Overture Downs sunlight on the meadow

Open to anyone who fancies a thread that will have some good action and twists. >:3 @Shikoba is joining — anyone else is very welcome too~

The late morning light poured in through the clouds and bathed the meadow in pale gold. Ishi, a pretty white wolf with eyes even golder, stood on its brink, muzzle twitching for a scent he'd been tracking. He'd spotted a big fat rabbit — pretty rare for this time of year, and thus an impressive creature that would feed more than just him. One day, when he stood at last as King of the Mountain Lions, he would be part of a vast feline pack that would hunt for far bigger creatures than this one, but for now a hefty rabbit would have to do. He smiled, then, with a spring in his step, set off on the hunt.

*rolls in*

Shikoba had left the territory for a little bit, however not too far away from the borders. She hadn't expected to do much except maybe explore the land 'round LCH and map it out in her head. No harm in that, right? Quickly, the druid had set out with a quick paced trot, heading towards and opening area that looked to be a large, vast meadow. Her nose quickly went to work to absorb all the scents that lingered in the air, tail swishing lightly.

A sight before her though captured her attention. A large, fat rabbit that would surely fill her empty belly. However, it seemed that someone had beaten her to it. A white wolf, no, not a wolf. It looked as if someone blanketed it in snow but and made the fur grow long. In all honesty, Shikoba thought it was some kind of weird coywolf mix that went to the extremes.

She grumbled in annoyance, but decided to try to follow the white one and hunt down that rabbit. He didn't look like a pure hunter to the druid, so she would have a better chance of hunting, right? Besdies, she blended in with the dirt. The white thing would stick out like a sore thumb.

If the hunt succeeded, she would return to exploring and maybe introduce herself. Until then, she slinked in the shadows.

What she didn't check though, was that the scent of this white fluff ball belonged to LCH, the same as her.

*Rubs hands*

Being a Scout before Hunter, Ishi decided to memorise the very path he was taking — the easiest route from the border of Lost Creek Hollow and straight into the rolling downs. Right at the beech tree, right again down the hill, straight onwards through the long grass... and so on. It so happened that the rabbit he was distantly following was also taking the same route.

He didn't notice that he had a stealthy pursuer — probably another wolf — because they were upwind, and he was too focussed on scouting, tracking, and fetching himself something tasty. His muzzle was low and his step was purposeful. Onwards, onwards. He wasn't giving up this prey...

Quiet.

Paw after paw, step after step. She had to stay silent. Slinking her way through, her path followed the white one, though picking up the pace. She wanted the rabbit, she wanted it badly.

Her stomach compelled her to move along, her nose and eyes guiding her paws. She didn't see the line the white on traveled, she only continued her way to follow in silence.

Closer and closer she got, almost two wolf lengths away. Her body was low to the ground, breaths inaudible. Slow, she must slow down.

Waiting, she waited for him to continue before she would follow.

@Shardul, feel free to join the thread any time... :}

Oblivious and yet purposeful, Ishi's bright little mind was trained on his two tasks. One, to memorise this very path, a path take by predator and prey alike, the perfect way to weave from Lost Creek Hollow to the downy territory beyond and catch some good innings along the way. He'd be delighted to take these exact directions back to the Hollow, a stellar path through a stellar territory, especially for a Hunter. Which brought him to his second task: to get this darn bunny.

He was gaining on it, he was sure. Its scent was getting stronger, and his golden eyes narrowed with ambition, a faint smile on his face.

As the white fluff ball continued, Shikoba finally took in a deep inhale meant of air through her black nostrils, then froze in her tracks. Before her was a pack mate of LCH, though she hadn't really met him.

That's why he looked so familiar, because she saw him at the meeting! She pawed her forehead, obviously disappointed in herself for her lack of memory. Would she approach him?

He wanted the rabbit, she wanted the rabbit, she wouldn't disrupt his hunt. In silence, she continued to follow him and keep her golden eyes peeled.

They were out of their home, and stuck with having to fend for themselves. So, what to do? Protect him of coarse. Though she didn't know his name, she would protect him from wherever came to attack or harm.

When hunting, a wolf found itself in a very sensory world — and one thing this wolf could sense right now was slightly otherworldly. A feeling... on the back of his neck... like he was being followed.

He paused a moment, and in doing so heard something very faint and subtle — a rustle caused by the tread of a good-sized paw. Oh, damnit! He really was being followed! And he wasn't in Lost Creek Hollow territory, so there was a good chance it wasn't a packmate but a rival. So he had to lose them and get the rabbit for himself and his pack!

Suddenly, he put on a burst of speed. He was swift and graceful, his little form disappearing more and more into the long grass.

ASZDFSGDHTFJKUTJYRHDGFS SORRY I WAS WAITING FOR SHARDUL

It was a surprise to Shikoba that the little white one took off with a lightning speed. She had to realize what was happening for a second before taking off after him. Even if he was a pack member, she wanted the rabbit too. With her legs covering the ground, she raced after him. The long grass covered his pure white fur, Shikoba dove in after him, following his path and line. 

It did not take long for her to push herself to the left of him, trying to catch up and outrun him. She wanted the rabbit, she wanted it badly enough to take it away from her pack mate. Coarse, she would share. her golden eyes stayed locked ahead, quickly covering more ground before shifting the tiniest to see the white one's face. He was quite adorable to say the least, but she shook her head and returned her attention on the rabbit that was probably running off in fright.

SORRY SORRY

shardul had prowled down from the coast in the direction of his most famous haunt, and the pale boy had immediately caught his eye; the springiness of that one's step irked the cat for reasons he did not understand. and so he had followed through the shadows, belly brushing against the earth, bright eyes burning with the old familiar madness. 

and then another wolf came, but the feline had already chosen the first for his quarry. the wolves, their attention fixed as it was upon the zipping rabbit, did not see the broad and terrible face of shardul as he rose from the grass and lunged horribly for the running form of the delicate whitefurred wolf.

LOLS IS OKAY <3

To a young one like Ishi, every month seemed as if it stretched on for glorious ever, but in reality life was fleeting. Everything moved so fast. Ishi himself did. The rabbit did. And so did the agouti female, who he did not yet recognise as being from Lost Creek Hollow, when perhaps he should have. She wasn't just following him now but gaining on him, her long whiskers twitching for his food! He put on an extra burst of speed and then he was taken.

He was the rabbit now. He didn't even think, he just vanished, prey snatched into the long grass. The female could catch the rabbit now, if she wanted. There was nothing between her and it... but for a few soft strands of virgin white fur floating softly to the ground.

It happened so quickly, all the druid could see was a few white fur strands floating through the grass. She didn't act fast enough, she lost not only the rabbit, but also a packmate. She skidded to a halt, trying to look around her and see what was the cause of the white one's disappearance. She was panting, no almost hyperventilating. Quickly she trotted around, looking to see where he went, her eyes filled with worried.

Shikoba looked towards the ground, shoving her nose towards it and trying to follow scents. It was then where she discovered what happened to the white one. A large paw print was smooshed into the dirt and grass. much larger than her own. Shikoba took a step back, realizing that it was a feline paw. Was this the hell cat that spawned at the hollow and attacked the pack? Was this the cat she promised to defend against?

She failed her mission for Mordecai to say the least. She let out a soft whine, but raised her head. No, she wasn't going to give up yet. She lost time no doubt, but she wasn't going to give up. She looked towards the direction of the print, then dashed after, hoping to somewhat see the cat before it quickly disappears.

the wolf! he had caught the little thing, and bore it to the ground, where it presumably kicked and struggled in the inexorable grasp of the cat. yet shardul did not maul; he held back his bloodlust and merely aimed to deal a stunning blow to the pale creature, after which he would readjust his grasp upon the young body and carry him off through the grass.

the second wolf went quite ignored.

Now that a few seconds had passed for Ishi to find his bearings, he felt a wave of shock that something bizarre was actually happening. Without the adrenaline of surprise, he would have felt discomfort at being held like this, but, no, he was all about the shock right now — and the disorientation of it all as long grass went speeding past his wide eyes. When one blade of it whacked him in his face, he closed his eyes tight but he could still feel his surroundings. And as he was finally bundled to the ground, his heart screamed and soared, for his opened his eyes again and...

It was a mountain lion.

Was something big finally happening to his goal? Was this the beginning? Ishi hadn't thought it would happen like this, but he was suddenly ferociously convinced that it was actually happening. Oh, finally finally finally. This was the beginning of his incorporation into the world of cougars.

And then there was blackness.

Here! on my phone, excuse my mistakes! I did a dice roll!

As she ran, she couldn't see what was going on with the white pack mate. She was afraid of his fate, her paws flew across the sunlit meadow. Soon her eyes latched onto the silvery pelt of the wild cat, her pace increased with a burst of speed towards the abductor.

Soon, Shikoba saw how the white one was unconscious, she arrived too late. She almost thought he was dead, but there was no blood upon his white fur. Here was still chance for her to save him.

She approached from the side, her black lips curled to expose her pearly teeth, aggressively gleaming at Shardul.

"Leave white one!" She barked towards the large feline, staying back far enough to avoid his claws and jaw.

the wolf grew heavy within his jaws; shardul did not let it fall, however, not even when he was approached by another. a snarl rose in his throat, and his eyes burned with warning hatred, but he loped onward. the other wolf had not attacked; he would gleefully murder the jackal if such an attempt was made, but until then, shardul sought to ignore the hapless counterpart of his helpless prey.

I did a little dice roll HERE since Shikoba would try to win Ishi back. Since the number is seven (out of 10) and pretty up there, minor/slight pp is granted! No death, feel free to scar her up!

The silvery beast was going onward, though his snarl was evident that he was not leaving without his prize. Shikoba was going to win him back, she would not go and let herself slip away in petty fear. If she were to die, it would be in honor. She would win the wolf back, sooner or later. Sooner, or at least now seemed to be her favorite choice.

With her legs carrying her, she followed the feline in its strides and tried to snap at its tail and bring it back. Although she was a bit farther back, her strides and determination made up for it. She huffed and soon tried to reach him. Her eyes landed upon the long tail of the cougar, watching it sway back and forth. That could be of use, it was long at least. Shikoba was gaining closely on it, her anticipation high with wanting to maul the tail tip off.

of course!! ty for making this thread so interesting ;)

the wolf followed; shardul snarled again, and when she did not turn away, he set down his limp burden and turned full upon the grasping nature of the lupine, lashing out with a scream to rake his claws along the shoulder of the irritating creature. was his blow successful, blood would well from the skin and shardul would lunge forward a second time.

The feline wasn't pleased with Shikoba, that was for sure. His motion seemed to freeze in time, Shikoba did not have enough time to react. With his hostage set down, his bod turned as a scream left his lips after his snarl. With lightning claws, they did not graze upon her shoulder. They dug.

A loud yelp of pain escalated through the druid's dry throat, the vermilion liquid draining from her wound. It swelled a bit on her shoulder, her body desperately tried to make itself steady even with a damaged body part. She almost backed down in fear of her own wound. But she couldn't give up yet. A family member's life was in her paws, and she needed to buy some time and bring him back.

She could see the sliver cat wind himself back for another attack, Shikoba quickly moved to the left to try and evade him. She feared her life was on the line, but was honor in death for the battle of glory? Honor was honor, and life was life. Growls of pain and anger dripped down from her black lips, her body posture showing a battle demeanor. If the cat was to stay behind just long enough after his attack, she would take a trophy back. His tail.

The long thing bothered her, she wanted that tail to know how she survived against a wild cat in battle. The glory within the bone was all she needed, she waited for the right time to sever the tail.

his claws struck; the metallic scent of blood unfurled into the air, and shardul relished the yelp of the wolf. but she followed, and he could travel no faster than he already did. beset with rage at her continued annoyance of his person, the silver cat paused a long moment, before he dropped the pale white body unceremoniously into the dust and lunged again for the she-wolf.

this time he gave no quarter; he aimed to lash her eyes from her very head, following it with a swift snap of long ivories toward any place along her shoulder.

It stung. She could hardly feel her shoulder from the swelling. Shikoba feared the silver demon, it weighed more than her and had better chances at winning a fight. She would be forced to flee, but she would return with her pack mate.

Her attempt to evade him was lost, his claws racked themselves across Shikoba's eye and brow area. It felt as if if the lights to her world were shut off, another loud Yelp escalating through her windpipe. It was unbearable.

Her body was out of balance, she tried to stay above the darkness that swallowed her like a sea. What brought her down was the snap of ivories into her flesh, the scarlet spilling like trophies for the demon.

She could escape, couldn't she? His weight was heavy, but something kept her going, though it was fading quickly. With all her might, she tried to push the silver car off and make a dash for it. If she tried to attack once more, she would surely die.

He would keep his hostage and Shikoba would run home in pieces. The gouge in her shoulder was going to be infected, but hopefully Harlyn would be able to heal her.

Her eyes, she wasn't sure if she was blind or not. Her head was stained with vermillion slashes, they were widened in fear. Her only guide was one eyes that was gaining vision back along with her ears and nose.

In shame she fled.

Ooc: Last post From me unless you want to continue

shardul's muscles tensed; he wished to pin her to the earth and slay her, but the want of carrying off his well-earned prey won over his murderous lust, and so he let himself be shoved aside. giving his panther's shriek of triumph as the wolf fled, blinded, bloodied, the cat licked the crimson from his claws, gathered the pale wolf into his jaws, and continued on.