seal-ed your own fate!

Travelling from the rapids to the coast was a short trip, though the hunters needed to be mindful of their path. The chosen hunting ground was largely inaccessible except by a few hidden paths, so they had to take a roundabout route through the nearby bay in order to reach the isolated beach. Even from a distance, it was easy to tell what the prey of choice was today. The cacophony of seals calling to one another would be deafening once they'd closed in, so Nao stopped a fair distance away to offer guidance before audible communication would become impossible.

A keen gaze tracked the movements of the harbour seals, chubby grey bodies that waddled awkwardly once on land. Spring was their season for pupping, and there were very few males that dared to spend time on shore protecting their females. Which meant that the risks of this hunt were a little lower, but hardly a safe bet. "I stumbled over this haul-out spot a few weeks ago, it has been heavily used since the females began to have pups." he explained quietly, keeping one eye on the mass of bodies as he spoke. "Once we get close, many of them will simply flee into the ocean. We don't need to concern ourselves with them, unless they are slow. The ones who stay will be mothers with pups, who will fight back. Once we pick one, I will keep her distracted until you can close in." while this may have seemed like an extensive explanation, the dark male was eager to ensure that his particular hunting style would still function with an unfamiliar hunting partner.

"Since you are much larger, it will be easier for you to subdue and kill the female, leaving less risk of injury for us. We should get in and out quickly, as the rest of the herd may try to protect the mother and pup. Once the female is dead, I can take the pup, and we can be gone before the rest of the seals come back up the beach." though the way he spoke was measured and even, he was somewhat uncertain about lending the bulk of the work to the Sumatar. After all, it was an assessment of his skills. However, his own pragmatism won out over any sort of vanity. With the superior strength and size of the Sumatar to his advantage, there was a much greater chance for success.

He took a few steps towards the towering cliffs, eyes narrowing at the distant precipice. He noticed no figures peering down, nor any tumbling pebbles that might indicate a problem from above. So they were off. He wanted to get this finished before the tide began to move in, as the majority of the seals would move back into the water once it did. He stuck to the waterline, letting the cool waves lap at his paws. Each step brought a splash, but he did not bother to concern himself with stealth for once. He wanted them to flee, to weed out the bulk of the herd. As they drew closer, some of the stragglers on the fringes of the haul-out began to bellow alarm calls, flopping awkwardly towards the sea as they did.

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