Redtail Rise XXVI

dated for the 12th

new snow had come into season.

it kept the hunt-leader at her side, jealously guarding her against any comers.

blood eyes was with red woman now. augur did not expect him to seek new snow. nor blacktail either.

and yet he stayed all the same. even now he was not far from her, pacing the terrain after her fragrant scent with single-minded purpose.

As quietly as she could, Lilia trailed after the snowy boulder, drifting off his path so that she could angle her approach differently. She could tell he was seeking New Snow by the way he followed her path- but she was a greedy girl, and she liked his attention. He'd indulged almost every whim of hers- so she thought, surely, he could spare her a moment for a spar. 

Her approach was swift. With a few high strides in her bounds, she made herself visible and her intention clear- the carousing purl in her growl was playful, inviting. She would enjoy the very last of her 'puppy privilege' and dove toward him, heedless of any other plans he might have had for his day.

had wolverine been a young male, augur's reception would not have been so warm.

as it was, though his head rose somewhat stiffly to meet her eye, the ulfhedinn relaxed, licking the air and shaking out his ruff.

he whuffed softly, biting toward her, and then lunged into a run, meaning to pin her against the snow if she did not move to meet him.

As she expected, he was willing to allow the distraction and nuisance, at least for a little while. She knew the huntsman enjoyed training the youth- he naturally excelled in the role of a mentor. Prophet had not been the only father figure in her life; she was fortunate enough to have Augur as well. 

Once he uttered his compliance, she moved forward to meet him and there was a loud, dry thud as they came together. The force of Augur's body against hers sent her back a pace; he was much larger than she, and his momentum and force combined overpowered her easily. She snapped at the air; more in show than anything, as she broadened her stance, knowing she'd need every bit of stability to keep from being bowled over completely. 

She decided to check his speed and agility, by diving next for his tail. She tried to imagine him as a bison; large, and topheavy. But if she could get him to cross his feet as he spun, she might have a chance at catching him off-balance- if he didn't gore her first.

wolverine skidded back. augur watched her with an observant yellow eye as the girl recovered and swung for him again.

the girl's speed was more than his own. she nipped nimbly for his plume with an alacrity of which augur deeply approved.

but he was not hunt-leader for nothing; her shoulder was left unguarded and augur whirled with a graceful swiftness that belied his bulk, massive teeth clacking on open air as he struck toward wolverine, crowding her with a hard connection of his wide chest as well.

True motivation to challenge him for his rank likely would have fine-tuned her performance, but there was an art in sparring for fun, as well. Snapping for his tail had been more showmanship than anything- and had had the desired result. 

He moved toward her with the force of an avalanche, and overtook her as if she was no more than a sapling on the hillside. She was spun sideways when his broad chest hit her shoulder, and she coughed lightly, a sudden expulsion of breath from the abrupt strike. The snow was loose under her feet, which skidded sideways. She would whirl around to face him again- but would first direct a very intentional slap of her tail toward his broad muzzle.

it connected and the man fell back, jerking his face upright to avoid another.

augur chuckled a rumble and waved his own plume. perhaps the stinging gambit had put him into a more playful mood.

his yellow eyes brightened. he lunged at her, tongue lolling, seeking to trap wolverine between his heavy forelegs, chin tucked and eyes squinted lest she try the same move again.

it had been a good one.

The mountain boulder of a wolf seemed vincible- with just a smack of her tail she’d sent him back a pace, and she too paused to chuckle. It might not be a wise move to try on everyone, otherwise she might lose her pretty tail- but it’d worked against Augur. 

She crouched as he pounced her, and she dropped to the ground between his forelegs. She heard the snow crunch from his heavy feet on either side of her skull; she was struck by the macabre thought that if she’d had her head in the wrong place, it too might make a similar crunching sound.

Keeping her chin to her chest, Lilia rolled into her back, and reached up to try and grab him by his shoulders, to pull him closer- but Augur was a tall man, and he was out of reach. Instead, she decided to  rabbit-kick the man’s stomach, hoping it’d wind him and not force him to puke up his breakfast.

she whirled and twisted. her hindclaws raked at his belly. augur chuckled a rolling laugh and sought to pin her by simply descending upon wolverine with his weight!

would she hold him off? massive jaws nipped with restraint at her ears, her shoulders, her cheeks; all the while he kept up a playful snarling, allowing their teeth to clack together more than once.

and his tail swished wildly behind him at their antics!

Now she was in a tight spot. She'd skipped too many leg days to be able to bench press the weight of the much larger wolf, and wheezed dramatically as he descended upon her. She growled playfully, still trying to shove him off with futile kicks of her hind legs which were pinned between them. 

"Aughhhh!" She complained, through snickers of laughter. She flicked her head this way and that, trying unsuccessfully to avoid nips. His teeth pinched her ears just enough for her to nip back at him, in an attempt to ward him off. "Too FAT! Get offa me!" She wheezed.

augur laughed and pulled away, tongue lolling.

his yellow eyes were bright. 

he rumbled for wolverine to follow where he had made a cache some ways away. and there he would give her the thickly-marrowed bone of a deer.


with it she could do as she please: eat it or share among the others. but he meant to encourage her.

Lilia moved along, pausing to shake her pelt out and take a deep breath. For being the pack’s lead hunter, which was an important role, he certainly had a knack for also being an excellent teacher in other areas as well. He was never too severe, or too soft. In Augur and New Snow, she’d found a caring pair of balanced role models. 

Something she could aspire to be someday, too. 

But she was still immature in ways- and when she was presented with a heavy bone she accepted it with happy noises and licking chops, settling down onto the ground to begin gnawing away at the pale bone so she could chew through to the marrow.

fade? <3

he lay down to watch over her as she enjoyed the prize.

it was pleasant to be sought after as a teacher.

it was even more satisfying to know that his mentorship had paid off in many ways.

now he was content only to keep out a protective eye, allowing wolverine all the time she needed.

<3

She enjoyed her treat, even though she’d been overpowered in the spar. But it was through experiences such as this that she learned not to begrudge her opponent for their strength; many times she had been beaten, but it had always seemed as though food came as a peace offering afterwards. 

And while she gnawed the bone first, she turned it over to her mentor once she had tasted enough marrow to satisfy her loss, sharing with him in the wake of their spar.