Gent's request actually managed to excite the tawny woman some. She was discovering that hunting was quite the fun activity. It was something her parents would never have allowed her to partake in, much less thought her remotely capable of. Small creatures had been her only training back then, but wandering for those eight months had forced the girl to hone her skills. Their woodchuck hunt had been a great success, and now that the wounds had healed (mostly), it was good for the two of them to get out again. At this rate Raela was beginning to fancy herself a hunter; providing for the pack and keeping tabs on local prey sounded wonderful – though she was happy to simply feel like she had a purpose at all. Even better, she could have Gent as a hunting partner.

Raela didn't question her dark friend as they moved past the smaller meals scornfully. It was time the pack had something serious to eat. It was just the two of them, though, and the Crest subordinate worried that they'd have to find a very injured or sickly animal to have a decent shot at bringing it home. Gent seemed to have other ideas, though. She picked up on the trail just as he did, ears flicking this way and that for any further clues to the animal's whereabouts. They centered on the hulking male as he spoke. Rae thought for a second, offering him a soft smile. Gent was in such a good mood lately, but who wasn't with all three of the new Crest pups delivered safely and tucked away in the den? Internally she sighed. It was worth a try with a wolf of his size and skill. ”Alright, we can give it a shot.”

The words had barely left the woman's mouth before Raela's over-sensitive ears detected the excited loping of their youngest member. A smile was on her face before the girl's head had even turned enough to notice the rapidly wagging silver form darting toward them so happily. His enthusiasm caught onto her contagiously, prompting the tawny female to slap the dirt in a play bow as he dashed forward. She rose just in time to receive the flurry of puppy kisses to her maw, wagging back and licking his forehead in return. He was such a cute kid – but his size was far from that of a child now. Why, Kova was taller than her! She drew back and listened to the young royal's greeting, regarding him with soft eyes and a beaming grin. 

”And hello to you my Prince.” Raela dipped her muzzle respectfully. She watched for Gent's reaction before turning to listen to the boy's words again. Of course she wanted him to join them. Her golden eyes fell over the boy's frame, taking note of how much better he looked since rejoining the pack. He was a yearling now, and as such Raela knew he could easily be of use. Glancing sideways at the larger male, she spoke again with a slight smirk. ”I think he'd make a fine addition to our little hunting party.” The honey-eyed woman's voice rose in pitch, trying to get Gent's opinion on the matter; though she doubted the Lieris man would say “no.”

The volume of Gent's affirmation brought the girl's ears back. In her excitement she'd completely forgotten that the deer was likely within hearing range. Raela lowered her head a bit, taking note of how serious the dark man became in warning Kova. His icy gaze fell upon her next, and the tawny woman nodded swiftly in agreement. She didn't want a repeat of the groundhog hunt; wounds from a mother deer would be much more severe in all likelihood. Her golden orbs located the silver youth beside them, focusing on his own while she gestured them on with a tilt of her head and a friendly smirk. Hopefully Kova would pick up on her silence and Gent's lowered volume. 

They meandered over the uneven terrain, picking between thick trees and stepping carefully over dirt-caked roots and stones. The timbers was a near mountainous area, making the possibility of a high speed pursuit as unlikely as it would be difficult. Thankfully, the sun only managed to penetrate through the pines in little patches, offering the hunting party comfortable shade and wind protection as they pressed on. Rae stopped her surveillance to gaze at the forest's beauty now and again. The way the light filtered between the leaves and left them glowing from beneath wasn't something the nature-observer in her could easily ignore. 

After a few mere minutes of following the trail though, the subordinate's ears began rising. She was picking up the distant crackle of leaves and stripping of foliage that always signified the presence of prey. The others hadn't quite caught on yet, but that was something Raela had gotten used to. Quickly she pressed her nose into Gent's thigh before whipping her head around to alert Kova with a nervous glance. Staring in the direction of the sound, the female's ears were perfectly vertical. If they hadn't gotten the message they surely would now. Taking a few careful, silent steps, she managed to angle herself at just the right spot to see through the vast collection of tree-trunks. Scanning carefully, her brilliant pools darted suddenly toward a hint of movement. The sliver of visible space between the foliage revealed the doe's front shoulder, neck bent as she nibbled at some branch or plant just out of sight.

Rae lifted her tail horizontally in an attempt to point out the animal, her stare unwavering. A thought occurred just then; if they waited a few moments, perhaps she would give away her child's location. New fawns were notoriously hard to detect, especially so early in the season as it was now. It was baffling just how little scent they carried and how still they could be in the grass. Many times wolves would walk right by, or stumble upon one by accident. Luckily it seemed that they had a cross-breeze, so the mother at least wouldn't smell the predators' approach. They just had to be slow and quiet.  Stepping back to Gent's side, the woman practically pressed her muzzle into his ear in an attempt to be quiet. ”She might call to the fawn if we wait.” The whisper was barely audible in itself, and she hoped Kova would remain still until they decided how to approach this.

Raela was happy to see that Kova made an effort to silence his movements, though she expected no less from the princely youth. He was no fool. Gent took her suggestion seriously, settling into cover just as she did. The younger member of the party seemed to catch on as well, and made no visible or audible objections to playing the waiting game. A quick glance in his direction revealed the boy's intensely focused gaze. He really was trying to do his best. The sight made her smile inside as her golden eyes found their target yet again. As luck would have it the blissfully innocent fawn teetered up onto barely-used legs, moving to the doe's side hungrily. Excitement brewed in her chest, raising the girl's tail just an inch or two as she laid in her hiding place. It was time. 

The thought of killing such a precious little creature didn't sit well in the huntress' stomach, but the thought of feeding the pups and the pack certainly did. She wanted to kill the little one with as much mercy as could be afforded, but she knew having Kova in the group would change those plans. The fawn was a perfectly safe learning opportunity for the lad; and surely the mild-mannered boy would see fit to end it quickly. The baby deer certainly wasn't going to outrun anyone after all. Its most impressive defense had been eliminated when it stood up out of the grass under a false impression of safety. In hopes of offering a cue of sorts to their young charge, Rae glanced between him and the fawn a few times until she was sure he had noticed. 

That taken care of she began circling as Gent had. They could only get so far into the clearing before the breeze would give them away, and each footstep had a higher and higher chance of betraying the careful hunters. Even as they moved the mother appeared to grow tense. The russet woman was given fewer and fewer opportunities to advance as the doe scanned the treacherous foliage time and time again. Opportunity was fickle; she would figure them out very soon. Sensing in her prickling skin that that moment was upon them, she waited only long enough to verify Gent's and Kova's position before striking. A crashing of leaves and twigs signaled the animal's doom as the lithe girl launched into action. There were no growls of intimidation here – she meant only business. Darting swiftly across the clearing she collided with the fawn only milliseconds after its guardian took note. Teeth sunk into it's soft skin, wounding it just enough. Her speed tore through its hide hastily as the youngster was tossed to the dirt. Practically feeling the hooves aimed at her back, she released just as she'd broken skin, leaping over the downed child with little more than a scrape. 

The wobbly, bleating fawn would be struggling in the dirt for just a few more seconds before she was sure the silver-furred royal would be at its throat. She dashed back toward the enraged doe, a snarl now wrinkling her face. Snapping once near her hocks, Rae managed to turn the beast foolishly away from her child. Another few kicks lashed her way, again barely dodged by the agile wolf. The huntress barked as she moved back, hoping to vex the frustrated animal onto her and her alone until reinforcements broke from the shadows. Gent's strength would make quick work of downing this doe if he could line up the shot. Then it would be up to her and Kova to mob it from the sides.