Stone Circle The Return of the Bison!

Valette thought today would be quite a casual day. She moved to the stone circle. From those higher grounds, she often watched the deer herds on the plains below. However, as she sat down she realized there was a different shape of a deer. It was darker and bigger. She instantly trotted forward. Her belly showing hints of being rounder due to her movement. She kept low to the ground as she moved forward.

She stopped at the bottom of the slope and peeked over the tall grass. She couldn't believe her eyes! The bison! They returned! They must have traveled far after that dreadful winter for only to return now. Valette let out a long howl calling to all of the pack that their prey had returned. It made Valette look positively on this winter. Valette couldn't help herself and rushed forward. She never managed to take one down by hunting it. Only when the winter was so tough and they dropped like flies they were able to eat them. But now she was certain that with a couple of wolves they could tackle this massive prey.

Valette knew how dangerous these animals could be, one kick in the wrong place and it would be the end. Valette already felt the thrill of hunting them. She moved forward through the grass, perhaps a bit reckless, but she wanted to smell those big things! She wanted to study them up close.

Sunny had been monitering a Pheasant nest when he heard Valette's call. The pheasant had babies, and they were growing quickly. He knew that babies were wrong to hunt, and he also knew that to grow bigger they needed their mother, so Sunny simply sat there and stared at the chirping and chittering babies as they stumbled around their nest.

Standing up Sunny howled back to Valette, letting her know he was on his way and then began to set off in the direction of Stone Circle at a steady lope. Once he was there he headed up to the higher area and stared down at the field below, spotting Valette heading toward these huge brown creatures. He felt his heart quicken and ran after her, stumbling down a hill but regaining his balance and quickly following her until he was by her side. He crouched slightly down and looked at her "What are those things Valette? They smell different than deer" he asked curiously, keeping his voice down.

Valette glanced to the side as she heard the loud youngster catch up with her. She noticed that there was little grace in the boy as he came stumbling down the hill. Sunny caught up with her and asked what a bison was. Valette tipped her head. "Those are bison. Very difficult to catch but as you can see they give a lot of meat," she explained to him.

She licked her jaws. She was ambitious enough to want to catch them. She wanted to make them run and scatter but she would need more wolves for that. She couldn't hunt them alone. The reason she felt like she was alone in this was that she had an inexperienced youngster at her side. She didn't want to see him trampled. "They have been away for a long time."

doot doot!

Ezekiel strayed from his patrol when he caught the scent of a new animal in Easthollow. It was one he'd scented here before, but never seen. This intrigued him, plus, where there were herds of prey, Valette usually was as well. He followed the scent of the herd, stopping to sniff a pile of dung they'd left behind. It smelled very bad, almost worst than deer. And it was big, making him believe this prey was rather large. He quickened his pace until he saw Valette, and just beyond her was a group of magnificent brown giants.

More like cows than deer, they were shaggy and horned, they looked dangerous but so peaceful. Hunting them would be a challenge and perhaps not even possible. But he wouldn't be opposed to trying. He dropped down into a crouch and made his way towards Valette, but he was beaten there by Grayday's son Sunny. While Zeke would rather just talk to Valette, he decided it couldn't hurt the have the boy around and kept going towards them. He chuffed quietly to alert them of his presence, then went to stand beside his alpha.

Are we planning on hunting those? He said, glancing between Val and the bison.

Sorry for crap post!

Mawk happened to be quite a fair distance from Valette when the call reached him, but began to make his way there to see what was up. As he got closer, he saw the Bison out of the corners of his eyes, and soon enough figured out that that was most likely what this was about. Exciting. While he was not a hunter himself, he did enjoy it. It was thrilling, to say the least, and he knew Gwen had always been passionate about it. Along with Semira, he believed, though he had never really talked to her much during his time at the Bypass. He assumed it was the thrill that they loved about it.

Approaching the small gathered group, Mawk smiles and gives a wag of his tail. "Hey, what's going on over here?" He kept his voice down, lowering himself into a crouch so he would have less of a chance of being spotted by the Bison.

Sunny stared at the beasts as Valette answered his question. he sniffed the air trying to catch their scent and he wrinkled his nose. They stank! He crouched lower and felt the urge to run after them, but he kept himself rooted in place. "Could...Could we try to get one?" he asked hopefully. It would be amazing to be able to be a part of a hunting group that was going after something so large. Soon after he asked his question Ezekiel showed up and he greeted the male withh a small smile and a flick of his tail, scooting over so he could take Sunny's spot next to Valette if he so wished to do so.

Within seconds of Ezekiel's arrival another male showed up, one that Sunny personally hadnt met yet. He didnt greeet the other male, but dipped his head with respect to acknowledge his presence. Turning his head back to valette he smiled eagerly "I've already taught myself how to catch pheasants and turkey, and i know these are much bigger but i'd really like to try. I'll be careful" he continued, in a tone that was close to pleading but not fully theree yet.

im so sorry guys, ive been really sick and then i went on vacation. I'll try to be online once a day now!

Soon more wolves joined and Valette was almost getting enthused by the idea of a hunt. Her belly wasn't in the way yet while running. Though, a kick or headbutt from these creatures would mean the death of her young, perhaps even her own death. She listened to Ezekiel's words and then Mawk, who joined, also asked what was going on. Sunny was even more enthusiastic.

Valette dipped her muzzle when Mawk joined. "These are our bison. They returned!," she grinned. "Last winter multiple died giving us plenty of food. However, we never managed to hunt one. They don't run like deer but form an impenetrable circle around their young and weak ones," she explained to all the males present. "It is very hard and dangerous to go after them," she added.

The female turned her hazel green eyes at Sunny. "No, I forbid you to go after the bison, especially alone," she spoke strictly and raised her muzzle and tail to make sure the wolf young understood. "I'm the best hunter in this pack and even I have not managed to take one down. We have to be with a big group, even a bigger group than we have now. I'd like to watch them for now, see how they behave. We want them to stay on our lands. Once I've had my own young, I should be back in my normal shape and able to lead a Bison hunt. Sunny, you will be older too. I hope by then to have more adult numbers in our rank so we can overwhelm them with a big group." She looked over the three others to see if they agreed or not.

Soon the small group of wolves were joined by yet another, Mawk. Ezekiel respected him, he considered him a useful member of the pack and a nice wolf in general. He too wanted to know what was going on. Soon Val explained that they were the bison that migrated through the territory. She said that they'd provided food for them in the winter, but the pack hadn't ever caught one. Ezekiel would love to try. He knew it was dangerous but he was a big male and he wasn't afraid to put himself at risk. Besides a hunt would be fun. But he wasn't sure about doing it just yet, while Valette was pregnant and everything. One wrong move could cost her the babies, or even her life.

Sunny asked if he could try to catch one, trying to tell Valette how he had experience hunting and would love to try. No matter how much experience the boy had, a bison was not a pheasant. This game was too dangerous for one his age. Ezekiel was about to intervene and tell him no, but Val did it before him. She even explained exactly what he'd been thinking, about her not starting a hunt until the babies were born. He gave her an approving nod, then turned to Sunny as well.

When you're older we can hunt them, and definitely catch one. He said, with a reassuring nod.

Sorry for the hold up!

Mawk listened intently as Valette spoke, explaining to him about the Bison. He, truthfully, had never hunted bison, but he knew how dangerous they could be. Nor had he ever witnessed a hunt, but he had heard many stories of how much damage they could do - he would be lying if he said he wasn't wary of them. The youngest of the small gathered group spoke up, asking if they might be able to catch one. The wolfdog cast a glance between Ezekiel and Valette, but it seemed the Alphess had it covered. 

Valette explained well, and when she glanced over at them he gave a nod in silent agreement. Bison were far too dangerous to go after at a young age (though he didn't know the exact age of the youth, he didn't suspect him to be much older than one year), and with the Alphess pregnant, trying to hunt a bison was certainly not a good plan. "Hopefully they stay for a good while." He peered over to where the herd was, grazing on the summer grass. He certainly was not the best hunter, it was not his trade and he wasn't planning on making it his trade, but he knew some things. All wolves knew how to hunt, he was just not an expert. Luckily his strength aided him sometimes. Scouting was more his style, and hopefully he'd be able to get the mercenary trade one day.

When Valette raised her tail and snapped at him Sunny's heart sank with disappointment,but he didn't let it get to him. He flattened his ears and lowered his tail between his legs and crouched down,looking up at Valette with a sheepish smile and slightly squinty eyes "Yes ma'am, sorry.  I'll try to train harder and work on my stalking skills. Maybe you can teach me what you know about them?" He apologized and then suggested with a brighter tone.

He would love to help take down one these beasts. It would be something incredible to tell his father about, that he had helped Easthollow take down a giant prey animal. And at the size of the thing,they would have food for days if not a full week or two!

The two males agreed with her. She was glad that they were one united front. Valette looked at Sunny as he said he would work hard on his stalking skills. "Stalking doesn't help with these animals. They will go in defense mode and it is tough to get them out of it. I think we need to surprise them. Once they start running it would be easier to catch them," she explained. It was another technique she wanted to try. However, not now.

The female looked at the others. "I think I will head back now. We will hunt them by the end of summer," she spoke. If the bison felt safe here they might want to stay longer. Valette quirked up her lips because she was already excited to hunt them. "I will see you around," she spoke and then startled to waddle back to her den.

- exit Valette! -

Feel free to have a concluding post!