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 Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 4:01 pm
"Outriders...I haven't heard of them...but then again I came to this land from the north. If you would please Calandra extend our greeting and offer of friendship to your pack, I'd send along some fish but I'm not certain if it would keep on the journey, your welcome to hunt on your way through though. " She smiled and stood giving a little shake off.
"Perhaps you'll stop by for a little while on your return home Possum? I should like to send your father a little something." She nodded and turned. "Head straight through and cross the small stream, you should be on track that way."
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Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 11:31 am
Calandra inclined her head to acknowledge Alas's words and her move to depart.
"I will tell my Alpha. Perhaps I will be able to pass back this way again and bring a token of friendship in return," Calandra agreed. "Thank you again, Alpha." She rose to her feet and shook her fur back into place as well. Her ears caught the sounds of distant leaves crunching, but from the size and type of crunch, Calandra figured it to be only a squirrel. She was being ridiculous; would she worry about this Brotherhood even after she returned to the Outrider's lands? With paranoia like that, she probably wouldn't leave the nursing caves.
It wasn't safe here. Possum was confident in himself, but Calandra had dealt with ruthless wolves before. Run from them, was more like. It wasn't an experience she wished on anyone, let alone having an entire pack of them, plus hidden wolves in the shadows.
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 7:20 pm
Possum's ears flicked forwards, his tail wagging as Alas spoke. She spoke with such warmth, such friendliness. He could see why his father spoke so highly of her... If Crunch was even half as nice, the pack here must be one to be envied...
Stop on his way home? Of course. "Thanks for the offer, Alas," he murmured, noting that Calandra called the pink-laced wolf 'alpha' instead of using her name. Perhaps was that a way to keep herself guarded? His head tilted to one side and he brushed it off with a little laugh. What could Alas have to give Adolfo? His curiosity was piqued. "I will. Father will appreciate it."
A squirrel paraded through the underbrush, causing Possum's head to turn. His eyes were locked on Calandra, who looked spooked. He nudged her shoulder with his muzzle, then turned away. "Thank you, Alas. We will continue on then." He gave a nod, then with a sway of his head, began to trot forwards once again.
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 7:29 pm
Alas waited until the two wolves moved on before twisting and pinning a tan fox down. "Dimitri...you shouldn't spy on people it's not nice, you could just come out and be friendly." She lifted her paw to let the fox go.
"You tell Twix to leave them alone...we have bigger concerns then friends needing to pass through, and if she keeps up with her acidic attitude we won't have any friends." She shook her head.
Dimitri snarled and chattered at Alas "I report to miss Twix, and I'll be telling her you dared to try and interfere with the morning report!" He huffed and turned racing back into the underbrush.
Alas sighed and shook her head before quietly heading back into the packlands with a silent wish that Possum and Calandra have a safe journey.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 1:48 pm
With Alas put behind them, Calandra relaxed slightly, but she kept a sharp eye on their surroundings. She wasn't hungry yet, but she would need to hunt if not that night, than the next day. Possum clearly would be able to pull his own weight in that respect, since Cali was sure his parents would have taught him how to hunt on his own, and well if he was intending on already getting away from home.
She smiled to herself and ducked her head so he wouldn't see. She cleared her throat and looked at him again, amusement in her eyes. "Alas was very nice. I hope our trip through her lands goes as smoothly as that conversation did."
She was already planning how quickly the trip through Akiiki Chibale's lands would go, and how much space might be between there and the Outriders Once they were close to the edge of their lands, she would have to try to get close to the ocean again; that was the safest way to be sure she was going in the right direction.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:20 pm
Possum moved alongside her, his body stretching out, paws eating at the earth as he moved. His own belly gave a soft rumble, a tingle that echoed in his head and he licked his lips. Alas -had- said they could hunt among Akiiki lands... Perhaps they should take her up on that? It would be a long walk until they reached their destination.
He quirked his head her way, paw jumping as if it had its own mind. He straightened it out right away. "She was," he agreed, on the talk of Alas. "I know that she is terribly devoted to her lands and her mate, Crunch, though I'm pleased that we ran into her instead of him. Alas and my father Adolfo go back a ways."
After a few more steps, he stopped, stomach growling loudly now. He giggled to himself. "Maybe we should pick off something to eat..." Father had taught him and his siblings how to hunt earlier in the year and it was something Possum prided himself on.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 4:05 pm
When Possum explained his reasoning behind liking Alas, Calandra nodded. She still felt more comfortable with Phib, having met him before Amelie, even though she liked the Alpha's mate. It made sense for Possum to feel a little easier with his father's friend than her mate.
"I was thinking a bit of food myself," she agreed, studying him with her trained eye. He was young, but he could be quiet when he needed, and his brown coat would help him blend in probably better than even Cali could. She smiled. He'd do just fine. "Let's try to find some lunch to tide us over until tonight. If we need to do a light hunting tonight or tomorrow morning, so be it, but this will help speed us on a bit before dark falls."
Calandra lifted her head into the air and let her nose catch the scents on the breeze as she perked up her ears to catch the sounds of any animals in the area. A distant rustle was a mouse or chipmunk, not even a mouthful, there a squirrel, then... raccoon? No, not in the day. Fox, maybe.
Calandra turned her head in that direction, a little curious, but another sound caught her notice and she quickly jerked her ears and head back in that direction. Rabbit maybe? ... Yes, it sounded a bit like rabbit, or else it was a very large squirrel. Rabbit wouldn't be bad for a meal, so she'd let Possum eat first, then find something for herself. It seemed he was hungrier than her.
Let's see how well he hunts, she thought, and gestured in the direction of food with her head so he would catch the signal. She moved quietly in that direction, barely rustling leaves as she went and trying to avoid as many fallen sticks and bushes as she could. She put her nose to the ground, but the rabbit must have come from the other direction; no scent of him here.
She looked back at Possum and motioned with her head again, keeping the lead for the moment and trying to spot the likely brown-coated critter among the leaves and dead pine needles littering the forest floor.
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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 12:08 am
He grinned over at her, pausing to stretch his kinked back. His shoulders gave a pop as he rotated them. Man, he was fallin' apart, and he was way too young. He chuckled to himself, turning a small circle before falling silent, eyes locked on Calandra.
His body was filled with a strange calm, the same calm he got every hunt. He supposed it was because Adolfo and Fie had taught him well. He supposed it was because it just felt right, the earth below his paws as he ran to catch his prey. It felt wonderful, the most natural thing in the world.
His gaze was on her as she breathed in, looking around, curiosity filling her green eyes. He admired that curiosity, as he saw it in himself. Then she stiffened. He swung his head in the direction she was looking, olivine eyes raking the ground. Out of his peripherals he saw her swing her head. A signal. He didn't see the prey, but that didn't mean he couldn't hunt it.
His paws moved swiftly over the earth, each footfall silent and steady. His body swayed back and forth, tail kept even with his body, head held low, eyes watching. His nose twitched with the scent of the hare. It was most definitely hare..
His back prickled, body stiffening as he caught sight of it. There, against a tree, was a rather large hare with a spring coat. A dark coat that made it blend in. He shot a glance Calandra's way, then stalked forwards carefully.
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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 3:50 am
Calandra sniffed the ground again and smiled when she caught the scent she was looking for. She glanced at Possum, who was as quiet as she was, good lad, and she kept pace from him, letting him do the remainder of the work until the hare came into sight. She grinned. Hare would be slightly larger than the rabbits she had hunted in more open areas recently, which meant more of a meal for Possum. Perfect. However, it also meant a bit more of a chase. Calandra shivered with the thrill of an impending chase.
When Possum glanced her way Calandra simply gazed back at him, and as he stalked foward she fell back a little, moving a little bit away from him and around towards the back of the rabbit. If it spooked, it would most likely spook away from Possum, and Calandra would be ready. She was used to playing the receiver instead of the stalker in most pack hunts, so for her the role was a comfortable and easy one. She kept her eyes on the hare, only noting Possum in her peripheral vision so that she could keep track of the movements. She could see the hare shaking, watching both of them at once. It knew what was coming, and it was hoping that the wolves would just move on and not notice it. Calandra had patience, and she knew jackrabbits at least could sit for hours, not moving, if it thought danger was still present.
Calandra slowly stopped moving, eyes fixated on the hare. Possum's move. If it startled-- and chances were good that it would-- she was there to grab it. That was how hunts worked with a pack as opposed to alone: it was a lot easier and quicker to catch prey that could almost outrun a loner.
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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 4:32 pm
His paws lightly treaded on the soft earth, body motionless except for his moving legs. He had pinpointed the hare and now it was up to him to flush it out like a good hunter. He smiled, lips twitching. He shook his head and froze, willing his muscles relaxed. He would be fine. They could take this thing, race or no race. Hares were faster than lightning. But one hare wasn't a match for two wolves -- well, one full grown wolf and a half grown wolf!
His gaze flickered to Calandra, who was obviously ready for a run. He crouched, drawing just a little closer. His tail flicked like a hunting feline's. Green eyes locked on, he jumped forwards with a snap.
His paws landed heavily right behind where the large hare sat, its eyes wild as it flew out from beneath him, running straight towards Calandra. Possum's teeth clicked closed on air, but he was quick in pursuit!
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Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:28 am
Calandra's muscles tensed as Possum drew close to his meal, and it took all of her willpower not to jump forward as Possum did. Sure enough, the hare bolted as Possum lunged for him. Calandra tensed as the large animal came towards her, but she waited until the last second, when it looked like the hare was about to veer off around her, before she fluidly jolted her body to the side and struck out with her jaws, feeling her teeth close on fur and flesh and bone. Feeling that life pulsing between her jaws, she crunched her jaws closed and with a quick twist of her head snapped the neck of the animal. It's back feet spasmed slightly in one last defiance before it fell limp in her jaws, moving now only through the last tiny jerks of muscles as it's body slowly gave in to death.
Calandra waited a moment to be sure she had done the job right-- even when she was sure, it was always good to wait-- and then she set the hare on the ground and licked her teeth clean of traces of the hare's blood. Her stomach rumbled and she grinned at herself. The smell of a fresh kill and the taste of blood made her more hungry than she had expected to be. She would have to try to find the hare's den, or a few squirrels to tide her over until the next hunt.
She glanced up at Possum. The boy wolf was fast, and if Cali had missed the hare she had no doubt they would have had it in no time flat. It had a been a neat hunt-- neater than others she'd been on with wolves his age. She had debated letting the hare pass her by to see if Possum could catch it on his own, but it was quicker this way, and there were hunts to come. They would need to find larger prey before they reached the Outriders, and that hunt would naturally take longer and be more dangerous than catching a hare.
"Very good," she praised, stepping back from the warm body at her feet. "Quick and clean. The hare is yours. It will keep your strength until we find something a little bigger to fill our appetites."
A fawn would be good. Not a full-grown deer, where the danger would be immense and the waste of food afterwards would be a tragedy, but a good sized fawn that could feed them both and would leave little wasted meat, if any at all.
Calandra looked off into the woods again, scanning for wolves or other dangers. She caught the brief movement of a larger shadow, but from this distance and the cover it was keeping, she wasn't sure what it was. She suspiciously eyed the spot where she'd seen the shadow, but then told herself to ignore it. As long as it didn't bother her or Possum, there was no trouble to be found there.
"Eat." She smiled at Possum. "We'll see tonight or tomorrow how well you do with bigger prey and only one other wolf to help in the hunt."
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Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 5:06 pm
He slid to a stop as Calandra's jaws snapped closed over bone. It crunched slightly, echoing up in the air. Blood dripped from the large hare's muzzle. So she was a great hunter as well! He felt good to be able to stand beside such a noble she-wolf. She even praised him, and the pup still within him danced with joy and that joy could be seen in his green eyes.
Possum grinned proudly at her, though his expression turned quizzical as she offered the kill to him. He wanted to shake his head, to offer it back to the she-wolf, when his stomach growled. Yeeah, he hadn't eaten in awhile... Maybe he'd take her up on that. His eyes glittered. "Thank you," he murmured before sprawling out, jaws cracking the bone of the hare's limp foreleg, the sweet taste of blood rushing into his mouth and he ate in near-silence.
He saw her look off every now and then. He wondered what she was thinking of. He even looked in the same direction, spying nothing but a fern tree and smelling the winds that carried rain upon them. Finishing the rabbit, he stood, ready to go once again.
((perhaps skip-time a bit, to after they've eaten and slept and well on their way to the Outriders?))
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Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 6:10 pm
Calandra smiled as Possum took the prooffered food and stood guard while he ate, keeping her eyes primarily to the trees and listening for anything bigger than a squirrel that she might be able to take for herself.
The shadow didn't come back to haunt them, but for the next several days as they journeyed through and hunted in the Akiiki Chibale lands, Cali kept an eye out for it. She wouldn't be caught unawares again. The forests gradually changed as they moved into more familiar woods, and the moment Cali caught a whiff of the sea she turned her head to it and inhaled deeply. It smelled like home. She'd always be grateful for that chance to find a new home after her first was stolen so early in her life.
"We're getting close," she announced to Possum. "We should be back to my pack in a day, maybe less. When we reach it I'll introduce you to Phib and see if you can't be allowed to stay a few days, if you'd like." She let her tongue loll out in a grin as she stirred up the leaves on the ground with her light trot. "I'll show you the best of our lands and maybe take you hunting with the pack before you leave."
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Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 9:12 pm
They spent the next few days traveling. The conversations between them were small and usually random, but he found himself loving this female's company over even one of his brother's. His tail wagged every time he looked at her, a smile rising on his lips.
Together they took down a small deer in Akiiki Chibale, right outside the border going into the unknown. They had eaten in silence, smiles upon their faces.
As she tested the air, he breathed in as well, the soft scent of the ocean upon the breeze. She looked happy, and that made him happy. His tail wagged as she spoke.
"Good," he said with a hearty laugh. "That sounds wonderful, but I don't want to impose. I'll stay for a little while, if you like... Then I should head back and see what Alas has for my father." He had to admit, he was curious. His tail thumped the ground. "Are you excited, Cali?"
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Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 8:19 am
Calandra considered Possum's question for a moment before smiling. "Yes, very excited. It's been nearly a year since I left. Pups will have grown by then, new litters have probably since shown up, and I'm sure I'll be glad to see my packmates and sleep in my own den again."
The area had taken on a familiar look to it and Calandra briefly sniffed at a bush. Patrol had come through here not too long ago, a few hours at most. They were almost into Outriders lands. She grinned at Possum and lightly bumped his shoulder with her nose.
"You'll stay a few days, if you'd like, and not feel bad about imposing," Cali told him. "I'm sure Alas will understand."
((Sorry about the days-late response!))
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