The hunt (Amar)

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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] Kiddo trotted through the forest that he had grown to love and which he had memorized like the back of his paw. He spent much of his time here as it covered most of his land. His stomach had grown hungry. The bear meat had gone rancid and it was no longer fit to be eaten. A hunt needed to happen. Besides, he remembered a wolf or two telling him that they were gifted hunters and now would be the perfect time to test them. It had been long enough after the bear hunt that Kiddo's soreness had left him and he was feeling almost back to full health. Kiddo tested the air with his nose to see if there was something around here for them to eat. Indeed there was. Fall was a time of plenty in the lands of the Oriens. They had better enjoy it for winter was soon approaching and they would not have such blessings as they do now. Kiddo threw back his large head and made a call for the pack to come to him. It said, Come to me, It's time for a hunt. Kiddo listened as he heard his howl disappear into nothing. He would again wait for his pack to arrive so they could eat as soon as possible. He then began thinking about what he would need to do during the winter. He would not let another member of his die. No. They would need to survive through the winter but how? The only land he could think of that had good hunting during the winter was the Occasus. He had heard that the pack was weak. He had heard through the grape vine that the alpha had either died or deserted her pack and left the beta in charge. Betas rarely make good alphas. He had also heard that their numbers were small. What was it? A shaman and a gatherer and maybe a subordinate? It would be easy to over take them it it would never work. It was too hot, even in the winter for himself as well as most of his pack members. On top of that, it was too far away. They would lose it to another pack. Tiayr may work. It was just over the mountains, it didn't have a great hunting season during the winter but it was better than the one that they would have here. Also, Tiayr was said to have great hunting seasons during the summer and the fall and the Oriens had good hunting seasons during the spring and fall but Tiayr's poor hunting season was spring. It seemed almost too perfect. It would give them ample supplies of food all year round and plenty of space for them to expand. The only trouble was that they would have to cross the mountains whenever they wanted to go to Tiayr. This would have to be something Kiddo would need to think about for a long time. He couldn't make this decision on an impulse. The fate of his pack rested on this decision and he would not make an unwise one.

[Deleted]

Evuwisp listened to the sound of her new alpha calling for the hunt and howled in a return call that said she was on her way. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this would be her test. This hunt might prove the difference between her being fully accepted into the pack and being marked as an omega again. She didn’t quite know that other packs didn’t quite run the way her first pack did. Evuwisp thought a moment about which would be better, to stay as a loner or be an omega again. Since she had been a forced loner inside her own pack, she could more readily accept the status of loner than being the omega again. If I run now I could escape the possibility of being that dreadful thing again… she thought as she started to move through the trees to meet Kiddo. She wasn’t very far away. Since she had only recently been accepted into the Amar pack she liked to stay within ear shot of the alphas movements. If she knew how the alpha thought and acted then she could better attune herself to the rest of the pack. This hunt would also be a test for that pack in Evuwisps eyes. This hunt would prove to her whether this pack was worth hanging around. She knew from the beginning that it would be impossible to observe the pack without trespassing on their land. The only way to truly observe the pack is to be a part of it, she thought.

She came upon Kiddo as he was deep in thought and decided not to disturb him. She came from off to his side but did not approach too close in case he wasn’t paying attention and could be startled easily. She had met a few wolves that startled easily; they always seemed to blame her for them not noticing her approach. She had a naturally silent approach so she often tried to make noise just to let others know she was there. This time she figured it might be better just to wait. The alpha seemed a little distracted.

Evuwisp sat and waited for her alpha to notice her, and for the other pack members to show up for the hunt. She hoped it would be successful, hoped that she would not lose this new pack. She really did hope that this pack might be her home. Evuwisp longed for a place where she could belong. She knew that only a proper pack could fulfill her hopes for the future. She allowed herself to daydream for a moment about finding a mate and maybe someday having pups. She knew she could raise them better than her mother and father had done. She remembered how they had taught her sister and brother, even though she was not allowed to participate in the lessons.

Evuwisp shook herself out of her thoughts and waited for the other wolves. Looking at the alpha, she knew that there must be something good about this pack. He didn’t look like a bad alpha, or hold himself like he had issues inside. But she also knew that problems had a way of hiding themselves. She might not find anything wrong today or tomorrow. She would have to keep a lookout for issues in the future. Evuwisp gave a sigh and turned to see if any other wolves melted out of the trees.

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Hadrian had let his own call go up not long after that of the femme he'd met on the beach not that long ago. His held a different note to it though. It was not quite the resonant call he usually let loose. Instead there was a wary note to it, almost sombre. Usually the circumstances in which he approached his alpha were not so difficult though.

"I am on my way sir, and I have someone with me," his howl had said. He had been with the young female Nashira when his alpha's summons had reached his ears. Though he had found her trespassing, he had promised her sanctuary within Amar's borders. Now he could only hope that his promise would ring true. Kiddo was a fair alpha after all, and he could not see reason why the male would frown upon bringing to him a potential new member. The young female had made it clear that she wanted to train with him. Though he no longer wished to be the warrior he once was, Hadrian had not been able to refuse her. He felt he owed her too much.

It was some minuets later that he stepped into the clearing, dipping his head respectfully to the alpha. A short nod was given to Evuwisp as well and, somewhat uncomfortably, he shifted his weight. A glance over his shoulder told him that Nashira was not far behind. When she too had approached, Hadrian was careful to hold his posture respectably. It must have seemed strange to the young femme to see him submitting to someone else, but his place was different here and he had no intention of jeopardizing his rank. The brute was happy in Amar. Perhaps his daughter would be happy as well. "This is Nashira. She wishes to join us."

[Deleted]

Things were quite different now for the Mexican female. A lot within her life had been shaken around quite abruptly in the last few hours, especially in regards to Hadrian. Her body still felt tense, numb, cold for the most part; yet within her there was a glimmer of light. Certainly nothing was what she had expected it to be; yet, the concept of not being alone any longer warmed her spirit. Nashira could cope with the other issues later, now was time to rejoice in her findings. She had successfully nosed her way back into Hadrian's life when he clearly had not wanted to be found when he left; that in itself managed to impress herself. Never would she quite be certain how it had been managed. The past several months had been a blur, a mixture of blood and tears swarming together. Here she was now, following in a slow pace behind the brute towards his Alpha's call.

Hadrian was no longer a great warrior, he was not an Alpha like she had figured. But that did not mean that she did not still look up to him, it would be hard for this brute to descend from his godly status. At least for now, Nashira was well aware that the future was forever grey. However she could not imagine living without the brute now that he was located once more. Her life had been standing within his shadow without him ever noticing it, now she would not be leaving his side. Perhaps the female was clingy or depressed, she knew not how to manage with the swarming pool of emotions that had been her heart.

No longer did her paws feel weary, but filled with life. She had to ignore any negativity that may still exist, it was time to attempt to make a good first impression. Nashira had never attempted to join a pack, she had never held such an opportunity. She had been born within a pack of sorts or a group of frightened loners; either way they lived harmoniously and that was all she had known. Already Hadrian was mixing up her own way of life alongside his own, but the thought of being included was overwhelmingly exciting. 'I must stay here, I do not want to be alone anymore.' Secretly she knew that father was near, and she would not leave him anymore.

Their travels ended, hesitantly the female halted a few steps behind Hadrian. Her brown eyes scanned the other two wolves that were already assembled, 'we must have arrived quite promptly.' The femme congratulated herself and her father for their brisk pace, they must look quite grand in Alpha's eyes. Her tail wove itself around her hind legs and head stooped lower towards the ground. For the first time ever it seemed as if her nerves potentially would get the best of her. "Greetings," voice was soft and subtle. Brown eyes gazed at Evuwisp and Kiddo once more, "It would be my honor to join your ranks, if you would have me." The femme did not know what to say or do, her body felt frozen and stiff. She cast a glance towards Hadrian nervously, as if assuming he could reassure her. Nashira was quite embarrassed, things had happened so fast that she was unsure how to react. 'Later I must go off to think,' the femme gave her head a slight bounce to enforce the idea.

OoC| Sorry this is so short and bad :(

[Lynker]

The small black arctic wolf slunk through the shadows of Zaor, exploring his home. Much of this forest was still new to him, as even though he’d been allowed access to it for a while, he hadn’t taken much time to explore yet because he’d been very busy looking after Curse. Luckily the bear was on his way to making a full recovery, and the minor injuries that Lynker himself had obtained were pretty much healed by now.

The wolf roamed the forest for a while, but before he could decide to wander back to his den, a howl rang out through the trees. Its owner didn’t sound a long way from where Lynker stood with his head cocked to one side and ears perked up as he tried to decipher the call. He still didn’t really understand wolf howls, and was nowhere near being able to make one of his own, but he could now fairly confidently tell them apart, and this one he knew was his alpha’s.

The pure black creature leapt down from the log he’d been standing on, landing with barely a sound on the soft leafy floor. He slowly but steadily made his way through the trees towards the source of the noise, curious as to what his alpha had called for. The last howl had signified a pack meeting, and Lynker was very pleased that he’d attended because that was when he’d been promoted to the rank of warrior. It still seemed unreal that he – a creature brought up with bears since a very young age – had received the position of warrior in a real wolf pack. Despite his surprise at the promotion he was determined to prove to his alpha that it had been the right choice, and was truly willing to defend his packmates and their territory. Once Lynker’s loyalty was gained, it was unwavering, and his protectiveness could make the runt a force to be reckoned with.

The scent of wolves became stronger, and soon he could spot them through the trees. Kiddo and Hadrian were there, but also two wolves whom he didn’t recognise. The hair on his spine spiked up a little and he lowered his head defensively as he cautiously approached, nodding once to his alpha to confirm that he was present and willing to do what was asked of him. However, he chose a spot a short distance away from the others, in the shade of a tree, where his pure black pelt melted into the shadows and where he could observe without being the centre of attention. This had always been the way he preferred to operate, although he certainly had no qualms about fighting face to face if the need arose. He was no coward, despite Kyros’s words. In fact, he had come to realise that his friends fought with him not because he couldn’t fight for himself, but because that was what friends were for. Yes, he was perfectly content with the way things had worked out here, especially because The Oriens was such a beautiful land.



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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] It was almost immediately that he had received a response saying that they were on their way. Kiddo took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself for this hunt. Kiddo was not the first to admit that he was not the best hunter this island had ever seen due to his lumbering size. Though he had high hopes for this hunt. He had a few members now that claimed that they were hunters. Besides, regardless of whether this hunt was a success or not, they needed to try any way. This would be their last hunt before winter and Kiddo would need to make up his mind quickly about whether or not to take over Tiayr. Evuwisp had arrived promptly after he had called for everyone to arrive here. She must have been close. Smart wolf. It was wise to stick around close to the alpha of a pack for the first few weeks to figure out how the pack operated. She had arrived silently. Almost so silently that he couldn't hear her but, the ears of an alpha are always sharp. Greetings, Evuwisp. Kiddo greeted his newest member. You are finding everything alright, yes? Kiddo thought that he would make some kind of a conversation instead of sitting here in awkward silence for everyone else to arrive. Shortly after, there was another call from Hadrian. He said that he had someone with him? Now who could that be?Odd. Kiddo thought to himself. Well, whoever this was, Kiddo would meet them shortly. Perhaps one of Hadrian's friends had come to join them? It was entirely possible. A few minutes later, Hadrian appeared and dipped his head in greeting. Kiddo nodded his own head to acknowledge his shaman. Though he couldn't help but notice that Hadrian seemed a bit uncomfortable. Kiddo wondered what on this earth could be bothering Hadrian. Then, he knew. A female came into the clearing. She was young. Far too young to be a mate for Hadrian. A friend perhaps? No. She was a little young for that too. Greetings. Kiddo said in response to the younger female. To be honest, Kiddo felt a little weird. He wasn't expecting this. Now, he would have to do his whole speech in front of his entire pack. Well Nashira, what do you have to offer my pack? Kiddo asked her. He could tell that she was nervous and uncomfortable as well. Only Kiddo was doing a better job hiding it. Then, Lynker appeared. His hairs were sticking up and was acting quite defensively. Greetings Lynker. Meet Evuwisp and....Nashira. Kiddo thought he had better introduce the two new wolves so Lynker could calm down a little. It was like that wolf had no faith in him. Like Kiddo would actually allow two loners or worse, enemies, this far into the pack lands without destroying them. Now that you all are here, we are going to be going on a hunt. Winter will soon be upon us so we must enjoy these last few weeks of plenty. Kiddo announced before taking a pan look at the pack members that were here. They were missing one but that would be her own fault if she missed this. He certainly couldn't hurt the pack's chances of getting something to eat to wait for one wolf. Evuwisp has told me that she is quite the hunter. So, today I will be testing that. He looked to Evuwisp before continuing. We will all take surrounding positions around the prey that she chooses. We will all follow her lead. No one is to help her or tell her she is doing anything wrong should she make a mistake. I want to see her ability without the instruction of anyone else. Is that clear to everyone? Kiddo took another pan look to everyone to see if they understood what he was asking of them. If this hunt should fail, it would be Evuwisp's fault and they would need to go out again later this week or early next week to hunt again. He looked to Nashira. You will be joining us.

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Evuwisp returned her gaze to her alpha as he asked his question, Yes, so far I have found everything I need. This looks like a great land of plenty. It will be nice living here Evuwisp stood as the other members of the pack started to appear. The first to come after she did was Hadrian, she had met him already and respected his years and his practice of medicine. He brought with him a wolf she hadn’t met, Nashira. She seemed young but she was polite. Evuwisp nodded back to Nashira as she was noticed, but couldn’t help but notice herself that Kiddos pack was growing more than she thought it was. Nashira seemed to be new to Kiddo as well. The next to arrive was another wolf she hadn’t met. She almost missed him at first. He was as quite as she was and looked like he might want a fight. She hoped there wouldn’t be problems in the future. She wouldn’t give him a reason to attack, but neither would she back down if he gave her a reason. She hadn’t joined the pack to bare her neck to any wolf besides her alpha. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Lynker, as Kiddo called him, attempted to stay part of the group yet melt back into the trees. Evuwisp nodded to Lynker as she was introduced to him and waved her tail slightly in greeting.

The next thing her alpha said took Evuwisp by surprise; she would be leading the hunt. In her former pack she had never hunted with the others. But she had watched. She knew their movements and knew their ways. She knew what was required for a pack to make a successful hunt. She wasn’t sure if this pack had it. For a pack to work together there had to be trust between the members and communication. She had watched her former pack communicate without any signs that she could see from afar, yet the hunts would always be successful. She wondered if it would be possible to pull that kind of communication off with her new pack.

As soon as she was over her initial shock, Evuwisp started assessing the physical attributes of those whose lives might very well be in her paws. The only way for a wolf pack to survive was for it to be able to hunt as a unit. At her disposal Evuwisp had the alpha, the medicine wolf, what looked to be a fighter, and a youngster like herself who seemed to be staring that the shaman in awe. All of the others were bigger and stocker than she was. This was great for once they had the prey, but might hurt them in actually catching the prey. Nashira looked like she might make a good candidate to head off any escape route once they had their prey in sight. She had the longer legs required to speed around the prey and was big enough to look threatening, even in her youth. Evuwisp thought she could use Lynker to get in close to make the killing bite. Kiddo would be good to use for that position as well but she didn’t want to risk putting her alpha in that much danger. She had seen wolves go down taking a blow from a prey that got lucky. She never forgot that even if they did end up with a meal, they could also lose one or more of their number during a hunt. She wouldn't have her first hunt with these wolves turn out to be the accidental death of her new alpha. Hadrian she could use as a herder. He was big enough to look threatening but didn't have Nashira's long legs.

But before she could go through with all this, she would have to know that the pack was behind her. She had to know that this group of wolves was willing to follow her lead. She wondered if Kiddo himself would take direction from her, even with what he had said. Evuwisp looked at each wolf around her and stepped up, I need to know that everyone is up to this. One weak link can mean the difference between a perfect hunt and an absolute failure. If we can hunt together then we are truly a pack. I need everyone’s trust to follow my lead. Evuwisp thought of the irony involved in asking for the trust of these wolves, that she barely knew, when she herself had difficulty trusting. She sniffed the air to confirm that there were indeed deer in the area. In the back of her mind she had already planned on going hunting and had cataloged the animals in the area. She had just thought she would be going after a smaller prey. Kiddo, Hadrian, and Lynker, I need you three to drive our prey. I smell deer in the air that isn’t too old. They are close. Once we know their exact location Nashira and I can go around and close the box. Once we have one trapped, Lynker you come in with a choking bite to bring it down. This plan can only work with everyone knowing their position and what to do. Are you ready?

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Hadrian was reassuring. Or, at least, he tried to be as he turned his gaze back towards Nashira. Though he did not smile, his eyes were soft and he gave the slightest nod of his head. It would be alright. That much he could promise. The brute knew his alpha well and his daughter held much promise. Her membership would be more beneficial to the pack than any mistakes of her past, just as his had been. He would go so far as to personally vouch for her, if that's what it came down to.

Lynker's entrance pulled his attention away from the mexican female and his head dipped slightly in respect. What struck him as odd was that the black arctic seemed to be alone. No bear, no bird, no leopard. Curiously he gave the inquiry that weighed most heavily on his mind. "Lynker, how is Curse fairing?" The Shaman had done his best to make trips down and help tend to the grizzly's wounds. Curse was as much a part of their pack as any of the wolves were now, he would not let his pack mate suffer. It was the least he could do.

But as everyone seemed to settle in, the atmosphere shifted and chitchat came to an end. Kiddo was taking charge. It took strength to hold his tongue when Nashira was introduced and let the girl speak for herself. There were many things from his past that he had not told his pack mates, nor did he really want to. They did not need to know of the blood that stained his paws and weight heavily on his shoulders, and he did not want his alpha to think him some sort of threat to the title. But as he let his daughter say her peace, he could not keep completely silence. One vote of confidence was all it took, really, to let her know that he had her back and to tell Kiddo it would be okay. "I have full faith in her ability, sir."

Hadrian kept quiet after that, taking a few deep breaths to relax his stance and listening with good ear cocked towards the alpha. A hunt actually sounded like a good idea. It had been a while since he'd last taken down large game, but the mexican brute was skilled at working with others and reading nonverbal commands. He had once lead many warriors to great victory. The way he dipped his head towards Evuwisp showed his faith in her decisions, and again quietly he listened, waiting for his orders.

Unlike when Kyros had tried to take charge and force his dominance on the pack, the brute did not feel the same sort of apprehension and annoyance as the new huntress addressed them all. Kiddo had directly told her to take charge, and as such he was more willing to listen. It seemed like a decent plan as well. Evuwisp knew what she was talking about. Commanding this many wolves was not easy, so if the girl pulled this off there would be much promise in her future. His voice was encouraging as he spoke, "As you wish, miss Evuwisp."

[artemis]

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[atrb=background,http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/corpes3/artemismid2.png] Artemis was running. She’d been far away from everyone else when Kiddo made his call – in fact, in the time since she’d approached Kiddo and joined Amar, she’d somehow managed to seclude herself, unintentionally, of course. She hadn’t met another soul in her time within the pack lands. It was a strange thing, really. Sure, she’d scented the others time and time again, but they knew the land better than she did, and by the time she’d reached the end of a discovered trail, the wolf was already gone. She’d also smelt other animals, strange creatures that she’d never had any dealings with before. She stayed far from those scent trails, always traveling in the opposite direction. The Mackenzie Valley Wolf hadn’t realized how far from her Alpha she’d traveled; though she was still in the territory, she was a long way from where Kiddo had summoned the pack. Artemis was on the verge of panicking, but she held it together and ran, stretching her legs as far as she could, using muscles that would hurt tomorrow, regardless of how the pack’s hunt went. She just had to get there. Come on Artemis. Push yourself. FASTER! The headstrong femme forced a howl from her panting maw, a snarl of irritation following. She was angry at herself for wandering so far, but she wanted to let the others know that she was on her way. This would be her first real chance to prove herself, and she was already ruining it. I won’t fail again. I just won’t. I can’t. Artemis could smell them now, could faintly hear their voices on the breeze. Five wolves, including her Alpha. She’d scented all of them before, all but one. A female, one completely new to her. With so many females, Artemis briefly wondered how they would keep the pack thriving. Not that females weren’t strong; quite the contrary. But a healthy mix of both genders was a necessity, or at least Artemis thought so. The femme pondered over Kiddo’s thoughts on the matter… FOCUS, damn it! Artemis skidded to a stop, right as she reached the gathering of her pack mates. She was panting heavily, and was fighting back the urge to break into a coughing fit. The cold air affected her lungs strangely, causing her to have spasmodic coughing fits in the winter months. She hoped she wouldn’t break into one now. She lowered herself to Kiddo after regaining control of her breathing, her entire stance reading nothing but apology. It seemed she’d missed everything but the hunt itself, and she hoped that Kiddo was the forgiving type. “I apologize, Kiddo, for my tardiness. I was a long distance away and tried to make it here as quickly as my feet would bring me. What are my orders, sir?” Artemis had eyes for no one but her Alpha. Despite her curiosity to see what her pack mates looked like, they weren’t her priority until she was told to make them her priority. Count | 500 words Muse | great muse! Tags | no tags! Notes | sorry I'm late ^^'

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[atrb=background,http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/corpes3/nashiramid.png] Nashira reigned her emotions in, placing a more stony appearance to her features. She found it quite improper to show the obvious turmoil swirling inside. After all, she was a warrior not a kitten. Kiddo would not deem her worthy of joining his pack if she proceeded to show such anxiety visibly, how would she do in battle then? He would believe that the enemy could sense the fear just as well as himself. The Mexican female was not about to bring herself to such shame. It would bring down her mother's name and her father's past. There was nothing that she wanted more than to make Hadrian proud, especially now. It had been an eternity since their last meeting, she wished to impress him. To show him that Mother had taught her well. Sharply the female inhaled, eagerly absorbing the Alpha's words. A brown gaze scanned all of the pack members, tension rising in her spine. Right before the female could bare to bring words from her mouth yet another wolf trotted into the area. It seemed that this pack was a little more well built and stable than it had seemed. 'Of course! What else could you expect from Hadrian's pack?' It still had yet to completely sink into her mind that he was Father. The War Deity that she had worshiped her entire life was her sire. The thought of it made the female tremble with absolute pride. She was born of quite superior genes. The female knew it was time to gather her words quickly, to attempt to make an impression on the alpha. Perhaps he would let her stay with her father, maybe he would find her worthwhile. "I am a well trained warrior from the old land, before I arrived upon Anikira. My fighting skills are well developed and I continue training regularly. Additionally, I am a fair hunter; the pack always needs to eat," her head lowered itself slightly between her shoulder blades. Nashira was attempting to hold her typical confident stance, but knew that she should show some submission to Kiddo. Even if she was not partial to it. Auds quivered as they detected Hadrian's words, he was supporting her. Pride swelled within the female's chest again, Daddy believed in her! Although she never would admit it, the female was overjoyed with Hadrian's approval. Few were ever worthy enough to be considered important to her, his acceptance meant the world. A gentle wag quickly set pace to the female tail, and she shifted her weight from one paw to the other in an attempt to calm herself down. 'Do not get yourself too excited, now is a time for focus!' she cast a thankful gaze towards the shaman before her eyes swept back to the center of the terrain. The squirming stopped as rapidly as it had begun, her brain could no longer wander. Kiddo's attention had already shifted from herself onto the female known as Evuwisp. It seemed both of them were getting a bit of a test, for a moment she wondered what the other female was thinking. If the other creature was as worked up inside as she was. Her head nodded a few times, agreeing that this female's plan seemed fairly well thought out. Team work was not exactly her best skill, but being a warrior the Mexican had learned to read body language quite well. She felt confident that the hunt should be successful, it would benefit both of them. If they were able to take down some large game, then Evuwisp would potentially get a promotion and maybe she would gain acceptance into these lands. "It would be my honor to join your pack in the hunt," she spoke softly in respond to Kiddo's command. Nashira had no thoughts of her own advancement within the pack, from her prior experience with packs it seemed that mostly males dominated that society. Only brutes would see excessive advancement and great ranks, but Nashira's mind only wanted to be with her father now. She wanted to spend time with him and to continue advancing her fighting abilities, just in case they would ever be needed. Several hairs bristled upon her back as another creature strode into the forest, this one however seemed quite apologetic. 'I guess she is sort of late,' Nashira's overfilled mind had been far too busy to figure out how long the group had been congregated here. It could have been hours for all she knew. Either way, it seemed that the hunt would be starting soon. Nashira sent Hadrian one more glance, a part of her still in disbelief that all of this was true. Somewhere her mind was attempting to convince her that this was just some well planned out dream, at any moment she could snap awake and be completely alone again. The thought nearly brought her emotions to the surface again; yet, this time they remained cleverly disguised. OoC| I feel like this post is really choppy, but I wanted to get it done so I wasn't holding up the thread. Count | Uhhh 800 something I believe *forgot to check* Muse | Sorta sleepy Tags | Amar Notes | >> Sleepy time

[Lynker]

The black wolf had found himself interested in a small centipede making its way across the forest floor. His ears were still alert to listen to the wolves, but he didn’t want to interfere with anything or draw attention to himself unless it was needed. Hadrian’s words directed towards him briefly pulled his gaze from the invertebrate to the mexican male as he answered. “He’s getting better. Should be up and about in a few days.” Although his words didn’t convey a lot of emotion (and still held the rough accent of a bear), Lynker was touched that Hadrian actually cared enough to inquire. Most wolves thought of his attachment to Curse as unhealthy and didn’t want anything to do with the bear – they didn’t understand that friendships could be made with different species.

Then Kiddo introduced the two strange wolves as Evuwisp and Nashira. The arctic offered a small smile to the other black wolf in response to the wag of her tail, an attempt to show that he was sort of friendly. Evuwisp appeared to be a newish member of the pack, but it seemed that this was the first time Kiddo had seen Nashira. Hazel eyes turned to the loner next, sizing her up. She seemed to have Hadrian’s support – had he brought her here? Did he know her? She said she was an experienced warrior, and her eagerness about it reminded him a little of Kyros (though not quite as presumptuous).

Their alpha spoke up again, this time to tell them that they would be going on a hunt and that they would be following the lead of Evuwisp so that Kiddo could test her abilities as a hunter. Lynker nodded conformation that he understood, and turned to their temporary leader. “I am with you.” He had no problems following the orders of a subordinate, as wolf ranks still didn’t seem overly important to him. Of course he was proud of his position of warrior, but to him it didn’t mean that he was more useful than anyone else.

And then another stranger appeared – a pale coloured she wolf. Lynker blinked, but did not raise his hackles this time, because this wolf already seemed to be acquainted with the alpha. He had never seen her before but her scent smelled slightly familiar. Perhaps she was a newer member who had just remained in the shadows so far? If so, why hadn’t she shown herself before now? This was all so odd to him; the pack had changed and grown so much since he’d been living here and it appeared that the only wolf who had remained a constant was Kiddo. When he’d joined he hadn’t expected things to be this confusing, but he supposed it was a good thing for the pack to have a lot of members. He just wasn’t used to having so many wolves around him, that was all.

Lynker was actually a bit worried about being placed in such a key position for the hunt, as he’d only hunted in a group once before, and that had only been with a couple of loners. He hadn’t even seen a proper hunt before – he’d only been a young pup when his mother had taken him and his siblings away from their birth pack, and then he’d been taken in and raised by the bear family, who, of course, didn’t hunt at all like wolves. During his life here on Anikira he’d experimented with hunting deer several times, but these hunts usually ended in failure, and it was much easier to catch the fish in the river anyway. There was a reason why he was a warrior and not a hunter.

But he didn’t want to let his pack down, and he certainly didn’t want to jeopardise Evuwisp’s chances of getting the rank she desired, so he would try his hardest to make this hunt succeed. Lynker was easily the smallest wolf in the pack, even despite his long arctic fur fluffing up to make him look bigger, so that might help him get close to the prey. And he was fast and agile... Physically he was perfect for the job, so as long as he was told exactly what to do, it should be alright. Well, that’s what he told himself at least.



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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] Evuwisp spoke to him before anyone else had arrived. She said that living here was pleasant and that she was enjoying this land of plenty. Well, this land was only going to be plenty for a little bit longer. Kiddo knew that all of the game was moving over the mountains to somewhere warmer where there was food for them to eat. Kiddo nodded his head in understanding of what she had said. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Kiddo said to her. As everyone started arriving, Evuwisp starting sizing his pack members. He was quite impressed that she knew to do this given her younger age. He wondered how much experience she had with hunting and leading. She then went on with a little speech about weak links and that everyone had to be with her. Hadrian had said that he was behind her and so did Lynker. To be honest, Kiddo thought it was insulting for her to think that he had weak links in his ranks. There wasn't a weak link that he had tested here. There was of course Artemis and Nashira that still needed to find there spots. Speaking of Artemis, she came through the trees huffing and puffing like she had ran a long way. At least she tried to get here. Kiddo thought to himself. It's nice of you to join us Artemis. We're going on a hunt. I believe you told me when you first arrived that you were a a jack of all trades, yes? Kiddo asked her although he was pretty sure that she had said something along the lines that she could do whatever he asked her to do. He had to admit that her statement was cocky and that she may have shot herself in the foot by saying it but, he was going to believe her for the time being and test her in hunting. You will be joining the pack in a hunt. Evuwisp is leading but I will also be watching you to see how your hunting is. At some point he would also test her fighting skills as she had emphasized it when she had joined. Nashira then spoke up, telling him that she was a fighter and a well trained one at that. Everyone is a fighter. Kiddo thought to himself. Most wolves that came through here were looking to add themselves to the army section of the pack. Well, if she was looking to put herself in the line of fire if need be, he wasn't going to stop her. Very well Nashira, I will see your fighting abilities at a later date as well as Artemis'. She lowered her head to her shoulder blades in respect to him. He would probably have them both have a fight with Lynker and see how good they were in comparison to him. Lynker was a talented fighter, if Kiddo hadn't thought that Lynker was good at what he did then Kiddo would not have given him the rank. He wouldn't move Lynker back to subordinate if these two females happened to be better than him, he just needed to use someone as a control to see which of the two females were better. The older female or the younger female? It would be the age old question of whether youth or life experience would prevail. But that wasn't the matter at hand at the moment. They needed to get hunting. Kiddo gave Evuwisp a curt nod, telling her he understood. He wasn't in favor of following one of his subordinates but this was the best way to go in the situation. The pack needed to hunt before winter and he wanted to see how she could lead a hunt so, this would be what they would do. Kiddo, still being the alpha, was the first to move in the direction of where the prey had been scented. He knew that the rest of his pack would follow behind him and they would all take their positions to take down this meal.

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Evuwisp considered her plan, it was a typical hunting strategy that she had seen work a hundred times with more than one wolf pack. It was simple beyond belief, but it was proven to work. Evuwisp knew she wouldn't get points for creativity, but the hunt would most likely be successful. The majority of the pack would stay to the side and behind the prey while the fastest members went ahead. The fastest members had to be downwind of the prey and the others upwind. The upwind members would immediately be seen and smelled by the herd and would panic them. When the herd panicked they could be herded towards the members downwind. The prey wouldn’t see them till it’s too late. Once the box was closed the heavier members would be able to take down the animal they had caught.

As Evuwisp thought another wolf came up, a female she hadn’t met who was out of breath. She would also be tested, which changed the dynamics of Evuwisps plan just a little. Since Evuwisp planned the hunt, she had to let Artemis show herself off as well. Quickly Evuwisp reworked the scheme in her head. Artemis would need a way to show that she was a hunter and not just following orders. Since Evuwisp had given herself and Nashira the tricky part of staying hidden and surprising the prey, there was only one other place to put Artemis that could show off her talents. Evuwisp hoped she could handle it. Looking at Artemis, Evuwisp thought she could handle the job, if she could keep up. Evuwisp hoped that Artemis had come from a long way away, or her hard breathing when she showed up might mean she wasn’t up for a hunt.

Okay Artemis, you take the killing bite then. You will come in with Kiddo, Lynker, and Hadrian to box in our prey while Nashira and I speed around to the other side. I’ll leave it to you to pick the prey since I’ll need to stay low once I’m in place. We need something big enough to feed the six of us at least. Left overs would be good, but are not required. If we take down an adult in its prime I’ll be impressed. Evuwisp glanced at Kiddo, hoping not to offend. She dipped her head as she continued, I haven’t seen many hunts actually land an animal in its prime when the pack has new members. Focusing again on the hunt instead of on the feelings of her alpha, Evuwisp nodded to those who had said they were with her and followed their alpha to the chosen prey.

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"Good, good." Hadrian nodded his head towards Lynker, a decisive action and the small response all he really had time to give before an unfamiliar female came flying into the presence of the group. Her scent was one he'd caught several times in his wanderings of the forest though he had not yet had the chance to meet the femme. Relaxing his posture, he made a mental note to check up on Curse sometime soon and see if there was anything he could do to help before standing silent and listening to the alpha and Evuwisp finalize the plans.

And then they were off, moving forward. Hadrian held back a few paces, letting the hunters take the lead. To Nashira he offered a reassuring smile and small nod of his head, a vote of confidence. Beyond that he kept himself silent. This hunt was not his place to shine. He had his rank, one he was quite fond of, and had no reason to seek any more favor from the alpha. Kiddo already knew that Hadrian had his back no matter what. Right now it was time for the girls to shine. He would do his part, of course, and would not let himself be the deciding factor in whether or not the hunt failed. He would simply not take any undue glory.

Crouching low to the ground, he listened with strained ears for further instruction. Having only one good ear would make this more difficult for him than he would have liked. He was skilled enough at reading body language though, and once he was certain of their chosen target he let himself fall into position. Muscles tensed, ready and waiting. As soon as he got the signal he would be off, doing his best to help the others drive their quarry into the mouth of hungry wolves. Hopefully all would go as planned.

ooc: short, kinda crappy, and speeding things along. x.x

[artemis]

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[atrb=background,http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/corpes3/artemismid2.png] Artemis nodded the affirmative to her Alpha. "Yes sir, I am capable of doing anything you ask me to, in theory anyway." The dusky femme didn't want to sound too sure of herself. Confidence good, cockiness bad. Mental note recalled, she finally took a moment to look at those who surrounded her. She was sizing each of them up, not as though they were a threat or anything, but in regards to who would prove to be her most profitable allies within the pack. Artemis wished for a moment that she'd done a little more research; she didn't even know all of their names. Kiddo she knew, of course. Her Alpha, her most valuable resource. The most trusted wolf in Artemis' mind, for the moment at least. And he was the only wolf that Artemis had ever pledged her fealty to; the only one she ever intended to, at that. Then there was the wolf Evuwisp, whom had placed in a position of power for this endeavor. The black femme seemed strong willed, like Artemis herself was, and though Artemis was wary of taking orders from anyone but Kiddo, she knew this was her test and would do nothing to jeopardize her standing. Artemis processed her orders, her eyes widening almost imperceptibly. I have to administer the killing blow? The thought was terrifying to Artemis. It wasn't that she couldn't manage the kill...she had killed many times in the past. It was simply the fact that if she didn't manage it, and it wouldn't matter what the reason was, she would let the entire pack down. Well then Artemis, you have no choice but to succeed. "Your wish is my command. I won't let you down, Evuwisp." Artemis inclined her head in respect to the wolf who was currently acting her superior. Hadrian, Nashira, Lynker... Who's who? Artemis continued to gaze around the circle. Nashira was obvious, the only other female present. She was also the one who belonged to the scent that Artemis hadn't recognized in the slightest. There seemed to be odd tension surrounding her presence - what was she doing here? As for the two males, Artemis would have to wait until a later time to learn their identities. The group had started moving, and they were about to embark on their first hunt as a pack. Artemis shifted gears in her mind. The adrenaline began to course through her. Nothing mattered but the hunt. She began to move as one with her pack, onward to their goal. She wouldn't miss this kill. Not today. Count | 451 words. Muse | decent muse. Tags | no tags. Notes | none.