silent as the night

Zia maintained her stance, partially crouched in amongst the thick cover of the trees. She studied the Caribou with icy blue eyes, searching for any weaknesses amongst the group. Times were tough and despite the limited options, the wolves had no choice but to eat. If the hunt failed, then every member of Magnolia Glen would suffer. It could be a death sentence. Knowing that several more long months of winter were ahead of them, Zia was taking this hunt particularly seriously. With Phineas setting the game plan and their instructions, the only indication that she had heard him was the subtle flick and twist of her dark ears. Going for the weakest female was rational. With her as the target, the wolves had a fighting chance at a decent meal. In the back of her mind though, Zia remained aware of the danger. Of the unfortunate incident in the last pack hunt, where one of their own had sustained a crushing kick to the shoulder. Before she set off, she glanced at each individual with an air of seriousness about her, trusting that they would do their part well. The dark male known as Caleb, was offered only a low grunt, her voice quiet. "I will circle around the caribou from the left. Let's go." Even if he did outrank her, that didn't stop her from exhibiting her militaristic attitude in serious times such as this. It came naturally to her and that was that. Sprinting off to the left, Zia used the cover of the trees and the dense undergrowth to her advantage. There may not have been any foliage to aid in hiding her from view, but the dark coloration of the tangled branches was good enough. She stepped gently, her footfalls leaving only a thin dusting of snow to linger inches above the ground in her wake. Crouched low, she continued her arch, ever now and then glancing sharply towards the herd, to see if she had been spotted. Caleb's progress, she could not see due to their formation, but she trusted that he was nearly in position. Closing the gap, she came to rest several yards behind the herd, where she had a clear view of the grizzled female. Eyes narrowing, she would bide her time until she saw an ideal opening. Lunging forth with a burst of speed, adrenalin pumped through her veins as she charged. Expertly, she positioned herself between her target and the remainder of the herd, hoping to isolate the animal. Lips pulling back in snarl, she snapped at the heels of her prey, while the other caribou, alarmed, fled.

Table by Pann, Image by Jolee

Sorry for the wait! Xmas is manic. <3

Instructions were given and the target was selected. His gaze fell across the way and landed upon the older female. A good choice. So far Phineas had yet to prove he was a moron. It made life being a mere subordinate that much easier when you were left to do your own thing and when asked, the tasks you were given were not fools errands.
As each was addressed he made a mental note of their names. Whilst talk had been minimal on the trip here, he hadn't paid much heed to what was going on with the pack dynamics. His legs hurt too much to lose focus and fall behind. Now that each wolf had a name, he would endeavour to discover more about them over time - who was useful to him and who was not; there was no desire to make friends. Rhysis didn't do friends and his trust was not likely to be given again. He was here to survive, nothing more.

The wolf now known as Zia addressed him. They were to work together, but not side by side. Suited him fine. With a grunt of acknowledgement towards the direction she had taken, he followed in suit. Too tired to assert dominance or just be an ass - he wanted to do his part, fill his belly and sleep until spring arrived. That sounded good.
The pair moved in silence and when the female moved off on her own path he continued on, bearing right as agreed. His dark figure was cloaked as the forest grew dense, and he kept low and quiet until he found a suitable position. There he waited, biding his time until the female moved forward. As soon as he saw her, he kicked off the ground and darted free from his hiding spot and out into the open. Jaws snapping, a low rumble escaping from his chest as to startle the herd and lead them in the direction the others should have been waiting. As the herd began to thin he moved in, close to the heels of the creature they had singled out - taking the other side to Zia as he snapped at its heels and brought home the bacon.

She listened silently as Phineas gave his instruction, her eyes for a time grazing over young Hypatia before casting over the others and to the herd and back. The instructions were simple enough and she nodded her understanding of her own appointed task to the Argyris; she was ready, even if the pain of hunger in her belly was a persistent distraction. When the group eventually branched off, Lucero looked to Albireo─her partner for the task─briefly before silently stalking out into the banks of snow that flanked the herd. Saliva pooled in the corners of her dark lips at the sight and sound of the gangly creatures. As pitiful as they were in comparison to groups they had hunted previously, she knew that if the hunt today was successful, they would all be leaving back to the Glen with full bellies. Focused and with an instinctual thirst for blood driving her every move, she waited to make her own move.

As the act began, she was quick to keep up, loping with eyes open just peripherally to the herd as it began to move. With Zia and Caleb pushing hot on the heels of their prey, the leggy girl remained out of sight so as not to sway the course of the herd that the others had chosen. Her eyes scanned for Albireo briefly. As Zia and the darker male began to separate the target from the others, Luce swooped in from the front and side, positioned to keep the grey-faced caribou in place.

Albireo sought out the aforementioned greying cow, feeling disappointment at her lean shape but finding none much better in the scraggly herd. It would have to do, and some food was better than no food. Recieving his instruction, he met Lucero's eye before drifting into position. As the pack got on the move, Albireo kept up pace, slipping between the parting herd towards their target, glancing towards Lucero and taking after the opposite side of the cow.

He dashed first up alongside their caribou, close enough to hear her panicked snorting and feel hoof-kicked snow spatter against his face. With just another burst of speed, panting with both exertion and excitement, he came up along the caribou's shoulder. He could see Lucero dashing along the cow's other side, and hear some of the pack bringing up the rear. It was tempting to make one more lunge just to reach the prey's throat. Albireo's slobbering jowls snapped at the cow's elbow instead, teeth grazing her hide but finding nothing to snag and hold on to. The caribou groaned, startled, and shied away from Albireo only to be blocked by Lucero on her other side as she galloped. Albireo felt a flash of frustration, feeling it would be all Lucero's fault if the caribou broke off track on his partner's side. He glanced ahead, hoping Phineas and Borlla would soon end this.

Albireo
a tooth for an eye

As Father directed each wolf Hypatia found her orange eyes looked to each face. She had seen them all before, and though listening, sight had wandered upon the caribou who didn't seem as lively as the rest. A drop in his speech, the young lady swiveled her head finding he was looking to her now. There was tiny bit of panic she had missed what she was to do, but she was sure he had lastly spoken of the task Borlla and he would do. A raised chin, about to question, he carressed top of her head. It made her miss their quiet talks, and almost coaxed a smile in turn. The tone of his words did not lead room for a smile, only a stiff nod in reply. She would do as she was told, but she wasn't going to sit here. Last time she had watched, but she had not actually seen much of how the kill was taken.

Everyone left, orange eyes wistfully watched those take position who would actually be doing something. Keen on being good she would hang back, keeping out of the way, and debate how to get a closer look. It didn't appeal to her either to get close to those creatures. They did not have teeth and claws like herself, but she sharp hooves, and horns upon their heads caused their own sort of damage. With no one to watch her, she began to pull herself through the snow for a more clear view. Next time she would not be on the sidelines again.

Okay.. final round. It might as well be assumed everyone is attacking, but someone might as well state when it's dead in their post. Can also respond with a brief fade of the pack feasting, etc.

Final round ends January 11.

Everyone gave quiet ascent to their task, and within moments, arrangements were made amongst themselves. The Argyris male felt a flicker of nervousness -- they were desperate for a meal, and should any gain injury, they were a good journey from home. That, and @Eek had seemingly disappeared from them with no sign of goodbye or indication she had been leaving. Whether she had simply stole away in the dead of the night to seek her fortunes for better resources elsewhere, or if something had happened.. Phineas did not know. Nor was there anything he could truly do about it now, but it seemed the wolf with the most knowledge among them had certainly abandoned her post.

Borlla's silent reassurance soothed him -- the gentle touch of her shoulder stirred his own muzzle downward to cast an affectionate nip to her cheek as the hunt began to take place. He was hesitant to put such an event on her given her state, but she was healing nicely now.. and the more wolves they had to take down a feast, the better they would be. He had placed her with him for good purpose -- he could better keep an eye on her and her well-being if he was by her side.

The pack stole forward then. Zia and Caleb rounded behind the beast, stirring the herd in to a nervous fluster. Hooves stamped and loud snorts escaped the creatures as they held firm in their spot, and the one cow they had chosen seemed even more timid. The pack would need to test the herd little, having already chosen their weakest, and the hunt started with a snap of jaws and growls, pushing their prey away from the others and towards awaiting jaws.

The flee of the caribou stirred Phineas' bright eyes to sharply find Hypatia -- nervous she was drifting too close. She soon would be amongst her pack members and partaking and it best she take in the tactics. With this thought, the regal nudged his lady, prowling forward swiftly then to cut the cow off any further. HIs sharp bark initiated they had the beast where they truly wanted her, and a quick attack would be best. His own large form swiveled past a lifted hoof, his own teeth reaching for a shoulder as his teeth found flesh, tearing through. She reared then, pulling him up with her, and while his hind toes just barely touched the ground, his muzzle gave a sharp jerk, hoping to tear further and bring her back down to the ground quicker.

...And so it begins! @Hypatia

Their objection of him would be their greatest mistake for the demon which stirred within the vessel of this wolf sought to make them pay. His hunger drove him, his determination fueling his pride and his chaotic nature brought him straight into the direction of the pack of wolves which had shunned him earlier. He kept far back, their scents of his nose and once the wolves were on the move again to begin the hunt, Beelzebub then began his own. He awaited for the group's full distraction on their prey, sure to be completely focused due to the dire nature of this situation with food so little. Once the hunt began, he came, moving along through the snows until he once more came slithering towards the young girl he had once spied on months prior to this afternoon. "My dear..." He coos delicately from the brush, keeping back in order to make his lies seem more sound. He had fallen upon this opportunity and would work with what he could and quickly. "You're in the open. Come - we must hide. A large buck is fast approaching." Perhaps it was not the best thing he had come up with, but he had never met this child before and she had no reason to trust him, so why not fear of being trampled and impelled get her feet moving? It was worth a shot before he decided on plan B. and drag her away from the scene kicking and screaming.

The woman stifled a laugh and resisted another nudge as her affectionate gesture was reciprocated. There'd be time for that later, certainly, and she set her sights upon the prey again, watching the scene that Phineas had set up unfold. They'd have food soon, and quite a bit, too. Her muscles tightened, only complaining faintly for a moment. She'd ignore her body's protests, determined to accelerate the healing process in her own fashion. Even with Eek gone, she was feeling slightly better, though hoped that the woman would return soon, if her disappearance had not been connected to betrayal. Golden eyes drifted towards the brush, hoping to catch sight of Hypatia. Yet the lack of view of her daughter was a bit more comforting. It meant that she'd listened and would not risk being trampled.

With each party pulling of the wonderful dance of death nicely, the nudge of her mate alerted the woman to action. Tail lashing behind her, she followed him swiftly from the brush, moving towards the prey's other side, nipping at heels, only waiting for Phineas to use his own strength to bear the caribou downwards. When that was done, she launched her own more damaging attack, careful to avoid flailing hooves and a violently shaking head. She was not as large as he, so her teeth found their way into the caribou's underside, a rather sensitive section of flesh in the crossroads between neck and shoulder. Scrabbling with her paws against the herbivore's neck, she hoping to keep her grip for as long as possible. Already she could taste the blood in her mouth, though her forelimbs were already tiring from their feeble grasp across the creature's neck. <b style="color:#32527a">

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

From her perch she watched as the figures zoned in upon their prey. The thundering of the herd kept her in her place, far on the sidelines. The young girl marveled how each move was calculated by Zia, Caleb keeping the caribou where it was needed until Phineas seemed to choose the opportune moment to strike. The girl's ears pressed back in worry as it pulled her father from the ground. Was it suppose to happen like this? That was all of the hunt she would witness.

A male's voice told her urgently abuck was headed this way and she needed to move. Not needing to be told twice, even if she didn't instantly recognize this voice, in fear she swiftly shot into the brush and began to run. Surely after one was dead the herd would only continue running in panic and maybe it was headed this way. Soon as she shot in the bushes she was looking for the guide. Where did she go? Orange eyes found the silver and black figure running ahead. Was he of their pack, only late to the hunt? She couldn't be sure, but she tried to keep up running away from the the frantic calls of caribou, and the rest of the pack. -Hypatia exits-

(This post was last modified: Jan 06, 2014, 06:03 PM by Hypatia.)

One by one his pack memebers came into view. Each springing at the caribou , just as they had planned. The rest of the herd had abandoned her to certain death; he used to wonder how his pack would react were he in the same position. Would they took leave him to die? It was a question that now had an answer - Yes. They would. They had. Even if he were to rebuild his kingdom, he doubted he could ever trust in their loyalty again. Perhaps that was why his life here, though simple and short thus far, had been a breath of fresh air.

The two white wolves went for a shoulder, the caribou reared, fighting with all her might to escape but the look in her eye said she knew her time was up. As her hooves landed back upon solid ground, Rhysis rounded to her front and waited for the moment her tender neck was within reaching distance. Using his height to his advantage, he dove at her head on and wrapped his jaws around her neck and began to apply pressure, slowly cutting off her air supply. The weight of three wolves upon her at that moment seemed too much for the already weakened prey and she began to stumble, relying on all fours to keep her up meant that he could hold his grip without fear of being kicked by her diamond hard hooves. Now it was just a waiting game; his stomach rumbled in anticipation as his jaws locked tight in place.