Ouroboros Spine PACK ACTIVITY: remember all the roads

anyone going for the warden trade :)

The Epsilon made his way through the lands of Ouroboros Spine. There was no rain yet, but by the looks of thick clouds that covered the majority of the sky, he wouldn't be surprised if a storm started very soon. No weather, bad or good, was going to stop him from patrolling the borders though, he was a dutiful wolf, and it would be hard to wrench him away from doing what he was supposed to do. Not that he would even allow anyone to that, unless it was one of the leaders who was commanding him.

Arverk shrugged away the thoughts of his previous spars, he was doing well on earning the trades but his wanderlust had delayed him. It did not matter now, the aspiring warden did not plan on going anywhere too far for a long time. The pack needed him to secure the borders, especially now since Tonravik was becoming visibly more pregnant with each passing day.

He found the scat of foxes, and bore no interest in having them around. Those days were gone, and even the smallest of predators were not welcomed near the Spine, for they could pose a threat to the upcoming cubs. Arverk might have to chase away or kill those pesky animals, it was for the good of the pack after all, and those creatures brought no benefits to the wolves as far as he was concerned.

Kroc, like Arverk himself, was a creature of loyalty and hard work. Just the other day, the two of them had found each other outside of the Spine and traveled together to learn of the lands and ward off any of those who would venture near. They did what they could to protect and did it well. Together, with Tonravik, Iqniq, and all others who patrolled the borders, they would make sure no outsides gained entrance and if they did, they would follow up with a swift death.

Briefly, she hoped the Plains bitch had died of her wounds.

As the male had to her the other day, Nanuk chuffed a greeting, nipping his flank as she came closer. While they were not friends, they were pack mates and that bond ran stronger, in the Spine, than any friendship. She too, picked up the smell of foxes and her tail lashed, gold eyes flickering to her thrice-companion ”Shall we run the little fuckers out?” She asked, a faint grin curling the corners of her lips. She remembered the coyotes all too well and decided then that they would do the same here. Only wolves would be allowed to live off of the resources of the Spine.

Her head tilted, letting out a howl for all of the Spine to hear, inviting any around closer to aid them in their hunt-and-destroy mission.

Tatsuya was taking it easy today. And by easy, he was not so hasty in his patrols. The past couple of days have been busy so he wanted to take a breather. Unwind, maybe meditate, catch a nap...During his time here, he has not come across a single scourge to Tartok's own, so that was worth some chill time, yeah? Turning around to head to his den, Tatsuya started off with casual trot. On his way there, a howl echoed across Ouroboros Spine. Interest piqued at the intriguing address, Tatsuya turned around to advance towards Kroc and Arverk. By the time he was near the two, he was winded but he could taste, rather than smell, the foxes nearby. Hm. Could become a problem later. Drawing close to the polar bear and whale, Tatsuya knavishly kissed Kroc's cheek, ears folding as he did so. His tail was limp behind him, no longer arched over his spine. Hopefully that would appease her. Turning to Arverk, he assumed a more neutral stance. Neutrality aside, he sought to show he was pleased the whale was here by poking his wet nose at the corner of the whale's mouth. Now was not the time for disputes to break out.

“Do you think anybody else is coming...?” The question was directed at no one in particular, eyes panning out over the horizon. The canids were not discreet with their droppings, that's for sure.

A howl rang. Foxes? His ears turned, regarding Nanuk's call as he mentally filed through his recent patrols. He'd caught whiff of fox, or what he'd thought was fox not too long ago with Echelon... Curious that it would happen again, but not unlikely. The Spine made a habit of dropping corpses on their borders to leave a message. Unfortunately, that also drew other predators and foxes were not beneath eating whatever they could find.

He moved, scaling the heights of the Spine and descending towards the borders to join the group of wolves that was gathering to test this infestation. A group like this against foxes? Probably overkill, but it would be a good bonding experience either way.

"I think so," he murmured lightly as he breezed passed Tonravik's newest pet and approached the white wolf who'd summoned them here. "Who made this discovery?" He regarded the beta for a moment before his eyes peered over the wolves gathered. Arverk. Nanuk. Kapvik. One had scented. One had howled. He was curious as to whether they were one and the same, or if someone else had been hot on the trail.

Her original thought that the foxes would be of little trouble seemed to prove themselves wrong on that day; the call raised by Kroc drew her from a stream she had been splashing in and to the gathering with haste. Even before she closed in on the small group of amassing wolves, she picked up on the scent once more. Like the borders where she and Iqniq had covered the trail of a now not-so-recent kill, this smell was thick and common. A leftover from the days when the Spine had been lawless and allowed to grow stagnant, no doubt.

As the familiar figures of her pack-mates appeared through the rush of verdant hillsides, her pace slowed in her entrance. Echelon cast her gaze through the able bodies that had come, recognizing all but one of them. She briefly offered a flash of teeth towards Tatsuya, though this was in jest to their sparring in the past. Being cheeky couldn't have been helped as she pushed her way in, pressing against the bearish shape of Kroc where she halted. Inquisitively, the slighter-framed Echelon tested the air with budding impatience. Would they wait for another, or simply go? Idle hands were the devil's play things, and she was eager to taste some blood in lieu of chasing the wolves on the plains.

A soft chuff alerted the swarthy whale of another presence nearby, a brief flare of his nostrils told him that it was Kroc. He was beginning to like the silvery white Beta Female, how he had come to like the coarse and curt female was still a mystery to him but the strange thing was he didn't care to solve this one. Like or hate, they were still packmates and that made them family in the Roman's eyes, you didn't ask yourself if you liked or hated family, you accepted them for who they were.

Arverk made to lick Kroc's chin as she approached, shifting his posture to one that befit his rank and smiled knavishly at her words. There was no need for words, the grin and the glint in his eyes spoke volumes. He had been ready to chase of the little fuckers himself as Kroc so eloquently put it, and didn't mind if he had some help from his packmates. It would be a good bonding activity too, perhaps he would get to meet some Spine wolves he hadn't seen before.

The wolverine answered the call first, he attempted to kiss the polar bear's cheek before turning to the Roman with a neutral stance. The whale pulled back his black lips, flashing his fangs to the Zeta warningly for a brief second before accepting the nudge to the corner of his mouth with an amiable wave of his tail, showing that he too, was glad the wolverine was here despite the neutral stance he had assumed when facing the Roman. Arverk would not argue with the Zeta right this moment, now was not the time.

Iqniq came next, answering the wolverine's question with a murmur before asking a question which Arverk answered, "I did," he said, finding no reason to why he shouldn't tell the truth. Quickly after the golden Alpha arrived came a pitch black wolf with a patch of white on her chest, it was not a wolf he was familiar with but he was glad she was here at the sametime. More wolves didn't hurt.

Arverk sniffed the scat once more before he began moving forward to follow the trail.

Our impromptu Packtivity begins! Please get your replies in by July 5th! There is no posting order. Remember that to get EXP for this thread, you must post at least three times.

The wolves of the Spine responded quickly. She was proud for it, to be a part of Tartok once more, even if they were not all Tartok yet. Kapvik came and acknowledged her rank, something she did not push away at. Their brief struggle meant that if was to respect her rank, she would have to allow him to do so. Arverk's display had been similarly received before the dark one came to then. Iqniq came to answer the others question and she only nodded in agreement before turning eyes to the male she had first met here, knowing the implications of the question.  

As he responded, Echelon arrived and came up on Kroc's side, a gentle push of her shoulder against the other female's shoulder a silent acknowledgement of her presence. She was glad the coy wolf had returned. "Lead us, Arverk." Her words implied hat they would all follow him on this occasion. It was his find and this was a way to start assessing how the group would be able to work together. 

She moved to follow him, keeping track of the others around them and their actions.

Her impatience was met with Kroc telling this Arverk to lead them. Echelon's eyes focused on him coolly, now able to put a name to a face. She fell into step along with the others, lingering behind for a moment to count heads. Surely they had enough to take out a bunch of pesky foxes. In their progression, she kept close at Kroc's flank and quiet. Once they had come up upon them, it would not take much more than a firm signal for her to go rocketing ahead. Though the temptation to spur their movement onward was there — but she held off on the decision to try and antagonize her pack-mates here. That would come for later, perhaps.

Echelon was the last to arrive. He looked to her briefly before turning his gaze towards Arverk as he answered his question. Kroc stole the words from his mouth. "Mm," he murmured in agreement. He'd found the trail, he could lead them to victory too. Hopefully, he would prove to be more of a team player than the time when he'd tried to lead a hunt. He was looking forward to see what this wolf had learned during his time with them thus far.

With that, he moved, bumping his shoulder against Kroc's own as they all settled into pace behind the swarthy whale. He lowered his nose to the ground, scenting the earth here and there as they followed the trail.

Get your posts in by July 10th please!

As one, they moved to follow. She noted that the coywolf hung back a bit and that Kapvik was relatively silent. It seemed that everyone had gotten serious for this one, though she noted that the newest members of the pack were no shows. The fiery alpha's nudge was returned with a nip to the shoulder though her focus slid to Arverk as the musk of a skulk grew stronger with every step, watching for a signal, a sign. He needed to lead them; if he could not, she would usurp the control of the hunt from him. Time whittled down as they drew nearer and her ears twitched as the sounds gave off almost the exact location of the little intruders, her own muscles tensed as she held back the urge to simply barge in and begin the slaughter. 

They all moved forward, settling into pace with one another. Arverk was still in the lead. This was his discovery, this could be his hunt. After that, came Nanuk. He took position by her side, watching and waiting to see what their Beta might do if Arverk was still struggling with what it meant to truly lead an adventure of this kind. The swarthy whale had started this. Their white bear had summoned them all. Between the two of them, he was content to let both wolves demonstrate their talents and play a supporting role in this endeavor. They would all learn more of each other this way and, as with any pack activity, strengthen their bonds as pack mates.

Silence surrounded them. Foxes... They were no true predator of grown wolves, but with pups on the way they would take no risks. They would find their den site and flush them out. With any luck, those that lived there, were absent, and therefore unable to be eliminated at this time, would realize their proximity to the Spine was a hazard to their well being and clear out. Nevertheless, wherever they ended up would be frequent visit on his patrols in the near future.

More wolves gathered. Some spoke, one antagonized, and others remained silent. When Nanuk advised Arverk to lead, Tatsuya did not dispute it. Secretly, he was grateful to have someone other than Kroc, Kerosene or Echelon take the lead. Mostly because opportunities to lead – even happenings such as this – did not come often. The leaders lead, but the underlings were the heart of any pack. Without those pledged to you and yours, there would be no pack. There was only so much a band of misfits could accomplish. The Spine was no measly band. They were so much more. Pack mentality is a curious thing.

These thoughts were unforeseen and left him wondering where the hell they came from, so Tatsuya quietly twined through the bodies from time to time. More often than not he brought up the back. Their group crept closer to the foxes' domicile. Scent overrode sentiment and mentation, rushing to Arverk's side with silent steps. Unlike Nanuk, Kapvik had no design to arrogate. He stood by the whale's side as a soundless reminder that he was here – they were all here – as one unit. Dispersing could result in some of the little bastards slipping away were they not mindful. Perhaps Arverk knew this already...Nevertheless, he was there; a symbol of quiet assurance and tethered fervor.

Kroc spoke, saying for him to lead the group. Arverk nodded and began following the scent trail. Silence surrounded them, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the soft pawsteps of his packmates as they moved towards where the foxes currently were. Outwardly, the swarthy whale remained stoic but inwardly he was grinning happily at the opportunity to show them that he could be a team worker, that he could adapt to pack life, that he knew how to work with others.

A velvety ebony ear swiveled towards Tatsuya as he moved to his side, Arverk knew the wolverine was only there to remind him that he was there, that the whole pack as there, that they were to work as a team. That he already knew, but nevertheless the whale was glad for the silent reminder and quiet reassurance the fellow dark furred wolf gave him.

Once they were close enough, Arverk paused in his steps and flicked his tail, indicating that they should spread out and encircle the fox's den. The moment they were all in position, he would nod at all of them and then they would attack.

Next round ends on the 15th!

Fortunately, Arverk took point seamlessly. He did not hesitate in his temporarily-appointed position and with Kroc just behind him, they moved. Iqniq on one side and Echelon on her other, both of whom she jostled in a companionable way, plus Kapvik somewhere in the group (sorry, wasn't sure where he was!), they were sure to make quick work of these red-furred creatures. As long as they all listened, there would be no issue.

As he gave the signal, she moved as silently as such a large creature could, aiming to find the other entrance to the fox den, as they so famously had more than one way to escape. Her instinct was to signal to the others to search for any other den openings but this was not her hunt, but Arverk's. If he thought to do so, he would take care of it. 

Gold eyes focused on the den for a moment then lifted to peer at their lead hunter through the forest for the signal. 

Bridled was her desire to press forward with instance; Echelon held off until they had happened upon the warren in which the foxes had more or less laid their claim. Not too far along the outskirts, she was willing to note, yet too far to have been entirely from the branch that she and Iqniq had rustled through. Their steps had come to a slow halt, her own motion carrying her past Nanuq and bringing her in close enough to make out the sloping reaches of the den.

And when their leading hunter gave his signal for them to spread naturally from where they had gathered, she moved on. Only so far, and not before passing up the quiet Arverk and nipping roughly at his hide. Whether or not it was a gesture of goodwill or a simply suggestion of don't screw this up was anyone's guess, and she sure as hell wasn't going to indicate either way — her attention was now settled on what would come, and who would be the metaphoric firecracker in the midst of foxy haven.

Regard never wavered from the whale, knowing the time to strike was nearly upon them. His inaudible support received, Tatsuya allowed Arverk to rightfully conduct a few steps ahead of him. Wouldn't want to barge in on his earned moment. Tatsuya would not like it being done to him. Arverk would afford him the same courtesy if and when his time came, right?

Kroc, Kerosene and Echelon were behind them, appearing and disappearing from his peripheral vision. Would they view his sudden brush past them as insubordination? Tatsuya was focused on getting this task done and over with, not to step on anyone's toes.

A flick of Arverk's plume was all the incentive he needed to slow his gait and emphasize on remaining undetected to the vermin huddled within their earth. Dexterously he approached the left side of the opening, not daring to peek inside no matter how much he may have wanted to. Stock still, he stood there and waited for Arverk's signal. Ready when you are.

Echelon seemed more focused on the entrance he was guarding whilst Kroc was intent on rooting out possible escape routes. They were crafty creatures, after all; why have only one opening when you can have two or three? The entrance before them was obviously the main one due to sheer size. What of the others, if any? Volcanic eyes flicked back to Arverk, silently questioning: should I stay here? Or should I look for any exits they may have?

Arverk at point. Echelon, Nanuk and himself astride. Kapvik took the moment to step forward and a low growl of warning rumbled in Iqniq's chest. This was Arverk's find. He could lead, but the rest of them would fall into place as they were naturally sorted by rank and well earned respect. Kapvik hadn't earned any of that. Not with him.

A flick of Arverk's tail and they dropped into position. The swarthy whale lingered at the entrance with Kapvik watching over the main burrow. Echelon lingered in the area, but at a distance in case any fox slipped the grasp of the males guarding the fox's front door. Nanuk swung wider still, seeking out any additional entrance they might have created as an escape incase their primary passage failed them. Their spread was good.

Iqniq moved past the main bunch, nudging Arverk's flanks slightly in his approval before he fanned wider and nipped at Echelon's shoulder. She'd watch those two. He had no doubts her spunky disposition and quick wit could be fine tuned into important moments such as these.

He pressed onward, nose to the ground as he traced faint scents and spread wider to complement Nanuk's hunch of another exit. With both of them wide and the rest of their company positioned at the entrance, they were, in theory, primed for success. He searched the area for an escape, familiarizing himself with the immediate area, before turned his eyes towards Arverk; awaiting the signal.

At his signal, the Spine wolves spread out. A smoky black ear flicked towards Echelon's direction as she nipped roughly at his pelt, and the other towards the fiery Alpha but otherwise gave no indication he had even felt their touch. He watched as Kroc and Iqniq both fanned out in case the crafty creatures had another escape route which most likely they had. Good. The rest of the wolves, him, Echelon and the wolverine were stationed at the main entrance.

They were in good positions. Arverk noted the wolverine's unspoken question and shook his head. They had the burrow surrounded, Kapvik was good where he was. The fiery foxes wouldn't be able to escape their burrow alive. For a moment, he thanked the gods that the Spine was a smart bunch, because if they were stupid, him telling them to get into positions would be much much harder to do. And by the time everyone was in the right place, the foxes would already know they were there and sneakily evacuate their den.

Yes. He had made a right decision to join this pack.

Arverk's ears flicked forward and his nose twitched as he inhaled the thick scent of fox. Wait. Wait. Now! His tail flicked and he gave a nod, signalling the wolves to attack. His own muscles coiled as he sprang forward, ready to exterminate the creatures.

At the signal, Echelon held back for a moment as the assault began, eyes scanning through the mess of foliage and movement to spy out a flash of red. She sprang after the fox, trying to catch it as it came loose from another hole — presumably another exit. For as deft as she was, the fox moved just as swiftly to evade her grasp. What she did grasp was its tail, which frankly all that ended up being was more of a mouthful of fur snatched between her teeth.

She gave it chase, immediately trying to corral it and turn it back towards the waiting and active jaws of her pack-mates.

Woo everyone replied early! -starts next round- Get your posts in by the 20th please!

Having seperated from the group to cover a secondary entrance, Kroc knew none of what was going on now with the ranks; she had split away before Tatsuya had foolishly pushed forward, though she was still aware of it. He was proving himself to be a hassle more than anything, but her focus right now was elsewhere. Arverk gave the signal and they moved in, Kroc waiting those first few moments as the others tore at the main entrance. 

There, just as she had expected, came a bright red creature who moved like a sparrow; light, fluid, fast. Her teeth snapped once and brushed fur, just narrowly missing her target. Before she could try a second time, the creature shot back within the depths of it's den, yipping a chaotic chorus as it darted for Igniq's side. The tank, of course, barreled in after it and starting digging at the entrance to widen it.

Iqniq saw the brush past him as more of a challenge but Tatsuya did not see it as such. Tail neutral, head level with spine, bodice tense with excitement...what was there to get all huffy about? Any of his superiors could have easily did what he did: go to the front of their little squadron. Tatsuya would not have groused about it. Even now, Iqniq threatened to alert the skulk to their presence with his unneeded growls. If you draw their attention to us, it's your fault. Luckily, their quarry were oblivious to their to-be exterminators. Ah. At least we still have the element of surprise...

Arverk did what was expected of him, silently telling him that the wolverine's position was fine. Okay. Resuming his pensive stance, Tatsuya waited for the whale's awaited signal. Seconds ticked on by, the twitch of tail and nod of his head enough to make Tatsuya's lips peel back. He was ready. None of them would escape.

A fox slipped right on by the the wolverine and whale, tiny body slithering against the Zeta's leg. Damn! It was so quick Tatsuya was too slow in getting a hold of it. Wanting to chase after it, he stood his ground when he caught sight of Echelon going after their escaped prey. Good. He did not want to leave the entrance unattended. Even though the whale (presumably) was still there, these bastards were quick on their feet! Far too fast for Tatsuya to chase after. He was a weighty beast and that would ultimately slow him down. If anyone should be chasing after foxes, it should be Echelon. She was small enough to race after the buggers.

Not wanting to bombard her with any more fleeing foxes, Tatsuya turned to snatch up the fox she managed to corral their way. His jowls wrapped around it's midsection, he gave it a harsh shake before a satisfying crack! was heard. The creature's spine and part of it's rib cage gave way beneath the force of his bite, blood dripping from it's mouth. It was not yet dead but it would die in a few minutes; most of the organs inside of it had been ruptured and now it was unable to run. Discarding Echelon's masterful catch (it had been her target more than his own), it laid now upon the earth. Most likely begging to be put out of it's misery. The wolverine would not grant death. Maybe once this extermination was done (if it was still alive), but there was more foxes to get rid of and he was not about to let another slip past him. Turning back around to face the entrance, another fox was hauling ass towards them. I don't think so! He tripped the small critter, writhing uselessly on the ground to regain footing. Too late. Either Echelon or Arverk would get it, it's escape momentarily delayed.

He stood near the entrance to the hole he'd found and took guard over. Quiet, so as not to disturb the creatures within who might consider this an escape, he lingered down wind over the opening and took care to leave his area as a viable option for fleeing. He braced himself, readying his body for the assault to begin.

The signal was given. With Kroc in his peripheral, Iqniq watched for a moment as she snatched at a fox, missed, and promptly began to dig at her entrance. With three wolves at the main opening, he trusted they would get the job done and turned his focus back towards the hole he guarded. There. One emerged and he snatched it from behind, giving it a good shake and snapping it's neck before it could so much as yelp a warning to the rest of it's skulk.

He tossed the corpse aside and another soon followed. He did much the same with this second fox of his only this time he snagged it by the tail and tossed it into the air. He caught it by the skull and crushed it. Such small creatures didn't really stand a chance under wolven jaws. Nevertheless, as soon as those first two were taken out, he repositioned himself over the hole and began to dig. If anymore tried to escape, they'd meet his jaws. If not? At least he'd ruined their home.

rude animal incoming

The fox that she had been chasing after sprang ahead once again, only to cross through the path where all of them were gathered.  Her own attention was forced off of it when Tatsuya tripped another and she presumed they were trading foxes as she closed in quickly on the one that tried to regain its footing on the damp earth.

Echelon was on it in a matter of seconds, jaws wrapping around its strong neck and suffocating the life out of it.  Only the suffocation didn't come that quickly, for it were her own teeth that pierced through the skin.  Any cry it could have made was sealed off, and the tangy metal taste of blood found itself in her mouth.  It didn't thrash because she thrashed it herself, weakly swinging the critter that had gone limp in an instant before gaining the momentum to go a little faster.

It always went a little faster when the neck snapped, anyway.

Her morbid desire to thrash it was dropped just as soon as she released it, springing towards Iqniq and crashing into him.  He was digging furiously and goddamn she wanted in on that too.  Her feet were going long before she had fully righted herself, growling as she attempted to steal where he had tore through the earth already.  Perhaps if they opened that hole a bit more, she could snake down inside of it...

Gonna close this up since everyone has gotten their three posts in and we have BWP stuff to focus on! Thank you all for your participation! <3<3<3

She dug and dug and dug, her snarls loud and vicious as she did so. And finally, finally there was fur and flesh and flood filling her mouth. Drawing back from the den entrance, the bear furiously shook her head to snap its neck. At the same time the wolves of the Spine continued to tear at the skulk's hideout until they had killed every single last one. Their flesh simply snacks, the wolves "feasted" as they would before going to drop the remains at the borders to ward off outsiders from their borders. 

Thread fade.