Dawnlark Plains I left my heart on my sleeve

@Lumiya , and whoever else to tag


He had done all he could in the territory. Dug a half dozen dens, fortified and patrolled the boundaries. It was as he had marched past a particular circle of stones for the twelfth time in two days, that he had an idea. 
Prey. He needed prey. A good hunt, something to bleed. Something to make himself useful before he went mad. 
So he found himself here, after inviting his Alphaess to join him in preparation for whatever social gathering she was fretting about.  On this open plain, creeping steadily towards a vantage point overseeing a small herd of elk, with two young calves. The fact that snow still clung to the ground was slightly surprising, he wasn't used to snow still lingering in the beginning of summer. A light, warm rain concealed his pawsteps and scent. He turned to the shewolf beside him, and addressing whoever else was present as well. 
"Move in low and slow. They're big, and can kill you. We'll position ourselves right behind the herd. Then push them. Watch for me. The one I pick is the one we all target." 

Yes, she had been surprised when Memory came to her with the proposal of a pack hunt. So far, they'd been living off the small game they could find in and near the willows. She hadn't thought about the size of the operation until after their forming, but she was sure it would strengthen the bond of their members. She took his offer to lead the hunt, taking the back seat for a change, because she knew that she had little to no knowledge of herds and hunting in a big group. She invited all the faeries to join them (@Deidra @Orlaith @Fionn @Bridget @Eilonwy @Valiant @Aoibh @Dante @Edain ) though no one would be looked down upon for refusing.

When the time came, she followed Memory and listened to his instructions.

Dante's restless spirit had been getting the best of him lately. He was an adventurer at heart, eager to learn and experience and discover always, so with the pack still being in its formation process and him having felt the need to stay within the territory because of it, the boy had been getting a bit fidgety. Naturally, when he'd heard the the idea come up, he was immediately curious. The Memory guy, he was intriguing as well- a bit standoffish in Dante's opinion, but intriguing nonetheless. The yearling hadn't engaged with him at all, really, since arriving, but he was more than happy to follow his orders in this hunt- big game had never been Dante's specialty. He quirked a brow at the man's direct words, but otherwise kept his face completely neutral, shooting Lumiya a fond glance once he was sure he wasn't being watched. Stretching his neck and eyeing up Memory inquisitively once more, the young man awaited his orders.

the fiery-faerie strode with a new purpose this morn — almost every boorish moment, illuminated by the crystalline countenance of the girl. she had been sulking silently. oh, to be deprived of touch! she had missed her lat night chattering with deidra … perhaps the sisters would need to save a date. now that she realized, perhaps the fairy wing designer had traveling herbs for her. aoibh was not completely assured on the time frame concerning her journey. speculating was her strong suit, but she’d never thought to inquiry the mermaid how far the coast was from here. not awfully, right?

lumiya’s song pranced among the trees and frightened a few scavenging birds. aoibh blinked as she had forgotten they returned from their southern balls. (she had ought to follow them to the wavering coast line!) galloping northwest to meet her newly accepted leader. the fact still tingled in her synapses. her apologies were not at all like her curses, molotovs shattering over low-bearing crests of her victims. it was surreal she even had a well platonic relation who wasn’t deidra or orlaith. coming upon the scene of majestic grazers, the bodies of two men and lumiya were in view. usually, she would have rushed in the snapped the first one’s ankles. but lumiya seemed calm and scheming with them. to hunt? oh, well this wouldn’t be a gruesome task after all.

“when  you  teased  me  back  there  about  huāzhen, i  wouldn’t  have imagined you  had two misters  after you  as well, my  queenliness,” the woman jested, all but a whisper so she could hear. she need no introduction nor was interested in taking their names. her hers swiveled on their axis as memory coughed up a half-baked plan. and who was he? lumiya was one leader too many for her already, she didn’t need to follow another. much less a man. it wasn’t horrible, but too many disasters could be waiting to occur. “hm.  forcing  them to  retreat  as  group  could  be  awfully problematic. as  you said, they’re  large  and  could make a  bone-work  of  your  skull. keep  it,  if  they wanted. do  you want  that?”  

aoibh didn’t wait for an answer. “i  suggest we cut  one off  from  the group, those  babes are  curious as  foxes — as  they  grow  they  stray  off from  their  mothers.” she should know, aoibh was an expert of evading the cruel overseeing of adults in much younger days. plus, her parents couldn’t met her criteria when it came to play. old people, but you had to respect them as they say.

“lumiya  and yourself,” she nods to dante not knowing his title beforehand. “you’ll  block  the escaping  quarry’s  path  once  i  and  this  gentlemen  chase it  away from it’s  herd. we  should  wait  for an  opportunity. unless  anyone  has  a  better  plan?”  aoibh wasn’t one to boast, but she took pleasure when speaking what she knew from the old court. at leats here she had an opprutunity to impose her mind on the matter of the hunt, something woman in her mother's view should rarely do. she needed a new pair of antler crown, and a soft rain was the perfect cover for cheeky murder.

just a reminder that aoibh isn't as generous with kindness when it comes to strangers as per her personality

The assembly finally comes together, and he's about to lead the company into the hunt when the newest to arrive, a Stern faced shewolf, speaks up. 
He's forced to admit shes right, and he's relieved to finally find someone like himself- cutthroat, straightforward. 
"I like her." He smirks to his Alphaess, before turning to the shewolf. "Well since you seem to be two steps ahead of me, go ahead. Lead away." 

The fae had to keep herself from lightly chuckling at Aoibh's comment. Instead, she scrunched up her nose and gave it a playful little wiggle. Soon after, Memory got her attention, but his leadership was taken over quickly by the fire faerie whom she didn't know to be so knowledgeable about the hunt. Or, perhaps, she only sounded so because Lumi knew so little. There was much for the fae to learn still about the things she truly knew nothing of, and apparently these were the wolves who could teach her. She soaked up their individual words, pieced them together and tried to picture their small band as Aoibh explained their positions. It seemed simple enough.

It was good that Memory didn't take Aoibh's assertion to heart; instead, he seemed to enjoy her spirit. She was admirable like an ember, enticing like a dancing flame. But the fae knew not to get too close, otherwise she might get burned again. She shyly turned to Dante, giving him a quick glance and a smile. It would be their first time working together like this, it was high time to see if they were compatible. I surely don't, so I will try my best at this plan of yours.

Dante's eyes flickered over the new faces with curiosity alit deep within his chest. The man and woman were both unfamiliar to him, and he suddenly found that he was a bit disappointed in himself. The young man would definitely need to work harder on reaching out to the packmates he hadn't encountered yet. He kept quiet, tensing slightly at the exchange the new woman initiated, but quickly relaxed as the situation seemed not to escalate. Dante inched minutely closer to Lumiya as she spoke, doing his best to be inconspicuous though he realized his gaze didn't stray much from her. He glanced back at the unknown she-wolf, dipping his head towards her in acknowledgement. Sure, right behind you.