|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:14 pm
 Once again the sky fire had risen into the center of the world, it's heat beating down on him. The male canine should her head, dirt coming off him in clumps. Mud had kept him cool long enough but now it had dried and made things very much unbearable to him. But alas he had to continue going forth. It wasn't easy to help feed over ten mouths.
Haveo darted around in the grass, padding quickly along on the trail of a small antelope group. It wouldn't fully feed his pack but the little bits between big meals always helped. Hopefully today's hunt would go well.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:34 pm
Her more-or-less namesake above her, Kweu lay beneath a large rock she had found, using what little shade she could obtain from it. She always hated the heat, preferring to travel by the light of the cool white orb in the dark sky. Her friend had gone off somewhere, which he sometimes did, leaving her on her own, at least for the moment. She was just about to nod off when something in the corner of her vision moved.
She narrowed her eyes at the object and focused on the hare. She carefully crept from her hiding place and padded slowly and quietly towards the unsuspecting prey. Despite preferring larger animals, the loner had very little to choose from. It was much more difficult bringing done a herdsbeast on one's own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:29 pm
Haveo stilled as another creature entered the grasses. His ears were perked forward as listened for footsteps. A small creature, most likely a hare or something. But he could sense another creature...a larger one. The male lifted his head just a little, trying to catch the wind. Indeed. He was familiar with this scent. It was another wild dog. Female. Not of his pack.
Generally, she wouldn't be a threat to his hunt. It was obvious that she was after that hare. Small kills wouldn't last an adult too long. Of course, he knew that, if he was lucky, he could take down a young antelope or an injured antelope on his own. Lately his luck hadn't been the great. Basically...a good kill would require help. He didn't like the idea of working with someone he didn't know. Damn. He had a pack to feed, this was inevitable. The male creeped closer to where the other female was. It had to be done.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:39 pm
Kweu stilled as the hare perked up, hoping it wouldn't bolt. That would mean she'd have to chase it and get even more hot and tired than she already was. She watched through brilliant golden eyes as her prey looked around, its ridiculously long ears twitching. And then it sprang.
With a frustrated growl, she lept after the small creature, in an attempt to chase it down. But after a few lopes it was just too hot for her to waste any more energy on the chase. She padded to a stop and glared at the retreating figure, panting softly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:17 pm
Haveo paused hearing the sounds of leaps and bounds. The fem could easily chase after it...but he supposed not. Not in this heat. For a moment he contemplated how hot it really was before choosing to ignore the climbing degrees. A pack to feed. A pack to feed. He didn't have to burden himself with this task, that he knew, but after being on his own for so long...to have something besides yourself was...a great feeling. He didn't want to let it go.
The male stood upright, the need to be hidden not so important right now. With a calm confidence he padded his way over, his tail swishing into the grass as to give the fem a head up of his approaching. Upon seeing the orange wild dog, Haveo nodded his head, not daring to speak the first word.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:33 pm
Kweu's ears twitched at the sound of approaching paws and she whirled, ears flat against her head and lips curled back from her teeth as a low growl left her throat. Seeing it was another wild dog, a male, she let the growl die, but she still looked warily at him, her ears still back and tail slightly fluffed.
"What do you want?" she asked slowly, softly. Her voice didn't match her tone much. The soft, whispy sound would benefit a more gentle phrase over a harsh warning or, in this case, question.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:41 pm
Haveo kept his feet planted, face calm void of any sort of emotion. This was business. Business he was sure the both of them wanted over with as soon as possible. "Food. You for yourself, I assume, and me for my pack. We both know that hunting on our own reduces our chances and forces us to work harder. We don't want that in this heat, correct?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:49 pm
Kweu narrowed her eyes at his tone and his proposal, but she had to admit it had merit. She hadn't eaten since the morning before and with his help they would be able to get something larger than a hare. She watched him for a moment more before closing her eyes and relaxing her stance.
"You have a point, there. I... I'll join you on one condition. I receive a portion of the kill," she stated rather flatly. Normally she would have added that he not turn on her either, but she didn't want to say that this time. She didn't trust others well, never had. Maybe she should try, at least a little bit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:56 pm
"But of course." The spotted male nodded his head. Increasing the chance of the kill with the price of lowering the size of it. It would be fine. He would just have to go for one of the larger pieces of prey. There were reasons why he was always confident enough to go out hunting on his own. Though usually when it was just him, the larget he could go was one of the smaller antelopes. But now they could aim for one of the larger species. The wildebeest weren't a good target but the antelope that often followed after the grey beasts were.
He was sure he spotted a small group not too far in the distance. At least they would be going in the direction away from the sun. "Come. I know where the best kills are." He moved at a moderate pace, to not use up too muc energy and at the same time plan what course of action they could take. The male had no problem with running more than what was necessary. He had the endurance and drive for it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:31 pm
Kweu nodded and followed him for a few steps before lengthening her strides to pad next to him. She didn't trust him very much and expected the same from him, so striding beside him was a more comfortable position in her mind.
"I'm Kweu," she said a little offhandedly. It was unusual not having her childhood friend at her side to talk to, and when it all came down to it she was a rather talkative creature. Silence bothered her unless it was required. One could say it even drove her a little mad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:42 pm
Indigo eyes glanced at the orange fem before returning to the horizon. The prey was in the not-too-far distance, grazing. The time when they were the most alert. Unfortunately, none of them had any young ones. No easy pickings this time he supposed. His pose changed, head bending down, footsteps falling softer than the last. The more comfortable they got with feeding the better for them. "Haveo."
He stepped closer still, finally spotting the easiest kill. There was one, probably just barely an adult, that was straying farther from the herd. Perfect. "That one. The one straying from the herd."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:51 pm
Kweu matched his stance, crouching down a little lower as she had learned long ago from her br- the pups she had grown up around that her coat was rather conspicuous. She nodded when he pointed out the one straying from the others. She hadn't had antelope in so long... And yet, she wondered how many were in this pack he had mentioned. A pang of guilt ran through her at the thought of her possibly taking food from another. But she would ford that river when she came to it.
"How shall we handle this?" she whispered, barely audible to even her ears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:00 pm
His gaze stayed upon his prey, mind flowing into his hunting mode. "Stay here. I'll force it this way." He used this strategy often with his own pack. Well...only if it was one other. He had yet to go one a hunt with his full pack. That would take time to coordinate. With over ten members...indeed. He had hoped Ujuzi and Kengee taught them well.
Thinking about his newfound family had distracted him. Indeed, he was already in position to start force the naive prey in the direction of the female. As long as she didn't lose nerve to make her move things should go well.
He was off like a dart chasing after the larger horned creature. He kept on its heels, quite literally, snapping as the creatures joints as it tried to join the rest of the herd. No. Haveo wouldn't allow it. Indeed he received a kick to the face, but it was never a direct kick. And nothing could distract him from getting his prey when it came down to the line. "Go!" It was her turn to slow it down perhaps even bring it down, he didn't know what she was capable of.. He prayed she wouldn't mess up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:12 pm
Kweu had sunk lower to the ground when he left, waiting patiently. She watched with a small smile as he guided the creature nearer, nearer, keeping it away from its fleeing comrades. And then he called to her.
Many suns had risen and set since Kweu's mother had brought her into the harsh, sun-baked world, though she wasn't old by any means. But most of those suns had been on her own, and she had long ago learned that there are rarely second chances. Either bring your prey down the first time or pray to whatever gods listened that you would be so lucky as to find another meal. That litany in mind, sprang up from where she had been hiding and latched onto the first thing she saw, the animal's nose.
Jerking to the side and twisting slightly, she pulled it out of its intended path and it tripped and fell in a tangle of thrashing limbs. It would be up to Haveo to finish it, as she had her paws full keeping its head down and avoiding its hooves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:22 pm
The male never had a problem with dealing the killing blow. Indeed he had done it many times. He climbed upon their kill, purposely scratching at it. He moved down, jaws sinking into the creatures jugular. He chomped upon it harder and harder until the creature stilled. He licked his maw, clearing his face from the blood. He felt himself pulling out of his hunting mode, but one last thing pulled at him. He looked down at the empty eyes of the prey, scratching them out in a last bit of adrenaline.
He hopped off the prey, looking at the female. Glad that this was a successful hunt. "Good job."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
