The Wildwood sweet salvation on a dining room table

@Kerberos, hunt/spree?

She was farther from the river than she typically preferred, but circumstances had forced her to temporarily abandon the waterway seeing as it was completely frozen solid. Perhaps if she had worked at it a long while, the girl could have bored a hole in the ice, but even then after all that energy put in who was to say whether she would even catch anything? Besides, her nose had detected something better than fish, and after months on a pescatarian diet it was a scent she could not ignore.

Despite the noon sun peeking in through the trees here and there, the air of the wildwood was thick and heavy with cold. Every outward breath was visible and rose from the girl’s muzzle in a steaming cloud, but there was otherwise no sign of her presence in the wild undergrowth. She was little more than a shadow, slipping noiselessly between the trees in dogged pursuit of her prey.

As she neared her prey, its scent intensified, and the hungry huntress could very nearly taste the fresh boar in her jaws. Her heart pounded as the creature came into view, and Sakari’s spirits fell ever so slightly. It was not a large boar by any standards but it was certainly bigger than she could safely take down on her own. She paused to reassess the situation, watching the creature rustle around obliviously.

Yes! c: @Sakari

He had caught the scent of it and was very intent on bringing it down. He was hungry and there was @Maera to think of too. It was a board and he had to wonder why they were showing up here more. Were they finally escaping the North's cold? The tawny male truly had to wonder why some animals did what they did. He had the same process about him and Mae some days. More so lately.

The Rigel male's nose twitched. Someone else was here. He would not let them take his chance at food. No way in hell was this one getting away. Perhaps he could work something out. For once he trusted himself like Mae trusted him. He followed the scent until he spotted a dark female who resembled his size. She was truly pretty but he wasn't out here to swoon ladies. With no time to waste, he moved in close to her. He did stay away from a respectful distance, perhaps five or six feet away. "Are you trying to go after it too? He's a big one, you'll need help if you are." He was straight to the point. It was obvious he wasn't here for a good old chit-chat and some games.

Plae golden eyes watched the large boar. He certainly wasn't the biggest bugger but he was a decent size. Probably aggressive from the cold weather to. This was a task that would take more than one wolf.

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@Kerberos I just noticed these two are exactly the same size.. like same dimensions and everything and even same eye color. –twilight zone music plays-

As she surveyed the scene, she locked eyes with a tawny man about her own size (her exact size xD) She narrowed her eyes for a moment, wondering if it would come down to a fight. They both seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same time; fighting over a boar that neither of them could take down on their own would be ridiculous. The dark maiden lifted her chin in a cautious greeting, which the stranger apparently took as an invitation to sidle up beside her.

His voice was barely more than a breath in her ear, and yet it made the fur on the back of neck stand up all the same. What if the boar heard?! Sakari’s eyes widened in alarm, but the boar seemed none the wiser. It continued to root around in the underbrush, snorting happily to itself. So she chanced a response along with a sidelong glance, one eyebrow raised coquettishly.  “Is that your way of asking for help?” she whispered, biting her lower lip to keep from laughing. “I’ll surprise it, and you ambush.”

She nodded off toward a nearby game trail that boar would likely charge toward once Sakari surprised it. If the tawny stranger hid himself alongside the trail, the terrified hog would never see the attack coming. Sakari would only be a step behind, and hopefully they could end the hunt before the boar even thought to fight back. The girl blinked, waiting for confirmation. It was a good plan, but she was all ears if he had something better in mind.

@Sakari can you say perfect match? lmao -plays X Files theme-

She was a bit snarky but he didn't mind. Kerb had to learn to like a little fire or else he was gonna get burned. Badly. "It's just my way of figuring out how we both can eat without either of us being ripped open by the tusks." He offered a sly smile and nodded at her plan. The dark female was a quick thinker. Hints of her reminded him of Maera. It seemed he may have found a type.

"Perfect idea, I'll be ready the moment you go." He slinked off to the side. The tawny male kept his body low, muscles tense and more than ready for action. Some foliage hid him from the line of fire the boar may attempt to make. That was if he got caught. His eyes watched everything very carefully. All he had to do was wait for the younger female to surprise it just like she said she would. This was a lot of faith to put in a stranger but if they were both loners (and he did believe they were) neither of them had anything to lose but a meal. He was assured neither of them would want to miss out on such a meal. Especially with the cold's grip on the land and the prey slowly disappearing. Things got harder before they got better. If he could make it through the winter he'd live to see the warmth of spring. Hopefully with Maera at his side.

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Sakari flicked an ear in amusement at the stranger’s cool response, paying more attention to his voice than the words he spoke. Though he was roughly her same size, he sounded older… full grown, she was nearly certain. There was something familiar about his scent too, but Sakari was sure she has never met the stranger before. She would remember a striking man like him. The girl took another quick sideways glance, telling herself she was just making sure she didn’t know him somehow.

The huntress’s golden eyes lit up at the stranger’s praise. Perhaps chivalry wasn’t quite dead after all. Her gaze lingered on the man’s retreating form until he disappeared completely, and then her attention was once more on the boar. She became a shadow again, creeping soundlessly toward her prey. It took all of her self-control not to pounce on the creature as soon as she was in range—it’s mouthwatering scent was temping beyond belief. If she jumped it now though, it would most certainly fight back… better to continue with the plan.

The girl let loose a barrage of ear-piercing barks, and the boar nearly jumped out of its skin. With no visible enemy to battle, it took off squealing toward the game trail. Sakari continued her string of barks as she chased the boar, more out of excitement than any sort of strategy. For just a moment she forgot about the stranger crouched in the bushes; it was just her and her prey, and she was compelled by hunger and instinct to give chase.

He noticed the way she looked at him but he didn't mind it. Maybe he reminded her of someone, or maybe he had something stuck in his teeth. It could be a number of reasons but in no way was he going to let it hinder him from hunting this boar down. The loners needed food and they needed it now. He would be certain to drag some meat home for Mae. It was truly the least he could do for all she had done for him. The tawny male still wondered if she saw something better than he ever good that day she agreed to keep him around. They had faired well, though so he had no need complain.

The dark female's loud barks snapped his attention. He sprung forward and chased the prey like a bat out of hell. He attempted a few leaps forwards, snapping at its stubby legs. Kerberos pulled back to avoid tusks and hooves. There was no point in getting injured during a winter where he had no pack. He certainly didn't think Maera was a healer so there was really no need to get hurt.

He opened his mouth to bark and growl at the beasts in hopes that would be enough of a signal to get his hunting partner to snap at the boar.

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If all had gone according to plan, the boar would have charged down the game trail and ended up right on top of the tawny male’s hiding place, and he could have knocked the creature off its feet with a well-placed tackle.  However, instead of taking the game trail like any other animal with a shred of intelligence, the terrified boar veered off and thundered into the underbrush. Sakari found herself crashing through the wildwood in hot pursuit, and her hunting partner was quick to join the chase.

So intent was the huntress on the retreating haunches of her prey that she almost let strategy fly out the window. The man’s insistent growls grounded her enough to pull herself out of her bloodlust, and she took in the entire scene with a wild, split-second glance. Her hunting partner was attempting jabs at the boar’s legs, which was a smart move. Strikes any closer to the boar’s head would put the attacker perilously close to the creature’s tusks.

Without wasting any time to think it over and talk herself out of it, Sakari sprung for the boar’s hindquarters with an all-or-nothing lunge. Her jaws snapped closed around the creature’s hind leg, and Sakari tucked her head, clinging tenaciously to her prize. The boar pitched sideways off its feet, and Sakari squeezed her eyes shut as they both tumbled to the ground.  She was putting her life in the paws of the stranger… If he didn’t strike as well, it would only be moments before the boar’s tusks met her flesh in a deadly wrestling match.

He watched her over the bridge of his muzzle as his teeth snapped at the air in a deadly warning to the boar. But his hunting partner had done something that took him wildly by surprise. She lunged and went down with the boar. With no time to be wasted he knew very well her life now laid heavily in his paws.

It would be a deadly part on his end but he lunged at the exposed boar, his teeth met the flesh of its stomach. He needed it to die or bleed out before the tusks met his flesh. Kerberos shook his head with the flesh between his teeth in hopes that his company would take the chance to make a better and smarter move. With the hooves of the hog being flailed about Kerb knew he couldn't do much more. He had to jump back while the boar struggled. The snow tainted with hues of red from the beasts. Most of the work now laid upon his dark company. While Kerberos was not a religious man by any means, he did pray that this would be over soon. He wasn't about to risk himself any more unless he was guaranteed something.

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Sakari exhaled quickly with a grunt as one of the flailing hooves connected with the soft flesh of her underbelly. It took one more kick to her flank for her grip to loosen completely. Blood was pouring out of the beast through the hole in its stomach, and the sight sent Sakari into overdrive. As her hunting partner pulled back, Sakari was diving in again, too ravenous to make a more prudent retreat like the tawny man had. Now that she had tasted blood, she could no more release her prey than stop breathing.

Her paws scrabbled in the red-stained snow for a foothold as her jaws closed firmly around the back of the boar’s neck. It flailed violently, searching for its own purchase in order to regain its footing. Loosening and re-tightening her grip only a fraction at a time, the frenzied hunter inched her grip around the boar’s neck toward its carotid. When she could feel the creature’s thundering heartbeat beneath her canines, she ripped, spilling its life out in a shower of red. She then leapt clear of the boar’s dying throes. Her eyes darted briefly in order to locate the other wolf, but quickly settled back on her prey.  

The tawny male could do nothing but watch her. The way she so violently ripped into the boar was insane. He did note she had been kicked twice, though. Her savageness had led to self-harm. How young was she? What had her parents taught her?

He felt rather helpless as she took the last move on the prey. Such nasty sounds raised from the dying prey. Squeals and whines. Kerberos had to admit he would be beyond happy when the horrid beast drew his last breath. It would eliminate a lot of threat and work that needed to be done.

Like a warning sign that the animal's time was out there was a gurgle of gasping for air before it stopped it's efforts. His eyes darted over to look at the dark-hued woman. "Where'd you learn to hunt?" He asked rather politely and neutrally. He was in no way judging (yet) but he wasn't exactly giving praise. "And are you gonna be alright? Those hooves hit hard. I do admire your persistence, though." The Rigel male offered her a smile. She was a strange one but he didn't mind it. He had his own strange one (Maera) waiting for him at home.

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