Dead-Drop Escarpment errante

The stubborn girl had left home on a whim and need of an adventure. It was becoming increasingly obvious that it was a mistake and she should have never left but she was too far from Torbine to navigate her way home once again. She had often heard tales, maybe even rumors, of the eldest litter and their adventures and she supposed that was why she left. She had wanted to go on an adventure to see if her sister Elettra was still alive or not. She had indeed heard, or more of overheard, the woes that her eldest sister had gone through and it stung the black colored Sorya's heart to hear of what had happened. She had fair warned her parents of her leave and deep in her heart she knew them right to call her foolish. After all she had been a mere yearling, fresh off her pup years, when she had left.

With a heavy heart of recalling memories she pushed forward, breaking her walking speed into a run with a sudden burst of energy, duty, and pride. She had a job to do and she swore she would find someone who knew the Archer name, even if it took her to her deathbed. A sudden drop off caused her to come skidding to a halt as she looked down from the swampy terrain to see a large escarpment, or a sudden rocky ledge gave no warning for a plummet to her death other than a sight just 30 seconds before at most, causing a stop to all animals. She looked down and saw skulls and bones of animals that had not caught it like she had. She drew in a deep breathe and let a sigh of relief course through her and leave her muzzle. She had caught it this time. "Keep calm Sorya. Keep calm." She whispered to herself as she started back the other way and the opposite direction of the hazard. She was determined, after all her parents had not approved of her ventures but she had dared to leave anyway. The girl had many thoughts in the back of her head about it all.

His paws ached, but Xetor knew better than to whine about it. There was no one around to hear his pleas a part from the occasional squirrel. The clouds blasted across the sky at a speed that astounded the pup. If it were not for the mixed blue behind the clouds he would have thought that a bad storm was coming. A storm was not what the young male needed right now. He had barely made it over the gate which closed in Torbine and cut the land off form the outside world. He had lost his auntie Sorya's scent (whom he'd been following) quite a long time ago after taking a rest near a stream. Lucky for the young man, Xetor had been able to find her trail once more and continue trailing it.

Just please don't rain before I catch up to her... Tor spoke silently within the confines of his mind while looking at the speeding gray clouds going by. If he lost her scent now he would be more than lost. He would also be alone. At least while following her day old trail Xetor was sure that someone was nearby that he could howl to if he really needed help bad. As it was now Tor was content with simply following his aunt to whatever destination she had in mind. He kept far enough away so that she wouldn't notice him and send the young male back home.

Or at least that had been his plan at the start. Now Xetor wasn't sure if even Sorya knew where she was going. He didn't recognize anything about this land. Not the mountains that loomed above them, nor the trees that stood high above the earth below the young male.

It might actually be better if I catch up soon... His thoughts danced across the dark males mind debating on what to do next.

After a few minutes of rest and catching his breath, Xetor continued hiking up the incline. He was very close to calling out for Sorya, even if it was just to ask if she might be able to help him look for food together. However the young man was too proud to ask for her help, especially since he had followed her all the way here on his own. Unfortunately for him the winds were not going to help the hungry Archer. Instead the breeze turned blowing his scent far across the landscape towards his aunt.

Sorry this is crappy @Xetor, I wanted to get a post up before school/

Sor had been pushing forward, minding her own business, just fine as the winds changed slightly and it brought a sickeningly familiar scent to her muzzle. It can't be. No, He is in Torbine like he should be. She told herself as she hesitantly turned to follow the scent of her nephew who was about the same age as her. She held a grimace on her muzzle, if she did find him than he would indeed get a little.... there he was. "Xetor, what the hell are you doing here?" She asked as she came face to to face with the boy. She drew in a deep breathe, closing her eyes for a brief second to recompose herself before looking at him with a frown.

Her brother's son should never have left Torbine as she never should have. But it appeared as if he had done so and there was no turning back and running home. She had left without the permission of the others and she was willing to bet he had done the same, instead of getting permission, simply because she had. She'd have time to ask him later, but for now she had to focus on finding something, anything. The Archer girl's stomach rumbled and she froze. She took in the scents from the area and though it looked like it would rain she knew that she needed to get something to eat. Xetor could sure use some food as well. She sighed as she started to walk away towards a rabbits nest on the horizon. It wasn't much but it was something.

She expected him to follow as she waved her tail slowly when she walked. She had found a cave nearby and it would be perfect to rest them (or just her if he didn't care to) for the night where she could bombard him with questions she wanted to know. Sorya was the kind to overhear a lot, and a lot she had. There was a effloresce of spring around her too in the swamp. Even with the harsher conditions of swamp life, Sorya realized that plants grew well in some of those conditions. She saw some plants that were hard to find elsewhere and so she took note of it.

Suddenly the fresh scent of Sorya entered Xetor's nose. Stopping mid-stride Tor huffed annoyed that he had finally been found out. Scraping over a strange plant and destroying it while he thought about what to do. Well it smells like she's headed towards me anyway. Might as well welcome dear auntie Ria. Tor thought while a smile appears on his muzzle at the nickname he had given Soyra back in the empire.

Padding forward once more to join the Archer woman, Xetor looked ahead searching for her shape to appear through the trees. As the young male traveled forward he had his head lowered. The scents of earth and decomposing things filled his nose. It was a scent he fully enjoyed instead of smelling everything else on the air or on someones coat. Surprisingly enough Tor paused as the scent of wild ginger passed his nose. He hovered over the plant noting the area where it was growing before the sound of his aunts voice brought Tor's attention to her shadow moving through the underbrush towards him.

"Hello to you too Auntie Ria." He smiled, eyes flashing intelligently as the slightly older woman came face to face with him. He watched her close her gray eyes and frown as he sat down comfortably before her. He watched her stiffen then scent the air around them. Narrowing his gaze in curiosity Tor followed her example and began scenting the air. It smells humid, moist, and threatening to the young man as he recognized the faint scent of rain on the wind. He hadn't noticed it before, but the scent would likely grow thicker as the storm approached them.

His head yanked forward as Sorya stepped to the side then turned to leave. Lowering his dark crown slowly Tor watched his aunt begin padding away. A flash of surprise lit the amber gray eyes of Xetor while he wondered why he wasn't getting bitched at. Perhaps because she too has committed the same crime as I, to leave Torbine... Why yell at me for punishment when she has done the same? Once more he thought quietly assuming that his aunt Sorya did indeed leave without approval from the higher ups. Xetor tried to hide the smile arching up his muzzle as he began slowly following his aunt. She probably knew where and how to get food, and by the rumble Xetor heard from her stomach he was sure Sorya would be looking for prey soon.

Water is beginning to freeze and some fish are trapped. Hunt Opportunity

Figured we could take advantage of the herds returning to get some bigger prey @Xetor?

The boy stated a greeting and she just shook her head. "How long have you been following me Xetor?" She demanded of her nephew who was only 3 months younger than her at most. She held a small scorn-type look on her muzzle. The boy was foolish to follow her and she had been foolish for leaving, that much she knew. The irritation showed through despite her best efforts to tame it and keep it under wraps. She didn't even give him a chance to explain why he was there before she spoke, scolding him for his actions while scolding herself for hers. "Listen Xetor, your foolish to have left and I am too. Now you best be leaving, going someplace where you'll be safe. A pack or something, just not here." She said as calmly as she could.

Her stomach rumbled as she knew there was water near-by. "But as long as you're here, let's hunt. I think I caught the scent of deer on the wind, if there is a small one we can take it down together and there are no doubt fish in the water as well." She had whispered her words that time as she scented around the forest. They could both use decent meals after a long and frigid winter. She drew in a deep breathe as she headed towards the faintest scent of deer on the wind, beckoning for her nephew to follow so they might both survive for a little while longer.

The girl was determined when the small herd came into view. There was an old and sickly female that would be perfect for the two of them to take down together. What a coincidence.

He smiled as Sorya asked how long he had been following. Truthfully he wasn't sure how long it had been now, all Tor did know was that he used to be a lot shorter than her when he had started trailing Sorya out of Torbine.

"I've been trailing you for a long time now, scavenging from things along the way and getting lucky when rabbits stray too close." He answered quickly even as his aunt proceeded to cut his voice off and talk over him. Tor then scraped at the ground with his dark claws annoyed by her actions.

The rest of her next lecture went in one ear and out the other as Tor focused on the scent of a stream nearby. The smell of rotting fish had grabbed his attention as well as an eagle flying high over head. Narrowing his silver amber gaze onto the bird Tor realized that it must have just taken off with a large dead fish hanging from those deadly talons. Now where did it get that from? He wondered quietly as he padded behind Sorya silently watching the eagle.

Once his ears caught the word "hunt" Xetor began to turn his full attention back to Sorya. She spoke of deer, which he could barely scent now under the pungent odor of fish, and practically ordered him to head out on a hunt with her.

He debated doing that for a moment, but as she led the way forwards Xetor decided that going back to the stream and trying to get a fish might be a better idea. It was easier food to catch. Deer were hard to go after even for two adults, at least with the fish he had a chance of feeding himself with minimal effort.

Letting her pad away without telling Sorya he was leaving, Tor very quietly slunk to the right into the bushes until she was far enough away so that he could head towards the stream.

Upon arriving at the scene Tor inhaled the sickly sweet death scent of rotting fish. Claw and talon marks were visible upon the muddy areas along the edges of the water. It was clear that the eagles and other birds had already preyed upon the trapped fish. He looked over the iced edges of water then spotted one mid sized fish floundering sideways near the edge in shallow water.

With a quick snap of his jaws Tor ripped the fish from the water and began biting into it relishing the musky scent of fish and the chance to fill up his belly. Silently the young man wondered if his aunt had noticed his leave of absence yet, or if she was still too intent on the deer.

@Xetor, sorry this took so long

Sorya hadn't even noticed her nephew's brief absence and she had turned to face him just as he he had returned. "Xetor, here is the plan, I trust you can find the blind spots, hide in the a spot and I'll run the weakest one from the herd, seperating them from the pack, and we will both take it down." The Archer woman ordered her nephew as she prepared for her part of the plan, hiding in some bushes as she watched the prey, the weak and old one was drinking from a part of the Fen, her fur bristled slightly with anticipation for what would happen with this hunt and whether or not herself and her nephew who was nearly as old as her could take down the prey by themselves. She knew it would be difficult, very difficult, but not impossible to pull off.

She closed her eyes, counting silently in her head as she tried to find the right words of encouragement for herself. She had honestly been surprised that the boy had gotten away with following her for so long, especially without getting himself killed. If he had caught up with her sooner than it might have made the winter easier on the both of them. Her slate grey eyes fluttered open and instantly narrowed. Her fur calmed down as she eagerly awaited Xetor to get into position, her eyes not leaving the herd as they peered out from the bushed where she hid. They didn't suspect a thing yet, they were about to get the surprise of their life. It would very well be the weak one's last surprise.

A fight broke out between two male mountain goats. Hunt Opportunity

Xetor finished up his short meal of coho salmon. He was admiring a single live fish still struggling in the puddle of a stream. Its red sides and long green head were indicative of an adult breeding fish. Pawing gently at the creature and feeling its sharply sloped back, Tor debated on stuffing himself. If I do I won't be any use to Sorya in a hunt. You can't run well when your stuffed to the brim. He mused before letting the fish continue on struggling to survive. Steeping away from the little waterscape, the young wolf cleaned off his muzzle so that he could smell things other than the stench of fish. Then he wandered back to where Sorya's smell still graced the ground and began trailing the scent back to the ebony she wolf.

Once he arrived Tor scanned the scene. The deer were close by and could be seen from his viewpoint, but wait... Those were certainly odd looking deer. Xetor wondered what species they were as he watched the two clove footed white animals facing off. In fact Tor wasn't looking in the same direction his aunt was. As he turned to look for her form, Tor noted her looking in a different direction. Sorya herself was hiding in the bushes and pointed in the total opposite direction from the mountain goats that were about fifty or so feet away. His yellow gray eyes trailed along the direction she stared and spotted the deer that she was going after. Now that's a prey item I actually know. Mule deer. He thought quietly while scenting the air. He couldn't smell the mountain goats that were about to battle to his left because the wind was in the wrong direction for their smell to reach him. However the deer he could smell well. With his keen nose used to sniffing out herbs, Tor could tell that one of those deer, the old doe, was sick though she could easily be seen as physically weak. If I know Sorya then she'll be after that one. Xetor watched his aunt for a moment wondering what she was going to do.

After a moment of pause the dark young Archer padded forward and sidled up next to his aunt. His eyes narrowed as he waited for an order that he had missed during his absence.