Kildeer Rest i'll have him good as new i just have to get my hammers

@Capriccio <3

He held no preference for open fields and so it was with some amount of haste that his powerful legs moved him across them; his pace a comfortable jog that his stamina could fuel for as long as he required. His eyes were set on a distant ridge. Without a stout tree or immovable rock to break it, the northerly wind blew with abandon. He was fortunate to be possessed of a thick coat that could not be so easily penetrated, but nonetheless, he felt the bite of intermittent icerain upon his snout and ears which were not afforded as much protection as his core. It did not bother him, but it did not go without notice.

He paused only when the wind passed the aroma of recently deceased deer beneath his nose. He lifted his muzzle to better glean the source of the scent, and then turned toward it. He was keen to investigate any potential opportunity for an easy meal. As he travelled, his gaze swept around for movement. He doubted if he was the only one to have caught the whiff of the fallen doe.

There was something about being in such an open space that put the she-wolf at unease. The wind swept past her, stirring her pelt and reminding her that the bitter winter months were swiftly upon them. Reunited with @Terich-mir for only a brief stint, Capri hadn’t strayed far from him – but nor was she joined at his hip.
 
The wind was harder to work against here – and she felt the gnaw of hunger pull at her stomach. Even with one companion, winter was a dangerous time for a wolf, and as her frosted eyes scanned the open fields before her, she found the area to almost a waste of her time. No scent of a herd had passed through here, and the land remained entirely too open to offer much support to any form of prey.
 
Just as the slender she-wolf was about to turn back and seek out Terich-mir, the hint of deer wafted to her upon the cold breeze. She paused, her nose lifting upward as she tested the air – the saliva that pooled in her mouth was indication enough of her hunger, and the girl began to maneuver her way to the scent of it.
 
She was not far from the path – but the wind brought with it another scent, and her eyes swept upward to meet the larger form of the ebony male in sudden surprise of his presence.

He tracked the scent effortlessly, long strides and the unyielding stamina of the wild wolf bearing him without pause. His sweeping gaze did not miss her, a distinctly dark wolf frosted by silver. He assumed immediately her identity, as described to him by another not so long before.

The doe, having succumbed to her age, was just ahead of them. Three ravens were already upon her. One, larger than the rest and apparently wiser, had already pecked one dull eye from its socket and was working on the second, while the other two plucked uselessly at her hide, too tough for them to break open. Upon seeing the wolves their heads turned and their greedy eyes watched with hungry impatience.

He regarded her for a long, quiet minute. She did not seem to be intending to challenge him, nor did her paws move to rush the deer, and so he swept to the carcass, keeping her in his periphery. He need not show his teeth to the birds; they cawed to one another and gave way to the greater predator, knowing his presence was to their benefit in the end and any disrespect on their part would see them as an appetizer. He sunk his canines into the softest flesh at the belly, and tore the doe open, ever watchful of the female.

His eyes were careful upon her, and at first she did not understand why. Only as he shifted forward did she catch a hinted sight at the doe -- the ebony wolf's large form overtaking it otherwise. He did not seem keen to rush her away from his find, but she was not willing to test his patience.

Sweeping gracefully to her haunches, the silver-tipped wolf kept the stranger in her view, though did not directly stare at him in challenge. Instead, with her tail wrapping about her, Capri remained where she was at the chance of the wolf taking his fill and drifting away -- though it was a long shot.

Before him sprawled a banquet of sustenance as he opened her belly; from the liver to the tripe of her stomach, and to the meat between her ribs. Her carcass was yet fresh and would yield to him plenty to keep him on his feet for days to come. He would not need to hunt so hard.

The female moved, and he lifted his broad head to study her more closely, his tail swaying idly as his tongue licked the blood from his blunt muzzle. She only seated herself, curling her tail around herself, her gaze not directed toward him but he knew well that she watched him and knew also that she wished to nourish herself too.

He did not mind sharing, but only on his own terms, and only when he decided. He claimed for himself first the liver, his sharp fangs slicing large chunks free which he swallowed with haste, not because he felt threatened by her presence, but because the wild was full of hungry mouths and he sought to insure his was satiated before more showed up. He claimed next the heart, and before he shifted his teeth to the nutrient-rich lining of the doe's stomach, he lifted his head once more to woof invitingly at the girl.

The scent of fresh blood practically pooled at her nostrils as if it were right in front of her, and Capri cast the black wolf a sideways glance, though continued to indirectly keep watch of him. If he were more aggressive, he would have chased her away by now, and so she waited – patiently, but primarily hoping he could not hear the soft garble of her stomach as the scent of fresh meat brought forward the realization to how hungry she was.
 
The male made quick work of his meal, and she rolled her shoulders back in a small stretch. It was his inviting bark that stirred her muzzle to swing in his direction, and hesitantly, the lone wolf regarded her silent companion with consideration.
 
Lifting herself up, the silver-tipped wolf gave a quick shake of her pelt, as if to calm her nerves before she padded forward. Her steps were gentle – her form neutral as she moved closer. Keeping careful watch of him with her periwinkle eyes, Capri tested his resolve of the matter – her slender form skirting around to the opposite side of the deer, where her nose would begin to stretch forward, tentatively smelling and touching the doe.. and waiting to see if her dark companion had changed his mind of her presence.

He did not wait for her. The invitation had been given and she could take it or leave it. It mattered not to him. Taggarik lowered his powerful jaws back to the stomach, his white fangs piercing and holding the flesh as his carnassials sheared pieces off from the whole. His watchful gaze caught the female approaching hesitantly. He did not shift nor pause his feeding as she drew near, but barely perceptible smile formed at the corner of his mouth as her black nose reached forward to smell and touch the doe.

Tripe was among the foulest smelling parts of an animal, if not the foulest. It's potent stench engulfed him but even still, his breath drew her scent in through his acute nose and he could detect a familiar scent amidst her own. "So Terich has found you," he commented between another bite, idly wondering where the gray agouti male was now.

Her eyes would miss the faint smile – her attention riveted alone upon the scent of blood, and the large presence of the male as she waited to see if he would become aggravated by her presence. She was not looking for a fight – her energy was better spent elsewhere.. and nor was she so foolish.
 
Her touch to the carcass did little to incite him, and so Capri grew more brazen in her attempt, her own jaws now seeking to tear flesh and pull away with a savory piece for herself – and if she could wing it, one for her companion.
 
The male spoke then, causing her to pause. Her frosted eyes glanced upward, studying him as he mentioned her friend’s name so casually. Pulling back momentarily, he silver-tipped she-wolf cast him a bemused glance. “You know Terich-mir, then,” she pointed out casually, her tail giving a flick. “Who are you?” Her gaze locked to study his features more carefully then, her tongue flickering out to sweep some of the blood from her lips.

She took her time in doing so but now, finally, she ate. The ravens off to the side bickered among one another in their impatience. Their turn would come soon enough. Even now, the black wolf's stomach began to distend with what he had already consumed, but he would not be finished until he had taken in as much as his body would allow in one sitting.

His teeth sheared off another bit of tripe, which he worked between his molars before swallowing. His comment was cause for her to pause, and once more subtle amusement showed at the corner of his mouth. "Just crossed paths with him once," he explained. He would hardly say that he knew the fellow, but his scent - as he did with all scents - had been committed to memory and with it his name. "Said he was looking for you." He swallowed another piece of the stomach. "I'm Tagg."

One of the smaller ravens was daring, and tried to sneak in to peck at a bit of meat as Taggarik paused to glance away from them, monitoring the horizon for movement. He saw the bird from the corner of his eye, and immediately he swung his jaws upon it, never intending to strike but to warn. It shrieked and return to the duo that smart enough to wait. With a good-humored snort he pinched a bit of fat and meat between his teeth and flung it to the birds. They descended upon it in a ravenous frenzy.

"So are you two just travelling for the heck of it?" he asked as he set his teeth into the shoulder of the deer. A bit of muscle meat now was all he needed to fill him.

Her attention was still upon him – her form almost coiled with a tension that seemed to roll in her very stomach, despite the food that lingered before her Something about his presence set her nerves to a different light – and she couldn’t quite determine if he made her nervous, or comfortable.
 
Without any indication that this feeling was reciprocated, the swarthy wolf worked at the meat before him, his teeth pulling away tender flesh. Her frosted eyes did not drift from him, but her own muzzle leaned forward and the she-wolf continued to work at her own morsel – lest he take to chasing her away.
 
“Capri,” she offered then, quietly taking the male’s scent and name to memory. There was only silence between the two for a stolen moment – her eyes focused upon a bird as it darted forward, and noted with amusement as the proclaimed Tagg wisened it to that decision. Her wolfish brows lifted as he offered the scavengers some meat in turn – bemusement written upon her slender features. “I guess,” she offered, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. “What about you?”

The muscle was dense. It lodged in his stomach much heavier than the liver and tripe had. It did not take many bites before the last bit he swallowed felt as though it pressed at his throat. He was well and thoroughly full, and he would be kept alive and warm for days to come.

"I reckon I'll be putting together a pack," he said, as casually as one might comment on the weather. It was something he wondered at as he left home, and here and now he decided it ought to be the thing he did. Fall waned, the cold moved in; there were only two sensible choices. It was either this or seek shelter under someone else's rule.

His tongue swept most of the blood away from his muzzle, the staining not visible against the pitch blackness of his fur. He moved away, not so far that quiet conversation might be strained, but far enough to allow Capri the room and peace to feed at her leisure while he continued to watch their surroundings, continued to guard their find. "You and Terich should join me." He commented.

Off to the side, the ravens pecked at tore at the fat and meat they had been thrown.

While her newfound companion might have found himself content and full, Capri remained at the carcass, hesitant to truly indulge should the stranger have a change of heart, but not yet ready to relinquish the gift she had been graciously given. Her teeth would work through flesh, pulling and chewing, though her attention remained focused primarily upon him. He might know her best friend, but that did little to say about anything else of his character.

With her tongue sweeping over her lips to maintain cleanliness, her interest was perked only by the mention of a pack, and her frosted eyes would drift over him casually as she became more settled in her situation. Her gaze followed him as he lumbered away leisurely, her own form further relaxing at the knowledge he was going to allow her to continue eating.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had something this delectable.

But his words were enough to distract her fully, and lifting her muzzle up, Capri regarded the wolf with blatant intrigue. “You barely know us,” she noted, bemusement spreading through her light tone. “We barely know you.”

His mouth was drawn in a small smile, his tail giving a light sway with his amusement. She and her travelling companion were agreeable, and it was for this reason he made the offer. Perhaps they would reveal themselves to be something else, but this he did not focus on. He trusted above all his instincts, and lived by the day, for time had a peculiar way of changing everything, including the nature of wolves. Thus, little else could be relied on except what was in front of you in that specific moment.

"And what I offer is a chance to get to know each other." Among other things that he was certain need not be said. Survival, quite simply. He spread his strong legs ahead of him, bowing into a long stretch before giving himself a quick shake. "If you decide you want to, find me there," he swept his muzzle toward the distant mountains that dotted the horizon past the glacier. They called to him the way a salmon is called back upstream from the sea.

That was all, then. The black wolf turned and strolled off, an ear turned back if she should make to halt him, but otherwise he intended to let her eat while he found himself a spot to rest as was demanded of him by his full stomach.

Just a tag for Ash so she can assume he joined her for some food. :)

Like a scenario from a movie, the swarthy male had offered her a treasure in the form of a meal, and a home in which to rest a weary head – all without knowing her. His words swept over her with an air of casualness, and with that, the wolf pointed his nose to the mountains and began to lope their way, leaving behind a rather awe-struck Capri.

He was gone before she managed to utter a thank you, and with an arched brow, the she-wolf gave an idle flick of her tail before tilting her muzzle up, beckoning @Terich-mir to join her and have his fill. As her howl faded, the she-wolf guardedly cast a glance to the birds, who seemed far more anxious now that there was only one beats in which to contend with.

She knew her companion held a certain fear and distaste of the mountains – but she would converse with him on how he might feel giving it a try. There was something tempting about being a part of a legacy that had yet to establish itself.