Wild Cherry Orchard The Greatest Show

At Hudson's side, Adelard tried to keep himself from calling out the shots. He had, after all, offered up his help; and, like Rhaegara, recognized that he was a guest and a secondary set of jaws. As Aubine's gaze went from right to left, his followed for a second sweep over the herd. Antlered or not, he knew the girls would have to pick something with any sort of weakness.

When Sága moved away, so did Rhaegara and Aubine. He saw them off, withheld well wishes unspoken on his tongue. Again, he and his sister exchanged glances. To her, he gave a firm nod. Do your best. Then, as Hudson began to venture downwind, Adelard followed, slow and steady and cautious. With a larger frame and heavier step, it was best to be extra careful. He would catch-up in due time.

For a while there was static in the air. A silence right before the storm. Adelard positioned himself some distance away from Hudson, hunkered down on his stomach with his side against a shrub. It wasn't enough to cover him completely but at least the caribou {in it's panic} wouldn't even fully see him until it was too late. He trained his eyes on Hudson, watching and waiting for the sound of panicked hooves to come closer.

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

Hudson and Adelard had placed themselves a decent distance apart from each other so that they would be able to be the last line to cut off the women’s chosen target for the take down. His greyscale gaze flickered between the direction of the herd and Adelard, keeping him in his sights in order to give the cue when the time came. He tried his best as well to hunker down by a shrug to obscure his form, but his salt-and-pepper pelt did no such favors for him. It did him some favors in the winter, such as soaking up more of the sun’s rays to keep him warm, but it also made him stick out like a sore thumb on top of the pale snow.

They laid in wait for what felt like forever before the sounds of hooves pounding on the ground could be heard. The earth quaked beneath their paws and he gave a sharp look to his partner, rising ever so slightly into a position more suitable for pouncing with his powerful haunches tucked beneath him, ready to lunge forward at a moment’s notice. It grew louder and louder until the herd burst over the small hill that separated them, flying past in a flurry of panicked mooing and hawing. He looked around with narrowed eyes, trying to find the forms of the ladies and pinpoint which one they’d managed to separate. After another couple of minutes they appeared, tailing after the last of the Elk and corralling it with a surprisingly fine-tuned grace for a group who had never worked together before.

Once the Elk was just about to pass them, Hudson lunged from where he lay, his dark legs powering over the earth until he leapt, forelegs outstretched before him to rake down the haunches of their prey. He sunk his teeth into the flesh, attempting to rip a chunk out before he was flung off by a kick. He landed on the ground with a thud and a grunt, getting to his paws and shaking off the snow from his pelt before going at it again, making sure to work around Adelard and the ladies.

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

S - for swearing.

On their signal, the silvery woman began the chase, charging foreword until she, too, caught sight of the creature's limp. Spurred on by adrenaline, instinct, and perhaps the favor of the Gods, Saga pushed even harder, intent on playing her part to a tee. They would be successful.  They had to be.

Being that they were all of an age, Saga believed it was fair to assume that they had all had quite a bit of experience, so their continued ease shouldn't have surprised her, and yet it did.  Everyone seemed to fall into place on their own without the need for instruction. It felt powerful, a feeling she found herself sorely lacking as of late.

As they drove the heard onward, her gaze flickered to the horizon, locating the boys' dark coats  with relative ease. Hudson made quick work of attempting a takedown, but was unsuccessful in his first attempt. Damn it. She nipped at the caribou's heels, hoping to force it to stumble or slow.

Sága is currently travelling with Huddy, Aubine, Adelard, Rhaegara, Riven, Maugrim & Hrun

The hunt was familiar, as was the prize that was at the end. She could feel the blood pumping through her body as she chanced after it, giving into her most feral instincts as she nipped at the creature and drove it towards the men who were waiting for the takedown at the end. She saw Hudson lash out against the creature, but the creature was able to shake him. Tenacious creature, she would give the elk that. She growled as she pushed herself harder, nipping at the heels, hoping the added pressure of her own actions on top of Saga’s would be enough to cause the creature to stumble.

She was hungry, and she would have her fill. She could smell the blood that leaked from where the man’s teeth had sunk into the prey, the smell of blood gracing her nostrils. All that mattered in that moment was the kill, the prey that would meet it’s fate so she and her companions might continue on living. This was natural, it was instinct. It was survival of the fittest at it’s finest, taking down the creatures that simply did not have the strength or grace or poise to do what wolves did.

As Rhaegara and Sága set to work, Aubine drove further and further off to the side until the caribou of their choice was separated from the rest. Her teeth snapped at the air and growls ripped from her throat in a nearly continuous roar. Only when the others had been fully scared off did she veer back towards her pack. She watched the herd stampede past the boys and she flew across the snow in an arc to catch up.

Hudson's dark form leapt up first from the attack point. His lunge made contact but Aubine watched with wide eyes as he was kicked away. The four of them trailed after Elk and the Gerau was still finding her bearings. If she had been closer, she might have made an attempt at a bite herself. Her brother, though, was ideally next in position... and he had to do something - anything - to turn the tide. She did the only thing she could on the spur of the moment. She barked, "Adelard, the hock!" A dry mouth and a cold-stung nose kept her from directing any further. Her lungs needed air and she had to ready herself for if and when she was needed to help ensure their prey was done for.

so I risk it all just to be with you
AUBINE GERAU
and I risk it all for this life we choose

In due time, the herd thundered past them, and it wasn't until Hudson made a move did Adelard tear after him and their quarry. The dark man made a move and, if the Gerau hadn't been paying attention, he might have also gotten a good kick to the side. With Hudson behind him and a cry from Aubine out of sight, Adelard's body wound up, sprinting as the deer's limp became more and more apparent as the moments wore on.

With Sága's and Rhaegara's help in herding and ultimately tripping up the beast enough to cause drag marks in the snow, Adelard took the opportunity to snap his jaws around the lame hind limb. Once attached, he curved his body and sent his weight down into his heels. As long as his teeth remained embedded in that hock, something could be done... All he had to do was dodge the other flailing leg. He bit harder, making the deer bleat out in a new wave of panic. It knew now that it was going to lose.

Adelard drifted behind the Elk, scraping the snow up with him and revealing the dead, yellowed grass in his wake. Angled to one side to keep out of reach from the uninjured hindlimb that was still frantically kicking, he could only manage a couple of weak head thrashes. He alone wasn't heavy enough to fully stop the blasted thing, but he hoped Hudson or one of the ladies would find that sweet spot and end the chase. It wouldn't be long now until their bellies were filled.

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher

Well if you wanted honesty that's all you had to say

His companions were pulling their weight and more to bring down their meal. Saga and Rhaegara continued after it’s heels, the bulky mammal stumbling with an alarmed bleat sounding into the air but its family was long gone. It was survival of the fittest in this cold world and it would pay with its life for being the weakest link. His silver gaze caught Adelard latching onto the injured hock, though his breathing indicated he was beginning to tire. It wouldn’t be long before he had to let go and they needed to take it down before then. “One of ya’ll go fer th’ throat, Adelard n’ I’ll hold it from th’ back,” he barked before dashing back in himself. His teeth clasped around the fragile ankle of the animal, biting down until he could physically feel the tendons snapping under the pressure. This time, even as the animal gave a weak kick, he held on. Soon it would go down, one of the women would find purchase in its throat, and it would all be over.

Ashbash 2016 - Ian Schneider 

Saga waited or the boys to be ready, and on Hudson's instruction she wasted no time launching herself forward to grab the creature by the throat. It let out a horrible noise as her jaws found purchase around it's jugular, and the taste of iron filled her mouth. It writhed and struggled beneath her grasp, and it was all she could do to maintain her grip while simultaneously avoiding it's forelimbs. She hoped that the other's would be quick about bleeding it out, so that no unnecessary injury came to her, but she wasn't the least bit concerned. After all, the Gods were on her side.

Sága is currently travelling with Huddy, Aubine, Adelard, Rhaegara, Riven, Maugrim & Hrun

Rhaegara followed suit, a growl as she lunged at the creature to assist with the takedown. She clamped down on one of the forelimbs near the base to help limit motion as Saga reached the jugular. Rhaegara’s teeth sank around a major artery that fed the leg and she was rewarded with the rush of blood that would assist in eliminating the creatures will to fight back and would make it bleed out quickly. She felt the creature start to go limp and only then did she lighten her jaws, confident that it would not lash out at either herself or Saga. It would not have the energy to do so.

Adelard's grip was slipping, and no amount of head thrashing and tail waving would slow the beast down. All he had was a face full of caribou rump. He heard Hudson give further commands, instructions followed without hesitation. A flash of silver and the sound of a yelp came before a thunderous growl. Their quarry began to weaken, its legs beginning to feel like hardening tree sap in his jowls.

The smell of blood was in the air.

One defeated bleat and the caribou was on the ground, its shoulder planted in the snow with a streak of red. Its neck still craned upward to stare at its attackers. This was it. There would be no mercy offered here apart from the gift of death and a lifecycle continued.

Panting, Adelard let go of the bloodied leg, looking over the impending kill site. The caribou's head fell; one of its last few breaths lifted from its open jaws as the women's death grips kept it still. It was only a matter of time now. The masked man glanced to the others before placing a heavy paw on the beast's side, towering over it. He lowered his head and offered a show of clenched teeth.

If he had been the one in charge, he might've been the one to put the thing out of its misery. He looked to Hudson with an acknowledging nod as he sat on caribou's side to pin it down further. As the eldest and most assertive of them, the swarthy man should have the honor.

         

ADELARD

heat stroke, bring the fire black smoke, I take it higher