Dawnlark Plains XXXVIII

tagging all RR members! this is optional, and ill be seeking a headcount in discord (message me if not there <3) @Avicus @Ancelin @Lilia @Relic @Redd @Masquerade Ashlar @Glaukos @Arielle @Lycabas @Bobcat (puppies for attn: @Redsky @Mulherin @Fifth @Saturdays Sunrise) making the assumption @New Snow would sit this one out but lmk!!

inspired by

bison.

he and bobcat had tracked the herd almost a month ago in anticipation of the calving, and now it had come.

the eight bison now had four infants among them, newly born from the scent of birth which clung to the tall tough grasses of the plains. bison were not to be hunted with a small party, but as many wolves as would gather between the rise and the seaside pack.

he had hunted these beasts before but it would be a new experience to younger wolves. the tactic of bison was simple: group, horns out, and stave off the predators as long as they were able before one of them spooked and a stampede occurred.

the danger was in how long the herd might bind together.

the hunt-leader tasted the air and looked to all points of the great meadow. it would be a dangerous hunt. deer they had taken, elk, horse. pig, but not yet this heaviest of ruminants. augur called for the redtail wolves, seeking red woman's side as they gathered, filled with a thrumming energy as he waited for their allies to join them on the small rise above the bison.

also optional to sapphique members! tagging everyone who could realistically join mireille (omitting @Rosalyn who she would want to stay close to home <3) sorry for double tags! @Chacal @Val Suzu @Etienne @Theo @Wing @Raelle

"stay close to me," she told the younger attendants. she had not hunted in the mainland before, well, not for a time. and while mireille was filled with excitement at the prospect, she too was wary. she could let nothing befall her wolves.
it was in an odd mixture of anticipation and leeriness that the young leader paced along the ridgetop, skirting the tangle and moving past the riseland into the beyond.
she stared at the great odd creatures, then at the line of hunters beyond. the emerald eyes narrowed, and she felt the odd stirring of some ancient instinct inside herself, tucked low. be careful.
the call was met with her quickened legs, and soon the brilliant red of her form was among the redtail wolves, and mireille was silent, muted with a strange shyness and fast-beating heart.

Theo was excited. A pack hunt! He excitedly followed the others, knowing he was a younger member but also knowing he was an avid and strong hunter

The little boy made his way after his pack, as he was invited to watch his first hunt and little Redsky was excited! There were so many smells and soon he saw other wolves

Eti hated hunting. He knew it was important to know how to do it and it kept his family fed. Those were the only two reasons he made himself do it.

At the first sight of the bison his ears hit his head. They were big and ugly and gosh they looked like the could hurt someone.

He stayed near his Matant and watched, waited for what he must do.

This. Was. The. Worst. 

Like Étienne, Suzu had not willingly gone to the hunt- she’d tried to weasel her way out of the experience by offering to babysit Chiro, Chani, Ravin and Astera- but she was told they were too much of a handful. She could tell her mother wanted to go on the hunt- but the litter was just too busy and quick. 

She felt like it was a way of saying she wasn’t a good enough babysitter, which she disliked. She also hated the idea of having to run and chase- and found the wolves of Redtail Rise intimidating even though she’d met very few of them. 

With a huff, she moved along with Étienne, dragging her paws in quiet protest- until she caught sight of what it was they were hunting. 

If the Redtail Wolves were intimidating, then the bison were well beyond terrifying. Suzu clamped her mouth shut and gave an incredulous look to Mireille. They were going to hunt those things?! 

She gulped and tried to put on a brave face so she might not look like a coward, though her heart raced and her pupils remained narrowed.

Lilia looked forward to the hunt, and joined the group, her tongue lolling over her teeth, her ravenous gaze drifting across the hers of bison in the distance. This hunt was going to be epic- though she didn’t love the idea of sharing the spoils of their hunt with the wolves of Sapphique. 

Still- this might give her a chance to both flaunt her skills and check out the other youth of Sapphique. 

Amongst them she saw two young males who drew her gaze, though their expressions different wildly. Along with them padded a chubby girl, whose pulled a priceless face when she caught sight of the bison. Lilia snorted softly, doing her best to not blatantly laugh. She’d either prove to be a coward, or would be too fat to keep up with the rest of them- both would be equally satisfying for Lilia to see.

She searched then for Ancelin, wondering if he might join them as he now essentially worked for both packs.

Redd didn’t mind the presence of the wolves of Sapphique, for her part, and the greater chance of success they ensured.  She ghosted in to stand off and listen, attention focused on Augur, though she silently measured the others while waiting.  Some appeared to be their age, but the look of them she recognized.  Masque had worn one similar in their first hunt.

Redd moved closer to the unfamiliar wolves of Sapphique and chuffed encouragingly, eyeing the bison with confidence.  Between all of them, this hunt would be simple, and she knew they would find a place in it.

ancelin followed mireille when she led out of the packlands. he would hunt with them today, though he looked forward to seeing his family, and hoped this kill would mark the end of his service in sapphique.
the boy waved his tail proudly at the redtail wolves, his eyes lingering on lilia. and then suzu caught his eye. "don't worry," he said, maybe misreading her look at the obsidian. "stick with me." his eyes were a roguish gleam.

Today, Masquerade would have to choose between their vocations: they could either participate in the hunt or hang back on the sidelines to help Avicus keep an eye on the pups. Only when they arrived at the scene did Masque make up their mind. As much as they loved hunting, particularly big game, there were enough wolves gathered that Masque could lean into their role as Caru.

Although they had made up their mind and hovered close to the young pups, it didn’t stop Masque from gazing a little enviously at the hunters. They tried to catch Redd’s eye (and would wave their tail should she look this way). Their golden eyes cast beyond the wolves to ascertain the prey too, heart thumping at the sight of the bison roaming the plains.

Look, they said, trying to catch their siblings’ attention, can you see the bison? I’ll find us the best place to watch once they get underway. Just stay close to me.

Vaguely saying this is after the Rae/Lilia but Jess let me know if I should change it!

Rae had never participated in a hunt like this before. Naturally she was curious, and intimidated enough to develop some kind of resolve regarding the whole thing. She was quiet as she followed Mireille, hyperfocused on every detail of first the landscape and then the other wolves they came upon. Redtail Rise, she had gathered.
She recognized one of the other wolves, the dark girl with the pale eyes, and her gaze lingered long enough to catch the glance and snort seemingly aimed at her packmate. Rae was immediately offended on her behalf, and moved a little closer to Suzu despite that they didn't know one another at all. Not so close as to raise questions, but she hoped to convey a sense of unity.

Since the battle with the bear, Cherub's Wing had not been able to partake very much in hunting, one of her favorite pastimes. Small prey was able to elude her more often now and her frustration was mounting -- her morale low.

But she would not pass up the chance to participate in a pack hunt. She kept pace behind the traveling Sapphique wolves, until they converged with the Redtails on the ridge. She looked at the strong, determined faces on the hunters of the plains and then to the wide-eyed (by comparison) seawolves of her pack.

Wing felt an ember of determination light in her belly as she turned her attentions towards the bison. They were among the largest animals she had ever seen, but just like with the bear, she did not feel deterred. The fear was there, but she would do it anyway. She waited eagerly for their descent.

Though it was a fairly clear day out, causing Lycabas to squint heavily, he joined his packmates on the ridge to add his weight to this massive undertaking. He couldn't very well pass up on an opportunity to hunt large game with his pack (not when the gif on his profile made it clear he could be good for such a thing).

Blank-faced and empty of thought -- mostly because he could not see well -- the yearling mingled behind the Rise's lead hunter while trying not to look around or let everyone see his strained expression. Below them, the bison looked like a mass of brown blurs to him, no details for him to speak of in this light.

At the tail end of the Rise's hunting party, Relic arrived. Without a second thought, he inserted himself easily amongst the mix of his family and the Sapphique wolves. Largely confined to his home range by choice, he had little time to get out and acquaint himself with his coastal neighbors. 

Only after he surveyed the group of bison; massive beasts with thick hides, tough horns and hooves, did he glance to his fellow canids. Some looked confused, unsure. Others, bold and encouraging. Relic was indifferent, confident in his ability and that of their combined strength that they could take down one of these behemoths. 

Ancelin was here of course. As was Lilia. Today was not the day to puff himself up in front of his rival. There was work to be done. Besides, instead of quarreling, he was more interested in getting to know his coastal counterparts. After the hunt, of course.

hopefully i got everyone to assign roles! u decide how to best NPC any bison for ur character/injuries/hesitation/etc! i havent rolled for this, im winging the outcome IC <3 no posting order!

they gathered.

redtail alone was strong, but with the addition of the seaside wolves, they would have a stronger chance.

he passed his yellow gaze over them, counting, and then looked back at the herd. a calf would be easiest. but a calf would not feed so many mouths.

a cow then, newly delivered. her babe would lag and slow her for their teeth.

he spotted the youngest of the bison calves at the center of the herd as the group milled for a moment. augur was satisfied that he could cut her from the group with help. the hunt-leader would have liked thorn caller for this, but the young wolf @Masquerade hung back from the others to stay with the pups.

and so with a tilt of his head he summoned @Lilia, @Relic, and @Lycabas. with the giant ulfhedinn, they would be the vanguard of the hunt, and the first endangered. but he would not second-guess his choices. he would show them how to chase. 

the seaside wolves would be led in groups by @Redd and @Ancelin, one left, and one right. for them to course the rest of the herd off as the four main hunters sliced for the bison cow and her calf. was his intention. faced with a line of predators, augur did not think the herd could hold its defense for long. wing, @Raelle, and suzu with redd, mireille, @Theo, and @Etienne with ancelin. 

to his chosen three augur signalled, and after a studious intake of breath, the great man showed his fleetness in a paced run directly toward the center of the herd, meaning to sweep down upon them in a row of bristling jaws.

red woman flashed beside him.

Theo was happy to be paired with his brother and Mireille. And the young man they were paired with as well from the Redtail Rise seemed kind enough. Theo had seen him approach Suzu before. He looked to the other boy for direction.

he tried not to look at lilia as augur made his decisions, though his purple eyes widened to see her chosen for the front lines. he tore his eyes away from her when he noticed relic, turning to the sapphiqueans he would be leading today.
"we're gonna go left," he said, loud enough for @Redd to hear. "stick with me. if one comes at you, dodge back. we're supposed to run them off in two groups so augur can get in there with that cow."
there wasn't much time to talk. the hunt-leader only took as many minutes as he needed to organize before setting off. "okay, there they go. come on!" ancelin hooted, flowing into a trot and then a run behind the four wolves which outpaced his group for now.
as soon as augur hit his stride and came close enough to the herd, the bison lowed but held their line, snorting and facing outward with their horns. ancelin darted closer, keeping his body between his hunting party and the powerful hooves.
the bison broke, and the young wolf harried a cow into a leftmost run, thunderous steps filling his ears.

Already very self-aware, Suzu looked up briefly when she heard what sounded like a snort- only to see a wiry girl staring at her with a mean gaze that would soon enough be blocked from view by one of their newest additions to the pack. 

Suzu waved her tail and flattened her ears to show her appreciation to Raelle, though when Ancelin spoke to her, she froze. His reassurance was hard to believe, given it came from a wolf whose face was covered in scars. He seemed confident, though, and she felt both pleased and flustered to receive his attention. 

She looked to Raelle, a girl of her own age (finally!) and raised her eyebrows. What did she make of him? Was he just trying to show off? 

Instructions were shown by a man from the Rise, as he selected wolves from his own party first, and then divided up the others. A target had apparently been chosen, but to Suzu, they all looked so terrifying she wasn’t sure she could tell them apart. 

She gave Ancelin a mortified look when he suggested that the animals might come at them. Dodge back? Exactly how agile did he think she was going to be when faced by a charging bison?! 

She thought of the blood, and felt queasy. 

She was to hold a line with Wing, Raelle, and someone she didn’t recognize from the Rise. She was too overwhelmed to even offer Redd a hopeful grin, and moved to linger close to Raelle, her posture low and slinking. She’d move, but only when the others did. 

Ancelin was bold and even when faced by the defensive tactics of the bison he persisted. Once the animals began moving, she knew they were to chase their section of the herd away. 

Suzu made an attempt, darting forward with a bluff charge, only to find herself chased back by a protective cow that pulled out of the crowd to stomp after her for a few paces before returning to the herd. 

Out of breath, she ducked behind Raelle and Redd again, hoping one of them might take up the initiative.

Ancelin didn’t even turn to acknowledge her- and to rile her further, he even spoke to the chubby seawolf, who looked more flustered and frightened than before. She huffed. 

She searched for Relic’s eye, but found him focused. She smiled lightly; he did have a certain, menacing look about him when he shut out everything and set himself up as a sniper, ready to fire. 

Augur motioned to her and she frisked forward, eyes glinting as she reined in her enthusiasm as well as she could. She uttered a nearly imperceptible growl to Relic, chuffing as well to Lycabas who had also been chosen to join Augur to head the chase. Avicus as well, the red huntress a natural choice for such a move.

Once the predators made themselves known, the prey moved to shield their vulnerable. Their horns were short, but wicked- and they carried great heft with their thick shoulders. With a flick, Lilia thought a wolf could be tossed metres into the air if they got caught. They could be trampled underfoot, if they tripped. Pushed into the earth by a broad and stony forehead.

Still- with danger came thrill, and Lilia was keen to keep pace with Augur, trailing only inches from his side, maintaining the distance between them so they might spear the herd with the unrelenting savagery of snarls and flashing teeth. 

A split in the herd appeared as Ancelin led his crew toward the herd, and Lilia took a great breath- readying herself to charge after Augur, and toward the chosen cow once her position was revealed.

Redd was cautious but felt no fear, and she did not hesitate where the others did.  The hunt was natural; it sang in her blood and she had all she needed for it.  Quickness, teeth, claws, and a respect for those they chased.

She did not acknowledge Ancelin’s words, knowing already what needed done, but she mirrored him as they took off and began to divide the herd.  She made sure Raelle and Suzu were with her and took point, snapping at the creatures while keeping careful distance from their hooves.  She was glad to see Suzu trying, a backup for if any attempted to break a new exist. 

She would lead them in harrying the prey forward and driving them the way Augur expected, prepared for those waiting to choose their target and finish this.  If she could she would assist in that as well, but in this hunt, she knew her main objective was to keep the herd from harming any it might try to overtake.

ignoring the interpack tensions between the younger wolves, mireille watched closely as her own were grouped with two redtail youths as their leadership for the day. she did not like this, not because she wished to hunt ahead, but because she could not keep eyes on her sister's children this way.
but neither could she hang back. when the huge wolf made his choices, she tensed and went toward the boy ancelin.
and when they all began to fly, she looked for suzu, thankful that eti and theo had been put into her party. 
she snapped; she harried. she ducked away from a swing of horn and narrowly avoided the crush of two great bodies slamming together.
but she did her part, thinking even of how young the rise boy was, blossoming maternal instinct paired with her experience as sitter.

The hunters did not delay. Masquerade shepherded their younger siblings and trotted after them, keeping a slow and steady pace in the others’ wake. They wanted to watch—the hunt was quite the spectacle from the sidelines—but Masque ignored that temptation. They saw it unfold in brief glances, though largely their attention remained on the pups.

They were the Wealda’s children, thus they were obedient. But this also meant they were destined to be fierce hunters and warriors. They may be tempted to join the fray. Their time would come soon enough. One day, not long from now, they would be thrown into the mix. But today, it was all about watching and learning.

See how Augur directs them? He is Ulfhedinn, leader of the hunt, Masque commentated. Our mother, Wealda, is leader of all. She is the Alpha female. When they fell the bison, she will eat first. Perhaps the other pack’s leader will join her, then the rest of us will eat. There will be plenty for all.

Masque had no doubt they would succeed. Bison were formidable prey, yet with the combined strength of two packs, the Caru felt whichever bovine they targeted didn’t stand a chance.

He was paired with Augur. The team also included Lycabas and Lilia. Their job was simple but dangerous. To rush in and isolate a bison cow, of first hunters choosing. He did not mind being on the front lines, so close to the crushing hooved and goring horns.

Avicus was with them, too, much to his pleasure. When the signal was given, he took off on swift paws. Lips peeled back from his teeth, snapping as he neared ever closer to the bison. Alongside his kin he ran, driving the bison onwards. Forcing them to panic, to split and leave the vulnerable exposed.

Eti moved into position and did what he was bade. He filled the holes as his group shifted and moved. He snarled and growled and bit and clawed. Anything to keep the beast away and engaged. He hated that his sister wasn't on his team. How could he protect her this way.

no posting order!

the herd began to seethe and split, provoked by the two parties of runners augur had set to chase off the rest of the herd.

as the milling legs surged, the protective circle of horns around the mother and infant broke. she was harried and horrified, nostrils flaring, eyes rolling. her calf was tiny, its legs still in the moments of growing strong.

augur drove himself forward, catching a glancing blow from another bison as it thundered past he and his forehunters.

the man's shoulder would bruise but he had their quarry locked now. she ran and he followed, signalling with raised grey plume that the five should follow and seek to ground the cow with their strength and teeth.

the calf bawled loudly in the din.