Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fendros spared a huff of amusement. Sabine covered her snout and stifled her laughter, though looked on with some sympathy. Conversely, Janius was not afraid laugh just as heartily as Lorag and Ahnasha. It seemed Kaleeth was without escape.

"Meesei," Sabine managed to say. "You can heal her tongue, yes?"

Calming himself, Janius nuzzled up against Kaleeth's arm, though his ears and voice still betrayed his mirth. "Sorry, my dear. The sound of your voice is ridiculous."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei was not the only one to make a sound from the nasty jolt that struck them all. Janius slid to a stop, sniffing closely over Kaleeth and the others to make sure they were alright. Fendros twitched somewhat but backed away without more than a few burns. Sabine leapt around Meesei and bit into the Indrik four seconds after its death, perhaps as much out of revenge as bewilderment. She let go with a groan of disappointment and padded back to lick her wounds.

Once the moment passed and the pack felt their racing hearts start to level out, they each backed off to admire their kill. And let their alpha take her portion.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Their prey was so full of surprises already that Sabine was bewildered to shock before Meesei intervened. The sudden cold caused Sabine to yelp, though she was more than tough enough to withstand the short exposure.

The moment the indrik retaliated gave the rest of the pack a moment to close the distance. Fendros was the next to wheel around and try to knock the creature off its feet. Without a ward, he was just as exposed, but he could take enough punishment for the next person to strike. They had the numbers that the indrik could not deal with all at once unless it had yet another trick.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The unexpected action the Indrik took put everyone on their back foot for an instant, not least of which Sabine, who while lying in wait had to act fast. Whether bleeding over from Sabine's own personality or as a result of practiced control, Sabine's behaviour was often more cautious while transformed, but she did not lack assertiveness.

Sabine timed herself to the exact fraction of a second required. She leapt out of the foliage in a flash of bright fur at the periphery of the Indrik's vision. It may have seen a claw flash before Sabine raked into its hind leg, being careful to back off before any kicking hooves could strike back.

The wound was not meant to be a killing blow. Sabine ran after the Indrik in front of the rest of the pack with what she planned to be a strong trail of blood and a slowly weakening quarry.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The pack fell into their roles stalking their prey as if their last hunt was yesterday. The quarry they found did not appear to be any titanic daedra that would serve as the trophy of a lifetime, but it was something new, not to mention something potentially dangerous should a stray hoof or antler catch them. Sabine used her low profile to sneak between undergrowths to head the creature off from the sides, while Fendros took the other side to find a way to cut the creature off. Janius and Kaleeth were often the instigators of chases, and thus remained behind, ready to leap out.

It all seemed very simple. Often the simple plans were the most effective. They had no idea whether the same held true in this plane of Oblivion, but they hardly minded with what they could potentially adapt to.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I know I've been missing some days posting. Been busy in general. But this weekend is looking pretty full too, so I can at least give forewarning that I'll probably not be able to respond for a couple of days.

...But knowing me, that just means I've jinxed myself to respond even more promptly than usual...

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Janius slapped Fendros on the upper arm. "Meesei's right. Relax! At worst we'll fight some otherworldly creatures of Hircine's creation." He laughed as he pulled off his tunic.

Fendros sighed into a smile. As he followed suit with the others transforming, he had the space in his mind to remember the last time they had hunted all together. They had fewer and fewer chances in recent years. A small surviving part of his old life before catching lycanthropy threw his whole situation into a brief moment of wonder. This had been his life for so long. It could all change tomorrow.

That last thought lingered in the others as well. Thankfully, the worries and doubts were readily pushed aside by the excitement of hunting in a paradise for hunters. It would perhaps be an early glimpse into many hunts they would undertake as a pack in the far future, when they had all passed on. Perhaps Meesei would be there. This hunt would be special, just in case she would not make it.

Shortly after transforming, Fendros felt a breath enter his lungs and, driven by a whim, he roared happily at the sky. Janius and Sabine each made their own noise in his wake.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Eh, I think I'm good. We can keep it short and wholesome. I'll write a response now.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Just occurred to me as soon as I sat down to respond. Did you want to write the hunt out or summarise it? I don't know if you had anything special lined up.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

There was nothing but a slow shake of the head from Sabine. "Should we hunt in person or transformed?" she asked. "I would like to spend some time together in a more relaxed way afterwards."

"In addition," Fendros added, "we should keep our noses open in case we stumble into the territory of another set of lycans. That woman who arrived to size up Meesei may still be skulking about for a reason to fight."