Sea Lion Shores E, for empty

Chosovi knew she needed to be of use. She failed each hunt in the river, and she had tried twice over. Now she came to the ocean, the wetest of wet things (how she hated wet things) to try her hand here. It all seemed pretty futile, but if she could do something to make a name for herself she would simply feel better about her existence as a whole.

After a staring match with the sea, she stepped forward and moved chest-deep into it. The waters were not difficult and were actually pretty smooth today, she noted with relief. Still, she wasn't too used to the ocean. She remembered this place only thanks to the fact that they loitered here before moving to the Creek. In this general vicinity, anyway. Well, Chosovi stared at the water and tried her hand at hunting and failed. Again, twice. Her exhaustion weighed on her, and saltwater stung her eyes, but she was determined. She'd do this. She'd get something for Saena.

The shores had become a haunt for the small family, that would surely soon grow. Sangilak had little desire to join a pack, but knew she ought to soon. There was one not so far off that she would visit, she decided... but at present, famine had not been cruel to those she loitered with.

Sangilak lay on the shore, lazing near the cool waters. When the heat became too much, she would stand in the waters and cool herself. For now she enabled the sun to simply dry her. Others came to these shores in passing; if they did not disturb her, she and hers did not disturb them. This was not their territory, after all. Only when she hunted did she become at all aggressive, but that was because she must be to keep what belonged to her.

Hearing the approach of another, she adjusted herself; she had no desire to be prone and vulnerable to any. But she was not seen by the hasty wolf who looked to be little more than bones. Idly, she licked her chops and perused the shore for any others. Her mate was surely somewhere nearby, as was Tatkret. And her hunger, it was great. To snuff the life out of this weak one would be nothing... nothing but a mercy unto the other, who looked to have few days left by appearance alone. She contemplated in silence as the other hunted.

Chosovi would try again, of course. Her weak limbs were easy to ignore. She made a dive when she saw movement, and came up hacking. Nothing but saltwater was caught, and even to think that was a ridiculous stretch while it oozed out from between her teeth and spilled from her lips. She spat at the water, irate, even while coughing and snorting the water out of her nose. It was like a cold slap in the face. She took another step forward, feeling heavy, and wondered if she should just get out. Everything felt pretty futile and pointless. But of course she'd try again; she had to, for Saena. For her kids. Even if she was an unknown, she knew Saena, and she knew those cubs needed to be fed.

Perhaps she ought to go into the ocean, show her how it was done. This bag of bones was doing a poor job of it; the water would devour her before the bitch caught anything at all. But that was not her way; Sangilak did not care for this ones wellbeing, and had her own reserves to worry about. The other wolf was all but emptying hers, and Sangilak knew, already, what she would do. She rose to all fours and stared at the inept huntress, rolling her shoulders and loosing a yawn. Next she simply settled onto her haunches, her eyes upon the other not at all unlike the way a vulture looked at its doomed quarry from above.

Another try! And it was in her grip! But it slipped, slapped her right across the face. She could cry, she failed so much, so frequently. A waste. A true waste. I'll get it, she muttered at the waters, but as her legs almost gave from beneath her, she sighed. I just need a bit of a break. That's it... And so she turned, and waddled out of the water, sore from the oceans beating. She nearly missed the inkblot in the horizon--nearly!

She had to pause when she did see it. For who could not stop and stare at something so heinous? It was a bear, but the strangest--oh, that was a wolf! Chosovi let out a nervous little laugh. There was no denying her nerves even still; for she looked upon a beast that could surely snuff her out in seconds, if it wished. If famine touched it, Chosovi couldn't tell. It just looked massive. She eyed the man and let out a nervous, I thought you were a bear, before slowly arriving to the shore, exhausted.

Another failure. And ah, the wolf gave up. The words were missed, the oceans roar muting much of the worlds noise so that its crash alone could be heard. The stranger turned and beheld her with a nervous expression; when the female spoke again, this time, she heard.

Sangilak blinked, unamused. Her eyes looked to the limbs that shook beneath the other: unstable. And still, she waited with the patience of a predator. If the other was in good health, it would be a waste of her own energy to go into a battle that would give her no reward.

Well alllllllllllllllllllllllll-righty then, cool, nice talking to you, too, Chosovi snorted, her voice sarcastic. Everything burned, and so the inflection was nonexistent. Her eyes watered, her legs killed, hell, it even kind of hurt to breathe. Should she try again? Should she lay? Why was this wolf looking at her that way?

The lack of food was making her crazy. She felt that she'd better go home, though. Staying would just be stupid. This other wolf... well, just how big he was, he couldn't be trusted. She'd come back another day, when they weren't here, that was all. So she began to go on her way, nodding stiffly to the other.

The other spoke again, Sangilak simply blinked back. And then they began to depart. Sangilak was unmoving up until the point they went behind her to continue on their way; she only ever watched, with the eye of a hunter. The bear of a wolf shifted slightly in the sand, hinds flexed as though prepared to rise.

Chosovi picked up the pace. Even looked back once, to see those cold blue eyes upon her. Helllllll-to-the-no! Once more she tried to pick up the pace, but her legs, tired as they were, failed. She fell, and Chosovi panicked as she moved to rise and just leave. That wolf wasn't cool, this wasn't cool, and yet... she felt her own pace. It wasn't really that urgent, was it? God, she was tired. Who would miss her? Who would care? Would she even live past this famine? Where was her self-preservation!!!!!!! Shocked with herself, she forced herself up and away.

If it hadn't been for that moment when they fell, Sangilak would have remained where she was. But the instant she saw the legs buckle, Sangilak knew. She had anticipated, but nothing in life was guaranteed, and now it seemed food was at the top of her own list. Life was on top of the others. Sangilak moved, using stored energy from her days of lazing [and hunting only fish] to come to stand over the other. Just as the other moved to go up and away, Sangilak sought to overpower and shadow the other. Death was upon Chosovi long before Sangilak had seen her, and it stared at Chosovi with its black and beckoning eyes as she sought to give the other one true mercy.

Shit. She hadn't even heard. She hadn't even felt. But looking upward, she saw. Saw nothing but black. And as she was dying (this must be dying), her vision was swallowed entirely by the color, bleeding black, black, black--

Sangilak released. She believed the other dead, but didn't really know, didn't really care. Too hungry. She had herself a meal. And so, Sangilak began to eat, not noting that imperceptible rise-and-fall that would show her that the other had lived yet. In time, that pulse died truly, and Sangilak simply fed.