Stone Circle Coming to

It had taken a few days for the copper furred female to settle into the fact that she had a home. Since her induction into the family of Easthollow, Selkie had rested up; when she had been active, she had walked around almost as if in a daze. It was spectacular, the weight which had been lifted, but if someone had asked her to name a sight or scent found within the last few days, she would have come up empty.

With the return of her energy, though, came the clarity she had always had before. She woke early, leaf green eyes opening to peer at a meadow shrouded in Autumn mist. Above the grasses the crowns of the aspen trees were golden, and somewhere in the distance a river gurgled and sang.

Selkie stretched before rolling to her feet, shaking out her scruffy coat and reaching round to attack a faint itch at her shoulder. It was time to start pulling her weight, and for now that meant seeking out some sustenance. Her narrow head lowered, inky nose brushing the tips of the fading grasses and she drew in the myriad scents. Herbs and earth and the crispness of the Autumn morning all drifted to her before she set off at a brisk trot. Her ears stood tall and open, ready to pick up the telltale sounds of prey and family alike.

The grey wolf felt rather snackish, and instead of going for a cache he instead went for more of an active way of getting food. So he went around to seek out some food for himself. Soon enough, he spotted something.

Chaska could see his target from his hiding place of shrubs. A small pheasant that had unwillingly become his prey of choice. He stalked it through the shrubs, keeping an eye on it. So oblivious to the danger nearby, it lowered it's head then pecked at the ground. He took this moment to strike, moving forward quickly. Completely unaware of the other wolf nearby.

Blades of grass tickled her lower legs as the coppery female pressed on, coming to a halt at the first sign of nearby prey. Pulling up with leaf green eyes upon a bird who pecked rhythmically at the ground, the newcomer was – for once – glad of her diminutive size. It was easier for her to find cover quickly – and cover presented itself in the form of thick shrubbery.

So focused on the prey was Selkie that she only picked up on the male’s scent at the last moment, right before he put on a burst of speed toward the pheasant. Selkie let out a garbled shout of surprise and skidded, swerving away from the hunter and the pheasant both. She didn’t go too far, though – if the bird wasn’t caught immediately then she was ready to take it down should it come her way.

Chaska had all focus on the pheasant. Until a scent came by his nose, and combined with the sudden blur he knew exactly what it was and tried to turn quickly. He instead tumbled on his side, but he quickly recovered. The frightened pheasant's call became slowly dimmer as it ran. But since he could still hear it, it was close enough to catch. 

He stood up and glanced over at the other wolf. Once more someone he had not met. Sometimes Chaska wondered how often newcomers came without him noticing. "If you're okay, I think we can still catch it together." But for all he cared it could run off if she wasn't.

She managed to hold her footing, but the larger wolf wasn’t so lucky. He took a tumble, and Selkie’s ears pinned back, her face twisting into a cringing expression of chagrin. The bird had careened off into the bushes, and the coppery she wolf was left feeling faintly embarrassed. “Sorry!” she hurried to say, her bright face fading into a mask of apology.

“I’m fine,” she responded with a bob of her head, maw opening momentarily in a grin to indicate she was being truthful. “Yeah, reckon so!” Her tail gave a flick as she looked after the bird, half crouched and wondering if she should simply give chase there and then.

Had Selkie wanted to wait to see if the male had a plan, her stomach would have defied her. It gave a growl as if resenting her hesitance, and the she wolf launched from her crouch into a run in the pheasant’s wake.

Chaska was glad she was okay. It was apparent that he had many unfortunate accidents, and would have hated for another to be injured in that. He hadn't seen what happened to her, only knew that he tumbled over. He had no plan in mind when she set off, so all he could do was go after. The chase was on as they ran after the bird. One bird, two wolves. That situation would never end well for the former.

On the way, he verged to the right. A plan was coming through. "If I can get ahead, I'll try and divert it your way!" He knew he could take it, but by how fast she took off he guessed she was much more hungry. So it was more an act of kindness then strategy. Besides, he did this hunt more out of fun than hunger.