Travelling from the rapids to the coast was a short trip, though the hunters needed to be mindful of their path. The chosen hunting ground was largely inaccessible except by a few hidden paths, so they had to take a roundabout route through the nearby bay in order to reach the isolated beach. Even from a distance, it was easy to tell what the prey of choice was today. The cacophony of seals calling to one another would be deafening once they'd closed in, so Nao stopped a fair distance away to offer guidance before audible communication would become impossible. A keen gaze tracked the movements of the harbour seals, chubby grey bodies that waddled awkwardly once on land. Spring was their season for pupping, and there were very few males that dared to spend time on shore protecting their females. Which meant that the risks of this hunt were a little lower, but hardly a safe bet. "I stumbled over this haul-out spot a few weeks ago, it has been heavily used since the females began to have pups." he explained quietly, keeping one eye on the mass of bodies as he spoke. "Once we get close, many of them will simply flee into the ocean. We don't need to concern ourselves with them, unless they are slow. The ones who stay will be mothers with pups, who will fight back. Once we pick one, I will keep her distracted until you can close in." while this may have seemed like an extensive explanation, the dark male was eager to ensure that his particular hunting style would still function with an unfamiliar hunting partner. "Since you are much larger, it will be easier for you to subdue and kill the female, leaving less risk of injury for us. We should get in and out quickly, as the rest of the herd may try to protect the mother and pup. Once the female is dead, I can take the pup, and we can be gone before the rest of the seals come back up the beach." though the way he spoke was measured and even, he was somewhat uncertain about lending the bulk of the work to the Sumatar. After all, it was an assessment of his skills. However, his own pragmatism won out over any sort of vanity. With the superior strength and size of the Sumatar to his advantage, there was a much greater chance for success. He took a few steps towards the towering cliffs, eyes narrowing at the distant precipice. He noticed no figures peering down, nor any tumbling pebbles that might indicate a problem from above. So they were off. He wanted to get this finished before the tide began to move in, as the majority of the seals would move back into the water once it did. He stuck to the waterline, letting the cool waves lap at his paws. Each step brought a splash, but he did not bother to concern himself with stealth for once. He wanted them to flee, to weed out the bulk of the herd. As they drew closer, some of the stragglers on the fringes of the haul-out began to bellow alarm calls, flopping awkwardly towards the sea as they did. ""

Kotori followed along behind Nao, content with the silence as they made the short trip.  It was clear that Nao had been out here more than once with his familiarity with the path.  Kotori had spent very little time out here, finding little reason to bother with this area.  Nao moved with assuredness that suggested he knew a reason to pay attention to this speck of beach.  Before they were close Kotori figured out what Nao was coming here for – seals.

Kotori had never hunted a seal before!  He watched the fat balls of blubber, so slow and clumsy on land yet seemingly able to dance in the waves.  Kotori imagined how he would attempt to hunt one but set his notions aside as he listened to Nao.  Kotori nodded attentively as Nao informed him moms would be bold enough to fight for their kids.  A smirk curved his face at the notion of those fat things attempting to fight him.

This was a hunt for Nao to prove his abilities.  It was an interesting choice then to tell Kotori to make the kill.  It was choosing the best route for success in the hunt instead of showing off his ability to make a kill.  The obsidian wolf had a good strategy and had his own way of doing things.  The seal pod might try to protect the mother?  Kotori hadn’t known seals would help each other.  Kotori wouldn’t have faulted Nao if he’d switched roles to prove himself but this worked.

Nao took off after giving instructions and Kotori followed.  Secrecy was gone as they ran along the beach, water lapping at their paws.  Seals were flowing to the ocean, barking calls to escape the pair of wolves.  Kotori noticed that inside their mouths they did have decently sized teeth.  Hard to worry about something that had a waddling or dragging itself along the land.

Kotori’s gaze searched for the seals that refused to budge, as well as those running for the sea.  Their target wasn’t the ones fleeing apparently.  Kotori didn’t suggest who to go far, so far Nao had proved knowledgeable and this was his hunt.

"Kotori"

They were off like a pair of arrows fired across the beach, cutting along the edge of the water and making no shortage of noise as they splashed along. He hadn't missed the quizzical looks or the hint of bemusement at the notion of wariness around the seals. He simply opted to ignore them. He'd been looked down upon his entire life, he was no stranger to an authority figure assuming him to be weak. The dark male took it in stride. The measurement of his success would be in whether or not they brought the seal home today, not how valiantly he fought against the half-tonne mass of blubber and muscle. So as the majority of the group began to flee into the waves to avoid being the wolves' target, he cut around the haulout towards the cliffs. Pushing them into the water would be easier, as it would show which of the animals was truly unwilling to abandon their space on the beach. If they approached from the water, they would effectively corner many of the seals, most of which would feel pressed to fight back. This way the option to exit was easy. The wraith looked over his shoulder to his hunting partner, and jerked his head towards the wide open stretch of beach that was rapidly emptying of bellowing bodies. The Sumatar was the one to make the kill and he would be most effective approaching from behind, once all of the remaining females were focused on Nao. Which meant that now was his time to set to work. He circled around the increasingly small space that remained full of seals, making a grand show of raising his hackles and snapping his teeth. Meeker souls would shy away, and make for the water. Of course, all of the seals were bellowing and lowing like their lives depended on it. Which, to their credit, it largely did. If wolves hunted by sound, he would be unable to function amidst the cacophony of seals snarling at him. The slender male lunged at one of the females closest to him, whose shiny grey form was curled around the squalling form of her pup. She didn't balk at the threat, and instead, swung her graceless body towards him with jaws stretched wide. He readily moved aside to avoid the bite, and gave her a bit more room. There were quite a few nursing mothers pressed close on all sides of her. This was their prime location, it seemed. A few dozen enormous bodies clustered together in a region where the sea was close enough to leave for hunting, but far enough away for their young to be safe from the many others who hauled out onto the shore and might trample an infant. Perhaps he'd move around them. Search for a female who was more isolated, further away from the prime pupping spot. As he skirted along the cliffs, placing himself firmly in the middle of the haulout, his attention caught on a few stragglers who had yet to make for the water. Were they assuming themselves safe behind the knot of angry mothers? Time to find out! Fluffed up and snarling like a rabid beast, Nao charged the tiny group of harbour seals. Before he'd gotten more than a few hundred feet from them, the whole group dispersed. Or did they? In the wake of their barking, bellowing flop down the beach, there was a lone body left behind. The female was quite a bit bigger than most of the mothers he'd been checking out before, perhaps too self assured by her bulk to feel the need to cling to the safety of numbers. As he approached, snapping and snarling all the while, she wheeled awkwardly to face him. Tucked close to her chest were a pair of squealing, terrified pups. The dark male paused, taking a beat to search for Kotori and his progress across the haulout. Once he managed to catch sight of the larger man and make eye contact, he set about phase two of the hunt. Making a great big show about being an apex predator. It was a strange dance, where he had to slowly pivot and turn to keep the large seal facing him while he goaded her into a fight. Her only real weapon was that great big mouth with it's sharp teeth, but it was surprisingly mobile for such an otherwise awkward animal. Nao set upon her cautiously at first, testing her speed and reflexes with a few well-placed bites aimed at her shoulders. She couldn't move well without sacrificing the protective cover of her bulk over the pups, so she didn't have the same range of motion to defend herself that another seal might. He settled for lunging towards the pups intermittently, forcing her to meet him face to face each time. Certainly this was enough of a distraction from the surrounding haulout that the Sumatar could find his mark to attack from behind? It was merely a waiting game, hoping that she didn't start trying to flee in the meantime. ""