Whitebark Stream Doe, a deer

Chai is investigating the small group of deer in the southwest portion of the territory. For @Dawn, but others are welcome too!

She was still very much stuck in a rut. Negative emotions consumed her. Doubt, guilt, fear and most of all, a sense of worthlessness. But Chai had aligned herself with Bhediya and in doing so, with Whitebark Stream. She had to get back in the mix. Had to get over the hump of her psychological struggles and try to recover. She wasn't sure how she'd do it, but being useful seemed like a good start. It wasn't easy. It was with great effort that Chai pulled herself up out of bed that morning, her muscles burning in protest. Tracking...hunting, had always been a favorite pastime of hers. Though thin and still considerably weak, finding a promising scent trail and following it shouldn't prove difficult for her.

Dark nose down to the ground, plumes of smoke curling to vanish into the air, the warm toned wolf was engrossed. She had caught a scent after many long hours of meticulous searching. Deer. And not just a single animal, but several. The tip of her tail twitched, grazing her ankles, belying her excitement. It was a far cry from a herd, but it was something. Proceeding forward carefully, she began scanning for the telltale, delicate tracks awaiting her somewhere in the snow.

bhediya had not been enjoying herself. any enthusiasm she'd once known had now dissipated into nothingness, leaving her the walking shell of a woman. dawn had been kind in allowing their groups to merge, but had she been genuine in her intentions? bhe couldn't help but wonder what ulterior motives she might have been hiding. whatever it was, it couldn't have been that bad. dawn had declared bhe as her co-leader and that had to mean something.

ahead was the familiar frame of chai. she chuffed as she approached, brushing shoulders as she moved to stand at her side.

Moving this along. Others may join in at any point.

A familiar brush of tussled black fur nudged her shoulder. It was Bhediya. Chai hadn't known her long, but already she recognized the woman's presence anywhere. In silence, she tilted her head to eye her leader from the side, pale gaze soft as always. There was just...something about her. Something in her very nature that drew Chai to her like a magnet. The connection was instant on her behalf, the trust running deep. As was true to her character, she dipped her head low submissively, nibbling gently at the others chin.

She placed a single paw in front of her after, tail giving a flick. "I...never knew what I was good at. But I always enjoyed hunting. Tracking..." She said softly while skimming the snow-covered landscape before her eyes, hoping to spot a hide of warm brown fur. "You smell them too, don't you?"

bhediya laughed at chai's soft touch, the first glimmer of happiness she'd experienced in days. while hunting was not her field of expertise, she was glad to hear that someone enjoyed it. i tried to track, bhe explained, recalling her earlier days, but it's not really for me. still, she had noticed the scent of the herd and figured that it was what'd drawn them both here.

looking ahead, she said to chai, yeah, i do. the leader drew in a deep breath and tasted the various scents in the air, turning excitedly to her companion. is that what you're doing? following them?

Barely, just barely, a smile cracked the corner of her lip. "It isn't for everyone. But I just can't help but get so...immersed in it." She admitted a little sheepishly. Going after prey was one thing, but studying them, knowing them, was an art in of itself. 

"I am. I wanted to keep busy...to clear my mind. It helps, I think..." Chai carefully picked her way through the snow, mindful not to allow her paws to crunch too loudly against the compacted substance, should the deer be spotted. Still, it paid to be quiet, for they had excellent hearing with those large ears of theirs. "I actually stumbled on this trail completely by accident. Must be a sign of good luck for the pack..." She mused aloud, keeping her voice hushed. She stopped. There to her right, laid the prints. Six sets in total, leading deeper into the trees.

she'd slipped away from @Artyom that morning with a gentle touch and a promise to not be long away. she is alone for a short while before her mind turns to the hunt; as such she begins a gentle lope toward the maplewood. 

the murmur of female voices has her adjust course, coming within range just in time to hear the latter half of chai's words. interest piqued, she announces herself with a soft chuff, coming to fall into pace beside the two. auds are pressed forward, tail high; it is more of a dominant display than she'd usually put it, but she suspects it is due to her heat. her eyes find what chai's did; picked apart the signs and counted five—no, six distinct prints in the snow. her muzzle curved; the ease of tracking was why she'd always found the winter hunt to be easiest. "good find," the huntress commends, glancing to the girl gladly. one of bhediya's wolves, one she's only seen in passing. "I'm dawn," she greets, trying and failing to recall if she'd been told the name of this girl.

the two women were likely better hunters than bhediya. she was beginning to feel nauseous, and so thought that it would be best if she excused herself. brushing against either wolf's shoulder as she turned to depart, the leader said, i'll let you two get to it. one last nod before she exited the scene.

A soft chuff of another wolf approaching made her ears twitch. The platinum woman who slid up beside them was one Chai recognized, but only in passing. Bhediya's co-lead. The passive display of dominance in the form of a high tail was more than enough for Chai to duck her head down low, tongue furling over her lips submissively. Dawn, as she introduced herself, was in heat. There was no mistaking that kind of smell emanating off another female. She was aware of the potential aggressiveness that could come with it, and it was this little fact that had Chai feel as if she were walking on eggshells. 

Her partially flattened ears rose a little. Dawn had complimented her find. Awkwardly, unsure of how to receive such praise, Chai aimed her face away, almost bashfully. "T-thanks...I think it was just luck, I guess..." Was it? Maybe it was something more; a hidden talent waiting to be awoken. "I'm Chai..." She offered in her soft voice, just a note above a whisper. Bhediya then excused herself, to whom Chai watched with a hint of disappointment in her eyes as she left. Afterwards, she approached the set of tracks more closely, nose hovering above them. "Six individuals..." She assessed. "Five doe's...and a buck in his prime..."

bhediya excuses herself, to the leaders mild surprise, though she merely watches her go with easy acceptance. the other woman—chai— seems bashful despite her find, though the leader doesn't linger on it. she continues to elaborate on the herd as she leader noses over the footprints, glancing her way as she finishes. "you're right," she agrees, tail wafting in gladness at the find. she can only hope they aren't simply moving through. 

"should we find them?" she suggests, auds pressed toward the girl in curiosity. it'd be a good way to get to know her, and secure a potential new food source for the pack.

In time, Dawn would come to learn that it wasn't at all unusual for Chai to be bashful like this. She nodded mutely, acknowledging her. Just two simple words like those, confirming her accuracy, was enough to pull her thoughts ever so briefly back to the past. In her homeland, even if she had been allowed to do such a thing, her father certainly would have never afforded her the praise of an accurate guess.

Keeping one somewhat unsure pale eye on her Alphess, tipped her muzzle in affirmation. "We should." She began to move forward through the snow, beside the tracks, but stopped to glance back at the silver woman. "But just to observe them. Familiarize ourselves with their habits and movements." She tipped her head slightly, avoiding eye contact. "I-if you agree, of course..."

the huntress nods in easy agreement, adding, "if we spot a mark, we'll observe them for at least another day before making a move. they've only just returned -- we'll have to be careful." she muses, though does not know how long she can be patient. the thought of venison, the euphoria of a large game hunt, is far too tempting. 

"lead the way," she offers, content to follow and examine the woman's proficiency at this. despite her bashfulness, she certainly seems to have keen senses.

We can fade and archive here if you like?

"Yes. As much as I would love a full meal like that, we don't want to spoil our chances." Chai agreed, happy that Dawn seemed to be on the same page as her. She wasn't interested in only hunting and tracking just large game either. She wanted to expand her horizons, to try her paw at some fishing and even bird catching, which was especially challenging. The more resources a new pack like theirs had, the better. Nodding silently, she slipped on ahead, ghost like while shadowing the herd. They belonged to Whitebark Stream now, and Chai wasn't going to be letting them out of her sights for long.

the woman agreed, earning a warm smile from the huntress. she was sure the girl would grow more confident in herself, and her place here, in time. for now, she was content to trail after the woman in further investigation of the herd, hunger already building in the hollow of her stomach.