Overture Downs I will decipher them to tell the world of your heart

@Kavik @Illidan @Grezig @Elixir hunting thread to get some post counts up :) rolled a 6 for prey=deer and a 3 for difficulty=easy

The dawn came silently, creeping upon them slowly as the sky lightened first from the black of true night to the navy blue of the earliest hours to a soft pale blue that seemed too pigmented to be real. At the edges of the sky, the clouds burned orange with the rising sun and the light was yellow there. The birds rose with the sun, chirping to sing the morning praises. Dew sparkled on the grass, each drop a tiny rainbow world where the light caught it. 

The morning found Liri curled against Kavik's broad shoulder, his inky fur pillowing her pale head. She stretched as she woke, yawning as her joints popped. Illidan was not far, sleeping against Kavik as she had. Grezig and Elixir were nearby and Liri felt her tail wag - suddenly very happy to not be alone anymore. 

As she passed her sleeping giant, the healer stopped to nuzzle him before heading into the surrounding forest in search of a drink. Finding one of the many streams that coursed through the tangled woodlands, Liri bent over it and drank deeply from its cool waters. As the fae straightened, shapes in the mud caught her eye. Several hoof tracks made by a small group of mule deer who must have also sought a morning drink. 

With an eager grin, the sylph sniffs the hoof marks, following them into the foliage. The signs are easy enough to see - if you know what to look for. The odd print here or there, a flattened circle of grass, a bent branch on a bush, some hair caught in a tree. Several times, it goes dead and she has to circle back but by midmorning the tracker has stumbled upon the grassy slope where the deer are grazing. There's a handful of them - mostly does with young but the odd young buck or two. They're greyish brown - not blending well against the verdant grass - and grazing peacefully. Liri can feel her stomach clench with hunger at the sight of them.

The fae backtracks, picking her way back on her own scent trail until she's far enough that she won't alert the deer. With a tip of her snowy head, Liri's voice breaks the air as she calls for the others. As her song ends, the healer sits on her haunches to wait - ears pricked alertly in case another has heard her.

Grezig’s ears pushed forward as her eyes opened. She had heard Liri’s howl and she rose to her paws quickly, like a soldier given orders to march. She shook sleep from her bones and mind as she moved through the meadow. They were not a pack yet, their little band, but already Grezig thought of Liri as a kind of Alpha. She did not know much about any of them (and had serious doubts about Elixir, the mutt who looked more dog than wolf) but she was proud to be a part of something that could be great one day. Sure, it would be a lot easier to join a pack already established, but her pride made her stay. To be a founding member of a brand-new pack was a chance she could not overlook. And besides, maybe somewhere down the line, her loyalty would be rewarded. So, when Liri called, she answered.

Soon, she found her Alpha and came to sit beside her, looking down the hill at the group of deer. “A hunt,” she said, keeping her voice quiet to avoid startling the creatures. This would be good. They would all need their strength for the journey of finding a home.

Elixir was frolicking in a meadow nearby her new found friend when she heard her call, it wasn’t a call for help but a calm howl. Her dropped ears perk up and she takes off toward the howl, letting her tongue hang out the side of her mouth half way to her destination. It was good to feel as though she was neeeded. As she neared Liri she smelled the deer and slowed herself. This was what she was wanting everyone for, because you can’t hunt these alone. 

Grezig was beside Liri, this was the woman that Elixir hadn’t barely talked to. She hunkered down a bit and put her tail slightly between her legs, in submission and to hide herself from the deer. In greeting she gave a small nod to the both of them and then looked down locking her eyes on the meaty four legged dinners.

A little PP with Illidan. Let me know if I need to change it!

Kavik's sleep hadn't been peaceful. Even with the comforting warmth of Liri and Illidan as they both lied against either side of him, his subconscious still saw it necessary to torture him with his recurring nightmare. In the dream, he was running, pushing himself harder and harder but his pace never increasing, and the distance always remaining the same as if he were running in place. When he finally arrived, it was always too late. Too late to save Liri from the formless dream monster that he could only assume represented all the things he worried about in his waking hours. This time, Illidan had been there, too, lying motionless next his love. He had grown fond of the pup despite his best efforts to not get attached, so it was only a matter of time before he costarred in his nightmares. 

Liri's howl woke him immediately, and he was grateful to be free of the dream that always felt too real. Her howl, thankfully, wasn't one that warned of trouble, but instead it was calling them to come hunt. Good. He needed to hunt. It was the only thing that seemed to help him work off his anxious energy. He nudged Illidan awake before picking him up and trotting in the direction of his healer. 

It didn't take Kavik long to reach her, and he walked to sit in front of her, placing the pup down beside him. He noticed that the other two had beat him there and was impressed with their eagerness. He nuzzled her in greeting, taking in her scent and centering himself. He turned to the other two females then and offered them both a greeting nod before turning back to Liri. "What did you find?" He asked, smiling warmly at her.

The healer was unsurprised to see Grezig arrive first - only moments after her summons had finished ringing through the air. She seemed capable and loyal, though Liri suspected this loyalty lay more with the pack than with she or Kavik. Even so, Liri found herself studying the other girl even as she found herself murmuring, "Indeed." 

As loyal or hardworking as Grezig might seem, she was also mysterious. She kept her emotions well hidden and her intentions tucked away from sight. Still, the sylph got the feeling that Grezig was made of fiercer stock; she was ambitious. Liri did not distrust her but neither did she display weakness before her.

A soft smile curved her lips with welcome as Elixir emerged from the foliage, for the wolfdog was too sweet to be a threat to anyone. The fae sniffed the girl over, nudging her affectionately - not unlike a sibling. Kavik had had his reservations but Liri soon forgot Elixir's appearance in the face of her light personality and her contributions to their group.

It was with quiet concern that she greeted her giant, her suspicions and thoughts for the other two fading in relation to how tired Kavik looked. She rubbed her face against his ruff, worry radiating off her silently. "Mule deer. A couple of does, some young, a buck or two," she says as she pulls away, loud enough for the whole group to hear.

"I'll be unable to help, unfortunately," she sees no point in beating around the bush, and where she would say it with embarrassment she now says it matter-of-factly.

Others trickled over. The mutt. Kavik with Illidan. All together they would surely be enough to bring a deer down, if they worked with one another. Grezig had never hunted with these wolves. She did not know their strengths or weaknesses. And… what was this? Liri would not be helping them? Grezig could not help the look she shot her alpha before she caught herself and looked away. Surely Liri had a reason, like… Grezig looked around, spotted Illidan nearby, and nodded. That might be it. The boy was too young to help and would need looking after during the hunt. 

“How do we want to do this?” she asked, studying their choices. “Who’s doing what and which one are we going after?” She would play whatever part they wanted her to as long as they gave her directions.

Elixir smiled at Liri softly and then sat near her to listen what she had to say about her call. With ears plopped up and looking around she was ready to see what they would come up with when they hunted together. Liri informed them of what she found for them to hunt, and it was them as Liri wasn’t going to help. “I hope your okay...” she murmured as Grezig started to ask questions. 

Though she was wondering why Liri couldn’t help she nodded at Grezig’s questions. If they didn’t do this right then they wouldn’t be successful and if they weren’t successful then they would have to hunt smaller game for their dinner.

Kavik glanced at the herd in the distance. "Nice job," he said to his healer, proud of her tracking skills. Her leg may prevent her from hunting large game with them, but she had found a way to help despite that, her strength always persevering regardless of any hardships in her life. 

He swept his hunter's gaze over the herd, looking for any sign of weakness. They didn't have the numbers to go after one of the bucks, although they were tempting. They would be more successful if they tried to take down one of the does. The fawns provided somewhat of weakness for their mothers. They could probably get one separated from the protection of the herd if they used doe's mothering instincts against her; He had seen it work before.

There was one doe and fawn pair on the outskirts of the herd, and Kavik immediately saw that for the opportunity it was. He looked at Grezig and Elixir, then. "Do you see the mother and fawn over towards the edge of the herd?" he asked lifting his head in that direction. "If you two can can go after the fawn and draw the mother away from the herd, I can attempt to startle the rest in the other direction." His expression was calculating when he looked back at the two females to see if they were following. Assuming they were, he continued. "If we can separate the doe from the herd, the three of us could easily take her down." With his plan laid out for them, he looked between Grezig and Elixir, waiting to see if they had anything else to add. This was an important moment for their group. A hunt wold bring them closer together and reveal any weak areas as far as hunting was concerned.

Liri smiles, for of the wolves gathered around Kavik alone appreciates the skill she has for tracking - for the time she spent finding such a promising hunt. 

Liri can feel some discontent at her proclamation, she feels a stab of distress at the thought for no matter how much she wishes she could run, she hasn't mastered it yet. The sylph is still teaching herself to use three legs; if she were to attempt assisting in the hunt she'd only fall - possibly tripping up the others or scattering the deer and ruining the hunt. Discreetly, the healer glances to Grezig and seeing a glint of what she takes as indignation - the sylph bites her tongue to keep a defensive snarl off her face. She glances away, giving Elixir a half-smile. "I'm fine, just crippled." 

The healer continues on, struggling not to limp as she pads away - catching the rest of their words as she hasn't gone too far for fear of startling the herd of mule deer. The sprite struggles to listen closely - suddenly disheartened. She takes Illidan with her as she goes, picking him up by his scruff gently and setting him beside her. The fae sits on her haunches, bad leg stretched before her limply, at her position downwind of the grazing ungulates. 

The Blackfoot settles in, occasionally nudging the young boy at her side to catch his attention and explain what the rest of their group is doing. With a sigh, the healer glances to the deer once more and wishes that she could fly on her feet again.

Grezig did not notice the hurt expression on Liri’s face. She was no longer looking at the woman, but instead studying her quarry intently. She nodded as she listened to Kavik’s instructions, repeating them back to him afterwards: “You want us to get the fawn away from the herd so the mother will follow.” It was simple enough. She stood and took a few steps towards the deer. “I am ready. Elixir?” She glanced over her shoulder at the mutt, waiting for her to follow. It would take both of them working together to draw both the fawn and the doe away from the rest of the herd. Grezig was not sure if Kavik alone could distract the rest of the herd, but she would not question orders until she saw how they panned out.

Elixir saw Liri walking away hurt, she gave a small whimper almost unheard. Her ears perked when Kavik started to talk, she was listening closely. Nodding every few minutes at his instructions, she never let them know that this was her weakness. Her orbs flicked from Kavik and the herd. Eventually he was done with instruction, Grezig had said them back and Elixir nodded at both of them. 

Breaking away from Kavik she followed Grezig, close to the ground and careful not to crush anything too hard. She was nervous about how this would go, hoping they would be able to take them down with ease but nothing was ever easy.

Kavik missed the wordless exchange between Liri and Grezig, too focused on the task at hand, but he didn't miss his healer's defeated posture as she went to lie next to Illidan. His brow briefly creased in concern, but he had to return his focus to the hunt as the two females began to make their way to their intended target. It killed him to not be bale to go to her now, but he would make sure to comfort her later.

He watched Elixir and Grezig make their way towards the doe and her fawn, following a short distance behind them so as to be ready to cut the rest of the herd the other way at the right time. All other thoughts left his mind, then, as the hunter in him took over and began assessing and planning.

Was given permission to skip Liri.

Grezig made sure that Elixir was following as she made her way down the hill towards the herd of deer. The fawn and mother were like one creature, glued together. They stood at the very edge of the herd, which Grezig thought was incredibly stupid. It was as if they wanted to get eaten. Grezig stayed low as she studied the herd’s movements. She was angled towards them diagonally, and would act as a wedge when she ran at them, like driving a piece of metal into a rock until a corner of it chipped off. She couldn’t come at them from the side or they might bolt towards the herd. But she couldn’t come at them head on through the herd. So she would come at them diagonally. This would ensure that the mother and fawn ran away from the rest of the deer, helping to separate them and making Kavik’s job easier.

“Ready?” she asked Elixir in a low tone. “Follow my lead and charge at them diagonally,” she explained. “Remember, you’re forcing the fawn and the mother in the opposite direction from the rest of the herd. Just do what I do.” With that, she gave a nod to Kavik and charged, barking and growling, heading straight at her two targets. Their eyes went back in their heads and they bolted away from Grezig, away from the herd, just like Kavik wanted. Now they just had to keep mother and fawn occupied while Kavik distracted the rest of the herd.

Elixir was following Grezig not too far behind but enough so she didn’t fall over her. As it would appear they were getting into place, Elixir’s heart was racing and her eyes were wide open. Nothing felt like the adrenaline that was rushing through her right now. Negative thoughts were all that were running through her mind. 

All Elixir could do when Grezig was talking was nod so that the woman knew she listened. It might not have all seeped in just how it should in her brain, but she was listening. After Grezig nodded to Kavik and she charged there was a pause between her and Elixir. Elixir was glued to where she was at for a couple seconds before finally breaking free at full speed. It was diagonal like Grezig had proposed but she was lagging behind the woman. 

With her paws trying to go a million miles an hour the wolfdog tried to catch up, hoping this didn’t ruin it for them.

After Grezig and Elixir set their plan and headed towards the doe, Kavik immediately started scanning the rest of the herd, formulating a plan of his own. He completely missed Elixir's hesitation as he was too focused on his objective. 

Leaving the other two to do their part and trusting they could handle it, Kavik started trotting towards the herd, only breaking into a full run when he was sure the doe's attention was on his partners. He had quickly and efficiently placed his large, black form in between their actual target and the rest of the deer, and began rushing at the beasts to get them to run in the other direction. At one point, he bent his head down to nip at the heels of one of the outliers and just barley dodged a kick to the face. He smiled with glee at that, as it caused more adrenaline to pulse though his veins. 

It had taken some work, but he was able to weave back and forth behind the herd and cut them into the opposite direction of where Grezig and Elixir had hopefully taken the doe, occasionally having to dodge a kick whenever he got too brave and risked a nip to one of the deer's heels again. 

Once he was sure the herd would keep moving, he doubled back to check on the progress of the females and the doe. Kavik hoped they had been successful, and he could jump right into the second part of the hunt.

LOL I FORGOT IT WAS MY TURN. SORRY.

Now that Grezig and Elixir had cornered the fawn and doe, and Kavik was coming back towards them to help out, Grezig turned to face the doe specifically. They could ignore the fawn now, who would not give them trouble. In the back of her mind, Grezig wondered if she could later go and kill the fawn. With its mother dead, it would starve to death if it was not killed by a predator first. At least if she killed it, the death would be quicker and less torturous. She mentally shook her head, focusing back on the task at hand. 

She charged head-on into the doe who was running away and lunged for its hindquarters, biting it and drawing blood. This would slow it down and weaken it over time. Plus, even if it kept running, a blood trail would be easy to follow.

Elixir stopped in front of the fawn who was frozen in her steps. Elixir sort of felt bad for it, but her belly didn’t. Grezig went for the mother and Elixir followed, grazing her teeth down her side. When she drew back she saw the mother was maimed. When Kavik got over they could take her down but for now her mind wondered to the fawn. 

Elixir looked over and she was still froze, as would Elixir if her mother was just attacked in front of her face. “Her too?” She asked motioning to the baby with pity in her voice. If she could she would take care of her but it was life and life called for her stomach to be full on whatever was young and could be killed. Elixir waited for the response as she walked over to the fawn.

Kavik saw that Grezig and Elixir had successfully pulled the doe a good distance from where the herd had been. He picked up his pace and soon joined the other two. He came up behind the doe, and once he was sure he had the attention of the other two, he moved closer to ready himself for an attack.

His plan was to aim for the back of the beast's thigh. If he could leave a decent wound there, it would injure her enough to hopefully slow her down for a second attack by Grezig or Elixir. He continued to run behind the doe as she tried to escape him, and when he he was close enough, he lunged for her. He felt his teeth sink into the soft part of her thigh where he had been aiming and was satisfied as the taste of blood filled his mouth. He shook his head to rip at the flesh held between his jaws, and as she buckled a little under his weight, she managed a kick at him with her other back leg. He felt it barely graze his shoulder as he let go of his mouthful and landed back on the ground. Unfazed and with adrenaline coursing through his veins, he circled to the front of the deer, hoping to distract her so that one of his partners could attempt another strike.

The doe was slowing down from the combined efforts of Grezig and Kavik. Grezig had no idea if Elixir had actually jumped in and bitten the deer yet, but it didn’t matter. The doe was now unable to run properly, blood running down its legs as it stumbled, trying to save its life. Grezig bit at it again, ignoring the thrashing of its body beneath her jaws. She did not let go. It slowed down further, almost stopping now, stumbling slowly. Grezig hoped Kavik was going in for the kill right about now because she wasn’t sure how long she could keep her grasp on the doe’s thigh.

Elixir saw the woman and Kavik lunging for the doe and so she followed, running for the doe's front shoulder. As she neared the front of it she opened her powerful jaws and tried to clamp down. The ebony female knew she missed when her jaws clamped and her teeth sank into nothing but the air. With fire in her eyes she opened the again and latched on tight, not letting go until she was told. Her dog side was taking over again. She felt as if there was nothing around her it was just her and this doe. A metallic taste flooded her mouth and she knew it was the blood of the wound she had just inflicted in the mother. 

Sorry for the short post

With the other two successfully latched onto different parts of the doe, Kavik sprang into action. He could tell Grezig couldn't hold on for much longer and decided this was the right time to go in for a fatal blow.

Their prey was distracted trying to fight off his two packmates, so Kavik took the opportunity to lunge for the deer's neck, aiming for the large vessel in her there. Blood filled his mouth as his teeth connected with the doe's neck, his strike successful. As blood flowed quickly from the wound to run down Kavik's chest, he could feel the fight leaving the doe. Finally, she succumbed to her fate and fell to the ground, unable to fight off the three of them any longer with the amount of blood loss she had now suffered. Kavik kept his hold until he felt the deer take her last breath. When he let go, he gave Grezig and Elixir an exhilarated grin and said, Good job, guys, as he panted heavily from the exertion, his emerald gaze sparkling with pride and excitement.

Finally, it was done. Kavik had given the killing blow and Grezig let go of its leg and sat back, panting from exertion. She caught her breath and smiled at them, something she did not do often. “Thanks,” she said to Kavik. “You too.” It had been a team effort and they had pulled it off together. This, at the very least, proved that they could work together effectively. That was always important in packs—cohesion; the ability for everyone to chip in and do their part for the good of the whole. Grezig was proud of them and herself. “Should we call for Liri and Illidan, or bring the kill to them?” she asked Kavik. She was starving, especially after all that exercise, but she would wait her proper turn. Alphas tended to take the choicest pieces of meat from downed prey, and the others in the pack fought over the rest. This is how she’d grown up, so she didn’t think to question it.

Elixir let go after Kavik had killed the doe. She licked her chops swallowing the metallic tasting liquid and nodding at Grezig. At least for now they would have some food for when they decide to travel. Energy was much needed when traveling long distances or else weakness sets in and you have to stop.

She was ready to eat but waited for Kavik and Grezig to say something. Her tongue rolled out of her mouth and she breathed heavy as the adrenaline cane crashing down. While waiting she took a seat on her rump to rest.

I'll call for her, Kavik answered, You guys go ahead and dig in. With that, he turned to look where @Liri was still lying with Illidan and called her over. He wanted to make sure they both got enough to eat, and wouldn't start eating until they had made their way over began eating first. 

He was still reeling from the successful hunt as he waited for them to come partake in the spoils. They had proven that they could work together, which gave Kavik a lot of of hope for their future. Group hunts were an important part of pack life, as they strengthened the bonds between packmates and helped keep everyone fed and strong. They would definitely need the strength from this kill as they continued there journey.

probably the last from me :)

In the distance their forms could be seen moving amongst the brownish blurs of deer, a flash of grey or black here or there. She could see when exactly the deer fell and nudged Illidan gently before the call even came. 

The healer padded towards the others, motioning for the child to eat as she approached her mate first. The fae brushes her head against his jaw in gratitude, murmuring words of praise under her breath. 

She thanks her other wolves with a sunny smile, it's not an entirely genuine smile given she's still a bit concerned that she doesn't deserve the meat, informing them they could partake if Kavik already hadn't. A pang of guilt finds her as she too digs into the doe's soft underbelly - she found the deer but that's not necessarily as important as killing it. The sylph might have turned it away if she wasn't so hungry and she knew she needed the meal if she wanted to see the end of their road.