Moonspear wall of ice

Open! Maybe @Moriko bc we have not threaded for a while!!! But any can hop in~

 

Hydra moved through Moonspear at a rapid clip, tongue lolling as she followed the thin trail of prey; her mind raced with a great many things, but priority here and now remained to be securing some sort of meal for her subordinates. Some had recently had more than a decent meal, and for that Hydra felt thankful. Now was the time to get more; feed the rest, and a thin scent-trail became stronger each mile she pursued it. 

It motivated the tracker, who had by now become a master in her ability to track down game and herd movements. Persistent effort had led her this far, and she was closing in on what might feed them all; she paused upon the observation of a cloven imprint in the earth, nose pressing against it as she snuffled noisily to determine how recent it had been. It had not snowed heavily enough in the lower reaches of the Spear for it to have been covered in its entirety in recent days, and Hydra was able to discern that the scent was but a few days old. Lifting her head, the matriarch pressed onward with a huff, tongue lolling from her mouth.

Moriko was doing her daily wandering, observing small tricks and traps she had made and overall doing her rounds. She was in the middle of observing a small hole in the ground-possibly a rabbits or small animal of some sort before she turned around at a nearby noise. The rabbit wasnt home so she had lost her interest, so she turned it to the noise, who was Hydra. Interested, she began to approach, hoping to assist in anyway that she could. As she began to approach she soon realized. The smell..

That must be what she was going after. Moriko's noise twitched as she began to examine the trail of the smell as well. Hoping to also catch Hydra's attention.

Hydra was soon accompanied by the wild Moriko; indeed, the matriarch noticed her upon her arrival. She wheeled about, turning to meet Moriko only to turn 'round when she arrived to the womans hip. Join me, she invited, we may have a ways to go, though I feel it will be worth it. For every failure came a success; Moriko had been fed from their recent find, and perhaps soon @Katya Noir might be found along the way. When they found something they could call a hunt to order. 

With a twitch of her ear, Hydra thoughtfully called for @Dragomir. He was old enough to join the hunt, but she wondered how much he already knew of it; the matriarch could teach him as they picked their way along, should he be around to join them. As the note died, she looked to Moriko and gestured to the path ahead, beginning to move forward. With their own trail not at all obscured, she was certain Dragomir could follow their own fresh tracks. How have you been, Moriko? She inquired, with much interest. 

Tags for thoughts and invitation <3

:) couldn't resist!

Her head raised quickly to allow her ears to pivot toward the sound, listening as it traveled through the air and requested her immediate arrival. She moved promptly, turning in the direction that Hydra had called and closing in on the matriach who was traveling with the pale wolf she had met during the hunt of the dying doe--it had seemed to be only yesterday. "Hydra," she said as she approached, dipping her head with both greeting and respect and lowered her tail. "I hope you have room for one more to join..." she asked, wondering if the tantilizing scent had been the reason for Hydra's call. They would need numbers to bring down the hooved creature and Katya was more than prepared--and hungry--to help bring down anything. She addressed Moriko as well, giving the woman a smile as she moved toward the opposite side of Hydra to prepare for the hunt, she couldn't quite remember Moriko's name and in an effort to avoid any embarrassment the dark woman thought it best to wait for her company to introduce herself. "I'm Katya by the way..." she responded, in case the woman thought to introduce herself as well.

"I'm doing wonderful, I appreciate you asking." Moriko added happily as she continued to follow, watching as another wolf approached. When the newest memeber to the chase introduced herself, Moriko did the same.

"I'm Moriko- this is quite an- active introduction isn't it?" She jested lightly, raising both excitement for their hunt as well as trying to offer an ice breaker. Moriko was always pleased to meet others, and appreciated the gesture of the others introduction.

I am glad to hear it, Hydra rejoined in earnest. Katya joined swiftly enough, to Hydra's pleasure. As for her inquiry, the matriarch shook her head. No; if my nose has not misled me, we will need you here, she drawled, gaze shifting toward her. Hydra was an experienced enough hunter confident enough in taking down the prey with three, but the more the merrier as far as Hydra was concerned... and the better their odds, too.

Moriko's warm greeting toward Katya warmed the otherwise frigid woman, and Hydra hummed to that. Indeed, though the hunt always brought those running in it closer. Hydra looked forward to this aspect of it; she had meant it when she said Moonspear was family, and she hoped that in time Katya and Moriko both felt that way... if Moriko did not already. She understood there was a solid foundation of friendship built between herself and Arcturus; her brother saw potential in her that Hydra was inclined to believe in. Hydra, as she moved, moved her muzzle downward to sweep against the earth for any sign that their path ought to change... and, sensing this, Hydra shifted their course some. There will be some travel time, but the trail is not too old. We may be able to feed the pack with our find, Hydra informed, tail swaying behind her at the thought.

The woman gave her name, receiving Katya's in return. She was happy to be on this hunting expedition, it would give her the opportunity to prove herself to Hydra and further establish her position within the pack. Although she was grateful that in some aspect the dark woman saw a potential in Katya that would make her an asset to the pack, she would make it a point to show the others that this is where she belonged. She held a decently high rank for being a newcomer, even situated above those who had been in Moonspear longer than herself and it made her proud. She would continue to prove her worth and it only made it better that she would be able to show her talent to the alpha female. The fear of becoming a loner had become her driving force, she could not go back to scavenging, not with winter well upon them. She listened when Hydra welcomed her approach, smiling at the woman and she settled in stride with her comrades, lowering her head every so often to pick up the scent of prey. She followed when Hydra had suggested that they take a path that could lead them a ways away but judging from the scent, would be worth the travel and Katya found her stride quicken with anticipation of their find. It would be a prize worth bragging about.

Moriko's nose wiggled as she sniffed softly at the remark.

"There is also a possibility that the closer we get the more the physcial trail will become apparent." She added, gazing at her paws momentarily.

"I've noticed that as we've moved, the texture of the ground has changed." Her ear twitched as she spoke. "Visible prints should show up as we go further, as the ground ahead is becoming softer and more damp-"

Though she doubted that the scent trail would fail them, it always helped to have a visible path as well, espically when the animal itself wasn't currently visible.

"But I doubt your nose will fail us." She assured,smikring, determined and supporktive in her comrades hunting skills. She felt confident in herself and her pack.

Hydra listened to Moriko, head turning to her as she spoke. Her tail swayed to hear all that Moriko did, and Hydra drawled: all good observations. You have the makings of a tracker; is that something you have ever considered pursuing? She inquired, thinking aloud. In it they had a common interest if that was so; Hydra quite enjoyed the thought of it. Hydra could spend time with both Katya and Moriko knowing this, and the thought pleased her immensely. 

The compliment helped; Hydra was a vain woman, ever pleased to hear positive things of herself. Though she agreed with Moriko, it was to a point. It is quite keen, she said agreeably, but scent-trails can end when water is forded through; then it is wise to use your eyes for a sense of where it has gone, as you seem to know to do, she expressed, grinning then. Hydra, too, felt all the more confident in her subordinate for the knowledge unintentionally gained. 

She listened for any input from Katya given she had just joined them; Hydra continued to use her nose, the scent-trail blessedly growing stronger—each mile they gained the scent would strengthen. In Winter, wading through waters was difficult to do as even the rivers froze during this time of the year.

She listened without a word, her attention shifting between Moriko and her leader as they conversed about the prospect of finding prey. She turned her nose to the ground herself, sniffing in the scents around them as they walked. It would seem that the prey were on to them, moving in ways that would easily conceal their scents but three noses were better than one and the trio continued on the path of one that was no doubt slow and sickly--an easy target.

She found the silence that lingered between them awkward and felt that perhaps the women she was traveling with were waiting for her input, unfortunately she didn't have many but smiled all the same as calmness came over her. She wouldn't buckle beneath the weight of this meeting, not with Moriko watching. "The tracks are becoming more noticable indeed, it seems that this prey is not traveling alone." she had noticed more tracks, their scents different from each other but no doubt the same type of creature. "I think we may be able to at least capture the sicker of the two, but judging from the scents it still mature and probably seasoned, we should definitely play this safe." she was no stranger to the strength of prey, their hooves and horns could easily disable any wolf.

Moriko tilted her head up a bit, feeling proud momentarily.
"The thought never really crossed me- but if youre offering I'd be more than happy and interested-" She was definately containing her glee.

After responding to Hydra, Katya began to speak and she listened intently. She spoke like she knew what she was talking about, and definately did. Moriko listened to her words, letting them process in her head as tried to think of the best possible plan to move forward with. Her ear flickered. A lightbulb moment.

"You're correct, and if the two healthier are protecting the sick, they will probably be willing to defend it as well.."  She tilts her head in thought. "We need to isolate the weak one, get it away from its "guards" if you will.."

"Enraging them could possibly cause them to focus on attacking rather than protecting, but that would be too dangerous.. We could possibly use the weather and surroundings to our advantage-"

She pressed her paw into the snow- hard. It wasn't soft, and was still slightly hard, which meant there had to be areas nearby covered in ice- including water filled areas.

"I would mention maybe a plan to corner them- but they seem way to unpredictable in movement..-" The gears in her brain are turning.

Katya had a good observation herself; pleased to hear it, the Ostrega forged on. Indeed their prey did not seem to be alone—a good sign. Better than it had been in several months; as of late it had only seemed there was but one of them, and even when they lived there was not much left on it but for skin and bones. Enough to keep some of their pack going, at least. 

Moriko had good thoughts in mind, and Hydra nodded as she listened along. Silently, she considered their best course of action. Using our surroundings is a good thought, though the snow works against us, she thought aloud, withholding a sigh. Hydra did not mind the Winter when it came to temperatures and the like, though snow caused her to stick out like a sore thumb thanks to her inky furs. 

When we give chase, after a time exhaustion hits. The weak separate from the strong. We can harass and test and determine who among them is our target once they slow, she suggests, looking to Moriko and to Katya to see if they agreed. The scent was growing stronger; they should be upon their quarry soon.

It did not take too long for them to come across their quarry. They employed all that they had spoken of, and between the three skilled wolves were able to take down a sick, injured herdmember that was easy to pick off between them. Glad for it, Hydra called for the pack to partake and had her own fill firstly before leaving it to Moriko and Katya to dine themselves; first come, first serve before the pecking order came to establish itself. For her own part, Hydra circled in place about seven times before laying down and taking a restorative snooze, belly and heart both full. 

editing in a fader