Sadiq ventured closer to the group.

Dipping his head to all whom had assembled, Sadiq was surprised by their chosen prey. His smile continued, turning into and excited smirk. The pale man’s tail swayed back and forth, the thrill of the hunt permeating his being. A naturally silent man, Sadiq waited for instruction. This was his first hunt with this pack, and as such it was a prime opportunity to prove his worth. Despite the loneliness the gripped him, Sadiq wanted very much to finish a place where he belonged.

Sideline cameo. Might do another post or two spontaneously throughout, but don't consider me part of the post order! Assuming they're settled up by Takiyok.

The little family went further than they had on any other occasion. Dragomir's excitement was perpetually threatening to spill over as they headed for the higher ground overlooking the lake. He chattered away with proclamations of ooooh and queries of What is? What is? as they passed by unfamiliar sights. When they came upon the ridge where rested Takiyok and her cubs, Dragomir's tail started going a mile a minute; it was all Aurewën could do to wrangle him for a quick goodbye, and then both she and he were off.

He went bumbling directly for Takiyok, much as he had before, but this time he knew she wasn't his mother. He was hardly interested in her, however; he was busy chirruping hi! Hi! What is? Hi! endlessly at the quartet of pups gathered obediently around her. Vonn was quick to corral him back to Isilmë with a sheepish look, but by then Dragomir had caught sight of the moving brownish monster in the very far distance and his ears had flung forward. What is? he asked his uncle, and Vonn began the tedious task of explaining anything and everything about moose to his tireless nephew.

She kept her eyes open for the arrival of her fellow Diasporian's and smiled as she saw Takiyok bringing her babies to watch. Then came Ingram, the man who had claimed her spot at the top of the bottom and though she was bitter she held him no ill will since it was her own slacking off that had caused it. She watched the man's quick expression of panic and stifled a laugh though it showed in her gaze "Yes" she responded simply. She glanced over toward Takiyok spotting Aure and Vonn who she once again stared at a bit too long, missing Mahler's arrival at first. She was surprised when it was not the male, but Aure who ran over to join the hunt leaving her babies with her brother. She grinned and wagged as the she wolf came over, already placing her in the hunt as a distraction and a runner. Mahler came next to be greeted and she dipped her head, not bothering to hide the pleased and proud grin that stretched across her maw "Yes. We can do it. If we can rule the mountains we can take down a uzhe upal" she directed that toward everyone currently present. Then came the fifth and last hunter, a male she had yet to see and she was glad to find him looking just as eager to go as she was. 

She sat down and nodded toward the Bull elk who had so far been tolerant of their presence. Just as she was about to speak she heard Dragomir's eager questions and her ears perked, a look of uncertainty on her face. Giving the bull elk another glance she saw it growing more agitated by the sounds of the pups and quickly began to speak "Aure and Ingram you two circle it from opposite sides. I will approach from the front and gain it's attention, get it to charge. When it is going for me you both need to go for the wounded hock, do as much damage as you can. Mahler and...Sadiq right? You two wait here and when we begin to run it toward you, rush the bull. When we are together we go for the kill." she rattled off the instructions, being merciful to the nervous Ingram and taking the dangerous job for herself. "Watch the hooves and that rack...common sense yeah? Lets go!" she grinned at them and stood, wagging her tail and backing away a quirked and joking brow asking if anyone was gonna argue about roles. Today was a good day, She was in quite a mood.

Second round! Ends the 29th! If anyone wants or needs ppc'ing ask me or whoever you want! Happy hunting :D

ingram saw the mirth in kazimir's gaze, but did not have much time to react to it before mahler slid smoothly besides him. the eyjolfur canted his head respectfully, his nerves settled slightly by the calm kapitan's presence. if mahler deemed it okay, ingram would throw his heart into it.

as kazimir instructed each of them, ingram listened with a canted ear -- he was to circle around the bull, and close in once it began to charge. nodding silently, the dark wolf picked up a low trot and made towards the bull, ever keeping his distance and making sure no matter what, that he was well out of the range of a swift kick or charge.

dragomir's excited piping drew a fond glance from mahler, but in the next moment his attention was trained completely upon kazimir. the woman's mirth influenced his own; he shook out his ruff and bumped his shoulder against that of ingram, before turning to sidle alongside sadiq.
he had some trepidation over kazimir offering herself as potential tribute to the palmated antlers, but knew he must trust in her judgement. a nod was given the assembly; he hung back as they presumably began to move off, readying himself for the rush even as he tensed in anticipation of a brutal hunt this day.

She almost missed Kazimir’s scheme, for her ears tipped back ever further to heard the vague  ( but so familiar )  chatter of Dragomir. Just as she hoped Vonn would soon quieted, her orders came: give the bull a wide enough berth, and then inflict as much damage as they could. Alright, easy enough.

When Ingram crept away from the party, the herbalist mimicked his path in the opposite direction; taking two strides for each longer one of his. Her boney shoulders barely peeked above the patches of wild grasses; and whenever more of her could be seen, she was hunkered down with her belly almost kissing the earth.

When she was finally in position, she kept everything she could in her peripherals even as she trained hard, gleaming argent eyes on the bull between her and Ingram. A kick wouldn’t do either of their heads well at all.

Third round! Ends June 4th!

To her delight everyone moved out except Mahler and Sadiq who stayed behind awaiting their job. She turned and made her way toward the bull ensuring that she gave Aure and Ingram enough time to get into place. When they were she inhaled slowly and the exhaled, releasing her anxiety and focusing on the confidence that they could do this. She snarled and snapped her jaws as she approached, the moose bellowing in response and swinging his head down as he pawed at the dirt with a large hoof. She slowly moved forward, growling deeply and then lunged, angling to the side and biting it's shoulder hard enough to draw blood. It was then that the beast shifted  and grunted that she danced away, meeting it's gaze as it began to charge. She had hunted caribou back in Russia, she knew to expect speed but for such a lumbering beast she hadn't expected this much of it. 

She ran away a few feet "Aure! Ingram! You good?" she shouted and gave a whoop of startled excitement as the moose swung its antler's at her. She jumped away but her shoulder got clipped, causing a fierce pain. She almost collapsed to the ground but instead she slipped beneath its thick neck and sank her fangs in. "Nasty beast" she spat as she turned and booked it, her right foreleg buckling every once in a while. Her eyes were wide with panic as she felt a puff of hot breath on her hind legs "Mahler! Sadiq! Can you-" she shouted and was cut off as she was swept off her feet by the antlers. She flew. She literally flew the distance back to Mahler and Sadiq and rolled when she hit the ground until she was laying stunned past them. She blinked slowly and for a few long moments fought against passing out which she managed not to. "b`lyad'! she cursed softly and tested each muscle only finding one problem. Her right foreleg was a bit slow in responding to her brains commands. Even so she rolled over and pushed herself up faking it as she placed her weight down "Alright! Back to it yeah?" she said and started forward a choked cry leaving her maw as once again her leg held her and then wobbled, pain shooting through her muscles. She shook her head and looked determined, moving past Mahelr and falling into a medium paced but wobbly run flicking her tail to signal that she wanted them to join her.

it happened quickly. mahler watched as kazimir harried the bull into action, muscles gathering as he prepared himself to aid the hunting party.
with a sweep of the large tines, the huntress was thrown aside. mahler had seen the moose veer toward kazimir — his strides carried him immediately across the terrain toward her.
understanding that her pride would not allow her to be hassled with medical questions at this time, mahler glanced to sadiq, falling in step alongside kazimir. they would finish the hunt, and then he would look for wounds upon her body.

I am so sorry I missed the last round!!!! Here is me trying to catch up….

He tried very hard to understand and follow the instructions that were being handed out. Biting the rumble of annoyance at his chest before any could here. He was upset with himself, yet again. The idea of learning a foreign language had seemed for trivial growing up, and now he wished her could go back. Not for the first time that man seemed unworthy, and idiotic for thinking he could follow in the footsteps of his elder siblings.

What he was able to catch was his name and Mahler’s name spoken in the same context Looking to his side he caught the lilac gaze, if Sadiq was going to be of any use, he would stick close to the man his sister seemed to admire. Turning back to the woman, Kazimir? He though. The large northern man nodded his assent.

Soon enough the other hunters headed off, Sadiq assumed they would bait the creature. Having missed a good chunk of the explanation. Standing a few feet from Mahler, to give the others a larger target with which to aim. Sadiq ready his muscles, and the impending meal salivated his tongue. It had been months since his last pack hunt, and he had forgotten the exhilaration that came from such an exercise.

Dread quickly followed as the woman was first struck and then minutes later thrown past both himself and Mahler. A gasp sprang from his lips, as he watched her land and roll. Cringing as she stood, even Sadiq could tell she was in pain, and he didn’t know her that well. Nodding slowly at the que from Mahler, Sadiq wouldn’t say a word as he came along Kaz’s other side. Insulated on either side, surely the woman could escape more damage.

Despite his newness, Sadiq felt a need to protect those of Diaspora, if only for the title of packmate that each of them carried. A stickler for titles and tradition, Sadiq wished that Kazimir would sit out, alas he had no way of conveying such a wish. Instead he ran a little faster, to reach the monstrous beast before she did.

From the sidelines, Dragomir watched with huge eyes as the hunting party spread out and the hunt began. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, wolves moving in tandem to try to corral prey that was five to ten times their size. He padded this way and that across the hillock Vonn had confined them to, his little body moving in time with his hunting pack mates down below. When the moose tossed Kazimir, his back rose and he uttered an awed, oooooh, if only because he didn't understand that wolves could be hurt doing this.

Wow! he exclaimed as he watched the pack running down below. From here he couldn't tell which one was Aure or Mahler or Kazimir. All he knew was that he desperately wanted to be down there with them, with the wind in his face and prey fleeing ahead of him.

i fORGOT OOF
(short lil thing)

Aure was sure that @Ingram would follow suit — or that she would follow his. Whatever the case may be, the optio eventually sprung from her position; skulking through the growth and fronds at a low-belly lope. At this time, she still retained sight in both eyes, so she used it to look out for any swift kicks upon delivery of a needly embrace to the injured ankle.

And yet, when a piercing blow volleyed its way towards her head, Aure released, leapt back, and was just about to re-engage when the damn cow charged away — and, from what she could see, for Kazimir herself. The alabaster was streaking after the elk before the burly she-wolf hit the ground.

By the time that Sadiq and Mahler strode in from the front, the herbalist as situated herself at the rear and did what she did best: bite ankles.

She returned with a vengeance this time, embedding her fangs in deep, and only ever deeper when pummeled in the shoulder. God, if only she’d been born with brute strength— but for now, she would try to hold back this bull until the others could seize it.

Wrapping this up with permission!

As events unfolded below—Kazimir rose with a cry he couldn't hear from there and then the pack was back at it again—Dragomir began drifting down the hill toward them in his rapturous excitement. Vonn allowed him a little leeway, but was quick to herd the boy back when he'd gone a little too far. How could he blame Dragomir? He was only young and unrestrained and this was his life's calling, plain as day.

The wolves regrouped, still equally difficult to tell apart from this distance, and he watched them streak toward the fleeing moose once more. One of them, a daring beast indeed, went for the ankle. Wow! Dragomir exclaimed as the moose began to bleat so loudly that it carried all the way up to the hilltop where Takiyok, Vonn and all the pups were gathered. Two others flanked the injured third as they angled toward the moose, trapping it from one flank while another drove it from the opposite side.

From Dragomir's viewpoint, it was an expertly choreographed dance. The wolves drew the moose in a wide arc, cinching their trap tighter and tighter around it as they went. Whenever they could, whenever it was deemed safe, they jumped in to worry at the tiring cervid's flesh before bouncing back and falling back into formation. He couldn't see the blood from all the way up there on the hill, but he could definitely smell it. It made his mouth water and his stomach tighten with anticipation.

It happened quickly; one minute the moose was wheeling and in the next, one of the wolves had it by an elbow. Another wolf grasped it on the other side at its hock, and the remainder of the pack piled in on it. Thoroughly unbalanced, the moose went down under an onslaught of teeth and bullying bodies. Dragomir's tail was wagging a mile a minute as he hollered, boom! like it was some big show. By the time the pups were shepherded down the hill to have their share of meat, the moose was dead and the pack was enjoying a hearty feast.