Ocean's Breath Plateau call of the wild

Kitimat was stalking a seagull.

Well, seagulls, plural.

Well, actually, sanderlings, but it wasn't as if the boy knew the difference.

They were gathered in a flock, pecking away at the various critters that washed up on the beach. When the waves came in, they'd scatter together, running to avoid the surf. They continued this zig-zag pattern, coming closer and closer to the young wolf in the tall grass.

He hunkered down further, trying to keep his tail still despite the thrill of the hunt. 

Just a few paces more. . .

She had ventured out a ways from her den site, since she was old enough to do so. She was the bravest out of the morningbreeze siblings, and wanted to explore the shore.

She was on her own, for the first time….

She spotted birds, many birds lined along the shore. Did they leave behind feathers? Just for her? They were a noisy bunch, so she decided to slink closer.

As she was gaining on the bunch the birds scattered, and revealed a small figured. A pup, just like her! She stopped, and watched him. Was this child practicing hunting skills?

Ponderosa had ventured, not too far from home, once again. She was turning out to be quite the tracker, although this wasn’t something she had thought deeply about. It was simply something that came naturally, and that led her to the owner of the scent trail she had been following. She could barely see this being’s body, but the pale coat stuck out from its hiding spot in the tall sea grass.

It was stalking something, creatures she didn’t see, but she hunkered down herself, creeping closer to him. The wind blew up from the beach, so she was downwind of the other hunter. The hunter was being hunted….

As focused as he was on the gulls, he was completely unaware the two sisters were lurking nearby. He hunkered lower, ready to pounce, having identified his target (AKA the nearest bird; he was not versed in strategy as of yet).

And then lurched forward.

Before he could make good on his hunt, the sanderlings scattered to the skies, tittering in their wake. They landed a short distance nearby, though far enough from him that there was no chance of him making another stealth attack.

He'd have to cross the open beach to get to them, and he knew he'd bungled his one and only attempt.

Feeling very cross, Kitimat spit out a few wing feathers clinging to his tongue and pouted a bit, stomping out of the grass and onto the sand. Something had startled them. Was it him?

It wasn’t until the young pup lurched forward, making his move, that she moved from her hiding spot. Something had spooked those birds, whether it was the other youth or not, and she wanted to find out. When she stood up, she lifted her nose to the wind, catching a familiar scent: Silvertip, her sister. Her tail instinctively began to sway gently as she looked for her sister, scrapping the thought of trailing the bird hunter.

“Silver!” She yelped, catching Silvertip in her sight. “You’re exploring too?” She moved to her sister, rubbing up against her silver, black and white body. “We need to find out who this is. He’s an intruder.” Her face turned to a serious, yet playful expression. ‘Rosa whispered as she looked towards the pale youth out on the sand.

In response to being jumped by Rosa, the OP (kitimat) says it’s okay to go out of post order. Permission was given. :) It feels weird, so we’ll resume post order after Kitimat replies.

Rosa jumped from her hiding spot and called her name, she turned around shocked briefly. “Hi Rosa!” Her tail was swaying gently too now and she accepted her sister’s affectionate body rub, she herself returned it by a lick of the face. “Yes!”

Her sister whispered to her, “Why intruder? Is this beach not for everyone?” The boy is pup, just like we are. He might be playing too.” She spotted some feathers out of the corner of her eye, but decided on collecting them later. There was a greater, more curious task at hand right now.

His ears swiveled, taking in brief murmurs upwind. Still smarting from the unsuccessful hunt, he left his position and moved toward the source of the sound, heedless of any noise he caused in the interim.

Thus, he came upon two girls, just a moon or so older than he was.

Hmm? Kitty asked in inquiry, brow furrowed. As far as he was concerned, these gals were the reason he'd lost his quarry, and he was not inclined to give them any kind of grace.

She turned around, with a quiet gasp. It was him…. He had found them.

Realizing what she had done, she put her ears back, she had scared the boys quarry. All she could say was, “I am sorry, were you hunting the birds?” He looked serious for a child his age, which was similar to their own.

She glanced at Rosa one minute, what would she say? She knew Rosa was shy at first, and probably had followed her out here.

She looked around briefly, they were now farther from the densite. Down the beach now. Would father find out? Would mother be displeased?

When it came to strangers, Ponderosa spoke little, reserving her many thoughts and ideas with her kin. When the young boy gave a hmm, Silvertip spoke openly. She also noticed her sister’s ears had fallen back, this was because they were the reason the birds scattered, and the boy lost his prey. 

“We’re sorry.” Was just about all Rosa said, “Are you a loner?”

He looked at the first girl as if she was missing a brain to go along with that tongue. Duh, his face read as he nodded, still scowling a bit. Her markings reminded him a bit of Mother.

The second girl, much darker-pelted, spoke up as well. Loner? His ears swiveled, unsure of how to respond.

I'm Kitty-mat, he replied. Not A-Loner.

Kitimat was frustrated enough to walk away just then, but curiosity in the two youngsters kept him put. He looked between the pair, tail moving like a slow metronome at his hocks.

You hunt? he asked.