not in blood, but in bond

<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#004A80;"><b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#144034;"> Ataneq desperately wanted to envelop himself in the hunt and just do it, get this over with and kill. With all that had happened to him he felt proud that he hadn’t attacked someone for no reason at all. Everyone leaving him had surely hurt his pride, making him feel more alone than ever but as the days progressed he only felt the pain of memories here upset him. Po and him had had a bond that he couldn’t forget, he desperately wished to belong somewhere where he at least felt content. When arriving and placing a seat he couldn’t help but look to Lucero occasionally, somewhat disappointed that she wouldn’t be joining in the action. However, she would be looking out at him with the pups so that gave him a good shot to show off. It was the only thing he felt capable of doing, bringing back a friendship that he felt had been somewhat buried within the past few weeks. When Borlla spoke of him joining with Zia, a woman he barely knew, he nodded in her direction but said nothing—he would do this. His leader had given orders that they were to weaken it but if there was a shot, that he should take it. Ataneq would win the glory—he wanted the spotlight and he would do whatever it took. From where he stood with Zia he could barely see anything besides the rear end of their prey—a white stag, lingering out in the middle of the clearing. It was a beastly thing but nothing that couldn’t be taken care of. Ataneq would make sure that they all had a decently sized feast tonight. This was something he knew he was capable of regardless of what anger he felt.

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In time the wolves of Magnolia Glen had gathered around their leaders and the children. Lucero welcomed Inkheart's show of respect and thoughtfully returned it, bowing her head in a gentle nod. Zia followed, gravitating notably to the dark second, and Luce was sure to offer her a warmhearted, quiet smile. She wasn't sure what the relationship between the pair was, but it was heartwarming to observe their friendly dynamic just as─Ataneq. Suddenly there was a dull ringing in her ears and the sunlight all but disappeared. Her mouth went dry, her tongue like sandpaper as she gulped down a wave of nervous tension. How much she missed him, and it felt like ages since they'd played or talked; here he was, emerging into view like a ghost into the center of a room.

Everything about him was all wrong, from his posture to the muted look of pain written across his face. Her tail thumped against the ground softly before becoming still as he approached at settled among them. She wanted to go to his side and bump his chin, she wanted to ask him a thousand questions that all at once went through her mind. She wanted her friend and to take him away somewhere, but right now she could do nothing but listen to Borlla's instructions, and she did faithfully. Catching one of Ataneq's glances, Luce shot him a soft smile before looking thoughtfully over the children and back to her leader. When the word was given that she was to stay with Kyros and Hypatia, she wasn't so disappointed. She adored them both, and felt privileged to be the one to teach them today.

When all was said and done, the group departed and headed downstream. Lucero's attention remained on Borlla and the children, and when the pale deer was chosen she leaned down to whisper to the prince and princess what was going to happen before encouraging them to follow her off into the sidelines. When the chase unfolded, the three of them could trail the others.

not in blood, but in bond

After the rest of the hunting party had gathered, Zia sat at attention to listen to the instructions Borlla gave out. This was to be the first hunting experience for Kyros and Hypatia, even though they would only be observing from the sidelines, of course. Lucero, their reliable second, had been assigned the job of watching over them, and explaining the events as they unfolded. She had been teamed up with the young male Ataneq, who she knew only by name. They were tasked with the initial assault, to try and weaken the stag so they could make a clean kill. She gave a short, firm nod of her chin in Borlla's direction, eager to be playing such an active role during the hunt. With the scent of a stag heavy in the air, she knew that they wouldn't have to travel far to find their meal. Setting off with the rest of the group, she kept a vigilant lookout for their prey. And it was in no time, that it was spotted. Rather easily. The animal was an oddity, sporting pure white fur and curiously colored antlers to match. Cocking her head to the side, sapphire eyes blinked several times in fascination. Never once in her life, had she ever seen such an unusual looking animal. It was unnatural, that was certain, but beautiful all the same. That white fur would be the buck's downfall. He would be easy to keep track of, should he happen to venture into the depths of the woody forest by the stream. As Borlla laid the final plans out, Zia went into hunting mode, shooting a glance over to her partner, Ataneq. That was her signal that they should creep forward into position, to set up an ambush. While the others made their way around towards the other side, she stalked forward quietly, strategically avoiding any twigs or crunchy leaves with her paws. Her head lowered to align with her backbone, eyes sharp and focused. Up ahead was a modest amount of foliage, which she used to conceal herself. Deliberately, she moved in an arc, away from the black male, so they would be able to charge in from each side. When she reached her position at last, she crouched down, peering through the shrubbery attentively. Waiting for her signal to attack when the buck ran, straight into a trap.

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Borlla's strong voice carried out across the small gathering, Phineas' own eyes trailing over those who had anwered the call. It was a small group, and he felt great disappointment that Erebos was not there. He knew his brother well however, and could only hope the silver agouti male was fine. Clearing his throat as his mate gave the placements and orders, he offered the pale she-wolf a crooked grin before nodding silenly in his agreement. Lucero was to stay and watch the pups, something he was relieved to hear, and upon his mate's careful warning to the youngsters, his own orane eyes held stern before his muzzle bent down, his tainted lips placing a gentle nudge to either head.

Soon they were moving, and as the deer came to view, he felt his own nerves flcker, recalling his last large hunt with the wolves of Willow Ridge. There had been some injuries, and he only hoped they could avoid such things this time. With a careful glance to those settling in their places, Phineas cast a nudge to his pale mate, allowing a few moments to pass as he determined the best point of infiltration. The beast was a majestic sight, and briefly he wondered if his senses lied to him.. He had never seen a stag of such coloration, and he fell silent, wondering if placing his stag as their next chosen meal was a mistake.

With the others poised and ready, the large leader finally began the maneuver -- his ivory form slunk forward, testing the fear of the creature before him. Receiving only a bored stare in return, he felt his lips curl in frustration. With a silent plea to whatever higher power might have existed to keep his pack safe, the leader ushered a harsh bark before he spurred to faster action. Leaping to flank the deers right side and allowing room for Inkheart and Borlla to close in the stags other side, the wolf made to lunge forward, his jaws agape before clicking down harshly in a scare tactic, hoping to cause the beast to rear and move those threatening antlers.

bad bryony whining about dying event threads and then she doesn't post in this one until 5 days after the deadline sorry guys. next round will end on sunday, rather than thursday, give people some time to post. someone's gotta kill the stag in this round (or not. which is totally viable, i suppose? but it would be cooler if someone did, so don't be afraid! :D teamwork~) round ends on the 25th, at which point i'll probably post once more with Borlla and if anyone wants to throw in their own "exit" posts, i'll leave this up until September 1st.

Inkheart had followed Borlla to her side of the clearing, and she watched her mate intently on the opposite end, waiting for him to initiate the movement. And that he did. The stag was alone, vulnerable with its strange white coat. She could only hope that its appearance had no deeper meaning. The woman was hardly superstitious, but their prey was certainly odd looking. Borlla whisked herself from her cover at Phineas's bark, moving low and fast towards the animal's back end, baring her teeth as she tipped her head back to frighten the animal. With her lips curled back, she made vicious nips for the animal's ankles, moving her head back quickly each time to avoid a nasty kick to the jaw.

Snarling and snapping, she hoped their combined efforts would move the animal forth, and so it did, and right towards the ambush. She adjusted herself as needed, not wanting to be within striking range, but also desiring to keep the stag moving forward and not backwards or any other direction. Her eyes left the stag for only a moment, eying the green ahead, and she let out a quick bark of warning, though she was certain they were more than aware of the incoming prey. It was exhilarating, really. It had been so long since she'd really gotten to do something like this, and could only hope it would strengthen the pack's bond...Even if the stupidly colored animal managed to escape somehow. And she hoped her children were finding the show enjoyable as well. It was useful for them. They'd have to do this one day, maybe they'd even find their own white stag.

Closing in to the side again, she snapped at the stag's belly, before falling back just so, to give the wolves in wait the space they would need to launch their attack. A grin was plastered on her face as she turned orange eyes on Inkheart, thankful to have his help as well. Borlla was certain, regardless of the outcome, this would help the wolves of Magnolia Glen rather than hinder them.

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Lurking until the end of July - Please PM/tag me to get my attention

<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#FA2F00;"> Following Borlla closely he made a point to avoid any subtle noises that may alert the stag of their presence and given away their position. So far everything seemed in place—the three of them were in position and Zia and Ataneq had taken up theirs on the opposite field. Inkheart didn’t think much more about the strange coat of their peculiar prey for it was just that—prey. There was nothing that would likely be different about it when it came down to the meal so he didn’t need to worry about such oddities. When Phineas began his assault on the creature, Inkheart lunged out with Borlla and began their sweeping chase. Nipping at the creatures hind legs and further barricading the stag from moving anywhere aside from its destined location. The two attackers would need to make quick work of this and be swift about it. There were likely to only be a few opening available to take and due to the sheer size of the beast it would be a challenge to say the least. Nature certainly did not make large game hunting the easiest thing for wolves but as a team they could pull it off. With one fell swoop the stag shifted gear and turned slightly, Inkheart quickly dodging out of the way of a hoof. Rounding his way back he was able to steer the stag in the correct direction again, teeth nearly brushing against the skin of its stomach before continue a steady drive towards the second ambush.

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<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#004A80;"><b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#144034;"> A simple few things began to run through his mind as he began to walk away from their first position with Zia. One glance towards Lucy with the children gave him a stir, pressing in him the very desire to be strong for her. To show her that he was still just as much a man as he had been before and that he would do anything for her. Ataneq was capable of being the best he could be for her—he would without a doubt impress the only friend he felt he had left. While waiting there with Zia his brain was still half-wrapped around Lucero and half in the game, staring at the white stag with an almost blank stare. Once he noticed that the stag began a startling speed he recognized that the frenzy had started. Perhaps he had just missed the initiation? Ataneq wasn’t really sure but his brain had all but forgotten the image of Lucero in his mind but not that this would be for her. All for Lucero, show her how strong you are—take down the stag when you have the opportunity. Within just a few short moments of the chase being led straight to the pair, his adrenaline began to raise and his heart pumping enthusiastically within his chest, he lunged forward as the stag neared. Ataneq began a consistent chase and when he saw their prey take a mindful twist to the left, he found his opening. Hind legs reaching in front of him and his front paws leaning him in for the pounce he became airborne only to be shot right back down as the stag made a recovery to the right and landed its hoof clean and clear upon his shoulder. <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#004A80;">“Keep,” he whimpered and mumbled, <b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#004A80;">“go.” Just in case anyone had momentarily been stunned or surprised at his downfall, his mistake would not sacrifice their kill. His muzzle moved across the ground and lined up in the direction of where he saw Lucero and the children, before closing his eyes just long enough to feel the disappoint flood within.

i'm currently looking for any kind of short or long-term plots, so message me if you've got an idea!
i.e. (friend/enemy/spar partner/pack recruiter, etc)

It was a frenzy of motion – the scent of blood filled the senses of the regal male as teeth began to bore to the stag’s sides, carefully placed nips would delve deeper each time before they leapt away, avoiding a well aimed hoof or antler. His own paws danced with his pack mates, his jaws slashing to the tender areas of their prey in hopes of at least tiring the creature out before a lethal attack could be made. Borla and Inkheart were near, doing the same, and his bright orange eyes caught a quick blur of ebony coming up from the other side, knowing it to be Ataneq as Inkheart lay within his clear sight.

Surprise caught him off guard momentarily when the yearling made to jump in to the fray, only to be knocked aside with the hoof of the white stag. Ataneq landed with a thud that sounded sickening to the regal wolf, and worry overwhelmed any fury he felt, his movements halting as he remained confused as to whether to attend to the boy or aide his pack mates and take out the beast that had hurt him.

Ataneq’s voice rose above the stomp of paws and hoofs, and with a snarl Phineas turned back to the ivory stag, his eyes blazing as he leapt forward with more force this time. Inkheart made a grab for the stag’s stomach, while Borlla’s own teeth clipped the beast in a tender area. It seemed to distract their prey, causing the great animal to turn its head in their direction, and in turn, exposing its neck to the Leader.

He took this moment, his paws pushing him up as his jaws made to click against the side of the stag’s neck, his jaws clasping flesh before twisting viciously, his hind paws just touching the ground. He hoped his teeth aimed true to the beasts veins, so that its death would come swift and he could attend to Ataneq.

(This post was last modified: Aug 25, 2013, 01:53 PM by Phineas.)

Others began to gather, and she shot Zia a timid smile. She found herself a little envious of her blue eyes. With all the distraction it was easy to force the odd feeling down, because she was starting to get excited. Golden eyes kept flickering to her father's. If at last he may tell them what was going on. No, he merely kept his quiet face. Borlla neither would answer Kyros. In any other cirucmstance she would have done her best to get them to tell her the secret. The crowd was too much for her to try. The girl sat, and tried to keep her paws from twitching too much.

When at last what they were doing came to voice, Hypatia didn't understand why the had had to wait at all. Blond ears perked up, and she titled her crown. Hunt...that was where food came from. Was she hearing right? They -would -get -to -go?! Small haunches lifted off the ground, and her lips rose from cheek to cheek. Hyp in turn, looked to the other white woman, Lucero. She seemed nice enough, greeting them upon arrival, momma's friend. So her ittle tail wagged, thinking this would be alright. Perhaps more fun without Phineas, and Borlla hovering over them. A somewhat glance of mischief was given to Kyros. The hunt was on.

Hypatia didn't have much time nor reason to stray. The white stag in the distance, the wolves lining to their places she watched in earnest. Grateful, and thrilled as Luce bent down, telling them a play by play. Eventully they were following not too far in the steps of the rest of the pack. It made her feel grown up, and not as nearly as timid.

How proud she was of her father, appearing fearless before the white beast. Hyp kept her lips tight, letting her wide eyes take Borlla's own sharp moves. More then anything Hyp wanted to try it herself, but was very well aware how large the stag was to wolves. When the tall dark wolf went to shoot forward himself, he was struck back. Hypatia found herself letting out a whimper when he fell to the ground, looking their way. A questioning look was shot to Luce. Was he okay? Shouldn't someone help him? The tiny girl made a hesitant step forward.

All was going according to plan. Just moments after she had crouched down into position, Borlla, Phineas and Inkheart had launched out into the open, charging the white furred deer, sending it running. The initial phase of the attack had began. Now it was Zia's and Ataneq's turn. Bolting out of the cover like a silver bullet, Zia sprinted in from the left, executing a flawless frontal assault. She covered the distance between her and the stag quickly, confident that her onyx teammate was not far behind. Her dark gray ears pinned themselves flat to the back of her skull, while slender front and back legs forced her ever closer with an impressive burst of speed. Jowls parted, revealing polished white fangs as she met their horned opponent head on. A swipe of the antlers sent her backpedaling, putting a safe distance between herself and those potentials lethal horns. Dodging to the side agilely, she aimed repetitive nips between the flanks and shoulder, only to spring away when the horned rack or a hoof came flying a little too close for comfort. Keeping close tabs on her packmates, she used each and every opportunity to strike whenever possible, keeping aware of Ataneq's position at all times. Of greater importance was the deer, who bucked, kicked and struck frantically, desperate to shake the gang of wolves free from it's ivory hide. Blood was pouring steadily from each wound inflicted on the animal, and it wouldn't be long until it succumbed to blood loss, or shock. A sickening crunch of bone against bone snapped her attention momentarily away from the attack. There, several yards away, she saw Ataneq, laying on the ground, his shoulder injured. He had been brave in his efforts to contribute to the kill, but ultimately had the misfortune of landing a hoof to his shoulder. This sort of mishap was not at all uncommon in hunts, as all came with a risk. Yet he urged them all to keep going. With renewed determination, Zia launched forward, a snarl echoing from the depths of her throat. Weaving deftly around her fellow wolves and steering clear of the flailing hooves, she saw an opening. Phineas had a good hold on one side of the stags neck. Coming around the side of the animal, jaws wide, she clamped down on the lower neck of the beast. Hoping to strike the jugular or perhaps another crucial vein, she held on tight. A fierce shake of her head sent her teeth tearing through flesh and muscle, leaving deep wounds weeping blood. The stag buckled, it's legs giving out beneath it, only to regain it's footing seconds later. Muscles quivered, straining to keep itself on all four legs, now wobbly from lack of strength. With Phineas and Zia each latching on to either side of the throat, hopefully a quick death would end the stags pain.

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