Poison Path Snatch & Grab

@Rhysis, @Tenzin, @Rais, @Adonis & @Valiant first please - no post order (as well as any other NP wolves who would like to join). If NP haven't got their first round up by 15th March PP can freely respond.

Cache Raid darlings ;)

The winter had been long and although the Nomad’s were more than capable of keeping their caches filled, a restlessness was growing amongst the ranks. It had been months since their last encounter with the wolves of Poison Path and it was with an air of joviality the small party moved down the mountain under the cover of dark. An adventure for the younger members and poke of the nose and a hanging of the tongue for the older, it was initially without malicious intent that they crossed the borders and into the heart of enemy territory.

But now that they were here, things grew deathly serious. To be caught would be to invite an outright battle, another thought that set the tawny wolf’s blood on fire. She wouldn’t be adverse to a fight about now, for although Rhysis was keeping her on a short leash indeed - she found herself practically glued to his side, a step behind on his right flank at almost all times - his new found dominance over her did little to change her general outward appearance or carriage in the presence of others. He may now be her god, but that did not put her below any other - especially those who had ever dared to cross her.

Having lived here for such a long time, it was short work for the tawny leader and the silver scavenger to sniff out a substantial cache - a half a goat and some hares she just knew Athena would be pissed to find missing... Especially when the earth would be laced with her pregnant scent.

Like naughty school children they giggled and snickered amongst themselves, dragging the food from it hidy-hole and demolishing what they would be unable to carry back with them. Naira decided this was far too fun to not become a regular occurrence.

(This post was last modified: Mar 08, 2013, 02:38 AM by Naira.)

It certainly wasn't the first time Rais had trespassed with the intent to steal, but there was something particularly novel about doing it with a group. Greater gains were to be had with more mouths present to carry, and it was less likely for him to be dealt a beating when there was the pack to back each other up, if they did get caught. Rais bounded merrily along with the rest of the pack, sometimes straying aside or lagging behind to sniff at a peculiar shrub or tree or footprint before quickly rejoining the pack's procession.

He kept up his joyful frolicking until they crossed that distinct line, suddenly shifting low, moving in a creeping but light footed vulpine fashion. They found the cache, and together they made quick work of unearthing it's treasures. Like dust-bunnies into a vacuum cleaner, an entire hare disappeared down Rais' gullet with surprising speed. If the Poison Path wolves intercepted their thievery, at least he wouldn't be going home with an empty stomach.

He then grabbed onto one of the hind ankles of the stiff half-goat, pulling and tugging until the ankle snapped off with a 'crack'. He wrinkled his nose irritably before dropping the hoof, instead grabbing higher up the leg to gnaw at where it joined the body. The goat, stiffer than he would have liked and a bit frozen to boot, took a bit of chewing to break through the joint. Once it was free, he held the prize firmly in his jaws, and comically the hoofless limb drooped from each side of his narrow muzzle. He glanced to his comrades, paws itching with some sense to get a move on before they were found out.

She had seemed like a young cub when she came to him, a hint of mischief and enthusiasm rolling off her tawny pelt. They had come to a silent understanding after she had scaled the pass and the braved the wilds to find him and now he was recovered from his bruises, physically and those that had battered his pride. He was here for them now, her, and Rhysis as they moved down the mountain. He had never really disliked Athena. It wasn’t personal at all. It was just good fun. The air about them changed as they crossed the marked borders of Poison Path, and the silvered man stuck well to the shadows of Naira and Rais as they led the way to the cache, fighting back a snort as the hoof on which Rais gnawed broke away and the comical way he broke off the leg of what he assumed was once a goat. Moving his much larger frame into the cache he grabbed hold of what was left, the lone leg dragging in the snow beneath his stomach as he straddled the white furred carcass and began to make his way back to the safety of ‘no-man’s land’. It may have been the middle of the night, under the cover of an absent moon, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t risky for them to be here.

code by bryony

Short post is short, I'm sick. x__x;

The adrenaline that coursed through his veins was giving him a high, a natural one which was different to the one a certain silver wolf had been giving him instead. The moon beamed down upon them, as if a spotlight trying to give them away but he was not afraid - he hoped with all his heart he would find Athena here and could finish what she started on the mountain, walking away from him like the coward she was. He would have no qualms in drowning her in her very own lake, in fact, the thought brought a smirk to his face as he slipped across the heavily scented borders - wow, one wolf had far too much time on his hands, this markings were fresh and strong as if it were a daily routine- clearly they didn't have much else to do here. That was alright, he would happily stir up some drama for them, it was what he was best at after all.

He silence he moved, leading yet not as the group moved towards the place where food was stored. Silly wolves had not thought to move it, so most of the group who had followed knew exactly where to find whatever food left would be hidden. It did not take them long to find the den and haul out pieces of this and that. Not touching the food himself, Rhysis kept a watchful eye on the borders around him, scanning the shadows for anyone who felt stupid enough to be a hero. The coast seemed clear, and with food in both their bellies and their mouths, he took the last few rabbits from the den and fled towards the heights they had come from along with the rest of the motley crew. Perhaps they thought this was just a sign of vandalism, but he strongly believed they should heed this warning as a sign of the impending war that he hoped, preyed, he could soon lead to their door. He wanted them wiped off his mountain, and he would stop at nothing until the deed was done.

@Rais, @Valiant & @Rhysis, looks like we are being left to our devices. Next round finishes 25th March. If PP want to discover they’ve been robbed they can post their replies after then but before the 30th when the final round will begin. They are now back outside of Poison Path borders with a fair head-start.

Watching as Valiant began to move away with the hefty remains of the goat, Rhysis with a mouthful of bunny sized snacks, and Rais with the goats missing leg, Naira paused for a moment, squatting with her right leg lifted to leave a small calling card right on top of what had once been a well stocked cache - her eyes locking with Rhysis’s as a she smirked around her own grey furred feast, almost daring him, and the others to do the same.

Straightening, she dragged her rear pads through the snow, flinging dirt and mud out behind her, making sure there was no mistake of who had been here before she trotted proudly after her little motley band, gluing herself back to Rhysis’s side, making sure to keep a step behind him as they made their way back towards Riddle Heights. It was a round about way to get home but they wanted to keep the Poisoned Path wolves guessing, if they entered from the south, and exited back that way, the only logical explanation could be that that was the fastest route home.

Their bellies and mouths full, it would make the roundabout trip worth while, and though she was certain the rabbits wouldn’t survive the trip, at least there were more than enough sizable wolves to share the carrying of the heavier carcass that now dragged between Valiant’s large legs.

Free of Poison Path borders once again, she paused to mark over one of Athena’s own as a final farewell to the wolves of the Lake - for now. The calling cards left were clear, they would be back of course. The whole experience had been cathartic but the mountain wasn’t big enough for both packs, and this was only the beginning.

Too easy, Rais thought as he looked over the cache the Nomads had just trashed. He wasn't entirely sure about Naira's decision to throw her scent all over the place, it wasn't really Rais' usual style to leave much evidence, but he supposed the lake wolves would already have suspicions of just who's pack would do this. He had to remind himself that however easy it had been to steal right from under their noses, the Nomads still had to make it out of of the rival pack's vicinity before they were really in the clear.

The little scoundrel scurried after his leaders, and Valiant, with the goat leg held firmly in his jaws. Every dozen paces or so Rais would occasionally glance backwards over his shoulder. Sometimes he would wait, observing the waving of some foliage or an eddy of snow for a moment just to make sure it wasn't the Poisoned wolves on their trail, before he would continue on and catch up with his fellow brigands.

He couldn't help but note how unobservant the Poisoned Path wolves were, but Rais thought the real test of their worth would be in how long it took them to respond with Naira's scent now blowing on the breeze. Would Poisoned Path soon come storming to find them? Or would the theft go unnoticed for at least the night? He almost couldn't believe he'd been briefly teamed up with such a team of dunderheads, and was so far quite pleased in his decision in having betrayed them.

More preoccupied with the heavy carcass that hung from his jaws than pausing to rub the thievery in, he couldn’t help but smirk at her gall. Thankful for Rais’s generally distrustful nature and the fact he kept an eye out on their backs, he was more than relieved to finally be free of the borders of Athena’s pack. He wasn’t sure why they had to take such a round about journey home but he hadn’t been recruited for his brains and so he followed where the tawny wolf led. But just because they were free of the borders didn’t mean they were safe yet. Overtaking the leaders while Naira stopped to rub it in some more, he caught the eyes of Rais with a roll of his own and took the opportunity to range ahead amongst the boulders that formed Riddle Heights. He had decided that he may as well get a head start, since he carried the most substantial load.

code by bryony

2 posts to wrap up for 10 posts? Clearly PP aren't coming to challenge us so just post our leaving I guess.

He watched with an amused grin as Naira left her calling card and as they moved further towards the pack borders he followed suit, making it his business to find the trees and boulders which were marked by the so called "lead" male who had plastered his scent all over the place. How funny, did he have nothing better to do than pee on anything in sight? Rhysis wouldn't be able to go for a month if he tried to cover every mark on the way, which amused him even more. With a dark sniggered as they reached the pack borders, where they would make their exit with the pack's winter cache within their jaws, he turned and placed the rabbits which he had stolen at his paws.
He turned to face the lands he had once called his home with no sense of loss of remorse - he did not miss the place and certainly didn't like to visit, the losers that lived here at ruined anything that had been good about this place the moment he had left. Without fear, he threw his head back and called to the morons who lived here, glee in his tone, to announce their deed and calling card as he let his voice slip high into the air for all to hear - he did not want them to think that any other wolves had been on their land. They had to know it was he and his gang who had dared steal away what little food they had left. That they were far too stupid and cowardly to stop them and that this, was only just the beginning.

Satisfied, though somewhat disappointed that no one had come to stop him... he could have done with spilling some blood today, he snatched up his stolen goods and followed up the rear as he and his packmates vanished up onto the mountain, to take a watery trip home so that their scents and the way to their home remained a secret.

(This post was last modified: Apr 03, 2013, 12:40 PM by Rhysis.)

@Rais want to make it 10?

As much as she wanted to throw her own voice to Rhysis’s it was a bit hard to do so around a mouthful of rabbit, and so she just had to content herself with leaving her own calling card scattered across the kingdom that once was hers. With Rais and Valiant in tow, Rhysis now bringing up the rear, she led her little band of brigands home, through water and across rock, the gentle snowfall filling their tracks as they went. Their bellies would be more than full with the food that they had stolen, and given winter was unwilling to give up her hold just yet... she had no doubt that they would miss it all the more.

Just before they were out of earshot, a single howl was sounded, and cut short. She smirked. Snails. With security like that it was no wonder her son was stolen... and just like that, the next spark had been fired.

Rais was sure with their food-burdened progress and roundabout route the Poison Path wolves would catch up with them eventually. But they never did. He steadily trudged on through the snow with his leg of goat still secured between this teeth, panting tongue trapped behind the rough-furred limb. His tail started up a happy wag as it became clear that the Nomads were the winners of this round. Rais almost doubted even with all the trails of urine and Rhysis's proud howl that the idiots of the lake would ever find them. A short, distant howl from within the territory marked the rival's discovery of their trashed cache, but it was far too late for them to do anything with the Nomad's head start.

Eyes narrowed with a smirk Rais followed Naira as she lead the detour home. He couldn't wait until they had everything secured back at the pass in their own well guarded caches. It was a winter bounty, with more food available than he'd ever had in the summer months. Once the weather warmed up and things weren't so difficult with ice and snow everywhere, he was sure the Nomads would be feasting.