not in blood, but in bond

whoops. I'll leave this up until the 10th if anyone wants to post once more, but I've been really naughty, so yeah...this is also really crappy, i apologize.

The unpleasant sound of impact caused the woman a split second of surprise. She had moved off slightly, giving Zia and Ataneq the opportunity to make their own moves, before realizing that they'd lost one half of their second ambush. The sound and the consequences were disconnected for a moment, before Borlla realized what had truly happened and could only push herself back towards the stag, now almost certainly incapacitated by Phineas and Zia, to help them finish it off. How had this happened?

But the pale beast was fallen, the strange colorful appendage that had mounted itself upon the deer's head was now lying dirtied on the ground. Borlla let out a shaky exhale, pulling her eyes off of the stag and over towards Ataneq. Was he alright? She could only see the back of him, and past that, Lucero and her children. The stag's final shudders had passed, she barked towards them, hoping to coax the four of them back over. They'd have to get the deer back now, but she felt that Ataneq needed tending to first. But they'd been generally successful and that was all Borlla could ask for. <b style="color:#32527a">

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

With the action unfolding before them, Lucero was both surprised and relieved that the little ones took such an astute interest in the hunt. Her golden eyes swept over the prince's alerted form and to Hypatia, who seemed to be watching intently. Here and there, she would comment on the visible dynamic between the adults as they moved and worked together to steer the stag in a chosen direction. When it seemed to be cornered and her pack mates made their moves to attempt to bring the pale beast down, she dipped her muzzle low and did her best to explain the sacrifice of the stag's life and how it would serve to give them each life in return. By all means, death was a way of the life of any wolf, but it wasn't lost upon her that this might be the children's first real life, face-to-face encounter with it. She didn't want them to be scared or unsure, better to give them a proper education so that they might formulate their own views.

In silence, her golden eyes watched proudly as Ataneq closed in on the buck; he appeared strong and sharp, as seasoned as any of them, until an unexpected blow sent him hurdling to the ground. There was so much going on that for a moment she couldn't see him where he fell, and a sharp wave of anxiety washed over her, her eyes growing large and round with fear. She wanted to call out to him, run to him, but in the front of her mind were Hypatia and Kyros. The last thing they needed was to see her lose her composure or to think that something terrible had or was going to happen. She swallowed down what felt like a rock of emotion in her now dry throat, at a loss for words as the others finished the stag off; she wouldn't wait any longer, and her voice was subtly shaky as she beckoned for the kids to follow as she departed from the side lines to hurry to the side of her fallen friend.

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;"> It had taken only a second of direction change to realize that his leap of success had turned to failure. The stag had taken no mercy and was determined to live, to knock out one of the wolves as if it might deter them from their actions. No, Ataneq wanted their adventure to be a success and to bring the stag home. It had been his foolish attempt at vanity, at a strength he had over calculated and most certainly would not forget. As he laid there with his eyes closed, imagining himself just lying there forever and never moving he realized he had never felt worse. Here and now, he felt like a failure. Wanting to succeed to make someone happy or proud of him had only resulted in him feeling as though he had displayed himself as foolish and weak. Now, what would he do? After what seemed like hours there was a subtle touch, the movement upon the ground as something came near to him. Eyes didn’t open, but a paw flinched and he felt as though the world was going faster again. Noise began to flood back into him as he could hear the distant sound of paws colliding against the ground as those came near to see the pathetic heap that he felt he was. Eyes opened slowly, blurry at first as he looked up just in time to see white paws before him and a barely audible whisper slid out before he time to recognize that they were now alone—<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#144034;">“Lucy.”

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)

<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:12px; color:#FA2F00;"> A loud crack littered the arena as Inkheart watched as the Stag made one subtle move back to its right and had landed a blow to the youngest male of the Glen. It was a painful sight to see the young boy thrown to the side like it was nothing at all, but it just made the hunt all the more important. So that they could finish this off and attend to the boy that lay there hurt. Focused and unrelentless, Inkheart went at it to help Zia finish it off and at the last moment when they had grasped on to weaken its tempered state the stag began to tumble forwards. Without hesitation the inky male went straight for the jugular to make sure that this thing was down once and for all. Once all was settled, Inkheart began to sprint over to Ataneq to begin to assess if anything was out of place, broken, or bleeding. So far it didn’t look like anything too vital to the outside besides likely getting the wind knocked out of him and likely a very sore body part wherever the stag had kicked. Looking to Borlla and Phineas for guidance and directions, wondering what it was they should do in the situation they were in. Lucero had come out to check up on things immediately and likely could help the boy back to the Glen, so did that leave the rest of them to assist in carrying the stag back for a feast?

i'm always looking for threads, so message me if you'd like one!

As Zia grabbed to the beast’s throat, Phineas gave a vicious yank with his entire body weight – or, as much as he could, given the awkward position and the height of the stag. Inkheart moved forward to aide him and Zia, and as the beast fell, the swarthy Second moved to its jugular, delivering the final blow. As the stag stilled, Phineas could feel its life ebb away, his eyes calculating as they remained upon the ivory creature. No sooner did his pack mates release, as did he, and the Leader was right behind Inkheart as he went to check Ataneq.

Lucero was there already, as well as Kyros and Hypatia, who he gave each a tender nudge to the top of their heads in reassurance. Turning toward the fallen male, Phineas worriedly shifted his nose over the boy’s cheek, his tongue coming out to graze the boy’s muzzle in condolence. His eyes shifted over the Yearling’s body, looking for damage that might not heal. Whether internally he was wounded greatly, they would not know. He could only hope it was nothing but a few bruises.

Glancing to Lucero and the kids, he gave a nod to them. “Help him home.” With that, he motioned to Inkheart, requesting his aide in dragging their meal back as close to the pack lands as they could get it. Normally they would feast upon their victory here, and leave the rest for either a returned meal or for the crows.. but given Ataneq’s condition now, and the vicinity of their competition, he was loath to leave food.

Once they dragged the beast back to their lands, Phineas would take a chunk of the meat to the injured Ataneq, once more checking on the youth before he retired for the night. The thrill of a successful hunt was lost upon the male – his worry for his pack mate washing over any victory.