With spring came a flood of new life. Stupid new life, young things far too inexperienced to easily avoid a hunter. It was the perfect time for a hunt, particularly for a pack that must pack on weight and muscle in order to survive when winter came around once more. Winter was far easier in the south, so these warm seasons encouraged a certain indolence there that Yfir could not afford to indulge themselves in. With that in mind, Katja had traced a caribou herd as it moved along to its calving ground, and it was with great satisfaction that she scented the faint traces of cows dropping their young. Alone, and vulnerable away from the herd if they could get to them before they rejoined. From far enough away to avoid giving away her presence, she lifted her muzzle to call out for the wolves of her pack, particularly those who were Karls or of a hunting inclination.

OOC: All karls (and equivelant ranks) are required to post. Thegns are encouraged as well, and anyone else is welcome. Required posts by 7/25

The sound of Katja's commanding howl reached him as he was sorting through his den with help from both Rommel and Remy. Herbs only lasted for so long before they lost their efficiency or went bad completely, so there was inevitably waste at the end of winter. With spring bringing new plant life to gather, he was throwing out anything that wasn't usable and could be replaced immediately. He was making plans with Remy for the year's brewing as well, though it would be some time yet before a lot of the ingredients came ripe. They'd need to start making storage jars long before then, though, so he was going through what he already had and planning an expedition for the three of them to retrieve clay from somewhere to begin making new ones.

That would be put on hold for the moment though, and as soon as the alpha called Kassander began to wiggle his way out of the disarrayed cave to answer it. He was a healer by rank, but low enough in rank that he would have been required to answer the call even if he didn't want to. He did want to, though, seeing it as part of his duty as a healer. Good nutrition was great preventative medicine, after all, so it was his duty as healer to be certain that the pack was receiving that proper nutrition. He left Remy still sorting through the herbs with his tiny paws and muttering to himself, but Rommel trotted silently beside him. The fox was easily large enough to be of help in a hunt, even if foxes weren't naturally pack hunters in the way wolves were.

Naudir had been continuing her exploration of Yfir’s packlands. She wanted to get to know the place inside out, every inch of Yfir’s territory was of interest to her and soon she would expand to explore other lands. As always her companions were resting on her shoulders. Branwen, the white crow, on her right shoulder and Balthazaar, the black raven, on her left. Naudir was checking up on one of the tributaries that ran through the Red Forest when she heard her mothers call rise into the air. Hunting? She grinned. “Come my friends! This should be an adventure.” She took off running as her companions took to the air. “Be careful now Naudir, hunting is dangerous business.” “Oh, hush Wen my love! I’m starving, and you know what they say, no risk, no reward.” Branwen glided next to her lover. “Aye, but the pack will be putting themselves in danger, all we have to do is pick off the scraps.” “You worry to much she’s a growing girl! Besides, I’m sure Katja has it all well in hand.” ——— Naudir arrived swiftly to her mothers call and as her pace slowed her companions returned once again to their perches on her shoulders. Kassander was already there and she smiled as she saw him. “Hello Kassander, you’re looking well!” She turned to her mother. “May I participate? Balthazaar and Branwen have agreed to be our eyes in the sky in return for some of the kill if it pleases you.” "Talk"

GOT AN ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER But the devil always won... Hárekr was swaying gently side to side, his mismatched eyes glassy and unfocused as he stared upward into the sky seemingly at nothing. In reality is mind was wandering through fantasy. He was reliving the memories of his lover and imagining what the future would have held had circumstances been kinder and he knew eventually he would need to return but he was enjoying himself. A howl snapped him from the reverie and he blinked slowly. Always back to reality. When would the gods deem him worthy enough to take? The Thegn meandered toward the call, still shaking the foggy haze of daydreaming from his head before arriving at the small gathering. “Hallo Katja! What are we hunting today?”

Lyndvarr was in a funk again. He’d been spending way to much of his time home bound but now with spring in full swing he was carefully planning out a travel route for herb gathering. The sickness over the winter had all but depleted his stores but to be honest he was getting tired of the healing arts and was in sore need of a break. Katja’s haul hung out and Lyndvarr offered a silent prayer of gratitude to the gods for their timely distraction. Honestly he probably should have been doing more hunting of game and less of herbs this winter and for that he felt quite guilty. They had growing pups to feed…. well yearlings now he supposed. He hadn’t been much of a good cousin. Was there a way to change that he wondered? Lyndvarr arrived quickly to the gathering and nodded a hello to the members there, offering a gentle smile to Naudir though… he moved to sit next to Kassander. He wanted to sit near Naudir and try to start building those relationships but he found her bird companions a bit disconcerting. He probably shouldn’t, he really probably shouldn’t but all the same, one step at a time. Walk, "Talk" Think

Oh, shoot, he wasn't late, was he? Taufr leaped over fallen logs and dodged trees as if he were being chased. The call had jolted him from a nap he wasn't aware he'd fallen into and then just as quickly as he'd been awoken, he'd drifted off again. While really only a few short minutes had passed, the yearling woke up with a start, believing erroneously that he had grossly overslept and was now horribly, horribly late. The hunt wasn't mandatory, but he wanted to be there. He desperately needed more hunting experience. Oh, whew, there they all were and it didn't look like they'd started yet. Taufr took one last deep breath to try to calm himself before entering the gathering. His heart hammered away in his ears, pounding with enough intensity that it seemed to dull the sounds around him. He felt a little bit dizzy, but that wasn't surprising considering how quickly he'd lunged to his paws and taken off through the forest. But he was here and he hadn't missed anything. That's all that mattered. After casting a respectful nod towards his mother Taufr trotted over to his sister and sat down beside her. His mom hadn't said only a few certain wolves could participate so he was going to assume he could too until someone told him otherwise. "Talk" "You" Think

Not long after his son arrived, Laufey lumbered into the gathering of hunters. He cast a jovial gaze across his fellow hunters, casting friendly nods in to those whose gaze met his. Lastly he looked to Katja. To her, he dipped his head and rumbled, "Katja." He was looking forward to a hunt. It would feel good to run again, to stretch his legs and feel the strength that had returned to him. He was also looking forward to bringing something down. Being on the slower, heavier side, the odds of the killing blow being his was unlikely, but he would still get a chance to sink his teeth into something. He settled down behind his children to await whatever stragglers - if any - who would follow him. Perhaps he was bringing up the rear; which was a thought that pleased the usually impatient giant.

A hunt! How exciting. It had been quite some time since she'd spent time with her siblings, and this would be their first large hunt together. A smile toyed at Asvor's lips as her mother's howl rang out across the lands, and the the glee that filled her chest was difficult to contain, and she tried to refrain from joining in on the song. Scrambling to her paws, she shook her coat off quickly before heading in the direction of the gathering. Her pace was rather aimless, her paws clambering over rocks and vegetation, her mind drifting off in a million directions as he approached. She was far from the first to arrive, though this fact hardly bothered her. The red-furred healer was already there, the one that made those strange drinks that she and her brothers weren't allowed to try. Tau and Naudir were already here, and she flashed each of them a grin in turn before her attention shifted to Lyndvarr. She didn't know him well, but she knew he was family, and family was always first. After a moment of thought, she moved to sit at his side, expression wavering somewhere between curious and mischievous. "Excuse me," she said softly, not wanting to bring attention to herself - and straining to be as polite as possible, rather than demanding. "You know stuff about herbs, right? Do you think you could teach me sometime?"  If it was a stranger, she would've probably demanded it, but he was a packmate and family. She had to try to be nice. Her gaze would briefly fall back on her mother, not wanting to interrupt the meeting.

Ræsa had her head in the clouds. The worst part was that she wasn't all that far from where her mother called out to them. The caribou were incredibly interesting to the young fae, and she found herself daydreaming of grand hunts with her siblings and how she would impress the gods and all of that. Luckily Bodolf was ready to get her ass into motion. He let out a distinctly feline screech and nearly scared her right out of her pelt. She jump upwards, nearly levitated, blues eyes wide and hackles raised. "Bo!" She turned on her with a snarl. "What by the grace of the gods is wrong with you?" He was unimpressed with her temper and leveled her with an equally icy stare. "Nothing you need be concerned about, but if your mother mangles you for missing the gathering she just called out for, I'm not about to pick up your pieces." The anger fled her body and was replaced by fear. Oh no. She mumbled out a curse she would never say in front of Katja and took off. "East!" Bo called out from behind her, moving along at a more leisurely pace. She swore again and veered.

When Raesa finally did fall upon the meeting, it was with many a twig and leaf stuck to her fur. She took a quick moment to pull out as many as she could and calm her racing heart, less she disappoint her mother in two ways. When she slunk in at last she gave Katja a tiny smile and flattened her ears, an apology for her tardiness, and when to sit close to her siblings and her father, eager to see what the day would hold for them.

She waited for what seemed like a great deal of time, but not everyone who was expected appeared. Many who were not required did, and she dipped her head in acknowledgement of their efforts - they would not go unrewarded. But she had specifically called for the karls of the pack, and she could see that she had once more been taken in. Cathoir, who had done very little in the past to participate in the pack, had not even bothered to show up at all yet. Disapproval darkened her demeanor. She would have to move on without him. "Taufr, Naudir," she named two of her children, turning her attention to them. "I would like you both to scout the area and report back if you scent a stray cow, please. Stay together for safety."