Broken Antler Fen The Huntsman Has No Prey
I hear the drums echoing tonight
238 Posts
Ooc — Koffey
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#1
All Welcome 
Anyone wanting to hunt with Embry, just join in! I'm rolling some dice to make it realistic (evens = prey caught, odds = prey lost - I got 2 on my first roll!) as the guidebook instructed but you don't have to if you want. Also, I'd really like to work on gaining a thread for my counselor trade, so if anyone wanted some advice or anything, feel free to join!

     Embry parted his lips, tongue rolling across his pearly whites as the scents of morning rushed upon him. His golden-blonde fur shone in the weak sunlight, a startling contrast to the dark undergrowth surrounding him. He was feeling rather upbeat today, considering that he had survived through the spring. Summer had arrived, and with it came a new sense of hope and vigilance. His muscles rippled beneath his thick coat as he trekked through the forest, his ears cocked and alert. Already, he could spot numerous plants budding - including his own special friend, Planty. The thought caused a wave of pride to wash over him, drenching him in energy and newfound purpose.

     Something nearby scampered across the thin foliage, scattering leaves in its haste. Instinctively, Embry cut his gaze toward the source of the noise, his body tense with anxiety. C'mon Embry, you've got this. His pep-talk was more easily said than done, but the male crept forward with confidence anyway. He lowered himself to a crouching position, scanning the surrounding forest in cautious silence. There! His gaze fell immediately upon the bushy brown tail of a squirrel. His heart hammered in his chest, urging him to pounce. It was only a few yards away, and it seemed completely oblivious of Embry's presence.

     Quietly, the male inched closer. He was downwind, so he wasn't concerned about the squirrel detecting his scent. Sure, the vibrations from his pawsteps could alert the squirrel, but it was so tied up with cracking his nut that it didn't seem very skeptical. Finally, Embry was close enough to position himself for the attack. There was a tree just to the left of the squirrel, so it was the most plausible escape route. If it fled, that would be its destination. Muttering a small prayer under his breath, the blonde male leapt forward and extended his paws toward the creature. Sure enough, the panicked squrrel scrambled to the left. Cursing, Embry boosted off of his legs and awkwardly bounced to the side. His claws ripped into the squirrel's tail, pinning the small game to the ground. In one swift bite, Embry snapped its little neck. Finally, he thought, I've caught something useful.
ϟ
​I stopped an old man along the way,
hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies.
He turned to me as if to say,
"Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you".
534 Posts
Ooc — Caitie
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#2
Pearl was returning from walking along the banks of the fens when she saw a flash of pale gold in the distant trees. Was it that new guy or was she just hallucinating? She shook her head, straining her newly closing and deep shoulder wound and causing a lacing pain to race through her. Wincing, she continued on to where she thought she had seen the flash. 

The new growth brought hope, as for a while everything looked barren and bleak. A soft smile spread across her features, glad to see the fens returning to its former beauty, abeit slower than they would have liked. She was getting used to the hunger, thanks to Sebastian's suggestions. 

Pearl arrived at the scene to see Embry with his freshly-caught prize. "Congrats, Embry," she said, smiling at the boy.
I hear the drums echoing tonight
238 Posts
Ooc — Koffey
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#3
Embry perked his ears at his alpha's new arrival, his gaze hovering across her shoulder with clear sympathy. Man, that must've hurt. His tail swayed slowly behind him, complimenting his small dip of the head in a subtle show of respect. "Thank you." He replied, his voice resonant in the morning silence. "That battle was my first within this pack. Already, you've earned more than just my loyalty. You're not afraid to help us, and... And that's exactly why I joined this pack. I want to be among the helpers, the defenders like you."

     "Anyways, how are you doing? I trust the cut's not too serious." His steady sea-green optics watched with polite submission. He adjusted his stance, shifting his weight to his hind legs. Embry nosed the squirrel at his paws, nudging the small game toward his alpha. "Here, if you want you can have this. There aren't any pups in the pack, so you might as well - it'll at least help keep up your strength."
ϟ
​I stopped an old man along the way,
hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies.
He turned to me as if to say,
"Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you".
534 Posts
Ooc — Caitie
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#4
Embry's approach of thanks wasn't really what she was expecting, but she couln't assume much from him just yet. She barely knew him, but here he was saying that he wanted to be like her. Pearl blinked a bit, almost confused, as what she did she considered a normal thing for a leader to do. Perhaps she simply had been around good leaders all her life, and had followed a mixture of examples. To say she was surprised was an understatement. "Um, thanks," she said, not completely sure of how to respond. What else was she supposed to say? Some wise-leader-I-accept-you-guru-crap? Let's give it a whirl. "You've also shown your willingness to fight for the pack and defend it, and for that I thank you." Smooth. Like butter.

"I'm doing fairly well, the cut's not too bad," she said, looking back at it. She'd have Sebastian take another look at it soon. "How have you been faring since the hunt?" she asked, genuinely interested in the well-being of her packmates. Pearl had a hard time getting used to being above everyone, and was occasionally caught off gaurd by their submissiveness. 

Also, their willingness to give her food handouts. Was she that good? I mean, if other leaders were in control then they might have to give it up anyway, but here she was, her wolves readily giving her thier hard-earned catches. That was tough, since the situation was normally reversed. Needless to say, handouts to her weren't her thing. She'd rather work for her own meal, and even then probably give it to the ones who needed it most. She smlled at Embry's generosity. "You caught it, you should eat at least some of it. Top or bottom half?" she asked, intending to take part of it to Sebastian, who wasn't looking too hot as of late.
I hear the drums echoing tonight
238 Posts
Ooc — Koffey
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#5
 
[ooc]Sorry, I completely ignored this thread!!! Also, sorry about not emboldening it... Running late to a party XD
[/ooc]

     Embry settled himself peaceufully on his haunches, airily dispersing any visible reaction to the alpha's slight surprise. In truth, he hadn't intended to approach the female so jauntily, but, in all matters of condolence, he had simply wished to ratify his intentions within the pack. So, in haste to appear neutral, he casually dipped his head and waved off the compliment with a happy shrug. He accentuated the action with a loose smile as she continued to express the commending state of her wound. The wolf had wanted so badly to contribute in assisting his alpha, but the superior ranking wolves had swiftly been given orders and he had been intent on staying clear of their path. The worst nuisance a warrior can be is one that simply elongates the longevity of a battle.

     "So far, l've been doing quite well. The forest has changed so much already... I intend to forget about the famine, eh? Perhaps gain a little more knowledge for the future." Embry's sea-green gaze lit up to fit the cheerful note in his tone. When the female offered a portion of the prey, though, he couldn't help but feel somewhat obliged. If anything, I should at least do her a favor and quit giving her such a hard time about it. 

     "Top portion, please." His biceps flexed in retaliation to the sudden change in position as he lowered himself to the damp ground beneath. Tendrils of fresh soil peeked out through the bright, green blades of soft grass. The forest truly was repairing itself. Drifting his gaze across the meager squirrel, he ran his teeth across his portion and quickly bisected the prey. Less meat on top, less guilt in the night. It was a rule he had governed himself by for ages. Being the crazed zealot he was when it came to politeness, though, he quickly muttered another thanks before guzzling it down.
ϟ
​I stopped an old man along the way,
hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies.
He turned to me as if to say,
"Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you".
534 Posts
Ooc — Caitie
Offline
#6
Pearl watched him begin to chow down on his half, and in turn nibbled on hers. "Well, hopefully we never see anything like this again. But yeah, forgetting about it sounds really good." she said, setting part of her portion aside for Sebastian.

The famine didn't play fair, that much was obvious by the wolves who were more skeleton than anything else at this point. She couldn't wait until the herds came back, and until everything was back to normal. Not that life at the fens was ever actually normal, as the variety of wolves always kept it interesting. 

"No need to thank me," she said before taking a good meaty chunk out of the prey. Glancing about, she noticed more greenery coming back, which put her in a lighter mood instantly. "So have you met everyone here yet?" she asked, curious.