the past few days were a blur to him. Benedict got up, ate from the prey's pile, and did his business somewhere private. he then roamed the recovering thicket, checking on the returning critters that were making their dens anew. by the afternoon, he hunted and brought home food by the time night fell. at the very end of the day, he sat outside his den at the rapids and listened to the chirping of insects as he fell asleep. it was one long continual routine. something he was growing weary of. Abaven was a very nice place, but he merely wished he had some more people to socialize with. Benedict wasn't getting any younger. his fourth year had come this season and he had little to show for it. he longed to contribute in some way outside of hunting, but he didn't know how to do such a thing. stifling a yawn, he'd walk slowly. there was no rush, surely, even if his internal clock was ticking away. he tried to ignore the season's effects on him, pushing his annoyances away. he tended to be a bit irritated for no reason. that won't do. trying to avoid speaking when he was conscious of his mood, he'd roam alone and without direction.

Brandr's mood was in need of some lifting. After the loss of his mother-in-law and the grieving of his wife he felt a hole in his heart where sorrow had eaten into it. For weeks it had been difficult to get motivated. He ran through his patrols in a methodical manner, the days blurring into repetitive patterns one day, after another, after another. Brandr did his best to support his wife and make sure both she and his daughter were well tended to but he really didn't know what to say in the face of so great a loss. On top of that their home was a mess thanks to the fire. He was working in digging new dens in an untouched part of the thicket but it was slow going. The ground was hard thanks to the summer's drought and of course his changeable mind refused to stick to a concrete plan. He was working his way toward the unfinished dens when he spied a wolf similar in age and coloring to himself. Ah, this must be one of Shaye's new recruits. "Good morning, where are you headed off to?" "Talk" "You" Think

a voice made him pause, looking up to spot a male a few paces away. Benedict did the usual checking by his visuals; his pack scent was strong, perhaps stronger than his growing Abaven one. twisting his body to face the other man, he resisted a sigh. honestly, he didn't know what he was doing or heading off to do. his life was a routine at this point and one he desperately wanted to break free of. he was not one to complain about rank, and did not care he was not promoted for his efforts so far. all he really desired was some deeper alliances. some friendships. something to break him away. perhaps this man could be a friend or a welcomed distraction for a bit. " 'lo there" he rumbled to the other Abaven man, his deep accent already making him conscious compared to the other's clear speech. Benedict looked around the thicket for a moment before glancing back. "thought I'd check on t' reseedin' efforts" he told the man. after the fire, Abaven had begun to seed this area. trying to bring the prey and the foliage back. it'd take time but he was aware the others were doing it while he hunted for them. "then... hunt for a bit." he said truthfully, for that was all he felt like doing right now. as long as he had a goal, he was fine.

The man spoke with an unfamiliar but not unpleasant accent. Brandr nodded lightly. It sounded like a good set of plans to him. He to hoped everything would go well with the reseeding effort despite autumn not being the best time for it. As cool as the fall was shaping up he worried the winter would be much worse. "My name is Brandr Scylding, do you mind if I join you? I did catch signs of a herd of elk moving into the area. Thought it might be worth seeing if there are any that are ill or ailing." An elk was a good-sized prey animal but not nearly as intimidating as a bison. If they found one in bad condition he felt the pair of them ought to be able to take it down. Autumn was an excellent time to hunt and with winter coming ever closer Brandr knew they needed to get serious about the winter stores. "Talk" "You" Think

join him for hunting? well, he wasn't against it. "dun't mind, no" he shook his head, having no excuse to deny the man's request. he needed to go and meet more wolves, and Brandr was a welcomed distraction amongst the loneliness he felt himself have lately. "m' Benedict." he'd dip his head slightly, recalling Shaye mention that Brandr was one of the lead hunters. in that case, he'd let him have the lead. the man must have worked hard to gain such a title, and Benedict wasn't about to deny him the respect it held. "good. t' rabbits n' small rodents are returning too" he'd cast blue eyes around them, noticing the tell-tale signs of new burrows. a rabbit or two may not feed the whole pack, but it was better than nothing. as someone who kept stalking the territory for new food sources, it felt prudent to tell Brandr. "s' good sign t' elk are" he'd try to smile, feeling it awkwardly given. the larger animals would be the first to flee during the fire. it was a sign of Abaven's survival they return. that the territory could still support them all. "lead t' way." he'd walk closer and fell in with the other hunter, waiting for Brandr to lead.

ooc: I'm a dork. Elk count as large prey so we'll need 4 wolves to take it down. If someone else from Abaven wants to help that'd be great! Deadline: August 5th Whatever you want points for just let me know! I'm good with needing some fighters to fend off a rival bear, healers for injuries, etc.

Daisy, if we don't have enough characters I'll throw two in and work something out so we'll still get our points! Though Brandr might get in trouble for letting non-Abaven wolves onto packlands.

"A pleasure to meet you Benedict." He was glad for the man's name, knowing he should get better about greeting the new wolves in the pack but social interactions weren't his strong points. Still, the only way to get better was to practice though his thoughts soon turned to the task at hand. "Thanks, we'll need all the help we can get." He started walking in the direction he'd seen the elk before stopping, his expression deep in thought. "Actually, we may need more than two. The elk are pretty lark and I'd like to minimize the risk of injury if we can. Let's see if any of the other hunters want to get involved." He tipped back his head and howled trying to see if anyone else wanted to get involved. "Talk" "You" Think

Twig wasn’t a ranked hunter, but that didn’t prevent her from answering the call offered to her. She hadn’t talked to Brandr yet, but as she came into view of the small gathering she recognized the other wolf their The young she wolf smiled at Benedict as she came close. Her tail wagged softly as she offered the wolf who had taught her to fish a big grin before nodding politely to Brandr.

”Hello, boys!” She offered in her usual chipper tones. She hadn’t lost the smile on her features since her uncle Solor let her know she was going to be a cousin to his babies. For so long she didn’t even know she had an uncle, and now she was going to have little bitty cousins! She couldn’t wait to get to know them. ”I’m, Twig. Hunting enthusiast at your service.” She chirped with a wag of her tail as she sat back on her haunches and awaited instructions.

Theory had answered the call a little later, hoping there was still room in the hunt. She had been meaning to get more involved with different duties in the pack. The only way she could hope to one day lead by Poem's side was to become intimately familiar with the day-to-day lives, starting with their ranked duties.

"Hello, hello! Am I too late?" She panted, stretching each one of her legs as she arrived on the scene. Benedict she recognized as a pack hunter, but the other two wolves were a touch unfamiliar. One was clearly an Abaven male, she had seen him around, but the female was an altogether stranger. "I'm Theory," she said to the trio, giving Benedict a familiar smile. It felt good to lend her help, even if she wasn't exactly a trained hunter.

Benedict waited patiently while the more experienced hunter called for members of Abaven to join them. he was prepared for nobody and then seeking smaller food sources, but when two females showed up to join them, he felt a bit better for their results. both females had been introduced to him at some point during his time in the pack. Twig and Theory. Twig had listened to his explanation on fishing while Theory had chatted with him previously. he'd rather have wolves he knew over ones he didn't, but he also understood that there was a heck of a lot more people in Abaven than he had met. "what's t' plan?" the man asked Brandr after smiling at both newcomers in welcome. he'd defer once more to Brandr's expertise, for the other wolf was the one to spot the herd. if it was Benedict, he'd scout first and see if any were lagging behind. old or sick ones, but then again... Abaven was trying to heal. they could use a healthy meal to get them through the coming winter. and items that were crafted from a healthy animal were more valuable. he didn't know if Abaven had crafters, but they must have interest somewhere. if push came to shove, he'd craft some hunting supplies next time.

ooc: Thanks for joining everyone! I'll post again August 10 Xarae, let me know what you'd like points for. Brandr can craft something fight related with Theory after the hunt or she's free to chase of a coyote, black bear what have you from the hunters once they get going.

Brandr was pleased at how quickly his call was answered and he smiled at Twig, appreciating her enthusiasm. "Welcome, glad you could join us!" They'd need her energy to help with the chase and she looked like she was easily the fastest of their little group. Brandr was definitely a creature build for endurance rather than speed. She was followed shortly by one of Shaye's pups. "Hello Theory, not at all you're right on time." Ok, four wolves seemed to be a pretty solid group. He could work with this. "what's t' plan?" Brandr turned to Benedict. "Ok, to catch everyone up I spied a herd of elk moving through the area. They are likely to stop at the stream but I haven't done a lot of scouting yet so we'll need to move in and observe them. This way!" He trotted off through the thicket to where the stream slipped into the Serpent Plains. On the side of the stream nearest the thicket lay a large group of elk. There were a few males and a number of females. Two elk in particular caught his attention. An old cow that would occasionally cough and he noticed that one of the males was injured. It was possible they were rutting and one of the males bore open puncture wounds and was limping. He gestured to the elk and kept his voice low. "What does everyone think? I'm thinking the bull elk might be a good choice. It would certainly fill everyone else but he may still have a lot of fight in him." "Talk" "You" Think

Twig smiled at the alpha’s daughter as she appeared right behind her, her eyes darted to each wolf as even Benedict deferred to Brandr’s expertise. She perked and looked to the older wolf and he was quick to explain their task, a herd of elk. The Memoire girl perked, there wasn’t often such big game in the pile, but with all the pups on the way the extra food would only help the pack. Eagerly the girl fell in line behind Brandr as he led the way forward. These were big beasts, but Twig was no coward.

As they came upon the herd Brandr asked the opinions of his fellow hunters. Autumn looked the creatures over and couldn’t help herself when she said, ”I want his antlers.” She spoke determinedly. She was full ready to go after the bull so she might get his rack.

ooc Chasing off a coyote sounds perfect! I need fight points for her.

She stayed respectfully quiet and listened to Brandr theorize. Hunting didn't come easily to her, but she was willing to contribute in any way possible. It was important to assist the entire pack when she could, which included errands and duties that she was unfamiliar with. One day she hoped that all wolves in Abaven might feel comfortable coming to her in their time of need.

Theory nodded as Brandr alerted them to the injured male, chuckling under her breath as Twig angled after his antlers. "Just make sure the antlers don't catch you first," she whispered, shooting the female a grin. She wasn't quite familiar to Theory, but she bore a strong resemblance to someone she swore she knew. As they tracked the few elk, she saw a shadow moving in the underbrush across the creek, then another. Scenting the air and lowering her posture to stalk along the water's edge, Theory could just make out three scrawny coyotes sniffing around the other banks. "Brandr," she muttered, gesturing to them with her muzzle. If it was a clean kill they were after, it was best to eliminate all competition.

he would grow silent as he listened to Brandr's plan. though not a fighter by any means, he knew enough of defense to defend himself and his packmates if need be. he'd give a nod to the plan after listening to all of it, quietly walking after the lead hunter as they all made their way to the field of action. Twig declared she'd like the antlers, and even Benedict chuckled when Theory retorted to that. as they gathered closer, Theory would point out some stray coyotes. they could be a real competition once blood had been shed. "can go wit' anyone t' chase em off" Benedict immediately volunteered. he would want to ensure his packmate was safe despite his lacking focus on fighting. his folks had taught him plenty of defensive measures. he knew what to do to lure a predator away, especially if it was sniffing around his chosen prey.

ooc: Great job guys! I plan to post again the 16th.

Brandr chuckled at Twig's enthusiasm for the buck's antlers. He could understand. With winter coming it was good to have a supply of items for crafting. There was little more enjoyable than sitting in a nice work den creating something while a snowstorm moved through. "Alright, it sounds like the bull elk is our target. The horns will be your's Twig. I'm open to the pelt or the bones depending if Benedict wants anything for crafting, but first we'll have to bring it down." He gazed back toward the heard, working to form a plan. Once he decided on a strategy he moved to voice it but something had caught Theory's attention. He turned his head to follow her gaze and saw a trio of coyote's lurking around. No doubt they smelt the blood of the wounded animals and were hoping for a mortal injury. They would definitely be a problem on this hunt. It was hard enough to eat with coyotes nipping at everyone but if they wanted the elk hide in one piece the coyotes were going to rip in wherever they dam well pleased. "Rats, they will need to be dealt with." He turned to Theory. She was training in fighting and was nearly a yearling but even so he hesitated to send the alpha's daughter after them. Benedict spoke up to volunteer in helping to chase them off but again Brandr hesitated. He was originally planning on assigning the other male the kill shot and two wolves against a bull elk would be dangerous. "We'll need all the help we can get against the elk but with three coyotes I can't say I like those odds against one wolf either." His mind continued to turn until at last he decided. "Ok, here's what we'll do. Theory keep an eye on those coyotes and start heading their way. See what you can do to get them to leave. Menance the hell out of them. Your size alone will help intimidate them. Benedict, I want you to help us get the elk running then circle back and help Theory with the coyotes. If you attack them from two sides it should frighten them even more. Twig, you and I will keep those elk running, if possible I'd like to herd them toward the river." The wounded bull elk was more likely to stumble on the rocky shore of the river and it was also likely to have trouble swimming if it did decide to take the plunge. "We just need the bull to fall behind. Twig you're faster than me. If you can get ahead of it you can help separate it from the herd. I'll go in for the kill shot but a buck that big is going to be difficult to bring down. Benedict, at that point we'll need your help, so try and take out as many coyotes as you can when you're helping Theory. She can take down the remaining ones, I'm sure of it." He turned to Theory with a confident grin even though his stomach turned with nervousness. He couldn't say why. A pack of scrawny coyotes was just as dangerous as an elk but perhaps it was the idea of her being left alone with the beasts for even a moment that disturbed him. Daylight was moving along with their opportunity. It was time to make do with what they could. The pack needed to be fed and the opportunity was too good to pass up. "Let's move." He slunk forward, his golden coat blending in beautifully with the autumn grasses. When he was as close as he dared Brandr exploded forward, hoping the sudden movement of a large creature like himself would get the elk panicking and indeed they did. Bleats of fear and distress echoed through the autumn air as the elk scattered and scrambled. Brandr dove to the east where he spied the bull elk. It stumbled once then took off heading north. Brandr followed from the back but there was still a good cluster of elk around their target. He was not deterred, he kept pressing on hoping to trap the elk at the river that divided the thicket from the lake territory. One by one the healthy elk moved ahead til the target was alone and vulnerable. "Talk" "You" Think

She gave a sly look to the young Theory as she warned her about not getting caught herself, but she was thoroughly satisfied when Brandr assigned her the antlers. She perked visibly but kept her attention on their leader.

Twig’s eyes followed the other members of the hunting party as they shifted. Her attention was brought to the coyotes before them. Her white brows knit, but it seemed even they couldn’t mess this up. Brandr only thought a moment as he reformulated his plan. He gave each party their instructions, and hers were to keep the herd moving, and their target away from the main group. She nodded, both in respect to him for the rather good plan for how few of them there were and all the obstacles they faced. Also to let him know she understood, and was ready to take on her role.

She moved when he moved, diving into the grace with grace the two wolves nearly disappeared. Twig had a bit of white on her, but she was short enough to disappear in the grass. She mostly followed Brandr by sound, and when he exploded from the bush so did she. Everything was chaos when she emerged, dirt was thrown into the air and the sound of thundering hooves nearly drowned out the alarming cries and calls.

The Memoire girl did her best to keep her head and her eyes on the target, he did indeed stumble, and Twig went flying past him as she aimed to position herself between him and the herd. The healthy animals surged forward, and Twig did her best to forced him closer to the river.

Theory nodded bravely, her bunny tail twitching with pride as Brandr assigned her the very adult task of heading off the coyotes. She was becoming a capable fighter; her large size did her quite a few favors in that department, which he recognized. Theo crept around the herd and rounded on the coyotes, growling fiercely. They were brave in their small pack and approached her without flinching.

For a moment she paused, unsure if she could really menace them away. Coyotes tended to be foolish when they were gathered in groups - their strength was in numbers, but it made them braver than they ought to be. Taking a deep breath, Theory lunged at them, barking and growling madly. The sudden movement and noise startled them and they cowered before her, backing up slowly. Her eyes shone in delight. Although there had been plenty of other things that heralded her coming of age (particularly the nasty growth spurt she'd experienced the last few months that still left her legs aching), this success felt like she had officially been promoted to adult. Theory ran at the coyotes again, but this time they held their ground. A guttural growl escaped her lips as she kept half an eye on the hunt, making sure she could hold them off until the elk was taken down.

his quietness would continue as Brandr laid out the plan. he had nothing good to contribute; it was a solid plan that warranted no complaints. the other wolves were already nodding in agreement anyway. as they all parted to do their tasks, Benedict headed off with the main group. he knew he'd have to circle back to help Theory, so he tried to will himself to be quick about it. as Twig and Brandr exploded from the brush, he did as well. moving in tune with their actions, he'd snap at the elk from the other side he was on. it worked; they scattered as the wolf pack selected a weaker one to kill. with one of the elk separated from their efforts, the man would turn and give a nod to Twig and Brandr before heading off to help Theory. the girl was already facing off against the coyotes and he rushed over to help her. racing to her side, Benedict tried to block the coyotes from going at the selected elk. he used his height to physically block them, but his teeth showed to reveal a more mental side. if they came close, he'd lash out and snap at them. (ooc: this is a mess with my low ben muse; if i made a mistake anywhere let me know)

Benedict helped them get the herd running before turning back to assist theory. In the meantime, Twig performed her job admirably, quickly positioning herself between the buck and the rest of the herd. Startled by her sudden appearance the buck reared and tried to turn to avoid her. As the elk doubled back it stumbled hard, falling onto its front legs. Seizing the opportunity Brandr sprinted forward, throwing his jaws wide as he seized hold of the elks throat. A strangled bleat emerged from its mouth as it tried to stand. Front legs lashed out, but at such close range and being unstable the bull elk couldn't do as much damage as he wanted and when he tried Brandr's weight just dragged the elk back to earth. They struggled, the elk far more stubborn than Brandr had anticipated but soon the creature breathed its last and the wolves would be able to eat. Tipping back his head he howled for the pack to come feast and also to signal to Ben and Theory that the hunt was over. Hopefully they'd been able to deal with the coyotes but if not he and Twig would stand guard over the carcass in the mean time. He turned to the woman with a smile. "Good work. The antlers are yours!" "Talk" "You" Think