The sun was shining through the mouth of her den when the young white femme opened her golden optics. She stretched her limbs out and yawned a huge yawn before blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Despite it being winter time there were a select few days that were actually pleasant and today seemed to be one of those days. Cherokee didn't very much like being kept up inside- it reminded her of her child hood which she never wanted to experience again. She liked her freedom and preferred to keep exploring it and today would be no different. Cherokee had a thirst for adventure but more importantly she wanted to learn new things. She wanted to be able to help the pack further and she wouldn't be able to do that if she didn't know how to do the most basic tasks of survival. So with this determined outlook she rose off of the ground and made her way out of her den. Instantly the sun enveloped her, shining down on her pelt from above. She loved the warmth, it made her happy and comfortable. Although she was built for the cold she certainly didn't enjoy it. She was just pleased that the weather was cooperating today, especially with the tasks she had in mind. Cherokee allowed her limbs to carry her as she made her way through the forestry. Her golden optics glanced around her, keeping an eye on her surroundings at all times. If there was one thing that Cherokee learned it was to never let your guard down while you were alone. She continued to stroll forward at an easy pace until finally pulling to a halt in the middle of the woods.
She stood still for a moment and closed her eyes, her skull raised in the air high enough so that she could smell her surroundings. She was alone but that did not last for long. Soon enough the smell of elk hit her nares, a smell that was definitely tantalizing. But Cherokee would not be able to take down an Elk on her own, she would need help from someone. She stood still for a moment, contemplating on what to do. She didn't want to leave this spot for fear that she would lose the scent, but she knew that she couldn't hunt on her own. So instead Cherokee opted for a third option entirely. She made her way towards the smell, tracking it quietly as she wove in and out of the trees. She figured if she could get her eyes on them she could figure out if there was at least a calf for her to take down. It was while she was walking that she caught a new scent entirely but one that was familiar. It was Arche, but what was he doing out here? Cherokee halted briefly and let out a short bark, letting him know that she was near him and curious of his appearance out here.
notes: here we go tagged:Arche word count: 508 status: complete.
Hunting. It was not a task her performed often or even particularly well with his bulky frame, but he had grown accustomed to finding his own food instead of taking from the pack stores. Especially with his father's sickness. He had been required to help feed the sickly alpha, and though there were females within the pack ranked for such a duty, he did not mind stepping up to help every once in a while. Not to mention the fact that his large size always made it easier for them to take down larger prey than just rabbits or other small rodents. Today he left the patrols up to the other warriors of the pack and instead turned towards the forest with the intention of finding something decent to eat. Not only for himself, but also for his father. Not to mention Harlot. She was heavy with his offspring, and he could feel his chest swell with pride at the thought.
How had he gotten so lucky? He smiled as he trotted through the trees, not quite in a hunting stance yet and instead preferring to enjoy his happiness and his surroundings for a short time. That time, however, was cut short by the sound of a short bark and the tantalizing scent of elk. The herds were small here, especially this time of year, but they were still present in the cold regions of Anikira. They would be hard to take down, but perhaps there was a sickly or injured creature within their midst that could easily be taken down with little risk to the pack wolves. But for now, his attention turned in the direction of the bark. His green eyes were quick to locate the form of Cherokee, a perfectly colored creature for winter time hunts. She would do well to learn the use of her pale coat in seasons like this. It took him only a matter of moments to trot to her side, comfortable with how shielded they were from the view of the elk that he did not bother worrying that they would see him.
"Be careful, you might alert the elk of our presence." He said, his voice soft as he dipped his head in a friendly greeting. The two of them had not exactly met on good terms, for she had been trespassing unwittingly on Airila territory, but since her acceptance into the pack and integration into their family, he had come to see her as a friend. "What do we have to work with here?" He asked, mostly to the female, as he lowered his large form and crept closer to the edge of the clearing where the elk stood huddled together. Were there any weak spots, any injured or old elk? He frowned, studying them carefully with his green eyes as he waited for the female beside him to potentially spot something he had not seen himself.
Cherokee froze after her first initial bark, her golden brown eyes scanning the area for the other wolf. Finally she spotted him, his grey and white tones of his fur shining in the early sunlight. She flashed him a returning smile, glad that it was Arche and not someone else. At the same time however she was nervous to see him- she hadn't exactly told him about her escapade with Kenai yet and wasn't sure how to broach the topic. Perhaps after they caught a meal she would explain things to him. It wasn't like Kenai was some random fling- he was who she vowed to be with even though they were in separate packs. Be careful, you might alert the elk of our presence.Good call. How are you? She asked him curiously, genuinely concerned about his well-being. Cherokee knew that running a pack was no simple task, couple that with caring for your sick father and you had a whole lot of responsibility on your shoulders. There were times where she truly pitied Arche; not because he was weak but because she knew that he had to be going through an extreme amount of stress. She did not speak anymore however and simply followed him as he led her through the forestry. She tried to focus on keeping her steps light and quiet- a simple snap of a twig could certainly alert the herd and she didn't want that. She sauntered up alongside him and then lowered her frame to the ground, her golden brown occuli scanning the herd just as her alpha was.
What do we have to work with here? He asked of her and for a moment she felt a fleeting feeling of panic course through her veins. She had no previous knowledge of hunting but she supposed common sense would have to come in to play here. Scanning the herd she searched, at first not finding anything until finally she spotted what appeared to be a sickened doe sheltered within the rest of the herd. There. She pointed with her muzzle in the doe's direction and then turned her eyes to focus on Arche's face. She seems sick.. Probably a lot easier for us to take down. The only issue is were going to have to get her away from the others.. She frowned then, unsure of how to do such a task. She was an extremely green hunter and had a lot to learn but that was what today was for..right? What do you suggest we do? She asked him, curious of his opinion but also looking toward the brute as a mentor. If there was anyone that could teach her right from wrong it would certainly be him. She remained quiet for the meantime, her eyes glued on the sick doe in case she should end up isolating herself and making their job just a little bit easier.
notes: sorry for the wait boo tagged:Arche word count: 520 status: complete.
[newclass=.pltxt]position: relative; z-index: 200; opacity: 0; transition: all 1.5s ease; -webkit-transition: all 1.5s ease; -moz-transition: all 1.5s ease;[/newclass][newclass=.plbase:hover .pltxt]opacity: .7;[/newclass][newclass=.pltxt::-webkit-scrollbar]width: 8px;[/newclass][newclass=.pltxt::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]background: #000000;[/newclass]
Last Edit: Jan 15, 2016 8:37:12 GMT -5 by Cherokee
It did not take him long to spot their ideal target, but he waited silently for the female beside him to speak. She did not disappoint, though she showed her inexperience by taking much longer to discover the sick doe than he did. It was to be expected, and it was truly surprising how much patience and calm the Alpha had at his disposal. "There." His eyes followed her gesture to the sick doe, and he nodded silently as the female continued to speak. "She seems sick.. Probably a lot easier for us to take down. The only issue is were going to have to get her away from the others.." His nodding finally stopped as he focused back on the doe. "One of us needs to flush her out. I am larger and it would be easier for me to intimidate the males into running. But that means that you'll have to take her down. Can you do that?" He asked, turning his head to look at her curiously.
He knew that she was not an experienced hunter, and his size made things difficult for him from time to time, but he was nothing compared to the monsters of Kairos. No doubt they had their small females do most of the hunting for them. But Airila was not like that. Everyone worked together, even if they had different ranks. The male had no problem helping with the hunting, just as he knew there were many females that would be more than happy joining in on the defense of their small territory. At the thought of the home that Airila had claimed, he knew they would need to expand someday. Not only was their pack growing, but so was the island of Anikira. There were frozen lands to the north, not ideal for birthing and rising pups, but the wolves of Airila could truly thrive there. Their home was already cold, the frozen land of the north would not be a shock to their systems like it would be to the other packs.
But for now, the male had to focus on the task at hand. If they could pull this off, not only would they have plenty of food to share between each other, but there would be enough for him to bring back for Harlot and perhaps Calantha. His friend's mate, the only non-wolf within their ranks, would be due any day now. Her pups would be older than his own, but likely at least a bit smaller when full grown. But he had no doubt that they would all grow up together and become as close as if they were all of the same family. There were multiple mothers within Airila this year, and though it was a bit of a shock to their pack dynamic - and their numbers - Arche could not help but be excited for their births. Especially the birth of his own litter. The thought of feeding his love made him focus back on Cherokee, tilting his head and waiting patiently to see if she thought she was capable of taking down the doe herself. He would be able to turn and help her after the rest of the herd fled, but it would be up to Cherokee to keep the sickly female from escaping them completely.
