Iktome Plains I Used to Roll the Dice...

Continuing from this thread!

 

The sun had fallen over the lands surrounding Moontide, bathing the hulking form of a black lady in cool darkness. Her voice was hushed, ears alert, Meyl's golden gaze scanning the dark for signs of prey. She felt much better after her rest period from the day she'd met Void, and if there was anything she wanted more, it was to be able to call herself even with him. This ta place, @Meph ?

Heph nodded, the plains had become quickly familiar. Their vast and flat expanse with the ocean to the north meant she never felt disoriented in them, though that was rare for her at the start, and her hunting and following of the herds meant that she had explored and mapped it more thoroughly than some of the other nearby territories. "Yep." Smiling in the moonlight her steps quieted and she began to move more sliding against the cold night air. "Let's see if we can pick up a trail." She was sure they would as deer often passed through, but how fresh it would be and how long it would take them to actually find a herd would be a different matter.

Meyl's nose sniffed the ground, lifted up, and sniffed the air. She always said scents were subjective, that no two wolves ever smelled the same exact one - it was a matter of each figuring out what that smell was for them. 

Deer were dusty and warm, their presence not as big or bulky as elk were. They smelt similar but different enough to distinguish. 

It was then she recognized the scent, her voice trailing excitement. 

It's no' as strong as I'd like, but - there it be.

Heph scented some old trails, but turned up empty for anything fresher. Padding over to where Meylodi beckoned she cast her nose through the air and breathed in the scent. Like the other canine had said it be fresher, but it was the best lead they had as of yet. "Let's see if we can catch up to it." Smiling she let her frame sit closer to the ground as she lengthened her stride across the ground littered with the burrows of many creatures and small humps of earth which dotted the land beneath the grasses.

Her long strides lengthened, her nose twitching. 

She would never know how long they had spent in near silence, tracking an invisible herd in the distance. 

Until her ears perked forward, hearing the tearing of grass and grinding of teeth, of large prey within earshot, grazing without a care in the world. 

Aye- Meyl's breath was low. 'ear that? I think we done found dinner-

Heph heard the sounds of the herd and spotted them in the distance. They were a good size, and the spring brought with it plenty of new life. "Sounds like it." She confirmed and took a moment to assess the group. Her voice was a low whisper. "There's a pair of fawns to the right, we can target those once we get the herd moving." She nodded in the direction and waited to see whether Meylodi would be on board with the plan. The rest of the herd looked peaceful, although deer were never fully unaware. A stag that had not yet shed his antlers surveyed the herd.

Tha' ol' man they got's gonna be a problem if we ain't careful. She chuffed softly to Heph's first statement. Antlers be no joke. 

Aye, she whispered, looking to the other she-wolf momentarily, putting faith in not only herself, but Heph's knowledge of the land. One wolf could get herself far, but Meyl didn't know the land as well, and as much as she wanted to go forward, she knew it'd jeopardize the hunt. Following orders, at least from equals, was fine. Le's do it. I dunno nothin' 'bout this land, so ya can be ta one callin' orders.

Heph nodded her head. While she was not often the leader of hunts she understood well enough how they functioned. With their targets in sight really it would just be an issue of either the stag or if one of the fawns quicker than expected or one of the other hinds slower. "Sounds good." With that and a wide grin she hoisted her weight back into her hindquarters before springing forward, eating up the ground, it took the deer only moments to react but she was determined to gain as much ground as possible in that initial mad scramble.

Meylodi ran after Meph as thunderous as a distant storm.

She could already taste their prey, the thought driving her forward. Each stride brought the she-wolf closer in a rhythm that she quickly lost herself in. The ground her paws propelled her on was rocky but firm enough, lined with grass that softened her steps. 

The deer scattered when their watchful stag gave warning. Their protector seemed unsure of himself, as if he had never had an attack on his herd before. He faltered, choosing to run instead of fight the threat, and that momentary hesitation and choosing his life over the lives of the fawns would, with luck, lead to a successful hunt.

The multitude of burrows made the dash forward exhilarating but she only took the time to assess the scattering prey as the main threat decided to flee. Instinct warred within him, but self-preservation won out and she grinned turning her attention to the two young ones. Lowering her own head she cut a wide path, separating much of the herd from their smaller fleeing forms. Then sweeping in closer she began to close in on the pair.

Both the herd and their quarry realized too late that she had managed to widen the gulf between them, fixated on fleeing in the opposite direction. Aware of her surroundings she spotted Meylodi.

sorry it took so long! I didn't know how to respond!

 

She had thrown herself at one of their targets, closing the gap between them with remarkable speed given her size. Meyl had separated the fawn from its mother, who nervously stood a few lengths away before darting off to preserve her own life. 

Nothing could stop the she-wolf duo now.

Grinning at the sight of Meylodi who had driven off the mother leaving the pair of fawns defenseless besides their own speed and strength she chased after both. Giving a bark to indicate her own position to Meylodi so the other wolf would know that she was joining in on the main chase. The pair of young deer scattered but Heph was already gaining ground. Taking in huge gulps of air as she ate up the distance. 

No worries! If you're ever wanting to plan out a thread or discuss where it's going I'm pretty reachable on Discord as well (Lepos there too) :D

Meylodi's slender legs caught up to the fawn with surprising ease, her eyes trained on the young deer. 

It tripped over a rabbit-burrow, and with a burst of speed, the she-wolf took the opportunity. Her muzzle clamped around its neck, and her bulk prevented it from escaping. 

This was the end for this particular deer.

Heph set her sights on the other deer, seeing Meylodi lock onto her own target. Leaping forward her own quarry was matching her for speed, but in its panic and inexperience it tried to lose her by darting to the left. The distance still great enough her own adjustment to the course closed their distance further and she lunged forward, hefting all of her weight behind the tackle and wrapping her jaws around the base of its spine even as she used her chest and shoulder to drag them to the ground. It struggled and kicked leaving her with a few blows that would inevitably bruise, but when it stopped struggling she only grinned through bloody teeth at both of their successes. Most of it would be consumed by them, but she felt there was enough for caches and the skins as well.

Meylodi didn't hesitate to lighten the load on herself, gulping several mouthfuls of her fawn before looking up to check for Heph. Her bloody muzzle grinned as she saw the other with the other fawn, down for the count, and it would be a nice meal for her. 

Pride spilled through her heart like the morning sun. 

Aye- make a fine meal fer a co'ple o' hunters, eh?

Heph grinned back, taking a few bites herself before nosing beneath the chest of the fawn so that she could better distribute its weight over her back. While she could probably drag it with her teeth the distance of the chase was enough that that would be difficult and leave more of a scent trail for any other interested parties. "Well we are quite fine hunters." Her teeth shone wolfishly but she glanced appraisingly over both of the carcasses. "Once we've cleaned them they'll make good furs as well." If Meylodi and Void intended to travel it might help to have furs to help with the carrying, or perhaps so that when they settled. But if not she was sure that Moontide would have use for them in the meantime.

Aye - I don't got nothin' I be carrying with me when we leave. With any luck, the only thin' ta think ab'ut would be our li'er. An' ta both o' us be 'nnoyed by thick fer.

Meylodi did not think to move the fawn by such decent means as the other, but rather by taking its belly and lifting it off the ground with her teeth. It dangled haphazardly, but she didn't look particularly bothered by its weight.

She motioned with her head for Heph to lead the way back to Moontide.

fade here?

Heph nodded her head, it made sense. "That'll make for a swift journey, travelling light is the way I prefer to go as well." She stared on back to Moontide, her burden light on her shoulders enjoying the company as they neared the borders once more.