Redtail Rise θ

redtail rise joiners? :3 MR and RD welcome!

the rise is soft beneath his pads, much unlike his home of nova peak.

blackened trunks still lean here, brittle with old fire, but the undergrowth has come back thick, and it hushes his steps as he goes. tall grasses parting around his knees, wet with the night’s melt.

and it’s there, in the tangle of green and soot, that he picks up the trail of a large doe. the dane noses along her prints until he comes across the bed she had made. disturbed and recently used.

fled come morning.

from there, her scent only grows stronger, and he lopes his way after.

red dusk follows without rushing him.

the ground here gives softly under paw, grass damp with melt, ash still breathing faint beneath it. black foot moves ahead, earnest and intent, and red dusk reads the story alongside him. pressed stems. warm earth. a bed broken in the night.

doe. large. rested. gone at first light.

he lowers his head and draws the scent deeper, then steps wide to circle the bed, careful not to trample what remains. his tail lifts once, slow, pointing where the trail thins before strengthening again downslope.

he moves back to the boy’s shoulder and noses the air, a quiet encouragement. keep low. keep steady.

the doe is not far.

and the rise is teaching him how to listen.

Yay!

Moon Runner did not stray far from her new kin in these formative days.

A sense of something — bodies moving through the night.

Her keen nose trailed Dark Spine and the timber male, not yet called anything in her mind…

… Today, he would receive a hunting name.

She fell back by Dark Spine’s flank. An unusual position for a Wealda, perhaps… but nothing about Moon Runner journey had been typical. Instead of vanguard she took the position of support and watched the two males with a teacher’s eye, perhaps as Wise Father would have done.

What did they know? What were their Strengths? Weaknesses? Could they work together? the spirit wondered.

Would they become Bitan? Would one rise to the top as Ulfhedinn?

She locked in and prowled — quiet, practiced, and tactical.

---

the hunt is on.

the other male is at his shoulder with an encouraging nose, much to nowke's indignation. he was no spring chicken and did not need guiding, and to him, he passes glacier eyes of quiet say so.

the scent of the doe is inhaled through flaring, wet-ringed nostrils by the redjaw. the hues of flame and scarlet move over his backside with his march, visible now with the abandonment of the bearskin within his den dugout.

he takes to the trail red dusk had pointed out, an inviting jerk of his head for the male to lead them forwards.

strong legs move him down the slope and into the new and open terrain after him, where snowfall has melted away under the glaring sun. his dark mask surveys and those pointed, blue eyes find where the doe has just fled again into the treeline.

brush disturbed, he grins yellow and he flags his tail for red dusk and the wealda to look.

red dusk takes the lead without sound.

his nose stays low, reading the ground where meltwater thins the scent and then gathers it again. the trail bends as the land opens, snow pulled back by sun and movement. he follows it without hesitation.

dark spine’s motion draws his attention. the flag. the break in brush ahead.

red dusk answers with a quiet huff, low and close to the earth. he shifts his weight and slides off the line, circling wide, body dropping into a prowling crouch. grass parts around his chest. his steps hush themselves.

he feels white feather behind them, steady and watching. it does not pull at him. it steadies.

the doe has fled again. close now. close enough to hear.

red dusk moves into position, cutting the angle, rusted coat blending into shadow and trunk. his tail stills.

he waits for the moment to close.

strong legs beat off the ground with strength unbenknownst; only the strongest could propel forward. he seeks to grip her back leg, haughty weight to slow her, whilst dark spine can aim for the final blow.

From the rear, Moon Runner caught the loaded glance from Dark Spine.

A youthful male! the spirit thought, amused.

Look, Dark Spine signaled.

And Wealda saw their quarry's prey-sign.

She has retreated into the trees — but there is nothing the doe could do to dissuade her pursuers.

Moon Runner licked her jowls. Good, she spirit praised Dark Spine’s tracking.

He then yielded to the timber with many seasons, who took point and led the next leg of their hunt.

Moon Runner could taste the doe’s frightened musk on winter’s crisp air.

She is close! Her amber eyes were wide, pupils dilated.

But Moon Runner is patient.

The hunters became still. She sees the timer wolf’s muscles coil and Moon Runner is reminded of Wise Father’s might.

When he sprung, so did Moon Runner, and she coursed off to the side to block the doe’s escape... an opportunity for the males to sink in their teeth. May she be snared by the Rise’s fangs!

---

he is fast upon black legs but not as fast as wealda. strong shouldered with power that explodes from haunch into leg as he springs forwards, jaws clamping for fleshy belly.

he tears at the doe's side. her crimson rushes into his mouth with a waterfall's might, and he sinks his back legs into the earth.

he tugs. tugs, tugs, tugs. unhinges his jaws and darts away from a kick of a back leg, only to dip in again and bite for the fleshy part of chest beneath the doe's elbow.

the doe's course of escape cannot be charted for the white flagging female stands in her way, and she has no choice but to go forwards. redjaw slips away from her side and powerhouses his way towards her throat while the other male staggers her gait.

he does not seem to hunt her, but instead, fight her. blow after blow that bleeds her, as if he is swinging a steel axe in the rush of battle. the ferociousness of grim tooth.

the struggle persists.