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moose! The wild…
Night had fallen in the usual pattern that it followed. The sun had grown bright, and so low in the sky so that it burned her eyes. A sudden and short-lived burst of warmth flowed to her, only to be cut short by the chill of the pending night. The sky glowed, painted with the red and oranges of the bleeding sun, its life splattered out against the air, ending and giving in to the moon and its shadow.
The shadow hung over her, standing around her as she walked slowly through the wooded land. Four paws carried her, and the stance gave her comfort having been in her two-legged form for days. The lithe fey skirted around her home’s boarder like a stranger. Like a scavenger hoping for an easy meal or a brute looking for the easiest hole to slip through unnoticed. It was low and embarrassing, but she could help but tow the edge with unease.
Her traveling brought her to The Trenches. The land that bordered the southwest edge of her home was a frequented place, one full of prey. Anu also found it quiet and its landscape pleasing. The hill that she climbed was thickly covered in snow and dotted with trees making the journey difficult but pleasing to the eye. She stopped at the base of a large birch. Its leafless branches hung over her like a comforting hand on her shoulder. Blue eyes looked to its curved white bark, taking in the texture of its warped skin.
Sitting beneath its comfort she looked to the east, the scent of the pack, her home, drifted her nose. So close to the invisible line that mark the lands she could almost feel the presence of the family that she missed. Still, her heart wasn’t ready to take on all the weight of her actions. It was just too easy to watch from the outside, while she found such reassurance beneath the bough of a tree.
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ooc: sorry for the delay!
+500
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With the moon a bright slit against the darkness of the night, Moose headed off in search of... well, he wasn't quite sure. For the short time that he had been in Crimson Dream's pack, he had been content, but something about tonight was different. He wasn't content to merely enjoy the safety and security of his nice cozy den in the cave. Tonight he had fallen into his old ways of sorts. Restlessness and sleeplessness.
He couldn't help but think that Sirce led him here. It was exactly the type of place they had always discussed; but still, Moose couldn't allow himself total happiness. He felt guilty for enjoying it, and had thus far forced himself into hermitude. However, determined to change it soon, he decided to explore the lands outside his pack's boundary.
The words of Savina still in his ears, he knew better than to cross to another pack's domain and start trouble. HE was turning over a new leaf after all. With the warning fresh in his mind, the grey wolf had stuck his nose to the trail and begun following game smells into the neutral territory.
Even with his stocky frame, he moved lithe as any of his kind through the underbrush. A owl hooted in the distance as he moved deeper into the area known as the trenches. His mottled hues allowing him to meld with the shadow covered forest only made him appear as a blurry mass on the moon lit snow. A scent reached his nares as he crested a hill, causing him to pause, ears perked, one paw still in the air. It wasn't a familiar scent, yet he could tell it was one of his new family.
Should I continue on? This new wolf would most likely not know him, and with his battlescarred appearance, suddenly showing up in front of unknown wolves wasn't always the best decision. I've got to meet them all sooner or later... with a slightly reluctant thought about the ordeal, he found that he was actually excited and nervous. With an additional sniff of the air, he began heading towards the source of the scent--a tall birch tree. SOmewhere in the shadows was a female, he could tell by her smell. I seem to have stumbled upon a male's dream pack... I've not seen a male yet. He knew his thoughts to be naive... there had to be males in the pack, but even with his thoughts of Sirce fresh in his mind he couldn't totally shake his feral male nature.
While he couldn't shake it, he could keep it in check. Choosing a slightly noisier path towards the tree, he neared it from upwind, making sure the other wolf knew of his presence. Moose drew a deep breath as he drew level with the birch. "Gud e'en ta ye marm." He bowed gracefully and smiled at the femme. Her blue eyes shown in the darkness, but he was unsure of her rank. Raising from his bow, he kept his head lowered slightly, aware that he was the bottom of the pecking order... something quite new to him.
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no worries @ all!
Eyes looked to the stars. Their small shapes glimmered against the dark curtain that the night sky provided. They were nothing more then small pinholes, with unknowing energy shining through. Or were they? Anu had spent her whole life worshiping the sun, and the life it gave the land she toiled. And still she had ignored the wonder that the night gave. The slivered moon was a cocked smile that shone down at her, it was far from the blazing orb that ruled the day. Blue eyes looked away, there had been enough disloyalty floating in her heart, enough for a whole lifetime.
Thoughts were brought Anu back to the real, the present as noises and smells came to her. The physical signs warned her of another's approach, and it wasn’t long until her saw him. His polite approach kept him in view, though she stood to greet him. Her confidence was wavering, and standing as he greeted her showed that she wasn’t as vulnerable as she felt.
He smelled of Crimson Dreams, though it hadn’t settled into his coat as it did her. A new pack member, she wondered. Her heart rang with a sharp pain. As she knew, the world would go round with her presence or not and she wished she had been there to help greet him and hoped Nani wasn’t left with all of the responsibility. Still he didn’t smell of her mate, but of her other friends, including Geneva.
Hello. Her voice was rough, but only from little use. Clearing her throat brought her voice back to normal. His accent was thick and deep with an origin unknown to the lean fey. It peaked her curiosity. Who are you? Her tone was questioning, but not rude or demanding.
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"They call meh Moose tha Walhd... er jist Moose fer shor'." Her voice had been rough when she spoke, but he was unsure if it was natural or from disuse. His tail wagged slightly, slowly, stirring small unsettled snow flakes from their places and casting them about.
The stars twinkled around them, a clear sky for a beautiful evening. The sunset had been magnificent, one that he and Sirce would have sat in their favorite meadows and watched on the sun warmed rocks. Once the sun went down, they would race one another around their borders, howling in joy until others joined them. These races would run all night and occasionally turn into moon-lit hunts if the game were as active as the wolves. There's no better time to hunt... His thoughts were drifting away from the fey in front of him.
The scent of a male was upon this female, proving there were males in the pack. Apparently she had a mate. The same could be said of the other femmes he had met. So perhaps it wasn't a male's dream, he wasn't interested in moving on, especially not at the moment. For now, he would be content being a pack member and working his way into better graces. How long would it take before some other new comer appeared and he was no longer the lowest rung on the ladder? He was determined to make good on his skills and help his pack. It was in his nature after all.
"Ah've na' bin 'ere ta lawng, boot, Ah've bin wan'erin' far und wi' afore Ah foun' Crimson Drims. Und Ah've decided 'twas tahme ta stawp wan'erin' und settl' dawn again."
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XD she’s got a lady for a mate!
Blue eyes looked him over, making their assessment as they always did. Her ears turned slightly at the sound of his voice, and she found it hard to extract the English from his accent. With a moment’s though she was able to turn what he spoke into something she understood. Moose… Looking at him she could see why he might be called that. His large form was intimidating, as a moose may seem. Anu liked it; she could easily see why he was Moose. A smile formed over her mouth, a rare sight in the past few days.
Her words were sincere. She loved the idea of the pack growing, and had always enjoyed welcoming newcomers. I’m Anu. Leaving her name at that she wasn’t one for rank and status. Without confrontation it seem to be important to the fey. She usually knew who to obey, and when. She looked out into the night, unsure why she felt to suddenly uneasy. It wasn’t his presence, but as the wind changed there was something riding the current.
Have you eaten? A smile crossed her face. The thought of a warm meal comforted her sorrowful heart, and she was sure he would be the perfect hunting partner. Nothing brought pack members together more then the hunt.
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ooc: ....my bad. Scratch previous thoughts, lol.
"Nay, Ah've no' 'ad a bite ta eat en a whail." A hunt? Moose was overjoyed. His wanderings had gained him a chance to demonstrate his skill, bond with a pack member, and fill his belly. As if on cue, it rumbled noisily. A smile gracing his face, he chuckled. "Mah belleh seems ta thin' 'twould beh a great idea if'n yeh'd join us fer a 'unt."
He was interested to see just what sort of game could be rounded up at this late hour in this new territory. From his time on his own, the majority of his hunted (rather than stolen) diet consisted of rabbits, birds, and fish. He was incredibly tired of fish. Having to fight twenty-million bones for a scrap of meat no more than a bird's wing wasn't his style. Moose was more accustomed to the larger game of his home; elk, reindeer, mountain goat, and of course, his namesake: moose.
His mouth began to fill with the thoughts of meat, and his muscles twitched with eagerness at the thrill of the hunt. The combination gave his a slightly anxious air, but he wasn't in any hurry; he could be as patient as the next wolf when it came to hunting. He just really enjoyed the entire event.
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you can pick what they hunt!!
A laugh passed her lips as he spoke and her stomach seemed to answer as well with its own hungry grumble. Standing she slowly turned her nose to the wind, letting it do the work the rest of her was incapable of doing. There were few things more natural and instinctual as the tracking, chase and kill that her body strived for. Her heart beat easily and calmly as the air about them changed. She felt his anxiety, though it was more eager then stress that radiated from him. The blue eyes woman caught his at a sideways glance letting her energy feed off of his.
Come on then. Her voice was unnaturally calm as the rest of her began to soar on the smallest drop of adrenalin and much greater anticipation. She took to her paws, beginning at a fluid jog, letting it grow into a swift trot as her paw steps increased. They would need patience, silence and skill if they planned on taking anything of worth to the ground. The lean fey was built for speed, not for the task of bring big game to their knees, but she had confidence in her partner. Skirting the outside of their boarders, Anu found her form lighter and more at ease then she had felt in days, maybe weeks. It was invigorating as the cool night air passed into her lungs, bringing with it the prospect of dinner.
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A cool breeze blew as the pair began their silent trot. Black nares twitched in it, draining and straining it for all the information it could give. Whisperings in the wind told him of some small animals --- rabbits, birds and things in the area, as well as a faint trail of some wild goats and swine that seemed rather old. There was also a pair of small deer bedded down not too far away. While Moose wasn't the swiftest wolf, he was large enough to bring the prey down. Studying Anu as she ran, he could tell from the smoothness of her trot that she was much faster than he was. Between the two of them, he felt confident that they would be dining before the sun rose.
"D'ye smell tha deer? Ah say weh joomp 'em und 'ave soom fun, d'ye kin?" He didn't necessarily want to take point on the hunt, but was more than willing to show off. However, being the lower ranking, Moose was willing to let the femme decide, or at least have some input. Perhaps he could learn something from her; they prey in every region was different, causing substantial amounts of trial and error at some points in his journeys.
Thinking ahead to her acceptance, he felt a good plan would be for one of the pair to jump the deer and herd them towards the other. He allowed his muscles to stretch as they ran, going on autopilot as he strategized which of the two it would be more beneficial to use in which situation.
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She smelled them, their musk hitting her nose like a slap in the face. Anu nodded, knowing the tactic well. She even knew that part she would play. There was no better position for the lean fey to fit then the runner. Her agile body could guide any prey into whatever trap had been set. Her low form kept close to their heels, and under kicking legs.
Nodding she spoke between breaths, Stay down wind. Not finding it hard to give him such direction, she was sure he would have anyways. Anu just understood that a deer charging her brought out only cowardliness not courage. She was sure he would feel far more comfortable standing in its path then the fey. The thought and the anticipation made her smile.
Breaking away from him she left him to play her role. The herd was small, only a paw-full of beasts, and Anu picked the soul they would take with one quick glance. Passing over the females with fawns she saw a large childless doe, her size and scent screaming her older age. A moment passed, allowing Moose to find his hiding place, before her broke her cover. The wind hit her back, lifting her off her paws and into the air with a gallant leap.
Scattering, the herd fled. The older doe, large in size and experienced ran into the wind toward Anu and her scent. Suddenly faced with the charging deer Anu ran head first towards her, hoping that the prey would turn before she had to. With no other option the doe turned, and in a wide arch Anu was able to guide her down wind. Her heart pounded and her mouth took in each breath. Eyes kept to the deer’s hoofs ever watching lest she shot to one side or another.
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Moose nodded silent assent to Anu's direction. A common direction, he knew she didn't mean it insulting, nor did he take it as such. His keen ears listened hard for her soft step as he positioned himself as she stated--downwind. He had been fortunate to find a great spot behind a deadfall of small trees obscured by brush.
Terrified screams of the fauna reached his ears as he felt the ground begin to rumble. He was glad that Anu had chosen the part of runner; not only did she look it, she was most likely more apt. The large stocky frame of Moose was not the swiftest; he wasn't slow, unless compared to someone faster... of course.
The scent of Anu as well as the herd crashed towards him, and soon he could see in his nose's eye the musk of an older female. Perfect was all he needed to think before she was almost upon him. Large muscles tensed, tightening and coiling themselves as they prepared to the leap. He had no hesitations to dashing in front of her, cutting her off in the canal she had been herded into. Thick trees bordered the pathway of the frightened animal as her hooves drove her nearer her doom.
Adrenaline surging through him, he waitting, counting his breaths, waiting. His plan was to leap out before she reached him, cutting off her escape from Anu and in her confusion, bringing her down. Hopefully he could show the fey chasing just how good a hunter he was. It would be an ideal position within the pack to take on, or to strive for. He was still unsure of the complete dynamics, but he would work hard regardless.
3, 2, 1... jump! as his mind screamed at him he jumped into the path of the deer, further frightening her. Sharp fangs gleamed against the white moon as he lunged for her exposed throat. Her screams melding with his growls as he tasted fur and flesh. Blood ran red and the scent of copper flooded the air as she thrashed wildly. A hoof caught his stomach and with a short yelp, he ripped himself back a pace. His maw was stained just like her neck, and her steps began to grow weak.
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Heart beating with each paw step the female ran beside the deer with ease. Her lean shape was made to run, and even with the burning of her muscles or the tightness in her chest that began to slowly develop she happily pressed on. All that was easily to ignore, and completely forgotten when the figure of the gray male caught the corner of her eye. .
In a second they were together, taking down the doe in any moment. Anu kept her steady, not allowing her to swerve away from him. She brushed her teeth against the doe’s stomach, a warning as she got to far from Moose’s advances. Then it happened, making his move the male leaped for the deer’s throat, sending her heart soaring. Yes, her brain screamed. But the same moment he was reaching for her neck, piercing the skin and ripping her open he was gone.
Anu smelt the metallic tinge and eyes saw only deep red. Moose fell back, for reasons unknown to the fey. It didn’t matter, not at that moment an Anu kept pace knowing that she would slow from the pain and loss of blood. Black tinted nose splattered with her own blood lowered, and the wolf leaped towards it. Teeth bared Anu latched to the nose, sinking into the soft leathery skin. She tasted the does exhale and weighted down her head, slower her just that much more.
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Moose jumped back into the fray almost as soon as he had left. The sting from the doe's front hoof subsiding against his side, he threw his body weight against the female as Anu latched upon her head. With their combined efforts, the magnificent beast soon fell. Her ragged last breaths came, gurgling through the gaping wound in her neck, and finally she lay still.
His body surged with energy, his fur stained crimson. Red drops spattered on the nearby snow, driping from the body of their prey as well as their mouths from the hunt. Tonight he would have Crimson Dreams.
The smell of blood worked upon him, raising his heart rate and trying to throw him into a frenzy. He remembered his place and waitted. Anu would have first taste of their kill, dining before he himself was allowed.
The thrill of the hunt. He smiled, baring his white canines, a contrast against his gore smeared maw. It had been quite some time since he had been able to hunt with another wolf, much less successfully. Anu was a skilled hunter and a fast runner. The feelings of acceptance and contentment flooded him again, sweeping up his mind as he waited for her signal to eat and causing him to float among his memories.
Moose remembered his first hunt well. As was the norm in his pack, as soon as he was able to keep up he was allowed to hunt. His first hunt had been a successful one, and allowed him to live up his namesake--on his first hunt he was skilled enough to land the killing bite on the moose they were hunting. The coppery smell of blood, the feel of the pulsating vein in his mouth, the sweet taste of the meat later that evening; all things he would never forget.
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I sure do like hunting threads!
Her entire being heaved up and down as she fought for her lost breath. Unlatching her jaws form the snout of the deer Anu stood still for a moment, just taking in the feeling the adrenaline gave, and letting her body settle back into its normal rhythm. Eyes looked down at the bleeding beast, unfocused and blurred as she regained a conscious mind. The scent was overwhelming; the same overpowering feeling that had been felt not to long ago. Tongue hung from her mouth, and as she began to focus her sight and mind, Anu looked to the male the stood with her.
A smile wrapped around her face, and another feeling came over her. The act of killing, chasing and tracking was all in a single effort. The urge of provide, the need to give to the pack was something that was written in every cell of her body. It was painful to ignore and pure elation to fulfill. Anu tasted the blood on her lips, and retuned her sight to the open throat of the doe. There would plenty for them to eat as well as bring back to the pack.
Without a word she lay against the cold ground, painted with the cooling blood that cam from its open wounds. The birds would be there soon, and Anu would make sure she would get her fill before they arrived in swarms. Long hungry teeth dug deeply into the soft flesh. She would let him eat beside her with no fighting and no questions, a welcome home present for the newcomer.
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ooc: Sorry... back.
Moose saw his smile returned by the female and watched as she took a spot eating the still warm flesh. Her body told him he would be allowed to join her, and again the feelings of acceptance caused his heart to soar. Glancing to the sky in a wordless prayer, he thanked the heavens and Sirce for the meal and for his good fortune to be here. 'Tis amazin'. Ah'm 'ome again.
Once his thanks had been given, he took a place next to Anu. The meat was fresh (of course) and sweet. The fallen prey had been in good foraging within the last few days of her life, and it was noticable in his bites. He tore strips of meat from the carcass, wolfing it down as only a wolf can.
In the distance, he could hear the sound of other animals, birds included. The carion birds would come soon, and depending on their ferocsity, the pair of wolves would have trouble keeping them from getting their piece of the spoils. Moose assumed the remainder of the meat would be brought to the pack, or the pack to it. The deer wasn't too large, and since he figure that Anu, like the majority of Crimson Dreams, could shift, she would have no trouble maneuvering it to them.
This was one of the times Moose was finding himself very uncomfortable around the shifting wolves. He felt as though he was unable to contribute as much as they could. Either they had gifts in more prehensitled ways, or they were simply stronger than he could dream of due to their abilities. A small sigh escaped his maw at these thoughts, but he did his best attempt to make it seem as a sigh of contentment lest he seem ungrateful for the pack's hospiltality.
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