Pack Hunt (Open)

[reeddragon]

(Thought I'd go ahead and start it up. ^.^

All was silent as the silver and white she-wolf stared ahead from the bushes that concealed her, her gaze fixed on the small herd in front of her. Her packmates - at least those that were participating in this hunt - were close by, concealed just as she was, watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity. Right now, the herd was simply standing, but soon they would graze...if the wolves were lucky. That would buy them precious seconds at the start of the chase.

As they waited, Ayria looked over the herd, instinctively searching for the best target even though it would be Brock that made the final call on which elk to bring down. The herd seemed healthy for the most part, though there were a couple of does that were getting on and years, and she thought one of the others might have a slight limp as she watched it walk a few steps closer to one of its companions.

The she-wolf licked her lips as she anticipated the kill and feeding. The pack would need this kill. Winter would be upon them soon, and prey would become scarce. Perhaps, if luck was with them, they could even fell their target without an exhausting chase. It would be nice, but she wouldn't count on it.

Focus! She chided herself. If this hunt was to succeed, all participants - herself included - needed to be on full alert.

[Xane;;]

Kairos' posture remained relaxed, which was typical for the tawny-colored male. But there was a certain intensity in his colorful brown eyes, and his ears were held forward and occasionally twitched from side to side. He stood right behind the new alphess, Ayria, who now helped to lead the pack on their first true hunt together. Kairos was very comfortable now in his standing in the pack, and had been quite pleased when Brock had asked him and Corra to step up as betas. This role Kairos did not take lightly, for he knew that there would be requirements involved. For example, it was his duty to back up the two alphas, and to keep the pack in good running order. This was no problem for ol' Kairos, who was not only well liked by most of the pack, but also very attentive and (at least in his opinion) smart. Today Kairos planned to use some of the knowledge stored up in that massive mind of his to assist the hunt. Being close to five years of age, and having spent a good portion of his life roaming, Kairos had come to gather much experience in the field of hunting. And since Kairos happened to know that Ayria was several years younger than he, it was fair to say that he wanted to share some of his tricks of the trade. And yet, Kairos made sure that he would be cautious about this. He definitely did not want to undermine Ayria's capabilities, particularly in front of that trouble-maker. Moonrunner was her name, and Kairos had already written her name down on the list of wolves-to-keep-an-eye-on. She was an unstable factor in the pack, and one that needed close watching. So now Kairos simply stood back and waited for either Ayria's or Brock's command, content to let them begin the hunt. Being a wolf of invisiblity, Kairos could have simply sauntered right up to the elk and have taken a bite out of one already, but for now he would respect the common pack courtesy and let the alphas take the lead. WORD COUNT 395 NOTES n/a

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[iscourge]

Her limbs trembled while angry thoughts pushed into her brain. She was sick of this, sick of everything that had to do with Brock, and even Ayria. Before she had no quarrels with the she-wolf, but she had understood how badly she wanted that position. Ayria KNEW Moonrunner wanted so badly to be an Alpha, But that was in the past now. Little did the pack know, they were down a wolf this hunt. She was too busy searching for something... There.

Perched upon a branch was a skinny raven, trembling, looking just as sickly as a deer in winter. The wolf slunk down, belly pressed close to the ground. Now was her chance... In one swift bite, she had caught the bird, her wings opening wide to allow her to swoop upwards. There was a lowd KA-KAW! as the bird was beheaded, the wings ripped away from the body. This would be a perfect sign for her to leave.

Still bristling with anger, the creature set to work on burying the torn features, and left the crow simmering in hate. Those wounds weren't natural, and she swore Brock would understand just what she'd done. There was no going back now- it had been said and done.

From her lips emerged the most brutal, terrifying howl- she surged every bit of her hate, and anger into that one horrifying note, and when her muzzle fell, her emerald eye held a new spark- one of insanity. She turned, her pawpads falling gently upon the ground as she trotted away from her pack, her tail held high with pride.

[Shanto]

There's a beast,

So take this night; Wrap it around me like a sheet. I know I'm not forgiven, but I need a place to sleep. So take this night and lay me down on the street. I know I'm not forgiven, but I hope that I'll be given some peace. There's a game, that I play. There are rules, I had to break. There's mistakes, that I made. But I made them, my way.

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And I let it run,

The kill. The rush. The pain. The fury. Somewhere within the adrenaline rush that came with a hunt was a respect for the prey's soul. But not the prey.

Now the Southern pack was Brock and Ayria's responsibility as the Alpha pair, Karios and Corra not far behind them. Now they lay in the tall grass waiting for his signal as he waited for Aziz to show him the way to the best prey. A howl from Aziz and the deer looked up. Wait.. No.. That was not Aziz... Aziz couldn't howl. Taking note of that themselves the prey were now in panic mode and the ground rumbled beneath their many hooves. The thunder made the pebbles in front of the leader jump like rabbits.

The deer! Find a good one! Standing fully up their cover already blow he ran searching for prey as he went. The dust from the parched Fall ground was almost unbearable. A twitch of the ear and a move of the tail spoke his words for him. A lame doe was already starting to lag and with a bit of stamina and tricks up the experienced males sleeve and they would have dinner in the oven and whoever that wolf was for desert. Brock already knew who it was. He would not let her live in ease for this. Never. Ever.

Never.

Now it's running.
My way

[reeddragon]

The wait seemed to drag on forever, but Ayria hadn't survived by giving into impatience. It could and often did take quite some time for the right opportunity to present itself, and the wolves would have to be careful in the meantime not to give their positions away. The prey couldn't know they were there until the last moment.

Ayria thought she heard a loud bird call in the distance, though she wasn't certain. A short time later, another sound echoed through the land, and this time she knew she heard something. A howl. A loud, vicious howl that seemed to emanate hate and death. The alphess's fur stood on end. She wasn't sure, but she thought she recognized the voice. If she was right, it wouldn't surprise her, but surely she knew she was potentially sabotaging the hunt with-

No, wait. Scratch the "potentially". She had sabotaged the hunt! The elf had taken notice of the howl and now were running in a panic.

Brock stood and chased the herd. Ayria wasn't far behind him. She kept behind him, running just fast enough to keep the pace as he picked their target. She may share his rank, but he was more experienced than she, and she didn't wish to screw up any plans he was forming by attempting to charge ahead and wound the elk further. It was tempting, though. If that really had been Moonrunner that howled, there were surely going to be some sharp words and possibly fangs with her in the very near future.

Keep focused... she urged herself. The hunt had been compromised, but not ruined. They could still down an elk. They just had to make the best of the situation and give the chase their all.

[Xane;;]

Something broke Kairos’ concentration. It was a howl, but not from a roaming coyote or a lonely wolf. It mimicked the cries of a dying animal in its feverish pitch, but Kairos recognized the voice. And that single howl told a story that Kairos found hard to believe. Moonrunner’s call practically dripped with hatred, and this Kairos found difficult to understand. He had always known that the black she-wolf was bitter, but this? No, he had never expected it to go this far. Now Moonrunner was gone, but based on her last parting cry, the story was not finished yet. And it was obvious from the start that Moonrunner’s frightening howl did not go unnoticed by the elk. Soon he heard the thundering of their hooves, and their snorts of alarm that cut through the rising dust. Kairos shook off the foreboding that the howl had brought, and refocused on their mission: food. And right now it was running away fast! After a signal from Brock, the alpha pair had took off after the fleeing beasts. And Kairos was not far behind. Through clouds of dust Kairos managed to spot their Brock’s chosen target: a cow elk who found running slightly more difficult than the rest. It loped along near the rear, leaving itself vulnerable to attack. Kairos quickly decided that his powers would be of no use in this hunt. It was a shame, but it had happened to him before, and he knew plenty well how to make a kill with only his bare teeth. Now is not the time to hesitate. Instead of waiting for Brock’s command, Kairos heaved himself forward in several strong bounds. He narrowed his eyes to block the array of dirt and leaves kicked up by the cow elk, as it ran for its dear life. But, forging onward, Kairos tensed and made a lunge for the animal’s hind leg. Kairos clamped down on the right lower thigh, and immediately was met with resistance. The elk, still running, bucked and struck out with her rear hooves. Kairos winced as he felt a hoof graze his cheek fur, and then he was dealt a heavy hit to the chin. Kairos let go, and the elk lurched forward. But Kairos kept coming, and again found a grip on the animal’s hind leg. This time he held on for dear life, awaiting for the aid of his pack-mates. WORD COUNT 447 NOTES n/a

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[Shanto]

There's a beast,

So take this night; Wrap it around me like a sheet. I know I'm not forgiven, but I need a place to sleep. So take this night and lay me down on the street. I know I'm not forgiven, but I hope that I'll be given some peace. There's a game, that I play. There are rules, I had to break. There's mistakes, that I made. But I made them, my way.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

Being a hunt leader, or leader in general, was a tough job and for a moment Brock truly wondered how Mors had done it with help from only him and Corra. Launching the attack on the female elk had been a bit spontaneous from Kairos, not waiting for orders from him irritated the leader a bit. The Beta had the right idea though as he sprung forward, it gave the male a jolt of worry as the female kicked back on his friend.

Now Brock would not wait any loner, or risk his pack mates anymore harm as he worked his way forward. The elkryn was loosing her herd fast and it was clear through her eyes that she was scared to death. Every ounce of power he could find he used to drive forward, to get next to the preys side and match her pace from the attack that was to come with full force.

Bam! Brock sprung, ramming into her side, his mind sent spinning from the jolt of hit against her body. The leader felt a dizziness pass through him and the weak doe both at the moment of impact. She stumbled and cried out pain, bucking a bit harder now with no avail. She would not be running any father any time soon, something wrong with the leg the elkryn had stumbled on.

Now it's running.
My way

[reeddragon]

As they chased the elk, Kairos ran forward and clamped onto the prey's hind leg. The prey kicked out, nicking him once and then managing to make him lose his grip. She winced as she watched, her pace quickening instinctively. He was a healer like her, bit instinct was still telling her to worry for him. She was reassured when he sprung forward for a second attempt, which meant he wasn't vitally wounded.

Brock sped up to get next to the elk and Ayria followed suit, heading to the opposite side. She left enough room between herself and the elk for it to fall or stumble without hitting her., but stayed close enough to be able to leap in at a moment's notice and contribute to the kill.

Ayria kept up her pace, waiting for just the right moment to make her attack. It came with a rush of dark brown slamming into the elk and her stumbling. Given how much the impact had affected her, she would have a hard time keeping up any sort of pace with that bad leg of hers and the wounds Kairos had inflicted upon her. This was the moment the she-wolf had been waiting for, and in a moment she lashed out, her elongated upper fangs cutting into the flesh of the elk's throat and then tearing it - along with the windpipe and jugular - wide open.

Her work done, Ayria darted out of harm's way - getting caught in the hip with a hoof in the process. A blaze of pain assaulted her but it wasn't anything truly serious - a bruised bone at the worst, she figured - thanks to the elk's weakening condition. Her body was already working on healing the damage, and it would be a non-issue soon enough. She then waited for her pack mates. There was no way the elk was getting away now, and she'd be dead soon even if she did manage it. If that happened, they'd have only to follow the trail of blood to her corpse.

[Xane;;]

Kairos saw Brock’s tail whiz by, and seconds later he felt a jolt from the elk. It stumbled, and Kairos bit down tight and jerked back. By then the cow elk had completely lost its feet, and was struggling to right itself. But it was too late. The raw smell of fresh blood met Kairos’ nose, and he knew it did not come from a minor cut. It was elk blood, running thick and hard. The fatally wounded creature tried to bellow, but it came out as a gurgling wheeze, and Kairos realized that its windpipe was also destroyed. He immediately released the cow elk’s rear leg. He danced around the animal’s hooves, not eager to receive a second blow to the chin. Kairos’ mouth was open in a delighted pant, and his eyes shone was glee as he admired the massive amounts of meat that now surrendered before him. It took only a few seconds, and then a deadly combination of blood loss and asphyxiation sqeezed the last bits of life out of this one unlucky elk. While still trying to run, it tottered, and then collapsed onto the ground. Crinkling his nose, Kairos eyed the gory mess that Ayria’s fangs had made of the animal’s throat. Sheesh. Don’t want to be in the way of those, he thought. At this point Kairos took the courtesy to stay back, respectfully allowing the alphas to select the choice bits first. But while awaiting his turn, he happened to glimpse a pained look flash across Ayria’s face. Kairos sidled over, keeping his head down and ears back. He lightly touched his nose to her fur, a silent question asking ‘Are you okay?’ He was aware that Ayria had the healing gift, but if Kairos had a chance to contribute his own power, he was willing. WORD COUNT 347 NOTES Kairos is happy. x3

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[Shanto]

There's a beast,

So take this night; Wrap it around me like a sheet. I know I'm not forgiven, but I need a place to sleep. So take this night and lay me down on the street. I know I'm not forgiven, but I hope that I'll be given some peace. There's a game, that I play. There are rules, I had to break. There's mistakes, that I made. But I made them, my way.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

As the doe elkryn fell and her blood ran thick and slow like molasses, Brock slowly walked forward, panting and still dizzy from his impact. The leader had taken care of large prey before and he crouched down, watching the live quickly leave the doe's eyes silently thanking her for a good life. Standing up he shook his head to clear any fogginess that was still left. "Everyone ok? Ayria? Kairos?" That had been a powerful and satisfying hunt but there was something totally wrong with it.

"I swear if I ever seen that female again I will personally skin her alive." The leaders voice was chocked full of burning anger and frustration. Moonrunner could have gotten them killed and he was fairly sure she knew it too. He had yelled at her the previous day, for untrusting his judgment and not putting her in the alphess spot but that decision was not something a regular member would be allowed to make. Now he stood here with a good piece of prey and a new fire in his blood.

It would be a good time to make allies of the other packs. Moon was trouble and Brock was not a male to be pushed around. The others would know as soon as possible to never take her in. The male walked to his mate, still panting, although it was lighter now, and sat. Not sure what to do, his apatite mostly gone, replaced with anger and worry.

Now it's running.
My way.

[reeddragon]

The elk died within moments, a fact for which Ayria was grateful. She did not want the prey to suffer any longer than it had to, and she didn't feel like going after it if it had managed to wander away. As for the poor elk, its herd had left her in their collective panic, and the only trace that remained of their existence in the area was a scent trail that was gradually fading. Such was the way that herds worked, and Ayria was glad to be in a pack instead, where the members were looked after.

Then again, if the elk were more protective, the wolves would starve. She should be grateful for their looser bonds, as well.

Kairos held back at first, giving the alphas a chance to feed before approaching the kill, but she wanted to make sure her mate was all right before she fed. Also, her injury was still bothering her. The pain was fading, and she would easily be able to bare it soon, but for now she had to stay put and let her gift do its work. As she waited, the beta male approached her, no doubt seeing that she was in pain. When he asked if she was okay, she nodded. "I'll be fine. It wasn't a serious wound." She cast him a concerned glance. "You had me worried for a moment. Those hooves are powerful."

Then Brock came into view, and Ayria's tail wagged. He seemed fine, though perhaps a bit disoriented. When he asked if they were okay, Ayria nodded. "No real problems on my end. I'm just thankful we succeeded. This elk would be vital to our survival this winter." She shuddered. Fall was half over, and prey would soon become scarce. What was Moonrunner thinking?!

She was thinking about causing everyone pain because of her petty obsession with power she wouldn't even wield wisely.

Brock then voiced what she assumed they were all thinking, and she nodded. "She had better hope I never see her again." The other female had pushed her too far. Ayria had tried to be patient with her, but...no. She couldn't do it anymore. She didn't want enemies, but she didn't want to keep any sort of good relationship with Moonrunner anymore. Not after this.

Brock sat down next to her, and she gave his muzzle a few licks while putting Moonrunner at the back of her mind where she belonged. Moonrunner didn't matter right now. They had prey and they were all fairly healthy. The hunt was a success despite the black-and-white she-wolf's efforts. They could eat and be that much closer to surviving the winter.

Our pack will thrive, with or without her.

The pain had faded to a reasonably tolerable level by this point, and she eyed the prey hungrily. Yes, food. They needed to eat. Brock wasn't making any moves toward it, and Karros seemed to be waiting for the alphas. Maybe they were both waiting for her.

She nuzzled Brock and then slowly stood up and approached the kill, brushing his shoulder with her tail as she went. She walked around the elk, getting in the best position before tearing into the flesh and taking in her first mouthful of meat. The taste was wonderful normally, but it seemed even sweeter after the challenge of making the kill in less than ideal circumstances.

[Sandtiger]

&

Eyolf's eyes blazed with a certain fear/apprehension as he remembered the dismal howl that had rung out when he and Efron had been watching the adults hunt for the first time. He remembers seeing Brock's anger, and his words. I swear if I ever see that female again I will personally skin her alive. were the alpha male's words. And the sheer shock and anger in his voice made Eyolf scared and unhappy, unlike him. He was a five/six month old pup, he didn't understand it! Why did they need to kill another fellow? Not that he ever liked Moonrunner, but... It seemed harsh to him. But he relented to keep his thoughts silent. He remembered shaking his head as the elk darted off and the adults raced off to chase them. He had morphed a golden eagle, and with little light Efron on his back, weighing him down considerably might he say, they had followed the hunt from the air. Only when the hunt ended did they land. Swearing he would have a broken back, so much did his back ache form carrying his brother into flight with him, he morphed back and raced up to Brock and Ayria. Not to eat, he would have his hide tanned if he took even a nibble while the alpha's ate, but to be more comfortable. They were almost adoptive parents to the beige pup, but he still remembered his real parents. But Cheveyo's recent snakebite incident left him wondering. And suspicious. But for now he had... A great big happy family! Well... Kinda! Efron was a different story than his brother. He had heard the howl and instantly knew it was that wolf Moonrunner, and his first thoughts were after it Good riddance, ha. He never liked the she-wolf and the pack meeting incident set him off, so unlike the cool-headed, dark wolf he was. And that left him reeling and avoiding her at every turn, not out of fur, but of disgust and perhaps slight insecurity. He didn't want to admit it though, just like himself. However, you could notice his dislike through the stubborn set of his jaw and in increase in sarcastic remarks than usual for the pup. And he already was somewhat sarcastic by nature. He had watched and flitted along while the hunt was going on, scanning with dark, keen eyes. He did not like the mopish aura his brother Eyolf gave off, but put it aside after convincing his brother to morph an eagle and fly them above everything. He had felt a little queasy so high up knowing no illusion could save him from such a high fall if he was that unlucky. Than they finally landed. He thought everyone was slightly unsettled, and had good reason to be, but who was he to judge everyone's mood? He had once considered an outcast's life, and it still seemed appealing, despite the hardships. He would dictate his own actions and be allowed to make as many comments on everything as he liked. And he wouldn't have to wait to eat a meal. But for now, it was a distant thing, being a pup. He was rather hungry watching the top dogs chew down on their meal and he was soooo hungry.... Maybe he could slip a bite? A light playful smirk teased his face. Perhaps in a moment... I will be eating... Not waiting... Lyrics: N/A Notes: N/A OOC: N/A

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[Xane;;]

Kairos felt relieved at Ayria’s response. But he had to laugh at that last part, as he said, “You don’t have to tell me that.” Even though his voice was lighthearted, his mind was not. It had been a moose hoof which smashed the skull of his brother, Mors. Brock asked if they were okay. Kairos nodded mutely. This had been a good hunt – no injuries, and a good, juicy reward. Yet it seemed not all of his pack was as content as ol’ Kairos. His ears flicked back as Brock spewed off his anger at Moonrunner. This was a side of Brock that Kairos had never seen before, and it unsettled him. Yet Kairos kept silent as the two alphas sat next to each other and reassured themselves. Hopefully the progressively colder weather would help to re-focus Brock and ease away some of his frustration. For soon snow would cover the ground, and the pack needed a clear-headed leader. It seemed that Brock was still too upset to eat, so Ayria took the lead, tearing into the elk’s shoulder. Kairos took this as a cue to begin, so he sidled up to the carcass. He licked at the animal’s hide for a moment, and then dug his teeth into the elk’s haunches. Soon the smell of fresh meat overwhelmed his senses, washing away any worries that had been bouncing around in his brain. Kairos’ ears twitched as he heard small, pattering feet approach. He lifted his bloody head, and was delighted to see the twin pups coming at a run. The little ones greeted Brock and Ayria, and it warmed Kairos’ heart to watch them. WORD COUNT 320 NOTES Not my best.

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[Shanto]

There's a beast,

So take this night; Wrap it around me like a sheet. I know I'm not forgiven, but I need a place to sleep. So take this night and lay me down on the street. I know I'm not forgiven, but I hope that I'll be given some peace. There's a game, that I play. There are rules, I had to break. There's mistakes, that I made. But I made them, my way.

[/blockquote]

And I let it run,

Brock let his two counterparts eat for a minute or two. Greeting the pups before he walked to tear at the dead elkryn's belly. The meat was sweet and tasted wonderful after eating mostly small prey for the past week or so. It had felt good to hunt, and although he was not nearly happy about letting Moonrunner go he decided it was best to gain power and energy before he went to hunt down the mutt.

The leader licked the blood off his muzzle; it seemed to change his dark brown fur a bloody black. Glancing over at the pups his eyes seemed to welcome them to the kill to fill their small bellies. Cheveyo was the first of the three to see this and the intelligent young she wolf padded quietly around the carcass, looking for small spot to tear into her meal. She was hungry and the dead doe looked amazingly appetizing. All the pups had had elkryn meat before, but the last time was quite a while ago and so the smell teased the she-pup's small nose.

Now it's running.
My way.

[reeddragon]

Ayria was aware of Kairos approaching the kill and beginning to feed. Perhaps most alphas would have driven him off for eating before she was done, but not her. To her, There was plenty to be had for everyone, and they would all need their full strength for the coldest part of the year, which was coming on fast.

Brock had come to feed - finally - and Ayria thought she saw the pups approach the kill as well. Her tail wagged at the sight and she began ripping off chunks of the carcass, setting them aside in case the pups wanted or needed them. She had never had the problem of biting into prey, but she had the advantage of enhanced upper fangs. The pups might have a hard time tearing their own bites out of the kill, and they needed the food more than the adults. Of all the wolves in the pack, they would be most vulnerable this winter, due to their youth, and she intended to see her entire pack make it to spring alive and well.