Rudyard had put a good deal of thought into how he would handle his first lesson to a group of wolves at once.  Some had different skill sets of already knowledgeable of fighting or healing and such as well as a new wolf he didn’t know well.  Rudyard loved being unpredictable and could hardly come up with something dull and common.  It was also true that fun new things often stuck in one’s mind better and also made the student more likely to want to learn even more.
The night before it was time to give his lesson he informed his students to meet him as the sun was setting at fossil ridge.  Rudy had thought up a fun game that would hopefully work well.  The motley grey wolf was ready for his students, having a couple of hours out there in advance for the day.  Now that he’d thought up what to do he was looking forward to the game.

Every member of the pack got greeted as they showed up and once present he explained how things would work.  “Hello, friends.  As some of you might know I’m not one for boring stuffy lessons whenever I can get around them and I’d hate to push that on anyone else.  So a few quick basic details and then we get into the game portion of this evening's meet-up.  Some of you already are good at fighting and would have no problem once you can get your teeth into the food, some of you likely know anatomy well for the fastest kill possible.  So we are going to focus on finding the prey and not letting the prey know you are coming.”

That really still might not sound so hard for some.  The basics of hunting factually weren’t hard to memorize, it was getting one’s body to do what it should.  Subtle details are easy to overlook as you head toward your prey.  “When you are hunting you need to avoid letting prey see you, letting them hear you, and not letting them scent you.”  Keeping prey from scenting him had been a hard thing for Rudy to get past, the wind was annoying in refusing to blow where and when he wanted.  Patience was a hindrance and nuisance.  “Hunting down other predators really is easier than say a deer or other prey animal.  Predators have the ability to defend themselves in a fight, prey know if you sneak up on them they are dead so they are constantly alert to everything.  So, easy right?  Don’t let them see you coming, sneak up on them, and take them down.”  

Rudy glanced to the horizon and the sun starting to lower, the shadows starting to stretch out.  This would work great for the wolf of mixed grays who blended so well in shadows and why it was his favored time to hunt.  “So, it's all about muscle memory and having patience, and the best way to learn it is just practicing over and over.  So, for today's game, you're going to hunt me!”  Rudy lowered his head, showing off the all too obvious antlers, and swishing the puff tail that was all he had left, “the prize deer to catch!  You will be waiting here another twenty minutes and I’ll go find a spot to wait.  You have to find me, sneak up on me, and if I spot you I will run.  Can you catch me?”

Rudy took a stride away pausing to glance back, “Oh, and while I’d give your pets a run for their money, this time they don’t get to participate.  Other than that, you are free to try anything that comes to mind.  After the game ends I can answer any questions and if I notice you nearby I’ll share with you what gave you away.”  Rudy’s scent was all over the landscape, he’d been sure to run all about earlier to make following him just by scent a hard task.  Could they figure out the freshest scents or find him by strategy of best spot to hide out?  

“Time starts,” said Rudy as he strode away a few steps, making sure no one did speak up with any questions that couldn’t wait but if no one spoke he’d run off quickly.  Quickly enough he’d run up a hill slope and leap down.  Out of sight, Rudy took an already planned path that included a good bit of twists and turns before stopping underneath a natural ledge of grassy hill.  It was small, but he would be easy to run past if one wasn’t careful, and a bird flying overhead would only see the ground above him.  Rudy's body was mostly under the ledge, but his head peeked around, hidden naturally in the lengthening shadows.  His hiding spot was on a slight rise so that he'd be able to keep an eye on his students to offer advice on how to improve later.  The best way to know what everyone needed to work on was seeing them make an attempt first.  Would they work alone or as a team?  Rudy had intentionally left that up to them.  Regardless, this would be fun.

"Rudyard Carpathius"

She had been made aware of some sort of hunting lesson earlier in the day. While she wasn't naturally inclined to be a hunter, she wasn't going to miss the opportunity to participate in something where she could get a look at some of her new packmates. Between her and Greed, he was the better more natural hunter. She was very much capable of hunting and catching her own food, but it wasn't her favorite sport. She was more intellectually inclined as well as leaned more towards the warrior path, though her favorite hobby was crafting things. She supposed her preferred skills were something she inherited from her mother, but either way, she was both excited and nervous to see what the day held for her. She was one of the first to arrive to the meeting spot, though others quickly arrived and she quietly looked at each one in turn. Soon enough, the wolf that called them together began to speak. She had no idea what his name was, but she was sure to find out eventually. In the meantime, she listened quietly as he talked about today's task and everything that they were going to learn (or should know). So basically, a sort of game of hide and seek. When he finished talking and went bounding over the hill, she cast a glance at her new comrades, still feeling a bit too shy to really speak up let alone bring up a plan. She stood, ready to begin tracking on her own if nobody had anything to say, but she was prepared for the task at hand regardless. Hopefully, she wouldn't do too bad of a job. After all, she had about an entire year's worth of loner experience. Greed had taught her how to track their prey, and she had to admit, it was a helluva lot harder hunting on your own than it was with others. "Speak

If she had been put into anyone else's group besides Rudyard's she might have put up more of a fuss about being pulled out into these hunting events. However, because it was Rudy and because her other siblings had also ended up in this lesson group, she knew she couldn't try to back out of it. She didn't want to let her brother down and wanted to support him with this endeavor. It was just a lesson so at the very least she wasn't being expected to actually kill something—hopefully. While she understood hunting was a regular and neccessary part of life for them to all to be able to eat, any kind of death or violence was still hard for her to watch. She would much rather leave those kinds of tasks to those of them that were more suited to it like her brothers. She followed the group out to Fossil Ridge all the same, willing to at least give it a try for Rudy. For once she left her cape and circlet at home, not wanting either of them to get dirty or damaged during this exercise. She felt oddly exposed and naked without them—especially her circlet since she had worn it nearly every day since Ysmir gifted it to her.

She sat beside Artorias while Rudyard began their lesson, listening like the dutiful student she was while her brother began to explain some of the basic principles that they should know. She didn't like thinking about the fact that her deep knowledge of healing would allow her to know the parts of anatomy that would lead her to be able to kill things more quickly, but she supposed it wasn't an incorrect statement even if she would never wish to use her knowledge in that way. The sneaking up and keeping out of sight was easy enough to understand and she nodded along occasionally while she continued to listen. It was starting to get dark and it made her wonder why her brother had wanted them to come out so late. She soon got her answer as he explained that their game would be to hunt him, the "prize deer". That made her smirk and chuckle a little bit as he showed off his antlers and the shortened puff of what remained of his tail. So the dark was to help him hide then. Clever. She was just about to call for Eilwen to help with their search, but Rudy added on that they weren't allowed to enlist the help of their companions and she hummed softly to herself, wondering how they should do this.

Then Rudy ran off to go hide, leaving them to strategize and start their search. She looked to Artorias and Tika since she knew they were at the very least adept at fighting and probably had more experience with tracking than she did. Claire seemed ready to just go off, but she was always one to plan and figure things out before she did them and this was one thing that she was completely out of her element on. "Should we split up? Pair off?" Naturally she looked to Art to take the lead, but she was more than happy to take suggestions from anyone.

"Gwynevere Carpathius"

Zephyr remained uncharacteristically quiet and shrunken as the group of wolves (and bird) headed off toward fossil ridge for their lesson. The young raptor had partaken in a fighting lesson in the season prior, but it was mostly verbal and conceptual based, not requiring any action or even swift walking from his underdeveloped talons. Already this was more movement than normally demanded of the fledging bird, and he was certain that had he not been in the beginning stages of learning to fly, he would have spent the entire walk, lesson, and return home desperately clutching Artorias' fur - even if he was due to soon overtake his adoptive father's massive size.

Zephyr had not yet mastered most of the technical requirements of flight, but he could manage short and low-altitude glides if given a large smooth slope to run down. The territory itself was rather boring to look at, but it did boast plenty of rolling hills and steep ridges to break apart the monotony and if nothing else, at least the terrain of the Fossil Ridge had enough slopes that he could get some wind beneath his wings and practice. Random unidentifiable rockish-stickish things occasionally poked out from the ridge sides, but traveling with a group there was much less time to investigate and explore. This was a lesson, not a day out on an adventure of curiosity like he was used to. Already he wasn't the largest fan.

How was a wolf supposed to teach him how to hunt, anyways? Zephyr had learned quickly of the difference between his own anatomy and the creatures who had adopted him. He could not run like water as they could, could not leap massive tree trunks or turn at speed, and his own sense of smell might have been gone entirely in comparison to the powerful noses of wolves. If it weren't for Artorias' influence and his desperate desire to be accepted amongst the canines, he likely would have hid himself away in the Goose Room and not come out until this whole ordeal was declared over. Familial love was a powerful thing indeed.

As their instructor began to address them, Zephyr took a break in the grass. Talons outstretched before him he plunked down on his rear and sighed, giving his rapt attention as expected of him to Rudyard who proclaimed himself practically a deer. Zephyr could agree, the wolf did seem rather deerish.

He did not have long to be amused over the fact before Rudy continued to speak, and with every new sentence that broke from the deer-wolf's mouth, Zephyr's worries intensified. A few quick basic details?? Zephyr knew nothing about hunting at all, who's idea was it to throw him into an advanced-expert class? His head whirled in panic toward his father in a brief, wide-eyed, 'why do you hate me' sort of look. Subtlety was explained next, and Zephyr glanced down at his chest and gave a soft, almost imperceptible sniff of his plumage. Did birds smell? Zephyr had no idea. Gods, this sucked. Even if he was somehow devoid of distinctive smells, the young raptor was almost certain he'd already failed the 'don't let them see or hear you' part of the hunting requirements. While hatched by a barn owl, Zephyrus was not one. In learning to fly he was loud and flappy, and no longer was he small enough where he could hide between a wolf's forepaws. Prey: 3, Zephyr: 0.

By the time Rudyard had finished his speech, Zephyrus had lost count of how much of a disadvantage he was at. His head was hung in shame, his beak curved downward in a self-deprecating frown, and then one comment in particular caught the raptor's ear.

"“Oh, and while I’d give your pets a run for their money, this time they don’t get to participate."

With the speed of a bullet Zephyr got to his talons. Escape! Sweet, glorious escape. He gave a sleepy stretch of his wings and did his best to sound dejected, for Artorias' sake at least. "Oh no, shame. I'll go find Eiwen! Maybe she needs company." Spinning swiftly on his talons he began to march happily away, for all of a few feet before he was intercepted. Damn. "I could be a pet." He argued beneath his breath to Artorias but grumpily fell in line beside the group again regardless.

Gwynevere began the group deliberations and Zephyr shrunk further at the question. It was posed casually, but to Zephyr might as well have been advanced mathematics. He nudged a bit closer to the Aegis, hoping that regardless of the decision made he would not be made to split off from his adoptive parent.

"Zephyr"

Rudyard and Fern had approached him the previous season and expressed their desires to spend some time traveling the lands together, enjoying their newfound relationship and honing their skills while having fun. Naturally, Artorias had wanted to send them on their way with his well wishes, but as the Aegis, he had to be prudent about losing his two best hunters. So a bargain had been struck—the Hallows' most masterful hunters would each teach their own lessons to help the rest of the pack improve their own hunting skills so they wouldn't suffer from their absence for a season. Rudy and Fern had held true to their end of the deal, and now Artorias was walking out to the Fossil Ridge with his adoptive son at his side, the early evening sun just beginning to creep into sunset. Zephyrus had been decidedly unhappy about needing to participate in this training, but Art rationalized that at some point Zephyr would need to hunt, so starting out young seemed the best course of action.

He and Zeph arrived just as the rest of the group was congregating around Rudy for his lesson. He shot a proud smile to his littler brother and took a seat beside a very displeased raptor son and his demure little sister to listen in on what Rudy had planned for them today. A game, it seemed, would be their practical lesson for the day! Rudy explained how this game was to test their ability to sneak up on and ambush prey, with himself playing the part of the prey. That got an amused chuckle from Artorias, who eyed his brother's newly acquired rack of antlers with a devilish smirk. Rudyard was indeed looking more and more like prey with each passing day. The rules were set: he would go hide and they had to track him down, sneak up on him, and bag their "kill" all without use of their companions or alerting him. Suddenly Art realized why Rudy had chosen such a late hour for the lesson.

Rudy scampered off into the twilight and Zephyrus tried to dismiss himself from the lesson by claiming he was a pet. A pet! Artorias stopped the fledgling's premature departure with a strong foreleg lifted to block his rapidly growing son's path, fixing him with a look that just read "Really?". "Nice try, buddy," he remarked with a chuckle. "But you're no pet. You're my son." Gwynevere kicked off their discussions by asking how they should proceed. While not the guru hunter his brother was, Artorias knew the basics of hunting and had done a good bit of it in his life. Also, he had the distinct advantage of his much more perceptive and sharp eyes functioning significantly well in the dimming light. Unfortunate for Rudy, but a boon for the hunters. "We should stick together, especially since it's getting darker, but we should maintain some space when we move. We'll cover more ground that way, and we'll be near one another when things kick off." Artorias glanced to Zephyrus, seeing his displeasure and offering the bird a reassuring smile. "When we find him, we're going to need to bring him down fast and with an ambush. Your gliding is going to be very good for covering ground down the ridge, Zeph. Just keep close to me and get ready to go into flight mode as soon as we spot him."

With a rough plan formed, Artorias looked back the way Rudy had run off. His brother had a distinct scent, and so long as he didn't go through water, he should be fairly easy to track. "Zeph and I can take point. Gwyn and Claire, you both bring up the rear and keep a lookout for any clues we might pass." With their roles divided up, Artorias nudged Zephyr with his shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile before setting off after Rudy, using his keen eyesight to follow his trail in the dirt and his flaring nose to track his scent, showing Zeph the prints he was following as they went to teach his raptor child the fundamentals of hunting.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

Rudyard waited as he wondered how much or how little the group had ended up discussing matters.  They did have someone who was quite good at leading and knew the prey closely but would they look to him for advice or each strike out on their own plan?  

Rudyard’s nostrils scented the air, ears pricked to listen for the scary predators that were on the hunt.  The motley grey wolf grinned happily with the game he’d laid out.  He couldn’t hide his scent so instead, he'd just made sure his scent was all over the place.  They’d have to be careful to tell the freshest scent over one only an hour or so old.  Perfectly doable, but not a thing was likely done quickly.  Rudy was gambling on that giving him time to spot them before being spotted.

Rudy hadn’t thought to count on Art’s improved eyesight though so that would end up being a surprise.  Rudy also hadn’t been able to take his time on masking his track and in truth, it was best he didn’t.  Rudyard wasn’t trying to truly flee, he just needed to make sure they had to put some effort and thought into tracking.  

"Rudyard Carpathius"

Quite the number of wolves had shown up for this lesson, and as everyone gathered around, she listened to the lesson at hand. As she listened to what the antlered male was saying, she took a look at her packmates. She was surprised to find there was a rather interesting-looking bird she had never seen before but judging by the way he acted, he was a juvenile. Huh, that was definitely something she was curious about. She had never seen another species among a pack of wolves that wasn't a companion, but from the sound of it, the blue-tinged bird wasn't a companion like hers.

When Rudyard finished his lesson and ended it by going to hide, she waited around for a bit until Artorias instructed where they should go and what they should do. Honestly, she was a little glad. She was used to doing things either on her own or with Greed. It had been months since she had worked with a whole group, so she appreciated having some direction this time around. She took up a position with whoever her partner was supposed to be, and made her way behind the group, eyes, ears, and nose peeled as she made to track down their quarry.