Moonspear Follow the neon in young lovers' eyes

How about we go a-hunting?

With the return of the sun came the retun of the fauna that had once grazed on the foothills of the mountain range. He heard the first bugle-call of the king elk as he made his way down to the borders, and froze, listening in to pinpoint its location. Fall couldn't be here so soon, could it? Then another bugle pierced the air. Too early for rutting season, he thought, but perhaps the animals were simply grateful to return to pastures which had been heavily watered and now grew lush and green again in the sunshine. 

Assuming this meant that there was a herd nearby, Bronco called out- a joyous, summoning howl to call his packmates to him so they might investigate the herd of elk together, and potentially pick one out for a meal.

The howl came from someone who was unfamiliar to Atlas. His curiosity is what drove him from his perch on the high stone and down the slope a way to find the individual. Stalking forward, the shade searched for a shape that he might have passed on his many patrols. The call of the elk had escaped him, so it was fortunate that the golden wolf had managed to catch the sound.
 
When the frame of the stranger came into his view, the dark Ostrega did what he could to appear friendly. The gentle sway of his tail should have been enough. He drew up a few yards away from the whiskey-eyed male and nodded softly in greeting. “Looking for a hunting partner?” Atlas inquired in a smoky tone.

Feeling good after some sunbeams on his back, Antares had just settled into fresh a prowl after his rest. He diverted his energy immediately on that note of Bronco's call to the hunt--without any ado, the dark Ostrega found the route to cut himself in close, and quickly. He appeared from the woodwork nearby, then quietly closed in afterward.

Though he might've arrived pretty early, he came with relative nonchalance--despite his quick glance to Atlas, who he trailed in just afterward.. except when he kept a few lengths between them, Antares went nearer to Bronco's side before he paused. He was comfortable enough with him to feel it warranted. Nevertheless, he didn't still his tail right away, either, and smelled the elk on the breeze. Well I do think you've found some, he flashed a tiny, satisfied smirk as he tailed in on his brother's statement. They were a good start on a hunting party, at least.

Others welcome to join- would prefer to keep it to 3-4 hunters, but open to observers/cameos :D

The first to come to his call was one he did not recognize immediately but he did find some similarities in his tall, broad and swarthy frame to leap to the conclusion that this was yet another of Hydra's yearlings from the previous year. He was about to mention Antares when he showed up, concluding his brother's train of thought. "Well lookit you two," He chuckled "I guess I have. I'm Bronco, by the way," He said to the first, as a proper introduction, before he gestured toward the forested foothills. "Pretty sure we got a herd of elk with at least one bull. Maybe two- but if they're busy sizing each other up, we got a chance at taking down one of the cows," He said.

“Atlas,” the shade returned to the golden-cloaked male.
 
Bronco seemed a suitable name for such a wild looking figure. He was rather dashing; a thick coat of rich browns and golds with eyes that glistened unlike any color that the dark yearling had ever seen. He might have felt a flutter of nervousness if it hadn’t been for the figure of Antares – the other dark Ostrega allowed relief to wash through Atlas’ frame.
 
When Bronco remarked on their prey, the shade turned his attention to where the other male was fixated and furrowed his brow thoughtfully. It would do the pack well to have one of the cows to feast on. It would also look quite good for the hunters. “You lead the charge and I will be your fangs,” he finally answered with a firm nod and a glance toward the whiskey-eyed male.

As the Blackthorn received them, he passed another glance to his brother--he knew well what it looked like and that it went without saying. Side by side for such quick comparison and it surely spoke especially loud, them all tall and dark.. though Atlas still out-bulked him by just enough for him to know it. Anyway, depending on the day, the mountain was crawling with their sorts so Bronco probably simply expected it by now.

He breathed deep and started to focus as he nodded along to Atlas' words. Antares held no real preference for a bull or a cow just yet.. not without seeing them himself or knowing for sure if there were two, only keen for the opportunity the hunt presented: chase, kill, meat. Details could come soon enough. Me too. he supplied with a smirk and clicked his own teeth for emphasis. At least he looked at this knowing to play to his strengths for whichever way this hunt shook out, so he was glad it was when he was feeling good, rested--in easy spirits with the company so far.

Patience, for now, would serve them best. Their hunting party could grow yet. He could still mull it over, though, and watched Bronco for a thoughtful few seconds. How far off do you think they are? he wondered aloud, back towards the foothills.

There was certainly something about Hydra's kids- they were all respectable young wolves. Side by side, Antares and Atlas were a team he was lucky to have found. They were responsible and civil- and he had the feeling that they'd been brought up to be that way, and that brooding and moodiness had likely been discouraged from a young age. Not that Bronco faulted Elwood and Finley at all- nor would he fault Eljay and Wildfire- but some of the Blackthorn kids had damn near driven Bronco insane when he'd been younger...And he'd been no better than them. 

"Good," Bronco said, and was about to make a cheesy comment about how many teeth that meant they'd have, all together, but decided that that might come off as being a bit immature and lame. He was trying to lead a hunt here, not babysit kids, who would've appreciated the joke. The next question posed made Bronco smirk. "Not sure; but we'll get there quicker if we hustle a bit," He said, picking up a relaxed lope, allowing the downhill slope to do most of the work in lengthening his stride. He didn't want to challenge the others to a race by any means- as there was no sense in them exhausting their energy right before a hunt- but there was the potential that the herd might move on, out of their reach, if they didn't pick up a slightly faster pace.

Antares’ confident smirk seemed to be contagious as a similar expression flitted across the golden-eyed Ostrega’s face. Atlas remained sterner than his dark sibling, but there was a beautiful light of assurance that had washed over his entire frame. Young and eager to test the limits of his adult frame, the shade followed after Bronco and Antares with his head low to the earth so he could collect the aromas of their intended prey. Within a few moments of tracking, the trio’s pace was quickened, and the hunters moved with hungry intent. The shade moved around in a circular motion, putting some space between himself and the other two wolves. When he had found a path that tasted of the aroma of elk, Atlas woofed softly to call his partners to his side.
 
If they put their noses there, it would be easy to find a trail. The scent of elk was a robust one. It was not difficult to hold onto, to keep at the forefront of his mind. Their goal was simple: to find a doe they could separate from the herd and bring down. If a few of the elk had moved beyond the rest of their herd, it was likely that would make an ideal target for the young hunters. Atlas turned to see if the other two would approach, or if they had found a more promising path.

A strange noise woke Meerkat from her nap in a patch of sunshine. She stirred, stretching and yawning, and pushed herself upright even as another sound sent her good ear twitching. She blinked the sleep from her eyes as Bronco's howl poured through the air, her tail twitching like a cat's. She wasn't a very adept hunter, though her brother needed help. She began venturing that way, curious what sort of prey was on the menu. Did it have anything to do with the weird noise that had interrupted her nap?

By the time she located Bronco, two others had already joined him. She didn't recognize either one of them, though there was a striking resemblance to Hydra. One possessed a narrower face and yellow eyes, the other a stouter muzzle with eyes as blue as the blazing September skies. All three males' voices rumbled as Meerkat trotted closer.

-"Hey!"- she greeted, eyes fixed on her brother's familiar features before she grinned at each of his swarthy wing men in turn. -"I'm Meerkat, Bronco's sidekick!"- she introduced cheekily before adding in the same breath, -"What're you guys hunting?"- When informed about the elk, Meerkat asked, -"Ohhh... can I watch?"-

Offering no complaints as they moved on, he was content to see this all go forward--especially if it was just the best way to find out anything, and quite literally, one step closer. As their plan slowly went into motion, another joined them: a tawny girl, claiming herself as Bronco's sidekick, had appeared and he gave her a soft nod of a greeting. Antares panned a look to the earthen Blackthorn afterward, and ultimately left the decision of her place up to him. If only she were a little older, she could join them more properly. But, an extra set of eyes on the situation couldn't hurt and maybe by wintertime, she could. He was interested to see how the the three yearlings so far assembled would stand up against an elk too, after all.

He noted what he could about Meerkat for an instant, but soon aimed his attention back on their quarry--skimming for any sign of weakness to exploit.

It seemed Atlas would be the first to find a steady scent trail, and in seeing the expression on his face, Bronco approached to sniff at the ground where he'd been scouting, and nodded in agreement. He gave the dark male a nudge, to show appreciation and how impressed he was with the male's tracking abilities. Together, the trio made their way down the scent trail, but Bronco hung back- when he caught another familiar scent, and looked up to see his sister coming to join them. His tail waved, and he welcomed her into their midst. While an elk hunt was one of the more difficult ones to pull off, he wouldn't send his sister away, knowing that a par of his job as her guardian on the mountain was making sure that she learned survival skills. That included hunting both alone and as a part of a pack. 

She asked if she could watch, and he looked to the others to see if they showed any signs of being opposed to her presence. -Sure. But not from a distance this time- He said, signing to her silently. Antares and Atlas seemed focused on the herd, so he could take a moment to debrief his sister on her role. They wouldn't understand the ptero he used, but it was an excellent means of communicating silently with his sister.  -I want you to hang back a bit, but follow us. Stay low. Once we get them in motion and split one from the herd, catch up with us, if you can, and join in the chase. Don't get in anyone's way, and don't get too close to the elk- but you can run with us,- He said. Rather than sitting on the sidelines and watching from a distance, she'd get both an up-close view of their tactics, and would get the feel of what it was like to join in the chase- the exhaustion and the exhiliration. -Got it?- He asked, before he gave her a wink. He had faith she'd be able to do it. And if she did get too close then he could still leave Atlas and Antares to the hunt while he kept his sister safe. 

He rejoined the other two, figuring they might have chosen a target. "She's gonna ghost us." He said softly, hoping that was enough of an explanation for the two males to understand the role he'd assigned Meerkat. "Now. Which?" He asked, casting his gaze over the herd, relying on his packmates for their sound judgement.

A fawn-colored female drew Atlas’ gaze as he turned to lock the sharp yellow onto the young girl – a girl he had never met before. She smelled of faraway places on top of the Moonspear scent that was carried on her cloak. With this, the shade relaxed somewhat.
 
The young girl was boisterous and seemed eager to participate in their excursion. Atlas watched her for a few moments as she made her exchange with the wolf called Bronco. It seemed as though they were quite familiar with each other, and the dark shadow wondered if they might have belonged to the same litter. If that were the case, it would surely prove to be a successful hunt. Siblings were quite good at teaming up to corner and down their prey, or so he had found on his trips with Antares and Osiris.
 
As the wolves made their way to a lofty ground where they could search their targets for a perfect mark, Atlas kept one of his ears swiveled toward their hunting leader. It seemed that he was seeking their target, but the shade hadn’t found one that appeared weak or injured just yet.
 
“There,” he gestured with a nod of his head to a smaller calf that had wandered a few paces from its mother. It did not seem to be paying attention to where it was headed, and the doe was bent to eat from the ground. If the calf continued to trot away, they would have no issues breaking it free from the herd and ending its life. “Should be easy for the four of us,” he turned to flash a wink to the young girl – Meerkat.
 
Atlas knew she would not be participating in the falling of their prey, but he wanted her to feel included in their group. She could prove to be just as vital as the next.

None of them opposed her wish to spectate, although Bronco took her aside and suggested she actually paricipate. Meerkat beamed at him, even as her heart began beating with a mixture of excitement and nerves. It was a lot like how she'd felt during their hunt with Toad before it had gone awry. He emphasized that she mustn't get too close but it would still be a blast running with them, not to mention redeeming the previously foiled opportunity.

-"Got it!"- she replied exuberantly, forgetting to follow his silent example. She cringed laughingly at herself, switching to vigorous nodding and the wolfish version of two thumbs up.

Then the two of them were catching up with the pair of swarthy brothers. They'd both acknowledged her in silence, neither one offering an introduction. Meerkat didn't hold this against them. They were in the middle of a hunt, conversation could wait until later, over their meal. But the male with the yellow eyes did mention his target out loud, right before winking at her.

The young she-wolf felt a strange tingle between her shoulder blades which zipped right down her spine. Her pounding heart skipped a beat and she turned her cheek with a giggle before glancing at him again and nodding eagerly in total agreement. Spangles of warmth continued spreading along her skin, her day suddenly electrified by blood lust and a pair of neon eyes.

Maybe more keenly than he intended to seem, he watched Bronco brief Meerkat with their strange gestures but ultimately, he was still in agreement of her placing here--deferring that all easily to Bronco for this one. He was just glad for more bodies on the scene to whatever degree. Sounds good, he chuffed quietly over his shoulder to the lead of this hunt before he turned back to assess the prey options. 

Things settled into place further next. Atlas had one picked out not long afterward from their vantage point. Antares gave it another skim, and decided he couldn't make a better case for any of the others just yet. I like it, the dark brother agreed and stood poised to begin getting them in even closer, of course pending Bronco's preference--if he had a more favorable choice in mind, or not. And given the word, if they were all good with that one, he was ready to cut them in close. It shouldn't be hard to separate, unless the adults shuffled suddenly.

Whatever the case, Antares wanted to be forwardly placed in the scheme here and turned an ear Bronco's way.

Feel free to take charge of the hers or individual elk movements in your posts as you like :)

They seemed in agreement, and both Antares and Atlas seemed comfortable with having Meerkat join with them in chasing the elk so long as she remained as a shadow. He caught the friendly wink Atlas gave her, and in his peripheral vision he did see how it made Meerkat brighten up a bit. He appreciated that Atlas was going the extra step to make Meerkat feel included, but that didn't stop him from giving Atlas a  'accidental' thump with his shoulder as a playful means of reminding him that Meerkat was his -kid- sister. Not that he felt Atlas unworthy- he was mostly just taking advantage of the situation so that he could tease Atlas a bit. 

He'd scouted the herd and had chosen an elk calf- though even an elk calf at bitrh was quite a meal. By this time in the year they were quite mobile, feisty, and definitely large enough to feed the three wolves. While he'd given Atlas a nudge before, he touched his nose to the male's shoulder in approval now, a way of showing appreciation and praise. He nodded, caught Antares' gaze for a moment, looked to make sure Meerkat wasn't drifting too far away from them on Cloud 9, and that they were ready to roll. 

He didn't feel obligated to say too much more- Antares looked prepared, so Bronco moved alongside him. They all knew that the first step was to get as close as possible, and then separate their chosen target from the rest of the herd. Given the fact that it was a calf might mean that the mother's maternal instincts could kick in over her fear, and they might potentially have an adult cow elk to deal with and chase off as well- but that could be sorted later down the road. They meandered forward, closing the gap quietly, until Bronco felt that one more step might give them away as their cover had finally run out. They were faced with open territory now, and the calf was close enough that he didn't feel they needed to wait any longer. 

He gave a swift nod of his head to the others, a quick look to Meerkat, and after crouching, he coiled his muscles, and bounded forward. 

The noble, dark heads of the herd lifted and scanned the area before their dark eyes locked onto Bronco and the others, giving them time to close the gap before the herd fanned out. A couple ran a few steps in the wrong direction- bolting simply out of instinct rather than noting where the danger was and then moving away from it, and in the confusion the elk calf was separated from its mother. Bronco, being the first to move forward, did not fixate on the calf, and instead set his attention on the herd itself, winging his tail in high circles to make himself seem larger so that the herd would continue move away from him- leaving his packmates the chance to slip in and slice the calf away from the herd, which he aimed to push further away from them.

Atlas had learned to favor the role of a flanker when in a hunt. He enjoyed the thrill of cutting their target’s escape, ending any possibility of fleeing. It was not as flashy as the role of the attacker, but there was something about that rogue’s way that appealed to him. So, he watched Bronco take the lead and he fell back a short distance, moving to round out the right side of their group and to angle himself to stop the calf better.
 
The dark hunter’s gaze bounced from target to the herd and then back to Bronco to make sure that he could still watch the young wolf’s trajectory and keep himself in line with their attack. He did not wish to spook the calf and chase it back to its mother. It would ruin any plan that they might have to single the beast out.
 
The herd was obviously on high alert with the presence of hunters. They did not hide their defensive moves, putting space between themselves and the wolves that had marked one of their young. The calf did not react to the absence of the others. Bronco did a fine job of flaring his tail, swinging it behind him to create an intimidation tactic. Atlas positioned himself directly to the right of the calf and crouched to wait until they turned their attention on the target.

While the three older males got down to business, assuming their respective positions, Meerkat found a good vantage point atop a nearby hillock and settled down low to watch. When the right moment came, she could run downhill and catch up to them.

In the meantime, she happily observed their movements. Normally, she might've paid the most attentiont to her beloved brother. But she found her attention lingering particularly on the yellow-eyed male. His face was handsome (those eyes!) but she found she also appreciated the view from behind.

Actually, she was so distracted that she didn't notice Bronco's glance. Only when he suddenly burst into motion did she startle and look to him. Her brown gaze tracked him as he ran, her own muscles quivering as she sprang to gallop in the trio's wake. She felt a thrill as she built speed going down the slope, elated that the herd of ungulates was moving in the optimal direction this time.

If not the herd, he mostly watched Bronco for his cues--and wasn't going to dwell much on whatever it was that went between him and his brother, until a look past them made him wonder about Meerkat suddenly. Perhaps there was something he didn't know. Didn't want to know right now, so he was going to leave that alone and focus much more on their closing in.

As the time came, they shifted readily into their roles. Bronco took the lead, keeping the herd shaken up, and looked like Atlas fell into position near the calf, which they were soon able to start singling out while Antares still cruised wide around the bulk of their numbers, roughly trying to keep opposite Atlas, to press and pinch against him if needed be. Anyway, everything was going well so far so he started to close in further on the calf--only speeding it up a notch when it eventually noticed the commotion of the herd bustling about thanks to the Blackthorn, and started to try to bolt back their way.

He didn't get a last look at how Bronco fared so far, or exactly how far the other adults had scattered. In that instant, it seemed necessary to just prioritize the calf as it finally began a panicked flight. But, he had tabs on his brother thankfully and with a last mad dash, he tried to cut off its flight path by a snarling show, forcing it to arc it more towards Atlas--who might be able to volley it elsewhere, who knew at this point; Antares just didn't want it to get away so soon, but neither could he get close enough yet to do any damage unfortunately--though he was quick in hot pursuit to try to follow through, heading towards his brother now and hoping one Bronco was enough to keep the rest of them busy.

Spooking a herd wasn't technically a difficult task to accomplish- but making them move in the right direction took a but of focus and a lot of dodging in one direction and then another as he attempted to put pressure wherever there was resistance. He rushed forward to snap at the ankles of one of the herbivores, which caused it to cry out in pain and shove itself against the others, pushing them out of its way- and the others around it would soon follow without needing any further prompts from the Blackthorn. 

One, however, lingered; a large female whose gaze panned past Bronco toward where the calf was, separated and guarded by the other wolves. Bronco cast a glance over his shoulders but as soon as he did, the cow elk strode forward, head lowered as though to herd him out of her way. "Do it now," He called out. He turned his gaze back to the cow elk. "I'll hold her off!" He said, though just as he shouter, the elk lifted its head and began to move again, hoping it could lope past him to get to its calf. Bronco, though, was a worthy opponent, and matched its pace, working as a furry barrier in keeping her from getting back to her calf's side.

The small group of wolves moved with proficiency that was worthy of marvel. Each one played an important role in singling out their target and keeping the mother from jumping to the calf’s aid. Bronco was doing a fine job, taking the role of the tank. He held his ground with the fearful mother, even against the desperate attempts to brush him aside. Atlas watched with a hungry gaze at the way the golden male commanded the prey. Even to someone who had been in group hunts before, it was a pleasant sight.
 
When the command rang out, the shade slunk into the brush and began to close the distance that he had between him and the calf. He would wait until Antares made a rush for the calf. Once his brother had frightened their target, he could rush from his hiding place and act as the final pincer, cutting off any chance that the child would have to flee and assisting in bringing the animal to its death.
 
With muscles taut, the dark yearling waited eagerly for the chance to strike. His sunlight gaze was trained on the other members in the party. A rush of his heart urged him forward a few more paces and that was where he waited. When he was certain that the calf would not be able to turn back to its mother, he stepped from the brush and began to circle the frightened young creature.

Simply keeping up with the three larger and more experienced hunters took all of Meerkat's concentration. The terrain flattened out a bit underfoot, which helped, but then wolves and prey alike began to weave hither and thither. She soon fell behind, which afforded her a wider view of the goings-on. Despite her eyeballs' earlier attachment to Atlas, they now pinned on Bronco as he put himself between a mother elk and the calf they were targeting.

Her heart leaped into her throat as she watched her brother herding the ungulate. They were so close together, it was easy to see the difference in size. Meerkat understood her brother knew what he was doing, though she still felt her heart in her throat as her paws pounded the earth. Her brain took a snapshot, which would develop into complex, conscious thought only later, when there was time for that. But even right then, the youth decided she did not enjoy large game hunting, not after what had happened last time, and now this.

Every second was heavy. There were many animals here, big ones, a lot could happen and as some settled, others riled. Antares felt the herd shift again out of the corner of his eye. The calf was really getting nervous, flighty.. and surely, some of the older beasts were going to get fed up quickly with the wolves obviously prowling. That was the thought before Bronco urged them onward, giving them the go ahead. He did hope he really had the rest of them handled.. But anyway, he'd just trust so. Antares' ears turned down and his nod was terribly faint--acknowledged, and he sped off towards the target with fresh intent.

Cutting right between the herd and its young, he angled his drive for the calf and this time forced it off in earnest with snapping teeth and the promise of worse if it didn't get going. Aware enough of where Atlas was going to be coming from, he pushed it that way, forcing it to turn around and actually flee away from its mother this time instead of hesitating, side-stepping back towards the herd (once where he was able to graze its hind ankle). Antares followed, his own back to the mother, and eyes on the calf's haunches as it ran off--towards Atlas, and with a hint of what was to come on his tongue, he took off after it, absolutely ready to join in opposite his brother on the next attacks to come--once they had their distance fully, and absolutely secured. Every stride forward brought it closer to reality, and he felt himself gaining ground more and more..

This way and that, the cow elk tried to get past him, pausing occasionally to stride along harmlessly and bugle for her calf. He kept his focus on her, though, for quite some time- hoping that the others would herd the calf away so that he didn't have to worry about getting trampled by its upset mother. The rest of the herd had loped off far enough that he believed that they too posed no threat- but the cow elk was pacing, and becoming restless. This wore on Bronco, who padded parallel to her, pausing every time she did, and putting some pressure on her every time she looked a bit too fretful to remind her that it was just as well that she didn't try something stupid. She would have to morn her child, but she needn't get herself injured too. 

She bolted in a sort of bluff charge at him a few times, and he stood his ground, snapping and snarling, and taking the ground back as she recoiled. Once he'd had enough of this, though, he waited for her to stop stomping her hooves and retreat before he charged her in earnest, aiming at her back heels with a savage snarl. He was done babysitting the mother, and needed to get the point across that she simply needed to leave, and do it now. He snapped at one of her ankles, and his teeth grazed the flesh there. A hoof soared just above his temple, but the pain from even just nipping her made her go into an alarm mode, and bolt off toward the rest of the elk. While she clearly hadn't wanted to abandon her calf, her self-preservation instincts were much stronger. 

He eyed the herd which had trotted off into the distance, near the limits where he could see and beyond the treeline and he felt that they were far enough away, now, that he ought not have to worry about the mother elk returning with others to try and seize the calf. Speaking of- he turned, and began to approach the others, but kept his frame low. They seemed to have the situation more or less planned out, and the last thing he wanted to do was spook it in the wrong direction.

The wolves moved with precision beyond their years; instinct told them where to move and how to aim their snapping teeth.
 
As the dark yearling closed some of the distance between himself and the calf, he noted Antares further out and smiled at the sight of his blue-eyed sibling diving into the fray. Like twin shadows the two brothers worked together to block the calf from retreating into the wilds. Atlas snapped his teeth threateningly toward the child as it bleated for its mother to come and save it. One quick glance showed that Bronco had still held his ground firm against the fearful parent and had backed her away from her young with skilled precision.
 
In this moment, Atlas lunged for the calf and aimed to sink his teeth into its tender under-throat.

She liked to eat just as much as anyone, burying her face in a pile of bloody meat. And she had been so excited to take part. But as the hunt unfolded before her eyes, it just kept driving home the fact that hunting was not one of Meerkat's favorite past times. Watching the three yearlings tangle with the elk was impressive but so nerve-wracking. And as much as she tried to divorce her heart from the matter, the calf's frantic cries made her ears flatten to her head. It was a necessary but unpleasant business, she found.

Despite her misgivings, Meerkat trailed after them, watching closely even though it was hard. As bad as she felt for the poor baby, she would also eat it, should they succeed in felling it. That was just how these things worked, the circle of life and all that. Whatever the ultimate outcome, she would certainly learn a lot—mostly about herself—today.