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+---- Thread: Red Fern Forest you should've ran faster (/showthread.php?tid=4913)
you should've ran faster - Ava - Jul 03, 2013
First official Darkwater Rapids Pack Hunt~ Let's aim for 3 rounds, 1 week per round, no posting order. Try to keep your posts concise so they're easy reads and hopefully there won't be too much chaos :D Minor PP in here of them traveling from DR territory; I hope that's alright with everyone.
Round One: Attackers (@Kade, @Maksim) approach the front of the herd, chasers (Ava, @Isadora, @Lily) run from behind to locate and isolate a worthy target.
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[/dohtml]Their first official outing to feed as a family intensified the levels of adrenaline coursing through Ava's veins, lending her a swifter gait and a sharper eye without noticing the expense. There was nothing like the rush of a hunt to feel more powerful than earthly force, and nothing like family to share the glory with. Following the recent scent of mule deer the five wolves pushed beyond their borders; the thick, plush greenery that surrounded them faded - gradually, then all at once - in to a sea of red leaves.
Ava fought her desperate need for the chase, knowing that today she could not let the red thirst control her mind. Isadora yearned to be recognized for her talents at hunting, and Ava had promised her this opportunity. Though she would keep part of the charge, certain of her own experience to lead them to victory, she gave the other part of it to the dark youth as she allowed the she-wolf to walk near her side as they loped from their shadowy home into the neighboring forest. Of course it was not only Isa's abilitiy the dark Queen was eager to discover. Lily's enthusiasm was a force of reckoning. To put it to good use would be rewarding - but first, a use had to be found. Maybe it could be hunting?
Her pace slowed as the scent began to saturate the air, fiery eyes searching through the breaks between the tree trunks to spot their game. A small herd had dared the bright foliage for a nibble at some grass. There were a number of adults, mostly female and one or two males, and of course their young. On tense legs Ava angled her snout and glanced toward Kade and Maksim, suggesting they stray ahead to give them two paths of attack. Then she let her eyes fall upon the dark yearling, a ghostly smile on her lips. She withdrew slightly, placing herself near Lily, and glanced toward the herd - it was Isa's call now.
Once Isadora had indicated their target and the burly males had gained ground to cut their prey off at the other end, Ava would give chase.
RE: you should've ran faster - Isadora - Jul 03, 2013
Hope this is alright <3
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Isadora found herself almost shaking from her being nervous, her chance to prove her worth as a hunter to the pack was found and Ava had promised that she would be one of the hunt leaders. She knew that the two men were there for attack, Ava’s own mate, the other alpha of the pack, and another subordinate. That left the girls for the chase and Isa knew she had to plan accordingly, strategies went through her head, and she knew that it all depended on what game they were actually hunting. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, the herd in front of the as she aimed for a target. She had seen a few older ones, ones that could be an easier kill to take down, however the eldest, and from what she saw the slowest in reflexes, was a male. It was mule deer, and male deer meant horns.
She had witnessed a hunt, as a pup she had just been able to watch, they always seemed to aim for old or sick ones. With the amount of young around, she figured that the old buck was the best; the mothers would no doubt be on high alert for their children. She saw them all stotting around and she had the lust for blood. She signaled out the deer with her tail, the animal had huge ears, like the rest. The beast was around Ava’s size, though Isa figured that when she was fully grown then the deer would be the size of her too. She gave maybe a second for the other chasers to prepare for a good chase. She knew that talking would be dumb since deer had an acute sense of hearing that would alert them of the dark females presence, and indirectly the presence of Ava and Lily.
Isa had often done scouting of the parts of the woods, she knew that there was a small clearing up ahead and there was a bend in order to get to it, she hoped the three of them could chase the older one around the bend and separate them from the rest of the herd, then lead them to the clearing, or somewhere near there where the attackers would finish them off and they could all dine on a job well done. With a small wave of her tail, she took off at the deer, the herd startled, and she knew Ava and Lily would be right behind. Her eyes narrowed as the wind rushed against her jet black fur, the mule deer started to run, and the target seemed to break off from the rest of them. It was just as Isadora had planned, she had gotten very lucky with her attempt. Now it was down to everyone.
RE: you should've ran faster - Lily - Jul 03, 2013
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Happily the white yearling had fallen in beside @Maksim, aiming playful nips at his ribs, attempting to entice the older wolf into a race. But quickly even she realised that she would do better to contain some of her energy for the hunt itself and so, with a spring still in her step, eyes darting about excitedly and ears sitting high atop her head she followed close on her leaders tails, excited for this hunt to finally begin.
Of course she had been on hunts before, but rarely with more than her mother. The gathering about her bought a whole new element to the chase and she was eager to learn, hungry for knowledge as well as the meat this exercise would bring it. Even as they came to a stop and the males moved around the herd, her toes pawed at the ground anxiously (and thankfully silently). Her nose pointing from one potential target to the next, waiting for any sign to give chase.
The other black yearling set off, leaving Lily momentarily confused as she seemed to head towards a large buck. She was more used to targeting the young, but then again she was used to having far fewer numbers than she was with today. The thoughts flew though her mind in a matter of seconds before she was off after the herd as well, flying to the left. She was unfamiliar with the area and had no idea about the upcoming bend but it seemed that Isadora knew where she was going so she pulled herself back a little waiting for a sign on which way to run.
She was getting frustrated holding back her pace, and as a result was losing her concentration. Her teeth clicked together as a careless fawn drew too close, and while she wanted to keep with the rest of her pack, she had never handled distraction well. Hitting the breaks to snap and a snarl at the young deer was enough to send the creature and it’s mother wheeling away from the buck, but all it took was a glance at the others continuing on to pull her back to the task at hand. She could only hope the boys would catch up soon.
RE: you should've ran faster - Maksim - Jul 04, 2013
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Truth be told, the Baranski was deathly excited at the prospect of a hunt, though he dare not show it … much. Substantial food that wasn’t merely fish, hare or some other vermin! The thought of deer caused his mouth to water; he hadn’t tasted freshly killed venison in quite some time. There were, of course, other reasons to be excited. Two female yearlings that had recently joined were accompanying Kade, Ava and himself: Lily, of course, and a black female called Isadora.
The band of five departed from the Secret Falls and into a forest of red. Lily’s infectious energy and enthusiasm, as well as his own bubbling excitement, had gotten the best of him. Maksim’s tail began to wag and he gently nudged her ribs as he almost bounded in return to her feigned nips. He knew what she wanted—a race to be exact—and the male had two reasons to politely decline with the soft prod. One was that Lily was so much faster than he would ever be and the other was that he had to conserve his energy for his part in the hunt.
Ava gestured towards the Baranski and her mate, Kade, to move on ahead. Rolling his shoulders, Maksim took off in a slow jog, looping around in a wide arc to the front of the herd. Half of his attack would have to be planned and the other half would rely on instinct. He was hoping, mainly, that he’d get a good hold of the deer’s throat and throw his weight around, floor the prey of choice and hold it steadfast.
The sudden thunder of hooves alerted Maksim to the fact the chase had begun and he picked up the pace. Whatever @Kade chose to do, he would surely follow his superior with his jaws at the ready.
RE: you should've ran faster - Ava - Jul 10, 2013
Round 2: Attack! Chasers can (realistically) aim for the legs and gut, attackers do your thing :p As I forgot to mention in round 1 everyone is welcome to pp the deer's movements! Round ends on the 17th.
Also pp'ing @Kade since Allie's on absence; hope that's alright?
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Ava's heart beat with excitement. Maksim and Kade had made their way up ahead and the target had been chosen. A fire lit in her amber eyes as the three wolves made the chase, twisting her body through the stragglers of the heard as she made her way for the target. Ava's eyes flashed toward the snarl that sounded behind her, catching the last of Lily's warning as her head swung back to face the front. She narrowed her eyes for the briefest moment; What was she doing? With a discontented snort Ava put another burst of speed in to her steps, having to force herself to recall she was still learning. Besides, she'd been able to send the fawn bleating for its mother rather than get kicked by it, which was the better alternative.
Focused once more she relocated the older buck Isa had chosen. He hung to the side of the herd. A devious smile nearly appeared in her expression. The mothers were quick to collect their young, trying to usher them to safety and using their own bodies to make a physical barrier. Fine, thought Ava. It was not their little ones they were taking today. A delighted snarl crept from her throat as she pushed forward, creeping in to the space between the deer and the rest of his herd. Jaws snapping at his flank he attempted to further himself from Ava and succeeded in doing so, steadily removing himself from the group.
The thundering of hooves was beginning to grow quieter. In a blind panic the rest of the deer wouldn't even notice he was gone, but Ava knew the buck was quickly understanding he was alone. Desperate animals were cruel, and she'd seen the sharpness of his hooves. Not wasting another moment the she-wolf leapt for the space between his side and his flank, large, cruel bites aimed to rip his flesh. The moment she felt her teeth break skin, dark blood dripping down his short hairs and on to her tongue, Ava lost her head to everything but the kill. Furiously she raked her teeth down his side, narrowly avoiding his hind legs as the buck felt his luck going downhill.
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RE: you should've ran faster - Isadora - Jul 11, 2013
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Isabel found that she had fallen slightly behind on her quest, and that Ava had managed to run ahead of her. She felt a small failure, and she found that she pushed herself twice as hard to catch up to the black furred leader that seemed so sure and confident. It was the old buck that was going down, and she aimed to take it down with her packmates, and she settled for the legs, which seemed to be the opportune place to aim, perhaps she could reach the upper thigh and with little thought, she found herself leaping at the target, the blood lust {or at least the anticipation of the kill} was overwhelming to her almost, her eyes craving the excitement of the kill. That was all it ever would be about in hunting, it was the kill, not even how you got there, just the kill.
She felt her mind slip from free will to instinct, and she latched onto a part of the leg where it would connect with the body, blood in her mouth made her crave more, but she knew the threat, she was shaking violently because the buck kicked and she lost her grip, falling from the deer and found herself getting up quickly. She knew the attackers would do their thing and they would all get a meal that night, but she felt like a failure, she went back at it, launching herself once more at the deer and she got a firm grip near the flank, and also near Ava. She wondered what Lily had been doing, and she wondered why she had gotten so off course, but those were questions for another day, another time perhaps, all that mattered was bringing home Mule Deer for the children that Kade sired and Ava carried inside her for two months, children Ava brought into the world.
RE: you should've ran faster - Maksim - Jul 11, 2013
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Everything fell into place; the women had targeted an old buck and successfully managed to worm between him and the herd before steering him away. It seemed the black females had latched onto the prey’s flank though Maksim couldn’t make out where young Lily was. Regardless, they had done their job and now it was time for his. The Baranski snarled wickedly, flung himself towards the buck with open jaws.
He aimed for the throat, sinking his teeth in hungrily. Blood oozed into the wolf’s mouth and the buck jerked his head around, snorting like an ox trying to shake off the attacker. He succeeded, only briefly, in loosening Maksim’s grip and causing jaws to slip away whilst simultaneously kicking wildly. Immediately, Maksim was back on target, a little lower this time so his teeth sunk into flesh rather than the looser skin he caught before. He made sure to get a good hold, hoping to choke the buck that kept twisting and kicking.
The Darkwater male tried to jerk his body around, twisted his jaws this way and that way, in hopes of dragging the prey to the ground. He could feel the buck slowing rapidly, Death’s embrace slow and draining. It was only a matter of time now. The Baranski couldn’t see the buck’s eyes but he had killed before. Panic and disarray were the most common looks given. Sorry, old friend, he thought, but it’s either you or us.
RE: you should've ran faster - Kade - Jul 12, 2013
Blah. Sorry for the hold up.
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RE: you should've ran faster - Ava - Jul 18, 2013
Round 3! Prey goes down & the hunt is complete. Becu is on absence so she's pardoned. Round ends on the 25th (Happy Christmas in July~)! Then I can make a post to wrap it up/fade to black and the thread will be complete :3
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[/dohtml]Through her grip Ava too felt her body jerked about as the old deer found enough spirit left in him to twist and kick as though several sets of teeth hadn't found their way into his skin. It was a valiant effort, perhaps, but moreover it was a waste. His desperate activity only furthered blood flow to the wounds and fatigue was coming quickly to take him over. In her peripherals she could hardly see the actions of her pack mates, but when the mule deer's shakes turned to shudders and his legs began to buckle beneath the weight of all those hanging on she knew they had done well.
The movement forward slowed steadily and then all at once; all the fight the mule deer had to give had been given. As life was fleeting from his eyes Ava gave a vicious snarl and pulled down, her paws scrambling backward as she made sure not to trap her own body beneath the buck's. With a heavy thud the animal was thrown to the ground, giving the black Leader a moment to survey the scene. There were no other deer in sight and each of her own had excelled at the attack. A grin adorned her blood-stained maw as her tail swung with victory, certainly proud of their accomplishments as a family.
Ava knew the value of their catch today. They would have plenty to return home to the caches, even better because it would soon be time for their young to eat meat as well. But first - hadn't they all the taste for venison themselves? A carnal hunger emerged from the pit of her stomach and the dark Queen rose her head, wrinkling her nose and baring her teeth with soft growl. Her tail curled over her back as she approached her mate. Leaders ate first, but their kill was sizable. There would be plenty left once the dark pair had their fill.
RE: you should've ran faster - Isadora - Jul 21, 2013
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Isadora felt the deer getting weaker and weaker, eventually collapsing and she felt a great victory in it, they had taken it down as a family, a family she was definitely been proud to be part of. She backed up after unlatching herself, she knew that it was customary, and tradition and everything else for the alpha pair to eat first, she gazed around her surroundings and she was calm, she wanted to eat, but she would wait. There would be plenty left for it was a huge piece of prey. Her thoughts rushed with memories of when she had taken down a deer with her siblings and parents in Darkened Cove. Or that one and only hunt she had been on in Silverhorse Grave.
It had been almost a month since she had last hunted bigger prey, she had often found herself without a hunting partner, and so she would go for prey like rabbits or woodchucks. Her tail was curled underneath her, but not quite flat against her stomach. She gracefully sat down a few body lengths from the deer. Perhaps two or three lengths, she would eat once they got the meal back to the princes and the princessas. Though she had not met the princesses, she had met Mace and Rowan, who were two rowdy and clangor boys. She had a feeling they would be a large handful when they started to enter the months where they started to take on pack duties like all the adult members had. They would be a lot of fun.
She hoped that she had not let Ava down when she practically led the hunt {except for she had not called it and things like that}. She supposed she would talk to her alpha about it later, after they had all eaten, perhaps a day later than when the hunt had taken place. It almost worried her, had Ava seen her lose her grip? Did she think that she wasn’t suited for the role that she wanted because of the little slip up? Isadora was so nervous about it she was practically sweating. Stress sweat was always a bad thing, the anxiety was sinking in, what if she had fail her alpha, whom she had told that she was a great hunter? She wondered if she wasn’t quite cracking up to be a hunter. Surely it for Ava to decide.