Flycatcher Downs And sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler,

Please read this thread before joining. By joining, you are confirming that you have read this post, my regulations regarding Acer, and will abide by the guidelines set and the dice rolls I'll do.

@Liri
This thread will be closed to new joiners on Friday, Feb 1 at 11:00pm Mountain Time, or when 4 wolves have joined as that is the maximum.

"I just feel like we're wedged between predators and the mountains, and too far away from the mountains to reach them safely."
One of his cows had brought of this point earlier on in the day, and he had agreed. They'd been too close to a wolf-infested area, it seemed, so he herded the group further East and to the South to another meadow for them to graze in, one which had a forest on one side and a less rocky mountain range to the south-west. They could use that as an escape route if necessary, as the elk were exceptionally nimble-footed, and could travel through mountain ranges as though carried by a breeze. 

He was reluctant to keep them on the mountain, though, due to the thick snowfall. Cougars had claimed those as their hunting grounds, and with theyr massive, broad paws acting as snowshoes, they could cover the ground much quicker than the elk could. They'd lost two cows to cougars already this winter- he didn't want to lose any more. Wolves could be reckoned with, fought off and even killed; but a cougar was something different altogether. He'd take his chances with the dogs. 

The herd stayed close together, pawing through the snow to find morsels of grass, while those on the outside- including Acer- stayed on guard.

I'm not entirely sure who might be traveling with Liri but maybe @Siqsa @Sorin ?

From the glade, Liri's wandering led her through a narrow path in the foot of the mountains. Trekking north on unsteady paws, she reached the sheltered valley as morning gave way to noon where she was halted by the enticing sight of a tiny herd of elk. Grazing peacefully, or at the very least snuffling about in the snow in search of sustenance, the sight was enough to set her empty stomach to rumbling. 

It was foolish to think she could take down an elk single-handedly yet the healer was desperate. The hunger gnawed like so many tiny needles, her vision danced with dark spots at the slightest exertion. She needed to eat and soon. 

Some of the cows were on the smaller side and Liri noted with glee that one had a young calf at her side. Liri's mouth watered at the remembered taste of veal. 

From her vantage point within the treeline, the fae hunkered in the snow - hidden from sight as long as she remained still - as she tried to plot the best way to secure one of the cows for her dinner. 

Damn skippy!

He was there with the Ivorian, deep blue shimmering an ocean within the ebony that was his entirety. Almost as pearlescent as scales upon the hide of a cataclysmic dragon, he was clearly a hulking beast even for his age. But whether it would be stealth, which he prayed the ghostly Alphess was not planning to have be the most of extent in this meal gathering, or it would be brutish behavior. However, elk were fast, huge, with killer kicks. 

His garnets scoured the herd, landing on the same one her light mocha eyes had crossed as well. 
A child.
a delicacy 

Low hung, the crown of the massive male turned to the ghost, concern only scantly trickling into his bloody stare. “You’re sure we can make this, Liri?” He has managed yet AGAIN to be moreso worried for her than of his own handicapped ass. Wind pushed his scruff’s cape collar down slightly as they were downwind of the meaty quadrupeds. 

Damn he was hungry...

sorry if its kind of a shitty post, just wanted to get in here before it closed.

Sorin stared at the herd of elk ahead, his mouth already watering slightly. It had been some time since his last substantial meal, and the shadow was eager to fill the void in gut. Although it had been some time since he had properly hunted such large game alongside others, Sorin felt a small measure of confidence. The odds were always better with three than all alone.

His emerald eyes scanned the herd, taking in each elk and making a mental note of where they may be weak or strong. Eventually, his eyes also lit upon the calf, and he subconsciously licked his lips. If they could separate the calf, the rest would be easy.

"Won't be easy, but if we coordinate our action we've got a shot," he murmured, more to himself than the others. He glanced at Liri and the new face he had met just recently. Sorin was still not sure how to feel about the other man, but Liri trusted him, so Sorin allowed his own trust to extend, for now. He turned his attention back to the herd, his body set deep among the shadows of an old tree so as to not be seen.

He would wait for her signal.

Please see the rolls done in THIS thread for the results. Unfortunately, the hunt will be a FAILURE. After another dice roll, SIQSA was chosen as the one to receive injury, and his toll is 5/5 meaning a severe injury. Sorry- I made a typo of saying 'she' rather than a 'he' in my posting thread, and I can't edit it, but the wolf chosen is indeed Siqsa. You get to choose exactly how he is incapacitated.

NOW WE BEGIN.

The herd, for the most part, was fairly peaceful. He kept a watchful eye over them as they grazed, and hadn't missed the fact that Daisy had begun to edge perhaps a bit too close to the spicy Ginger, who held quite a grudge against the alabaster cow. He let them be for some time, as for a while, Daisy seemed to be mindful of Ginger's saucy side-eye, and maintained a safe distance. He breathed a sigh of relief, and grazed a bit here and there, only ever lowering his head for a few moments, grabbing a small mouthful of cold, dry grass from beneath its wintery covering of snow, before he lifted his kingly head again. 

He heard a sharp exhale of breath, followed by the swooshing sound of hind feet kicking out through the air, as well as the dull sound of them making contact with thick, furry flesh. A very short, shrill note came from Daisy who was more offended than anything that Ginger had kicked out her heels at her simply for wandering too closely as she grazed. Huffing, the bull elk made his way over to them and separated the two, giving Daisy's white hindquarters a good shove with his muzzle, warning her to stay away. "Mind your grazing," He said to her, his deep voice rumbling, before he turned to Ginger. "Mind your manners." He said. 

He drew in a breath, watching the two cows part ways; Daisy drifted over toward Lupin to graze beside her and her yearling, and Ginger moved toward the antsy Foxglove, who was made a bit nervous, but still glad to have Ginger on her side. Until she realized that Ginger was actually after her grazing patch, so she willfully surrendered it. Unnoticed by the cows, Acer had stiffened, and the eldest of them, Trilium, was the first to notice. Her ungainly head lifted and she too breathed in a breath- before she snorted, exhaling one word of warning to the group, making all other head simultaneously lift. 

"Wolf."

"I don't know, " the hunter answered Siqsa honestly, "but I know I'm hungry enough to try." It went unsaid that she assumed the others were as hungry as she. 

"I understand if either of you decides not to attempt it, it will be dangerous, " she warned, dark eyes hovering on the distant movements of the herd as they shifted - a spat breaking out between the pale cow and a rusty red cow with a temper. 

"That's right, " the healer agreed with Sorin, her head dipping slightly. "Maybe if we chase them and get them running, the three of us could try to cut that mother elk and her calf from the group." Liri turned to see what they thought. They might get the cow, or if that failed they might have a chance at the calf. 

"Whatever we do, it will have to be soon, " the northron warned with a sweep of her muzzle pointing to the herd as it milled nervously.

The elk knew they were laying in wait. 

He rather throw himself into the fray before Liri and Sorin got themselves hurt. Moreso he wanted to scare up the elk to get them frayed up enough to leave any of their older ones behind, so he'd wait for Liri's 'go' before attempting anything. "What you want me to do?" Much more capable as a muscle more than anything else, he could try bringing something down with Sorin, should he still be wanting to be in on this. Well, hell, he'd need to be- elk were no joke.

Sucks he would be the one to find tht out, today.

wrapping this up since Acer has gone inactive

Liri paused, ears flickering to catch Siqsa's question. The future tracker's dark eyes flitted restlessly over the anxious herd - landing on a suitable target. That one, she thought to herself with silent determination. 

"You two spread out, Sorin to the left and Siqsa to the right. I'll come at the cow from the rear and you two will aim for the sides, the underbelly, the neck - whatever you can reach. On my signal, we race towards them and hopefully in the panic, we can attack before she knows what hit her, " Liri instructed, not unkindly, as the metaphorical reins were practically thrust into her equally metaphorical hands. 

Given that the two ebony males at her back agreed and followed her directions, Liri crept to her own hiding spot and crouched in wait. This was the hardest part, seconds stretching into minutes into hours as her hips ached in protest, watching as the elk milled nervously around the edge of the meadow. 

When at last the chosen cow had moved unconciously into the perfect position, Liri glanced to the two males and nodded once. 

In unision, the hunters burst from the trees and fell upon the peaceful herd with fangs bared. Liri abandoned embarrassment as her body crooked and weaved in order to gallop on three legs - moving in a pattern that was abnormal. 

The stag bugled in panic and rage, cows bleated and Liri could faintly detect the high cry of the delectable youngling, as he charged towards the trio as they closed the distance between them and their target.

Thankfully, the stampeding group of grazers seperated the nomads from the raging sentinel else the hunt might have been abandoned then. A bull elk was nothing to play with, a single sweep of his broad antlers could kill a wolf. 

Liri leapt towards the right haunch, using the gap where her left leg was supposed to be to her advantage. It might have dangled, were it still attached to her body at this moment, and been kicked by a powerful hoof. It was one of the few moments the sylph was glad to have lost her leg. 

Somewhere to her left, Sorin attacked on the other side of the cow but his grasp wasn't secure - the dark titan slammed into the ground and was left behind as he rolled to the side, the cow and the remainder of their hunting party continuing ahead. 

Liri caught a glimpse of her dark-coated brother latch onto the ungulate's underbelly - just beneath its foreleg. For a couple of hopeful heartbeats, the healer believed they might actually be able to do it. 

Then Siqsa fell. 

She knew only heart stopping dread in that moment, fearing she would lose the only piece of family she had left in the entire world. His shadowy frame tumbled beneath the elk, hooves kicking and scraping against his flesh before he too was left behind. 

The cow was injured but not severely, frightened by the beast still clinging to its back and the fresh scent of wolf blood in the air, it bucked with force and launched the tiny northron upwards. 

Liri knew only darkness and constriction around her throat for a few moments as she slammed into the prey's body and rolled limply to the ground - all the air knocked from her lungs upon impact. 

After a moment, she struggled to her feet, wheezing all the while. 

The cow shook off the biting pain, returning to Acer's side who swept over her with his nose in concern before turning to the nomads. He pawed the ground threateningly, blowing an angry snort of air through his nostrils before herding his charge back to the herd. They would continue on their journey and the cow would heal in time. 

Liri limped to Siqsa, ribs still aching as spots danced in her vision. Her eyes were practically squinted shut against the headache splitting her skull as she reassured Sorin, and with the raven's aid, gathered up their friend and fled to lick their wounds.