Secret Woodlands move or move on

6/8 hunting posts, 10/15 total posts needed

There was no mistaking that the deer were moving slower now. It was impossible not to; the trees grew so close that even the smallest had to wind their bodies between narrow gaps. Iopah was smaller yet and had an easier time threading through the forest, but she still found herself hindered. Unlike the deer, she had to navigate a safe path that also lead to her quarry. The deer could simply sprint away.

And that's what they did. Iopah squinted through tight-knit trees at the bounding deer. She was slim and a seasoned hunter, her toned legs flicked forward energetically and her breath was even. She could keep going. The cream woman crested a fallen tree as she pursued, gaining a vantage point for the briefest moment. This was the heart of the thicket and the dense tangle of brush continued out of sight. It would be many miles before the forest opened up, and by then even Iopah would be spent. Ears swept back by the breeze, she heard Silentium's heavy pants. He couldn't fall behind. She had the speed necessary, but the youth had the bulk needed for a take down. Something had to change, this wasn't going to work.

A sharp bark was sent out to capture his attention. A second passed before she called, not daring to take her gaze from the forest ahead. "Keep straight, I'll turn one back!" Hopefully. It was tricky business, Iopah was no border collie that could stop and turn prey with only her eye. She had to get close without getting kicked and turn a deer towards a wolf that wanted to eat it. She sped ahead, feeling branches trace her sides and a sharp burn start in her lungs.

The slowest deer was not expecting a wolf to draw alongside. Breath coming fast in her chest now, she lunged sideways; not reaching for, but aiming to turn. The deer stumbled sideways with a loud bleat and Iopah scrambled to turn her body and snap in it's face. She danced back hurriedly, ducking her head in case of a kick, but the deer was already going back. Not directly to Silentium, but the best she could do. Her teeth flashed forward and she tasted deer hide, but it was a glancing blow. It was one thing to chase, the deer needed to be stopped by either wolf so a killing bite could be landed. One of them would have to get a good enough grip for the other to finish the job.

(This post was last modified: Aug 14, 2015, 04:25 AM by Iopah.)

 

Silentium was trying his best to keep up, but his legs screamed for him to stop and his lungs felt like he had swallowed fire. The longer they ran the farther behind he was falling, his pace barely even a slow run as he ducked between the trees. Branches whipped out at him, catching him by surprise and raking at his coat, it was as if the forest itself was rooting for the deer. The frustration he felt brewing did little to help him, he knew that if they failed that this had been solely his fault and they would have chased off a meal that could have fed the whole pack. Shame welled up in the pit of his stomach like a stone dragging him farther behind, his feet now switching from short bursts of slow running and a basic trot.

The emerald eyes focused mainly on his own paws, trying to make sure that they were going to land on stable ground. Iopah's bark made the boy raise his gaze and it was then that he realized just how far behind he had fallen, the fawn woman was yards ahead standing on a fallen bough. Nodding that he acknowledged the plan, just stay straight he didn't even have enough breath to answer with words or even a bark.  Still, he couldn't disappoint her. Dropping his head down with a grunt he used every ounce of energy he had left within him and picked up his pace, doing his best to keep straight.

Finally reaching the tree that the woman had been on the pup paused so he could scan the scene now that he had the advantage point. The only sign of his companion or their prey that was left in eyesight was their tracks that littered the ground, both the fae and the deer were gone. Leaping down from the log determined to keep straight as he had been instructed he suddenly found himself face first in the snow. His legs had buckled upon contact with the ground, giving out under exhaustion and hadn't been able to keep him standing when he landed. Instead of getting up as he might have done in the fall Si just lay there in the snow, his brother was lost and probably dead, and once more he had failed. He always failed.

 

8/8 hunting posts, 12/15 total posts needed

It was a world of white and strumming feet. Iopah could feel the beat of her own paws and hear the heavy strike of the deer ahead of her. There was not time to take in the scenery, it was passing in sprays of snow and in the vague blurring of trees. Her mind was focused on one thing, and her ears swept tight to her skull as she raced blindly after. The chance for regrouping or turning the deer again had passed. It was only this, black lips set into a determined line as she ran the last bit of energy out.

Bit by bit, the distance between hunter and hunted grew. There was now several yards of space between them that Iopah couldn't fill. Her eyes did not dare to cast aside for fear of losing sight and swiveling ears picked up nothing besides the heave of her lungs. If Silentium was nearby she had no way to tell. The huntress could feel the expected plan slip sideways out of control, and let more space play out. The deer cast a glance back at the decreased wolf sounds. Knowing brown eyes met her gold, and it swung around with a snort to hold its ground.

Cream paws floundered for a catch in the snow and swung sideways to avoid the defiant deer. It rotated with her, angling it's body and keeping a de-antlered head aimed in  her direction. Iopah paused only a second, mostly to pull air into starved lungs, then turned to trot away. Just like that, the hunt was off.

She slogged back through the tracks, lifting her head only after many minutes. Eventually she found Silentium, a bright patch of brown and blonde in the distance. Slowly she plodded up to him, circled once (panting the whole while) and threw herself down beside him. The cold was a welcome relief to her over-heated body. The woman pushed gray shoulders into the snow languorously and rubbed her muzzle along the surface. "Well," A sigh turned into a chuckle and she glanced sideways at Silentium. "That didn't go very well."