Meadowlark Prairie Hit the ground

Open.

Burke wasn't often found outside of Black Feather, especially not lately with his children being quite demanding in a good way. If they weren't then Burke would question their health. The single father was currently scouting for bigger game to hunt for his pack. The Black Feather lands had their own type of deer, but they couldn't always hunt them. Their population would dwindle and then their main food source would be gone. The autumn winds tugged on his thick alaskan coat as he stood on one of the hills that looked over the prairie. 

Winter was nipping at their heels, the snows would fall soon and then their true hunting skills and endurance would be tested with the deep snows. The large tank of a male inhaled softly, his eyes falling on a small herd of bison. That could be something of use to them later. Hopefully they would stick around the prairie to be hunted on. Their skin would also be something they could use. Burke did need to consider if he had enough hunters skilled enough to go with him. He was deep in thought as he studied the small herd. In the distance he saw the shape of the Caldera. Briefly Burke wondered if his son was still hiding there or if he was less afraid to show his face outside the Caldera borders. These thoughts about Hunting and Sebastian were all much easier than to think about this deceased mate.

How many Mar threads can I have?

Carrots uses the prairie to his advantage.  He’d been there a few days now and no one had noticed yet.  He’d caught a few mice, a bird once, but beyond that it is slim pickings.  The days have gotten colder and he didn’t have a makeshift house to rely on this year.  He’d gotten picked up in the city, knocked out, and released away from the metal jungle.  Now, a few weeks later, he’s in the wild like his great ancestors, but he surely didn’t see it that way.  A few old ladies in his neighborhood left food out for him, if he’d been up for cereal, but there were plenty of plump rats at his disposal.  If anything, he’d lost a few pounds trying to fend for himself.

Fighting off other cats for his territory had been one thing.  The occasional German Shepherd that got loose every few weeks from the house four blocks down gave him a run for his money, but more times than not the dog nearly lost an eye with deadly claws swiping from the small crevice he’d fit himself into.

The wolf he spies upon a hill through the tall grass catches his attention and he slowly stalks forward.  The German Shepherd—Riggo—doesn’t come close into comparision to what this guy’s packing. 

The wind picks up a little and his dark ears cup forward, squinting his eyes and looks back to the wolf.

“If you build it, they will come.”

His words end on a heavy gust of wind, blowing his scent away from the wolf and ruffling the tall grasslands.  As they roll, Carrots takes off to the other side of the wolf, leaving the large canine pointed to where he’d been standing, and keeps himself tucked away into the tall grasses.

Haha, never too many I guess? :P

Burke kept looking out over the lands, the alpha had some thinking to do, but the point was that he disliked thinking about Meldresi. He had done so much for her and he missed her terribly. These thoughts about hunting and were certain herds were was only to keep himself mentally busy. The large male's attention was caught by the rusting of the grass. The grass wasn't too high anymore with autumn coming to an end. Soon all these grasses would be covered in a thick layer of snow. 

Burke tried to smell what was hiding in the grass, but it couldn't be anything bigger than a raccoon. He would have spotted a cougar. Burke believed he did saw something dark move through the grasses. A very bold raccoon then that was out on the open. Burke didn't think much of it. The words the critter spoke had gotten lost in the wind. The alpha male was not focussed on small game. He needed to feed his pack. He turned to walk back to Black Feather when he spotted the ... what was it? It looked like a mini cougar. Instantly Burke curled up his lips and raised his hackles.

The wolf didn’t respond to his words and when he looks up, he’s looking in his general direction.  The grass hadn’t worked to cover him up as much as he’d hoped for.  His dark fur didn’t blend all that well into dead  foliage around him.  He sinks lower to the ground and shuffles his rump back in an attempt to make himself look small to avoid being seen.

When Carrots settles into a thick patch of the tall grass, feeling hidden enough to be overlooked.  His claws did into the ground, clinging to the hard soil beneath him, ready to spring away.  After a moment, the feline relaxes just a little and inches back out of the thick patch of grass.  His legs are bent at the joint, just in case.

"You... can see me?" he asks with eyes widened, mimicking as much astonishment as he can muster.

Burke looked around for where the black thing was disappearing to. He wasn't sure what the thing was but if he was coming close to their lands he rather wanted to know about its kind and if he could kill it with ease. The black thing was gone now, hiding between the grass somewhere. It annoyed Burke heavily. "I can hear you now," he pointed out and turned to the voice. 

Then the massive wolf sniffed the air and moved around, that was until he was behind the cat and could suddenly smell him. Burke growled and charged forwards, wanting to chase the thing off at least out of its hiding to see what it was.

The plan didn’t work out as much as he’d like for it to because the wolf hadn’t seen him as much as he’d originally though.  His game plan is changed, though, because the wolf responds and only manages to get closer to his hiding spot.  "You're not supposed--" he begins, but trails off. Where Carrots stands just outside, he’d still been tucked away but soon he could hear tufts of air from sniffing and a growl.  There hadn’t been a lot of time to think, Carrots darts from his hiding spot with barely the fur on his tail. 

He doesn’t stop, criss crossing his path in the grass until he’s a comfortable distance away.

You can chase him if you want, haha.

Burke doesn't chase. xD

Burke looked up as a ball of black jumped out from the grasses. It didn't smell like anything he had before. It was like a mini cougar. He was mostly surprised, yet he also disliked cats and wanted them far away from his territory. The large male watched how the mini-cat dashed away from him. Burke stood where the cat jumped from the grasses. 

It ran in the right direction, away from Black Feather. Burke kept his pale eyes on the creature, wondering on what kind of abomination he had encountered now.