Lost Creek Hollow tag you're it

It was growing colder a little damp among the hollow, Ilya was truly surprised that it hadn't started to snow yet. Well, perhaps not too surprised, but where she was born it was snowing practically every moment of Fall. She sniffed at the moist ground and wagged her tail a little, deciding to find her white friend. She hoped he wasn't too busy.

She continued sniffing at the ground, her tail still wagging as she grew excited for the situation. Soon, she came across a mossy patch of earth and yipped with excitement. The black wolf yanked at the moss until a decent sized chunk detached, dripping with water. Her face was splashed with water droplets when she yanked it, but after a quick shake of her head she was back on guard. She began to sniff out the packs Beta, @Luke , and was thrilled to sense that he wasn't far away. 

She tracked down the white male with ease, considering his distance from her, and hid silently behind a bit of bracken. When she felt the time was right, she let out a loud bark and flung the moss at him, hitting him on his shoulder. She leapt from the bushes with a mock pride in her shot and bent forward in a play bow. 

"Tag!" She yipped at him, mischief dancing in the glint in her eyes, "You're it!"

The white wolf had his head down, sniffing about the debris and detritus on the forest floor. It was absent-minded, for his thoughts wandered far and wide were not at all concerned about the trace of mouse beneath his nose. He was not aware that his packmate stole up on him, and though his ears flicked back when she barked, he was thoroughly startled by the moss as it struck his shoulder. He quickly spun, but his alertness dampened immediately upon seeing Ilya. He laughed.

"Oh you think so, eh?" he called back, his tail sweeping back and forth. She may have declared that he was it, but in the next moment, as he launched himself into a sprint away from her, he declared that he was not. She would have to chase him!

The male fled, and taken back by his cheap move Ilya let out a frustrated growl, although it was clearly only play. "Hey!" She exclaimed, right away falling into the chase. "Cheater!" She called, her small frame moving with ease through the underbrush.

She had forgotten completely about the mossball, and was now here to take Luke down. She wasn't sure how well her weight would do against his larger self, but she hoped to at tackle with enough force to push him to the ground. She let out a bark as she followed behind, hot on the white wolf's tail. She wasn't worried about being too far behind or losing him, she was fast enough to follow and even if he did get farther ahead of her he was white as snow; he'd stick out too much to hide. 

She nipped lightly at his tail as it swished in front of her, but she was still at an awkward distance where leaping would be too much of a hassle and she might not even touch him, so she didn't bother just yet.

He laughed merrily as he ran, his blue-padded paws scattering leaves, needles and dirt from the trail he sketched across the hollow. He was quick, but his packmate was too, and she gained on him enough to nip at his tail. He was not privy to her intention to tackle him, but nor would he be concerned by it if he were. He ran for the sheer thrill of it, barking and yipping as he went, leaving no wolf within earshot to wonder what their playful beta was up to. He thrust his paws down to weave expertly among the hollow's trees, and as if he thought he could throw her off a bit, he took a sailing leap across one of the streams that wandered through their home. He glanced back, to see if she was still following.

Ilya remained hot on her beta's tail, chasing and barking along with him. They reached a more dense part of the woods, and while Luke was in the lead and had first pick in paths, she did not. She swerved through the trees, but had a different path than he. She knew she was bound to run into one if she stayed so close to him in such an obstacle course. 

She trailed behind, but not far enough that she couldn't see the white males bright coat. She watched as he leapt over the stream, and could see his pretty blue features as his head turned to look at her. She picked up her pace, leaping just as gracefully over the stream. Her feet pounded against the soft earth as she chased him, slowly gaining her ground back.

She was ever bit as nimble as he, dodging the trees and leaping the stream just as he had done. He laughed, and as his feet moved quicker so did his mind. He pondered a way to throw her off, to turn the game on her again. She was gaining on him still, but this time slowly, his winding paths through trees and his flight across the stream having bought him time. It was enough for what his mind had decided. Without warning he spun, and he dug his heels in to start charging right toward her. The biggest, toothiest grin did he sport.

Ilya followed after, still gaining. After a few minutes of chasing she felt that the male was slowly coming closer to her, and this excited her. The speed and adrenaline of such a harmless chase made her feel young again, especially when it was with such a handsome and goofy friend. But she soon realized that Luke was growing far too close, and suddenly it was clear that she was no longer chasing him. 

So the mighty hunter became the frail prey. 

She turned tail, streaking through back through the woods where they came. Luke wasn't faster, at least she didn't think, but he had a lot closer a distance than she had. Pink tongue lolled from her jaws, which were turned up in a smile. She ran as fast as she could, but soon grew tired. Wolves were not race cars, after all, speed could only last them so long. Ilya slowed her pace and eventually stopped, sitting down. She watched the white wolf come nearer as she sat, panting with perked ears, bracing herself for his impact.

You got a little bit of powerplay in your last paragraph there! You assumed Luke chased her, and continued to come closer even after she sat, but I never intended him to actually chase her at all hehe ;) In the future please be careful about the powerplay! I'm just going to skip over it this time. :D

His ruse was successful. She pivoted and ran, expecting that the tides had turned and he would be chasing her, but that had never been his intent. Just as quick as she showed him her back he spun and darted away again, no doubt alerting her to his one-eighty by the loud laughter that echoed off the trees.

"Gotta be quicker than that!" He hollered, and he in no way referred to her swift paws for she had kept pace with him and he could not discredit her speed. No, she had to think a bit quicker, to see through the tricks he was pulling. As his paws drummed through the hollow, his mind churned to come up with his next play. Supposing she did not catch him first!

I apologize! That was actually just me misreading, I didn't assume! But I did not mean to power play, and in the future if I do it again just let me know and I'll gladly rewrite. (: I tend to misread and lot so feel free to point it out whenever lol ! I'm just going to play assuming she didn't run and he hadn't chased xP I believe that's what you did in your post either way. 

The black fae's ears perked as she heard his footsteps behind her leave, not to mention the loud laugh. He hadn't meant to chase her, she realized! Ilya let out a playful growl, not expecting the male to turn back once again. Slowing and turning herself, she chased after the male again, her blue eyes keeping their watch on him. She panted hard, but was in no way prepared to give up.

She once again began to gain on the white wolf as they darted through the forest, and she the closer she became the more adrenaline pumped throughout her veins. Her feet pushed hard off the ground, and she continued to chase. The agile wolf hadn't picked up on his play on words, finding him only mocking her speed. Ilya's tongue lolled as she ran, in no way anticipating another trick from the white wolf.

No worries at all! Happens to the best of us LOL

She chased him, gaining ground as she had done before. He had to think quick or she would be upon him; which he would not mind. Yet still, the thrill of the chase and the fun of tricking her was too much to give up on and so he forged ahead. But he soon realized that he was shorter on tricks than he had thought, the land gave up no clues for his next move. So, he put on the breaks and came to a dead stop. His back was still to her, he did not so much as look behind him.

:p excuse mildly unrealistic wolf action here. 

Ilya was still slowly, but surely, gaining on Luke. It wasn't until she was about to call it quits when she noticed the white male come to a halt in front of her. Hoping not to run into whatever he stopped for, she slowed down. She reached just behind him and leapt onto him, her small body and light weight allowing her to lay straddled atop his back, nipping at his ear. "Gotcha!" She yipped, rolling off his back and onto the dirt, sprawling on her side and panting hard. Her pink tongue lolled and she wagged her tail, letting it beat against the dusty earth of the clearing. 

"I bet you could outrun a whole herd of antelope," Ilya teased, but was sincere. The black wolf always thought herself fast, but Luke had managed to keep ahead of her, even though she did gain some ground on him. She paused a moment, wondering if the white wolf had known what an antelope was. They weren't native here... or really anywhere for miles and miles, as far as she was concerned. She had only witnessed them as a pup, kept in captivity not too far from her own enclosure. "A really fast type of deer, I think" she added in explanation, smiling.

apologies for the wait, I lost power for a couple days and then was a bit busy!

He was not sure what he expected her to do. Stop in suspect of another trick, run him over, decide to use his own earlier trick and run away from. He merely waited, grinning, for her move, which came in the form of a pounce. He laughed as he felt her land upon him, her teeth at his ear. He twisted to attempt to land a nip of his own at her small black paws, but she was rolling free of him in the same moment. He sprawled along beside her, his back to the earth and his belly to the sky with his paws folded above his chest.

"You think so?" he chuckled. There were a type of antelope in some parts of the wilds around here; pronghorn antelope. They were incredibly wary and incredibly swift. His mouth pinched briefly as he remembered the white wolf from the Caldera, with whom he had tried to hunt of the antelope. Their hunt had not been successful. "Imagine if we had antlers," he mused randomly.

No need for apologizes (: 

The black wolf giggled, pawing happily at her contrasting friend. He reminded her a bit of a beetle who had been flipped on it's back, unable to roll over. She thought a moment on his question, still giggling at the idea of antlers. "I think," she began, matter-o-factly, "that you would look like a snowflake." Her tail continued to beat against the ground as her glee lingered, and it even picked up pace as she imagined them with antlers.

"I also think that play fighting would be a pain," she continued, "Maybe useful in real battles, but wouldn't we just get stuck to one another?" 

ALSO I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF... lil doodle <3

AH! Antlered wolfies! That's awesome XD

She prodded at him and he lazily nipped at her paw. "Snowflake, eh?" he mused, imaging himself as one of those many floating crystals, his tail laying a rhythmic and soft thump-thump-thump on the ground. He imagined play fighting as she spoke of it, and of real battles, and indeed, found himself wondering the same as she did. "Deer fight, and they don't always get stuck together," he commented. "I always wondered how they run through the thick wood though and never get themselves fetched up." Some bucks had such big racks on their head, and then there was moose. How did they manage? The thickest brush they seemed to ghost through.

Ilya thought a moment as his comment, flicking her paws about as he nipped at them. She placed one firmly on his nose, pressing him back a bit with playful intention before letting them lay limp beside her again. "They have to get stuck sometimes," she murmured quietly, stumped on the concept. "I stay away from deer fights usually though, so I suppose I wouldn't see them get stuck if they did..." her voice trailed off and she let out a heavy breath. 

She flicked her ears slightly to check for outside sounds before returning her focus to Luke and the conversation at hand. "Wouldn't that be the day!" She exclaimed. "It's like dinner practically catching itself for us!" 

Last one for me! I am wrapping up some 'older' threads in preparation for new ones after Luke encounters the cougar. Dun dun dun!

He supposed they did. How could they not? He had never seen it for himself, but it was true that bucks sometimes became knotted together after clashing their antlers. It was not unheard of to find not just two, but three bucks entangled in this way, and indeed, there was the occasional poor soul that got its antlers stuck in the crook of a tree. It would be most merciful then if a predator found him shortly after before time slowly, cruelly drained him of his life.

"Maybe we could figure out how to set traps for them to get their antlers stuck somewhere," he laughed. He could not fathom what manner of trap this would be, but he liked the idea of being able to go 'collect' your dinner rather than having to chase it around and risk a hoof or antler. Luke rose to his paws, giving his coat a shake. "Let me know if you think of a way to trap them buggers," he laughed again. "I'm going to go check up on a few things. I'll catch you around!"

He waved his tail in farewell and loped toward the hollow's borders.

ugh ! i've been following it and i'm so on edge ): sounds good though! feel free to close the topic whenever! 

"Will do," Ilya responded, smiling at her friend as he rose. She shifted and dipped her head to return his goodbye, and watched him as he ducked away and through the territory. She left out a huff, looked around and stood. The black wolf shook out her coat, her blue gaze then scanning the area, before she settling next to a large tree trunk, curling up and settling for a quick nap.