Firefly Glen Copacabana

AW, hunter trade

He'd descended down the mountain's slope at dusk, mentioning to Meerkat that he might be out for the night while he went hunting in the grasslands at the mountain's base. Hunting on the mountain was challenging, and he was finding it difficult to catch enough for the both of them (though Meerkat was capable of hunting small things herself by now) in his newfound home. His skills had been developed on flat grounds, in a forest or grassy meadow- so that was where he headed, reaching the open plains after sunset, when the fireflies began to dance. 

He slipped through the grasslands as quietly as he could, hoping to pick up the tracks of jackrabbits, or perhaps a fawn tucked into the grasses to spend the night hidden there. The scent of partridges surprised him- as they tended to prefer thickets- but he wouldn't be picky. Trying not to disturb the small, blinking bugs that danced around him, he continued to slither through the grasses, closing in on a group of partridges which had tucked themselves into the shelter of clumps of buffalo grass, hoping to hide from sight.

She didn't plan to go with Bronco on this particular venture, though when she finished exploring for the day and returned to their new digs, Meerkat found she couldn't sleep. She laid there for nearly an hour before deciding to get up again and catch up with him. She could've sought out other company but didn't want to disturb any of her new pack mates at this late hour.

She hadn't come this close to the borders since their arrival. Meerkat slowed as she breached them, eyes roving over the dark landscape. She wondered if Hydra or anyone else might take issue with her leaving by herself, though the plan was to immediately catch up with Bronco. Licking her lips, she broke into a trot as she followed her older brother's scent trail.

The sight of all the fireflies winking in the neighboring glen made her roll to a stop. She did miss her family, yet she'd stayed too busy to feel any homesickness. It definitely niggled at her now, as the little "star bugs" drifted all around her. Unthinkingly, she shut her eyes, raised her muzzle and howled.

Note to self: He's a lil messed up after Macaria which was... about a week or so ago.

Fate would tempt him closer to the mountain, but he would stay the course and remain away from it, watching the silhouette of Moonspear as it was swallowed by deepening clouds. Hunger kept him in the valley for a few days longer than it should have; he needed to return to the mountain chain opposite, to the peak he had decided was his own. He lingered all the same — drawn to familiar old haunts, placed he once patrolled.

There were scent trails woven among the glen's greenery he could not identify, but most carried the mark of Hydra his sister. Revui drew along the fringe of the glen and as he dipped in among the shadows, caught sight of glimmering lights which moved out of his way immediately.

As he moved deeper he thought he heard something moving in the underbrush and paused; but in that moment someone's voice filled the expanse between the trees, deafening him and frightening the bugs (or so he presumed) so that there was a brief darkness that was all-encompassing. As the sound diminished the lights returned.

His ears were ringing, but Revui wanted to find the source and determine if it was a threat, so he began to prowl in earnest through the woodland, hunting for whoever had made such a terrible racket.

YAS. Also- the dice are being kind to Bronco, lately. Apparently the birds just hunker down :D
OUPS! Sorry- I was shadowposted. I edited :D

The moment he heard Meerkat's curious howl rise into the air he crouched, pressing himself against the ground as though trying to disappear from sight- as he waited for the fluttering of wings and chuckling of partridges as they fought their way into the air, likely flushed by the sound of the predator's howl...But it didn't come. Perhaps, then, he was following an old trail, but he was certain he could smell them nearby. Then again- there was always the chance that the birds were so frightened of the wolf's howl that they'd decided it was best to just bunker down in their hideout, and wait for the threat to pass. 

As silently as he could, he turned, and found his way back along his trail toward the edge of the grasslands, where he caught sight of Meerkat. As he had before, he quickly flashed his tail above his back to catch her attention, and then made the gesture for Shush! So she might not begin excitedly telling him stories about her day, which was generally how they got caught up at the end of the day. -Birds!- He signed, excitedly, before a soft breeze caused him to stiffen. -WAIT.- He commanded abruptly, almost absent-mindedly. Meerkat wasn't the only one who was out here, but in the dim light, he couldn't catch sight of whoever else might be there. His suddenly stiffened posture, he hoped, would be enough to tell Meerkat to stay right where she was- as he scanned the grasslands to try and pick out the other wolf before they got within range of his sister.

It was the howl that drew the matriarch, carried by the momentum of the mountain and the wind. She was close enough to arrive in due time, though did not sing of her own impending arrival to start; her long-legged strides would bring her to them sooner, but as her tongue lolled she paused long enough to provide an answering song. She was but minutes away from the duo, then, from here only able to detect the scents of Bronco and Meerkat. 

arriving next post!

As she sang to the night skies, Meerkat wondered if they could hear her over in the copse. Towhee wouldn't, of course, but maybe the others would hear and even respond? She ran out of breath and dropped her head again, eyes popping open and a smile touching her mouth at the thought. She pricked her ears in anticipation.

Instead of the voices of the Redhawks, something rustled much nearer at hand. Her eyes flicked toward the noise, her one good ear twitching. It wasn't long before Bronco emerged from the shadows, signing silently at her. Meerkat's mouth now formed a sheepish moue as she crouched a little, nodding in acknowledgement. She noticed his wary behavior but attributed to the hunt, oblivious to the lupine figure lurking in the background.

Suddenly, another howl broke through the darkness, much too close to belong to anyone in the copse. Meerkat blinked a little owlishly at her brother as she realized that was her aunt's voice. Uh oh, was she in trouble? She stood up a little straighter, turning to face the direction of the nearby mountain, keeping her head and tail low as she waited for the Alpha to approach.

There was a stillness that descended, although he could still detect a presence, still determine a scent among the trees. He was waiting and watching, ready to lunge after whoever he saw first—but then there came another call. It was further off but it was unmistakably familiar to him: Hydra.

A part of him wanted to linger and to see her, to maybe even confront her and show off what greatness he'd aspired to; but he was a wreck, currently. Merrick's scent had only waned upon him as he'd hiked in the mountains, not completely shed itself. His head pounded from the healing wound there, and his neck—he wasn't in pique condition, and she would see his weakness and judge him for it.

Rather than follow through with the first thought that hit his slow-as-molasses mind, Revui turned and began to march in the other way; exiting the way he had come, leaving a void the size of his broad shoulders among the trees where he'd been lurking previously.

[exit]

Bronco waited, should the flirtatious breeze bring another whiff of the stranger's scent to him- but instead, on the breeze rose the sound of another voice, causing Bronco to flinch yet again. He glanced over his shoulder to see if any of the birds he'd scented took flight- but even in the darkness he saw no sign of them rising above the grasses. He exhaled a soft sigh, glad that despite two howls, they hadn't spooked the birds from their hiding place. His relief seemed to cause him to forget about the scent he thought he'd caught, and the arrival of yet another hunting partner was enough to ease his worry. Between the two of them, Meerkat would be kept safe. Maybe the scent he'd caught had been a fluke. 

He moved to Meerkat's side then, no longer spooked by the stranger's scent, and nuzzled her cheek. -We'll scare up some partridges no problem with Hydra's help,- He signed. -By now all their chicks from this year'd be grown up...So they won't do the 'broken wing' gag they do to distract hunters from their chicks. Once we flush one of 'em, all of them will go up in a big flurry.- He said. -We gotta get as close as we can, and then dash in. Try to catch one before it gets too high in the air.- He said, hoping to pass some advice on to his younger sister, and looked up just in time to see their new Alpha approach.

Hydra arrived upon the scene swiftly enough, her nose setting to work though not yet catching wind of her brother that was, at this point, not too far away from them as he traipsed off. Her priority was her subordinates, and as she sniffed at them to ensure they had come under no duress she was relieved to find the contrary. At the very least they would know that she was prepared to be there for them. Meerkat was not alone and so Hydra had no qualms with their exploration of what beyond the Spear held; this was her Wilderness, after all. 

Nosing them both in comraderly fashion, the matriarchs flinty gaze scoured their surroundings. There was a pleasant breeze that rifled through the wood and caused her furs to dance some, and the wind was more in her brothers favor than her own then and there. Find anything interesting? She drawled, noting the scent that Bronco had picked up upon with some interest.

Bronco didn't seem concerned about their incoming company. Meerkat tried to pay close attention as he explained about the partridges, mentioning a trick the parents used to safeguard their chicks. She would have to ask him more about that later. For now, she merely nodded to acknowledge him.

Then Hydra was there beside them. She didn't appear troubled at all, mostly intrigued by the yearling's and youth's current endeavor. A relieved Meerkat made a point to bump her muzzle beneath the Alpha female's, her tail swaying. Perhaps she would join them, which was equal parts exciting and flattering.

-We're hunting... partridges?- The last word was signed hesitantly, since she wasn't entirely familiar with the sign nor the bird itself. Her eyes flicked to Bronco to confirm, then back to Hydra as she wondered if her aunt even knew much ptero.

Am I the only one repetitively hitting the refresh button just to see the many arts of Hydra avatars? *heart-eyes*

Like Meerkat', Bronco met the alpha with tamed enthusiasm, crouching slightly so he too culd nuzzle the underside of her muzzle before he stepped back alongside Meerkat, bumping his flank against hers in the process as she explained their goal. He nodded and panted, eager to begin the hunt, and running on the assumption that Hydra would join them in their endeavour. -"There's a flock of 'em hunkered down in the grasses,"- He said, his voice hushed but urgent. -"I figure we could ambush 'em on all sides, flush 'em and try to grab 'em before they take off,"- Bronco suggested, before dipping his head- welcoming any criticism or opinions she might have to offer.

EVIDENTLY I NEED MOAR FOR U TO ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO REFRESH TO. Also, observation made with consent from JB!

Hydra's tail swayed amicably behind her as she listened, greeting them in turn with fond nips before investigating their surroundings a little more thoroughly. Firstly was the scent Bronco noted—the area around them was rich with the evidence of their existence, here—and then of petrichor and... what was this? Hydra's nose, combing over the earth in relatively idle investigation to start, zeroed back to what she recognized as the scent of her brother. Hydra tracked it briefly for a moment only to observe it went no further than this, and deduced he must have turned back and left. Licking her chops Hydra drew toward the twosome and hummed, you were being watched, she informed, ears twitching. My brother, Revui, seems to be in the area. That he did not deign to say hello has me less than confident he came with goodhearted intentions, she admitted with a lash of her plume.

Hydra trusted Bronco and Meerkat both far more than she trusted the gunmetal boy with a head full of lead, and so her tone seemed to imply that she trusted them to determine what to do should they come across him. Befriend him, run him off... whatever instinct came to them, she would trust that it was right. And if they needed help, she would be there when called. 

In any event, she was far more interested in the hunt now. Regarding Bronco, now, she drawled with a hungry grin, let us flush out these... -partridges-, she tried to mimic Meerkat's ptero, though likely was less smooth than the young girl at it. Still, the effort was made. Hydra cared enough to try, at least.

Hydra's sideline about her brother, Revui, made Meerkat go very still. Someone had been watching them? She looked at Bronco to see what he made of this news, then returned her attention to the Alpha female. She didn't seem particularly concerned, though she mentioned bad intentions. The youth blinked, processing this information.

But there was a hunt at hand, so she would have to ponder what this all meant later. For now, Meerkat shook her head lightly and tried to focus. Hydra's rudimentary signing had her smiling again. With a muffled laugh, the pup gave her aunt the wolfish equivalent of a thumbs up, then crouched, at the ready to follow the adults' instructions.

Bronco's casual expression changed swiftly when Hydra mentioned that they'd been watched...And that her brother's departure, without greeting, was potentially an ominous thing. His mouth fell shut softly, as he gazed off into the distance, side-stepping a bit closer yet to his sister so that their sides touched- as though to block her from sight even though Revui was likely gone by now. That was who he'd scented, then; he leaned into the wind and sniffed again, hoping to catch another whiff of his scent so that he could remember it. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of Hydra's comment, but she didn't seem terribly impressed with her brother, so he made a mental note to take caution should he encounter the male again. 

Like Meerkat, he smiled when Hydra attempted Ptero, and looked to catch his sister's reaction as well before they prepared for the hunt. He gestured with a nod of his chin that they creep forward slowly, so that they could get as close as possible to the hidden birds before making a move. If the birds took off too soon, they'd get too high in the air for them to reach, and they'd be out of luck.

Hydra was content to let Bronco take the lead in order to see where his skillset in hunting lay. While Hydra had no particular love for avian fare on any normal day, she did have an affinity for the creatures when she was in the throes of pregnancy. But the matriarch did not mind them, and she loved the thrill any hunt brought. At Bronco's gesture, Hydra remained low and inched forward with the aptitude granted to her by years of the hunt, and while her attention was on their prey a portion of it was upon Bronco and Meerkat too, as well as beyond in case any other might try to make a bid on their quarry. As it stood, it seemed that now at least the three of them were alone in their endeavor... patiently, Hydra waited for Bronco's cue.

It took all of the pup's energy to avoid making a sound as she prowled alongside the two adults. Bronco had mentioned ambushing their prey from every side, which likely meant they would separate at some point. But Meerkat hardly gave it any thought, simply trying her best to be silent and stealthy. It was harder than it looked on the surface, with the long grasses rustling on all sides.

More than once, she broke the silence in one way or another and immediately froze, giving her two companions a sheepish glance. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. She wondered if they were getting close. Meerkat hoped so. She didn't want to spoil the hunt by prematurely spooking these partridges from their cover.

As they snuck forward, he noticed more than once that Meerkat wasn't exactly as conscious of the sound of her pawsteps as he might have expected from someone her age. Maybe she was just excited- and she did seem to recognize a couple times that she'd made a misstep which potentially could've flushed the birds prematurely...And he found himself wondering, for the first time, if her hearing wasn't all it was supposed to be. He wouldn't have known to suspect such a thing had he not grown up with a role model who was deaf, and truth be told it hadn't occurred to him before that deafness was potentially hereditary. He tagged the thought for contemplation for another day, though he would likely forget the notion completely, unless he was reminded of its existence. 

Once he felt they were close enough, Bronco paused, one forepaw dangling as he waited, breath held still within his chest, for the telltale, chuckling noises of birds concealed within the tall grasses before them. They were quiet for a few moments- but then he heard it, soft and chuffing. Satisfied that they were close enough, he dropped his paw, crouched, and bolted. 

Like a thunderous applause, the wingbeats of the birds disoriented him a bit, and feathers went flying in all directions as the birds made a hasty attempt to catch flight before they themselves were caught. Having been the one to call the charge, Bronco was the first to come into their midst, and was able to leap and snap one out of the air before it could rise above the tall grasses, and set about shaking it furiously as soon as his feet hit the ground.

rolled an even to catch a birb!

 

Hydra's eyes would dart to Meerkat, as she broke the silence. The second time, Hydra attempted to gather her attention to the way she moved. A deliberate slowness to her prowl, an exaggerated softness in her step. So gently did she touch the earth before she bore her weight upon that paw again that it was as though she had not touched it at all. The way her body cut through the long grass was slow enough that even as her shoulder dragged against the edges of the stuff, it did not so much as stir. 

When they were close enough, her own body was much the same as Bronco's. Her muscles were taut, and though her paw had hovered over the earth she placed it down gently. Her nostrils flared—and as Bronco moved, Hydra used the strength of her hinds to push her forward. She was not so surprised by the sound of their wings as her companion, but then, she had caused a shock to many a flock in her own lifetime to know what would come. 

One bound, two, and she lunged upward, her eyes honed upon a bird within her reach. The downward beat of its wings was inevitable, but Hydra was not an expert at avian fare. It was half skill, half luck, then, that caused her fangs to catch the feathered appendage. As she landed, she, too, gave a vicious, hearty shake. It was over for the thing rather quickly, all things considered.

The two adults stopped and Meerkat froze with one paw still dangling in the air, gaze darting between them as the tension coiled in the sudden silence. When there came a strange noise, her neck arched and her good ear pricked as she blinked through the darkness. Seconds later, there was a flurry of motion. A second after Bronco and Hydra each sprang, she leaped too, though she was much too slow to even attempt to grab one of the fleeing partridges, much less catch one.

But it appeared the older pair had met with success. Meerkat's tail swayed as she eyed the respective catches, eyes glittering in the dim light. It didn't bother her that she hadn't succeeded and she suspected they wouldn't be disappointed either. She was young yet, quite inexperienced. But she'd learned quite a bit just from accompanying them tonight.

Just in an attempt to tidy up threads, this'll be the last post from me :)

His success brought a smile to his face, and over the beating of wings and squawking of bewildered birds he looked around, through the softly falling feathers, to see that Hydra too had caught one. He wasn't surprised- she was definitely the most skilled out of the three of them present. He searced, scanning through the tan stalks of tall grass to see his beige-toned sister, but with nothing in her mouth. Bird hunting took time and practice, and even if a meal couldn't be won, she'd at least get a better idea of how to hunt partridges and pheasants. 

He barked as he trotted over toward her, and lobbed the bird high into the air with a flick of his neck, so at least she'd get another shot at catching something. Regardless of whether she did or not, he'd share the kill with her as a brother ought to, and led the trio back toward their mountain home so they could enjoy their snack.