Sunbeam Lair well, the world might cut you down again, but you know the way back home

Merrit was wont to travel too far from his family in Sunbeam Lair. Even as he hunted, he stuck to the valley beneath the mount, in range of his lover and his children, for he feared that what had happened to his aunt would happen to her.

He rose early today, before the sun had fully risen; indeed, he often started early, checking the perimeters for any threat, and for any sign of stranger and prey. No wolf scent came to him, nor scent or predator. Every prey scent ran stale, so Merrit continued into the valley in search of something to hunt.

AW! @Yakone for reference!

Is it alright if I throw Reyson here and use this for a stalker/fawn hunter thread for him? I did look at the claiming pack and only saw Northstart Vale, but if you are making a claim I can delete this. I don't always know where everyone is claiming.

Again the soldier found himself roaming from Mereo, after training. His muscles burned and smarted from the sparring pits, but his muscles had stood the abuse and strain as they always did. He walked carefully through the valley now, nose thrust to the ground. He had missed so many scent markers, he had fell upon too many wolves lately for his liking. So he even scented the making of even one wolf, he slid away from it, and traveled further from it.

Most of the wolves at Mereo trained at different times, but Reyson he liked nighttime and early morning, and then he did his own training during the day. The sun was just beginning to peak beyond the horizon when he began his whisper of a walk.

He caught a scent of a prey animal, and with mission intent, he began to stalk and follow. Anxious to take more home.

Aha!

There within a tangle of mountain brush! He closed his eyes and isolated the one scent from among the many. Mountain goat, he reckoned. To take one on his own would be a challenge, but when he weighed his odds against the needs of his family, he had already set his feet along the goat’s winding path.

Yet unaware of the stranger who roamed with the same intent as he.

Not claimed yet, you’re all good!! ^^

Resyon continu3d forward, body poised. He would occasionally come qcross another wolf scent and move sideways from it.

It was with this maneuver that he found himself not in front or behind another wolf, but side from. Though they had quite some distance between each other. He tightened his feet into the dirt and quit walking, chuffing quietly for attention.

His mind was racing had he crossed a border again. Was he going nose blind? He ran a paw across his nose smelled loam, dirt it seemed okay.
Aha!

Movement caught in his peripheral. Not a goat, as he might’ve expected, but a man of like nature to him. Tall and broad - broader than him, but an even match in all other regards.

Merrit appraised him from the distance. He showed no open hostility, and while this did not make him a friend, he knew better now than he had as a child than to assume him a foe from the get go.

In fact, he thought, this man might make a formidable ally. Merrit returned the quiet chuff and gestured forward with a flick of his nose along the ground and out towards the trail he followed, but did not continue on his way. Rather he met the man with a questioning raise of his brow. An invitation to help.

Reyson saw the wolf in front of him. Near his own age he would wager, athetic, built for speed, not pure bulk like him. But you needed soldiers like that. Had he still been with his former pack, he would have wanted this one on his own command.

Reyson stayed neutral, kept his body loose. He didn't wish for a fight today. He had simply been exploring and training. Pushing. Hunting.

Reyson followed the male's gesture and realized what he wanted. So with a nod, he put his nose back to the ground and moved closer to him. They would hunt together. Reyson was fine with this. He enjoyed hunting, another way to push his body and his mind.

His lips curled into the slightest of smiles. This one seemed of good company... intelligent, quiet, strong. They would soon discover how well they would cooperate - though Merrit was hopeful.

As the man drew nearer, Merrit thought he recognized the pack scent on his fur. Mereo? Kallik lived there, and he wondered, not for the first time, how his cousin was doing, whether his wife had yet birthed the children she had been carrying when he had first met her.

Questions for another time. He moved forward after the trail, and began to follow through the valley with his companion by his side, until they would reach a craggy stretch of mountain stone up ahead. The trail was strongest here, and he glanced to the other man before he raised his eyes to see if he might catch sight of the goats against the rock...

Reyson was hopeful for the hunt as well. He had found that though he was not a sociable wolf, he did miss doing things as a pack. One of the reasons he had joined a new pack. He missed the organization. Though you'd never know it, the way he kept leaving the pack lands lately.

Reyson caught the scent and head upward, eyes on the horizon. He scanned. There were a few goats. One ram, and a few females. He calculated. There was an ewe that was closest to them, but she looked healthy. The one closer to the ram, looked weaker. Though honestly, they could probably take the healthy one too.

He looked to his companion, and allowed him to decide which one. This was his hunt, Reyson was just offering his body and his teeth and claws.

He could tell the man was thinking. Merrit was, too.

When his companion’s eye locked upon him, Merrit thought of gesturing towards the weaker one - knowing, too, that the healthy ewe was the easier shot, but knowing in the order of life, she would need to be preserved. Funny, he thought, how different we consider kin and prey. For he thought of Yakone and his children, how he was certain the world might look on them. Weaker, in a sense, yet he loved them. Protected them. Preserved them.

He gestured to the weaker ram, for prey and hunter were different, and if they could separate her from the rest of the herd, she would bless their lives by the giving of her lifeblood.

So he would move counter to the way his companion went, seeking to wedge himself between ewe and ram, or skirting along the outer reach to catch her when his companion might drive her towards him.

Reyson looked again towards the prey, knowing too that they would need to go for the weaker one, but it was not his choice. not his hunt. He hated taking those that were healthy, when the weak and infirm, were just that. Though he could understand why the ram would stay near the weak one.

Reyson was larger, so he moved to intercept the ram from the ewe. He was quiet in his stalking, until they both would get into place, and then with a snarl and snap of his teeth he would attempt to get the ewe towards his hunting partner, and the ram. He kept a weather eye on the ram. He did not wish for broken ribs today.

Years of hunting in tandem rose up to take it's place, and Reyson felt the draw of the battle. And he was enjoying himself.

They moved into place. Seamless. If this man were not of Mereo, he would make a fine hunter with us.

He could think little more. As his companion wedged his way between the ewe and the ram, Merrit raced along the outskirts to stop the ewe from taking off.

The stronger one had disappeared. An advantage for them. Perhaps the ram would pursue her - but he could not see what his companion was making of him.

The ewe bleated and struck out towards him, clipping his side as he made a round about her. A sharp pain stabbed along his lower ribs but he had known pain before, and he pressed onward, until he rounded about and found purchase on the ewe’s haunch.

He grappled her, and sought to topple her down, or to strangle her neck with the reach of his jaws.

Reyson had not yet found his place in Mereo and he wondered at it, but now was not the time for such things. No, now was the time for action, and that was something he was well aware of.

Reyson snapped at the ram, and though the ram turned to chase. Reyson's companion grasped the ewe's haunch, and as if he too realized nature was not kind at the best of times. He chased after the healthier ewe. Reyson turned his attention to the ewe, and he joined in the chase.

He held on.

The ewe struggled under the weight of him, but Merrit did not let his grip give way. Her haunch sank to the ground and she dragged him against the dirt.

He caught the movement of his companion raging towards him. Set and ready. The struggling ewe, primed for the killing bite.

He did not let go.

Reyson found the throat of the Ewe and bit hard. Blood, warm and thick and heavy rolled down is throat. As the Ewe quit struggling and finally fell limp, he backed up.

Blood painted his lighter fur at his throat a dark russet, he blinked at his hunting companion. He would alllow him to choose what to do with the ewe as it was his hunt.

Well met hunter. He spoke quietly.

The ewe fell, and the earth stood silent. Merrit offered a quiet prayer of thanks - a momentary close of his eyes, a wordless move of his lips.

He turned towards his hunting companion, feeling his eyes upon him.

“Well met,” he returned with a dip of his head, and made his way to start working on the prey, “Let’s take an even share,” Merrit said, nipping at the edge of the slain ewe’s ribs. “If you are of Mereo as my cousin Kallik is, I know you have mothers and children to feed.”

Reyson saw the other wolf praying, so he closed his eyes in return. Though he didn't utter any words, he allowed the silence to grow until the other felt like speaking.

Reyson's tail gave one wag. We do I thank you. Reyson Ebonywood is my name. Principales. Then he moved to help divide the creature. He would throw it upon his back as he had before and the smaller pieces he would take a piece of the fur to carry. Perhaps a bone for Sakina to chew on, he would like that.

He didn't recognize the name, but he thought it a fitting one for the man. Merrit dipped his head to his companion, as any gentleman would. "Merrit Stark," he offered, and realized, for perhaps the first time, that even with no title to give, he had grown comfortable in both his given and chosen names.

"You are a fine man to hunt with, Reyson," he said, as they made work of splitting the carcass. He, too, had in mind to preserve the furs for better ease of carrying the smaller bits that fell onto the stones, and he sought to procure a fine piece for them both, "Have you been with Mereo long? They are blessed to have you among their ranks."

Reyson was rather proud of his name. He bore one from love and one from his own mind. And the fit well together. He was never ashamed to share it with anyone. Reyson had already said well met. So he simply dipped his muzzle in agreement and acceptance of the name given.

Reyson gave a lift of one side of his maw. Thank you. You are also.

Reyson listened as he spoke, and asked questions. He took a moment to shake his head. No, a moon or two.

He was surprised to realize it had been only 2 months he had been with Mereo.

Not very long.

Merrit considered this as he continued to work at splitting the ewe in two. A moon or two. The age of his children. Amazing, what great things could happen, in such a short amount of time!

"What is it like?" he asked the man. Kallik remained, so he reckoned it was a noble pack to be a part of, and so also he counted Mereo potential allies - yet even with his cousin there, he would learn more of his neighbours before acting on anything. "Has it been a good place to make your home?"

Reyson worked in silence. His own mind working. He had only really ever known one home. To now be at another for two months, well it was nice he had to admit. He went back to his work. Ears forward as the other spoke.

Militant..mmm..structured. But familial to. It is strange. But bonds of soldiers usually are.

Reyson nodded his head. I think so yes. Though if it is home you are looking for. Mereo would fit, but your cousin Kallik. Is helping to start another pack to be as an outpost for Mereo with allyship.

Kallik had found a home amongst soldiers.

Merrit had half a mind to fear for his cousin, but instead, he found his lips twitched into the start of a smile. Kallik, a warrior; like mother, like son. He knew his aunt would have been especially proud of who her son had become.

It is tempting to join you, and my cousin, especially, had they not once spoken together of starting a pack of their own? But my wife and I have chosen to settle in a quiet space within these mountains. He gestured in the direction of Sunbeam Lair, not afraid to share this. Reyson seemed an honourable man. We are only a few right now, but perhaps my family might strike an alliance with yours at Mereo and at the outpost my cousin will build.

Kallik was a good soldier it seemed. To Reyson at any rate. And he was honorable, if he married a healer. At least to him. Reyson held Healers in higher regard than any other.

Reyson followed his gaze and nodded. I will not share this location and. He hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. If something should cause you to need aid or if you should need to go on a trip for some reason. I will keep an eye on them for you. Drop food and the like.

Reyson didn't have the authority, but he knew they did. Little did he know that he would soon have that authority and this would be one of the first places he stopped.

I will bring this proposal back to my leader and Kallik. I think you would make a fine ally.

He smiled. A touch of warmness towards this reassurance his companion shared. Thank you, Reyson. I find rest, knowing your aid and eye will be upon us. Know that my aid is returned in kind, and safe haven within our cliffs. He had only come looking for food, and here, he had found an ally, and perhaps, in days to come, a friend.

In their time, they had severed the ewe; two halves lay before them, and Merrit collected his portions together.

I would accompany you to Mereo, but my wife will be waiting. We have children there, he worked his way under his half of the ewe to drape the creature across his back, and I cannot be long. But Kallik will understand; give my greetings to him and tell him I think on him often, with this he turned, but not without a final bow to Reyson, may your travels treat you kindly, good hunter. I look forward to hearing what your leaders decide, and the day we will meet one another again.

Final post from me!! Thank you for the thread! If you want to have a follow up now that Reyson has been sent to secure allies for Mereo, feel free to start a thread for them at Sunbeam Lair! <3