Grizzly Hollow Lion's Den

As soon as she heard @Yvly's woof, Pip ceased in her efforts, her muzzle smudged with dirt from all that her paws had kicked up. The yearling's tongue lolled out, rather pleased with herself for having been of service to her packmates despite her injury. Russet ears flicked forward, her head lifting as Crystal's question. Realizing there was yet another within the burrow, the sea wolf backed a few paces away to give the rabbit the idea of having an escape route.

If she thought of hunting like fishing...it couldn't be all that different, right? Just lie in wait for the perfect moment to strike. Go for the head or just behind. Vital places always existed along the back and made for quick kills or, at the very least, stunned prey.

The rabbit was not stunned. Pip nearly dropped it in surprise when it screamed shrilly as she grabbed hold of it upon its attempt to escape. Orange eyes were wide, ears pinned back anxiously, but thankfully she refused to relinquish her grip on the rabbit. It would be far too embarrassing to have hold of it and let it slip away! It writhed in her jaws, kicking and screaming in her mouth until its sharp back claws raked along the underside of her chin. In pure self-defense, Pip slammed it against the ground as she would a fish too big for her mouth alone that insisted on struggling. The first impact had it laying still, but the yearling still felt its panicked breathing. The young girl spread her front paws a little to give herself a better stance before she shook her head vigorously. Finally, the rabbit lay still.

Pleasantly surprised, Pip limped from around the other side of the tree to show her packmates the dead animal. She dropped it at her paws and peered at it curiously as if she'd never seen one before in her life, though of course, she had. It was just that the sea wolf had never killed one herself before! It gave her a whole new perspective. Her tail swished along the ground, mighty pleased with herself. Her eyes trailed up into the tree at the eagle now hopping and chittering excitedly. She wrinkled her nose in silent laughter. You'll get your turn soon enough!

After telling her to stop digging, Yvly called to Squeak to do the 'honours' of getting the rabbit that was in the burrow and the younger wolf happily did, peering into the burrow and sporting the rabbit. Amaryllis watched carefully as Pip grabbed the rabbit. She was ready to pounce on the rabbit, should it escape past both Crystal and her. But Pip never let it go, widening her stance and just shaking the small animal till it breathed its last.

"You did well," Amaryllis called to her with a small smile at her, still standing over her kill, as Squeak proudly showed off her own. "A little more practise and you'll be one of the best." She turned her muzzle up to look at the eagle as it showed it excitement over their capture of the rabbits.

'Can I have my reward now?' It squawked loudly at Pip, bobbing it bead up and down as it looked at the three wolves warily. It didn't mind the little one, who chirped and squeaked in its tounge but the other two were the ones it didn't trust, either because they had snapped at it or had torn a feather from its lovely tail! Now what was it gonna do to show off? It just wanted to get out of here, now the rabbits were caught.

Amaryllis chuckled lightly. "How do you think we should thank our friend here?" She questioned, glacing over to Pip. She seemed to be the one who could seemingly understand it and it could understand her.

@Pip

Her friend seemed to accept the challenge, for the younger wolf stopped digging and lay in wait for the trapped prey to attempt an escape. Tawny ears flicked back at the shrill squeal the rabbit produced when grabbed by Squeak's powerful jaws, lips curling back slightly around the prey trapped in her own jaws. While she may enjoy the hunt, she did not like causing unnecessary pain to her prey, wanting to rather end it quickly and get it over with than have it be drawn out. But as Squeak was new to hunting land prey she let it slide, accosting it to the fact she had different methods of catching aquatic prey that did not work quite as well for prey with legs and fur. It did not take long for the shrill screaming to come to an abrupt end, and for Squeak's form to appear around the tree.

She had a surprised look on her face as she stared down at the dead rabbit by her paws, but at the same time looked pleased with herself. The tawny female nodded enthusiastically at Lily's praise, setting down her own kill so she could speak properly without her words being muffled. "For your first land prey kill you did well." She was assuming that Squeak had only caught fish and other creatures that lived in water before that moment. Glancing over at the eagle as it chirped and squawked excitedly on the branch, Yvly chuckled softly. It seemed to really want its reward now. "The bird seems to like you the most," she said with a sly grin on her face to Squeak. She doubted the feathery creature would say no to her friend offering up a rabbit. And who knew, maybe in the future it would come back and show them another hunting spot.

305 words

@Yvly @Amaryllis

All the praise, while unnecessary, did well to encourage Pip and strive for continued success in the future. This hunting thing wasn't so bad! Maybe if she ever found her sister again, she could teach @Niq'x to love it as well. Preening from their responses, the little wolf wagged her tail and basked in the moment.

Of course, the eagle would only allow her so much. In a silent snort of amusement, she watched as it continued its frantic dance along the branches before acknowledging her packmates' responses of how it seemed to respond much better to her. Pip bent down to grab her still warm kill, jaws crunching down once more for good measure, and approached the base of the eagle's tree.

Keep up that racket, she wanted to warn it, and you'll bring the crows in. Then you'll never get your meal! It seemed to understand this anyway and suddenly fell silent, watching her with keen interest. Pip bowed down in play, the kill still clamped in her mouth, and waited for the eagle's response. As if realizing her intentions, it prepped itself for takeoff on the branch. In a swift movement, Pip tossed the rabbit skyward and watched as the eagle dove off the branch to catch it just before it hit the ground again. It flew a few paces away before alighting on the ground and heartily tore into fur and flesh. Lifting its bloodied beak, the eagle looked to the three wolves and gave out another series of chatters that Pip understood as thanks. The young female bowed her head to their eye in the sky before turning to her packmates. Best to leave their new friend to eat in peace. That way, they could enjoy their own kills as well.