Hoshor Plains If you only met my eyes

@Minnow and maybe @Easy

I know they're here... C'mon, 'Mac... You can do this!

Sumac leveled his amber gaze ahead of him, drawing it into the distance where the game trail he was following faded into the gloom of the slumbering winter forest. The scent of deer - a pair of doe, it seemed - hung heavily in the air. The animals had to be nearby, judging by the tracks, scent, and fresh pile of scat. So much of his hope was riding on this hunt, not only for the prospect of a good meal, but a chance to raise Minnow's opinion of him.

He had only just met her, but for some reason that he couldn't fathom, gaining her approval was very important to him right now. So, it wasn't only for the purpose of building his own self-esteem that he'd taken the lead in dashing into the forest ahead of Easy and Minnow. Ignoring the butterflies that danced in his stomach, 'Mac had put his senses to good use, winding past the sullen-looking tree trunks before, to his elation, he'd come across this very trail.

Heart racing with anticipation and general nerves, he glanced over his shoulder to see if the pair of women were following. A loose grin tugged at the corners of his maw - maybe he had a chance! He felt hopeful... if he didn't think about it too long and hard.

The hunt was on and it had been a few moons before the she wolf had hunted with anyone but herself. So she was excited to show off her skills.

The male had taken the lead and minnow followed the scent along with him. He seemed to be in his element and knew that exactly what to look for when tracking prey and she kept her eyes peeled for any signs of the deer they were tracking as she followed closely behind.

Please feel free to skip Easy! I will be stalking this thread either way, but please tag me again if I need to make another post.

The blackbear smiled to herself as she trailed behind the younger wolves. As much misfortune as she'd experienced in her long life, she'd found that moments like this outweighed them. There would always be someone out there for her to love, and so far, they'd done a good job of finding each other.

She lingered at the back of the pack, hoping that these two were in the process of finding each other.

'Mac shot the duo a smirk over his shoulder, lifting his brows as if to say, "They're close!"

He hadn't tasted ungulate flesh since the death of his family, and all other benefits to success aside, he was eager for a full belly.

Returning his attention forward, Sumac lowered his head to the ground and inhaled deeply, savoring the aromas of fertile earth mixed with deer and hints of the vast grasslands that surrounded this copse. He swallowed, willing his nerves to calm and his heart to slow its persistent drumming in his chest. Minnow seemed to be enjoying herself, and Easy lingered behind them. The latter seemed to have an unreadable, knowing look on her face... Hm, wonder what that's about.

Gah, focus; focus, 'Mac!

Back to the task at hand: he followed on silent paws, dashing past a track here, a tree trunk showing freshly wounded bark there. Closer, closer... the scent was almost overpowering now.

And there they were - two does, indeed! One was in her prime, pulling bark deftly from the nearest gray trunk with ease; the other, perhaps a fawn of hers from this year, was smaller, younger, nosing a shrub nearly bereft of foliage. Jackpot!

Sumac crouched lower now, carefully assuming a position concealed behind a young spruce and a nearby bush. His amber eyes darted to Minnow and Easy, giving a slight nod. If one or both of them could flush the youngster his way, he could use his weight to try to bring her down, but he was willing and able to improvise.

It’s seems the two deer had stopped near the bushes and the young she wolf lowered herself to the ground and silently crept up near the smaller one. She was quiet and only ever made a sound on purpose so she could push them towards her other to hunting companions. Minnow nipped the leg of one to get it moving in that direction.

Sumac watched intently from his hiding place as Minnow and Easy moved smoothly in opposite directions, walking silently upon well-trained paws. The male held his breath, his ears pricked fully forward and his heart racing - this was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. Don’t mess this up, ‘Mac!

It was Minnow who made the first move, intentionally revealing herself to the pair of cervines. The elder doe snorted loudly and dashed off, and before her companion could follow, Easy was there to redirect her course toward Sumac. Minnow had dashed in, nipping at the fleeing animal’s flank, encouraging her toward the ambush site.

Closer… closer…

They were so near, now. This was the hardest part for ‘Mac: keeping himself under control so as not to pull the trigger too soon and overshoot his opportunity, but not restraining himself too much and missing out altogether.

Wait for it, wait for it… 

He could practically feel the doe’s breath as she shot right into the bush he’d been hiding behind. Throwing all of his power into his limbs, adrenaline surging, ‘Mac bared his glistening white teeth and stared intently at the animal’s neck, keeping his attention there. With a lunge, he threw himself forward, felt his teeth find purchase… and then clack together, empty!

The deer had bucked and shoved him with her shoulder before continuing her mad dash forward. No! His heart began to sink - he was failing.

Her aunt had the other deer under control and Minnow looked over to her other hunting mate and it seemed he had missed his shot and the deer was running off and she sprinted towards the fleeing animal. she wasn’t so far away so she was able to redirect the doe once again towards him.

sorry it’s short

No worries at all! I finally got a good roll

The deer was thoroughly panicked now, but ‘Mac was determined. He would NOT mess this one up! Rallying, his heart raced, his muscles thrumming with energy and power as he exploded forward. Minnow was giving him another opportunity, and the terrified doe was too out of sorts to register that she was being driven right back toward the larger male.

Throwing all of his weight onto his hind legs, then shifting violently forward, he lunged again as she made a second pass. This time when his jaws snapped shut like a vice, he felt the warm squirt of blood, tasting its metallic composition. Bearing down even more, he once again shifted his weight onto his back end, using gravity to try to bring the doe to her knees.

She screamed and snorted, desperately trying to escape his merciless jaws, but ‘Mac continued to pull her toward the ground, never relinquishing his grip. Right now, there was only this moment, this goal of securing her demise, and his focus could not be broken.

Her hunting companions seemed to have the other deer handled but just in case minnow went to the other side of the animal in case it got free and tried to depart once more. But it seemed that her new friend had gotten a good hold of the animal in his jaws and the woman waited patiently. He seemed determined and the young woman was impressed.

'Mac was immensely grateful that this deer was such a youngling as he hung onto her throat, squeezing, squeezing... He allowed gravity to pull him to the ground, his side making contact with the hard, cold earth as she tried to drag him along. A few bumps and grazes scratched at his thick hide but did little damage. The doe was thankfully too inexperienced to do more than thrash aimlessly in her panic, and she went down not long after Sumac.

First her front half, then her hind quarters. Sumac did not relent. Driven now by a frenzy as her blood poured into his mouth through the puncture wounds made by his fangs, he held his grip tightly until her struggle subsided. Even then, he waited a few more breaths as she fell limp beside him.

Moon Mother... thank you...

He released his jaws with a hot exhalation, steam pouring from his nose and mouth as he panted with exertion. 'Mac slowly pushed himself into a standing position, head down as he took a moment to catch his breath. The implications of what just occurred hadn't even had the time to reach his mind, and his veins still vibrated with surging adrenaline.

She watched as her friend took down the animal with ease. Although she’d wished that it was the older one that they’d felled. That one however got away and she was proud that her friend was able to get his bearings and successfully finish the hunt. She walked up to the dying anima as it played on the floor and bowed her head gently. “Thank you for your sacrifice and for providing us future nourishment.” She whispered gently even though she didn’t know the deer could understand her. It was something that was taught to her in the old pack she had been in.

She looked over to sumac and smiled. “Well done I’m impressed.”

'Mac managed to lower his own head as Minnow offered a prayer of thanks for the doe's sacrifice, his tongue hanging from his maw as he continued to heave breaths. After a few moments, he lifted his maw and closed his mouth, having had sufficient time to regain his strength.

"She put up... a good fight," he offered, "I really thought I'd lost her there for a minute."

He stepped up to the carcass and looked it over. A clean kill, for wolf predation, that was. That was the way of life - one life had to be sacrificed so that another may continue one, whether plant or animal. Still, taking that of another, especially one so vivacious and young, was never easy.

"Oh! Thanks, but it wasn't just me, you know. I definitely couldn't have done it without you," Sumac replied, grinning from ear to ear. 

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"Well, nothing to it, I guess," he continued, bending down to the doe's underbelly. With deft fangs, he sliced through the skin and began to dress the kill by removing the innards, which for a human would be discarded - not so for his kind. These choice, nutrient-rich bits he offered to Minnow. "Ma always said ladies go first," he said with a boyish grin and a bow.

The metallic smell had flooded her nose and senses. The woman had been feasting on rabbits and small animals for the past few months so this would be a nice change of menu for her. Deer was her favorite after all. “She did, I had faith in you. All she needed was a push in the right direction.” And she was able to do just that for him and she was glad that her skills with hunting big game hadn’t squandered since she hadn’t hunted one for so long. She returned his smile and began to tear out a piece of the animal and feast and she flicked her tail for him to do the same as well as @Easy had been a tremendously help in the hunt. Once she had her portion she stepped back and quickly licked her muzzle.

'Mac took his time in catching his breath while Minnow partook in the feast laid out before them. He felt so grateful for their success and the gift of ample food that now lay before them. It had also been some time since his tongue had tasted deer, and he was eager to consume his fill.

He gave Minnow a wide smile, feeling slightly satisfied, as he stepped up to the carcass and began ripping off large chunks of venison. Soon, he was sated, and he felt tension melt from his muscles as the drowsiness of a food coma began to settle in.

"I'm glad we were able to hunt together, Minnow," he said after some time, his voice almost dreamy, "This will definitely be one I won't forget!"

He gave her an affectionate bump on the shoulder with his own, an expression of genuine warmth spreading across his face.

Ready to fade?