Fireweed Rise bwp: rendezvous and i'm through

For @Athena and @Enoki !!  Discover away~

   

“Damn bloody scoutin’.  Damn bloody travelin’!  A lass can’t catch a break!” Acantha grumbled to herself, stomping her way through the field as blades of grass and weeds crumpled beneath her hooves.  How boring this was, she thought, how demeaning!  She should be back at her mother’s side, her right hand swine, leader of her glorious armies and the heiress to her vast kingdom!  She should be, but she wasn’t, because the sow had chosen poorly, and neither such thing existed, not in Acantha’s eyes.  “Doesn’ mean y’ can fix it, lass,” she coached herself gruffly, continuing her single-minded track as she reached the last fading fields of a fireweed.

Beady eyes lit up, and for a moment, the swine considered reporting back to the rest of her float with the news.  Not even a breath later and she chuckled, revealing a sharp row of teeth as she trotted forward to the remaining flowers and green stalks.  Sharing was for suckers – if they were going to send her off scouting for potential wintering grounds, then they should expect she’d skim a bit off the surface.  It was a tax!  Her fair share of any sort of prize (and this was a bit poor as far as prizes went).  Grunting as she chewed, Acantha quickly resorted to shoving her snout into the earth, seeking out soft roots – this time of year, these were often the best part of plants to eat, and if she were lucky, she might find a few burrowing grubs, too.

(This post was last modified: Oct 19, 2015, 10:52 PM by Spirit of Wildwood.)

A new scent had began to permeate through the drooped boughs of the willows that afternoon as Enoki participated in observing the barricade of her home before decamping to scout the travelling herds @Morganna had so graciously informed both herself and @Adele about. With the encroaching winter soon to arrive on their doorstep it would be ideal to keep updated tabs on the larger food sources while the ground was still easily navigable. Once the snows hit and littered the ground in their ivory flakes expeditions beyond the borders were to be done only out of necessity to ward off starvation. Today's voyage, though, was merely for reporting back to the pack on the possible shifted whereabouts of the caribou. Thus ebony limbs traversed about the knolls of fireweed crushing what flowers had yet to wilt under the weight of her paws while smoldering amber optics examined the fields for slow moving, grazing silhouettes of the brown coated herbivores.

Stepping up to the ridge of another knoll her sights did come to settle upon a brown tinted figure grazing among the decaying flowers, but something seemed off about it. This beast was far too short and its body shape all wrong to fit the description of a caribou. How the creature foraged varied dramatically from that of the mowing like manner of caribou as well. All around the muddied beast lay scattered depressions in the earth that resembled the beginning phases of a war field, entire clumps of earth overturned in its wake. Even its odor was wrong. Such a heavy whiff of musk, mud and feces almost caused Enoki to snort in an attempt to rid the reeking stench from her nostrils. Whatever this was, it definitely was not caribou, but enticed the huntress all the same. Never before had the piebald stumbled across something like this, even back in the Calarosa mountain range.

It was then the Ashrelle vixen decided an investigation was in order, curiosity a deadly thing to ignore. Gaze focused on the engrossed specimen her swarthy body hunkered close to the untouched flowers beneath her, limbs working together to gradually inch nearer for a better view. Enoki wanted to know more about this oddity and where it had suddenly come from. Better yet if it was something edible like the herds of caribou and deer, or a new predator to these lands. 

or maybe i'm just in love when you wake me up
maybe i fell in love when you woke me up 

With winter on Fallen Tree Cove's doorstep, the huntress took what time she didn't use patrolling the borders and guarding the caches to search and track down the nearest herds traveling around them. Their last pack hunt had landed them in Fireweed Rise, so the Fallen Queen trekked back to the crimson covered meadow to see if the herd of caribou were still occupying the grassy knolls. Hunting and tracking kept her mind off the man she held dear to her heart, while his heart was no longer hers. Keeping herself busy was the only way that was getting her though this disaster that was her broken heart. Athena kept reminding herself that this would only be temporary. She didn't belong here, not when Vesper didn't love her anymore. She just needed to prove to him that he could trust her, then she would leave him in peace with his new life that he created in her accidental  absence.

Resting upon the crimson splashed knoll, her burning ember orb scouted the caribou herd that indeed still inhabited the Rise. Nothing seemed amiss at first, her eye looking over the brown blanketed deer grazing quietly with a few short snorts here and there. That was until her eye caught the sight of much smaller creature that was much noisier than the quiet caribou. It's body a darker color that was covered in mud and reeked of musk and feces. Shoving its snout into the ground repeatedly, leaving a trail of upturned earth fit for a battle zone. The creature seemed familiar, perhaps in her homeland, but they must have been a rarity as her mother never told her about them.

Curiosity got the best of her as she moved from her grassy knoll and crouched through the grasses to get a better look at this creature. Perhaps this could be new prey for her to bring home to Vespertio or a new enemy to warn him about.

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

     

Not one wolf, but two.  The first was easy enough to ignore – though she might have not actually been the matriarch of her drift, Acantha was a sizeable lady indeed.  In her prime, she was built with gristle and muscle.  Even a well-aimed bite would be hard-pressed to do more than just piss her off.  In truth, it would be a good excuse now, wouldn’t it?  The entire idea behind this was to investigate and not to engage, but if a predator came after her, the solider would be entirely justified.

Unfortunately, another wolf soon appeared – this one as white as fresh snow.  They both seemed to be watching her – were they in league?  Or were they both simple-minded fools gawking at a beauty they’d never before witnessed?  Acantha was not much in the mood for asking questions, and after slurping up a mouthful of grubs and roots, she lifted her head.  Slowly, she turned her gaze onto Athena and barked, “What’re yew lookin’ at, lass?  Ain’t here for show.”

Albeit, she often liked being the center of attention, but this was clearly for the wrong reasons.  Rounding on @Enoki, she widened her stance, barking again.  As she lowered her head, she struck the ground with a split hoof, threatening to charge the piebald if she didn’t get a move on.

(This post was last modified: Oct 28, 2015, 07:46 PM by Spirit of Wildwood.)

All hints of motion ceased on the piebald's behalf as the strange creature began to make an equally strange barking noise; firstly at a ghostly figure the huntress hadn't noticed in her gawking of the swine, a familiar figure at that, then swiftly wheeling itself around to face Enoki. A clearly visible look of being pissed off etched on the prickling hairs of the boars face before its head lowered and a foot stomped the ground threateningly. The patchwork woman didn't know what this creature was, but she knew well enough what that motion meant and by a swift look at the teeth protruding from its snout on both sides one would be wise to avoid getting jabbed by them. This thing meant business.

Risking the defensive beast following through with its challenge, amber optics skimmed over the ivory coated wolf that lingered near the base of the mountain. A nagging sensation associated with knowing something, but not being able to place where or why you know it, hammering at the back of her skull. Where had she seen this wolf before? Only when the other vixen came closer did the wheels turn and the connection click. Aha! A couple days ago the very wolf and her pack mates had made a foolish mistake of attempting to search for prey on Willow Ridge hunting grounds. Honestly, how foolish could that pack be to make the same mistake again so shortly after the first? Anger welled up within the veins of Enoki as the fur lining her hackles puffed out to increase the size of her normally medium build, tail lashing in a flagging motion over her spine.

Motion within her peripheral vision forced the two toned woman to return her attention to the threat directly at hand. The reeking beast offering one more warning by creating another tiny rut in the ground by stomping its hoof. Enoki couldn't handle two enemies by herself especially when she knew nothing about one of them except it stunk and made a mess of their hunting ground. She would have to deal with the ivory wolf later unless reinforcements just so happened to pay the Rise a visit. Lowering her head to protect her throat, a flash of pearly whites met the boar's threat before a menacing growl could escape onto the crisp air, calling the swine's bluff. There was only one way to find out how this thing ticked for future references. Challenge it.

 

Athena Moon

Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold. But you will remember me.

The creature snorted out barks in her direction, its beady eyes staring right at her. That was when she saw more clearly the teeth that protruded from its jaw, clearly a weapon to avoid with this beast. The stout animal turned away from her and towards another wolf across the fireweed. The markings were distinct and familiar on the other bystander and there was no mistaking that this was a wolf of Willow Ridge, a pack that already had high tensions with Fallen Tree Cove. Though, this may be their hunting grounds, Athena still needed to know where the herds traveled to and perhaps if they migrated out of the Rise. So, frankly, Vespertio could yell at her again for being here, she wouldn't care. He could never stop her from tracking their lifeline and Athena has come here for years, she wasn't going to stop just yet.
Hoof stomping on the ground and lowered head, she recognized this motion in many animals, like the caribou when the bucks were in rut and were fighting for females. The Ridge wolf mimicked the putrid creature, challenging it. Ceasing her own movement, she stopped close enough to be able to observe closely, but far enough away to be able to move quickly away if the beast or wolf turned on her. Even if she tried to help and possibly kill this creature, she doubted the meat would be shared so eagerly by the Ridge wolf. With no reward in fighting this animal, Athena stuck back in the shadows to watch how this unknown creature took a wolf challenging it. 

We've been here forever and here's the frozen proof. I could scream forever. We are the poisoned youth.

(This post was last modified: Nov 16, 2015, 03:08 AM by Athena.)

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

   

Damn, stinking wolves, and there damn, peering eyes.  Despite her warnings, the white one continued to watch, as if her stare might actually do anything.  What did she think she’d accomplish with her stink eye?  It might work on another dirty dog, but a swine of her stature?  Only in Athena’s dreams.

Rolling her eyes, the large boar decided to ignore the white female for the time being as she slunk into the shadows.  It did not seem to have much interest beyond watching, and while Acantha was a damn fine specimen of lady pig, it was the piebald she was going to have to worry about.  That stupid mutt hadn’t taken the warning she’d offered, instead opting to mirror the warrior’s stance when she should have been looking for shelter.

So be it.

Flashing @Enoki a nasty grin, the female ducked her head as she barreled forward.  Acceleration wasn’t fast, persay, but there were plenty of pounds behind the punch.  She had every intention of ramming into the spotted wolf’s side if she stood her ground – that she had massive tusks only helped make her point.

“Run while y’can~”

Enoki had successfully called the foul smelling boar out on its bluff. The look upon the beast's elongated facial features and the twinkle in those beady black eyes had a way of filling the wolf's stomach with a leaded weight, causing a sever dropping sensation. What once was a bluff now evolved into a full blown charge after a nasty grin was offered, bristly coated skull lowering with every intention of sending the points of those jaw protruding appendages into some portion of Enoki's body. The huntress to be could have possibly found herself in a whole new world of trouble should things go sour.

Muscles tensed in preparation beneath her silky pelt, smoldering amber irises refusing to leave the darting figure as all thoughts of Athena quickly perished. It was just wolf versus hog now. Granted the barreling pig lacked speed by how slow its advancing body traversed the uprooted rise, there was no denying a ton of weight laid in wait by how bulky the thing looked. A backup mechanism for the lack of speed available. It would be this missing factor that Enoki soared in in comparison that she would use to her advantage in this duel.

Another couple feet of ground was gained by the hog and still Enoki remained steady, jaws snapping wildly to edge the enemy on as saliva began its slow stringy descent from her lips. Another set of feet flew beneath the barreling hooves, drawing the creature nearer. There. It wasn't until the beast crossed into almost close knit quarters did the piebald woman spring with all her might to the left. Swarthy limbs thrumming against the earth to bring her out of harms way and the path of those dirt tinged tusks before daring a glance over her shoulder to see what the boar made of her failed attempt to gore the pack wolf.

 

Athena Moon

Better watch out princess, that crown is mine. The Queen is back

Athena watched on silently, her fiery mismatched gaze collecting any information she could use to alert Vespertio about this new visitor Lore had in it's lands. Leaving the piebald wolf to figure out first hand how dangerous this animal was, the snowy vixen stayed crouched ready to move if need be if things became astray. Quicker than Athena anticipated, the hog was on the charge towards the challenging wolf. Though, the beast wasn't the quickest in its movements, any eye could see the weight and punch the boar held, especially taking in account of the large tusks adorned on it's face. A hunt with this prey could be fatal if not careful.

The woman could easily tell the plan within the head of the beast belong as it aimed at the piebald wolf intent on ramming into her. Speed was going to be crucial for the woman below. If she didn't move away in time, those pointed tusks would pierce right through her with the force the hog had behind her charge. Athena's own heart quickened at the excitement and anticipation of what was to become of the hogs charge. Just as she thought the hog was to ram right into the wolf, she quickly moved out of the way and escaped the boar's goring.

that crown has always been mine.

(This post was last modified: Dec 23, 2015, 01:40 AM by Athena.)

|| Ash is welcome to make an appearance in any thread. ||

@Enoki @Athena - Sorry for the wait! I'm going to be a lot better about responding to these threads now. :) Not sure how you guys wanted to progress? Without additional help, Enoki and Athena on their own won't be able to kill the pig.

      

Acantha roared with a ferocity that had sent many creatures scrambling as she charged at the black and white wolf who had been too stupid to seek safety when she had the chance. Head tucked, the boar's tusks were aimed with deadly precision on the piebald's chest - she'd be skewered to death if she didn't get the hell out of the way. Her eyes squinted, she saw a flash of black and white fur as she thundered past where @Enoki had been just a few moments before, the boar's tusks making contact only with empty air. She kept running as it took a few seconds for her brain to process what exactly had happened. When it hit her, she skidded to a stop, wheeling her mighty weight around as she turned to face the wolves.

She could almost see the smirks on their faces, laughing at her. That was unacceptable, and her angry bellows let them know that. Ducking her head again, the boar didn't waste time warning the wolves of the oncoming charge. Instead, she threw herself forward, ready to follow the piebald no matter which direction she moved.