Larksong Grotto Ray Bans

hunt with me! rolled a 4 which means the hunt is a yay. (:

The dark pelt of the grotto's beta makes it way through the dirt covered ground. No grass has begun to sprout just yet, leaving the territory bare and brown still. Across the territory, a small group of geese perches, eating dead locusts from the ground. She stares with wide eyes, her stomach clenching as she dreams of devouring the delicious meat. Her tail flicks once behind her, but she does not move forward, afraid that even at this distance she might scare them off.

pokes @Jhala

His head was still in a whirl as he left the comfort of his cave. Though the worst of his grief had passed him by, Reek was only prompted to move by the loud grumbling coming from his his stomach. It had been so long since he had a proper meal -- his already meager form was recedeing fast. If he did not find food soon, he would be nothing more than rag and bone; a walking skeleton condemned to death.

This was not an option.

There were many reasons for Reek to cling to life. First and foremost, there was the pack who depended on him to lead. The wolves of Larksong Grotto had always been important to Reek, moreso than himself -- but curiously, they were not the most important driving factor to survive. Strangely, it was Seff, Vuk's child, that motivated Reek to provide. Somehow, the newborn had wormed his way into Reek's head. Perhaps it was penance or left over paternal instinct: either way, it didn't matter. All he knew was that the child needed Reek to be healthy enough to provide.

And so, Reek takes to the banks of the lake in search of a miracle. Not long into his search, a blessing under the guise of honking geese catch Reek's attention. His eyes widen and he set off towards the sound of prey. Watching from a distance, Reek spies Jhala carefully keeping watch over the flock. He moves toward her in silence, careful not to spook the only chance they have.

!! sorry, thanks for the poke <3

Reek's scent arrived shortly, and Jhala only looked to him with her eyes. Her head remained forward, almost as if she worried the geese would flee if they knew that she had not kept her attention on them. When Reek neared, she nosed him happily, glad to see her Alpha was feeling well enough to be out and about again-- for a while she worried if he would just mope for the rest of his life. 

Her gaze fell back to the geese, but she remained still. If she moved she might scare them off, but if she stayed here she'd never catch one. She let out a deep breath, weighing her options. 

As Reek rounded his beta's side, accepting a brief moment of contact from her muzzle, he mustered a weak smile. The flickering light behind his eyes however, remained dull, empty, and sad. Vuk's rejection and this growing, lonely feeling still hung heavy in Reek's mind -- fettering him to the ground like a pocket-full of rocks. He was damaged beyond repair, he figured. Unfixable, but perhaps a full stomach would be a step in the right direction.

And so, the grip of the lingering depression that wrapped itself around Reek slackened with the opportunity to hunt that presented itself. The mind of the Grotto's Patriarch kicked into high gear with possible scenarios— and as Jhala carefully weighed her options, Reek turned his head to speak. "Think we should rush 'em?" He asked in a hushed whisper.

It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out for 'em.

"If you think it's for the best," she says, her voice breathy and hushed. For a moment she has to remind herself to breathe-- the stress of the situation has robbed her of the ability to breathe normally. "Lead the way," she adds, reliquishing the vague leadership she had over the hunt-- as she was here first. Reek is the real leader, and she prefers to follow commands. She stares at him, giving him a small smile, before waiting for him to lead her into battle. For a moment, she thinks to pray for luck-- but can't for the life of her find a god to pray to. Whatever, she thinks, there are no gods here anyway.

He had never been much of a hunter, but Reek was grateful when Jhala relinquished the reigns of the hunt over to him. More than anything, it was a testament to his dwindling self-esteem. To know that his beta placed her trust in him, it nearly made Reek smile. While none of the members of the grotto were expendable, Reek didn't want to ever imagine a life without her as his friend.

"Alright then," he whispered. "On my mark." He shimmied in preparation for the coming rush. He looked to his beta and mouthed a countdown. When he reached the count of zero, Reek shouted, "Now!" and took off like a lightning bolt toward the geese with Jhala, hopefully, in tow.

She waits anxiously alongside him, and on his mark she shoots off beside him. She's a little slower than most wolves are, built more for fights rather than for high-speed chases-- but she runs with all her might all the same. The two race side-by-side towards the creatures, Jhala falling only slightly behind her alpha, her large feet thudding against the ground as she pushes off. The two geese had seen them by now, and were beginning to flap their wings-- but it was too late. The dark beta lunges for one, her teeth clamping onto it's neck and snapping it almost instantly. She lands on the ground rather ungracefully, toppling to the side and scrambling to her feet. Out of breath, she drops the bird and pants heavily, turning to see if Reek had caught his.

It was easy to get lost in the commotion of flapping wings, but somehow, Reek retained his focus. Perhaps it was his extreme hunger, like a laser guided targeting system, that kept him on his path. He lunged forward with jaws stretched wide. With timing right, Reek clamped his teeth down around the soft neck of a goose. It's wings continued to flap mindlessly as he tightened his grip, but as he soon shook the bird violently. It's neck snapped and the bird made no movement. Not even a twitch.

He turned and looked to Jhala, who had already secured her kill. Dropping his goose to the ground, Reek looked to her and allowed an extremely rare smile to brighten his features. They did it. They would survive another day.

Her tail wags furiously as Reek smiles at her, her own lips curving into a wonderful smile. she nudges his shoulder happily before bowing her head, her ears lowered as she silently requests he eat first. He is, after all, her alpha, and he reserves the right to eat first.