Ocean's Breath Plateau The Way that you play

Yellow eyes watched with interest the small herd of deer that were passing through the plateau. It didn't seem that they were making home among the boughs, but rather just passing through. He curled his paws into the dirt. Itching to chase them, but first he needed to study them. Find the weakest link, especially if he had no help. He wondered briefly if @Mojag was around. They had hunted together once before many moons ago and it would be nice to do so again. The Youth now a young man, eager to help.

Rodyn shifted again, shoulders lowered eyes narrowed as he pinpointed two. A female with a limp and a male missing half of his antlers, causing his head to be a little corkscrewed. He would make a fine meal, but he was also still very dangerous.

Are you watching the injured one? Mojag asked in an excited whisper, coming up alongside the lurking man; the boy was disheveled as per his new normal, with dry seaweed netted in his fur and patches of straw-like, salty fur dried in clumps upon his chest. His tongue lolled from his mouth after he asked the question, trying to catch his breath after prowling his way along the beach and towards the plateau proper.

The last time I hunted a deer, we had... four, I think? Chakliux, another man -- and a lady, plus me. He had forgotten some of their names, and wasn't sure he was remembering the ordeal correctly; but he wanted to flaunt to Rodyn that he was experienced in these matters, even at his age. Also, that they were only two men against a herd - which were still poor odds.

A small curl of lip into a smile and he turned to look at Mojag with fondness. Seaweed wound through the tendrils of his sun kissed coat, and salt from the sea clung to him, making his fur stand up. Ro was glad that the youth was finding his way in the plateau. It filled his heart with gladness. I was watching two. The injured one and the stag with only one rack, he's lopsided, but still very dangerous.

I have successfully hunted with two. Both Heph and Void. But Void got hurt twice. He said the last part with regret. I will not have you or myself hurt so early on in our claim.

He and Heph had done alright, other than some regular cuts and bruises. He thought about it.

We will wait a few more minutes. @Heph sometimes comes this way on her patrols. If she doesn't. We can try and spook them and see if she lags behind enough for us to claim her as our food source without complications. Are you comfortable with this?

There was no judgement in his tone. Honestly he was just glad to have a friend help him out, but he wanted to make sure that Mojag felt comfortable enough to try given his smaller experience than the hunter.

Heph had initially been patrolling but it seemed as if a herd had wandered into their borders and she had not wished to squander the opportunity. As she started on the trail she picked up the scent of Rodyn and another wolf, male if she guessed correctly, and her tail wagged in excitement even as she quieted her steps. It seemed as if there was a member of the herd that was promising if they stayed on the trail and she took note of their numbers - any information she could glean from the tracks and made sure to approach from a favorable wind. As the scent became more fresh she deviated from the path of the herd to rejoin with her packmates. They were whispering from far enough away not to startle them and as she surveyed the group she picked out the stag with half a rack and a doe who was carrying one leg as if it pained her, but whether or not that would affect her gait Heph could not see in stillness.

As soon as she was within range to be heard herself at a quieter tone she greeted them. "Quite a party. Has a target and a plan been settled on?" Having arrived later she was happy to follow along. Even the remaining antler of the stag might present a challenge, but she was more than willing to bait it once they had it stalled. Though the doe might be a more sensible quarry and her paws already itched for the chase since picking up the trail. It was difficult from a distance to detect their ages but if either one of them lagged it would become apparent if the herd was to be moved quickly.

Hope you don't mind me dropping her in here! I'll probably use this for her hunting trade as well

Rodyn was clearly invested in the hunt, even though for now he was only watching and thinking up the best tactics for the hunt itself; Mojag hoped his input would be worthwhile, and when the other man reciprocated with his concerns he felt validated. It sounded as though Rodyn was reluctant to pursue either the doe or the stag unless they had more people - which was fortunate; but Mojag didn't know anyone else, so he couldn't call for them.

They were lucky, though. Someone else did emerge as they rounded the patrol route, and together that made three. Mo looked to the newcomer and tried to gauge their energy with a look, and spared a giddy little smile their way, before answering the woman on behalf of both men present:

There's the injured doe, which I think would be better. Or the stag there. The boy motioned to the figures roaming distantly without taking his eye off of Heph. We could try to separate the two of them from one-another? Then whichever one falters first becomes the target. It was just an idea, but Mojag wanted to get a move on - he had things to prove to everyone here!

Half of the leadership for Moontide, wanted all their members to feel valued and cared for. That they were heard. It made for a better knit group he felt, but he was new to this as well. And there was no denying the stag even lopsided, could tear them apart.

A smile. Heya Heph. Was the man's quiet words towards her. Then he looked back towards the deer gauging. He made a decision then and nodded.

We'll go after the Doe, less chance of injury, just keep an eye that the stag doesn't come after us. Heph I know you like to engage and herd, Mojag, do you have a preference. Would you like to wait for us to herd it to you, or like to herd?

They could then get this party started.

Heph nodded at the decision. Perhaps another day with more of them hey would take on the trickier hunt, but she had only ever hunted alongside Rodyn before and this other wolf was an unknown quantity to her and she an unknown element to him. While Heph trusted in her own skills as well as Rodyn's she could understand why someone else would not be so willing to place their safety on the hunt on her shoulders. Her voice was low and quiet but sure, accompanied with a firm nod of her head. "Ready on your go ahead." She would keep an eye on on the stag, and if it came to she would do her best to drive it off the other pair so that they could pursue the doe. With its antlers the way it was she doubted that the creature would stop to help another, but it was difficult to fully predict how the panic would set in and affect a wolf or a deer. Once the herd was moving their plan could evolve, but she was ready in an easy crouch to move over the land and steer them in a favorable direction as soon as the hunt was on.

Mojag thought of the last time he'd been part of a large-scale hunt, like this. There had been the many other bodies (mostly men) and he'd hung back. On an earlier excursion, back on the island, he'd intercepted a hunt with Heda and Bartholomew and nearly caused it to go awry by running head-long towards the target, without a plan. He knew better now.

I would like to help herd it, he mentions to Rodyn, and when given the go-ahead he moves in to position. It'll be himself and the woman to try and separate the doe from the others, and he trusts himself enough to do that; it'll be good practice even if he fails, he thinks.

Rodyn nodded. Very well.

Rodyn motioned to the both. I'll go over there. Watch for hooves and horns. Good Luck.

Then with a small nod to the two, trusting that Heph would give any instruction that he hadn't. He went low to the ground, feeling the earth beneath his paws. Shoulders low, stalking, quietly. He found his position and waited with baited breath.

Heph was glad to have the plan in motion and as soon as Mojag had assented she began stalking her way towards a better spot to rush them into the direction Rodyn had indicated he would go towards. Glancing at the other wolf she tried to assess whether or not he would balk at her taking the iniative and decided that the worst he could do was refuse loudly and start the chase a little earlier than anticipated. Whispering furtively once she had found a spot that she thought would offer them the best angle of attack she kept her eyes on the stag. "If we both rush in most of the herd should scatter, the doe should lag behind if you go to the far side of her I'll go to the other so we can guide her from both sides towards Rodyn. If the stag comes over you'll have to go at her heels yourself keeping her straight while I herd the buck away. And if the doe doesn't lag we'll follow whoever finds the weakest of the herd first. Good?" But despite the strength behind her words she did not move, waiting for Rodyn to be in position and for the other wolf to indicate whether or not he wished to make any adjustments to the plan or ask her anything.

Rodyn moved in to position and would lay in wait.

The woman was the one to take up a hunter's prowl first, and she turned to Mojag to issue commands; her plan was simple enough, and something he had practiced once before, so he wasn't afraid to try it. It didn't bother him to be given instruction by a woman - most of Moonglow had been women of great power, and he did not think of things following such a strong binary; there was no reason to fight with them about the plan either, so he merely nodded and moved along.

He would wait for a cue from the gamma, and when he saw her tense for the charge, Mojag did the same. Together they would launch themselves clear of cover and with the focus on the herd. The deer moved swiftly in the wake of the wolf, flowing like a tide away from him. The more virile were quick to leap away and took off among the trees — the weaker, chiefly the half-crowned stag and the limping doe, moved in tandem as quickly as they could.

Mo glanced to where the woman focused her own charge, briefly distracted.

Rodyn shifted his feet, his heart tightening as Mojag was momentarily distracted, but they were doing their best to veer the doe towards him. With a growl and a leap, he hit the ground with strength and while Mojag and Heph pressed her towards him, he snapped at her throat and shoulders, using his strength and his jaws to weaken and pull her down to his level. Once there he could do the kill bite, if one of the other two weren't there first.

There was a sharp stinging pain as she flailed her hooves, nailing his shoulder and making it bleed, but he did his best to hang on and tighten his bite.

As soon as Rodyn was in position and the wolf beside her seemed ready she shot forward, the first leap of unsprung tension giving her a burst of distance that helped close the gap necessitated by surprise. The herd reacted quickly and she relished in the chaos, tracking their movement in her peripheral, but the stag and the injured doe proved to be the best targets. But they moved together and she saw the rings of white around his eyes as they neared enough to see Rodyn.

She snapped once more at the haunches of the doe before moving off her target to whirl on the stag. He aimed his antler towards her, but his swing was off-balanced by the weight upon his head and instead he rammed his skull into her side, sending her skittering away with a bruise that did nothing to dull the adrenaline. Snarling she lunged for him again, this time he was the one who danced away, hooves urging him to flee and she turned in time to see Rodyn take a strike of hooves. The image sent a fresh breath of urgency into her movements and she pivoted strongly, using her own haunches to spur her over to the doe.

Aiming her fangs at its back legs not caring much for the accuracy only that the doe was aware of her strikes she did her best to avoid strikes herself, hopefully helping in distracting it.