Whitefish River Erlkönig

Raventhorpe/Epoch hunt!
@Rusalka @Greyfalcon @Vaettir @Granite @Leifa @Tamar @Meadow @Reyson @Saleem @Rhonen as well as Deja, I just didn't want to double tag ya <3

Nar posting order this round!

Dusk fell as the wolves of Raventhorpe threaded their way down from the plateau, keeping close to the forested edge of the mountains so they might remain out of sight. A great expanse of yellowed grasses danced in the warm light of golden hour, grazed upon by a large herd of elk. The elk were quiet in the wake of the rut, content to graze and bulk up as much as possible in preparation for the advent of winter. While their long, curved antlers were no longer used for jousting amongst themselves, they bore the weight of them still and would until the new year had come- in the winter months, those tines would be turned upon the wolves.

Amid the scent of fallen leaves and pine sap, she could scent more wolves in the area. She motioned for her family to remain silent and still, waiting and watching for the wolves of Epoch to join them.

Reyson titled his head and large brutish body made way to where another pack waited. Blue eyed gaze on sharp antlers. The lwrge elk as they grew round with winter fat. He one was assessed and targets were found.

He dipp3d his scarred head and face to the leader that had called. Andcthen stared back into the valley. Waiting for his fellow leaders and who else may come.

On the paws of his father he trotted. Eyes staring wide and bright at the other wolves. He placed himself as close to father as he could get. Who he was still slightly smaller than. But eventually his breadth would rival Reyson's.

He did not speak ashamed of his stutter and hia shyness, but nor did father so he waited. Though he did offere a smile and a dip of his head.

He knew that Vaettir would be keeping an eye on them make sure that none of the children interfered with the hunt, but he looked forward to the event with great anticipation nonetheless. He tried to contain his excitement as they roved through the edge of the forest, gazing out every now and again at the elk as they grazed. Whenever an impressive bull lifted its head and showed off its rack, he cooed softly in awe. 

Then they pulled to a stop and waited. He moved to entice his father into a play-fight while they waited, but Vaettir caught him with a gentle arm, and a swift side-eye from his mother told him that now was not the time. 

Through the woodlands, other wolves came, and Baldr moved forward to see them approach. Among the vanguard was a boy who looked to be just about his age, and his size as well! He knew he had to stay quiet while they gathered so as to avoid spooking the elk herd, but he smiled brightly at the other pup and wagged his tail. Surely, once the hunt was over, they could actually play!

it was a perfect place to hunt.

being out of epoch delivered new breaths to a stale throat. tamar found herself almost overwhelmed by the breadth of autumn leaves and the sheen of sunlight upon many clicking antlers.

looking to reyson with pride that he seemed to be so attuned so quickly, tamar slipped into a place beside solveig, offering a shy brush of her muzzle before her eyes returned to their spectacle.

there is a soft tension in his shoulders that rusalka cannot quite soothe out, despite that he trusts his wife's word about the pack they were to share the hunt with. he knows, in the long run, having allies will only serve to help raventhorpe. perhaps even grow it.

still, he is alert as he moves to stand beside his wife, golden gaze studious as he studies their quarry for a moment before his gaze returns to those gathered; awaiting the arrival of the rest.

Ooh interesting…. OvO Sorry I vanished, caught a bad chest bug.

She lie in wait with her family. Epoch… she had never met these wolves before. However, she would be warm and welcoming to thy neighbors. Surely an alliance would benefit her pack, and maybe even someone new may join.

She sensed the soft tension of Rusalka, then watched him motion toward Solveig to stand at her side. The pups were with Veattir, she seemed like a very watchful wolf and shouldn’t have any trouble with the young’ins.

She hadn’t been on a hunt in a long time, this would be very exhilarating! She wondered how her bird was doing, bird…. He was probably chilling just fine.

Behind Reyson was Rhonen, and behind Rhonen was Deja. The boy was a size smaller than his brother and didn’t possess the same impressive stature his budding sibling had already begun to show. But what he lacked in physical aptitude, he made up for in wit.

Bright-eyed, Deja soaked up his father’s mannerisms. How he watched and studied the prey.

Then, another pack appeared. Tamar swiftly greeted them. Deja pocketed away how a leader acted with diplomacy. His tail waved, friendly, when his eyes found the other kids. All, but one, seem interested.

Anticipation buzzed within Raventhorpe. A pack hunt with new allies was about to take place along the river. Everyone seemed excited except for Granite, who just couldn’t understand the point of it all.

He followed the rest of the pack, dragging behind like a lugubrious teenager. His body ached from growing pains and he felt uncoordinated in his developing body. Additionally, he had stayed up too late the night before… and you know what that meant.

Cranky and irritable, when Granite spied the other pack among the trees he chose to stay back and growled under his breath suspiciously. In contrast, the other kids were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Badlr even wrestled with Rusalka a bit. Granite felt out of place, and more like a wart among them.

Leifa stuck close to her mother until Vaettir guided her gently to where her brother stood. News of the pack hunt had excited the young girl and seeing the elk with her very own eyes only added fuel to fire. Staying still and silent went against every fibre of her being, yet (with great difficulty) she kept her moth shut. Only the tippy taps of her paws gave away her enthusiasm.

A glance back at Granite - the new, weird kid - what had him so worked up? Perhaps he just didn't like new people - that was understandable, though Leifa didn't really agree with him. It was interesting to meet new faces! The girl spied a boy about her brother's size next to what seemed to be his father, and a smaller one just behind him. It was him, she decided, seemed most interesting.

Her tail feathered in greeting behind her as she waited in anticipation for how the adults would handle such antlered creatures.

Her heart thrummed in anticipation of a good pack hunt- and in anticipation of meeting other wolves! She still felt that there was a good chance they might hunt with Moontide soon as well, though it seemed ideal to hunt close to home so that the children could manage the journey and watch from a distance, safe with the pack's elder. 

She noted Granite's sullen features, and tried to offer him a sympathetic smile if he glanced her way. He was the most distant child, out of the batch, and she hoped one day that he might relax and open up. Perhaps eventually Baldr would wear down his defenses. 

She eyed the elk from the shadows, before turning to watch the procession of Epoch wolves approach. They brought two children with them as well, which might give Baldr, Leifa and Granite some new friends. The woman seemingly in charge of the group greeted her mother quietly. Thyra offered a friendly smile and a bob of her head to any who looked her way.

Let's move on to the next round :) Any others who wanted to take part are welcome to join in as well!

Their numbers grew. She smiled at Tamar, who had brought her own band of wolves with her, a mixture of both adults and children. Here at the edge of the valley they could get their first good look at their neighbours, to see that both packs seemed to be small, but familial. The tall, scarred man had two children as bookends, and she looked to see her own children smiling with anticipation. 

Granite did not seem interested in the least- yet- but she was used to such behavior by now. He was still to be included, even if he wanted a bit of distance. 

Her gaze returned to Tamar, before she flicked her eyes out toward the grazing animals. The banks of the river were steep, and the river itself might be enough of an obstacle to keep the herbivores from escaping a direct charge. 

"If we sweep in from the South..." She suggested quietly, for the adults with keen ears. "We can herd them to where the valley narrows; those who are strong may ford the river, there." Her eyes shimmered. Unspoken was the promise that there might be one who would not be strong or agile enough to make the crossing.

Is it still not order specific? If not let me know. :)

Gyr looked over at the young woman, Thyra was her name. She hadn’t seen her often and offered her a gently friendly smile her way as well.

Maybe after all this they could chat and get to know each other. She almost reminded her of someone… yes, Solveig. Were they related?
She then turned her eyes back on the elk, and fellow wolves, ready to pounce fiercely. Confidence enstilled in her.

the children are eager to watch, all except for granite who's disposition remains sullen and distanced. this does not surprise rusalka, necessarily, and he offers granite, should the boy allow it, an encouraging nudge.

his attention is stolen from the children, back to the hunt at hand as his wife speaks; eyes seeking out the path that she suggests and offering a firm nod of approval.

Reyson was wary to take the boys through the ford, but he also had no one to keep an eye on them if Tamar chose to ford the river too. So he looked to his leader for foreclosure how she wanted to hunt. He saw nothing wrong with the others words and plan except the children. They were old enough surely and perhaps it was just worry for nothing, but he couldn't quite help it.

He traced the route she spoke of and otherwise it seemed fine.

I am wondering how shallow the ford is? Would the kids be able to pass through? If so i can edit this no problem. Just pm me

tamar listened intently.

she was of the same mind as rodyn, and glanced in thought to their little ones. the scarred father would be far more effective than she in both the hunt and the fording.

small steps carried her cautiously to his side, eyes flicking momentarily toward the elk. "you go into the river. i will stay with them. we will go around or find an easier place." a smile encouraged and said all was well, and she glanced at solveig in resolute excitement.

Rhonen wasn't sure what the adults were exactly figuring out. But their dad seemed a little unsure.

There was a girl watching him or his brother he couldn't tell. He lifted a paw to the girl and he guessed her brothers.

Then he pressed a little against Deja.

The Epoch boy was equally interested in the adults’ plans and the other juveniles. He did not miss when the girl looked towards Deja and his brother, and assumed her glace was for himself, alone. Puffing out his chest a little, Deja’s ear turned when he heard Tamar append a strategy onto Solveig’s plans.

He watched Father carefully, and curled his tail over his back as a way to telegraph his confidence and pride.

Leifa too was keen to absorb any and all information about the hunt from the older wolves. Ears, pricked she listened intently to their plans involving the elk, wishing she could join in. After all, there was only so much she could learn from observation alone.

In the meantime, she remained intently curious on the two boys, hoping they would have a chance to speak to one another after the hunt.

no specific order :)

Her mother explained, and Thyra followed her gaze toward where the river drew closer to the treeline, where the slope began to rise abruptly. Pursued by a pack of hungry wolves, the elk would likely rush toward the river- where only the strong would manage against the current and the slippery footing. 

She noticed what she saw as trepidation on the faces of who she assumed were the parents of the children- the pretty blonde woman, and the scarred man. When Tamar spoke of fording the river, she looked toward her mother and her brow raised. She inhaled, tipping her head back, and snuck closer to the pair. 

"I think what it is that my mother means-" She supplied quietly, hoping her mother didn't mind that she was stepping in to elaborate and explain, "Is that we will chase the elk to that area...The strong elk will go into the water, leaving behind some that are not so strong or bold...And we will separate one from them, for our target," She said with a hopeful smile. Her mother was, at the best of times, quite abrupt- often assuming that those around her would be able to finish her thoughts. 

She looked to her mother for affirmation, hoping she might have clarified things.

Granite was overlooked by Baldr, who was used to giving the boy his space. His attention was split between glancing toward the grazing animals (their future dinner!) and the two boys who sat side by side. Leifa didn't seem to notice it, but Baldr picked up on the way the darker of the two boys puffed out his chest, causing Baldr to grin. They had to be friendly- friendlier, at least, than Granite. 

His stomach gurgled, and he remembered his hunger. He tuned back into the instructions, whispered amongst the adults, just in time to hear his older sister explain their maneuver. 

He leaned against Leifa's side and whispered into her ear. "I'm gonna eat twice my own weight of elk meat!"

Alright! Let's get this hunt in moooootion!
No posting order :)

She sensed a bit of apprehension, and was surprised when tamar offered to stay with the children and find a safe crossing for them. Before she had a chance to ask why she would need to take the children across the river, her clever daughter stepped forward to clarify the hunting tactic. "Yes," She said, giving her daughter a faint smile, appreciative that she was perhaps more capable of explaining their plan. "I am sometimes rusty with common tongue. My clever daughter speaks more clearly. We herd the elk like this," She said, pointing up toward the end of the meadow, where the stampeding creatures would be faced with a steep incline, or the option to ford the river; the latter would be an easier method of shaking the wolves off from those strong enough to swim. "They will bunch up at the water, before going in all as one. We will pick off straggler, cut it off from the herd, kill it in the meadow." She said, licking her lips hungrily. 

She still felt confident with her plan. Using the terrain to their advantage was something she had been taught from a young age; the prey would often choose the path of least resistance, and the water would be an easier path than having to climb up a steep slope while being chased by agile predators. "Vaettir can watch children," She said, motioning to the priestess who would be in charge of Baldr, Leifa and Granite. She hoped that if she felt reassured, Tamar might join them in the hunt; having an extra set of jaws would certainly make the job easier. 

She motioned for them to go, giving each of the children a light boop to the top of their heads with her muzzle- her way of indicating without any words for them to obey the priestess, and that they would be rewarded well later. 

Once the hunting party was assembled, she motioned again and they were off- their first task to spook and drive the herd up the length of the valley, examining the beasts in motion for any signs of weakness.

Clarification was all he needed and as the plan unfolded in front of him. His eyes took on a sharp tacticians edge. His long life of strategy kicking into overdrive.

He bent his head to both Rhonen and Deja. Stay with Vaettir. Watch close so that you can help in the future. Listen well.

His voice held no brokrage of argument. The boys would stay or face his anger and disappointment. And then he'd have to tell their mother and no one wanted to upset her he knew this.

He quickly shifted into position and watched for the ho ahead to start herding. Maw already rippling back in apprehension.

Rhonen didn't know the wolf his father was entrusting them too. And he was pretty disappointed to miss the hunt himself. But if he could lesrn from watching he supposed that was alright. So he went towards the priestess and other kids.

Father’s words were serious and Deja knew there would be no negotiating, no mater how badly he wished to run with the adults and hunt (and show off!). “Yes, father,” Deja told him obediently.

Then, he followed Rhonen over to the woman named Vaettir to join the small flock of youngsters.

“Hi, I’m Deja!” He introduced himself.