Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

He was moving carefully along the deer trail, practicing his stalking skills. His shoulder was healed, and new fur was growing in. It seemed more sensitive than the rest of his coat, more readily flaring with light than the rest of his fur, often flaunting blazing claw-marks over his shoulder and the mark on his face. The scarring wasn’t too bad, but he was okay with scars. He paused as the grass rustled ahead, and lowered himself to his belly, hunkering closer to peer through the grass. It was a rabbit, plumping itself up on low-growing grasses and clover. Winter would he there before they all knew it, and he’d see snow in the west for the first time. He wasn’t tracking rabbits, though, so he slipped away, wincing as the rabbit bolted away despite his care. Luckily, it sounded like it was bolting for the warren and not toward his intended target. The target was an undersized first-year fawn. He’d noticed it the other day and decided to keep tabs on it. Unlike others of its age, it was weedy and clearly picked on by the larger fawns, so kept to itself aside from when it was with its mother, who was, herself, rather weedy and small compared to her sisters. He had no way of knowing it, but the fawn he was considering for dinner and crafting leather had been part of triplets, but stood as the only surviving fawn, the other two born dead. Maybe, he thought, if he teamed up with the hunters, or maybe even just his brother, they could bring down both animals? So, he made his way through the lands on the trail of the fawn, and, predictably, it was on its way to the stream to drink. It would likely meet its mother there, as per usual, attempting to nurse only to be kicked away by a doe who was past ready to wean it off in preparation for a winter that would already be hard on her without a fawn still nursing off her. Sure enough, he spotted them both at the stream, and it looked like they’d be there a while, so Ardyn turned and trotted toward the hillock, deciding to see if Coran was up for a hunt. It wasn’t the cream and white brindled boy’s thing and much as it was Ardyn’s, but Coran was still usually game to hunt and help the pack. When he was far enough from the intended targets, he threw up his muzzle, calling for his brother and anyone who wanted a hunt. Maybe Cairo or Domari would come, too, and lend experience to the endeavor. Heck, maybe even their father would come. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

TAslaug walked in complete silence through the plains. She always did when she lingered around here. Being a place of prey and many chances of a good hunt, she never wanted to scare any potential game. And like that the young huntress threaded. As she went further, crouching a bit as she walked, a call reached her ears, and her eyes of blue landed upon a young male, a pup who had their eyes onto a couple of deer. Did he need help? Well, she was supposed to help her packmates and she loved to after all. In silence she aimed to approach, placing herself by their right. "Ill help ya," She said in a whisper. She then placed her eyes on the deer, starting to form a plan. "speak"

It felt wrong, not seeing or smelling Nolan, not hunting or sparring with him. It was too soon for his friend to be gone. Barely two, and yet… gone. His head perked up from the trace he was examining, and he turned to trot briskly toward Ardyn’s call. If anything could make him smile, it was the kids. Aurielle and Red’s children were over half a year old now, and Ardyn in particular seemed given to eliciting heart failure in his parents. Two bears in the span of two weeks. He came upon the tall boy, and Aslaug. He nodded to the young woman with a brief, sad smile, wondering how she was handling the loss of their cousin. Nolan might not have been his cousin by blood, but in heart, there was no separation. He’d been so thrilled to find that Nolan and Caelia had struck up a friendship, too. And now that was all gone. To Ardyn, he asked, “So, what are we hunting?” as his haunches lowered. He knew the boy was intelligent enough by now to move well away from the prey in mind before calling for hunting partners. It’d been among the first things he’d taught the boy after he’d taught him about tracking rabbits. It was Ardyn's first hunt that he'd called, and Cairo wasn't going to steal his thunder, though he would guide him with suggestions and make it a teaching moment for all of them. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Red had just set aside the antler he was working on carving, scraped against the tips of his fangs in delicate little motions to make patterns in the softer material, when he heard his oldest son's voice calling for any hunters interested in assisting in a hunt. It was a bit of a surprise to him, a sudden stab of reminder that his children were growing up already. Stretching to ease the knots in his shoulders and neck from the odd positions he had been twisted in to carve, he set out for the call. He arrived there to see not only his son, but Aslaug and Cairo as well, and he gave those two each a nod before turning to his son, tilting his head with a smile. He didn't say anything, not wanting to take the moment away, but his eyes shone with pride for his boy stepping up to call a hunt. He didn't have the length of experience the older wolves had, but he was trained and intelligent, and should feel comfortable enough to ask either Red or Cairo if he wasn't sure about something - Red had no qualms about letting him lead the hunt.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Ardyn wasn’t left waiting for long. While Coran seemed not to be up for a hunt, a woman he vaguely recognized by description as Aslaug, his cousin, arrived, offering her help. His tail torched into a wag, picking up speed as Cairo arrived and gave him clear approval that he could lead the hunt. Next, and last, came his father, and Ardyn grinned at his father, giving over to a wriggle as he nuzzled into the gold-brindled red man before composing himself and presenting as an heir should, with dignity and clarity, like his parents had taught him. “Alright, so, there are two deer I’ve been watching. They’re both small and not…. Thrifty,” He glanced at his father and Cairo for confirmation that the word he’d chosen was right before going on. “It’s a doe and fawn, and the fawn is frail compared to others its age. I thought… maybe we could bring down both and feed the pack, and leave room for stronger animals?” His mother often put it that way, right? His ears tilted to the sides in thought as he considered the wolves in front of him. His father was often a chaser that helped spook the prey, since his sabers had a possibility of breakage if used on unsubdued prey. If he recalled the story about the last bison hunt, Aslaug had been on the chasing detail, too. Glancing over the three he decided, “I think we should split into two groups, maybe. Cairo, Aslaug, If you can keep the doe in the area until Dad and I get it brought down, we can help bring her down after.” He glanced at his father, making a mental note to go hunting with just the two of them soon, and to check that his father agreed, before he added, “Do you want to do the spooking or the take-down, or we could ambush it?” He was open to suggestions, of course, and his eyes flicked between the three older wolves to see if they’d voice any as he rose and led the way at a walk. It would be a few minutes at this pace before they reached the deer, but he was confident the two deer would still be there. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Her tail went from 0 to 100 when she saw Cairo coming, someone, she appreciated as thanks to him she was becoming a good hunter after teaching her a lot. She nodded her head as he came in greeting. Then more wolves came to join their hunt, which was great for her. After having her family gone and Nolan's passing,she has been feeling lonely and sad but being around them helped cease the hurtful thoughts in a way. Then the pup began explaining the situation and what they could do to get hunt going. “I think we should split into two groups, maybe. Cairo, Aslaug, If you can keep the doe in the area until Dad and I get it brought down, we can help bring her down after.” She nodded upon hearing her part of the hunt. "Got it." She said more serious and with determination and happy that she was to do it with Cairo. And with this she was ready to begin at the mark. "Speech"

Red was the next – and last – to arrive, and like Cairo, it seemed Ardyn’s father was willing to give the heir the lead in the hunt. Cairo grinned briefly at the sabered Heart before turning his attention to Ardyn, ears pressing forward as the fiery dark boy laid it all out. Cai nodded slightly, glancing to Aslaug to check in with her before glancing to Red. It was a sound plan; it would take a bit of work to keep the doe from bolting into the next continent, but what hunt wasn’t work to begin with? When Ardyn rose to lead the way, Cairo waited to drop third into line, tail swaying thoughtfully at his hocks as he considered the best ways to prevent the doe from bolting beyond all retrieval. The best bet would be to lame her enough that she’d be unable to escape very far. ”Aslaug, as you’re smaller and quicker, I’d like you to attempt at laming the doe so she can’t go too far or maneuver as well. If you manage that, we should be able to corral her… there’s a little knoll with a sheer drop on one side by that stream that a healthy deer can jump up but a deer whose back legs are mangled won’t be able to jump, and it’s curved around. If we can trap her there, she should hold until Ardyn and his father have the fawn downed.” He spoke loudly enough for Ardyn to hear, and watched the boy, catching the heir’s glance back and grinning nod, returning the grin with a wave of his bi-chocolate tail. “On your mark, we’ll go, Ardyn.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Red followed along as Ardyn began leading the group towards the deer he'd found. He was a little concerned at the complications that were added by taking down fawn and doe together let alone keeping the doe occupied until they'd killed the fawn. But, if the hunt failed they weren't badly off and it would be a learning experience for the boy and Aslaug both, while if they pulled it off they'd have more to store for winter's harshness, so he didn't say anything as Ardyn spoke, until asked. "Likely we should ambush the fawn," he said gently, "So that the doe has little time to react and will be easier to separate out." There would be a moment that she would likely hesitate to follow the herd seeing her fawn downed, and it could give Cairo and Aslaug a better chance to drive her away from rejoining the herd when she realized it was too late to protect it.

[OoC: So sorry for the delay >.> I do still want to finish these two hunts!]

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Ardyn nodded at his father’s caution, smiling. He could hope that they’d bag two deer today, but it was his first time leading a hunt, and he didn’t expect it to be easy in the slightest. He took a deep breath and nodded to Cairo and Aslaug. “Okay! Go.” He slipped away, knowing Cairo would guide Aslaug to the best spot—the older wolf knew the plains like the backs of his paws and would probably know where to place himself and Aslaug. Ardyn padded slowly along, scanning toward the creek and spotting their prey. Good, good, the doe had moved a little way to one side, and the fawn seemed to be taking a nap. Maybe the doe was going to slip away to browse while she could. But as any deer ought to know when living in a wolf territory, it was never a great idea to separate. Ardyn shifted his position, trying to move slowly, but smoothly. Hadn’t Da or Cairo said that movement was much easier to spot when it was furtive? With stops and starts? He did his best to get into a good spot, glancing to his father. Red would take the best spot for himself, Ardyn was sure. If they played it right, either one, son or father, could scare the fawn into the other’s clutches. He glanced to his father again, listening and watching for the other two to be in position before he nodded, giving his father the sign to spring the ambush. He father was never fond of taking bites with his sabers, with good reason. Not only would a broken saber hurt to high heavens and deepest hells, but it would dull a weapon of defense for Valhalla. Ardyn prepared himself to intercept, coiled and ready. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

And like that the chase started and quickly she attempted to do as instructed by Cairo, neck lowered and ears to she wanted to be as fast as she could toward the doe, aiming to get to its side, approaching her left back leg before catching it between her jaws before trashing her head to cause as much damage as possible to slow it down. Then being careful not to get kicked she switched to the other back leg also repeating the same process of damaging its leg. Hoping that in that way she would put it easier for the rest of the end. Blood poured from both legs as she kept running to hopefully wind the doe to exhaustion and blood loss. "speak"