He'd been tasked with leading a group hunt on the familiar black sand beach. It had been some time since he set foot on these familiar grounds, and was curious to know what, if anything, had been bold enough to venture here after the wolves packed out and left for the nearby islands. Crimson gaze scanned the black sand beach, catching sight of what he recognized as tracks. Deer? No... He motioned for his cockatoo to fly on ahead and see what it was while he himself followed the tracks. It wasn't a deer...the tracks belonged to a heavier animal, and as he approached and better observed the tracks, he could see how much the tracks had shifted the sands. Not quite as large as a moose, but definitely bigger than a deer. An elk, perhaps? He followed the tracks for a bit as they led across the beach and slightly inland, and soon enough, his goth bird came back with news. "Is an elk! I think issa young one eh? Prolly separated from it's 'erd! Is good pickins, eh!" Ignis' ears twitched as he nodded and headed back closer to Raider lands. Throwing back his head, he called together a hunting party!

Tarnish was finally old enough to tag along on pack hunts and he was eager to get in some practice. He still spent his days tormenting small prey while dreaming of the day he could take on something bigger. He was swiftly learning the value of hunting in groups however, for a solo attempt at a deer had ended with him face planting into the mud without even touching a hair on the deer.

Tar was stalking along one of the beaches when he heard Ignis call the pack for a hunt. His ears perked up and he raced northward toward the Obsidian Beach. When he arrived he saw the serious, red-pelted man and offered a confident grin. "I'm ready, let's do this!" Did they really need anyone else? The two of them could do it! He said nothing as Worc perched on a piece of driftwood nearby.

Raider Brats

A call from her father for a hunt brought Rivin to the beach with her wolverine companion, Feng in tow. The red streaked she wolf would find her father there, as well as Gilgamesh’s son Tarnish. She’d give a small nod to the kid and then let her green gaze flick over to Ignis. She would arch a brow, curious as to what creature her father had found near the beach. This wasn’t exactly prime hunting grounds for most mammals. Sea life, sure, but… “So,” She hummed. “What sort of target are we looking at?” Hunting as a group wasn’t really something she did, but hey, there was a first time for everything, right? Hunting bigger prey meant more food for everyone. And with pups and Modesty being sick… they could use all the prey they could get to feed everyone. She stretched in the sand, ready to begin once her father gave the word.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

   

Hunting had to be one of Modesty's least favourite pastimes, but if her son was tagging along, she would be there to make sure he didn't get trampled, at least. When Ignis called, she bought up the rear of their little gathering, doing her best to look bored in the face of it all. This was her pack too and she supposed she'd do her part if only for easier access to the mainland (she was not keen on almost drowning trying to get home again), but an elk, even a young one, was imposing prey. She was glad she had decided to add her bulk to the endeavour.

“Speech.”

Of those he expected to show up, he had to admit he didn't exactly expect one of the youngest kids. He tilted his head as he considered sending the kid back home, but then decided fuck it, he'd let him tag along. The kid was enthusiastic enough, and as long as he wasn't trampled, then all would be well and Gil wouldn't tan his hide for it. Rivin arrived next with a question, and he waited a few moments as Modesty showed up before answering. "We've found an elk. Odd that it's here of all places, but stranger things have happened and it's likely separated from its herd. It's young, but it's big. And they can be just as dangerous and hard to take down alone. So that's our target."

He stood up as he motioned for them to follow, explaining the potential plan on the way. "With the exception of the kid, I know the two of you can hunt. So I'll leave it to you to use your best judgment. As for you, kid, you're with me. We'll try to corral it toward the water so it has nowhere to go, and the water will slow it down even more if it decides to try to push its luck." He looked at Tarnish, trying not to look all deadpan and moody, but he doubted he could do that if he tried. "Feel free to be annoying as you want. Just steer clear of horn and hoof."

With that, he moved to get into position as he made a wide berth to come up somewhat from behind, motioning for Tarnish to initiate the first move to startle it while he followed behind him, helping to drive it toward the water.


"Speech"

Elk, eh? Rivin was surprised to hear such a creature was found on this beach, but she wouldn’t complain. She’d seen them in the north, and observed the males as they fought over females. They were dangerous if you weren’t careful, though her goal was as it reached the water attempting to cripple it. Crippling the elk would make it harder for the damn thing to escape and easier for her packmates to bring it down. She’d trail after her father, taking to the outside of the group as she cast a glance towards Modesty and Tarnish. The pup had already helped with a polar bear, and she was sure that he would do what he could. So long as he avoided getting a kick to the head she was sure he’d be fine.

As her father and Tarnish moved into position Rivin would circle her path, getting into a position that would allow her to not only charge the elk toward the water with the others, but give her the opportunity to ram into it with her antlers. Rivin waited, ears flicked back slightly so she could hear the elk running in her direction on its path to the waves.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

An elk? Oooo sounded neat! Tar's ears perked up though to be honest he wasn't really sure what an elk was. He shot his mother a grin, even though she looked terribly bored. Tarnish found the prospect exciting, especially when Ignis mentioned how dangerous it could be. After everyone arrived the older man beckoned them to follow and Tarnish bounced along dutifully after him, Worc taking to the air to survey the hunting party and keep an eye out for trouble. Considering the number of predators his charge had managed to find the crow took this task seriously.

Tarnish listened attentively to the plan, barely flinching as his hunting talents were called into question. He had the sense to know he was out of his league here. Ignis stated that Tar was to stick with him and he could be as annoying as he wanted. "Really? Awesome! I'm good at being annoying." He was also fast for his age and size and felt pretty confident he could heckle without getting struck.

With the plan in place Tarnish went into stalking mode, making sure he was opposite of the elk and the water as he approached. His black coat melted into the obsidian stones, his eyes could easily have been mistaken for them. He got closer than he anticipated before the elk started to sense something amiss. At that point Tarnish lunged, seeming to materialize out of nowhere as he bolted toward the elk. It bleated in surprise and twisted to get away from him, shooting up the beach.

Raider Brats

   

She was grateful for Ignis taking the lead, and taking Tarnish under his wing. She could hunt, it didn't mean she enjoyed it, but she was another body and with prey this big, that was almost all that mattered.

Modesty cut in as the Elk startled away from Tarnish, using her bulk and quills and snapping teeth to turn it back towards the water. Between the four wolves, it knew that it was cornered, and that made the young elk desperate, dangerous.  It wheeled about, lowering it's antlered head and backed towards the waves. If the others could keep it distracted, she would grab hold of a rear leg and try to drag it deeper, while working her teeth into the fat veins that ran down the inside of the elks rear legs.

“Speech.”

The wolves charged and began to corner the elk against the water. It bleated from fear as Tarnish bolted at it, sending the elk running. Modesty went barreling at it, and a quick observation told him what she was trying to do, as well as Rivin. He decided it was time to add his own assault as he thundered across the sand right behind Tarnish, driving it against the waves as they battered against their prey, slowing its progress as it tried to escape the wolves. He kicked up sand as he went, his cockatoo dive bombing the beast, feathers flying as he did his best to avoid the antlers. Soon enough, it wheeled around and faced the wolves, backing itself up against the waves as it desperately tried to fight them off. Ignis lunged, teeth snapping briefly on its nose before it kicked out, sending water and mud spraying at its attacked. He could see the whites of its eyes as it desperately tried to fight for its lfie!


"Speech"

Tarnish gave chase, letting out a whoop of excitement as he barreled after the elk. This was awesome! This was probably one of his favorite things to do he decided. There was nothing like chasing down prey and truth be told he could do this for the rest of his life. One by one the wolves fell into position. Eventually they cut the elk off, surrounding it and backing it toward the water. Tarnish snarled, his hackles raised as he tried to make himself look as big as he could. Tarnish would hop forward, testing and pressing the elk before ducking out of the way of its hooves at it tried to stomp him. At one point the elk lifted a leg and lashed out only for Tarnish to retaliate, his claws tearing flesh and causing the elk to stumble farther back in surprise.

Raider Brats

The beast was charging, and seeing her opening Rivin charged forward. The beast was fearful, eyes wide as it was forced toward the waters. It had its antlered head down, threatening the wolves with weapons of its own. Dangerous, but Rivin wasn’t necessarily known for her skills of self preservation. As her father distracted the prey animal by attacking its nose, Rivin came at an angle with head lowered to impale. The kick out toward her father, the temporary rear of its head to get its nose away from the red man, and Rivin had her opening. She plowed into the thing’s chest and shoulder, right antler sliding into the flesh of its chest, tearing through muscle… The elk took a couple staggering steps back, hooves sending water flying as it sought to distance itself from more pain and attack. Rivin ripped back, blood and gore dripping from her antler as she dodged flailing front hooves aimed for her. The wound looked pretty ugly… even if it somehow managed to get around them, it wasn’t going to have a very good time getting far with a chest wound. Tarnish was there too, heckling the beast back even further. It was now or never!

"Speech," 'Thought.'

   

With it's lifeblood running down it's leg and a gaping chest wound from Rivin's antlers to boot, Modesty could feel the strength fleeing the beast from the hold she had on it's back end. She allowed herself to hang as a dead weight, the distraction of 3 wolves it could easily see keeping it's front hooves off the ground rather than it's back.

The elk stumbled, and Modesty relinquished her hold, allowing the once proud beast to founder through the shallows and towards the sand. All this blood in the water would attract sharks and they'd have less distance to drag it. It made it half way out of the water before it collapsed, glassy eyed and sides heaving. The kindest thing to do would be to put it out of it's misery quickly. But Modesty was not a kind woman. The job was done one way or another.

“Speech.”