this summer's going to the dogs.

Barrett · 06-23-2011, 12:00 AM

[html]

Leader approved~ LOOK, A MOOSE! You know the drill: the more the merrier; short posts are fine. Big Grin

Don't forget, you get 10 CD game points for joining and (if you don't have it already) the pack hunt catacomb skull, too!

Logistics: Set in Apple Blossom Orchard. New round every 10 days; no posting order after me so we can keep this movin'/people can reply at their convenience. I'm thinking four rounds total: gathering, chase, take-down, feast. After the first round, if everyone posts before 10 days are up I'll start the next one that much sooner :3

Barrett had struck gold—red gold. Among other things, these apples seemed to be a hit with his voracious little buddy. If a snail was supposed to make a mundane companion, the mocha yearling wasn't hearing any of it. He sat with his back against a tree, peeling off tiny scraps of skin and pulpy flesh with a claw; then he watched, mesmerised, as Helix happily munched on the pieces. This feeding, predictably, ensued at a snail's pace. Unfortunately, the adolescent could only watch another creature eat for so long before his own tummy started gurgling from neglect.

Be it fate, kindness of the gods, or just dumb luck, a solution to his problem awaited discovery less than several hundred yards away. Snuff!! For the first time in what could have been hours, he looked up. Fwoomp, duh-dunk. The wolf's ears slicked back and he cautiously peered uphill from behind his tree. A lone moose was grazing on the apples, using its impressive height to rear up and tug at the higher branches before crashing to the ground. Perhaps because the predator was in a valley and the wind was in his favour, the animal seemed oblivious.

Any illusion of safety quickly shattered. As soon as Barrett stashed his personal artefacts (including Helix) somewhere secure, his body began to deform and rearrange. The secui charged up the opposite hill so he could keep tabs on the beast's movements, then sounded a cry to the late morning sky. No wolf could take this prize on their own, but working as a unit, the entire pack could feast.

Ghita Marino · 06-23-2011, 12:16 AM

[html]

What's a hunt without a Ghita? <3 Bad post. Sorry.

Ghita was a woman of pleasure, a woman who loved activity and hated to sit around for too long. Of course, that was what she was stuck doing in the moment; Sophia had gone missing once again and she waited dutifully for the red-and-white woman to return for a strict scolding. It was redundant to tell her each time how she worried for the Marino's safety — it hadn't stopped Sophie thus far, and she doubted it would stop her in the future. True to everyone's words, her daughter had her mother's wild heart.

Hours passed in common room of the manor, pacing and sitting and pacing again or simply staring out the window. It didn't take long for Ghita to grow bored; she needed fresh air lest the waiting drive her insane. The mottled-cinnamon woman found her way to the porch, blue eyes gazing into the distance with fake hope. She knew Sophia wasn't going to return while she waited.

Perhaps it was luck that the call of a semi-familiar creature reached the ears of the Marino woman; Barrett, handsome young man that he was, had found something. Apparently he wasn't all good looks and mind-altering substances. With a sigh at giving up her wait for her daughter, Ghita gave in to the idea of taking her mind off of it. Her body twisted, shifting from athletic Optime to a four-legged Lupus huntress — since rescuing Cambria, shifting her body had been a tiresome and tedious thing — before dashing across the land. Her scarred leg gave the woman a distinguished limp, even at faster speeds.

Her turquoise gaze caught the mocha-coat of the young man before she was in distance to call to him; as she approached, her head turned about to see not only who else had called, but what exactly was called about.

Rook · 06-25-2011, 08:02 PM

[html]

{WC: 459}

Having adjusted to possessing such things like helpful pack mates and a wide territory to explore without needing to worry about other predators Rook was actually thriving for once. Well, actually, perhaps not… in spirit, maybe, but by means of finding meals the young coyote had had quite a bit of terrible luck. He had actually filled out a bit since he had arrived to Crimson Dreams’ territory, but he was still the slightly lean and timid young man that had stumbled into McNamara’s Landing a month ago in search of sustenance and good company. His stomach growled as he crept past the edge of the Orchard on all fours; the rumbling sound had caught him by surprise and caused him to wildly look around in hopes that no one had heard it.

When he wasn’t daydreaming about Soiled Pies (baked with real strips of tripe or tart blackberries) or haphazardly-discovered leftovers by things that lurked at the pack’s borders, he often spent his time trying to catch birds and mice. Fish, rabbits and anything a little larger were, at this point, considered a waste of energy. Oftentimes he would retreat back to his hiding place and wait out the day or night and hope breakfast or dinner would come sooner than expected in the form of an inexperienced fledgling, a plump rodent, or a decrepit old hare. Taking his prey by surprise was usually his best asset when it came to hunting.

He trotted along the rows of trees with both of his large ears turned forward in mild interest; his nose had led him here by the sweet scent of apples and he was wholeheartedly considering that he could possibly make a meal of one of the large red fruits and call it a day. Then suddenly, a howl rang out… Rook froze and stared wildly in the direction from where it had come from. Something had been spotted… Here. He blinked and considered for a moment to turn around and head back the way he came. A sigh broke the silence around him and he strode forward, determined to discover what the ruckus was about.

Within a few minutes of walking, he spotted two wolves: one tawny, the other a stark black… Barrett? One of his ears folded back as the other remained upright. After a few seconds, a rather happy whine whistled from his throat and his black-tipped tail swept jubilantly along the ground at his heels. He approached the pair cautiously before stopping a good distance away from them. Sitting down, he figured would be a good start; and, as he lowered himself onto his haunches, he shot them a curious gaze and a soft yip, wondering if he was welcome to join them.

Leonard · 06-26-2011, 10:35 AM

[html]

OOc: Hope you don’t mind me dropping in! :3

Leon lounged lazily on the branch of an old oak, drowsing in the warmth of the sun, his sketch pad laying on his lap. The trip to Halifax had been fun, but now the young Timber was spending his free time memorizing the Dreamers new territory, sketching random landmarks he came across. Here, there appeared to just be lots of apple trees. And prey. He would keep this in mind for the next time he needed to retrieve food.

He had been attempting to draw an apple tree, in order to attempt to master the skill Mati had helped him learn. However, the shape had been disagreeing with him, bulging in one place, or shrinking in others, frustrating the man. He couldn't understand how Mati had managed to master this skill, but at the moment, it was beyond him. With a sigh, Leon closed his sketch pad and dropped from the branch with a soft 'thud', spinning and beginning to walk to the north east to further explore the expansion. He heard that a small group of human houses had been absorbed, so that could yield something interesting.

Not long after he had started walking, a call sounded back behind him, turning his eyes and ears back south. Pausing in his walk, Leon pondered the source of the call. Eventually, his curiosity won out against the desire to explore. Placing his book down in a dead tree, Leon shifted to his Lupus form and ran towards the direction of the cry.

Within a few minutes, the Timber spotted two wolves and a coyote, none of which he visually recognized. By scent, he recognized all as fellow pack mates, and held no reservations about approaching. Putting himself five feet from the wolf in Secui form, Leon stood, curiously glancing between the three. "I hope you have room for one more?" He questioned.

Jazper Rhiannon-Knight · 06-26-2011, 05:14 PM

[html]

WC:300+

OOC:Yay hunts Big Grin

Oh border patrols, the death of all great wolves. No canine on this planet could possibly enjoy walking along the scented lines, Jazper was sure of this. At three years of age he was certain that he would be doing the same rounds along the Crimson Dreams line, as he had when he was a year, until he was old and hardly able to go around once. The forest was quiet, only the subtle sounds of the odd bird song and the movement of branches. Large bear like paws were placed on after the other, as gently as such a large male could. He had been born a lucky wolf, never had he worried much about challengers because of his intimidating appearance and yet he had never been short of friends because of his friendly personality.

Movement caught his attention as the manor came into view, a sight for his sore eyes. A gentle smile graced his muzzle as he started to trot following at a distance behind the petite wolfess. He had heard a call from the direction of the orchard but had ignored it, knowing that the owner was a stranger to him but perhaps Ghita could introduce them. On a hill he could see three males, none of which he knew. Certainly they couldn’t all be new members of the pack, had he really been spending that much time alone? Once on top of the hill he took his spot beside Ghita, dwarfing her in his Halfling form.

Sitting the Knight rolled his shoulders back, showing off his broad chest unconsciously as a show of dominance among the males. Although his tail lay flat and his face was friendly he didn’t even notice his instinctive action. It didn’t take long for him to notice the large moose wandering below through the orchard and his eyes lit up. It was the perfect target between the other males, Ghita’s quick feet and his mass the moose would easily feed the enter pack three times over.

Talk.

[/html]

Barrett · 07-03-2011, 12:01 AM

[html]

Round two begins! Let's run 'er down and start surrounding her. Big Grin

Again, no posting order, feel free to get up your reply any time between now through July 12th. If any members who haven't posted yet would like to join in the chase, that's cool, too ^^

Ghita was the first to find him. He briefly wondered if he ought to have gone to see her sooner, but no--she didn't seem concerned one way or the other. He cast her an uncertain smile, but his tail was wagging behind him.
He couldn't find anything to say, but fortunately there was no room for the silence to grow awkward. Another familiar face joined them instead--Rook. He nodded to the smaller male and pointed his muzzle in the direction of their quarry in soundless explanation. A third male joined them, then a fourth. He recognised neither, but greeted both in turn with a silent bow of his head. Jazper's display went neither unnoticed nor unheeded, and he turned to expose the tender flesh of his neck on instinct.

It was then that it hit him: something about their posing, their scents. A string of expletives flew through his mind, but on the surface, his eyes only widened imperceptibly while his ears flattened further. It could've easily been in response to the larger male's show of dominance as anything else. He stole a quick glance to Ghita, but it only lasted a second and his features stayed neutral. There wasn't any time for this now. Their target had grown suspicious; already the moose had given up grazing in the suddenly crowded orchard. She was moving away from the collective of canines.

Barrett quickly caught the eye of each present in turn: it was time to charge. Their party of five was probably strong enough to take her--at least it wasn't a full grown bull. The wolf began to plod down the hill, gaining momentum the further he went. All things considered, it felt good to run.

Ghita Marino · 07-04-2011, 11:26 AM

[html]

@Zero: I just did a generic 'run', so feel free to place Ghita yourself in the next round. I'll go with it.

Ghita, as a female, went oblivious to the brief display of dominance that came from the dark Secui who had followed her. Instead, she offered a smile to Jazper, reaching out to run careful fingers through the thick mane of the halfling Knight. Turquoise eyes did not fall on the others who joined them — apart from Barrett and Jazper, she knew neither — but did seek out the one who had called for the hunt itself. He seemed...uncomfortable, though she could only imagine why. It didn't matter. There wasn't time. Instead, they needed to focus on the large, hooved creature who was starting to gravitate away from them.

It was hard enough to hunt in an Optime body, so the Italian woman took a moment to find her four legs; she had always been more comfortable with four feet on the ground rather than two, as her life in Monti Sabini had forbid her from utilizing bipedalness at all. The handicap to her knee only caused minimal problems, mostly to her gait as she followed Barrett down the hill — that one leg always remained far straighter than the rest, but it didn't matter. What she lost in her handicap, she made up for in skill.

Leonard · 07-06-2011, 05:56 AM

[html]

OOC here!

The second Secui’s display didn’t go unnoticed by Leon, but the timber saw no reason to show submission. He had no interest in the female, so his mind brushed it aside as habit. Besides, in a hunting party, the one who leads wasn’t the strongest, or fastest, but the one who forms it. As such, his eyes fell instead upon the first Secui, who had risen and begun to move down the hill. Giving a small yawn, Leon padded after the lead hunter moving further to their right. If nothing else, he could try to head the moose off as it ran away.

Leon felt the adrenaline beginning to course through his veins as he waited anxiously for the lead wolf to charge. His eyes dilated and quickly checked the area, taking in their surroundings, as his pace slowly increased. He wasn’t truly hungry, but he was in the mood to be doing something with himself. So, keeping a careful eye on the moose, the male began to hunt.

Jazper Rhiannon-Knight · 07-11-2011, 08:52 PM

[html]

WC:300+

OOC:

It was a beautiful day for a hunt, a typical hot summer day. He knew already from the look of the others around him that he would take the back, being the largest he would have trouble keeping up with the smaller wolves fast feet but his size would come in handy once the faster males and Ghita had surrounded the moose. At this point in his life he wasn't at all afraid of hunting down a moose. It was huge, no doubt about that, but it had only been months since he had earned the four clawed scar that ran from his right shoulder all the way down and across his left hip. A trophy of sorts given to him from a the bear he had attacked and almost killed out of defense for his family. The scar was clearly visible to the group as they sat in a circle, awaiting the other black male to lead the way.

He took little notice as the leading male lowered his ears and exposed his neck slightly, or that the greyish male had not changed his body language. In Crimson Dreams rank, or size, was not given as much emphasis as it had in other packs but Jazper had the blood of his alpha father in him. He nudged Ghita just above her hip as she ran her fingers through his mane just before the action started. With a brief look it appeared the hunt was on. The Knight waited the moment for Ghita to shift, allowing her to move in front of him. Due to his broad chest, and over all large body Jazper started behind the faster three at a fast trot, saving his energy for doing what he would be most useful for, pushing over the moose once it was exhausted.

Talk.

[/html]

Rook · 07-11-2011, 09:15 PM

[html]

{WC: 224}

As two other wolves approached, Rook watched them quietly for a few moments before creeping forward with his body low to the ground. He was quick to note the exchange of dominant and submissive postures of his pack mates and settled on rendering himself as a respectful but cautious pack member. He stood a few steps behind the group after catching Barrett’s gesture and realizing that a rather large moose stood nearby. His fur stood on end and his breath caught in his chest; through the hues of grayish yellows and tans that made up the hunting party’s forest-like surroundings, he had failed to see the moose there – perhaps, he should have paid more attention... The muscles in his limbs tensed but, as one by one, the hunting party began to charge and he was quick to follow suit.

Being light on his feet was a skill Rook loved about his lanky build and he easily weaved through the orchard after Leonard, one of the two other dark-pelted wolves he had just met. Every now and then his eyes darted over to the hoofed creature that had started to turn tail, but he did not stray from the dark wolf’s path that he was following. Instead, he waited for some sort of signal or an opportunity to strike and veer the victim toward them.

Barrett · 07-12-2011, 05:29 PM

[html]

If there were any doubts the moose had caught onto their little scheme, they were quickly erased. The animal hurried along uphill with increasing urgency, but the Dreamers were at an advantage—they had their downhill momentum to help carry them over the next ridge that much faster, and they were more nimble on their feet. They wove through the orchard like wraiths, slowly but surely closing the distance between them and their target.

He spared a quick glance over his shoulder and nodded for them to fan out so they could surround their quarry. He veered to the left and pushed harder than before, sending tiny pebbles and other bits of detritus flying from the ground whenever his feet contacted the earth. Each bound brought him closer, and when the timing seemed right, he leapt.

His fangs caught old of the beasts' haunch and briefly, he tasted blood. She was too strong yet, however, and as she bucked against his weight he was forced to surrender his meagre hold. He catapulted through the air a short distance and landed in a crouch on his feet, then sprung forward in the same motion. The scent of the sanguine liquid radiated from the moose's fresh wound to fill the air, fuelling him onward in another charge.

He had lost a couple seconds recovering from her throws, but his attack had caused her steps to falter, too. These precious moments could be critical to their success. No doubt the others would strike soon, and when they did, each successive hit would be better placed and more severe than the last. He dashed along to catch up, paying careful attention to each of their positions—as well as the moose's hooves. Desperate animals could become violent, and a swift kick from her would hardly be trivial.

<3! Okay, let's wear her down. Someone feel free to PP Barrett making more strikes, too. Next round starts on the 22nd!

301

Ghita Marino · 07-19-2011, 04:33 PM

[html]

Really short, but hey. W/e. Ghita wounds: moose front kick to shoulder, limping prominently.

She was quick to ignore the presence of anyone else as they moved quickly to flank the hoofed creature. It was not a situation Ghita was unfamiliar with — though larger than the deer she hunted on her own, the moose was just a larger version of the same thing. While the dark Barrett launched himself at the haunches of the moose, Ghita found herself hunkered down above the ground, hurrying her body around toward the front. The animal didn't seem to appreciate it — a hoof was kicked out and ducked by the mother as she chomped down firmly upon the spongy nose of the cervidae critter. It balked for a moment, lashing out again and clipping Ghita on the cheek before knocking her back with a swift pound to her shoulder. She slid with a yelp, golden eyes closing as her body tried to hurry itself out of the line of fire. With a prominent limp, she hurtled toward the rear, lunging at the opposing flank of the animal as Barrett pushed forward once more in an attempt to hang on.

Leonard · 07-19-2011, 06:56 PM

[html]

OOc: Leon's sorta just hanging on to the moose's left front leg, on the thigh.

Leon picked up his speed considerably as the leading wolf launched on to the moose’s rear, forcing it to falter, and knew that the next few moments could end this hunt quickly. He noticed the small coyote following him through the orchard, keeping pace. The small canidae seemed like he had not been eating well, which he noted in his mind. He hadn’t hunted with others in a long while and it felt good to be part of a hunt group. He only hoped no one was injured bringing down the kill.

As he closed in on the moose, the timber’s eyes caught sight of the female, who reached the moose just ahead of him. The woman ducked a swift kick, and then bit the cervidae on its nose. The man watched as the moose balked, slowing once more. He moved in to assist the other two. He was right beside the moose, when it kicked the woman, forcing her in to a slide. Leon saw his opening and lunged, catching the creatures outstretched leg in his mouth, clamping down and locking his jaw. He hoped the other hadn’t suffered a serious injury from the kick. He closed his eye as the heavier animal continued on, though with the added weight on her leg, she had slowed considerably. Now he only had to wait for the other two to get in and knock the creature over for the kill.

He felt a hoof dig into his side, and another kick his back, but didn’t release his grip. Compared to the agony he felt when the sword that cleaved his side and the pain he'd felt before, the panicked beating was noticeable at best. Still, he could feel his body being battered as the catch continued moving forward, stumbling over his attached body. He knew he'd be sore in the morning.

Jazper Rhiannon-Knight · 07-21-2011, 03:44 PM

[html]

WC:200+

OOC:

The warrior watched the others carefully. Although he didn’t know any of the other males he knew that a moose could be very dangerous if not hunted properly. Armed with such information the Knight could not help but feel a sense of duty when it came to the smaller wolves. When it came to the hunt they were a unit, equal, and he had always been told that there is strength in numbers but one wrong kick and one of his pack mates could be seriously injured. As the others surrounded the moose he began to approach cautiously, waiting to come out of the shade of the orchard’s trees and surprise the beast.

The darkest of the group before him started the strike, signalling that the time had arrived. Next his Italian mate, golden eyes widened and he edged forward at her yelp, instinctively wanting to cover her. A sense of relief overcame the male as she continued to strike. The gray accented male distracted the moose, grabbing hold of it in a tight grip. Finally it was his turn. As quickly as the giant’s heavy body could move he launched himself out from his cover and towards the rear of the moose. As he approached it was clear the moose would not notice him until he was already on top of it. With a powerful jump Jazper landed on the moose’s lower back and began to cling. Instantly the moose became to thrash violently, causing it and Jazper to nearly tip over. It was a matter of seconds now. Without hesitation he bit down causing warm blood to flow into his jaws.

Talk.

[/html]

Barrett · 07-23-2011, 12:51 AM

[html]

The teen winced as Ghita was socked and took a spill. Fortunately, she found her feet quickly—and her strategic strike had slowed the beast significantly. Everything was coming together. Leonard reacted quickly and opportunistically, with his jaws seeking purchase about the moose's outstretched forelimb and clamping down like a vice; meanwhile, Barrett gouged at the tender flesh of her belly, and the adept huntress launched another attack on the animal's flank. The hulking Jazper sprang out of nowhere to seal the deal, taking advantage of the secui's retractable claws in an attack that mimicked that of a bear or lion.

Their target was losing blood fast, but also growing increasingly desperate. She bucked wildly against the wolves' weight, but his teammates held steadfast. Leonard and Ghita nearly immobilised two of her legs; Jazper's bulk proved especially devastating and critical in slowing her down. They couldn't have set him up for a better strike. Barrett locked onto the fragile windpipe and leapt. Within a few more minutes, it was over. The creature crumpled to her knees, fell to her side, and suffocated to death. One of her free limbs kicked ineffectively right up until the bitter end. She would perish so they could live—such were the laws of the Wild.

Still, they were lucky... and he knew it. A handful of wolves taking down such an impressive beast was no small feat. The adolescent was still panting heavily when he released his grip, but his tail swung behind him as he glanced to each of the participants in turn. The success belonged to the team, the unit, and he felt a surge of respect for all of them and an overwhelming sense of triumph. It manifested in the form of a powerful howl, as he once more called to the Dreamers, inviting them all to dine with the hunters. The small squad would have plenty of time to eat their fill before the others arrived. For now, he quieted and began to tear enthusiastically into the fresh meat. There was more than enough room for them to feast side by side.

Whoop! Dig in, all 8D

350

Ghita Marino · 07-28-2011, 04:20 PM

[html]

Really not sure why these keep coming out short, but I apologize again.

The tail end of the battle was short lived, her mind fading in an out from attention to the flaring pain that shot through her shoulder. She didn't know when the moose went down, she didn't see Barrett go for the throat, but once the shape of the cow fell she was relieved. Her shoulder throbbed. The dying breath of the cervidae creature was met with a sigh from the Italian woman. She didn't look at the rest of them — embarrassment swelled up at the thought that she'd appeared the weaker of the group, something that her pride wouldn't allow her to live down. She was a hunter, that was what made her her, and yet she'd been the one distracted enough to get kicked. A heavy sigh was released into the air as the younger Barrett called for the rest of the Dreamers to join them.

She sat a distance from the kill, staring upward toward the sky as she allowed the menfolk to take their fill. Her ear twisted down to flatten over her head as she focused solely on the pain that had started to simmer down — she wouldn't need a medic, she hoped, as she had when the barn collapsed on top of her. Regardless, she felt it best to simply rest instead of worrying about eating. Her body slid down onto the ground, turquoise eyes closing as her tail swatted the air before resting at her side. She'd eat when she felt better. Her children could have her portion instead.

Leonard · 08-04-2011, 05:40 AM

[html]

OOC here!

Leon held fast to the moose's leg up till he felt her begin to stumble down. He released his vice and managed to tumble aside as the groups prey fell to the ground, nursing his back right leg as he rose. The first secui had ended the chase with a swift bite at the wind pipe of the moose, dropping it in minutes. The Timber sighed lightly, realizing he had managed to sprain his right ankle while the moose was stomping on his legs. He slowly walked over to the kill, managing to apply weight to his paw, and sat a little away from the kill. He still didn't feel all that hungry, even after the short chase. But as the secui began to eat from the moose's limp form, he decided to at least eat a little from their quarry before going to fetch his sketch pad.

While he understood clearly the traditions of wolf hunting parties, he could not for the life of him figure out why the woman had chosen to sit herself away from the moose. She was as much a member of their hunting group as anyone else, and was therefore just as welcome to the food as any of the others. He allowed his gaze to find her sitting form and held her gaze for a moment before blinking and returning to his short meal. 'If she's hungry, she'll bring herself over.' He thought.

Login




Remember me Lost Password?