Redhawk Caldera Mind my wicked words and tipsy topsy slurs

Any other hunters in the house?! :)

His eyes felt very dry and scratchy as Peregrine stared out over Lake Rodney. He hadn't gone sleepwalking last night (not that he knew one way or the other) but only because he hadn't slept at all. The news of Tiger's sudden demise had hit him like a physical blow. He wouldn't have considered himself close to her, yet she was Finley's sister and the aunt to their unborn pups. She had also shown an immense amount of potential as both a Healer and Caretaker. The loss was devastating to the caldera, not to mention the terrible timing. He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders for a moment.

With a sigh, the former Alpha rose and began to pad down the slope to find some game. Not only were his children all training hard as Warriors and Wardens, they were also growing at a rapid pace. Their appetites were endless. No matter how much fresh meat he brought home, it was never enough. He found that thinking of and focusing on his children lifted his otherwise downtrodden spirits. Keeping busy was always a welcome distraction too. By the time his broad black paws hit the soil at the foot of the mountain, he was ready to rock and roll.

Elwood's life had resembled a rollercoaster more than ever over the last few weeks. The drastic highs and lows were enough to make him feel sick to his stomach. He had been certain that things were finally looking up as he and Finley started to make preparations for the birth of their litter, but Tiger's death had been an unexpected twist. He did his best to try to comfort his mate, but she was understandably devastated.

It was rare that he left her side these days, but she had requested some alone time and he had obliged. He wandered aimlessly across the territory until Peregrine's grizzled form came into view. The Beta perked up ever so slightly at the sight of his friend, though there was certainly still a dark cloud over his head. "Peregrine," he called out as he approached, falling into step alongside the former Alpha male.

He hadn't taken more than two steps toward the outskirts when a familiar voice called his name, causing him to pause. Peregrine turned to regard Elwood, his posture immediately reflecting the wide gap between them in the ranks. He managed a small smile and the tip of his tail wiggled ever so slightly. Despite his own personal turmoil and Tiger's death, he was immensely happy for his friend's new status as married man and father-to-be.

"I was just going out to hunt for the kids. We can easily include yours in there," Peregrine said, still maintaining that thin, tight smile. They would have to eat the meat vicariously via their mother but that made absolutely no difference with the Gamekeepers' provisions. "Want to take point?" he offered. Although he was a Master in the trade, Elwood was now his superior. That and the fact that this was now his celebration of new life meant Peregrine felt the Beta should take the lead.

Elwood still wasn't used to seeing Peregrine's submissive posturing. Despite his low position in the ranks, this was still Peregrine's pack, at least in Elwood's mind. He did nothing to demonstrate his higher place in the hierarchy, choosing instead to keep his head and tail at a neutral level. They were friends and would remain as such no matter what happened with the pack's inner workings.

His ears perked at the mention of a hunt, and an unstoppable grin pulled at his cheeks when Peregrine commented on his future children. As a gamekeeper, he always enjoyed the thrill of the hunt, but there was an added excitement knowing that he would be providing for the puppies in Finley's womb as well. "I'd love to," he agreed, accepting Peregrine's suggestion to take the lead.

It didn't seem that Peregrine had started tracking any prey just yet, so the Beta swung his snout low to the ground and began to move forward. His nostrils filled with a variety of scents and he began to sift through them, eventually finding what appeared to be the active trail of a wild boar. How ironic, he thought as Tiger's smirking face flashed across his mind's eye. Turning back to Perry, he queried, "Boar?" He wanted to make sure they were on the same page before they began.

"Boar sounds great," Peregrine said. It also sounded like a challenge, which he anticipated with pleasure. He liked to think he was redeeming himself by keeping his head low and working hard, especially to provide for Fox and the kids. Truthfully, he hadn't thought much on resuming the mantle. He knew Fox wanted him back up to top beside her, yet he wanted to earn back that honor by doing right by his pack mates.

"How many bricks have you shat?" Peregrine asked, sounding convincingly conversational as he fell into step beside Elwood. "I mean, most dads get the benefit of planning," he continued, cocking his head and shooting his hunting partner a companionable look. "They'll be here before you know it."

Once Peregrine agreed to Elwood's suggestion of prey, he set to tracking it. He moved forward at a moderate pace, using his senses to follow the animal's trail. Although he was focused on the task at hand, he was able to carry on a conversation with Peregrine. One ear remained tilted attentively towards his friend. Despite the misgivings that Peregrine and Fox had from a leadership standpoint, they were still happy for their Beta pair -- at least, as far as Elwood could tell.

"Quite a few," he replied with a laugh; and Peregrine didn't even know the half of it. He and Finley had still refrained from telling Fox and Peregrine about the miscarriage, but that had been the most stressful and unhappy few days of Elwood's life thus far. All things considered, however, he felt as though he and Finley were equipping themselves for the responsibilities that were to come -- they were making up for lost time, and neither one of them was willing to make a mistake. "We're thinking she'll be in due in just a few weeks, but we're not exactly sure. Believe it or not, though, I think we're both pretty ready for it," he said, feeling his stomach flip nervously. He was a bit anxious, but more than that he was excited to take this next step with his mate.

After a few more paces, Elwood slowed, his nose wriggling. "I think we're getting close," he said, his voice dropping in pitch. He anticipated that they weren't far from the boar.

Elwood confirmed that he had pooped his metaphorical pants quite a bit over the entire situation, yet he also assured Peregrine that he and Finley were prepared for the inevitable birth. He quirked a brow, not because he doubted the Beta male's preparedness but because it was still sort of novel, envisioning Finley as a mother. Weren't parents supposed to be responsible? A litter of pups would sure put a cramp in the bear-fighter's style, he thought with a light smirk.

"I know you two are," he went on to say out loud. "You've had a lot of practice with the Firebirds and we couldn't have asked for better godparents. There's not a doubt in my mind that the two of you will be great." Yes, he had his misgivings about the timing and handling of it, though at the end of the day, the Kappa truly was thrilled to see the two of them settle down and start a family. The Groves (or Blackthorns?) were as close to him as any brother or sister and he would see their children as nieces and nephews, for sure.

The scent of wild boar infiltrated the Kappa's nostrils and effectively cut off their conversation. Beginning to switch to predatory mode, Peregrine utilized all available senses to zero in on their prey. Meanwhile, he made sure to pay close attention to his leader's unspoken commands. Such a beast would require not only the males' brute strength but a sound strategy as well.

It was good to hear Peregrine's positive sentiments. The whole experience had served to help both Elwood and Finley mature a bit, and in a rather short time. Although there was still a lot of growth to be made by each of them, he did feel that, at the very least, they would be able to provide their children with a safe, happy childhood. He smiled in return, though both wolves soon shifted their focus to the hunt.

They moved through some thick underbrush that opened up into a clearing. Elwood's gaze landed on a lone female boar that appeared to have wandered away from the rest of the group. It was snuffling the ground with its snout, turning up the dirt in search of roots, and it seemed oblivious to the approach of the two predators. Elwood's pulse quickened with excitement and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then glanced at Peregrine.

"We got lucky," he murmured, his yellow eyes fixated on the grey animal. They needed to move quickly, before it wised up and returned to its herd. "I'll circle around it and run it back towards you?" he suggested; although Peregrine was technically his subordinate, he still valued the master gamekeeper's opinion and would gladly take advice if it was offered.

Their scent trail led them through some scrub, which opened onto a clearing. Peregrine's senses immediately honed in on the lone sow rooting around in the earth. She was pretty big, which was why she probably wasn't concerned about being off on her own. His head tilted as he scrutinized her. If he wasn't mistaken, her abdomen looked a bit swollen. Perhaps she was carrying a litter of piglets. More protein for the pups, he thought with a predatory sneer.

Assuming Elwood had taken note of her condition and that's what prompted his comment, the black Gamekeeper nodded. "We did. Sure," he added in response to the Beta's plan. It was simple and would be easy to execute in theory. If she really was pregnant, the wild pig would fight not only for her life but her babies' lives as well. It was definitely possible that her mate was skulking around somewhere too; he would come running the instant the sow made a sound of distress.

As he waited for Elwood to take his position, Peregrine scoured the landscape for any sign of the invisible boar. He saw, smelled and heard nothing. Still, he kept one jade eye peeled while the other carefully tracked his companion's movements, at least until he disappeared in preparation to ambush their much more visible porcine prey.

As soon as Peregrine agreed, Elwood set his body into motion. He slung his belly low to the ground, his muscles tense as he prowled away from his companion. The predator moved through the boscage as quietly as possible, trying to avoid brushing against the leaves and causing any commotion to draw the boar's attention. He kept his snout pointed towards his target, sharp yellow eyes fixed on its sturdy body. This would certainly be a challenge, but he was confident in his and Peregrine's abilities. He almost thought he could sense Tiger's approval.

He completed a wide arc, until the line of scrubby bushes ended and he was very nearly opposite Peregrine. Elwood cast one quick glance back at his hunting partner, then sprung from his hiding place and tore towards the sow. It gave a squeal of surprise and kicked up its heels, giving its head a mighty shake as it bucked away from Elwood. Carefully, he avoided its hooves as he zigged and zagged behind it, attempting to drive it towards Peregrine.

There was a rustling from the underbrush nearby, though no other pigs emerged -- yet. Elwood drew up alongside the boar and nipped at its flank, only to receive a blow to his shoulder from a flying hoof. He dropped back momentarily, but soon surged forward again, ignoring the dull ache as his gaze searched for Peregrine.

They made eye contact over the unsuspecting sow's back, then Elwood leaped from his cover to drive her toward Peregrine. The Kappa bounded forward so that the two wolves closed in on either side of her. He tried to keep an eye out for any other pigs that might burst out of the brush, though the muffled sound of a hoof striking something soft distracted him. His brow furrowed as he glanced to Elwood, who caught his eye. The Beta male seemed no worse for wear despite the hit.

Before Peregrine could enjoy a moment of relief, the show surged toward him, prepared to bite him, run him down or possibly both. He agilely leaped clear of her path, though this put both wolves behind her, which was not according to plan. Peregrine dove after her hefty hindquarters, sweeping out a black foreleg in the hopes of tripping up those stubby hind legs. He succeeded and she began to stumble.

But simultaneously, the sow turned back and flung her large head at him. Due to his weariness from lack of sleep, Peregrine's reaction times were not as swift as usual. He was unable to avoid it when her snout swung at the side of his head. Luckily, her teeth were not bared, though the impact was enough to knock him senseless. Peregrine buckled, falling forward even as the sow regained her footing and backed up several feet to assess whether to take another swing at the wolves or make a break for it.

The wedding is in 10 days! I'm starting to get stressed! But in a good way, kind of! :D

Elwood and Peregrine were both accomplished hunters, but sometimes things just didn't go according to plan. As Elwood raced back towards the boar, he watched as Peregrine attempted to trip it. It did, indeed, lose its footing, but so did Peregrine, and Elwood's eyes widened as the sow swung its head at him and shoved him to the ground.

He gritted his teeth but stopped short when the boar turned and halted, seeming to take in its options with its beady little eyes. For a moment, he considered rushing towards it and catching it off guard, but his primary concern was Peregrine. He moved slowly and cautiously towards his friend, his gaze flitting between the Kappa and their prey.

"Are you okay?" Elwood asked, and even as he spoke the boar seized its opportunity to retreat. It whirled and began to take its leave, and Elwood stiffened at the sound of its hooves.

Hooray! It's going to be a great day. I'll be there in spirit. :')

Fortunately, the sow did not kick him while he was down. She backed away and began to flee. Meanwhile, Peregrine groaned and tried to roll onto his belly to sit up straighter. He was definitely dazed from the impact and there was no way he could continue the hunt in this condition. He blinked several times in a row, trying to orient himself, then pushed himself into an upright seated position.

"Yeah," he belatedly answered Elwood's question. "Or, I will be in a minute or two..." His head was starting to pound, though. "Sorry, man." Peregrine knew that many hunts ended in failure, yet it always felt worse to lose out on meat when it was intended for the pups (born and unborn).

Elwood only looked away from Peregrine for a moment, watching as the boar retreated. He was simultaneously glad and disappointed; the sow had turned out to be a tougher contender than he had anticipated, but he did wish that they could have fulfilled Tiger's wishes. Ah, well; maybe someday he would bring down a wild boar in honor of his sister-in-law. Today wouldn't be that day.

"That's okay," he reassured his friend quickly with a shake of his head. He knew that they couldn't win them all, and they had still given it their best effort. Even experienced gamekeepers failed every once in a while. "What hurts? You need anything?" He felt a pang as he thought of Tiger once more -- she would have been the wolf to call on in order to tend to Peregrine's injuries.

ONE WEEK!!!

"Just my face," Peregrine replied wryly, lifting a paw to tenderly touch against his aching forehead. He winced slightly, putting it back on the ground. "Nah, I'll be fine. I do think I should probably head to the rendezvous site to lie down though. Sorry again. We'll go out again soon and bring home the bacon," the Alpha promised, slowly rising onto all fours. He needed the rest anyhow.

"I'll see you later?" he said, not sure if Elwood would want to walk back with him or perhaps go off in another direction. He waited long enough to find out, then began the slow and empty-handed trek back to the caldera proper.

EEEEEEK!

Elwood was glad to hear that Peregrine's injuries were not severe. He rolled his own shoulder experimentally, finding that it felt stiff and achy. Hopefully a few days of rest and perhaps stretching it would have him feeling good as new.

He had no doubt that they would be successful in the future as he fell into step with Peregrine, choosing to walk with him back towards the rendezvous site before splitting off and heading to his own den.