Wapun Meadow I’ll be just fine on my own

The weather was beginning to grow colder, signifying the changing of the seasons. Kovette couldn’t help but wonder how these winters would compare to those of her homeland—would they be harsher? Easier to endure? Preoccupied in her puphood by the stories of the land itself that her father once traversed, never had she thought to question about the elements the land was subjected to. Too late to ask now, she knew she would have to just wait and see what time had in store for her. For now, the chill in the air made her feel content, hinting at home.

Trailing a herd, Kovette found herself parting through a shaded grouping of trees—and she wondered, briefly, if she might have found another darkened woodland—before it opened up into a brightly lit meadow. And whilst the herd was beyond her line of vision, she swore she could still smell them, the scent not too recent but also not far off enough to deter her. The northerner knew she stood no chance against large game on her own but, with the cold season approaching, she was hopeful that an elderly specimen might fall. That hope kept her moving, following the trail with determination.

Bridget sustained herself fine on fish and what smaller game she could catch, birds mostly, but it was hard not to look at something larger with longing. It had been ages, it felt, since she was a part of a stable enough pack situation to reap the benefits of a full hunt. She wasn’t sure she even remembered what they tasted like.

Lucky twigs, she muttered softly to herself, keeping well clear of the large animals with a regretful air. She wasn’t hunting just now, but she was open to opportunity if she chanced on it.

It wasn’t long before she inevitably crossed paths with the wolf ghosting after the herd. She didn’t intercept directly, but she caught sight of movement a ways off and froze to curiously watch. It wasn’t immediately apparent where they were headed, or if they were interested in company, so she lifted her head and gave a friendly smile. Something about the girl seemed focused, leaving the medic with the sense that they might not appreciate being hailed and approached.

There was little to no haste in her movements, meandering along with determination, yes, but little speed; she was in this for the long game, after all. It was a boring task to some but, in truth, it was her preferred way to hunt; she enjoyed the thrill of hunting with a pack, and thinking of said activities made her heart ache for her family, but she liked the learning aspect that came with trailing. Discovering the patterns of the herd, noting the old, frail, and injured members—as well as keeping in mind the young, the healthy, for those were the ones she wished to avoid a face-to-face encounter with. Those ones could bring not only her hunt to an abrupt halt but her life, too.

Kovette, focused on the task at hand, nearly missed sight of the other woman. But as her fur prickled from the sensation of eyes on her being, she found her attention drawn from the herd and towards the stranger—to whom she extended a silent invitation, a friendly wag of her tail accompanied by a toss of her muzzle in the direction of the herd, not missing a single step all the while. With a second set of jaws to assist, perhaps her hunt might come to an early end, with both wolves earning a full belly.

It was risky. Bridget eyed the other wolf, then the prey that they clearly were interested in attempting. Then she grinned and gave a slight tip of her head, a silent hell yes in response. Worth it, and so long as they were careful, even the attempt could be fun. They just had to make sure they wouldn’t have much to lose if things went sideways.

She began a wide circle, indicating clearly that she’d take up a flanking position, but kept her eyes trained on the other woman. Bridget hadn’t had time to sort out which of the herd would make the best target, but she’d follow whatever lead there was to follow. All that mattered was that they went after the same one.

Apologies for the delay, things have been hectic lately

Kovette, at this point, was no stranger to the herd itself; she’d been following them for awhile now, keeping a close eye and making mental notes on each member. There were several mature, healthy deer that she intended to avoid at all costs, believing the two of them alone would not be enough to take them on. There were some young, too, late in the season but still guarded by their elders—those she provided as much distance between as possible, not wishing to tempt the rage of the herd. There was one, however, that appeared older but not without meat still, and was accompanied by a lame rear—it was that one that she found herself drawn back to, deeming it the easiest of targets.

A low wag of her tail was offered as the northerner ducked her head low and pushed forward, ears erect and muzzle tossed to point out their prey. Kovette proceeded forward, keeping as low as she could whilst doing so, before breaking out into a full sprint. Her intentions being to spook the herd and push the healthy ones farther forward, all the while the injured one couldn’t help but lag behind—allowing the duo to push their prey out and away from the herd, successfully singling them out.

Feel free to use the roll thread I linked for rolling for the hunt, if you’d like!

here too, no worries!! We can keep this relatively short if you like <3 since I’ve been slow too

The other wolf found their target and Bridget was relieved to see that it limped. She had a chance, then. She’d worked tirelessly these past couple years to rebuild her strength to the point where it had been, but she knew that she would never be as fast as she had been before the loss of her leg. There was just no way to sprint and maneuver like she used to - but she wasn’t about to give up because of it. If this thing could run, she could catch it.

When the other wolf sprinted, she was right behind, falling back and reaching the herd a few moments behind. The more healthy deer would easily leave her behind as they fled, but this one she could keep pace with, snapping at it and forcing it into a funnel made up by the two of them. Now it would only go where they drove it.