Luneshale Pass But I'm writing this at 3 a.m.

It wasn't long after their initial meeting when Kemal went looking for @Disa. A few days, maybe.

She had put bison in his head, and damn did he like the sound of that. He thought he had seen a herd a few weeks back, and so long as they could grab one or two more pack members to bring along he thought the risk was well worth it for a meal that would last as long as a bison carcass.

He had thought to invite Leto or Leandros along, but found that both were gone. Leandros was presumably back to his deliveries, and he recalled Leto announcing a trip a day or two back. Maybe he would ask @Safiya to come with him, then. Take the puppies along too if they were up for it - only to observe of course; they were old enough to help on hunts now, but a bison would be a bit too dangerous.

Safiya was asked to go on a hunt. Bison. She didn't know this beast, but she was willing to see how it went. So she arrived to look to the male Kemal. And then around, were they the only two on the hunt? 

A small smile reserved for any of the pups that came along, but she hoped they would stay out of the way. She would not have them harmed on her watch if she could help it. 

Small,petite but fierce she waited. Singular eye on the horizon.

A few days into her new desert life, Disa woke up restless. Her body had become accustomed to always being just a little on edge, and the effect of packmates and territory on a system tuned for solo survival was a sudden craving for drama. Nothing extreme – she would settle for a tango with something that could kill her, and the desert had a lot of that to offer.

Scorpions everywhere rejoiced when Kemal called her to the hunt instead. Bison. Saliva flooded Disa's mouth at the mere thought, and she left shining ropes of it on the hot ground, there and gone in seconds, as she ran toward the day's expedition.

He was standing with a female that she had recognized by scent only – a slim, red-brown creature that turned out to be missing an eye. She would not be taking point if Disa had anything to say about it.

"The herd west of here?" the desert newcomer asked. She had intended the question for Kemal, but the crater in Safiya's pretty face kept pulling her attention. She wondered if her fur had hidden the blood.

"Big." Said absently. She was staring now. "Ambitious."

Delos can be skipped! He's just here to observe and pop in every so often with oo's and awe's

Delos came skipping to the group, unaware of the going-ons until Kemal leaned down to tell him about the hunt. He was eager to follow along, rump wiggling with clear excitement. He had never followed a real hunt before.

Usually he would have asked his mother for permission, but she was away on a trip. Who was he supposed to ask then? Apollo, Soto, Safiya? Maybe he would go without permission just this once.

Safiya joined him first, Kemal offering a respectful nod. Disa was next, and he couldn't help but offer her a slight smile; she seemed eager for the hunt, and given this was his attempt at a welcome he was glad. The West. He confirmed.

Safiya, have you met Disa? He asked, nodding towards the initiate. I brought her from the borders. Part of him was quite proud of his first invitee attempt, Kemal just had to hope that Disa wouldn't do anything to displease Soto and make a fool of him.

Little Delos came to see what was going on, and Kemal obliged him after a moment of hesitation. He wasn't sure if the boy was dense or deaf, but whatever it was he didn't seem to be the best listener. Kemal had considered bringing it up to Leto or Soto, but frankly he wasn't looking to get up close with the mother's pearly whites. Preparing to move off to the West, he gently nudged the boy to the centre of himself and the pair of women. Best to keep him close for now.

The other she wolf kept staring at Safiya's missing eye. So finally she turned and stared at her with it. Face locked down tight. Singular eye trained on the she wolf, if there had been an eye it also would have been on her face. 

Safiya spoke quietly. Steel edging her words, but polite enough. I haven't had the pleasure. I'm Safiya.

Ears twitched and turned. She sniffed. She took her gaze off of Disa to look to the pup at their feet and smile at him. Hey there Delos. Her voice warmer than it had been when she had spoken to Disa.

She looked back out to the herd. The one there on the far outside. Is limping.

Safiya met her stare instead of shrinking away, owning the hideous disfigurement. Disa could respect that. "Safiya," she repeated with a nod, and decided that she would make best effort to be friendly.

She gave the pup a curious look as the group moved off, wondering if he had the sense to stay out of the way. Bison could easily trample a grown wolf, and would turn a puppy into a red smear. Even the lame one that Safiya had selected as their target – a good spot.

"We'll need to lure it further away from the herd," Disa said, limbering up with a few deep stretches. "Harass it, disorient it. Go for the injured leg when it's worn down. I hope you all ate recently – this will take hours." Three wolves and one bison. It was wildly reckless, bordering on insane, and Disa could not have been happier.

If the next person wants to PP the majority of the hunt, go ahead! It would realistically take a very long time. Disa would be aggressive and very eager to do the killing. Highest roll gets it?

Disa: 8
Safiya: 8
Kemal: 9

Disa injury: 12 (the higher, the more serious)

Edit: Disa is getting a deep gash in her flank.

Kemal remained silent for the moment, pondering how they should approach the herd. Bison nearly always chose fight before flight.

Clicking his tongue, he began on his way down from where they stood to the West. He had invited the three of them to this rather reckless hunt, so he would take the lead on it. A patch of rocks close by is where he would have Delos wait and observe while the adults worked to take down the beast. Approaching herd, he had forgotten just how big bison could be; luckily their breeding season would not be until late summer, and this group was purely female considering that. He could see the matriarch further off in the center of where the herd grazed while the injured target, a younger cow, stood off to the side. Kemal knew that the bison could see them, that was the idea.

Stalking just out of reach of the injured female, Kemal let out a deep growl which he found responded with a grunt. She saw them now, and given this one's age she was likely willing to take chances. It wouldn't take much to entice her into chasing them, he just hoped they would get far enough from the herd that the rest wouldn't attack.

Jutting forward as though to nip at the legs of the beast, Kemal was quick to turn and run; unsurprisingly, the limping bison promptly charged after him.

Kemal rolled a three for his injury :) I'll have it happen in my next couple replies

Safiya rolled 2 for injury, and 6 for attack on bison. So I'll have her roll her ankle

Safiya went into attack mode once the bison began to run at them. She leapt up and snapped at its face and eyes bloodying it's nose. On her last leap down. She rolled her ankle. She winced but continued her depart and return. Being sure to stay out of the beasts big feet.

ooc]Disa is going to have to spend convalescing and doing druuuugsss.[/ooc]

Even a lame, elderly bison was a deadly threat, and for the first long leg of the hunt, the Verapaz wolves acted accordingly.

They harassed, nipped, scratched, and bolted – a hot, bloody dance on the sun-baked plain. They separated the animal from the group. They wore it down. Disa's tongue lolled out of the side of her mouth, slick and pink.

Safiya was the first to sustain an injury – a minor sprain, and she didn't let it stop her. Kemal, despite his size, continued to escape both hooves and horns.

Disa's patience ran out before her energy, and with it, her luck.

The bison was tired but still standing, its great head lowered in defense against its three assailants. Each time Disa went for its injured leg, she was forced to let go before her jaws could do any real damage.

Until she decided not to.

It happened fast. The initiate held on for a second longer, wrenched, hard – and heard a wet crunching sound before the world became a spinning blur. The creature roared and tumbled sideways, the integral machinery of its thick leg compromised. Disa was flung aside in the same moment, caught by horns, and sailed through the air alongside an arc of her own blood.

She hit the ground hard – and stayed down, sucking at the air, eyes wide with shock. The red rip in her flank shone wetly, a warning to her comrades. It was up to them to secure the feast.

Kemal spared a glance as Disa was thrown by the beast, reassurance to himself that she was still breathing. The moment of pause was a mistake however, giving a sudden movement from the injured bison a chance to startle Kemal - quick to scuttle back he landed poorly on his front left paw, holding back a cry to focus on the hunt.

The movement of the once limping creature now further limited by Disa's taken risk, Kemal was willing to take a risk of his own. Launching, he aimed to latch his jaws to the side of the bison's neck. Claws dug into flesh, and he eyed Safiya. The bison was almost down and done with now, wriggling but unable to stand; Disa was badly injured, Delos was too young.. if they wanted this to be a success, it was up to the two of them.

Rolled a 1

Safiya didn't know who was watching out for her. She hadn't known ever. But someone was, because she outpaced death yet again. She felt the wind from the beasts head and horns. It's hot breath on her face as she jumped and struck. 

Aimed for the side of his neck still bear. Fangs sunk deeply and she tore with a war cry. It fought death like a true warrior. But even it had to succumb. Safiya stood panting when it was done her red fur caked with blood and a wild look in her eye.

When it was done, the earth took its payment in blood. Great big swallows, feeding on the black liquid before it could pool. The air stilled. A heart stopped.

Disa could just about walk on three legs. She resigned herself to holding the back left aloft – using it pulled on the wound. Her pink flesh was on display in a thick wet line that bisected her thigh. It hurt. It bled. Not enough to kill her, but infection might.

The desert wolf hobbled towards the kill and her blood-soaked packmates. She flashed them both a stunned look.

"We did it," she panted, and let slip a high, somewhat crazed giggle. "We actually did it. A fully grown bison."

The thread-like bonds between them grew thicker. Became strings. Brought Disa closer to her ultimate goal.

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