Whitetail [open hunt]

[Kenren]

A young buck is along on the outskirts of the lake, near the treeline. He seems healthy enough at first glance, but upon closer inspection one hind leg has a significant limp. It seems to be an old wound. YOUNG BUCK Hunt Difficulty Level: Medium-Easy Status: Open Notes: Please visit this thread for information on modded hunts. Any number of wolves can join, even after the hunt has begun.

[Ray]

AND I NEED THAT DARK

IN A LITTLE MORE LIGHT

Dionysus stood quietly in the trees that fringed the lake, mostly hidden by the sun and shadows cast from above that dappled his coat and broke his outline. His pale green eyes were trained unwaveringly on the prey before him - a healthy young buck just upwind which had approached the lake from the other direction, presumably to take a drink. As he watched, silent as a stone, the ungulate proceeded to do exactly as Dionysus had expected - it advanced to the water's edge and lowered its head to drink, its branching horns cutting the very figure of power and majesty.

Shame it would soon be dethroned.

The hidden wolf had, of course, noticed the buck's pronounced limp. It did not look new - the whitetail moved at a comfortable speed with no unfamiliarity in its gait. But one of its rear legs would hitch up a little higher when it walked and the deer seemed reluctant to place it on the ground for long, always picking it up daintily again in turn. As it lingered by the lake to drink it stood with that hind leg cocked, only the tip of that hoof resting on the ground.

A straightforward plan had formed in his head. Dionysus was not the type to beat around the bush - at least, not anymore. And those majestic antlers would make a fine gift for his alpha. The corner of his lips quirked with amusement at the thought of Rubedo's reaction. A crown for a king.

He was not a particularly stealthy or fast wolf - his size made it far too difficult to maintain any form of stealth mission for long, and his frame had not been built for sustained high speeds. But he was strong - oh, he was strong. Their lovely little goddess had blessed him with that. That extra helping of strength could propel his body for a short distance at a speed that would make himself a veritable battering ram.

So he had come to a simple decision - perhaps chase it into the marshy shallows of the lake, making the terrain even more difficult for its impaired gait. Hobble its remaining back leg with a bite or otherwise, leaving it without its main driving power. Then clamp onto its neck and let nature take its course.

Now that the plan was in place, Dionysus slipped into motion. With luck it would go smoothly. He emerged from the trees with body held low to the ground, strong legs carrying him as swiftly as possible through the softly rustling grass. He could see the buck getting antsy as he approached and when its head darted up to look at him in fear, water dripping from its muzzle, he knew it was time. Muscles rippled beneath his coat as his legs gathered to spring, launching him forward with a burst of speed as the buck began to flail away, aiming for its healthy hind leg with his jaws agape in a vicious grin.

498 words

Kenren

this is dimi not hal why am i rambling

ulla

[Kenren]

DxEnpu971-10 The buck panicked at the sudden burst of the wolf from the grasses, turning to spring away but unable to move quickly enough. The jaws close on its leg, powerful bite fracturing the bone at the very least. Wounded and full of adrenaline, the buck pushes off with its weak but unharmed leg in an effort to escape into the woods. YOUNG BUCK DIONYSUS Notes: Please visit this thread for information on modded hunts. Any number of wolves can join, even after the hunt has begun.

1-10

[Ember]

WARREN

Warren watched the scene unfold before him from his place beneath the trees, a shadow amongst shadows. His golden eyes, steely and unfeeling as metal, observed first the deer and, some moments later, its pursuer as the timber wolf burst from the trees lining the far side of the lake.

He had to feel a twinge of admiration for the fellow who had taken initiative in the hunt, aiming for what was clearly a weak spot in the buck's conformation with his first attack.

Though initially he'd been content to bide his time, to scrutinize the buck for any further signs of weakness, Warren felt compelled to step away from the veil of trees then. Two wolves comprised a far more effective force than one, and he suspected the other male knew as much. He did not foresee himself as being run from the conflict by a creature blinded by a quality foolish as pride, as he suspected the larger male was not.

Without missing a beat, he launched himself in the direction of the deer, which had begun to run toward him in what was assumedly an attempt to reach shelter in the grove. His black lips curled above his fangs, which he snapped as he drew near the animal, hoping to divert its path back out into the open so he and the other wolf might perpetuate the chase.

Kenren , Ray
sorry it's short, just wanted to put this boy out there! :D

WOLF STOCK BY BINE OF DAWNTHIEVES • TABLE CODED BY EMBER

[Kenren]

Startled by the appearance of the other wolf, the aggressors are given a few moments' stillness as the buck falters to a stop, searching for an alternative route of escape. YOUNG BUCK DIONYSUS WARREN Notes: Ember Ray @open

1-10UxDr|VdM

[Ray]

AND I NEED THAT DARK

IN A LITTLE MORE LIGHT

He felt the buck's ankle bone shatter beneath his teeth. Blood spurted into his mouth from the wound, a surge of metallic warmth against his tongue, and the taste seemed to wake a deeper thrum within him. The thrill of the hunt.

The buck wrenched away from him then, splashing loudly through the shallows of the lake, awkwardly flailing as the weakness of its remaining back leg prevented it from immediately fleeing into the trees.

Things seemed to happen in slow motion after that. The deer thrashed its way frantically up the shallow slope of the bank as Dionysus hung back to find his footing in the muddy lakebed, but as he watched it slip from his grasp, a dark shadow slipped from the trees straight toward the deer. At the sudden approach of this new figure the buck drew up short - for it was another wolf, of course, his hackles raised and fangs bared, though he did not attack outright. The appearance of the new wolf seemed to startle the buck enough to disorient it and it was as if they all froze for a few sluggish seconds where time dripped like honey, as the deer's fate hung in the balance between life and death.

In the lull, Dionysus emerged from the lake, his head held low and shoulders tensed, watching as the deer stood and panted, its flanks trembling with fear and exertion. The confusion would not last long. It would soon attempt to bolt again, and his effort (and the new wolf's too) would be for naught.

Time was painfully short, though, and Dionysus made the decision to attempt to further cripple the whitetail. Once it was on the ground, it was only a matter of time before the animal would die, whether or not it was by his fangs or not. And if he missed, at least the other wolf was ahead of the deer to try and block it off.

Breaking into a swift lope, the large male approached the startled deer as quickly as he possibly could before launching himself forward again with a mighty leap, this time aiming for the other foot. Going for the hindquarters was always dangerous, but Dionysus would never consider that as a reason not to try. At least the deer's other ankle was broken, so it was unlikely to lash out with it - though he didn't put it past the creature.

403 words

Kenren Ember

sorry if this was a bit confusing!! sleepy but wanted to get it out before going to bed :')

ulla

[Kenren]

OMJlG0YI1-10 With its attention split, the buck wasn't quick enough to avoid the same attacking wolf - however, it bellowed and jumped sideways as the wolf leaped, skittering but managing to stay aloft on his remaining leg. The wolf had snapped at it, teeth grazing the thin skin but missing bone. It was bleeding though, and the wild look in the buck's eye hinted at flight, even if it wouldn't be able to get away. YOUNG BUCK DIONYSUS WARREN Notes: Ember Ray @open

1-10

[Ember]

WARREN

From where he stood before the buck, Warren witnessed all too readily the fear clouding its eyes, the subtle trembling of its muscles. He could detect the frail animal’s panting against his nose, its breaths laced with the sickly-sweet aroma of sun-fed summer grass, and combined with the odor of its blood he found his appetite swelling.

Invigorated by the fleeting respite between his attack and that of the stranger’s, he was quick to steel his thoughts for further action. Given his position farther up the lake shore, he did not struggle as feebly as his quarry against the mud. Perhaps that was for the best, for the buck turned and scrambled away, forbidding the large, timber-colored wolf from retaining a permanent hold on its remaining hind leg.

Warren fell easily into the role of hunter, of partner, his shoulders rolling with the effort needed to bring him to the buck’s side. Though he had intended to aim for the animal’s throat, a thick, elongated slab of muscle that had been so close to his fangs when the creature stood shock-still, he could not foresee himself landing such a hit with the buck in motion once more.

Instead, he focused his efforts on the creature’s side, specifically where the soft tissue connected its ribs to its shoulder. With his jaws parted, he made a move to assault the buck there, hoping that if he didn’t succeed in garnering a firm hold, he’d at least tear skin and draw blood to exhaust it further.

Kenren | Ray
Apologies for the wait~

WOLF STOCK BY BINE OF DAWNTHIEVES • TABLE CODED BY EMBER

[Kenren]

wfZw5a4i1-10 The buck, attention split, missed as the grey male ducked around - missed him lunge until it was too late. Thrashing, the animal felt fangs rip into its side. It swung its head toward the assailant, antlers seeking purchase, but he couldn't reach the predator. He knew, and they knew - things were looking very bad for the herbivore. The most recent wound had left a horrible weakness in his foreleg, and he struggled now to stay upright. YOUNG BUCK DIONYSUS WARREN Notes: Ember Ray @open

1-10

[Ray]

AND I NEED THAT DARK

IN A LITTLE MORE LIGHT

Again the warm, salty tang of blood spilt into his mouth, filling his nose with the scent of iron. But his fangs had only managed to scrape the buck's skin as it snatched its hoof right from his jaws, and it was only by sheer luck that Dionysus had not been kicked in the face from its hasty retreat. He landed heavily from the leap, chest heaving from the effort and forepaws sinking into the loamy soil as the deer lurched to the side, its weight supported awkwardly between its front legs and the two injured hinds.

Though the buck had still not gone down fully, Dionysus was confident that it was only a matter of time. His breath came in pants from the exertion but he was nowhere near winded, and the stranger across from him looked nimble and strong. The deer was crippled now, and it would not take much to knock it over. His mouth watered unconsciously at the thought and the large wolf paused to collect himself, pale green eyes sharply watching their quarry as he readied for the next move.

The dark wolf launched himself at the deer then, and his jaws made blunt and direct contact with the meat of its shoulder, fangs tearing into its hide. Dionysus grinned a dark smile at the other male's strong attack, even as he gathered himself in preparation to follow up with one of his own. It was definitely not looking good for the buck now.

Still behind the deer, he jumped again, reaching out with jaws agape and forepaws seeking purchase on the deer's haunches. The attack was meant more to knock the deer even further off balance than to cause it any more damage, as his aim was to first bring it down - that would make putting it out of its misery easier, later on.

310 words

Kenren Ember

sorry for replying so late and so short !! ;_;

ulla

[persecutor]

Nocte Noche Death is the cause of my humanity and insanity.

Nocte was watching from afar, mentally recording all that was going on with the hunt. Her skinny frame was down wind, thankfully, and she had just been in the background. She had realized the buck was going to go down soon, and if she didn't help, she'd go hungry. The two males could simply chase her off, and just because she took down one seasoned wolf once before, she certainly couldn't take two down. She calculated the buck's ailments, and the fact the two wolves were distracted, and decided to make her move.

Jaws agape and ready to close on a leg, Nocte burst out from the bushes, diving under the buck and aiming for it's uninjured hind leg. Her claws also tried to grasp the leg, for as she dove under, her front legs were extended outwards. Her purple eyes caught sight of one of the males, and she already knew they could presume that she was helping them.

OOC: Just jumping in for no reason c:

[Kenren]

5OkgqNvc1-10 1-10 Fangs, and weight, rammed onto the buck's haunches, and his injured legs gave out in protest. He thrashed as he was pulled to the ground, finally landing a blow on the large brown wolf with the point of a hock. Not something that would cause large damage, but at least a sore shoulder. The new wolf dove in late as the buck fell, and she too felt a kick, this one to the jaw. Her teeth tore into his leg, but he'd at least gotten a strike in. For he was grounded now, and the end was imminent. YOUNG BUCK DIONYSUS WARREN NOCTE Notes: Ray persecutor Ember

1-10�1-10

[Ray]

AND I NEED THAT DARK

IN A LITTLE MORE LIGHT

The buck hit the ground with a heavy thud. Satisfaction surged through Dionysus's veins, though adrenaline and pain chased through his bloodstream as its flailing foot managed to strike him in the shoulder. But no matter. He had finally felled the ungulate, and it would not be getting back up. Its gangly legs were significantly injured now and would not provide the requisite leverage to heave it back to its feet. As such, there remained only one thing for Dionysus to do.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dionysus registered the presence of yet another newcomer - this one having shown up to the fight disrespectfully late. Showing up at the tail end of an orchestrated hunt when the prey animal was already close to death? When the wolves already involved were clearly formidable hunters? Disgraceful. Perhaps there was no code to hunting where this wolf hailed from, but where Dionysus had grown up, there was something akin to honor. And to wolves who disregarded such unspoken guidelines, Dionysus did not deem necessary to grant attention. After all, the buck had managed to clip this new wolf squarely on the jaw with another of its hooves in return for her efforts as it fell, and she would have to deal with the recoil of that before anything else.

He took his time, then, to come around to the buck's head end. His shoulder ached a little from the thump it had taken, and Dionysus rolled it leisurely to relax the muscle and alleviate the soreness as he stopped near the deer's neck, its chest heaving erratically from fatigue, and pain, and fear. Its dark eyes bulged and nostrils flared as it thrashed about below him, but he paid it no heed - it would not carry on for long.

Lowering his heavy head, the timber wolf eased his powerful jaws around the buck's windpipe and jugular almost lovingly. Most wolves would find it difficult even with their carnivore's teeth to rip through the throat of a fully-grown deer, but Dionysus was not most wolves. He was something a little greater. He sank his fangs into the warm flesh and felt the hot, salty blood gush between his teeth and tongue, the satisfying dull crunch of cartilage collapsing between his jaws. The fulfilling swell of a successful hunt rose within him as the deer's life-blood spilled onto the earth. Dust to dust, and Dionysus smiled through the stain of red. Rubedo would have his crown.

413 words

Kenren

ember's away atm so kenren said i could end the thread, consider this the last non-npc post

ulla

[Kenren]

Injuries Warren - None Dionysus - Sore shoulder, minimal recovery time Nocte - Bone bruise in the jaw. It'll be painful to hunt and eat for a few weeks. Rewards I'm going to make an antler pixel at some point, and that will go to Dimi! Notes: Ray persecutor Ember

[persecutor]

The deer wasn't really having Nocte's aggression, as was evident with the hit to the jaw. Nocte refused to let out anything but a grunt as she sprinted back as the deer fell. Her violet eyes, which were wild before, had dulled to a low light as she felt pain in her jaw. The hunt was over, but would the wolves allow her to eat?

The question would be answered as soon as she got a response from the wolf who brought in the kill. Nocte stalked closer to the fallen deer, but just close enough to provoke the male. Even though Nocte never hoped for anything, she hoped she could eat just a small bit. Heck, an ear would be enough at the moment.