Secluded Spring A new way to bleed

Early Afternoon, Broken Clouds, 60.8°F, 16°C. All Welcome!
Hunting demonstration 1/8

It had been several days since Aida had last enjoyed a decent meal. Travelling on her own made it almost impossible for the female to take down large prey, forcing her to focus her efforts on smaller species such as rabbits and marmots. The small mammals were quick though, and much too agile, often able to dart away from her gaping jaws and dive down into their hidden burrows before she’d even had the chance to tire herself out from the chase. The high population of coyotes in the area was also proving to be a problem. Their overwhelming stench had all the prey species on high alert. Aida could barely breathe without hearing some small creature scuttling away in the underbrush.

Hunting in the forest was certainly not going well for the lone female, so today Aida had decided to seek out a body of water to fish in. The river that cut through the fjord had proved much too turbulent the last time she had tried. The scratch to her shoulder left by the coyote pained her (though she was doing her best to ignore it), leaving her with a subtle limp as she moved her way westward through the tall white fir trees in search of calmer waters.

Eventually, through the maze of closely rooted trees and hanging vines, Aida thought she could make out the familiar glistening of water. As she slowly weaved her way closer, brushing the moss-covered vines to one side, her amber eyes focused on the image of the clouded sky that was reflected on the still, murky surface of the lake. The dark female neared the edge of the water, her left leg hanging hesitantly above the smooth slope of the dry bank as she stared down into the dark watery depths below.

(This post was last modified: Aug 21, 2018, 07:39 PM by Aida.)

hunt dem 1/3

If she'd been expecting the experience to be as breathtaking as the novel, beautiful scenery, this had been her lucky day.

The sight of the fjord, its stony walls towering on either side of the rushing river that glimmered in the sunlight, was a stark change from the flat, verdant tangle of forest surrounding Shallows Edge. The wind that rustled through it had a song all its own - whimsical, hollow, enjoyable. There didn't seem to be a thing about this place that wasn't reverent, magnificent even, and it was with wide, interested eyes that Lyanna soaked up every bit of it before resigning to move along and follow the river's waters a while further.

Navigating over the terrain of the rocky terrain between the fjord and the spring required an agile touch, and she managed well enough, taking her time to avoid any unforeseen mishaps - like losing a toenail or two. Eventually the tawny girl reached the woodland she knew surrounded Secluded Spring, testing the air with a flick of her tongue. She was closer to Copper Rock Creek than she'd had been in a very long time. The notion was rather bittersweet, but with a task set in her mind the girl didn't ruminate on it for long.

It was unlikely that she'd find a herd of anything, judging from the distinct scent of only wood and water in the breeze, but perhaps she'd come across the arnica that had eluded her elsewhere. And, though it wasn't her favorite, she reckoned she could fish out an acceptable meal while she was here.

It hadn't registered that she wasn't quite alone here. Not yet.

(This post was last modified: Sep 21, 2018, 03:26 AM by Lyanna. Edit Reason: Thought we were in the fjord :3 Need. More. Coffee. )

Hunting demonstration 3/8

As she stared down into the lake, her amber eyes squinted. It was hard trying to see past all the dirt and algae that polluted the water, but Aida knew that if she just focused enough she would be able to make out the faint dark shadows of fish swimming beneath its murky surface. It took a few moments for her vision to adjust, but once it did, Aida’s eyes did not move from the water and the forest around her seemed to grow dark, quiet and unfocused.

Carefully she lowered her left fore-paw to the ground and adjusted her weight so that she could stand perfectly still at the edge of the water. Her dark ears were cupped forward, alert, as the female listened out for any rippling or splashing sounds on the lake’s surface. Deliberately her amber gaze scanned the water. Aida’s jaws clenched when she suddenly spotted a dark streamline shadow moving through the gloom of the deep water further out. Fish!

The female’s tail swayed softly behind her in delight, her gaze continuing to follow the fish as it circled around until…

The distorted reflection of another wolf, their pale coat stark against the murky water of the lake, caught her off-guard. Aida’s head snapped up and her fur bristled momentarily as she shot a startled look across the lake towards the stranger. She hadn’t heard or smelt the other wolf arrive, having been too preoccupied with investigating the lake to notice. However, now that Aida had spotted them she was curious to know what they intended to do and how long they planned on staying. Fishing was best done without distractions, after all.

Aida watched the stranger quietly, waiting to see if they would notice her there.

(This post was last modified: Aug 21, 2018, 07:39 PM by Aida.)

hunt dem 2/3

Lyanna eyed the bubbling stream that cut through the territory just past the tree line where she'd come to a stop. The overcast sky had a way of making the water less iridescent and more...murky than anything. Shades of green and brown and grey registered on her radar; she would never proclaim to be an expert when it came to fishing, but she made due when she'd tried hard enough. In clearer waters, that was. Her ears flattened for a moment at the inconvenience that would surely test her limited patience when it came to capturing scaly, slimy fish. Scale and slime would be better than an entirely empty tummy, though, right?

She began to make her way closer to the bank, her eyes roving over the grass and sandy dirt, over a patch of algae-crested pebbly rocks, past a wolf and...Oh. She had company. Perking up in attention, her golden gaze meeting the startled-ish one of the dark earthen-furred girl on the other side of the brook. Blinking for a moment as she looked her over, she shifted her weight without budging from her place.

"See anything in there?"

She hadn't intended to interrupt the other wolf's work, if she had. And really the last thing she needed was to get caught up in conversation or - better yet - another squabble with a discontent stranger. But, here they were.

(This post was last modified: Sep 21, 2018, 03:26 AM by Lyanna.)

Hunting demonstration 5/8

Aida’s pale brows furrowed softly as the tawny female lifted her head to meet her amber gaze from across the lake. The dark female remained stable in her spot beside the water’s edge, her body stiffening slightly, unwilling to move despite the golden pair of eyes that now looked her up and down. She flared her nostrils, taking the opportunity to breathe in the stranger’s scent along with the cool breeze that hissed past her through the white fir trees. The scent of the tawny female was intermingled with that of others, her pack mates no doubt. Aida’s attention quickly shifted back to her surroundings as she cautiously inspected the nearby forest for any sign of others lurking about in the shadows, paranoid that she could be outnumbered at any moment.

She had been willing to assert herself above the two coyotes that had ambushed her at the fjord, but if she were to be faced with multiple pack wolves, Aida would not hesitate to make a swift exit. She was already injured and could not afford to get into any more unnecessary scuffles.

Dark ears pricked up at the female’s question, before falling flat as her amber gaze shifted back to stare into the murky water. “Trout, I think…” She replied, a little hesitantly as she continued to squint in search of the dark streamline shadow again to confirm her suspicion. “Too small to be a salmon.” Aida explained with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders as she glanced back to the tawny female. Still, whatever the fish was, it was big enough to provide a decent meal for one of them.

(This post was last modified: Aug 21, 2018, 07:39 PM by Aida.)

hunt dem 3/3

Well then. The stranger's response to her inquiry seemed immediately at minimum semi-expert. Lyanna wasn't even actually sure she could tell the difference between a trout and a salmon, given that she'd grown up in a redwood forest that negated the need to fish in general. Her brows rose in surprise as her interest piqued. She couldn't help but to notice the way the darker girl looked about for a moment after checking out the scent she carried. If she was erring on the side of caution due to the fact that Lyanna wasn't a loner, she had nothing to worry about.

"Don't work yourself up, I'm far from home," she offered with a lopsided grin before motioning with her creamy snout to the stream. "...I'll have to admit that I'm sort of impressed by your observation - you must have some experience with fishing, then?" Slowly as not to startle the stranger any further, she took a few steps forward to crane her neck to look into the water at the shadows that darted about beneath the surface.

(This post was last modified: Sep 21, 2018, 03:27 AM by Lyanna.)

Hunting demonstration 7/8

Aida lifted a brow as the tawny female stated she was far from her pack territory. The information offered her a small feeling of relief, knowing that she was not close to intruding on claimed territory. The dark female’s amber gaze returned back to the water as the stranger motioned towards it with her muzzle, though her focus swiftly returned to the other wolf as they began to wander in closer towards her, leaving nothing but their question hanging in the air between them.

Whilst Aida appreciated the boost to her ego, she did not like how the female presumed it okay to step towards her and join her beside the water. A spot that she had clearly found and claimed for herself. The dark female’s body stiffened up again, and her body turned to angle slightly away from the tawny wolf as she approached, obviously a little uncomfortable with her being there. “I come from a family of fishing wolves. It’s in my blood.” Aida explained, her shoulders hunched forwards slightly as she returned her furrowed gaze to the water as the other female did.

Aida became silent then and all of her attention suddenly focused on the shallow water just in front of them. Her ears pinned forwards and her amber eyes narrowed as she scanned the murky water for the large shadow she had spotted earlier. She was not interested in the smaller fish which darted about just beneath the surface. Aida wanted to sink her teeth into the larger fish which lingered further down along the muddy waterbed. Her limbs flinched instinctively as she spotted the dark shape again, circling its way back around towards the edge of the lake, swimming closer and closer until…

SPLASH!!!

The dark female dived her head into the lake, her jaws parted just wide enough to grasp the rainbow trout between her teeth. The fish struggled, flapping about between her jaws wildly as it attempted to dive away. Aida’s grasp was unyielding though. Slowly, Aida began to lift her head from the muddy, disturbed water, digging her paws hard against the dirt of the sloped bank as she pulled the silver fish from the lake. There was an obvious hint of pride in the way she lifted her head to display her catch, her pale chest puffing out in satisfaction, before she dashed the flopping fish violently to the ground behind her.

(This post was last modified: Aug 21, 2018, 07:39 PM by Aida.)

The stranger was obviously uncomfortable as Lyanna drew up to the bank. As the darker girl angled herself away, Lyanna took a few steps sideways if only to be more accommodating. There really wasn't any need for her darker counterpart to be territorial, as the Tainn was merely making her way through the area and would be on her way soon enough. At any rate, she didn't want to cause a problem here. Both of them had the same purpose in mind - to fish out an easy meal (or so the loner would soon make it look, anyway.)

The girl eyed the murky water for a moment, and Lyanna quietly looked on as she put a bit of thought into her next move before executing it in a flash, with a splash. Her brows quirked at the sight of the fishing wolf with her head in the water and her rump in the air, her muscles working to anchor her form as she went to war with whatever was swimming around down in there. Admittedly having no real appreciation for fishing herself, the whole scene looked strange, or a bit comical. But, it seemed the girl had been truthful when she'd mentioned fishing was in her blood, because when she emerged from the stream with her prize - a wildly panicked trout - it looked legitimate enough. The brown-furred wolf plunked her catch on the shore proudly, puffing out her chest in victory.

Wow. Well she made that look like it wasn't hard at all. If Lyanna hadn't been carefully observing, her jaw might have gaped open. Hmmm. Now she couldn't be outdone outright, so she'd give it her best shot. It wasn't like she couldn't fish, but she wasn't skilled at it by any means, and in fact didn't really like to. With some resignation she didn't say a word before approaching the water herself, her toes planted on the edge of the shore as she leaned over to get a look at what she was dealing with. She shadows beneath the surface darted about, the movement of the fish causing noticeable ripples atop the water. A few good ones passed her by before she felt confident enough to make a move, and with a splash of her own she dove right in. Now it was her turn to be the one with her hind end wavering about in the air, and a fish escaped her grasp before she finally got ahold of one. A BIG one.

Digging her toes into the earth, she braced herself and shuffled backward, water dripping in her eyes and off her head as she emerged and the wrestling match ensued. The heavy trout wriggled about wildly, its weight and frenzied movement causing her neck to jerk up and down as its fin slapped against she side of her snout before whacking her in the face several times. Lyanna's ears pinned back in annoyance as she shook the thing with a growl in an attempt to incapacitate it - or something. But instead it writhed even harder, its slimy scales sharp as they moved across her tongue before it...whacked her straight in the eye!?

"Mm-ugghhhh," was all she managed to get out with her mouth full, her one eye squinting and beginning to water like rain falling from the sky. With a huff she spin around to spit it out on the grass. Her eyes narrowed upon the fighting fish, and she ambled over to pounce on it, taking out her frustration by swiping it hard with her forepaw a few times before clumsily parting her jaws to try and snatch its head right off. She couldn't, and it took her several seconds to catch it again as it flipped and flopped. When she did manage to get her mouth around it, she crunched down on its head with all her might quite a few times before spitting it out with a huff.

It laid there, its crushed head disfigured, its beady little eyes oozing in a disgusting sort of way as it twitched a few times before finally dying.

Her sides heaved from the struggle as she glanced over to the expert who was surely judging her lack of skill. Whatever. It was dead and ready for the eating, wasn't it?

(This post was last modified: Sep 21, 2018, 03:27 AM by Lyanna.)

Hunting demonstration 9/8

Aida’s eyes glanced up towards the tawny female, checking to see if she had been paying attention. Indeed she had been, and the dark female felt a swell of pride in her chest as she returned her amber gaze towards the trout she had caught, her tail swaying behind her contentedly. Not wanting to waste a moment before devouring her freshly caught meal, or even risk it flopping its way back into the water, Aida turned away from the lake and her tawny observer to approach the gasping fish.

The trout flopped around helplessly in the dirt, its operculum flapping open and its mouth gaping wide as it gasped for breath outside of the water. Aida approached it quickly, placing a paw firmly across its body to hold it down and keep it still before she reached forwards to crunch down on its head. The trout gave a final twitch before falling completely still, its scales quickly turning dry whilst exposed to the air. Aida licked her lips, before leaning over to grasp the fish in her mouth before swallowing down her meal in a few loud crunches, head included.

Licking her lips again, the dark female turned to look back towards the tawny wolf, just in time to see her head dive under the murky water in pursuit of a fish. Aida raised a single pale brow and watched with interest as the stranger emerged with an even larger trout (this caused her eyes to widen jealously, though she said nothing) before she began wrestling about with it. A grin pulled at her charcoal lips as she took amusement from the sight of the woman’s distress when the fish slapped her in the eye. When the fish was dropped, Aida thought it was all over, that the fish would be lost – but luckily the tawny wolf was quick to react and after a few attempts managed to clamp her jaws around the trout again and crush its head to mush.

When the female seemed to stand there, staring hesitantly at the mutilated trout before staring back at her, Aida finally moved to step towards her. The amused grin was still evident on her face as she eyed the large trout, her tongue sweeping hungrily across her lips, before she met the golden gaze of the stranger. “If you don’t eat it, I will.” She offered in a teasing manner, stopping short a few paces before settling down casually to sit. There was no point in wasting the food, no matter how disgusting it might have appeared.

(This post was last modified: Aug 21, 2018, 07:40 PM by Aida.)

As could be expected, the brown furred girl had seen Lyanna's blunder for what it was worth, eyeing her with amusement. "If you don't eat it, I will." She glanced over to the oozy, slimy, misshapen meal laying lifelessly on the grass, a slight frown settling on her lips at the thought of any of the oozy-bits touching her tongue. Really, it was an okay job for a lesser fishing wolf such as herself, and it would certainly fill her rumbly belly. She glanced back over to her counterpart and offered her a lopsided grin - half embarrassed and half not giving a shit - before reclining to her haunches as well. "Well I certainly wouldn't want you eating my slop over here, now. Such an expert fisher deserves only the best," she toyed back, "and my catch certainly won't do." Lyanna pawed at the thing to position its more intact end closer before sliding to her belly to get to work. Skinning them was the worst part and all, so she thought.

Content to fill her belly either way, she picked and pulled at her dinner quietly until her hunger was sated. Afterward, she hoped that perhaps she could get to know more about the dark furred girl who’d made quite an impression. With a quizzical gleam in her eye, Lyanna watched on as Aida ate before rolling to her side, plopping her head down in the grass before exhaling a contented sigh.

{end}

(This post was last modified: Sep 21, 2018, 03:25 AM by Lyanna.)