OOC: Heading north from the Greatwater Lake, across the Flatlands toward the Sunspire. This is a hunt for all those that want to participate. Feel free to pop in at anytime :D @Kuno , @Raheerah , @Silas
It was time to depart when the air no longer smelled of frost, but of the multiple of inhabitants wafting from the distant north. Mindful of her proximity, she kept the Plateau at a breadth the lone wolf could afford to maintain. But as the sent of life grew stronger, her encounters with its brethren becoming more routine, she thought it best to relinquish her hold over the lake and wander off once more toward greener pastures.
Surely a metaphor when the days were shrouded in white, yet against the odds of reason, there were green fields to spy stretching just as far as a mountain's shadow would allow. The peaks were within sight, though their bases were fair off creating a ridge across the scape. Vast as the lake had been upon first impression, but with a determined stability unseen by the shifting waters beneath the ice. The peaks were firm, solid to their core. Even the snow that graced their tops remained still as though the white that had fallen had become a part of its facade. Should she touch them, would she too become a part of its permanence? She thought not as she took swift stride from its shadow, resuming her trail along sun-touched pastures.
The fortune that came with the expanse like the flatlands was the openness of the air that allowed all neighboring scents to flow through. The air became a culmination of aromas both wolf and fodder and predator alike. A stroke of luck might have brought her to the scent trail of a traveling harem, but she had long ago forfeit the belief in Luck. There was only what could be found by her own determination. And there was the rich musk of fodder... she knew it but could not see. Though with an aroma so fresh, so clear, she could taste it, she could not afford to ignore it for another moment.
Impatiently she rose her muzzle in beckon, shaking loose the softened flesh for the resounding call to rise and touch the ears of neighboring wolves. Her song was the unabashed tale of hunger, of the ambitions of a hunt... and the promise of flesh. |
Sustenance. It had become among the few things of importance to him since the monk and Dawa had planted themselves in the valley. His duty had been done, his promise lifted; he had found them paradise, where they would now reside in peace. For how long, not even Raheerah could foretell; he had gone long without the blood of another seeping between his teeth, had yet to pass true judgment. While they traveled, he had set his schemes aside. He was growing impatient and starved, and torn between two desires; he hungered for retribution and vengeance. And yet, violence and aggression had avoided him during most of their journey, and he had lived without the dreadful bloodshed that his faction promised. On one end of the spectrum, that was what he fought for, was it not - to end the violence? To escape from it?
On the other hand, he was a creature built for war. He fed on blood and organs, and he was angry, so unbearably angry. It only suited him that he should tear others apart. And that just made him angrier. How long would it be before Raheerah found his teeth around another's neck again? For how long could he stifle his rage?
No more than a day had passed, surely, since making their home in the valley had Raheerah tired of the monk again. He found himself working his way through the mountains, and eventually to the foothills, and the pastures that yawned before them. He was likely a day's travel from the vale, but that bothered him little. What weighed on his mind besides extinguishing his lust for brutality was hunger, and the craving his stomach held to be fulfilled. It had been a long time since he'd had a proper meal.
A call rose out into the sky. The beast raised his head, and his ears rotated, tuning in to the call that escaped into the vastness of the surrounding prairie. It spoke of what he craved and mirrored his wants. Without hesitation, he followed the sound, if only to see what creature spewed it from their jaw. And he found, to his surprise and mild, very mild, pleasure, that it was a familiar face. She had earned his tolerance, and for that reason, he figured that perhaps it would not be so painful to join her in her quest. Raheerah lurched forward through the snows, a heavy gait that bobbed his head with each step. When he reached her, he said nothing; his tongue ran over his teeth and his nose in eagerness for their hunt, and his eye fixed on her, before tearing elsewhere.
Step after step, Silas dragged his body through the rugged terrain. Despite lapping up some water at a pond on the northern reaches of the mountain range, he was dehydrated. The pads of his paws were cracked and worn from his lengthy travel, and his morale was low. But despite how worn down he might have been emotionally or physically, it was the hunger that really got to him. It radiated painfully from his stomach, ravaging his chest and limbs with a queer form of adrenaline.
He left the nostalgic embrace of the mountain range in search of the prey-enriched flat lands below. Each paw step that he made felt insecure and restrictive, as if he was just an automaton with no flow of consciousness dictating his movements. However, even if there was thought control over his movements, his mind was blissfully blank. He did as his body told him to do, which is why he didn't even register why his muzzle was opening for a low, gruff, bark.
He tossed his head back and forth, trying to align his actions with a motive, and dimly came to the realization that there was a fading howl in the skies. His ear swiveled at the acknowledgment, attempting to kickstart his brain into some sort of efficiency at processing what that howl even meant. Food, hunger, a hunt. He could almost feel the cogs of his brain clicking sluggishly together, rebooting a computer into motion.
Silas responded, albeit slowly, and began to take his course the way of the invitation. There was two of them when he entered their domain. One of them was a girl colored gold and pure and almost disdainful. But where her disdain left off, the other picked it up. Although he was as tall as Silas, the male was bulkier and oozed of unbridled anger and scorn.
Silas gulped hard, wondering if he wasn't the prey himself. "Hello..." He voiced cautiously, his amber eyes darting from one figure to the other.
The most commendable of attributes as put to the test as she stood in wait for others to heed her siren. Seconds since the summon faded painfully to minutes, and she dared not ponder the torment of an hour evolving. Each minute lost was an advantage to the harem, pulling them further away from thirsting jaws and keeping barren stomachs gaping for another day.
Truly, she had a mind to lift her muzzle once more, but paused when a glimpse of movement caught her eye. Scowling visage smoothed gradually as familiarity came forward. All darkness and gloom as a storm growing in the distance but not without an allure that coaxed a fragile waver of her tail in greeting. A word was not necessary, as the contact between bi-colored hues and brimstone proved enough to convey their acknowledgement to the other. A quiet acquaintanceship she had come to recognize and enjoy.
And though the fiery eye had turned from her, her sights remained fixed on him to assess his stature. She knew him to be large and thick furred, if only by their initial encounter. But all else was a mystery at best. His legs looked stable, able to carry his own weight, but could such bulk be skillfully thrown into their quarry? Was there enough energy in his body for a successful takedown? Her nose quivered in earnest. All the questions as they surfaced in her mind remained unasked, though she imagined the impatience leaking her tautly drawn muzzle told all. At least until the steps of another was heard.
Her head shot around to its source baring a scowl as per usual. Neither welcoming visage nor distasteful mask adorned her. Only the distant expression she offered to near all. This newcomer was male, and worse for wear as the pair of them. Though she immediately noted with some relief his size to complement the two already present. Two large males however weathered in body were a force to be reckoned with, and while her own was not the contending physique it was made to be, it could endure a great deal. And there was stamina on her side.
They could take a doe at the very least.
She tipped her muzzle to the new male without a word though would part her lips when addressing the other. "It is a small harem..." she informed him. "Can you track?" |
No words were exchanged between the pair. They were waiting on others, hopefully more to arrive so that their chances of a successful hunt would rise. In all honesty, Raheerah was far less a hunter than he was a warrior; his large frame made it difficult to maintain top speeds, but he had the power to take down prey when it was near. The words of the monk, in trying to convince Hawkeye of his merits, rang through his head and would persist as true as they'd always been. He was no good for a clean kill; his teeth too wild, his actions too severe to capture prey without mangling it completely. They would not be so prosperous just the two of them.
Fortunately they would not have to depend on each others skills for this hunt. A third soon appeared, coming noticeable through the snow in his approach. Raheerah fixed his single eye on the male and quietly watched, though when he greeted them, he narrowed his eye and tipped his head in a small nod. He seemed cautious. As he should be. He swung his head to look back at Xi'nuata. "Yyeess." Raheerah answered lowly, craning his neck up higher as he sucked in a breath. As she predicted the scents of deer wore on the wind. They were nearby; if he turned his gaze to the pasture before them, surely he could see them if he were to concentrate. His lips drew back and his teeth parted, and he tasted their perfume on the air. The smell caused his stomach to churn with hunger.
The beast hesitated for a moment. He then glanced to the stranger, holding him steady in his gaze. "Followw myy leead." Was all he spoke, and turned to Xi'nuata with a firm bob of his head. He would lead them to the herd, and allow for Xi'nuata to propose whatever plan it was in her head. Though if she had no plan, Raheerah had developed his own - one way or another, they would be feeding this day. He turned and held himself low, pushing through the snow towards their prey.
While the pack of the Plateau was his new home, it did not quite feel like home to the male just yet. Because of this and his low rank amongst the other wolves, he felt no obligation to stay close to or even within the territory. In fact, the past few days he had been hiding, watching the odd female whom had taken great interest in his battle scars, though he doubted she noticed. Now, he did the same, following well behind the lone wolf. Close enough that he could see her and where she was going, but far enough that his dark fur could easily make him appear to be an odd shadow in areas with nowhere to hide.
As he lowered himself into a position to watch behind an odd snowdrift, Xi'nuata howled, attracting two more wolves. Each was from a different pack, but each had the same desire; a hearty meal. He did not make his presence known immediately. No, his training had made it impossible for him to jump out an reveal himself when there were numerous unknown wolves around. Instead, he continued to stalk closer until he could hear one of the wolves, who also appeared to be deeply scarred over one eye, announced that he should be followed. Not trusting the way the male spoke and appeared, which was mildly ironic considering his appearance wasn't a friendly one either, he approached the threesome, no longer caring about remaining hidden.
Kuno stood so all three wolves were within his vision, silently cursing being blind on one side. "Greetings. I hope you don't mind my late arrival." He glanced quickly at Xi'nuata, looking to see if she showed signs of trusting the male. Yes, they all wanted to hunt, but Kuno was not unfamiliar with what could happen on hunts with other packs. A wolf he had been close to in his old home was killed by a wolf from another pack when they were supposed to be hunting together under a truce. With there being a wolf in the small party that he already knew, he did not want to witness the same thing happen here.
set by Emy
Although the boy stayed relatively collected, he blew an internal sigh of relief that he was readily accepted amongst the two. He wasn't sure what type of chemistry he trotted upon, if any at all, but he was sure that he didn't want to disturb anything that might have been happening. But, to his fortune, the female seemed to welcome him with a simple nod. Silas felt his ruddy tail sway against his legs as he listened to her raspy, feminine voice. Amber eyes followed the direction of the words to the other male and kept his mouth shut.
Silas was young, he knew that - especially in the presence of these two, but he knew that hunting was something that he was particularly adept at. His birth pack was large and established, and he had shown a natural talent at gamekeeping. However, he twisted his lips readily to accept that it was not his place to lead. These two had experience beyond him, and even though he was too large of a fish for his home pond, the ocean could as easily swallow him up whole.
He nodded easily to the beast's words, and his legs tugged forward accordingly. Silas slid behind the two, keeping pace along their hips grateful for the increasingly strong scent of deer. But something else was off as he sampled the air, and before he could put a paw on what it was it appeared before him. The ruddy prince hesitated as he regarded the next male in front of him, and looked to the other two for cues of what to do next.
A single word of confirmation was more than she needed to follow by, and the forward step instilled hope that their progress would find the scent's source. And quickly. She took stride just behind the dark male close to his hip, being mindful of her steps and her energy exuded. What reserve she could muster was precious for the mission at hand. Regardless of their numbers, their strength was essential, especially in the moment of the killing blow.
Not far into their pursuit a familiar scent took hold her pulled her muzzle in its direction. The war mask of the male was a comfort to behold, rousing both a sigh of relief that he did indeed show and a soft bark of beckon to draw him into their tracking fold. "Late is the moment where our teach embrace hide and yours are absent," she smiled softly. "You are well in time, but our hunt is moving. Hopefully your paws have a few more steps in them..."
She had paused for a moment to greet the newcomer properly, but was quick to resume the chasing pace. She remained nearest to Raheerah to shadow his flank, while glancing around on occasion to make sure other parties were not intended to encroach upon their hunt. Last they needed were opportunists hoping to steal their kill when the blow was ready to deal. |
His pace had been strong and steady; his single eye focused on the herd that lurked somewhere in the distant. Their scents wormed along the snow, invisible trails seen only by the nose, unseen, heavenly cues. They meant meat, food - satisfaction. His stomach dared to rumble with hunger as he thought of the reward presented by this collection of wolves, banding together to take a prize for themselves. He would eagerly meet flesh with his teeth, but it would seem they would encounter a minor interruption first. Raheerah had slowed, coming to a halt as a fourth made himself known. In the midst of his friendly words, a growl began to boil up within the chest of the beast.
He cocked his head to look at Xi'nuata, curious of the amicable manner in which he spoke to her. Had they been friends? She'd indicated earlier that she had no home, no companionship... and yet this male stood before them, and the two shared words like familiars. Only when Xi'nuata had deemed him worthy of joining their hunt had the sound of his rumbling growls died off, but Raheerah would continue to hold the newcomer with caution. More so that he brought with him the scent of the plateau wolves.
The grey male huffed and looked between his companions, keeping a tally of those present, before quickly starting off again. They didn't linger for long. Soon enough, their paws had carried them to the brink the herd. Where the snow had thinned and bronzed grasses cropped up from the Earth, several deer - a couple stags, mostly doe - pawed and nibbled at the soils. There was no cover for the group save for drifts that collected on the snow - surely the herd would have seen them, and watched them closely. Raheerah turned to face the Xi'nuata with his single eye, but spoke nothing. He waited for a plan to come forth, assuming she would be the one to lead.
OOC: Since it's been a while since anyone posted, I'm going to lay out the plan then OOC assume it went through to get this closed up. @Raheerah, @Kuno Feel free to make a post with your impressions so all will be gravy :3
A rule with hunting was that only one would lead. In a pack, it was the strongest and more experienced to take point while the subordinates moved to the direction of their lead. The role of lead had never come to her before the moment of this hunt, and while her hunger swiftly acclimated her to the role, it was not without some apprehension for the task. She was a body, not a head. But if the struggle of the wild proved anything to her, it was that the roles could change as easily and startling as the winds.
She near in close proximity to the scarred behemoth but kept her sights in search of their quarry. She trusted his nose, for only a fed wolf regularly had the scent of fodder to fall upon, and too true to his lead did the scent of their prey grow stronger- but beyond the rise of a soft hill. Feeling his eye upon her, she turned without truly seeing, her eyes were glazed by the shroud of thought as she replayed the scenes of her old dwelling during their hunts. Always the fastest took point to herd out the weakest, if not more vulnerable of the herd, but since the swift foot of their party was young in her eyes, she thought better than to send him into the fray utterly blind. She was slower, but her body could endure the brunt of assault if it came to that. Though even a young fawn would not be able to escape her jaws in time. She would simply trust her sights to guide her to a worthwhile prey in the moment of haste.
Honing in from her thought to look to Raheerah, she gestured with her muzzle for him to assume a further berth. The same for Kuno but from the opposite side. They would need to watch the movements of the herd and shepherd them from her chosen quarry. The only audible warning she offered was the simple fact that followed all hunter; “Mind the buck.”
Then she slipped over the rise to fall into the herd…
[End] OOc: Putting an end on this since the other participants have gone inactive. |