Southwest toward the coast, Ghoul traveled. Slow, easy steps to enjoy some of the final days of summer. Rolling in off the ocean, a fluttering sea breeze pressed against his face, ruffling his pale coat. Without only his surroundings to keep him company, he relished in the silence, if only for a moment. Taking care of five needy pups and making sure Cricket was doing okay was a lot of work. Putting Mac in charge of keeping them safe for the afternoon was the only reason he'd even allowed himself to leave the den. Coming to a rise in the landscape, he stops at the crest to peer down into the natural depression of land. To his surprise, a large flock of seemingly massive seagulls were nesting. His brow furrows as his head tilts to the side. When had these things migrated here? Realizing that he can probably catch one since the birds are busy keeping eggs busy, he quickly hunkers down in a patch of small grass to watch their movements. Though some of the large birds fly in and out of the basin, many of them stay nestled upon their nests.

1/3 Hunt a large prey animal - snowy albatross (wingspan ranging 8-11 ft.)

Marrow

For the most part Marrow was enjoying the more lush areas of the west. The desert was miserable though, she avoided that at all costs. When she arrived at a sweet smelling grassland she took a moment to enjoy the scent of the land itself before she started digging beneath that for something more. As always, she was on the hunt for prey or carcasses. She didn't care which, food was food. It was then she caught a familiar scent that was most definitely not a prey scent. It was the squirrel man! Where the squirrel man was there was a chance of getting fed so she immediately followed the scent to see if he was willing for some help in exchange for snacks.

As she neared her pace slowed and she slunk down into the grass until she found him. She cleared her throat gently before whispering. "Hunting? May I join?" She glanced down at the birds, eyes flitting between them and the eggs. She'd be happy with either.

Gru had followed after the big pink guy since it seems like the adult knows how to hunt things. However, his legs where short and keeping up with the longer strides of Ghoul was a challenge and he wasn’t about to shout at him to slow down because he probably wasn’t supposed to be following him. By the time he spies the guy again, there is another wolf with him, a pale female that he does know.

Huffing and puffing, he joins them on the crest of the hill, plopping his butt down to rest as his pale blue eyes scan the gathered birds below. Eyes light up as he looks to Ghoul, excitedly asking, “Are we going to catch one?!” Questions about the logistics swirl in his mind but he keeps them to himself because, obviously, Ghoul knows what he is doing. He is super smart after all.


"Gruesome Nightwing"

Soul searching was no quick task but month by month the wandering quelled, replaced by a desire to see his family again. Coran wondered how they were doing. Was everything going well? Had they all split up? He knew Ardyn and Tell had gone in search of her family but what of the rest? Trying to find them was going to be a daunting task but he figured the best place to start was the beginning and so he headed south through the Sweetgrass Basin on his way to the Vericona Plains. It would've been an uneventful trip if he hadn't caught the scent of several wolves nearby, a mix of scents from differing packs. Now that was curious. He approached the group cautiously, noting that they were all watching some giant birds. "Excuse me, are all of you hunting? May I join?"

As he focuses on the swarm of nesting albatross, his sense alert him to a familiar scent. Marrow. The yearling loner he had shown squirrel loops to. His gaze briefly switches to her as she nestles down beside him. "Always room for another," his breathy whisper barely makes it between his lips before he's focused back in on the birds. Which one was best? The closest? The oldest? The one with the most to lose? Before he can make his next move, a second familiar scent reaches him but one from Insomnia, his nephew, Gruesome. Ruby eyes dart to the pup, his chest rumbling with a warning growl. "Yes, but do not do anything that will put me on your mother's bad side," Ghoul warms the youngster, his eyes narrowing a moment before he lets out a sigh. How could he deny the pup? One so eager to learn too. Besides, the birds wouldn't do much harm anyway. They'd prefer flying off more than anything. Just as his focus is back and ready to pick a bird, one last voice, this one completely unfamiliar, rings out quietly. This time, Ghoul doesn't look back, just gives his head a brief nod. "More the merrier," he replies, eyes still set on the nesting birds. "I think it'll be easier to go for one. What with those massive wings, it'll be difficult to pin one done for each of us," Ghoul finally sees a rather plump albatross, either too old or having eaten too many fish, he decides that would be the one. "Not far toward the back left, see that round one? Beak tucked under the wing, no mate helping adjust the eggs, that'll be our target," he nudges his muzzle in the direction of the bird that he has his eyes on. "We want to be stealthy, follow my lead around the basin and when I give the signal, we'll all go for a piece of the bird," with that, Ghoul takes lead around the edge of the basin, still tucked behind the tall grass that acts as a barrier along the ridge. His steps are silent, breathing even, muscles tensed, as he makes way over. When they're aligned as well as they could be, Ghoul stops a moment, allowing the grass to settle. As the time comes, seeing how the bird drifts off into a deeper sleep, Ghoul lets out a quiet noise before taking off toward the bird's nest.

2/3 Hunt a large prey animal - snowy albatross (wingspan ranging 8-11 ft.)

Marrow

Marrow grinned as the red-eyed man accepted her into the hunt. Excellent! She really wondered what the birds tasted like and she could use some fuel for the next leg of the journey. Movement caught her eye. It seemed she wasn't the only one interested in hunting one of the large birds. A pup arrived that smelled similar to the man, followed by a lone male. She settled in to listen to the plan. It was decided they'd go for one of the large birds, a lone bird that didn't have a mate to assist. Marrow's ears perked up at the mention of eggs. Maybe after they slayed the bird they could eat the eggs to. If they were lucky maybe there'd be one for each of them. "Sounds good."

Marrow slinked down and followed Ghoul around the basin, doing her best to duck down and slink along the grasses despite her larger height. She settled in the wait for the signal, limbs tucked beneath her like coiled springs.

At his uncle Ghoul’s words about not getting on his mother’s bad side, the pup shoots the pink man a huge, innocent grin as he practically oozes, ‘Who me?’. Another man joins them to round out the group and Gruesome listens intently as the plan is explained. Eyes track over to the bird Ghoul points out and the boy absently nods his head, wondering if the other birds will try to snatch his body up if he gets too close.

Then they are off, carefully tracing their way around the basin out of sight of the flock as they prepare to hunt. Once they reach the spot, Gru watches his uncle tense his body and he mirrors the man, readying to take off the moment the signal is given. Excitement builds, making his stomach flip flop and causing small shivers to race through this frame.

Then, a quiet noise is given and Ghoul is off and running and the pup is fast behind him. Being young and supplied with boundless energy, the pup actually moves up to and past the adult. The excitement pushing Gruesome into the flock ahead of the adults and he barks with eagerness as the huge birds begin to take off, their wings beating the air and buffet the young pup.


"Gruesome Nightwing"

Coran settled in as he was invited to join the lead male. He listened quietly and nodded to himself at the mention of those massive wings. He could see how difficult it would be to ground one of those birds, not to mention getting smacked with one of those could do some serious damage. He nodded once more at the plan and then started to slink off around the basin edge. Coran's pelt lended itself well to hunting, the strange, striped pattern allowing him to melt into the waving grasses. He found himself a good spot then settled in to wait. Soon he heard the signal and saw the pale male take off toward one of the birds. Coran followed suit, exploding out of his hiding place, scattering birds as he shifted course, headed toward the one their leader was.

Thankful that the group is ready and willing, Ghoul continues toward the sleeping albatross. With their speed and the downward slope of the basin, it is easy to rush up on the bird. While the rest of the flock takes to the air, their target only has time to cry out an alarm, its wings lifting from its sides before Ghoul is grabbing on. His mouth opens, paws digging in to slow his speed, as he latches on to the wing joint of the right wing. The bird's head swings around, beak aiming to peck at his face as it flusters and flaps erratically. Hanging on tightly, he takes the few pecks to the face, hoping the others will finish taking down the bird before he has to let go.

3/3 Hunt a large prey animal - snowy albatross (wingspan ranging 8-11 ft.)

Marrow

Marrow let the others race forward first, calculating their movements before she sprang forward herself, darting rapidly toward the birds. She saw Ghoul grab hold of one of the wings, stalling the birds take off long enough for her to leap onto its back, her weight forcing it down. Claws dug in deep to the bird's side as she grabbed ahold of its neck, right in the middle. Not high enough to strangle but she tried to thrash her head. Dang it! The bird's neck was strong and suddenly its beak struck her, tearing into her cheek. Marrow released her grip, snarling as she swatted the bird across the face, claws drawn.

The fat puppy bounds joyfully into the throng of huge birds, snapping at some of them as he passes. Huge wings beat the air as he goes, sending swirling currents of wind at him as they try to knock the small pup off course. But it does not deter him and Gru bounces up to where the injured albatross waits as his uncle quickly latches onto its right-wing joint, effectively grounding the bird. The pup skids to a stop as his pale lavender eyes watch as the injured prey squawks and peaks at his uncle in a futile bid to find freedom.

Then, the pale woman is there, seeking the bird’s throat and receiving a wounded cheek instead. Gruesome growls as he sees the blood spring to life on the woman’s pale fur and he rushes in, grabbing one the animal’s webbed feet and immediately pulls it toward him. Snarling, the pup works to try and pull the bird toward him so that he might get the creature flat on its back and expose its throat for the killing blow. Adjusting his grip, teeth sink deeply into the upper leg of the beast as he continues drag the albatross down.


"Gruesome Nightwing"

The hunt leader caught the bird, clinging to the right wing joint as the other wolves swarmed in. The pale yearling landed on the bird's back, grabbing at the base of the neck while the pup snagged a leg. Coran put on a burst of speed, his claws ripping through sand and grass as he took a great leap toward the bird, propelling himself up as high as he could. Coran's fangs latched around the bird's neck, an inch below the beak. He bit down hard, hearing the strangled squawk as he hit the ground. Coran thrashed his head violently, trying to break the powerful neck but at that point he'd already crushed its airway and soon the bird lay still. Coran held on a few moment's more to be sure it was really dead before releasing his hold.