i'm gonna kill the bear
12-21-2018, 08:11 AM
Gwen raised her head and sniffed at the scent. She'd been preparing for the bear hunt as much as she could based on the suggestions she'd gotten from the hunters, and from the scent she'd caught it was time to put those preparations into action. She regretted that Brandr wouldn't be around to see the plan put into action, but this was a job for the fighters anyway. She'd rather not see the young father injured because he wasn't used to something that was hunting him while he was going after it.
Gwen quickly dropped her patrol and went to Aurielle's family cave system, where she'd been storing the spears she'd been working on making. Long, straight branches and saplings snapped off and the ends carefully chewed into a vaguely triangular, thick point before being sanded on rough rocks until they reached the perfect shape and sharpness before she'd fire-hardened them in the fire there. She grabbed up the hide-wrapped bundle containing them and slung the strap around her neck to rest on her shoulders, one bundle on either side like panniers.
Calling out to Aurielle to let her know first what she was planning - Aurielle might or might not sit this experimental fight out so that there would be someone to guard the pack, since Gwen planned to try to do this more than once this year - she quickly exited and headed towards the border. Stopping, she howled, a call for the pack's other warriors. As many as possible would be needed for this, but she hoped not to leave the border entirely undefended either. The pups knew that their jobs would be to remain on sentry duty while most of the adults were gone and they should be heading to their posts now. She herself turned without waiting and set out at a mile-eating lope for the direction she'd scented the bear.
It was a long journey, but she'd planned for that. There were actual panniers with big woven baskets enough for every adult in the pack to carry two or four baskets worth of meat, and adding travois they'd be able to each carry enough meat and hide that they'd be able to carry most, if not all, of the bear's remains back to the camp. It would be a tiring day killing and then butchering the animal but a worthwhile one, she thought. With her having the spears to set up she hadn't grabbed any of the panniers even for herself, but she had prearranged for Justice to bring hers so it would be all right.
She was surprised at how cold the cracked and shifting hills were when the trail went hot enough that she knew she'd caught up to the bear's whereabouts. Certainly cold enough that no matter how long they took to divide the meat it would not go bad or attract insects. Scavengers, maybe. They might end up with a few coyote and wolverine hides to go along with the bear.
She took her time while she waited for the rest of the pack to catch up to stick the spears into the ground at a sharp angle, carefully smashing rocks in around the base to make it all but immovable. She made a curving line of them, a bristling forest of sharpened spears pointing in one direction - where they would lure the bear. The rest of them she set aside for wolves to grab as weapons, because if you were close enough to bite the bear, it was close enough to crush you. The wooden tipped spears probably wouldn't be enough to do more than cut and irritate the bear, not cause real major damage with the sort of force a wolf could use, but irritating it was exactly the best thing to do.
Satisfied all was in readiness, she sat down to wait.
OOC: Participation is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED for all warriors. Each round will only be up for a couple days so it can be finished before the 1st. Although you can only get the double skill points for posting in it before the event ends, it's still a good amount of fight points without the double skill points so I want to see people putting in the effort to get the points. Loners can jump in for a share of the meat as long as you don't hold up the thread. Everyone has 48 hours from now to get their character in before the next round!
Gwen quickly dropped her patrol and went to Aurielle's family cave system, where she'd been storing the spears she'd been working on making. Long, straight branches and saplings snapped off and the ends carefully chewed into a vaguely triangular, thick point before being sanded on rough rocks until they reached the perfect shape and sharpness before she'd fire-hardened them in the fire there. She grabbed up the hide-wrapped bundle containing them and slung the strap around her neck to rest on her shoulders, one bundle on either side like panniers.
Calling out to Aurielle to let her know first what she was planning - Aurielle might or might not sit this experimental fight out so that there would be someone to guard the pack, since Gwen planned to try to do this more than once this year - she quickly exited and headed towards the border. Stopping, she howled, a call for the pack's other warriors. As many as possible would be needed for this, but she hoped not to leave the border entirely undefended either. The pups knew that their jobs would be to remain on sentry duty while most of the adults were gone and they should be heading to their posts now. She herself turned without waiting and set out at a mile-eating lope for the direction she'd scented the bear.
It was a long journey, but she'd planned for that. There were actual panniers with big woven baskets enough for every adult in the pack to carry two or four baskets worth of meat, and adding travois they'd be able to each carry enough meat and hide that they'd be able to carry most, if not all, of the bear's remains back to the camp. It would be a tiring day killing and then butchering the animal but a worthwhile one, she thought. With her having the spears to set up she hadn't grabbed any of the panniers even for herself, but she had prearranged for Justice to bring hers so it would be all right.
She was surprised at how cold the cracked and shifting hills were when the trail went hot enough that she knew she'd caught up to the bear's whereabouts. Certainly cold enough that no matter how long they took to divide the meat it would not go bad or attract insects. Scavengers, maybe. They might end up with a few coyote and wolverine hides to go along with the bear.
She took her time while she waited for the rest of the pack to catch up to stick the spears into the ground at a sharp angle, carefully smashing rocks in around the base to make it all but immovable. She made a curving line of them, a bristling forest of sharpened spears pointing in one direction - where they would lure the bear. The rest of them she set aside for wolves to grab as weapons, because if you were close enough to bite the bear, it was close enough to crush you. The wooden tipped spears probably wouldn't be enough to do more than cut and irritate the bear, not cause real major damage with the sort of force a wolf could use, but irritating it was exactly the best thing to do.
Satisfied all was in readiness, she sat down to wait.
OOC: Participation is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED for all warriors. Each round will only be up for a couple days so it can be finished before the 1st. Although you can only get the double skill points for posting in it before the event ends, it's still a good amount of fight points without the double skill points so I want to see people putting in the effort to get the points. Loners can jump in for a share of the meat as long as you don't hold up the thread. Everyone has 48 hours from now to get their character in before the next round!
12-21-2018, 08:21 AM
Justice had been carefully storing the herbs she'd gathered that summer with Ara that had been drying in the cool dark cave she'd claimed for herself back in the main camp. She hadn't been sleeping in the cave system since her mother died, she hadn't been able to shake the anger and hurt. Maybe now that she was finding her own way in life she would be able to forgive her mother for letting herself sink into depression and leave her children lost and alone.
But her head came up at the sound of Gwen's call, and her muzzle gaped in an eager grin. Yes! They were going after a bear! Setting aside the herbs where they wouldn't get ruined she raced for where the panniers were kept, slinging a good amount of them over her back. Stacking up the baskets like that was awkward but they were quite light when they were empty so it wasn't much of a burden. Itt was likely someone would forget theirs, so she was bringing extra besides hers and Gwen's.
Bursting out of the cave, she broke into the traveling stride of a wolf, following Gwen's fresh trail. Mile after long mile she followed, through several western lands and into the south. Finally completing the journey, she slowed at the sight of the bristling forest of spears. Dang, that was pretty intimidating. She shrugged out of the panniers a distance away where they wouldn't get wet or trampled on, and grinned at Gwen. "You ready for this?" She certainly was.
But her head came up at the sound of Gwen's call, and her muzzle gaped in an eager grin. Yes! They were going after a bear! Setting aside the herbs where they wouldn't get ruined she raced for where the panniers were kept, slinging a good amount of them over her back. Stacking up the baskets like that was awkward but they were quite light when they were empty so it wasn't much of a burden. Itt was likely someone would forget theirs, so she was bringing extra besides hers and Gwen's.
Bursting out of the cave, she broke into the traveling stride of a wolf, following Gwen's fresh trail. Mile after long mile she followed, through several western lands and into the south. Finally completing the journey, she slowed at the sight of the bristling forest of spears. Dang, that was pretty intimidating. She shrugged out of the panniers a distance away where they wouldn't get wet or trampled on, and grinned at Gwen. "You ready for this?" She certainly was.