Then they went on to say the pearly gates

Moonlight greeted Brandr as he started his morning hunt. He'd gotten up early to cover as much ground as possible for he sought to hunt on the far side of the island today. There was a number of small prey options on the island that he knew of from his hunting as well as the firefly festival but he hadn't spent as much time on the east side of the island. His breath slipped from his mouth like mist in the chill morning air. Winter had settled over the land and the effects of the volcano had caused this winter to be colder than any he'd remembered in these lands.

Brandr worked his way through the snow then paused as he heard the sounds of paw steps. They crunched through the snow and then stopped. "Hello?" He spoke softly, wary of disturbing potential prey. He turned around but saw nothing. Golden eyes peered through the darkness as he looked around seeing no one. It was probably just in his head. He continued on into a rocky barren area but again he heard the sounds of paw steps in the snow. He swiftly stopped and the steps continue. "Ok, this isn't funny. If you want to hunt with me show yourself." The steps stopped and there was no one there. There was nothing around. No where to hide. So why couldn't he see who the steps belonged to.

He started climbing up a steep rocky trail when he felt something brush his ankle. Brandr's head jerked down but there was nothing there… and nothing that could have brushed against his ankle. No brush, no excess pile of snow. Nothing.

had such elegant graffiti

Life went on, Abaven was still standing and her nephews were getting huge. They were curious but still reserved from the loss they experienced so early in their lives. She mourned for them, knowing how it felt not to have her parents beside her. Twig didn’t think she would ever see her mother or father again, but she’d made peace with that when she left her home. Of course she would never forget the loss of her sister either. Ashira’s memory weighed heavily on the young Memoire girl, and her early demise had always haunted Twig’s present.

That final scream and the blood that stained the ground flashed through her mind as Twig paced towards the Eastern side of the island. She grit her teeth as she tried to focus on the moon and its brilliance. She was trying to distract herself with a hunt but all she could see was her sister’s last few moments in this realm. Twig shook herself as she continued onwards. ”Hello?” The voice was barely audible, and Twig was forced to stop as she hadn’t even been sure she’d heard the sound. She blinked back a few tears before deciding it had merely been her imagination.

She continued along on her own, hidden from Brandr by the copse of trees when she heard him call out again. Her mind was clouded, but she knew the voice hadn’t been Ashira the second time. She perked her caramel ears and lifted her eyes to see the lead hunter out in the waste. ”Brandr?” She called out curiously as her small form emerged from the dead shrubbery to greet him.

Slowly Abaven was beginning to settle in to their temporary home here, and though Corvus couldn't shake the feeling that this place seemed overcrowded, it was better than remaining where they had been. After his brief trip across the water to the mainland, he was of the firm opinion that things were still not very good, and that returning to their former home wasn't the best idea - at least not yet, and probably not for awhile. He wished he knew when precisely things would go back to normal; the whole not knowing part really sucked. He cast his gaze to the west, across the island. Most of the horizon was obscured by trees, as well as darkness, but if he squinted he swore he could make out the volcano looming threateningly back near their home. Fucking thing, he thought bitterly to himself as he lowered his head and continued on. It was hard to shake his somewhat dark thoughts, especially given how eerie the morning was... the air was cold and felt somehow merciless as a light breeze nipped at his skin, and he felt a shiver beginning to crawl down his spine. Maybe the spookiness of the early morning was all in his head, but it was hard to shake the feeling that he was being watched.. somehow. The island seemed mostly silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves - likely caused by the wind - but he swore he felt eyes on the back of his head, though every time he turned, nothing was there at all. The unsettling feeling seemed to stick with him as he continued on, traversing over somewhat unfamiliar landscapes to the eastern section of the island. He had nearly convinced himself he was imagining things entirely when he felt something collide hard with his side. He hadn't heard anyone, or anything, approach - so the collision caught him off guard entirely. He nearly yelped as he spun around, only to see.. nothing there at all. What the hell? Corvus spun in a slow circle, blinking slowly. Maybe he could chalk it up to sleepiness, but he'd been awake for a good while now and the walk coupled with the chilly weather had woken him up quite quickly. Either way, he didn't have a good explanation for it, and he couldn't smell anyone nearby, which especially unnerved him. It wasn't long before he continued on, eventually coming across Brandr's scent. Something about being alone on a morning like this suddenly seemed less appealing, and the thought of a familiar face helped sooth some of his anxieties that were suddenly cropping up. Corvus increased his pace, nearly panting by the time he reached Brandr - and Twig now, too, who looked as though she too was heading toward him. "Hey guys," he called out softly, deciding that it wasn't the kind of morning that called for being very loud. Something about the atmosphere seemed to demand a level of calm that he was completely okay with. "Didn't think I'd see anyone else out this way so early." Maybe it explained the thing that had touched him earlier, but then again... his rational mind knew it hadn't been either Twig nor Brandr. He'd choose to push that thought out of his mind for now and try to focus on the present instead.

Then they went on to say the pearly gates

Brandr continued on his way until a voice caught his attention. He turned and leg out a sigh of relief as he saw Twig. "Twig, its good to see you. I thought… well, it's nothing. Thought someone else was following me earlier but no one was there." Twig wasn't the only one out and about, Corvus soon appeared. "Corvus, a pleasure. Are you two out for a morning hunt?" If so perhaps the three of them could find something good to bring down. So far most of what he found was smaller prey but the islands still covered a good amount of ground. They might not have seen everything the island had to offer.

"I've seen a number of smaller prey animals but I thought I would go higher up into the mountains and see if I can find any mountain goats. You'd both be welcome to join me if you like."

had such elegant graffiti

The Memoire girl made her way closer to Brandr as his attention was turned to her. In a pleasant surprise Corvus also appeared to greet the pair of them. ”Corvus,” she greeted him as well as his large form made its way closer to them. Her pale ears were perked at attention, offering an amused smile as he mentioned the lack of life at this point in the day. ”I like to keep odd hours,” she mentioned with a coy smile as her amethyst gaze was returned to the master hunter.

Brandr’s greeting seemed to relieve him and she perked at his explanation. Being touched when there was nothing there? ”There are many spirits attached to Abaven,” she spoke, low and too matter of factly for the subject she invoked. She wasn’t loud and left the odd statement to hang in the air as Brandr asked about a hunt.

”Yes, please take me with you, I’m so tired of small game all of the time.” She mentioned as her bright eyes were drawn towards the mountain and potentially much bigger prey. One wolf wouldn’t have a chance against them on those slopes, but three… Maybe she might garner another set of horns.

Regardless of whatever he'd experienced before, being in the company of two packmates certainly helped to calm his nerves. Though hunting hadn't exactly been on his mind earlier, it didn't sound like a bad idea at all. Anything to take his mind off the eerie morning sounded like a plan to him. He nodded, letting a faint smile touch his lips. "It's a pleasure too, Brandr - and Twig," he offered a nod in turn to the pale female, one of the wolves of Abaven he hadn't spent much time with yet. Perhaps that would change soon. Deciding to ignore the weirdness of the morning so far, focusing on a hunt sounded extremely welcome, and Twig seemed to agree. "Sounds like a plan," Corvus agreed readily, briefly casting his eye closer to the center of the island. The small mountain wasn't far off, and though he'd had no reason to explore it yet, this sounded like a damn good excuse to. "Been awhile since we've had a good hunt," he added conversationally. Focusing on the basics of life out here - making sure they all had food, shelter, and water - was much preferred to worrying about encountering more burned, injured creatures.. or even worrying about their own safety back home.

ooc: hope its alright if I get ready to introduce Brandr's companion

Then they went on to say the pearly gates

Brandr was pleased that both Twig and Corvus wished to join him in the hunt. "I appreciate the company, let's see what we can find." He set off back on the path up the mountain. It was a scouting mission but Brandr dearly hoped they would find some prey. He didn't want to let the others down.

The air grew colder the higher up they went and as the trees and shrubs grew shorter Brandr found himself exposed to the wind. He shivered lightly and scented the air, keen golden eyes searching for movement but to no avail. He sighed. "This might take awhile. Let me know if either of you catch any-"

Brandr's head jerked up at the cry of an eagle. A large black shape suddenly swooped down landing not too far from him. Hackles up he eyed the bird as it turned to him. "Sorry to drop in so suddenly. Would you wolves happen to be hunting? If so I have seen some mountain goats. I'd be happy to lead you to their location if you share the meat with me."

Well, that was fortuitous. He turned to glance at Twig and Corvus. "Sounds fair. What do you two think?"

had such elegant graffiti

Corvus seemed polite, and Twig didn’t mind looking at him either. On that note Brandr was an attractive wolf as well, his age brought a refinement to him. He was wise, experienced, and married. She smiled inwardly and found herself easily walking closer to Corvus. Nights like these it was nice to forget her troubles and responsibilities. They’d have a good hunt and Twig would enjoy the company of her pack mates. She could let her mind wander from the boys for a little while.

She followed after Brandr, and as the temperature dropped she unabashedly drew closer to Corvus. The petite woman didn’t touch him, but he was an excellent win barrier. They were having quite poor luck when their path was interrupted. Twig wasn’t sure if she had ever seen such a big bird so close. She could see the glint in his eye and the sharp edge of his beak. ”Lead the way, oh Eagle.” She offered up as the older man asked their opinion.

Corvus nodded, beyond glad for the company this morning. Hunting with a group was always rewarding, even when he might not be feeling particularly social. Today, luckily, wasn't one of those mornings. The pure physical work involved in a strenuous was a much-welcome distraction from the sometimes overwhelming thoughts that circled in his head like birds of prey. And speaking of birds... He raised an eyebrow at the eagle as he landed nearby, his own hackles rising instinctively. Sure, they could eat that kind of bird for dinner, but likewise he could do some damn good damage to the three of them if he was quick enough. Luckily though he seemed to want to help them locate some prey, for the return of a share of his own. Sounded like a decent deal to him, especially when prey was scarce enough as it was here, not quite like the lands they were used to back on the mainlands. Brandr seemed fine with the trade, and Twig expressed her agreement readily. Her words earned a slight grin from him. "You heard the lady," he offered as his own form of agreement, shrugging his shoulders. Without hesitation he moved to follow the lead, hoping the eagle wasn't twisting their paws about these goats of his.

Then they went on to say the pearly gates

Both Corvus and Twig seemed fine with following the eagle and he turned to the great bird and nodded. "We accept your terms." The eagle smiled, or at least Brandr thought he did, before speaking. "I'm glad to here it. My name is Ambi. Please, this way." With a great leap the bird took off into the air and Brandr took off in pursuit. Thankfully, the bird flew low and navigated a path along the mountain that the wolves could follow.

Soon, the bird slowed its pace and landed. Panting, Brandr came to a halt next to the eagle as the bird gestured a short ways away. Farther up the path were a small herd of mountain goats. They were smaller than those seen on the mainland but they looked healthy enough. Well, all but one. He eyed an aging ram whose sides were heaving ever so often. From what he guessed it was coughing.

Brandr turned to his Abaven compatriots. "That old ram looks to be a good target." Now how to get it? If there was one thing wolves had in abundance it was endurance. Once they got them going the ram would quickly fall behind. "Everyone will sneak forward, then Twig and I will get them running. Ideally we'll be able to seize hold of its hindlegs and drag it down long enough for Corvus to take the kill shot."

Brandr lowered his stance and slunk forward. Carefully he worked his way over the rocky terrain until he felt he was close enough to make a good leap. Ambi took off into the sky but the goats paid little notice. After all, an eagle wasn't a threat to a bunch of grown goats. Once everyone was in place Brandr burst forward and charged for the target. Bleating the goats scrambled and leapt as they tried to leap up the steepest side of the mountain, the ram already falling behind.

had such elegant graffiti

Twig returned the grin Corvus gave her as the decision was made and the three of them followed after the massive bird. She sprinted after Brandr and the eagle, but she didn’t let her mind wander far from the bandana clad man. She ran beside him when she could, and accidentally slid into him when she lost her footing at a steep part of the path. She was sure she hadn’t been successful in hiding her blush.

After the incident she shied away from him slightly, but their destination was quick to come. Quietly she stopped near the master hunter as he explained his plan. She nodded, Autumn was the go to when it came to runners it seemed. Her stamina wasn't too badly damaged in the trek to this point. She could still run a herd of goats.

She looked to Corvus as he was given his instructions and she gave him a quick wink before following after Brandr. As they fell into place she followed his command and raced towards the herd in unison with him. They panicked and scrambled. Twig couldn’t help the eager grin that played on her features as she raced towards their intended target. Already its cough was getting the better of it. As it ran the poor beast couldn’t catch its breath. It was lucky the three of them were there to put it out of its misery.

As though they’d choreographed the whole thing Twig eventually caught up with the poor animal and harried its left hind leg as she awaited Corvus and his killing blow.

The bird introduced himself, earning a curt nod from Corvus. He was glad to follow his lead, trailing behind Brandr as quickly as he could as he as well as the bird led them toward the mountain that allegedly harbored these goats he'd spoken of. The mountain wasn't impossible to conquer, but by the time they reached their prey - just partly up a slope - he found himself panting audibly. Twig's proximity to him didn't go unnoticed, but then again he didn't dwell on it long. It didn't seem impossible that the morning had left her feeling spooked, and that staying close to her packmates might comfort her; it certainly did him, even if he wasn't fully aware of it at the moment.

Before long, once they'd caught up to their prey, Brandr began to dish out instructions. The old one was their target. He squinted, searching the group for their target, confirming it with a simple nod. Twig and Brandr would get them moving, and they'd go in for their kill, the two of them at the back of the goat while he secured the killing blow. Simply enough. The goat looked old and tired enough that they wouldn't have to waste much energy running it down or tiring it out - it was already there.

He felt the adrenaline begin to course through him as he lunged forward with the other two. It didn't take long for their target to fall behind, trying to scramble away from them. Twig lunging for the beast's hing leg was enough of a signal for him to make the killing blow, rearing back as he charged for it, jaws parting as he secured a hold on its neck. The old thing didn't give up much of a fight as Corvus put more pressure down on its neck, feeling warm blood seeping onto his tongue. The beast went slack before long, and Corvus gave his head another hard shake before releasing his grip, deciding they were victorious in their hunt.