Dawnlark Plains this isn't like swimming after you eat.

His mother had told him a story once.

It was when she'd first come to the Teekon Wilds, young, full of fire and eager for a change. Getting herself into trouble was in no way unusual for her, nor was the activity she'd engaged in. But this particular round had changed her life, she'd said, because she'd met someone, and that had been the start to it all. 

Of course, Penn gave no fucks about the life-changing part. He recalled the story only because he was bored and because this was the first large herd of deer he'd come across since the deluge.

The yearling grinned fiendishly as he watched them graze in the early morning frost. He kept himself low, letting the tall grass and the haze of before dawn keep his athletic frame hidden. He scanned the herd as wolves often do, but he wasn't looking for the old or sick like a normal/sane hunter. He was looking for the youngest, biggest, strongest buck. He wasn't hungry for food. Just for thrills.

He spotted the head of antlers before he saw the rest of the animal. A grin dashed across his face and forward he went. He jogged easily along, watching as eyes began to follow him and tails began to flash. He moved along the side of the herd, sending a few does skittering out of his way. His moves weren't aggressive, though, so they didn't panic and bolt. They both knew the element of surprise was gone and with it went any hope of a successful hunt. But that wasn't what he was after.

Penn smiled as the buck spotted him and turned in his direction. It stalked towards him, stiff-legged and threatening. The Blackthorn stopped and let him come, which caused the beast to falter. It apparently wasn't used to this sort of reaction. His grin broadened and he turned to face it, lowering his chest towards the ground as though inviting the stag to play. It frowned, dug its hooves in and bellowed loud. A warning that sounded like an acceptance to the invitation to Penn.

With an excited snarl, Penn sprang and charged straight for the buck.

A jittery Grendel was wandering further north now, far past the tarns he'd begun in when searching for his former comrade. Alas, he was pretty certain of the fact he would never find him now, and had concerned himself more with exploring. Slender legs carried him over the ground in great strides as he hustled through the plains, but an odd sight stopped him from continuing. 

A wolf... Playing with an angry buck? Or was he just bored and relentlessly teasing it? Either way even to him it didn't seem like the wisest of things to do. But then again who was he to judge? He was pretty sure he'd done some downright stupid things before, even if he'd absolutely never admit it to anyone else. Ever. In his own defense, everything always seemed like a good idea at the time.

He opened his mouth to speak but clamped it shut before he could get a sound out. You know what? If they see him they see him, but he wanted to watch this little show.

The buck was displeased, to say the least. With another loud bellow, it lowered its antlers and charged right back at Penn, which should have made him piss his damn pants, but merely sent another delightful spike of adrenaline shooting through his veins. This being his first run, he wasn't quite as bold as Finley would've been. He shot off to the right with plenty of time to spare before the stag reached him, his head and tail high with delight. The stag slowed, confused by the sudden move, but it didn't give up pursuit until Penn was swooping back away from the herd as though he were going to leave them be now.

He wasn't, and the stag must have suspected as much for the attention it kept pierced onto the Blackthorn's striped back. Penn didn't mind--he needed a minute to catch his breath anyway before going again.

He nearly missed the stranger watching him as he turned back to taunt the buck with some eye contact. He caught sight of him as he turned and grinned broadly. An audience! How gratifying! He called out a short howl of hello and wagged his tail, turning then to size up his opponent once more.

Emboldened, Penn let a rumbling snarl loose in his chest that was an equal mix of playful and challenging as he stared down the stag. The deer stiffened again and brought its antlers a bit lower, anticipating the start of round two. The yearling grinned and again he sprang, determined this time to get closer before he sprang out of the way of the sharp tines. He had to put on a good show for his adoring fan, right?

Ah! He'd clearly been noticed. But the other wolf only seemed emboldened by his icy beads watching from the grasses, letting out a howl right at him and continuing his relentless pestering of the beast. Well... hell! Of course he'd play along! After all it was a good piece of unexpected entertainment to brighten up his day, even if the young male ended up a piece of dangling decor on the buck's sizeable rack in the end.

Grendel cracked out the oddest howl in return- a mangled mix of wolf and dog both fighting for supremacy over his vocal cords, the perfect way to introduce himself. Each deadly strike evaded by the grey-pelted boy would earn him a yowling cheer from the grasses, a long whispy tail whipping back and forth behind him.

The stag was ready for him this time. Without hesitation, it charged forward to meet him. Penn came closer this time before he bolted to the side, but still not as good as his mother would've done (not that he knew this). The stag whipped its head through the air, attempting to snag him with a tine though they weren't near enough to each other. The momentum turned him, but he didn't pursue the Blackthorn. Instead, he slowed again and stamped his hooves, angry and annoyed to have somehow gotten stuck in this little "game".

Penn bounded happily away, his tail wagging and tongue dangling out of his mouth as he grinned. He looked back at the stranger, pleased with the cheering. It spurred him to take action quicker this time. Without any preamble, he turned and charge at the stag again, taking it by just enough surprise that he was able to swing closer this time and still go cantering away without a scratch.

This time when Penn circled back, he called to the stranger. "You wanna take a turn??" he shouted, his tail wagging while the stag glared at his black-striped back. It only took the stag a moment to realize this might be its only chance, then it was charging again at full speed while Penn stood with his back to it, grinning like the dumb ass he was.

He hooped and hollered in jubilee at the show Penn put on, right up until the guy asked him if he wanted a turn. Uuuhhhhh. He hummed aloud in thought, greatly trying to distinguish in his mind whether this was a question or a challenge. Because if it was a challenge, well he couldn't really turn it down. But then again if it was just a question and he turned it down would he look like a pussy willow in front of a stranger?

He opened his maw to decree his decision but the enthusiasm in his face switched like a light when the stag turned and started barreling toward the wolf.

UUHHHHHH-! Croaked out his only exclamation in the very brief moment he had to possibly warn the wolf that he was about to be railed by a giant buck. Well, so much for that huh?

The stranger's response was uncertion, which made Penn chuckle. He supposed not all wolves were as daring as he was. That suited him just fine. He liked being unique amongst his kind. He did kind of wonder when the uhhh suddenly hit a caps lock pitch. He stopped smiling and canted his head, wondering what that was about. Coupled with the expression on his face, it was almost as if Penn was about to get fucked.

The yearling looked back over his shoulder to confirm that he was indeed about to get fucked.

With a yelp, he shot forward. There were only a few yards left separating himself from the buck by the time he sprang, and so he wasn't able to get too far before he was nearly overtaken. In an act of blind desperation, Penn flung himself to the left and rolled, keeping close to the ground. He felt a woosh of air fly across his fur and the hard scrape of a tine against his side. He yelped again, but was up on his feet and running while the stag attempted to stop and turn to gore him some more.

Penn ran for his life now, more distance between himself at the stag but blood thickening in his silver fur. He barely even noticed, determined as he was to get away. The stag was more stubborn this time, unwilling to give up the chase so easily now that it had gotten first blood. Which, I mean, it had a right. Penn was really being a dick.

Arnold from Magic Schoolbus' voice; I knew I should have stayed home today.

The stick-legged creature ducked down into the grasses as the buck charged, visibly wincing when the sound of a sharp strike followed by a pitched yelp reached his ears. Well, that went about as well as he thought it would, funnily enough. Well actually it wasn't funny at all, but he did laugh out of nervousness as he stuck his head back up to see if the wolf was indeed hanging from the stag's ivories like he originally had thought he'd be. Nope! But he was definitely in some deep shit now.

Grendel thought for a moment and only a moment as was usually the case. He wasn't stupid, but he also wasn't a coward, and saw a fantastic opportunity for a grandiose story to tell someone else later. Yes yes yes!

He shot from the grasses like a bolt of lightning, eyes keen as he surged forward. The little devil aimed right for the buck's back legs, looking to brush against them. Enough to give it pause? Hopefully, but maybe not. Let's add a little nip of the ankles for good measure.

feel free to PP the stag if you want :)

It was at about this moment that Penn decided deer were much faster than he gave them credit for. And maybe a bit more dangerous. Okay, maybe a lot more dangerous. Especially these big ones with the pointed sticks protruding out of their heads. They also had poor tempers and really didn't know how to take a joke. Maybe he should have explained that he was just playing with it before engaging in the game. Maybe he should've picked one of the does. Maybe he should've just taken a damn nap. At the end of the day, none of this musing was really doing him any good. The stag was catching up to him and he was probably in his final moments. He should spend them thinking of nicer things.

When the other wolf joined the chase, Penn at first mistaked the sound and thought another deer had joined them, making him not only fucked, but super duper fucked. But then he heard the stag's gait become unsteady and disjointed, almost as if it had been tripped, or at least distracted. Penn chanced a glance over his shoulder to see what was happening, joy spazzing through his heart when he saw that his biggest fan had come to his rescue.

Penn considered his options for a second then. He could keep running and just take off on the fellow and leave him to deal with the angry stag. It would be quite the dick move, but his skin would be saved and what skin on earth was more important than his own? 

Option two, though... Was... What now? 

Damnit all. 

Penn spun and swung back towards the stag, rushing towards its haunch. He gave it a good nip, then ducked as a hoof came shooting at his face. He darted away unscatched (at least, not scathed any further), but slowed to watch it stamp its feet angrily, swinging its head from one enemy to the other. Apparently standing between two wolves was enough to knock the wind out of its sails a little, though it looked real frustrated. His eyes narrowed on the stag, analyzing its movements. It would probably chase them again if they took off, but not with the determination it had a moment ago. It didn't like being outnumbered.

Penn chuffed to the other wolf and gestured with his muzzle for him to go. He set off in a slow lope, circling the buck to take its attention and throw it off center, then he too broke into a run away from the stag and its herd.

Grendel had, for the moment, forgotten about the other grey-pelted fool. The wirey goblinoid creature was snapping his jaw in the air like a yapping dog, running circles around the bull and taking all the pleasure in the world at its sheer anger. Especially when it showed hesitance.

That's right you big stupid animal! Cower! His mind barked into the void, constricted pupils suddenly snapping towards the wolf in time to see Penn motion to him. Was he motioning him to run, like he was going to save him like some sort of hero? Ha! 

He needed no savior. He stubbornly zipped in front of the stag once again, narrowly weaving away from its furied kick as it took off, it's gaze wildly trying to flip between the both of them before it chose to dive towards the fleeing Grendel. He laughed wildly as he leaped just out of its reach, cackling like a hyena feeling the sting of impact from one of its sharp tendrils slicing his leg, but shortly after followed by the sound of its antlers slamming into the ground and whipping up dust around it.  It was shocking enough to stop its charge, and Grendel ran quickly to the other male's side as he ran away. You think his pride's hurt enough? Hehehehehe.

Penn was irked that the stranger didn't heed his words and take the opportunity he was given to run. Of course, if tables were turned, there was no way in shit Penn would've run, but he was happily oblivious to his hypocrisy. He put some distance between himself and the stag, then turned to watch the other wolf's antics. His annoyance was quick to turn into amusement, especially when he finally came to his side and commented about the stag's pride.

The stag didn't seem willing to follow, but still Penn ran with the other wolf to put another few dozen yards between them. He grinned as they went. "I think probably enough for one day," he said with a laugh, then added, "I thought you were just gonna let me have all the fun?"

"Hah! That's what you thought." He jabbed with a wild smirk, beady-pupiled eyes wide and showing their whites as he ran. Hin tongue lolled out of his mouth as he started to slow into a casual trot, making another passing glance toward the stag before looking back at the boy. "I don't turn down a challenge." He assured, lifting his thin neck to hold his head high, ignoring the fact he'd very nearly done so out of common sense to begin with. Had the buck not charged though he in fact would have found it as a challenge and would have hopped in- if not also tried to one-up the other wolf in the process.

"Hehehe. You're lucky I saved your tail back there or you would've been a horn-ornament."

Penn smirked, quirking a brow at the stranger's insistence that he didn't back down from a challenge. He'd heard that initial uhhh. There'd been no confidence in that sound--only hesitation. He decided to let the guy have his moment, though. He knew what it was like to feel that high on adrenaline.

"Pfft," Penn replied, rolling his eyes, "If you'd have reacted faster to the invite, I'd have been good. I shoulda just left you up in the bleachers." He laughed and slowed to a stop, turning to look back at the stag. It was back with its does now and the herd appeared to be on the move. "Looks like we officially ruined their day," Penn said, pleased with himself.

Grendel simply ignored his statement, whatever. Instead, he cast a mischevious glance over his shoulder towards the herd again. Good, I hope they mull on it. He said cheekily despite there frankly being no reason that the deer deserved their annoying torment. 

Then, he turned to the gray boy, sniffing him over from afar with curiosity. Got a name, huh? Mine's Grendel. You got a death wish or something? The question was serious despite nothing out of his mouth ever sounding serious. A wolf like him could easily dart away from a deer with his runner's legs, but this guy? He'd come a hair too close and the irony smell still lacing the air was proof of it. Either he wanted to off himself in a fun or creative way or he was really really bored, at least that's what Grendel had to figure.

Penn huffed a laugh at the other male's comment. He wondered if they would remember him, or if their memories didn't work the way they did for wolves. He suspected they were probably too dumb to remember it long-term. They wouldn't forget to be wary around wolves, but probably they'd forget about Penn specifically being a wolf to look out for. A shame, really. He supposed he'd just have to remind them again one day.

He turned to his companion when he started speaking again, his attention reclaimed. "Penn Blackthorn," he replied, then grinned, "And it's not a death wish. Just boredom, though I can see how you might mistake the two."

A few more pleasantries and quips were exchanged before Penn took his leave. He actually was starting to get hungry, but knew better than to push his luck with the herd that was making its way East. He went North instead to see what trouble he could scrounge up at the coast, marking their trajectory just for his own knowledge.