Moonstone Quarry BWP: TSS A hunting we will go

Prompt is this one A herd of elk are trapped in a mountain pass. Tagging @Aiolos @Kukutux and @Shikoba because they can call a hunt if they so wish :D If we need extra wolves I can throw Rodyn in here he could have come to tell them that they are going to be grandparents :D I think this would make the most sense for a trap and it seems mountainous to me. Backdating this to the 2nd unless i need to forward date. Just trying to keep my timeline semi-decent. 

Ajei woke with the morning light. As she shifted from her parents side, a strange bellowing reached her ears. IT was faint and far away, but she caught it. It would sound every so often. IT was strange and sounded dangerous, but she wasn't sure what it was. So she lifted her head and searched for any of the more important adults, such as her mother or her leaders.  Wandering if one of them could tell her what it was. 

As they followed it the sound drew closer and closer, louder and louder and the more she listened, ,the more it caused her fur to stand on end. Something wasn't right. Something or many some things sounded distressed and unsure. As they drew nearer, she got lower and lower to the ground, ears twitching, nose wriggling. Unsure what was so loud, but it sure was scary.

I do not think my timeline is decent. I think its jacked.

From the island, to the bay, plateau and now around the quarry. Aiolos had been making more ground than he had originally expected and hadn't done this much travel since going North-east to Natigvik. However, this journey was to lands close around and mostly flatlands- a far easier trek. 

Aiolos followed the sounds of the distressed elk just the same and soon even the scents of Moonglow mingled within. They were here, some of them, where the quarry was just next to home. Here, he came to settle at Ajei's side, head low to align with her own. It is elk. It looks like some of the herd got trapped on the way down to the water. The limestone edges of the quarry were steep and dangerous to navigate and they were no mountain goat. Then again, neither was Aiolos. While they may try to hunt them as easy game, they would only be able to carry back what they could hold in their mouth or gut for the pups.

Mine will probably end that way lol

The father of the boys and girl of moonglow was a welcome sight and Ajei's tiny tail thumped at him. He was good in her book his boys were good boys. So he must be too. She stood on tippy toes to lick his chin as mama had taught and then looked back to the creatures below.


What is Elk? We eat them right. But they look scary. Don't they hurt us?

She looked up at him unsure. Their bellows distressing.

Are they scared and lost? I think I'd cry too.

Aiolos' tail waves as she introduced herself with a lick to his muzzle and answers her to ease the uncertainty in her gaze. 

Yes, we eat them. They are a type of deer, though one of the largest of their kind. You are right to be weary. All deer's hooves and antler can hurt us very badly and elk are far stronger then others. He explains. 

They are. He lifts his head to full height then, viewing the little cluster which had gotten separated. He lacked the soothing words for her, falling quiet a time. 

Predator or prey alike, life is both beautiful and cruel.

She wasn't certain how she felt about Sunman yet. He was very nice to her and he had good sons. Boys who were her best friends. But he was also larger than life and so quiet. But it was Arrluk's quiet. That eased her a little.

She looked down at them and gives a small little gasp. So you need lots of hunters? Hunting sounds hard and scary? But you gotta do it right. Her little ears drooped and she tightened them to her head. 

She looked up at him. Is cruel like mean?

Aiolos had always been the quiet leader. The quiet father. Where Kukutux radiated welcoming and warmth, Aiolos was ever watchful, carefully guarding his mate and the children they had together. Much of it stemed down to the fact he had never thought to have these things- mate, pups, rank, family. At times, he was so delicate if only because they were so special to him. 

With Ajei now, he was delicate, even though she were not his own. His agressive, self-loathing and pity-party attitude long ago having simmered away. 

Aiolos nods, Well, yes. He answered, settling down into a lay next to her as he watched the herd. There always has to be balance. Everyone lives and everyone must die. He gestures to the herd. If we did not kill them, not only would we go hungry, but they would eat too much themselves, making little food for other animals that eat what they eat. There would be too many. It is hard but it is fullfilling. Mentally and well, for their stomachs too.

Though Ajei loved both moonwoman and Sunman and her own mother. The quiet way that Aiolos moved around and the way he taught. She preferred that to other's He reminded her of Arrluk and she preferred a quiet way of learning to a loud one. It was just how she was. Did she love to play of course, but she was always a little more reserved than the others. Sometimes too shy to really do much.

She scooted closer to his large leg and leaned against him a little, listening while he spoke. She didn't have much of this time with her own dad. Her mama yes, but Inutsuk though he spent time, it wasn't as much. 

So then they or others would starve. I think that would not be good. It would be horrible. She shuddered a little at the thought and curled tighter against him.

Aiolos smiles softly to himself as she comes a bit closer, to lean on his leg as they both looked out to the small herd of elk which had gotten separated from the rest. 

As it were right now, fear and adrenaline fueled them. They were in panic mode. Aiolos would make sure to mention this to the rest of his pack, to return and see who was left. By then, they would be tired and perhaps even, injured as they struggled to climb the steep incline to get out. 

Yes, He said to the little girl. There are far more of them then they are predators. This, and when we die... He turns his muzzle down to look at her. Our bodies break down and help to feed and grow the grass, which of course, the deer and others need to live. It all came together. Balance.

The Elk below them were bellowing and shoving. It was actually utter chaos. She supposed this was why Mama always told her to keep a calm head in tough situations. They didn't seem to care if they hurt each other.

She frowned as she watched them. Though she lifted her head to listen about balance.

Come along. He decided then, lifting up and nosing at the girl's red shoulder, a darker hue then his own. We should inform First Hunter of this find and I am due for some needed rest. He spoke with a smile. After his travel back inland from the plateau, Aiolos was eager to rest at the comforting side of his wife.