Redtail Rise High Risk, High Reward

in the aftermath, augur would see this as emblematic of transition from caru to ulfr. 

as he moved backward to avoid the first sweep of tines, it was not wolverine who came to his other side, but thorn caller encouraging the young ones to come forward.

concern filled the huntlead. wolverine suffered the elk's wrath in the cascade of moments to follow and he knew she had suffered from the impact.

augur was irate. he calmed.

such things happened. the most experienced wolf could miss a snap or have a jaw broken in one fell swoop. thorn caller was young, eagerly moving from caregiver to hunter. this was a debut hunt for them as well in many ways, but what had happened to wolverine could maim a pup. their targeted animal was fiercely dangerous and now maddened with the scoring of teeth.

a cracking growl from augur sounded. fall back quickly. and hope that the elk had not turned so suddenly another was caught.

augur himself did not retreat as he saw skin tooth could not either. the massive wolf slammed into the elk's right shoulder. the animal bellowed and swung its antlers sidelong, wolverine's mate holding onto the left hindlimb and halting its run.

he was assured to see moon runner reel away, at least, before he set his attention back on their quarry.

their fight was not over. he wanted all redtail pups out of range of sharp hooves and slashing tines. as this was not a running-hunt and far more a battle, the collisions were closer. the danger lay in more than a chase and a leap. they were not infants but without the finesse and musculature of an adult, were more vulnerable to the heavy hits of a pinned ruminant.

they would regroup and revisit the strategy of hunting a single animal with power to hurt several of them in a few strikes. thorn caller he would keep at the forefront; they would see closely the massive feet and flaring nostrils, a lead hunter as he had intended them to be and as they were ready to be, but a lead hunter who did not have the added distraction of guiding the young during this. that must be shared between all adults, allowing the pups their chance to bite and to tear and to maul while taking the brunt of any danger themselves. and this too was a lesson for each hunter to know, to internalize; it was part of their craft. today it would be ferociously honed.