Date Posted:12:54:52 10/20/01 Sat Author: The Blue Pine Pack Subject: Hunt
-Away from the rest of the wolves, from the crowding and space, the huge leader brings his pack to the secluded space. He howls to claim it as their own, which was rather redundant in a way. Smirking, he marks the area, mapping it out to himself. Soon, an enticing scent reaches his nostrils, he hadn't eaten in awhile....-
-Listening, she becomes aware that the place contained somehing large moving through the underbrush, crashing and bowling among the branches. Gathering up the pups, she notices how large they have become, soon they could assist in hunting. Her massive black son Poplar approaches the size of a yearling, even at 8 months. She nudges her mate, perhaps the pack could go hunt the thing in the forest?-
-Echo rises, able to keen in on the game it could be. A young, perhaps sick moose calf. A loner, without it's protecting, horned and hooved herd. He nudges Maple and then pads to Stonefur for a report.-
-Maple whines a bit placatingly, knowing if they go, the pups will be left in her charge. She is pleasantly surprised when Ada gives the command for all to go, and readily accepts the challenege of a hunt.-
-Tides bounds about, cajoling and bullying Campion. She would finally be able to hunt, something she had wanted to do for ages. Campion raises his head, taking place by his father. Poplar rears and bounds, excited that they were going out, and taking him too.-
Quieting the rest, Stonefur allows Echo to lead the procession, his senses were keenest, and the rangy one could be a slithering shadow among the foliage. Loping ahead, the black wolf searches for signs of the prey. When he sights the wandering, clumbering moose calf, Echo turns excitedly back to his pack. She was blinded, and almost weak with hunger and sickness, but big enough to feed the whole pack. Stonefur nods, and the lighter females, Ada and Maple, leap forward to attack and worry her. Tides follows in clumsily, Campion at her heels.
Snarling and clenching, Ada reaches the creature's windpipe, bravely absorbing the angry thing's throes. Maple slashes open a haunch, disabling her backward movement. The young calf falls to her knees when Tides begins to assault the nose, irritating nips. The sickened young thing tries to charge, enraged despite her ailments. Campion races back and enters with the males, who weight the creature, adding force to everything else. They smothered the calf, and soon her movements quiet. Poplar, at a spot between the creature's shoulderblades, holds on obstinately. Ignoring him, the wolves feast where the prey had fallen, singing a song that is part victory, and part gratitude.
