The South Rules | Pack Hunt | OPEN TO SOUTHERNERS!

[Shanto]

There's a beast,

I don't believe in self pity, it only brings you down.
I may be the king of broken hearts, but I don't hide behind the crown. When the deck is stacked against me, I just play a different game. My roots are planted in the past, and though my life is changing fast, who I am is who I wanna be. I'm a survivor.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

The feeling was something every wolf craved. The blood, seeping through its jaw, the smell of hot flesh making the skin beneath their fur crawl with delight at the thought of it. This could only come true with the strength of a pack, to collect and kill the elkryn before them. It took one wolf with wit, one with power, another with speed, and last, but defiantly not least, one with the powers to heal the wounded. It could be an inspiration to watch these creatures come together and form such an elite squad. But it could never be complete without the one that lead them all, he or she was the one who controlled the entire situation before them, they could make it, or lose it in bloodshed and fears brought to life. This wolf would be matched by the greatest fear of a hunt, the male of the herd. It was the final determining factor.

Today was the day that all these factors needed to come together. It was the day that the South's adopted pups would be allowed to hunt alongside their parents and pack for only the second time, and the younger ones could watch from afar. It had hurt them more in the heart than Swithun would ever be allowed to even imagine, but his leaving had taken only a small toll on the packs hunting. They still had several strong members, perfect for taking on the elkryn they could see before them today. Hunting them down would still be a challenge. As it always was, it was only natural. Brock was ready for it as usual.

A Steppe Eagle floated above, the winds carrying him to and fro as he circled the herd. It was amazing that they didn't recognize the bumbling bubble-headed bird. The un-ageing creature had lived with Brock and the pack for all the years it had been alive. Aziz was to help spot the weaklings and young, keeping them in his eye-site. Finding the best prey to take down. Then warning the leader of how close in proximity the bull was to the prime prey. The alpha shifted his feet, the crouching was setting his bones to aching. The brown, wide-angled, wings couldn't be moved. So he shifted his weight again. Hunting was harder when three of the adults had fluttery thing things sitting obnociously on their backs.

Sniffing the air, he checked positions. The pups were safe with Cheveyo, he knew she would be a great asset when they were born and a babysitter was needed. Of all wolves, she could be trusted the most. Especially now that her brother had turned to the Northern ways. If he were to want the pups, seeing and facing the wrath of her would be his greatest task. His loyal mate was on the other side of the elkryn, waiting more patiently than him for Aziz or herself to spot the weakest one. He had kept a tab on Eyolf, but now he had no sight on him. Confiding in himself, he believed the young male would be fine. He had grown a lot, in mind and appearance, since Efron abandoned.

Now it's running.
My way

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[reeddragon]

((I tried to match the length and fell way short. Sorry.))

It was hard to focus on the hunt with her pups out of sight, but - so far - Ayria was managing. It wasn't that she didn't trust Cheveyo. She knew that the young wolf would do her best to keep the pups safe. It was a mother's instinct to worry, and something Ayria struggled with whenever her duties led her away from the fragile little things for any length of time. Almond - her animal companion - was absent as she was during all pack hunts. Ayria had instructed her to stay with Cheveyo and come running should trouble occur. It would be a good thing if she didn't see the rodent until she came to relieve Cheveyo of her charges.

She tightened her wings against her back - or attempted to, but they were as close to her body as she could get them - and focused her attention on the herd. This was important - she had to be ready for anything at any time, as alpha female and as healer. While she waited, she searched the herd, judging the strength or weakness in each member. There were a few likely targets. There was an older female who had obviously been weakened by the winter. A better but tougher target was one of the plumper females close to the bull who seemed to be favoring her back left leg. There was a half-grown calf who looked sickly to her, and the full-grown female next to it - the mother, she assumed - didn't seem much healthier. Perhaps there were more that Aziz could see and she couldn't, but it never hurt to check the most likely targets. It'd help her guess where to put her paws in those first vital seconds when the chase began.

[Sandtiger]

Intent and focused on the task at hand, a sleek, light-footed beige Eyolf, now nearly at his full adult size of 33 inches and 70 pounds, was finally being allowed to hunt. His brother had left a horrible tear in his heart and he had sat there, questioning for weeks why he hadn't done more to help or something, trying to make it out as his fault. However, the cheery wolf recovered, but it was still a sore spot for him. After his brother left, he had discovered his ability of healing and his capabilities had been blossoming ever since. He spotted Brock's eagle companion in the air out of the corner of his eye and wondered if he should try out an eagle morph, he was after all, a shape shifter. But he had indeed matured greatly, body, soul, and spirit. And his focus. Maybe that one? Eyolf glanced over to where Brock stood, a little distance away from him. He looked for the sign and did not see it quite yet. He figured it took time to choose an appropriate subject for the hunt and resigned himself to waiting intently, but his impulsive urges screamed at him to run at the elk like they were a flock of birds, frighten them away like he did those birds when he was four months old and la lot littler. However, the male knew better than that now and he waited with the patience he had. GAH, why can't elk be birds!? Lyrics: N/A Notes: N/A OOC: N/A

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[Shanto]

There's a beast,

I don't believe in self pity, it only brings you down.
I may be the king of broken hearts, but I don't hide behind the crown. When the deck is stacked against me, I just play a different game. My roots are planted in the past, and though my life is changing fast, who I am is who I wanna be. I'm a survivor.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

*Sandie your text is in black. Have to highlight it to read it. Please fix (:

As soon as the perfect target was spotted, Brock was off. He charged at the herd, sending them into a frenzy of flying hooves and mewling fawns. By now, Aziz had flown down from wolf to wolf, informing them of the chosen target, as soon as it was over he had flown back to the alpha to start it off. The female Ayria had seen limping was the best choice for now. With the bull closer to her, it was risky to be that close, but it was the best choice for the moment. The birds wings took to the sky after his companion, "Watch it!" A elkryn jumped over the brown male.

Practically barrel rolling to avoid it, he took off again. There she was, and just ahead of her, a bull of great size. This conserned him, but it didn't deter him from his target. The pack needed food, simple as that, and Brock was most determinded to feed his family, adopted and personal. If anything, the bull almost encouraged him to use his couraage as the alpha to run down and kill this female. It was not a meaningless murder after all. It was in the wolven nature to eat the meat that had been placed before them. Whether it was running, or already dead. This one just happened to be the running kind that needed to be put to rest. It was better for the pack and the herd of the Basin.

Heavy breaths took charge, he did not have the stamina as Cheveyo or Efron did. But Efron wasn't around to help anymore, and someone had to watch the pups. Better Chevy than anyone; she couldn't stand to take the final life of the creature and being the runner's job, it ruined the hunting tactics they had known for centuries. What they needed was a new pack mate, someone they could trust, and one that wasn't afraid to take the life of an elk for God's sake.

Now it's running.
My way

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[reeddragon]

((Is Illyrian gonna be in on this?))

Ayria continued to wait, accustomed to the time it took to spot the right target and sense the best moment. As the wait dragged on, she glanced over at her packmates, happy to see them still in place and watching. She was especially proud of Eyolf. It was hard for one so young to sit still for so long, but he was holding out just like any full-grown wolf. She hated to admit it to herself, but she had worried about his patience running out before it was time. Granted, there was still time for him to get fed up and start the chase early, but - for now - everything was going smoothly. Maybe she just worried too much. She didn't used to worry at all, but being a mother changed everything and made survival infinitely more important.

Aziz had flown down and pointed out the target - a doe she herself had spotted earlier. Ayria worried about the doe's proximity to her bull, but convinced herself that things would be fine. She was a practiced healer, and Eyolf had been developing healing skills as well. They could even kill the bull if they wanted, but then this herd would be less likely to survive and provide them with more food in the future. If they could manage it without endangering themselves, it was better to let him live to father more strong elk that would - in turn - strengthen the pack.

Brock charged forward, and Ayria ran behind and to the side, nipping at the surrounding elk to scatter the herd away from the target. She kept her ears alert for any sounds of pain, ready to run straight over to a wounded packmate if she needed to.

[iscourge]

Logan 'watched,' his jaws slightly parted. He could feel the wolves, where they stood, and the Elk. Where they grazed. His ears lay flat against his skull as he perched, waiting, just for the perfect moment. A huff passed through his jaws as he continued to observe, the Leader of the pack racing to catch up with the ill prey he had so meticulously picked.

Ah-ha! That was his chance!

Like a bat out of hell, Logan shot out of the bramble, his lanky legs working with ease to carry him across the grassy feild. "Hello, Brock!" he called as they raced, muscles pumping, only the slightest hint of a pant working its way through his chest. After a moment, he rushed ahead of Brock, managing to catch the Elk on a back leg, high enough on the thigh to seriously detriment its sprint. Crimson liquid dripped from the wound he created, the creature swaying as it continued to limp forward with the wolf attatched frimly to its hind end.

An eerie screech erupted from the dying animal's mouth, and it struggled to kick the blinded wolf away, catching him in the ribs, though Windwalker refused to release it. His scales took most of the hit, though a long, porcupine-like spike on his side snapped. He cringed, not in pain, but at the sound- it'd be a pain in the rear to grow back. Still, he struggled with the meal, ears rotating like radar to hear where Brock was in proximity.

[Sandtiger]

Fleet-footed and sleek-bodied, the young, nearly grown male darted out as Brock did, almost prancing along as he elegantly and able bodily dodged the fleeing elk in his pursuit of the limping female. He was easily the most graceful and fast of his siblings as he careened, twisted, turned, zigzagged, and bent his way through the brown masses of prey. His dark brown eyes focused, his characteristic floppy, puppy like ears bouncing up and down as he ran, he was closing in on the target a- What in the heck? Out of the blue, a lanky wolf yelled something to Brock and leaped onto the chosen prey, single-handedly killing it and dropping it. Stopping with a few choice steps a yard or two away from the new wolf and the dead prey, Eyolf was their, jaws wide open, eyes wide in shock. the year and a half old wolf , for once in his life, was somewhat angry. In fact, he was incensed. What th- Who does this hotshot think he is?! He probably should've felt grateful and he knew it to the loner, even if he was a loner, for doing the hard work for them, but it kind of stung, actually. His first hunt, ruined. He was hoping to prove himself on the hunt and show he had grown some since Efron left and that he was indeed, capable and more an adult than pup (Though he still had his pupish enthusiasm.). than suddenly, this male comes out of nowhere and ends it all of a sudden. Eyolf was inclined to morph a mountain lion, or perhaps a good ol' grizzly bear and try and do some damage, but he held back and also held his tongue. bu this eyes clearly shone with disappointment, more than anger. Eyolf was never one to stay angry, unlike Efron, who would've held a grudge for years, if he wanted. The thought of Efron, who had run off to go prance around the outer forests with Moonrunner, and later he had found out, the same Northern female he had meant a week earlier from that incident at the border, made him feel even worse. Man... just when I thought... Lyrics: N/A Notes: N/A OOC: Nah, not this one, let's just say Illyrian's around, hanging about and patrolling the border of the territories right now. Black's not working for ya Shanto? huh, must have a different layout than me, I'll change it to white for now, if that works.

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[Shanto]

There's a beast,

I don't believe in self pity, it only brings you down.
I may be the king of broken hearts, but I don't hide behind the crown. When the deck is stacked against me, I just play a different game. My roots are planted in the past, and though my life is changing fast, who I am is who I wanna be. I'm a survivor.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

*Murrr.. It works now.. They changed the skin so it would be fine if you want to type in black again, sorry for the issue C:

If anything it startled him. Brock would have went on after the elkryn if it was needed, but the fact that two were now coming at him in full sprints together and that the doe had already tripped made him stop quickly, turn and flee backwards out of the way. "Damnit Logan." He mumbled it quietly under his breath. It was really no big deal, but the fact that he didn't get to see Eyolf's one on one with the elkryn dissappointed him almost as much as the pup himself about not getting to hunt. At least the half-pup had stayed hidden until he said it was time. It made him proud of his adoptive son so far.

As Logan grasp the back leg of the female, it only took a hole about the size of half her hoof to trip her up. In moments, she toppled over her own front feet. From there was a loud and heart wrenching crack of the neck bone as she landed upon it. In a moment he was upon her, looking into the eyes of the female for her last few moments. With a dying breath, the light in the soul flickered out and it was all over. He rose stiffly and strached. The adreniline rush, but with no end, had left his muscles feeling stiff and slightly sore.

Brock was not exactly happy with the hunt, but he couldn't say he was unhappy either. They now had plenty of food; no wolf in their right mind could complain about that. It was all an alpha could ever hope for for their pack. The alpha nonchalntly walked past the panting Logan. "Good job. Ayria still eats first though." It would make the difference for the growing pups. Extra food in her belly ment extra in theirs. Extra food and training ment strong pups, which was exactly what the pack would need in the coming pups. It would be espectially hard when two of the pups were such bold colors. A golden beauty and a ginger male. Not something he really expected.

Not far past his old friend he stopped and looked to the edge of the basin. It was the spot that still haunted him. In one little second of flying dirt and dust, the panick of a new memeber and the deer fleeing. Mors would die within minutes of impact. The old alphas chestbone was broken in at least a dozen places, with the bone itself sticking out. It made him want to vomit. Even just the thought of it did. But instead Brock just shook his head and moved on, moving his sights to Eyolf. He walked up to him silently, eyes showing nothing of emotion or power.

The pack would never know how much he cherished the younger male, his adoptive son. He had been here through everything and probably always would be. He was dignified, as Brock had taught each of the three to be, and had values to his life and other wolves too. It reminded him alot of himself at Eyolf's age. Heartbroken, trying to figure out life, and battling his own inner battles. He knew how it all felt. It hurt like hell from what he could remember. Now he leaned over, as Mors had once did to him whispering praise and promise in his ear, despite his lack of happiness for everything. "I know you didn't get a chance, but you waited till you got the command and that's a start. Don't hold a grudge over it, there are other ways to prove yourself to be of age." It was a quiet promise almost, to keep the pack alive.

Now it's running.
My way

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[reeddragon]

Things were going according to plan, at first. The herd was thinning and soon it would be time to close in on the target and complete the hunt. Ayria chased off an elk that veered the wrong way and looked around to see where she was most needed.

Then an unfamiliar wolf charged past, shouted a greeting to Brock, and effectively ended the hunt. The target doe was crippled further, tripped, and killed. Ayria slowed to a stop, hackles raising. Who was this wolf and what made him think he could barge in right in their view and steal prey?

She snorted and forced herself to calm down. Brock could handle the newcomer just fine. She needed to make sure no one was hurt. The pack seemed uninjured, though Eyolf was visibly upset. She couldn't blame him. He had been looking forward to this hunt, and it was over almost before it had started.

She padded toward the younger wolf, stretching a wing to rest on his back. She nodded as Brock spoke. "There will be other hunts, as well." Her gaze turned to Logan before resting on Brock. "I hope for his sake that's someone you know."

((I know who he is, but I think he left before Ayria joined so she's not likely to know anything about him.))

[iscourge]

His ears perked in her direction, his eyebrows raising happily. "Yes, ma'am." he said rather politely, resting his haunches upon the grass. "My name is Logan, though you probably know me better as Windfighter. I was a son of a wolf pair who left your pack long ago." He licked the blood from his muzzle, finding it... Difficult to smell the other wolves nearby. He wanted to appologize to the youngling, guilt clouding his judgement. There would be time for that later, maybe.

"Brock, my friend." he continued, tail wagging slightly, muzzle dipping. "I appologize for ruining the young-blood's hunt, but... I needed to make myself clear. I don't think you understood what exaclty I spoke about when we last met in the basin. I came back for a reason, but that winter threw us all for a loop." He recalled snow, TONS of snow, some of which still lingered about them. "There was a reason I returned. Mros is gone, he has been for some time, and I feel as though YOU may give me a chance instead."

He turned his muzzle to the pack's next meal, almost speaking to it instead. "I'm not useless like he seemed to assume. I've learned how to see without using my eyes. I can take down prey, I'm not afraid of that." Quietly, he swallowed, jaws parted with a huff, listening to the landscape. They would know then.

"Moonrunner is my kin. She is my sibling. We played together, wrestled together. It was my fault she grew blind in one eye." Unease filled his chest. "She despises me for that, and has succumbed to madness. I do not want her to carry on my parents legacy. That, should be left to me." His muzzle bowed once more, and he fell, lying down upon all four paws. "You're welcome to the meal." he murmured, nudging it with his nose, afraid to ask.

"I've come to prove myself, and hope you'll allow me to join your pack. I understand, I am not entitled to a damn thing, that I'm probably going to become omega for a while... I'm fine with that."

[Sandtiger]

Looking at the dead, lifeless doe dissapointedly with his brown eyes as Brock and Ayria comforted him, he did feel a little better. He sighed softly and spoke a bit in response to Brock, -"I guess so," He stood in between the alpha pair as the loner male spoke. Eyolf held a curious look in his eyes as he glanced up at Brock. So Brock had known this male when he was younger? This was interesting, and Eyolf's curiosity and pupish-side was intrigued. Apparently Ayria didn't know who the male was though, like Eyolf himself. He hoped the male would apologize maybe, but he didn't count on it, but it would help the adolescent's wounded pride a bit. I guess it's alright, but it still sucks. Eyolf listened with his brown-tipped ears slanting forward, intently clinging to every word the male uttered. It was good for him to learn about this wolf, and assess who he was, that was one thing he had learned. The male revealed many things. One, he was in a way descended from the South, second he was blind but supposedly could see somehow. Well killing the elk could be used as evidence to prove that, possibly. Than the strange loner revealed a third, much more disturbing thing, that caused Eyolf to immediately stiffen and raise his tail out behind him. This guy was the brother of Moonrunner? And apparently this was the same dude who, by accident, caused Moonrunner to lose one of her eyes. A shiver slipped down the male's back as he thought on that despicable wolf, the one who had essentially taken away and lured his brother from him. The male wasn't crazy however, and seemed humble, in fact. He relaxed only slightly as the male appealed to Brock to allow him entry into the South. But one question was still screaming at Eyolf, that he had to ask this male, named Logan or whatever else, Windfighter. He hoped Brock and also Ayria would forgive him for speaking out of turn, but this was a horribly sensitive subject for the young male. "M-My brother, E-Efron left to go live with your sister and her pack. Wh-What do you mean by that she shouldn't carry on with your parent's legacy, and that y-you should? Is her craziness and her wanting rev-revenge on the South your parent's legacy?", - asked Eyolf of the male in front of him. His voice shook and trembled as he spoke with an edge of pain in his voice, his question deadly serious. He needed to know, needed to know what his brother had gotten into. Why did you leave Efron? You hurt me and Cheveyo and the rest of the pack more than you will ever know... Lyrics: N/A Notes: N/A OOC: N/A

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[iscourge]

He listened closely to the youngest of the wolves, his head tilted in his direction. "What? NO. Of course not, little wolf." he murmured kindly, muzzle bowed. "Our father was a great hunter, and our mother an excellent healer. Their legacy is to better the back, to make it stronger. Not... Not rip it apart like a rabid fox." he explained.

"I have not yet seen my sister, I have only heard of her... Dispicable acts. Pup stealing, leaving poisoned carcasses for other wolves to find... It's not right." Logan felt his expression harden. "They don't realize just what they've done..." he growled, feeling his claws dig into the Earth below. "She has no idea.... How she has hurt you, or any others, does she?"

He swallowed roughly, jaws parted, searching for Brock's shaggy form. "... May I be welcomed into your pack, old friend?"

[Shanto]

There's a beast,

I don't believe in self pity, it only brings you down.
I may be the king of broken hearts, but I don't hide behind the crown. When the deck is stacked against me, I just play a different game. My roots are planted in the past, and though my life is changing fast, who I am is who I wanna be. I'm a survivor.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

Surprised would probably have been the second to last word you could use to describe Brock at this moment. He had always known Logan would come back eventually, whether to stay or just check in he couldn't have told you, but it was in a wolf's blood to eventually come home. Nothing could make Brock want to deny his old friend; one of his best friends after he joined actually. Yet still something made the alpha nervous to accept the brother of his greatest enemy. They had never been a thing like each other, but they had still grown up under the same life and wolves.

That almost made him want to stab himself. He too had grown up under the same wolves. The same alpha and friends. So he couldn't quite say it was bad blood that ran through the pack, more of tainted in places than anything. This made him realized a few new things about the pack, and a couple things he had never thought of before. A loud skreet came from the impatient Aziz above them, sending his eyes to the skys for a second. At this moment, he wanted it all to go away. Too much stress rested upon his winged brown shoulders it felt. But he had to do something. Didn't he? Still staring up at his old friend in the skys he spoke to the other before him, "Logan, although you know what we have been through... You don't know our pain... or for that matter, the stresses that will be brought upon you if you still wish to join..."

Slowly, the large male lowered his gaze, it was emotionless, other than a tad of hurt deep within. It was unfailing, steely, and powerful. It showed many things; most especially the pack all in its own. "You may trust no wolf.. Not your mate.. Not your packmates.. Not the pups even.. You can only deliver your full trust in yourself." It was a harsh thing to say. Probably even a rule Brock was breaking as he spoke it. Ayria had been the only one he could trust for sometime now; it was too hard to figure out who else he could. After what Moonrunner had did, and Efron leaving unexpectedly, it was when the stress had really started to sink in. "You may lean on them for everything. Believe in them to come through with what they say, but understand.. That they could turn without a single warning... But we accept each other, and have faith in each others actions. That is the best we can ask for in todays world." He smiled ever so slightly, the best he could muster at the moment, "Now.. You are welcomed to join.. But rememeber to watch your back." Much more than it had needed to be drawn out, he accepted his old friend in the only way Mors had taught him.

Now it's running.
My way

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[reeddragon]

Ayria blinked at the wolf and listened as he spoke. When Eyolf asked his question, her wing pressed tighter against him and she gave his ear a few short licks, attempting to soothe his as her mind worked through everything that was being said. So Brock knew the other male. She had never seen him before, or heard of him that she could remember. It made her wary to learn that he was closely related to Moonrunner, but at least he didn't act like her. At all. In fact, he was acting like her complete opposite. He hadn't even started eating the elk he killed. She was still upset with him for ruining Eyolf's first hunt, but it seemed like he was only in a mind to help the pack, and that he hadn't considered that the youth had never hunted before.

Brock accepted the wolf, and Ayria tried not to let his words disturb her. She knew it didn't mean he thought her a traitor. They were all just wary after everything had happened. Still...life went on, and life would continue to go on.

With that thought in mind, she gently pulled her wing from the not-quite-pup and made her way to the kill. As alphess and mother of young pups, it was her right to feed first, and the others would be waiting on her. Best to eat now so they wouldn't have to wait longer than necessary. She took her position by the carcass and began ripping and swallowing the warm flesh. Once she finished her share, she stepped back to allow the others their turn.