The Dead.. Are Alive?

Chade notices Ricin joining in the chase but gives no more than a tight smile to let his brother realize Chade is aware of his presence. The dark blue pup’s eyes are kept on the ram, at first he had focused more generically on the whole animal, then in fear of being kicked focused on the legs but now he was watching for telling details. He tracked the legs, noticed when the animal’s eyes glanced back to him, listened to the harsh breath that suggested the goat was struggling.

Chade wondered if the mushrooms were doing more damage than he even saw from the outside. Hopefully, none of the sickness spread to Ricin or him. The roam wheezed, head lowering, mouth open as it tried to get more air. Chade imagined in a way they were lucky with the sickness infecting so many. So long as he and Ricin didn’t catch it they were having an easier time with getting food than would normally be the case.

As the animal slowed for another horse cough Chade came up to one side, biting at the leg and gripping on. The ram cow-hopped and Chade lost his grip, tumbling a short distance. Now the ram was facing them both, sweeping its horns threateningly. Was this to be a hunt or a fight? Apparently, the ram had come to the realization it wouldn’t be able to escape. Chade realized holding on had been a bad idea.

Chade attempted to walk around and noticed how the ram tried to keep itself facing Chade with its rump behind. Chade let out a huff of frustration as he didn’t particularly want to attack the face with those horns. It was also creepy to look at the mushrooms growing out of his face. Hm, could it see well on the side of its head where the eye was growing a mushroom?

Chade ran in and spun to the side of its head with the mushroom, biting for the front leg even as it swung its head around to slam its horns into Chade. The blue boy was knocked off his feet but again managed to avoid real injury. He was fighting a desperate ram with limited strength and on his last legs so there was only so much it could do.

Chade lacked the bulk and jaw strength of an adult so it wasn’t fast but he bit at a leg, ran off then came back in, and with each attempt, he got better at scoring a bite while still getting out of the way fast enough. The ram was suffering a slow death as used for training a pup how to hunt more efficiently. A point came where the ram fell to its knees.

“C’mon Ricin!” Chade hollered as he went for the neck. The ram’s head sank down as it gave up fighting other than a bit of head rocking. They had won a very good meal, assuming the sickness it carried didn’t pass on to them.

"Speech"