Ouroboros Spine we've got crosses on our eyes

Ouroboros Spine's Mini-Hunt! Quick notes on it -- there is no arrival post, you're pretty much assumed to be here. I'd love for fast paced rounds if possible and remember, in order to use this thread towards trades and exp, it has to meet the 10/3 count and still follow the posting guidelines! :D

And if you're reading this and realized you missed out this go around, don't fret! We'll be having more of these (among other things) in the future. ;)

Tagging: @Cara @Harlyn @Sitri
Prey of Choice: White-tailed Deer.
Weather: Cool, but damp.
Time of Day: Mid-Afternoon.

Having spotted the deer mid-morning in their trek across the lower reaches of the basin, Mordecai had tracked them effortlessly through part of the territory. The herd of deer was small with no apparent young or lame within it, but the slick terrain of the Spine was proving difficult for them to muster the will to travel faster. At some point, the tawny Spine alpha had slipped away to summon nearby wolves to him, the short and crisp notes denoting a hunt was to be had.

Those who rallied with him surprised him; Mordecai had anticipated the newer recruits to heed his call. Instead he found the healing Sitri and even more surprising, Cara. Harlyn had shown up as well, much to his enjoyment. In spite of his less than stable relationships with two of his more seasoned pack mates, Mordecai knew that they were all capable hunters. When no others turned up due to being out of earshot of his lowly call, he lead them to where he had last tracked after the herd.

“We should ambush them,” he explained quietly from the cover of brush. “Their feet don't favor the ground right now, so I think we can overtake them and bring a couple of them down.” Casting his gilded gaze to the trio with him, he wordlessly offered them a chance to say otherwise.

bloc party — like eating glass

Agreeing to join the hunting party had not been an easy choice for Cara. While she would've rathered to leave Mordecai to it, she had an undelying purpose riding on her presence today. Not only did she want to get herself more involved with the pack's activities, but she wanted to prove that she was still there; alive and kicking for the Spine.

She kept herself at the side of Sitri, casting her eyes to Harlyn before perking her ears to listen to the plan laid by Mordecai. She didn't have any arguments to it, so she kept her mouth closed, waiting only for the chase to begin already

Harlyn was very eager to earn her place amongst the wolves of the Spine, and thus when Mordecai's call rang out, the woman didn't hesitate to hasten to his side. She was delighted and rather surprised to find that the faces that had gathered were all those she knew, and in fact were the only ones she knew. Sitri was there, with his scars and eerily empty, haunted eyes. Cara, proud and graceful. And finally Mordecai, quietly confident and in charge.

The woman listened wordlessly as Mordecai explained the situation. A nod of agreement was her only response. Her gaze swept to the other wolves that had gathered, wondering if any opposition would arise, or if maybe additional suggestions would be made.

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Sitri didn't say anything just observed. It had not been a hard decision to make to come at the new leader's call. He had paved the way for them to take leadership, and he was content with the leaders. He was not foolish enough to count anyone a friend ever again, at least not right now. But he could count them as good pack mates as family.

He perked his ear's forward and studied them they were smaller than they had been and they would have a hard go of it to get them. We could do teams of two given the land and maybe each team could take one down? It was just an offer and they didn't have to accept it, he was fine with all of them taking down 1 or 2 together, but if each team of two could take a small one down twice, well that was 4 to add to the caches. And they would freeze soon so the meat would last.

Turning an ear back to catch Sitri's offer, Mordecai nodded. Breaking into two groups sounded reasonable to him. They were already a small group, but the fact that the herd was small made it fair. “We might be able to grab a third, if we're able to incapacitate what we do get our teeth into.” They didn't have to go right in for the kill, he supposed. Crippling one, or even rendering it useless at getting away would be more than enough to keep the hunt going.

He lingered on the idea for a moment, before making the bold move to step forward. Mordecai itched to get the show on the road and felt that Sitri's addition was a decent amendment to his own plan. “Let's go in together and then break off,” he said as he ushered them ready, “I think we'll know which ones to go after first once we get the moving.” With the omition of faster to that statement, he turned and broke after the herd.

Which in their prompt confusion of sudden pursuit, displayed a sense of poor companionship. Mordecai watched as they clustered and stumbled, startled by the fact that they had been happened upon from behind. They coordinated themselves and began to scatter with confusion. It was only then that he realized this may have been a herd they had been thinning for a while, one that had bounced quietly back and forth between their basin-like walls.

The pale yearling limited herself to nod in approval as the gentle giant, Sitri, chimed in with a suggestion that in Cara's ears, sounded promising. She had hunted with Mordecai before, before Ouroboros and before everything. When they were just subordinates under the Snow Queen's royal feet.

Life would be much easier it if still were that way. Power had lifted her ego and made her feel invincible but at the same time it had left a bitter taste in her mouth, especially because she no longer had it in her grasp. She casted a quick glance at Mordecai, her eyes trailing the bridge of his nose before settling into his own eyes. The instant their eyes met couldn't have lasted more than a second,the message was clear.
Crown or no crown, Cara would remain in the Spine.

Cara flashed past Mordecai as soon as he turned tail, she was determined to get her teeth around some flesh - regarless of whose

Sitri's suggestion immediately struck her as far-reaching, but before she could say anything to sweetly chide him for his lofty goals, the other two expressed their approval. Mordecai with words and Cara with a simple expression. Harlyn bit her tongue, falling in line with the desires of her alpha easily, even though she was curious as to how this would end up playing out. To her, it seemed rather bold to hope that the four of them could take down any more than just one of the beasts, but apparently they were confident that they might be able to nab three.

With little ceremony, the hunt had begun. Harlyn, who was used to spending a moment before each hunt to thank their Mother Earth for bringing them this prey and to ask for her help in bringing it down, was startled at the abruptness of their departure. She was quickly on her feet, though, speeding off to catch up with the others.

The wound around his neck bothered him, but it was of no consequence. He still put his whole self into the taking down of prey. He put on a burst of speed and snapped at the tail end of one of the deer, hoping to drive it to another pack member. He wasn't sure if he could kill one so soon after being hurt himself, but he could chase them at least. Although judging by the slight pounding behind his eyes, he would have to sleep for a day after this.

He growled and snarled and chased after them. He had been surprised at the lag in movement of the she wolf Harlyn, but had quickly forgot about it in his own efforts to chase.

For however far-fetched their plan may have actually been, Mordecai met it with optimism. He knew at the very least all they could do was try; their were no guarantees that they could even nab what few deer were rushing away from them. He saw Cara rush past them with little thought on her parting look to him, and heard the rough footfalls of Sitri behind him. Harlyn, he could only presume, was bringing up the rear and sizing up her prey. He too did the same, dropping back to survey as the herd shifted and to find who he could assist promptly. In that instance, he chose to team up with Sitri, knowing he could not catch Cara readily in a moment of pursuit such as the present.

Beyond them lied a pair of does springing across the terrain, but not without difficulty. The Spine wolves had happened upon them in a moment of uneven elevation, and their knowledge and understanding of the terrain aided them. Mordecai rushed in close to them, coming up on their side to avoid the swinging retreat of their hooves. Nipping at one's flank, he could not withhold a throaty snarl as he attempted to tear at her tender flesh. The instinct to recklessly volley himself onto her was difficult to evade, but he knew it would only serve him to gain injury. The risks did not outweigh the benefits, not here.

Of course Cara was not so stupid to go solo after one of the deer, she had been chasing one in particular, a seasoned buck that had an old battle scar running down its side, a clear sign that these chase and run thing was nothing new. Still the yearling made no move until she was certain another wolf had rose to her aid. She nipped at the animal's feet and matched its stride for as long as she could, though her energy was quickly fading from her muscles.
It had to be now or never.

With a pressing bark cutting through her throat she lunged for it, hoping one of her packmates would come and help her, because if not she'd be stuck on a wild ride, hanging from a mad buck's rear end, at the mercy of it's sharp hooves.

BOY DO I SUCK ;_;

Though she was late to start, Harlyn made up for it with quick feet and a quick mind. It was towards Mordecai she sprang, for it seemed to her that he was the most likely to succeed with her help. Sitri seemed a large and violent enough beast to be able to slaughter one all on his own while Cara, small and slight, struck her as the most likely to fail even with the woman's help.

Thus it was Mordecai's steps she echoed with her own, bringing herself up along the side of the same doe and snapping at its sharp hooves as they flew beneath its body. It was her hope to trip the beast, thus making its chances of survival very slim.

Sitri made sure to help Cara where he could, she was smaller than he, but quicker. He surged to her side and with a snarl he jumped at the throat of the beast snapping at it's shoulder and throat grasping it tight and bearing it to the ground with his weight if he could. If not he could at least injure it enough that Cara could take over and kill the beast of a prey.

Just an FYI guys, there's no posting order in these either, so if you have time to post and you want to... go for it!

Unaware that Sitri had veered away in the racing moments that past, Mordecai found surprise when Harlyn rose up in his peripheral. There was not enough time for him to go looking around for how the others were doing; all of Mordecai's focus was set on the doe ahead of him. There he found a sense of renewed desire to fell the ungulate, and that gave him the surge that he needed. Lunging for her rump as she fled, Mordecai sank his teeth down hard through the tender skin and muscle. Bloodlust gave him that chance to enjoy the shriek she threw up, and her flailing and rampant tries to shake him loose signified the time limit they were on. Mordecai only hoped that Harlyn would be able to weigh her down enough to topple her, and that he would not lose all of his grip in the fleeting seconds to come.

oh alrighty hah :p

Cara just needed help -- no matter whose
She was a fine and capable hunter, but she could not bring an animal twice her size on her own.
While she clung to the buck rear like a parasite, feeling the grip on the animal's flesh loosen slowly. Thankfully, the scarred brute jumped to her aid, just in time to grasp the buck's throat between his jaws and unbalance it.

The sound produced by the animal was both disturbing and encouraging for the yearling, who had gotten herself off the animal back to run to Sitri's side in case he needed help while suffocating the old creature -- though she doubted it.

As she made her way around the struggling animal, she turned her head slightly to get a glimpse of the other duo's position, wondering if they had had the same luck as them

Mordecai's enthusiasm spurred her own. She darted a little ways to the side to give him room as he launched himself upwards and onto the doe. The doe bucked wildly to throw him, slowing just enough for Harlyn to sweep in and do similarly to her alpha and leap at her. She knocked into the doe's side, snapping her teeth upon the meaty flesh just ahead of the animal's shoulder. With any luck, her added weight would pull the beast down. At the very least, the blood that suddenly flooded across her tongue certainly suggested that it would weaken.

Hate to skip ya, Danni, but I really want to keep this moving. :) Also, I'm considering doing a die roll on the next round to see if maybe they can attempt to go after a third? It's wild and unlikely, but I figure hey, what the hell, this is game and we're havin' fun. What do you guys think?

Harlyn joined him quickly, knocking the doe off course from her original intent and sending her with shaky, uneven steps through a much rougher patch of terrain. By then, it was all over for her and Mordecai sensed it. He dropped from where he had gripped her, unable to hold on any longer and only narrowly avoiding a sharp knock to the noggin from a flailing hoof. His landing was less than graceful as the ground momentarily knocked the wind out of him, but he pushed himself back up and took the chase back up. Yet it wouldn't have mattered if he tried to goad the doe on by chasing her more anyway, because Harlyn's position and weight alone was enough for her to fumble once more. And that time, she went crashing down with a loud bellow.

He barked pointedly to Harlyn then, signifying that she had ever right to make the final blow. He lingered long enough to make sure all went well before vaulting off through the woodland again, trying to find the others to rejoin their efforts. With one down, it was certainly worth trying to capture another one. Last he had heard and seen, Cara had been hotly in pursuit of something, and something that Sitri had felt pertinent to go after as well. Like a bloodhound on the trail of something, Mordecai let out a loud baying call, wondering if any of them would answer him, and also wondering if Harlyn would keep pace with him as well.

Holy shit I'm sorry I didn't realize i hadn't replied. WTF is up with me lately I'm sorry. :(

Sitri ripped out the throat of yet another creature and watched as it bled out. At least this time it wasn't a wolf. He stood panting his own blood dripping a bit from the scab he ripped open to mingle with the deers that lay at his feet. He gave Cara a toothy smile and then lifted his muzzle to the sky to answer the call of Mordecai let him know they too had a creature beneath them.

I'm cool with whatevs :D Though as you can see, Harlyn is now useless to you x]

The doe fell right into their trap as though she'd read the script prior and devoted herself obediently to her role. Harlyn hadn't needed the encouragement from Mordecai to strike the blow, but she later would be grateful for it nonetheless. She struck at the opportune moment, throwing her weight as it fell and landing her sharp teeth upon its throat with a hearty snarl.

She felt the animal's neck snap between her crushing jaws, but held tight for seconds after if only to taste its sweet blood flooding her mouth. The Cinderloch shifted her gaze as far as she was able as Mordecai dashed off in pursuit of Sitri or Cara. She did not intend to follow for she knew she didn't have the energy to catch up, nor did she have the strength to be of use if she actually did.

So, Harlyn merely waited and listened to the calls upon the wind of her packmates communicating their movements with each other. She bowed her head as she caught her breath, speaking a silent prayer of gratitude to the earth for blessing them with this beast of her flock.

due to the changes in OS and this being so outdated I have decided to slap a narrative ending to this.
We had three rounds and managed to hunt so when this is archived it can be counted for experience, thank you for participating <3

The slow rise and fall of the buck's flanks came to a stop, and while Sitri smiled and took the time to answer Mordecai's call with a sharp yap of his own, Cara lowered her head to sniff at the dead deer, despite the hunger she felt puncturing her sides she abstained from eating just yet. After all, she did not hold the dining rights she did before..

She swiped her tongue over her muzzle in attempts to silence the small grumbling in her stomach and forced herself to turn around, her pale eyes now focusing on the horizon, where she assumed the other pair would arrive with the other doe.
She knew the best idea would be to start dragging the carcass deeper into the territory but honestly she did not want to propose it just yet -- like Harlyn, the chase and the kill had drained the girl of her energy.

Soon Mordecai appeared, surprisingly without Harlyn or the doe yet. He voiced his gratitude towards their teamwork,which simply caused Cara to quirk her brow as she tried to decipher if it was a sarcastic remark or not. But it didn't matter. As the rest of the herd moved along, it was time for the wolves to do the same. With a quick bark and the swarthy Ostrega gave the hunt team their cue to transport the bodies, only to stash one of them in the cache and feast on the other.

Tonight, after a long dark time in the Spine, the Ouroboros and their wolves would dine as royalty.