Ankyra Sound [m] dirty laundry

@Pantaleimon, maybe? Or anybody who doesn't mind a slow & steady poster.

Spyridon knew of the goings on with the other packs, though he did not partake in Caiaphas's plots and ploys. Instead, the Epivitoras busied himself with patrolling the borders, helping Aella with her recovery, keeping track of the moon and tides, and ensuring that their caches were full. Presently, he was doing the latter, tracking down a straggling elk that had wandered into the Megalith Forest.

Sea-green eyes sought out the creature, stalking it using all the instinct and learning he had gathered throughout his life. The creature was bleating, calling out for its kin, but they had long abandoned him. Hopefully, another of Spyro's comrades would hear the ungulate's call and aid him in bringing it down. Until then, Spyridon kept it corralled in a small section of the forest, making sure it couldn't retreat.

i assumed they were briefly introduced before this c:

Pantaleimon had spent her first days in Ankyra Sound around the beach, making sure that she was surrounded by the salty scents of home. The three-year-old Consort was just settling in and trying to get to know the various wolves that made the place their home.

Today Pantaleimon was laying around the Sound's forest when she heard the bleat of a lone elk in trouble. Pantaleimon got on her feet and started to trot towards the place she'd heard the call from. There Pantaleimon noticed Spyridon, whom she had met briefly upon her acceptance. Pantaleimon was not sure that it was safe to take it down with just the two of them, but she would try if Spyridon would think it so; Pan waited hesitantly for Spyridon to either make the first move or wait for more of the Sound's wolves to come to their aid.

Popping in for naturalist!

Though the beach may have been a beautiful sight, the bastard found himself at home in the wood under the great sequoia trees. The Megalith Forest was the mangy rascal's element. It's beautiful complexities sprawled before him like the pages of a book, ready to be read. Ready to pour it's secrets out to those willing to look.

The sound of the elk's cries were faint, but it was obvious to the bastard that the thing was injured. Just waiting to be taken down. The hungry wretch salivated at the thought. Food... his one true God. Though, it's blessings were hardly bountiful this winter; causing the once stocky wolf's own body to turn on him, leaving him skeletal, sickly, and gaunt. The bastard's sunken eyes laid transfixed upon the crooked trail of awkward hoof-prints before him. It's footsteps were forced, scattered, and haphazard. An easy kill. Droplets of crimson blood dotted the vegetation. So fresh. So ready.

Another cry in the silence, this time much closer. Reek's ears perked as he looked up, listening for the source. The inky-wolf and the newbie were fresh on the trail too it seemed. The more the merrier. Reek nodded to Spyridon wordlessly (though it wouldn't make any difference due to the language barrier) and pointed at the bloodtrail and hoof prints. "Close," he whispered to the two in a hushed undertone with a devilish grin. Close indeed.

Thanks for joining, you two. :)

Spyridon wasn't sure when the elk had gained the additional injury, but he too caught the scent of blood. It would only make things easier for them to take down the thing, as was the way of the world. Pan, a newer (yet thankfully sea-aware) wolf joined him first, followed by one he did not know. Much like himself, Pan had been sent by another faction of sea sisters, and he had grown up in the world that Spyridon had always known, even if it was miles and miles apart. They had been born into the same culture, and Spyro was happy for that. It meant there was less to teach him, less to worry about.

The other male that had joined them was... more complicated. Like many of the consorts, he lacked the language of the sea. When he muttered a word, Spyro gave him a puzzled look, then began the hunt as he had intended to. With his muzzle, the Epivitoras pointed the newcomer to the left, then to Pan spoke a soft, "Μείνετε εδώ. Θα ξέρετε πότε να σπάσει." Spyro intended to trick the elk into believing that only two wolves were after her. Once that was achieved, Pan could rush the creature and let her know that she'd been had.

Spyridon gave the newcomer a glance, then began to trot toward the bleating creature, head low and eyes locked on the prize. His hunting partner would have to work mainly on instinct and body language, seeing as they could not hope to shout commands at one another. Spyridon had always worked better without words, anyway, so it was no loss for him. As they neared the creature, he began to speed up his pace, glancing briefly to Reek to make sure he was in position. Hopefully, they could herd the creature back toward Pan and make the kill.

A third male joined them, and he seemed eager for the hunt. Pantaleimon waited for instructions from Spyridon, who was in charge of this hunt — for he was highest in rank, longest in this pack and had found the wounded elk. The third male said something, one word, but Pantaleimon did not bother to translate it, for it was not significant enough to waste time on.

Upon Spyridon's instructions, Pantaleimon nodded. She stayed in place, keeping hidden and waiting in silence, while Spyridon went one way and, so Pantaleimon assumed, the other male would go the other way, as directed by Spyridon.

The language of the sea was an enigma to the raggedy wolf. Like an indecipherable wartime code, held high over his head like the great sequoias towering above, waiting to be cracked and subsequently solved. One great big puzzle to decrypt. The language in itself was beautiful, but the syllables all ran together, giving it the likeness of some sort of seaside gibberish. Making it near impossible to isolate and decode. The bastard's brilliant mind was sufficiently racked as he stared vacantly at Spyridon. But the inky wolf looked just as confused as Reek felt. Communication breakdown.

Luckily, Spyridon would be a great charades partner. His body language made the situation perfectly clear when he pointed left with his muzzle, motioning the bastard to take position. Reek nodded to Spyridon as he silently took the left flank. Pantaleimon had already set up in the brush all stealth like. Game on. The bastard's eyes stayed glued to the dark wolf, waiting patiently for the next move.

With Reek hot on his heels, and Pan awaiting the creature to come toward him, Spyridon made a wide circle around the elk. Only when their prey was between himself and Pan did he begin to quicken his pace, strides becoming longer and faster as he began to rush at the hooved ungulate. He flashed several glances to Reek, but most of what he expected of his fellow consort was based on instinct and ritual, not on words or instructions.

Spyro drew closer and closer, pushing the elk in Pan's general direction while nipping at his prey's hocks. The Epivitoras caught tuft of fur in his mouth with his most recent nip to the elk's haunch, and it bleated loudly in protest.

Figured I'd post before Pants, seeing that it would make more sense to in the situation. Don't mean to screw up post order and such!

Spyridon had made a large semi circle around the injured elk while Reek held his ground at his left flank, waiting patiently for a signal to move. The trap had been set and the jigsaw fell into place as the elk came into direct alignment with the hiding Pantaleimon. The inky wolf's movement grew quicker as he flashed Reek a quick glance. Time to move.

Reek bounded toward the injured elk's side with fervor as he tried to block it's only route of escape and guide it's movement into Pantaleimon, who lied in in wait for the beast to cross his path. The Epivitoras had already sunk his teeth into the trapped animal's haunch. It was only a matter of time before she was brought down.

Pantaleimon lay in wait quietly, feeling nervous. She wasn't a master hunter, though she wished to improve. It wasn't that instinct was lacking, but mostly that Pantaleimon had the tendency to get all up in her own head and the fact she was generally insecure that broke her up in these moments. Pantaleimon shifted her weight from paw to paw while she waited, her heart racing in her throat as she watched the two dark Consorts dash forward.

Pantaleimon watched as Spyridon set his teeth in the creature's neck and funnel it towards Pantaleimon. Not sure until when to wait, Pantaleimon dashed forward as the creature came closer. Her heart pounded in her throat as she saw the hooves come close, but luckily the creature stopped before it reached Pan, startled by the sudden appearance of the third wolf. Since Pantaleimon was in front of the creature she could not reach its neck without reaching the flailing hooves, so she hoped that in the moment it stopped due to the sudden appearance of the third wolf, Reek and Spyridon would be able to get it and end its life, now that it had no more escape routes, while Pantaleimon kept its dangerous hooves busy.

Mature Content Warning

This thread has been marked as mature. By reading and/or participating in this thread, you acknowledge that you are of age or have permission from your parents to do so.

The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: Graphic death of an elk.

One more post from each of you should do it! Thanks so much for the thread. ^__^

The bleating creature continued, though she was stopped short at the sign of Pan, who had done his job well. Releasing his grip from the beast's haunch, Spyro moved in for the kill, grasping the elk's jugular with large, meaty jaws. Their prey continued to struggle, right up until her very last breath and heartbeat, but Spyridon held true until the light went out of her eyes. Considering Spyro's place was above the other two, he growl defensively to push them away from the kill. He would eat first, they could fight over the right to eat second, and the rest would be saved for the sirens.

Spyridon tore at the meat, demolishing a good portion of the elk and swallowing large chunks of its flesh. Only when he could no longer stomach another bite did he cease his occasional displays of dominance and growls to the others. He backed away, finally, and laid down a few yards away, licking his chops and paws clean of the blood and mess leftover from the feast.

The poor thing had a lot of fight in her, injured or not... Reek could respect that, but food was food.  The haggard wolf watched with eager eyes as Spyridon sunk his teeth deep into the throat of the bucking elk. She bucked and brawled to no avail.  Game over.  She continued to flail about but she was bleeding profusely as the inky wolf had cut through her superior vena cava with ease, like a hot knife through butter, leaving the bleating animal to bleed out.  She faded fast as she crashed to the ground. Eyes dull and lifeless.  

Reek backed away as Spyridon claimed first dibs on the kill.  The skeletal wolf nodded to him while he slowly backed away.  The inky wolf had brought her down, it was only natural... plus, the bastard was in no place to challenge rank.  He waited patiently alongside Pantaleimon until the Epivitoras had had his fill.  When he had finished, the bastard approached the fresh kill as he motioned for Pantaleimon to follow him.  A wordless display, as if to say you eat with me.  The ragged wolf tore into the flesh of the elk, ripping out large chunks of meat in a mindless flurry and throwing them down his throat without chewing.  Quickly he collapsed with a full stomach a few yards away, ready to drag it back to the cache.  

Pantaleimon was glad when the elk finally fell, and she was no longer in risk of the flailing hooves in her face. Pan took a step towards the elk, but quickly backed off with tail between legs and head low when Spyridon showed that she was not welcome nearby. Pantaleimon waited alongside Reek in silence while Spyridon eat, until he stepped away and visibly allowed space for either Reek or Pantaleimon to step in.

Considering she was lowest in rank, Pantaleimon waited at first, but when Reek stepped forward to eat, he gestured at Pan to join him. Pantaleimon hesitantly followed to join by Reek's side and started to eat, careful bite after careful bite, until she had her fill. They could store the rest, or offer it to the Sirens, so that the rest of the pack would be able to eat off this too.

thanks for the thread, i'll archive