The Warlord was constantly pushing himself, striving to enhance and better his skills. That strive had pushed him into trouble more than once, and the learnt caution was an added burden. He knew of another wolf who liked to push themselves, one who he did not consider as fragile as Io. one of his favourite hunting partners. Her mother, despite her injuries, had a similar drive to the Warlord. It would be her he would seek out on the frosty winter morning, and speak of a hunt. He laughed, when she explained the hunting session she had taken Mortis on had run through similar parameters. It would be a very different duo that would make their way North now. Through the milder lands of the South, until they knew they had found winter. The snow settled more permanently on the ground here, cold and chilling from pads to ear-tips. Resin knew the way better than he did, and they fell into comfortable silence as they navigated the kobbly, thick trees that grew here, upwards towards the stars on no straight course. Pulling free of the trees, they found themselves in an open field, with snow kicked up around then, and flurries of snowflakes as they began to fall. He knew the open sky tethered on the edge of a blizzard, and he began to smile. A challenge. Exactly what he had come here in search of. word count: 236 "Speech"

How could she deny Sirius when he sought her out above all others? The dire wolf had come to her early, though she was already awake, and asked if she would accompany him on a hunt. He wished to push himself. To challenge himself. Apparently Mortis regaling his father with tales of their hunt on the tundra had sparked something withing the giant man. And so, she agreed. They set out early. Their big paws and long strides ate up the distance. Both had acquired unending stamina during all of their years of training and hard work so neither spoke out in complaint. She had to admit though, that her shoulder pinched on her downstep every now and again. It wasn't enough to make her stop, however. Resin would continue on. They both would, in comfortable silence. The land changed as they cut through it, barely altering the land that they passed through. A temporary presence and nothing more. When they reached the edge of the tundra... Resin shot Sirius a glance with her lone, golden eye. Out on that tundra, she knew that the herd still resided. She could smell them from here and, more than once as they were making their way through the woods, she could hear them bleating and bellowing. Inhaling deeply, the cool, crisp air filled the scarred fae's lungs. She closed her eye momentarily, centering herself and slipping into the role of huntress. Now was the time to kill. Whatever they managed to bring down, they would take back with them, but she was intent on filling her cold stomach with rich, hot meat. And soon. Casting a glance towards Sirius, she silently asked if he was ready. Without another word, the woman slipped out into the blowing snow, the white powder eating up her form hungrily. She would quickly be lost from sight. "Speech"

WC-310
Total-546

There was something freeing about running with Resin. Kindred spirits, in many ways. Comfortable with silence, and exertion. Strong from many years of training, and eating the distance with her left him feeling that they were a force in the world, united as they were. Reaching the edge of the Tundra, he felt her eyes on him, and he returned the expression. He could scent them also, though he had not been here recently as she had. He could not say if he led, or was led as they continued forward. Pausing as Resin took a moment to center herself. He stood guard over her as her eye slid close, and her deep breath told her how she drew herself together in preparation of the hunt. Sirius already hummed with the adrenaline of what was to come. When she moved, he did, and together they raced into the blowing snow of the tundra. The promise of snow released even as their paws passed the treeline. The flurry of snow beginning, catching in the wind and blowing it about them. Their sense of sight restricted instantly, but he already had their location memorised. He followed his senses, moving carefully but quickly across the unfamiliar territory. He could hear the sound of Resin’s sharp breathing as they ran, the sound of her paws hitting earth, and knew she would hear the same. They would be their guide to each other as they raced out to meet their prey. When they were close he slowed, listening to the sounds of the herd, disturbed as they were by the billowing snow, they huffed and stomped. It was all the wolves needed to find them. He came up to Resin’s side, her form appearing suddenly in the white exactly where he knew it to be. He touched her paw with his, and signaled silently for her to take the left approach. word count: 316 total: 862 "Speech"

Moving out over the tundra, her vision was obscured. It was no matter. Both wolves knew where the herd lay. They had seen their location before the snow began to fall. It was as if the heavens had opened just to spite them. Well... the wolves of the Armada would show them. Just as he heard her own, Resin heard the heavy paw falls of Sirius as he carried along beside her. When he touched her paw and motioned her to the left side, she went willingly. It was the side that she would take anyway, considering her left eye was gone. She always approached prey with her right eye facing them if she could help it. The position of the herd was oddly familiar. There were fat bucks sitting at the back just as they had been when she and Mort had been here hunting. Resin wondered if that's just where they stuck the fattest males in a caribou herd. Maybe that was just their natural hierarchy. Either way, it worked out for the predators hunting them. One big, fat buck lowered its nose to the ground,  one hoof having broken through the layer of permafrost so that it could reach the browned grass beneath. This was their opportunity. Throwing her weight into her paws, the huntress rushed forward. Just then, the blizzard seemed to take a breath and the entire herd was visible. That also meant that she and Sirius were visible. No matter. Her pace didn't slow as the herd began to scatter. Her eye was on her prey and she would have it. The fat buck finally realized that his herd was leaving him and raced to catch up, but he was far behind. Very close to those that wished to eat him. Leaping forward, Resin bit into the rump of the caribou, leaving him bloodied. No matter if he outran them now, the wounds wound bring him to his knees with time. "Speech"

WC-327
Total-1189

It was strange to the Warlord that the large bucks would be at the back. Did they think them the strongest, most able to protect their flank? He would have thought any creature that lived long enough to get fat would be wiser then sitting in such an unprotected place. He would not complain, that the easiest meal was also the best was an unexpected bonus. He signalled to his warrior to take the left, and she moved smoothly and instantly in that direction. He went right, circling about to ensure less chance of their prey cutting loose. He new the moment Resin went in for the kill, seeing the perfect moment himself. Nose to the ground, the deer wouldn’t know what hit them. The wind dropped suddenly, as though they had entered the eye of the storm. In the unnatural moment of quiet, the herd realised the danger and scattered. The sudden sound of hooves pounding earth and snow struck the air. Their target, realising its folly, raised its head and began to run. The Warlord smiled, head lowered as he put on a burst of speed. Resin got their first, taking a chunk out of its passing flank, and the Warlord dove into its side, crashing it to the ground with the momentum of his run and his heavyset body. The caribou screamed as it hit the earth, and Sirius was forced to jump over its body, his own momentum driving him forward. No matter, he knew Resin would be there to close the gap in a heart beat. word count: 261 total: 1,450 "Speech"

Though she had expected to run their prey, it was a bit of a relief that they wouldn't have to. Sirius slammed into the side of the caribou, knocking it from its hooves and sending it rolling. The creature bleated in pain and alarm, but that was the last sound that it would ever make. Clawed paws scrambling for purchase to alter her course somewhat, Resin launched herself onto the caribou. Her teeth found its throat and she silenced its bleating and ended its life with one quick bite to the jugular. One their prey stopped kicking, Resin sat back, licking the blood from her maw. They had done well together. Again, the task hadn't been as difficult as she had hoped for, but they got what they wanted. Dinner and something to take back with them. The blizzard picked back up, obscuring their sight again. She had carried the caribou back to the woods last time. Sirius could do it this time. Getting back to her paws, Resin waited for Sirius to grab the caribou before she started back towards the woods and out of the blowing wind. She purposefully hadn't eaten much that morning in anticipation of filling her belly with warm, freshly killed meat. "Speech"

WC-207
Total-1657