NPCs: Stormblade, Garrett Ash, Luna Mist, Spencer Twilight, Tyler, Onyx Come and join Avi and company and hunt mice with them. Or watch them. Or something. | Word Count: 1, 309 |
A tiny figure padded through the White Plains. She had a long, foxlike tail that was bushy and long. But, she was much different from a fox. She had long legs and a skinny body. She had short fur, fur adapted to the desert rather than the more temperate climate of Nova Scotia. She had long ears sitting atop a narrow face and a non-tapering muzzle. She was a lot skinnier than usual, her ribs could be counted and she seemed more gaunt.
She was a bright shade of silver, a whitish hue that was like a moonbeam. That was an unnatural color for a jackal. Despite her pure jackal features, her coat color told of other genes in play. She still had a saddle that came from her black-backed jackal heritage but it was a darker shade of silver. It ran from the back of her ears to her tail, ending in a white tail tip. Black hairs were scattered throughout the saddle. She had a single green eye and pink scars.
In a form without any clothing on, the many scars littering her frame became apparent. Four short claw marks graced her left shoulder. They were older and were healed, but looked jagged. Three scars ran across where her Achillies tendon is. That leg was also kept off of the ground and tucked close to her body. The worst, however was on the left side of her face. Four long, jagged, and fresh-looking scars slashed over where her left eye used to be, now replaced by an empty eye socket.
Three foxes soon joined her. At the lead was a male grey fox with ashy grey fur with white underparts. Vibrant red markings were also present on his coat. He had sapphire eyes and was a bit taller than the jackal. Behind him, a smaller grey fox, a female followed him and stood next to the jackal's side. She had paler markings than he did and had lilac eyes. She stood equal in height to the medic. Finally, another fox followed the pair and stood next to the male fox. He had grey and black markings, being a silver fox morph. He was the largest of the four, even taller than the grey foxes. He had only one grey eye, the other was an empty eye socket.
Dawdling behind the foxlike creatures was a massive wolf. He was massive, even bigger than a bear, a tiger, or a lion. He was in Secui form, a huge muscle-bound beast with thick fur that made him seem even bigger. He had a thick, rough mane that made him seem lion-like. He had large paws and sharp claws. Scars littered his frame. He had amber eyes with a gentle gaze.
Two birds also joined the canines. A large white owl with brown and grey on his back and the backs of his wings joined them in the sky. He had a heart-shaped face and dark brown eyes. A yard away from the foxes was a large corvid sitting on a metal bird cage, the irony. The bird cage had metal wire that was closer together.
Avinalora decided that she would start on a new project that may benefit Anathema. She would catch mice and use them as test subjects for herbs and whatnot. The rodents were lesser creatures and maybe if she caught males and females, there could be a supply for them. She brought along her wards and Tyler. They were hunters and she felt they would help her a lot. Her corvid, Onyx had instructions to watch the cage and open it for the feral-formed hunters. Stormblade tagged along to keep an eye on everyone, possibly protect them, and watch them fail.
"Remind me again why we are hunting mice?" Garrett asked with a tilted head, looking at the winter wraith. He vaguely remembered what she told them, but decided to ask again. He knew how to hunt already, having been taught by Eclipse and deciding to leave the nest early.
"We're trapping them, Gar." The ghostly jackal said in a slightly exasperated tone and looking at the grey fox. "We need mice for medical testing." It did seem inhumane, but they were lesser creatures and prey. She didn't exactly care that she might possibly poison, injure, or get them sick so that they could be then given herbs. The healer did know that they might die from it, but she didn't exactly care. She'd done this before.
"And what if we accidentally kill one?" Spencer asked. He knew that mice were fragile things and it would be easy to kill them. He knew that if he trapped one between his paws, and carried them carefully in his mouth, they may survive. Though mice died easily, even from fear.
"Then they're lunch." The jackal maiden said with a flick of her tail. "But don't make too many of them lunch; be careful." She warned and then she straightened. She looked at the foxes and the barn owl winged down from the sky. Before the herbalist could translate, the Twilight son did.
"What do we do with them when we catch them?" Luna asked, finally speaking. She was a bit uncomfortable with using creatures for tests, but she did see the value in it. She looked at her guardian and the Empusa met her eyes. She would try her best.
"Onyx is guarding the cage, Tell him to open up and he will open it and close it." The pale pixie said. She knew that the purposes she would be using the unfortunate creatures for may be considered amoral, but it was for the good of Anathema. She gave the vixen a comforting nuzzle. And then she said, "Let's go." She said and the foxes split into different directions.
"Can you even hunt?" The rumbling voice of the beast asked. He was lying down in the grass with his paws crossed, looking like a massive boulder. So, the silver lady decided to use him as one. She trotted over to him and scrambled on to his back to sense the critters she was after.
"What are you doing?" The Dasa asked. The tiny healer was quite light for him and he only felt the slightest amount of pressure from her paws. He raised his head to see the vixen on his back. Her ears flicked as she seemed to be trying to hear something.
"First of all, I can hunt." The Anatheman healer said, turning to the wolf. She flicked her tail and sat down on his back. He saw her help Maelyx bring back that deer. It didn't take a genius to hunt something as small as a mouse. She'd seen Adree hunt mice to use for these purposes and for food. "Stalk, pounce, and trap."
And then the monochrome fox heard the scuffling in the grass not far from here, with a glare from her, the amber-eyed Secui was silent and she tried to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. It was close and to her right. She located it quickly and crouched, leaning on her back leg slightly with minimal pain. A mouse scuttled not to far from the beast, probably thinking he was a furry rock.
The fox-tailed female could make out a blurry shape in the grass, a brown one. And it was close, she pounced, dropping from the furry boulder and onto the mouse with spread paws. As quick as a flash, she had it in her jaws. She could still feel it moving in her jaws. She looked at the beast with a smug smile on her face.
And then the monochrome fox trotted over to the bird cage, and with the crow-raven's help, she dropped the mouse in and the bird closed the door. One down, several more to go.
Image | Background | Table by Andi
