Shy Deer Steppes C'est la vie

Holo stepped gingerly onto the rough sandy ground. He had smelled them from some ways away. Antelope, ready for hunting. He crouched low in the overgrown brush, he could see them from here, even though he was some distance away. They seemed unbothered by his presence. He was but one wolf afterall. He surveyed the herd in an attempt to choose his prey wisely. There appeared to be multiple young among them that he would aim for first. It was then that a snake slid across his paw and he jumped backwards with a yelp. The herd startled and began to to stir, causing them to to panic. He glared towards the direction the snake had gone, but nonetheless gave chase.

Heph had not intended to travel so far south, still keeping near enough to Atka to travel by her. But her paws ate up the wide open plains that she traveled across and she hardly noticed the distance as she followed the scent and the markers of prey in the area. She did nothing to hide her trail or her passing as she noted the evidence of larger four legged animals, hoping she would be back to where she had started in time to pick up Atka's trail and continue on with her but curious to see the creatures at least since she had come so far.

Before she realized it she heard the sound of hoofbeats that she was closer than she had realized. The animals already startled she thought she saw a wolf giving chase already gaining ground. Grinning to herself she did not take the time to think before jumping into the fray and tearing after the herd, already trying to pick out the weakest one. Now that the chase was on she let out a bark, hoping to spook them more, perhaps causing one to veer off in a direction in a panic allowing her a few more precious feet of ground.

Her lungs burned but the feeling felt pleasurable instead of painful with all the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She let herself focus on the hunt, eyes scanning wide not yet locked onto any one target. Perhaps she and this other wolf would work together or maybe they would clash over the carcass, but with the world rushing past her and the antelopes as well she had no time or space in her head to worry about any of that.

Hope you don't mind me throwing Heph in, tagging @Atka for reference

Atka had small legs, but surprisingly kept up with Heph as she bounded effortlessly after the herd. Her eyes settled on the other wolf giving chase, eyes narrowing, unsure if this was a good idea, but she trusted Heph, maybe he was kind like the few others she's met. However, she averted her eyes back to the herd in front of her, not yet picking out a target, she would follow Heph's lead, considering she couldn't take the animal down alone, speed being one of her only assets.

throwing her in too :)

I don't mind one bit, thanks for joining in!

Caught up in his chase as he was, it took him a few moment to take in the two other wolves that had joined the hunt with him. He sighed and rolled his eyes, keeping his distance. He supposed other wolves had to eat too though. He shot them another look and shrugged his shoulders. As long as they didn't interfere with his hunt he had no qualms with them, and he'd stick to his own prey.

A calf at the back of the herd tried desperately to keep up. His eye's zoomed in and he threw on a burst of speed.

From the piercing look the other wolf sent their way and the way he angled away and kept his distance Heph thought she could tell that he desired no help or assistance on this hunt. While antelope were smaller than some of the other four-legged herd animals they were still large enough to kick a wolf not careful, but she had no desire to inject herself more deeply into this stranger's hunt when it was obvious she was not wanted. If he wished to succeed or fail alone then far be it from her to interrupt her own fun. She grinned to see Atka running alongside them, the slighter white wolf just as fast and more agile than her - a good partner to have on a hunt.

Rather than going after the young Heph's gaze narrowed on an elderly animal who seemed to lag behind the rest. Still large enough to prove a challenge, and fat and stronger for the summer months so were its younger herdmates who bounded ahead, scattering more effortlessly forward. Letting out a bark she signalled to Atka "I see. Older. Ahead. Right." She panted in between words, breathless from the run but knowing that if they wanted to work together some form of communication was needed - if Atka pursued another target then she would be able to assess as well.

She let herself begin to drift, but did not commit until she was sure that the pair of them were headed in the same direction so that the two of them could overwhelm the creature before it fully realized it was being targetted. While working with others added layers of complication to a hunt it was also thrilling in its own way, the give and take of information, the need to cover someone else just as much as one knew that they were also being watched.

Atka hadn't picked up on the wolf's glare their direction but when Heph directed her towards the elderly antelope she decided they might speak to the other later, nodding in response. Her lungs burned as she bounded over the sandy landscape, legs at full tilt. The loud pounding of hooves were becoming more intense as Atka was nearing the antelope. She contemplated throwing herself at the hind legs of the creature, knowing all to well the damage a hoof could do. Instead, Atka continued her elongated lope but instead alongside the animal, trying to encourage it towards Heph's direction. Whether or not Heph decided to shut her jaws around the antelopes limbs, or continue to exhaust the animal, Atka would follow her decision.

Sorry for the delay! This will be the last from me.

Holo was nearing closer and closer to the calf, as exhaustion wore in it began to slow. Holo circled it  for a few seconds, being sure he wouldn't catch a hoof to the skull from it's mother when he least expected it, but the rest of the herd seemed to continue onward, and there wasn't a single antelope left other than the one he'd trapped. He quickly darted in, and with ease, snapped the calf's neck within his jaws, dropping it's lifeless corpse onto the ground. It would be enough to feed him and Aura once he tracked her down and brought her back here. Where on earth was she?

Heph noticed Atka herding the antelope towards her, grinned, teeth wide and fangs flashing before leaping towards the hip of the antelope, driving her teeth in and pulling the creature down by hefting her weight downwards. Both animals' adrenaline was flowing, the antelope desperately tried to kick out at her, and its hooves grazed her chest, but its kicks were weak hardly able to flex the muscle as her grip tore through bone slowing the pair to a stop. Her own excitement caused the dull kicks to barely register to her, faint bruises that would heal in a manner of days, as she worked to tumble them both to the ground, all the better for Atka to put the animal out of its misery.

It cried out, flailing what parts of its body that it could, but the herd tolerated no weakness and had already fled further afield. She thought she spied the other wolf had brought down the calf but it was a distant matter. If he had no interest in their kill and they had no interest in his then there was no reason for them to bother each other as the chase had separated them a respectable distance. 

no worries! This can be the last post from Heph as well.

last from me!

Atka's breath was heavy but she swallowed down one before darting from the ground towards the antelopes throat. As it hit the ground from Heph's wrestle she wasted no time closing her teeth around the animal, eyes closed as she applied her the highest amount of pressure her body could manage. Atka released her bite as the body went limp, the stranger registering in her head once more as she scanned around for him, simply shrugging it off. She took a moment to breathe, tongue lolling out from the side of her mouth.