Moonspear Arpeggio

Pack hunt activity! Short form, 3 rounds, 48hr long rounds. The next round will begin Thursday 2/9.
Prey is dall sheep.
Time: Dusk
Weather: mild, cold.

What was once Sialuk’s dream was now a reality and the numbers of Moonspear’s village seemed to grow by the day. First, there was Keen. Then, Argent. Other curious vagrants investigated their borders. Soon, more would arrive… but they wouldn’t be dispersals.

Moonspear would see her first children in a generation. Meerkat’s body changed as it grew new life and Njord felt an urgency to provide her with fresh, nutritious food.

But he was a coastal man displaced, unacquainted with the terrain. The scent of an unfamiliar prey species caught his attention. He followed its spoor… but judging by the size of its cloven prints, Njord knew it could not be taken down alone.

He howled for the others to join him, eager for a successful hunt.

Njord called for the pack and Argent responded with presence, large form of silver glinting in the bright of the snow as he sidled up alongside his companion. His eyes slid from the proud man to look upon what he sought—and with a flick of his tail, Argent awaited the arrival of more—eager to partake in the task that would surely bond the pack further and provide the much needed sustenance for the pregnant Meerkat.

Meerkat yawned as she wound along the path leading toward their new ulaq. It didn’t feel like theirs just yet, though she knew they would settle into in in time, fill it with their belongings and their lives. For now, it was outfitted only with the skin Sialuk had gifted them, which made it cozy if not homey.

She had just stepped inside when Njord’s call echoed off the mountaintop. Meerkat touched the edge of the soft skin a little wistfully and then ducked back out into the gloom of dusk. She would not hunt with them—she would only be a liability at this point in her pregnancy—but she would certainly show her face for solidarity.

There was an unfamiliar man with her husband when she arrived. Meerkat offered him a small smile as she sidled up beside Njord. She flanked her mate to face the wolf she didn’t know, resisting the urge to introduce herself or make small talk. They could socialize over their meal. For now, there was work to do.

Late to my own deadline, lol. Next round on monday 2/13

Njord licked his jowls as the sun went down. Dusk’s temperature dropped as the air grew cold and calm. The sound of footsteps crunching in the snow made the man’s ears swivel.

A wag of his red tail was offered when Argent arrived. Njord was pleased to see the man. He admired the quiet stoicism of the northerner and knew there was great strength hidden beneath his plush winter pelt – a wolf reminiscent of Kigipigak or Kaertok.

Meerkat was their Artemis – the hunting party’s good luck charm. Her eyes glimmered like wish-fulfilling copper pennies. The tempo of Njord’s tail increased and he gave his wife a rough kiss on the cheek, his engine already firing in anticipation of the hunt.

Argent inspected the trail. Njord gave the man a hearty bump to the shoulder before he broke into an efficient trot – let their pursuit begin.

@Argent, please continue the hunt's progress :D He can totally take over as lead hunter, if you'd like!

Njord was content when he and his wife appeared, Argent’s own icy eyes shifting over her, the trace of a welcoming smile pulling at his lips before the red-tailed man determined they would begin. No others showed—and Argent found a light frown storming his features only momentarily—feeding a she-wolf with child should be a top priority, but perhaps the gathering of them had been ill-timed.

Regardless, Njord’s spirit was not disheartened by it, and so Argent maintained his own good humor, eager to test the way his comrades and he could work with one another in what he considered a sacred manner of trust and bonding.

Snout to ground, he moved with hefty purpose—sheep would be their goal—made clear by the trail they followed. The wool was promising to line a family’s Ulaq with comfort, he imagined, and breaking to the left lightly, Argent’s eyes focused upon the distant herd, bleating softly to themselves, unaware that a pack would soon be testing their health and mettle.

Please feel free to skip her!

No one else came to join the effort, though neither man seemed discouraged for long. Meerkat’s brow furrowed, though. She didn’t want Njord and Argent taking unnecessary risks to fell prey for her. She thought of saying something but her mate’s enthusiastic smooch silenced her. Meerkat would just have to trust his judgment in this.

As the twosome began tracking nearer to their quarry, Meerkat fell back to search out a safe vantage point. She tucked herself out of the way there, bourbon eyes glittering in the gloom as she tracked the hunters’ progress.

Sorry for my delay!

The duo began to follow the trail of prints and scat through the conifers towards more rocky terrain. Njord took note of the chewed low bramble and sedge that the beasties dined upon. Eventually, he could hear a soft bleat and the crunching of snow… the seafarer looked to Argent and stopped.

Njord’s nose sampled the air. They were in an advantageous position downwind. Then, he caught sight of them… They were curious animals. Heatier than a deer with large, curved horns instead of antlers. Even from a distance, Njord could gauge the sheep’s deft proprioception as they easily maneuvered the mountain’s turf. Surely, if they succeed it wouldn’t be an easy kill.

The seafarer passed a knowing glance to his hunting companion and broke away. They would approach their quarry in a two-pronged attack – let the weak or infirm find themselves ousted.

Njord settled nearby in young cover. Time passed… the sheep meandered closely. Now!

Njord exploded from his hiding place with a bang. The sheep startled at the ambush. His eyes scanned them as he loped… looking for the one who would become their target.

He and Njord worked with minimal effort at their task. An age-old tradition that Argent did understand was the hunt—and so when the Gamma bounded forward to the flurry of surprised sheep, Argent veered slightly away from him, keeping in time with the man and also testing the strength and nervousness of the herd they found.

One would be sick—or wounded. He was sure of it—and soon enough, his nose would scent the creature before his eyes would fall upon it. A sheep that was far more skitterish than the rest as the two wove amongst them—it’s bleating more strained than the others—weaker.

His eyes would glance sharply up to Njord, his muscles coiling in preparation as he circled closer to the weaker one, awaiting Njord’s judgement—for this would feed his wife and the future that rest in her belly—he should have the final say on what they selected.

They were a good team.

Njord understood Argent’s assessment and exchanged his glace with a quick nod of his chin. His body bowed as he careened towards their quarry, target decided, as his red tail swung behind him for counterbalance.

The sheep’s agility surprised Njord. Though they were not as fast as a deer, they were at least three times more nimble. Yet, despite its dexterity, their mark was not well enough to escape its predator’s grasp.

Njord lunged! The sheep kicked and bucked and made the man reel back.

He fell back for only a moment and collected his energy.

Then, he sprang again. His teeth locked down onto the sheep’s lower leg. Njord dug his heels in and became an anchor, pulling the sheep down with all his might. Now disabled, the seafarer knew Argent would come in with the killing bite and end their chase.

In tandem, they worked. Njord was upon the beast with a precision to be envied. Argent took to the other side of their chosen, looking to overthrow the balking creature or a moment when a true injury could be given—every s often, his teeth grazing to inspire the beast to stumble.

Njord would lunge first—the sheep kicked back and Argent gave pause only a moment, eyes seeking his companion and ensuring he was fine. When the Gamma was back upon the sheep, Argent took advantage as well—the leg pull from his comrade served the perfect opening for the silver wolf to sweep forward, jaws agape. Horns only grazed his cheek in the beast’s final plea for life as it bucked back, though he remained undeterred as he took hold the delicate flesh of the sheep’s neck—delivering a crushing blow to end it’s suffering as quickly as he could.

Last from me!

Njord counter-weighted the sheep as it struggled against Argent’s killing vice. Though it was their best target, the animal still had considerable strength. Tomorrow, Njord muscles would be sore from the effort!

But it would all be worth the effort… Eventually, their prey succumbed and stopped moving completely.

Large puffs of stream furled from Njord’s maw like smoke and a broad smile painted his maw.

“We did it!” he crowed, a bit surprised that they had actually pulled it off. A victory for their new pack.

Njord howled for the rest of the pack, and Meerkat together, but wasted no time to begin butchering their kill – there would be plenty to go around!

Not long after she found a place to sit and spectate, the two hunters moved out of view. Meerkat was too tired to keep up with them, so she settled down to wait. She let herself drowse, feeling only a little guilty for catching a nap while her husband and his cohort went to the effort of capturing supper.

Her eyes popped open at Njord’s call. With a small grunt, Meerkat hoisted herself off the ground and began walking toward the sound of her mate’s voice. Soon enough, the smell of blood lured her in like a fish caught on a line. She arrived on the scene to find her husband tearing into the slain sheep.

Well done, Meerkat said with a wave of her tail, eyes seeking both Njord and Argent in the gloom.

With their permission, she would move closer and help herself to some warm mutton. Meerkat would eat her fill here at the site, then perhaps carry some leftovers back to cache near the new ulaq.

I wanted to toss in a conclusion for her too. :)