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 Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:27 am
The sky was studded with clouds but they were wispy, pale and against a brilliant blue background. There would be no rain today, thankfully. Mercury was not entirely partial to rain - especially the fast, drenching summer squalls which dissappeared almost as soon as they had come but left you soaked to the skin. His ears flicked back as he looked skywards, green eyes scanning for any hint of rain. "Think it's gonna be clear" he said to his companion.
When they had been pups both had been around the same size but now there was a marked difference - side by side Mercury looked rather large but it was in fact Mars who was quite small. Like his mothers, Mars' frame was slight if wiry. Mercury, on the other hand, was a little larger - he took after his father he supposed.
Mars gave an exasperated sigh. "Worry less about the weather and more about dinner!" he grinned. He wasn't really berating Mercury but sometimes he felt his brother was a little to cautious, too worried about things. "Think we could get some juicy doe tonight?" he licked his lips hungrily, imagining the taste.
"Maybe. They're not as slow now - their fawns will have grown up."
Mars snorted. He was pretty sure he could still catch one - he was pretty fast afterall. The pair had been playing at and then practicing hunting since they were tiny and between the both of them could bring down a reasonably sized deer. Used to wandering long distances the pair forged ahead into new territory on the trail of prey.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:34 am
The black, white and pink female bounded about happily. She hadn't really been far from the outriders pack lands in such a long time but she had grown lonely and wanted some friends. Living in a pack with so many wolves made her feel so lonely and nervous. She just wanted to get some friends that she could mess around with and hang about with, she had never really had a proper friend before.
Soot had a slight problem though, she was a rubbish hunter. She had always scavenged off others and had never really been taught to hunt. She had tried many times but had never really got anywhere, however right now she decided it would be good to try again. With her mind made up she went searching for something yummy.
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:55 pm
"Did y'hear that?" hissed Mars, ears instantly pricking up.
"Hear what?"
"That!" Mars replied as leaves crunched underfoot somewhere nearby. "Might be a deer" he said quietly, instantly making a beeline for the noise, trying his best not to stir any leaves, twigs or the like himself. He could hear Mercury behind him as he began to stalk a little closer.
He sighed. "It's only Kaila, hey Kai!!" he called out, only a moment later realising he had misidentified the young female he had spotted. He tried to gulp back his words but it was too late, they were out.
Mercury spotted his brother's mistake instantly and flinched. The young wolf was not their sister - despite a similarly dark coat - but some stranger who perhaps would not take kindly to them being around. Still, there had been few wolves who had been hostile to the pair of young males... he hoped this would not be one of them. He waited to see if she had heard Mars call out sure she must have.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:40 am
She had been stuck in her little dream world so though she heard a voice she didn't hear what it was that it said. Which was probably quite good for the boys.
She turned her head to face the direction of the sound and saw the two young males, with her tail wagging it only took her a few seconds to be running towards them both.
"Hey! I am Soot!" She smiled widely, her tongue hanging out her mouth as she panted. She was an adult who seemed to act much younger. She didn't care though after all your suppose to have fun while your living and thats exactly what she was doing.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:27 am
Covering up his slight embarrassment at the blunder, Mars replied with a rather cheerful "Hellloo!" as the black female scooted toward them. Now she came closer he could see she was not at all like Kaila - she had a white muzzle and was tipped with pink. She looked a lot more girly than his 'little' sister, he decided. Mars puffed out his chest and tried to make himself look bigger as he added "I'm Mars."
Mars' attempt to make himself seem bigger was somewhat spoiled when Mercury wandered up closer behind him - he was a good half-head taller than his sibling but a lot quieter. At least he wasn't quite as shy as he had been as a pup. "Hi, I'm Merc" he said, giving his nickname. and a soft wag of his tail. He hadn't been expecting to bump into anyone out here but she seemed friendly enough. Always practical, though, he had to ask warily "Is this your packs territory?".
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:38 am
She smiled and nodded at their names,
"Nice to meet you both!" She spoke cheerfully and continued to wag her tail. At their question though she shook her head,
"I don't think so. We should be outside my packlands by now. I hope so anyway, so many wolves, never know who is who. I want to make friends so I have left for a bit!" She didn't think anyone would notice after all she didn't really have any friends. So she would return once she had made some and then maybe Phib could let them join the pack too.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:48 am
Mars' tail wagged enthusiastically his ears up in delight. "Good to meet you too Soot" he replied, chest still puffed out despite how slightly rediculous it made him look. "We can be your friends." he added, without a thought. Mars had always been rather happy to meet new people in new places - much like his mother. He wondered, vaguely, what it would be like to be stuck in one place and not be able to go find new places, new wolves. No wonder Soot wanted to get out and meet people, he thought.
Mercury smiled a little as typically, his brother chatted away. He certainly didn't mind if they became friends with Soot, she seemed nice, but he was naturally more wary. It sounded as if her packlands were close by at least and he wanted to make sure not to bump into any unfriendly types. Mother had told them that pack wolves were particular about their borders - having grown up in a pack without boundaries he couldn't much understand the notion of being so protective of one single patch. Surely all of the forest should be for everyone to enjoy together?
He realised he had been quiet, thinking, for too long and managed a small grin and a nod as Mars finished talking. He may have been more wary but his brother's easy talkativeness and ability to get on with just about anyone always ended up making Mercury feel rather more comfortable with others than he might have been.
His tail continued to shuffle back and forth happily.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:06 am
"Really?" Her face practically lit up. They would be friends with her?
"Oh it would be great, we could all be really good friends! Where do you two come from?" She was very excited and though she didn't have much in the way of social skills she was still finding this meeting really interesting. Her tail wagged behind her happily as she looked from Mars to Mercury and then back again.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:47 am
Mars was in his element as he replied, pale blue eyes sparking with life. He tilted his head to one side as he spoke "We come from lots of places" he began, mysteriously. "We lived near the beginning of the big river, then deep in the forest, now we're near here, not far from the sea." They had been in more places but that had been the general way they'd travelled whilst they were young - back and forth across the lands as far as their little legs could carry them.
Mercury smiled whilst listening to his brother and shook his head. How did Mars always manage to make teir travelling so amazing? Mercury loved being on the move but he didn't think he could have described it as enthusiastically. Mars might have been enthusiastic about what they had done but Mercury was the one who replied to her other question. "It would be good." he added, quietly. "If we were all to be friends." His ears pricked up as he had a thought "We were going to hunt - maybe some deer near here. Would you like to come along?"
"Ohh! yes, come with us!"
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:18 am
Soot was amazed. They sounded like brave explorers who traveled the earth and that meant they were obviously very interesting!
Hunting? They wanted her to go hunting with them. Well she wasn't good at hunting but maybe with some help she could?
"I'm not very good..." She mumbled to them. She couldn't hunt, never had done. She chased after things but that was as far as it ever got. She lived off stealing scraps that others had left over but the idea of eating fresh meat just sounded too good.
"I can try though!"
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Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:57 pm
Mars gave a wolfish grin as she agreed to come along. If she wasn't too good at hunting all the better. He could show off how good a hunter he was and bring back dinner for them all! "Ahh we'll show you how and there's always too much for just us anyways" he grinned, trying to be chivalrous and ending up perhaps sounding a bit pompous. "I'm absoloutely starving, lets get going" he added, eager to make sure the day wasn't wasted just trying to find their prey.
Mercury wondered why it was that Soot had never learned to hunt well. Maybe she was just being modest? If she wasn't too strong a hunter he'd happily teach her, he thought, imagining showing her some of the techniques he, himself had only just learned about taking down prey. Certainly her bubbly enthusiasm helped give him the idea she'd be a good learner. He couldn't help but think nice things about Soot, really, she was so cheerful.
As his brother gave the order he nodded and beckoned for Soot to follow. "We were tracking a small herd of deer with their fawns. They came by this way yesterday evening but we lost their tracks. Picked it up again on a riverbank this morning." he added, so as not to let her think they were chasing only the idea of deer.
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:51 am
Soot felt somewhat flattered by Mars. The way he spoke it just made him sound wonderful. She was happy to have found these two today. She had friends at last and they seemed great!
She then listened to Mercury who seemed to be the other half of Mars. He seemed to be the calm sensible side and Soot was happy to listen to him. He was somewhat more informative. "Sounds good, lead the way then! I will happily follow you both, though I really am not very good at hunting." She wasn't being modest, she had never had a successful hunt in her life but maybe these two would be able to teach her. Things seemed to be good already!
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Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:29 am
It took a little while to get to where the deer had moved. It seemed that the trio had been lucky and that the does with their now rather large fawns had stopped to drink at a stream. The place was pretty close, crowded and would mean the deer might be more easily herded. Of course it also meant they'd be harder to follow in a chase but Mars didn't let such thoughts worry him. "Gotta keep down, sneak up on them" he nodded, half to himself. He enjoyed hunting and although he only had the most rudimentary and instinctive understanding of his prey he managed to be rather good at it - perhaps out of sheer luck.
"Merc, you go push 'em towards us, ok?" he said to his brother, then turned to Soot. "We're gonna try and pick of one of the big fawns. See maybe that one there?" he nodded towards a plump, late summer youngster who's coat had begun to turn from a russet with spots to a tawny, soft, yellow-grey. "You know what to do, right?" although she said she was inexperienced he thought that just meant she hadn't hunted often.
Mercury nodded, used to doing this job. Although he was the bigger he was also slightly clumsier and better at pinning from behind than dodging between flashing hooves at the front end. He smiled at Soot as he loped off around the deer, keeping a low profile. His coat, too, made it far easier for him to sneak up on prey than Mars' bright pelt.
It wouldn't be long until he was in position and then they'd be having a rather nice dinner..
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:51 am
Soot watched them and looked at the herd and to where they were 'pointing'. She didn't say anything because knowing her she would talk too loudly and that would scare them off for sure.
She shook her head at the question though, she hadn't been lieing when she said she couldn't hunt. She just chased the animals and hoped there would be a small chance of getting hold of one of them. However she was well aware that they were probably going to be hunting properly.
This was scary, she was going to mess it up, she knew she was.
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:05 am
He could see she was still a bit confused so he addled on, not really sure if he was doing a good job of explaining it. He had learned with Mercury by following, mimicking his mother, practicing. It had all seemed so.. natural.
"Well just... follow me... maybe not too close. We'll run after one for a while and then when y'see me jump on the deer go for her too - a bit to the neck or legs usually helps" he smiled, eager to get going. It was kinda nice having someone else along to help, he decided, even if she wasn't to confidant.
Just then, as Mars stopped explaining, the deer spooked. They had seen Mercury and all around legs comressed, released, bounded away from the creamy-toned wolf. He barked in annoyance and set off after one, hoping he could drive her towards Mars and Soot all the same.
Luckily for him, he managed to veer a young doe, barely into adulthood, towards the others.
As the doe reached Mars he jumped out, driving her further away from the herd. He sped up, taking over as Mercury began to slow, nipping at her heels. "Come on!" he shouted gleefully to Soot.
The boys were young, yet, and couldn't directly take down their prey as perhaps an older wolf or a larger group might but they could run them to exhaustion and take them down when they were too tired to do anything else.
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