Ghastly Woods Never give up on life

You'd better ransom your heart and baby

• NAIRA •

don't look back - because we've got nobody else

Naira was greatly pleased by the size of the gathering, but the absences did not go unnoticed. Faol would be busy marking the borders, no doubt with Taima close at hand - but the absent princesses had no excuse to ignore Sagacity’s summons and this would be a lesson hard learned. The time for coddling the children was over, and if they would not hunt, they would not eat until those who had worked for their meals were done. A silent baring of her teeth was all that was offered to those who chose to speak with a meal so close at hand.

@Mapplethorpe was quick to hand out positions and she watched as her pack vanished amongst the trees, choosing instead to hide in plain sight. She walked in the open, between the deer and the rest of her pack - a lone worn wolf who wouldn’t dare to attempt such a difficult kill on her own. The buck had raised his head to blow a warning to her when Sagacity broke her cover and the results were just as they could have hoped. Karpos broke from his cover, along with Mercy who clearly had clearly been practicing. He herded one of the females towards where Crowe would be laying in wait but the other two charged past and began to veer wide of @Chulyin’s post so she sprung into action.

The deer were so close that their hindquarters bumped together as they ran. She lunged, grabbing a mouthful of thin skin and holding on for dear life as the doe tried to kick her off. A glancing blow caught her ribs knocking the air from her lungs but it had been enough to separate the two, the young buck making a bee line to freedom just over the hedges. The tawny wolf was quick to recover, adrenalin washing all but the faintest twinge from her ribs as she stuck with the doe, delivering quick bites to the delicate skin on its rear while she continued to push it towards her brother. Blood stained her face, and it stained the snow. Whether the other doe was caught or not she was determined that tonight, they would feast.

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While Mapplethorpe had not specifically given Mercy something to do (having Karpos nearby was more of concern at the present moment), he was rather glad that the boy decided for himself what he ought to do. As he and Karpos started to make their own path around the deer, the Leader found himself slightly smirking as he fixated his eyes on their targets, confident that both cubs would - at last - show him what they were worth in the spirit of the hunt. The three males seemed to move all at once, shifting at first in order to catch Sagacity's signal and then darting forward to send the antlered family into action. Both boys advanced before him, their youthful and spritelier bodies quickly propelling them through the snow. "Go, go!" he snarled, watching attentively as both targeted one of the does.

Tagging along about a wolf's length behind them, he cast a glimpse over his shoulder but failed to catch a glance Sagacity. Nevertheless, he knew she would and could take care of herself; his duty at present were to the two wards (two promising yearlings in the making) and their safety. The youths steered the doe towards the place where Crowe and Chulyin were waiting. Over the sound of his pulsing heartbeat he heard the rhythm of retreating hooves and as Mercy and Karpos succeeded in their task of separating the first doe, Naira lunged in a flash of tawny fur. Wayward limbs and violent kicks found her side and Mapplethorpe instinctively reacted.

He seized what newfound energy and adrenaline he had and captured the doe's other leg as Naira attacked it's rump. Increasing the pressure in his jaw and forcing his teeth into the deer's flesh, he tugged slightly at it, relishing its struggle. She bleated as she tried hard to veer to one side, calling desperately for the young buck to return to her aid. Mapplethorpe compulsively then attempted to growl over her cries, continuing to hold his ground enough to make her stagger laterally within striking distance for either Crowe or Chulyin to strike its neck while most of her attention was held by the two tawny Leaders who had sent her to death's doorstep.

If you guys want it changed just let me know

Crowe lay waiting for the deer to be driven towards the place where he hid near Chulyin. He watched in silence as all the deer were divided with one headed towards himself and Chulyin. From the corner of his yellow eyes he saw Naira and Mapplethorpe on another doe. It seemed that it was causing them some trouble, but Mapplethorpe was steering it towards him with what truthfully appeared to be near expert finesse. Crowe reacted leaving Chulyin and the young ones to the other doe if they chose. The white wolf moved across the snow at a surprisingly quick pace for his size. Though he knew that he only had one true shot at this otherwise his energy would be spent, Crowe aimed for the very front of the doe and hit her square in the chest. It was just enough and soon she had faltered.

Crowe stole the opportunity and leaped to sink his teeth into her neck. Down she went, the weight of three wolves for too much for the slender animal, a few more shrieks met his ears before he had her life's blood draining into his jaws. Crow shook a few times and let her spasms shake his body and jaws, the warmth and taste of her blood caused him to clamp harder for an instant while his vision shaded red. The doe's windpipe severed just before he came back to his senses and realized she had already bled out, the white wolf paused for a moment and shook his head to clear the haze of blood lust that still lurked in the far corners of his mind..

ooc: i really suck at these, so if i get anything wrong placement wise, please let me know and i will change the inaccuracy. Gent was on the ready, more than eager to both fill his stomach and continue to show that he was capable of pulling his fair share of weight like everyone else. As Mapplethorpe hissed out instructions, the boy fell into his assigned position, slinking behind the woman identified as Sagacity. He recalled that name as the one supplied to him by Naira when first knocking at the door of Nomad's Pass, though he had not been to find the time to communicate with her before the snows came down and forced them into their current predicament. His movements were reflective of the elder scout's, and he kept himself low and out of sight until the signal was given and the hunt was on. Lunging from the cover, he immediately dogged the doe that broke off closest to him. One of the children, Mercy, veered toward the same meal, steering her toward the jaws of the duo guardians. Gent easily matched her frantic strides, adrenaline and hunger fueling every propulsion of his muscles. He unleashed a barrage of nips and tears upon her hide, loosing blood and causing the animal to add its own vocalized panic to the raucous symphony of their hunt. As Crowe broke away to aid the alphas, Gent hoped that Chulyin was still attentive and ready to receive the doe that he intended to deliver. The beast, upon seeing Crowe leap forward, attempted to swerve, but ultimately faltered, caught between a triad of Gent to one side, Crowe's current trajectory on the opposite side, and the location of the initial scare ahead of her. This gave Gent the time necessary to launch a more violent attack, and he tore into one of her limbs, sending her fleeing at a limp. With him attached, paws a windmill beneath him in the attempt to not lose his footing, she continued as planned directly toward where Chulyin lie in wait.

so sorry for pooping out on this. i've missed so much, so i'm just going to be as vague as possible? ugh.

His leader had directed him and the pale Crowe into position, the key position, likely due to their collective size. Chulyin moved quietly into the brush, only faintly aware of Crowe near him. He watched the other parties fall into position and his sister strike out, dragging the prey into position for him and his partner. His tail lashed weakly behind him, not wanting to stir any brush. Hackles raised, he lowered himself slightly, waiting for just the right moment. As each wolf of the Keep played their part, so did Chulyin, following beside Crowe into the open towards the doe. The paler man moved for her front, and Chulyin moved towards her hind end, carefully dodging flailing hooves as Crowe certainly unleashed his own attack. Leaping for her hind end, the man sank his teeth into her haunch, feeling the creature drop out from beneath him, his own weight too much for her failing body to support. He felt quite feral in this moment, the taste of blood on his tongue, almost a shock to his system as he could hardly remember the last time he'd had a proper meal. He retreated before she fell, letting the blood that had pooled within his jaws to drain onto the unsettled snow.

They'd won. Catching his breath, he eyed the catch for a moment, before setting his sights upon Gent and Crowe, still quite near to the catch. He snarled at them both, a clear warning that there would be order once more. His eyes searched for his sister and Mapplethorpe who would be the first to eat their meager winnings. Chulyin, too, retreated from the hind end of the doe, tail still twitching at his back as he fell from the high.<b style="color:#a51919">

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

everything that kills me makes me feel alive As soon as the doe had been herded in the direction of the attackers Karpos started to back off, his eyes narrowed as he watched the doe kick of deer life. As he pulled back he felt the hoof of the beast graze his shoulder and Karpos let out a hiss of pain. Work it off Karp, work it off. He told himself in a determined fashion as he finally stopped and watched the older adults work with what had happened. The injury would bruise at most and was no immediate danger. Karpos shifted his weight a bit in favor of the left shoulder that was hurting; this pain was no unbearable though. He watched as Chuylin managed to bring it down. He saw the creature fall and he licked his lips. Eager to get his turn at the meat but willing to wait for the higher ranks to eat. It was law. Alphas ate first. Karpos looked at Mercy and gave a nod to him. Since the animals had been alerted he figured it was alright to talk. <b style="font-family:georgia; color:#8182A3;">"Good hunt." He said to the boy was he watched. He felt as if he'd be putting himself in danger if he tried to help with the take down. His eyes narrowed at the meat and he looked around. Concern for @Aponi welled up inside him. He hoped the Princess of the Keep was alright and safe wherever she disappeared to. Karpos watched, observed and tried to learn from the experience.

last post by me.

Sagacity shot forward, continuing to split the deer in two directions, with the buck high-tailing it in one direction and the two does in another. She wasn't particularly interested in the young buck, but continued to push the two does forward, before angling herself slightly so that she could continue to chase from behind with the hopes of separating them. From across the opening, she saw a jet of black and grey as her son shot forward, along with Karpos. She made brief eye contact with her son who took it on his own hands to aim directly at her, which worked beautifully to split the does apart. One swerved away at a sharp angle, and began to sprint away from the other doe who fell into Naira and Mapplethorpe's path. The two leaders worried the deer while Crowe and Chulyin used their strength and Gent maimed one of the doe's legs, slowing her down so that she could be dragged to the ground.

Sagacity was among them in a moment, though she'd secretly hoped that either Crowe or Chulyin would have gone for the other doe- she would have teamed up with one of them and chanced a second kill, but the doe had already leaped and bounded away. Her focused gaze swept across the gathering and with bared teeth and a harsh snarl she moved forward, shouldering aside any who came between her and the meal- apart from Naira and Mapplethorpe, to whom she deferred and Chulyin who went mostly ignored, as her equal. Once Naira and Mapplethorpe had eaten, she'd let none- aside from Chulyin- eat alongside her.

Avatars by Arla!

...Well, except for this one.

To his utter delight, his tactic worked. With his mother hurrying the does forward and his path aimed directly at them, one shied away and took off in a different direction. Seeing Naira and Mapplethorpe surge forward, past him, and at the other doe, he balked momentarily, even swerving so that he could chase the other doe for a few strides. She was too far ahead and none of the others had gone after her either, so she was, unfortunately, a loss. By the time he gave up on her, the other doe had been surrounded and injured, and the dappled boy picked up a lope toward the group as the doe was brought to the ground.

He'd moved toward his mother but side-stepped awkwardly when she bared her teeth and snarled, asserting her dominance over those who were ranked below her. As one of the youngest in the group and therefore the lowest ranked, he cowered and moved back, licking his lips hopefully. He watched as others moved in and envied them- some day he too would be able to force his way to the center of the group and claim his portion of the kill, but doing so now would only mean punishment. There was a strict order for feeding, and he knew to follow it. He felt unsure about Gent- he wasn't too much older, but he was larger and had had a more significant part in killing the deer, so he decided it wasn't worth challenging him.

Karpos, however, didn't seem inclined to challenge anyone and waited patiently. Mercy was less patient, but still knew enough to wait back. His focus on the deer as it was torn apart kept him focused- otherwise he might have challenged Karpos. But he was so hungry that all he wanted to do was sit, wait, and lunge in as soon as he got the chance, eventually taking his fill of the meal.

Let's wrap this up, shall we? Mapplethorpe cordially extends his kudos to Sagacity (for having a keen eye) and the wards cubs (for behaving as expected). <3

All too soon the woodlands around him grew still and the only sounds he could discern apart from the heartbeat in his ears were the shuffling and panting of his pack. His eyes fell upon Mercy and Karpos first after eyeing the two dead deer in their midst; it had seemed that the boys did well in keeping their wits about them when it had come time for the pack's Guardians to take down their prey. Mapplethorpe tore his eyes from them and cast his eyes around at the adults, Naira first and then Sagacity... then the men under his command. He took a deep breath and held it in attempt to regulate his racing heartbeat. When he released it several seconds later, he moved forward and nearly stumbled when weight was put down on his right fore limb. He caught himself before his chin could even drop so low as to touch the trampled snow and as quickly as he could, eyed the subordinates who were more than likely watching his every move.

To any who dared to continue to stare, he let out a thunderous, vicious, and visceral growl as his tail waved to and fro, high in the air. It seemed that they all knew their place and for that the Hollowheart Keep Leader was appeased. He strode over to the first deer, the one the cubs had separated on their own, looked it over, then returned to the one he and Naira had helped take down. In one unfaltering move he craned his head down to pierce his teeth into the doe's soft hide. As diligently as he could, he peeled the fur and skin away from the still-warm corpse then took one step back to allow his beloved Queen @Naira to relish the first bite of the feast.

(EXIGO.)