Kichi normally didn’t feel a need to travel overly far to hunt but he had scented elk and chosen to follow the scent. These rapids had once belonged to another pack. There were certainly plenty of smells of other wolves having passed in and out of this area but no signs of the official markings of land ownership. It was interesting how quickly prey would become more numerous in an area that wolves had departed. Smart prey knew to not step on wolf land.

The wind picked up quickly, whipping his fur and Kichi smelled the rain promised in each gust. He also smelled the young elk and if he left now the scent would surely vanish after the storm. It was always amazing how fast a blue sky could turn dark grey from rain clouds. The lightning danced, trying to break free from the clouds, brightening up the bottom of each cloud. The grass was like its own river of green as the wind kept it rippling and the thunder was growling deeply above him.

Kichi shrugged it off. He’d spent many a night outside in the storms before he joined the pack. A fat drop of rain hit him, another and a few more and then the storm was on him. He stepped under a tree, at least a little less rain striking his face and shoulders but, that wasn’t why he stood there. The elk was nearby. Were it not raining Kichi was sure he’d be able to see it but the downpour shortened his line of sight. The rain dampened the scent but it wasn’t gone.

Kichi stepped around the tree but then stopped as another scent came to him, turning his head to the right he could make out the form, at least the front portion of another wolf. Then lightning flashed and for a moment two things became clear. The elk is further away near the water's edge and the wolf is near him. She was probably bright colored normally though in this weather the colors were all muted. Kichi gave the wolf a silent nod before turning his head to where the elk was. The water next to it was raging fast, froth spraying about and Kichi doubted anyone would want to risk jumping in that.

“You can help if you like.” Some asked or suggested pairing up but not Kichi. He’d attempt it alone if need be but he wasn’t going to invite a stranger along as if he needed their help. The gray wolf would permit it though because, well, he’d probably need the help.

Word Count: 432 / 1500

"Kichi"

The land that Kotori had attempted to stake claim to calls to the scarred woman today. Dark gray clouds hang low in the sky, threating to unleash their contents on the inhabitants below. White-dipped paws pull Tove alongside the rushing rapids, as the scent of the coming rain fills the scarred woman’s nostrils. Pulling in a great breath, she pauses as, along with the smell of rain, she finds that there are elk nearby.

Paws change course, sending her toward the herd even as thoughts pull the older wolf’s mind in several directions. She is distracted as she moves to intercept the herd, the clouds opening up send rain crashing to earth. At the same time, the wind begins to pick up, sending the drops smacking against her scarred pelt, stinging her eyes and filling her nostrils. As the herd draws near, a gray wolf comes into view.

Eyebrows lift as she moves toward the, joining the younger wolf behind the tree where he hides. He gives a silent nod and Tove returns it, inclining her brow and dipping her head in agreement to his statement. Without a word, the pair separate, moving around opposite sides of the tree and widening their gap as they approach the herd. The tall hooved animals cannot sense them in the driving rain, allowing the two hunters to get fairly close without having to try too hard.

Looking to the male, Tove squints in an effort to find him through the sheets of rain, the older woman shocked at how quickly the weather has changed. Did he nod at her? Uncertain but not wanting to let her hunting companion down, the scarred woman rushes in, growling and moving to cut off a younger male from the rest of the group. The rain continues to pelt them, obscuring vison and muddling the wolves senses.

Some part of the older woman’s brain screams at her to be alarmed but the thrill of the hunt has taken over all of her senses. The elk startle, sounding the alarm and racing away from the wolves and the riverbank. Tove races after their prize, legs churning in an effort to keep the prey animal within her limited view range.

Suddenly, the elk cuts right and the quick change of direction sends the older wolf tumbling to the ground in order to avoid getting trampled. Picking herself up off the sodden grass, that nagging sense of dread tugs at her mind once again and this time Tove cannot ignore it. Duel-toned eyes shift down to where her paws are and note the water there. Wait… there is too much water to just be from the rain.

Horror slowly sets in as she glances back at the rushing rapids and sees that the waters have broken over the banks. Tove races after the gray male, shouting when she is within range, “FLOOD!”. While the hunt is important, keeping their lives takes paramount. The wolves need to find high ground now and the elk seem to be leading them to where they need to go. She follows after them, trying to get to a safe area to avoid drowning, while hoping that the gray male is following after her.


WC: 537
Total WC: 969 / 1500

"Tove Baade"

The other wolf agrees and that is enough for Kichi.  He looks back, measuring how close he can get to the elk before the chase itself starts.  His eyes try to follow Tove to keep up with where she is in this damned storm but its practically impossible.  Well, he knows where she should be setting herself up, assuming she knows how to hunt well.  How long does she need?

Kichi watches and when a bolt of lightning strikes he finally see’s her.  She’s almost in a good position so Kichi waits but then the darkness is back.  The grey wolf lowers his head, waiting and watching the elk.  Little did he know that moving his head down would be seen as a possible nod.

Kichi didn’t need a great picture to know that the form of the wolf was chasing a form that would be an elk.  Kichi runs to catch up and run along the opposite side of the elk.  The water is pelting his eyes, causing him to make them small slits and straining his mind to focus only on their food and not the storm.  The grass is slippier than what he normally would be on when hunting.

The wolf he was hunting with suddenly seems to be gone.  Was it kicked? Had she tumbled? Jumped clear?  Who knew and who cared?  Kichi followed the elk as it twisted right, snapping at a leg and nearly getting kicked just for biting the air near it.  Maybe hunting in this weather was madness.  His feet splashed through a thin layer of water but that was ignored as unimportant.  

Kichi tried again and this time connected a bite to the animal's leg.  It kicked and while it didn’t hit Kichi the wolf did have to jump back to avoid being hit.  The grey wolf almost lost his own footing and had to catch his balance the elk already farther ahead.  Had the stranger just yelled something?  Kichi hadn’t been paying attention.  As the grey wolf mulled over trying to find the elk again, trying to think back what the other wolf had said Kichi finally glanced down.  His ears straightened up as he saw how he was standing in a stream of water where it should have just been grass.

Kichi glanced to where the river was and found that the line where land joined water was now no longer in sight.  Flood! That’s what she’d hollered at him!  Damn, he’d be going back with nothing to show for it.  Squinting through the storm he tried to spot the stranger but a gust of wind came and it was like the rain and the wind was a thick curtain cutting everything else out of sight.  Kichi was wetter than the dang fish.

The wolf sighed as he fully admitted his loss.  Tove wasn’t in sight and nothing special to him so there was no point in searching her out to see if she’d be alright.  With a sigh, Kichi turned around and at first started walking away but with another glance at the water actually rising the wolf took off at a run.  How high could the water get?  It was one of those things it's best to not learn most likely.  Good luck to Tove as Kichi left without a glance behind.

Word Count: 554
Word Count Total: 1523
"Kichi"