Twisted Slough not gonna let you get away so easy

@Troy. Spar!

He had seen the injured doe just outside Morningside's territory, limping slightly as she moved to graze on the flatlands. Thinking this one would be easy, Shale had pounced from the shadows--but the deer proved smarter than he thought, shying away and dealing him a glancing blow to the neck that could have been fatal had she connected with his spine. Then she had bounded clear, racing across the plains heading toward the mountain range to the south.

Shale pursued. This was personal.

The territory changed as he ran after her, becoming more and more mountainous as he drew closer to the crags. Instead of taking her chances with the barrier mountains, the deer veered northwest, toward the sea. For hours of running, Shale kept her in his sights, making sure to not startle her but to keep her moving, tire her out.

Finally, she led him into a swamp, putrid-smelling and almost impassable. He could see her white tail flick nervously in the dark place, slowing to a trot as she navigated the unfamiliar terrain. Groaning softly in distaste, Shale crept slowly behind her, hating the feel of the cold mud on his paws. It was half-frozen, stinky slush, and it was miserable.

Slush collected in the feathering on his forelegs, slimy and freezing as he plunged forward into the putrid swamplands.

Perhaps it had been a mistake coming here at all, much like the barrier mountains he'd crossed but at least there a pretty redhead kept him company.

He didn't think he'd have that kind of luck here.

But he pressed on.  Hours later, his stomach began to protest.  But a stroke of fate brought the scent of a doe, and he stalked her as quiet as a goliath in a swamp could.

Breath plumed out from her nostrils, in-out-in-out, the pace of air spread too thin in the lungs; perhaps she had issues traversing this muck.

Lurching forward, the lion grasps the thigh of the deer, pulling her down into the thick with him.  She kicks and struggles but he holds firm — although now he is beginning to think he won't be able to do this alone.

Out of nowhere, an ivory form emerged quickly from the muck, latching onto the doe trying to take her down. She bleated furiously, kicking and struggling. Shale's lips curled into a snarl, and, without much thinking, he shot forward, not sure whether he intended to pounce on the deer. . .or the wolf.

"What the fuck, dude?" he growled as he approached, slipping around the doe to slice her throat with his jaws. She sank into the mud, and Shale grabbed her round the skinny neck, intending on pulling her to more solid ground. Despite her slim figure, she did have some heft to her, and he grunted as he tugged.

"Theez--mye--" Shale said clumsily, his mouth full of deer but his tone stern. He set her down upon a log that rose from the swamp. "She's mine," he corrected. "I followed her from a plateau, far from here. I have a pack to feed."

Normally he wouldn't be so brutish about this, but he had put in quite a bit of effort to hunt down this scrawny doe. Any meat was good in the wintertime, and she would feed several mouths for a few days. Therefore, selfishness bubbled within him, coming out rudely in his voice, normally so placid. "You can have a haunch, though," he added dismissively, nodding at the back leg the man had made a bit of a mess of, pulling her down as he had.

might not end up in a spar because troy is a sweet baby i'm SORRY

At first a fierce snarl curls his lips, revealing yellowed canines as his breath pllumes in front of him.  Who was this asshole to just claim the deer that he had brought down?  It didn't matter how far he had traveled to bring her down, he doubted the scrappy fellow could take her by himself anyway.

But ah, the secret words, there's a pack to feed.  God damnit.  He rolls his eyes, giving a snort before he says, Got kids?  He was a man who'd take what he wanted from a lone man, but he couldn't imagine starving a bunch'a kids.  If he'd traveled this far to bring her down, they might be desperate.  Damn it, damn it, damn it.

If not, you can scram, dude.  Doesn't matter how far you traveled, I brought her down.

bahahah it's OK! but just escalate it if you want the trade thread. :) shale is also sweet but he's sorta ticked now lmao

His amber eyes fixed sharply on the cream-colored brute, breath cold wisps of air from his nostrils in the dim light of the swamp.

"My brother's kids," Shale explained, his tone brooking no opposition. "My family."

With a sigh--he felt the better angels of his nature start to sing their heavenly songs--he pointed his nose once more at the back haunch. "You can have a leg. Fuck, take two if you'd like. It's going to be a hell of a time getting this lady back to the plateau. But I need her."

Amber eyes blinked in the darkness, staring down his opponent--or friend? They existed simultaneously, in different universes, depending on what happened next. "You got kids?"

He sucked in air for a moment, pooling it in his lungs before letting out a long and mighty exhale that was both defeated and annoyed.

Take 'er.  No, I've got nobody.  Always wanted kids but — you need her, take her.  I'll be fine with a haunch.

Damn it.

You know if there's anywhere worth stayin' 'round here?

The man looked so downtrodden, Shale almost gave the whole deer to him right then and there. But he hardened as he thought of Dauntless, the growing boy, and Lav, her thin pelt barely warming her slim frame. There was no room for kindness toward strangers, outside what was necessary. It was the dead of winter.

But the man's question had his ears perk up, and he gave a small shrug. "I don't know about around here," Shale said, gesturing to the swamp and its immediate neighboring territories. "My brother's pack lives a few hours' run to the north."

He regarded the burly male, casually sizing him up. "Our numbers are good, and our territory is secure. It's a nice place." Shale's mouth quirked in a half-smile, no wryness to be found in it. "We're on a plateau at the base of the mountains. Not the nearest range. . .the ones past those."