Redhawk Caldera steady and hold tight

hoping for @Whip since we haven't threaded yet? :D

Things were looking pretty bleak and Eljay felt jittery thinking about how badly he needed to find food. He had already been not that good at hunting, even though he'd caught a thing or two after his initial catch of the rabbit, but now that there was so little food around it was practically impossible for him to catch anything. It made him feel small and useless, like he was just taking up space that mommy needed to be healthy throughout her pregnancy with.

Perhaps he should've been hunting, but Eljay decided to drop by the pups instead today. He brought a scruffy-looking piece of fox, a mangled-looking forepaw that he'd had for a while. It wasn't too pretty, but maybe the pups would like to play with it. Especially considering the situation they were in, the earlier the pups learned to hone their hunting instincts, the better, he imagined. And so Eljay set out towards the rendezvous site, hoping to catch one or more pups there.

The famine had taken its toll on Whip: both physically and psychologically. This gnawing hunger, the pain, the yearning for sustenance -- it twisted his mind in such a way that the pup's burgeoning predatory intinct was shoved to the forefront of his personality. This would have been fine if Whip had an outlet and could hunt like a proper adult. He ate what was provided to him and his siblings, but it was hardly enough. Chained by the trappings of youth, Whip was unable to change his situation. It frustrated the child to no bounds.

With every passing day Whip's hunger grew, and in turn, so did his aggression. Passing murmurs in his stomach became growls, and soon it twistied into painful knots. While once warm and friendly, Whip soon found himself increasingly angry, snippy, and snide with an empty stomach. 

Remaining near the rendezvous site (as he was too scared to venture away after the swarm), Whip turned at the dust with his tiny muzzle in the hopes that he would turn up one of the locusts that had stripped the land bare. They tasted foul, but Whip would eat anything if it meant quelling the pain in his stomach. He found nothing.

However, he soon caught a combination of scents as the breeze turned in his direction. Eljay -- and something else. He pulled his face from the ground and perked his ears forward in the direction of the approaching youth. In his mouth, Whip saw the limp body of a fox and his mouth began to salivate. This would be his prize -- somehow the fox woul be his.

As Eljay approached, Whip simply stared: eyes glued tightly to the fox he carried.

The piece of fox Eljay carried didn't really have much flesh left on it, and what was on there was gross and old. Yet it might serve its use as practise material, since its scent would surely rile up the pups' instincts. Eljay's tail wagged slowly as he saw Whip around the rendezvous site, glad to find one of the pups there. He noted that he instantly had Whip's attention, and Eljay approached and then put down the piece of mangled fox paw he carried to greet Whip.

"Hey lil' buddy!" Eljay said with a soft smile. "I brought something for you to play with." He sat down on the ground and watched Whip with anticipation, hoping he'd like the gift.

Sorry for the long wait on this!

As Eljay approached and Whip was able to more clearly inspect the prize he carried, he couldn't help but feel a flare of dissapointment flare in his breast. Initially, he had believed it to be so much more, but now the smell of rot assailed his nostrils. However, this small morsel, while not what he had initially believed, still begged Whip's undivided attention. His eyes remained glued to his older cousin and the prize he carried.

He settled, dropping the mangled forelimb in front of his feet. Whip's eyes followed in earnest. Was he trying to taunt him? He wondered. The hair on Whip's back began to bristle and rise, but his hackles soon smoothed when the youth offered the paw over. His eyes brightened and his threadbare body wriggled with excitement. 

As quick as he could, Whip snatched the fox's forepaw in his jaws and brought it in close, cradling it in his own forelimbs. "Thank," he said, tail wagging as he gnawed on his new toy.

Eljay did not really understand why Whip seemed to be upset for a little bit and then settled down as soon as he handed over the gift. Then again, he could understand why the pups were tense considering the circumstances. He gave them all he could but the food just wasn't enough... Eljay's tail wagged gently when Whip settled down and looked at his gift.

A soft smile danced on Eljay's face, breaking the mould of worry that he had carried so far, when Whip grabbed the fox paw and cradled it close to his chest. He looked so adorable. "I used to play with this when I was little," Eljay explained to the boy. "And now I want you to have it so you always got someone... or something." It had been a sort of replacement for the siblings he did not have for Eljay, and while Whip didn't need that, it was still nice to have things for oneself. Always have something nearby. Eljay was becoming a big boy and so he shouldn't need it any longer.

The sentiment of his cousin's words was lost on Whip. He was much too young to understand an abstract concept like loneliness. It was a feeling he had yet to experiance -- he had daddy, mommy, and all his siblings to keep him company. Whip did, however, understand gratitude. His body writhed and wriggled happlily as he chewed his new toy. Though it may not have been the same exuberant reaction he had when his father brought food, Whip was excited all the same. "S'good," mumbled the boy with his mouth full. 

He gnawed only for a short while -- his attention span was still that of a small child. Carefully, he pushed his toy aside to be collected later and he moved his tiny, malnourished body forward. "You play?" He asked. A brief smile flitted across Whip's gaunt features. Dipping his front end down low into a play bow, Whip's butt was left standing straight in the air where it swayed from side to side.

Eljay beamed a smile at Whip, his tail batting the ground cheerfully, as he said that the toy was good after giving it a test run of sorts. Eljay watched the little boy as he decided to put the toy to the side and invited Eljay for some play. "Of course I play," Eljay said softly and he lowered his own rump to the ground, butt swaying in the air. Eljay batted the ground in front of him with his paw and let out a curt woof in invitation to Whip, hoping the boy would make the first move.

He wriggled and writhed in place for a moment after Eljay's reciprocation, and without further warning, Whip sprung forward. With his mouth hanging wide open with joy and forepaws outstretched in front of him, he lunged into the other boy incredible force -- that is, as much as his thin, scrappy puppy body could muster (which was hardly anything). 

It was his intention to make purchase on his cousin and hold tight. Being young, Whip misinterpreted his size and hoped to pull his friend into a roll.

It was a pleasant surprise when Whip's first move was both full of energy and excitement as well as going so high up. Eljay wasn't sure what he was trying to do, but as he usually did with the pups, Eljay let himself fall to the ground in the direction Whip's attack would have carried him had he a bit more size and strength, easily defeated.

"Oof, you're so good!" Eljay called out and he started to bat his paws in Whip's direction, feigning to try and fend him off or launch some counterattacks, while he was still with his back to the ground.

Wanna fade this one out and have another soon Iris? I haven't been giving Whip enough love :P

His puppy-teeth took hold and Eljay, surprisingly, tumbled to the ground. Though it had been intentional, Whip had no clue. To him, he was the mighty hunter, victorious in his assault. And so, Whip tumbled down along with his cousin, smiling and laughing all the way. 

His attack did not end there. "Yaaaaaas! Good!" The boy shouted as he fought through Eljay's difficult defensive menouvers.

yes, i'll add a quick fade & i'd love a new one soon. :)

"Gooood!" Eljay squealed in excitement when Whip repeated his word, happily chiming along with the boy. He wagged his tail and giggled, eagerly playing with Whip for another while without a care in the world.