Rakia’s icy blue eyes studied the barren stretch of the ancient riverbed – its stark, gleaming whiteness under the mid-winter sun was almost blinding. Her angular face was alert and her sleek black nose quivered, picking up the faint scent of a nearby bison in the cold air. The sight of her own footprints dotting the marble landscape gave her an odd sense of elation. Each step the hunting party took was calculated, her legs moving with fluid grace against the sheer backdrop of white marble. The jagged cliffs looming around her formed an oddly beautiful prison, while the worn boulders gleamed under the unyielding glare of the overhead sun.

While it wasn’t entirely unheard of for a lone bison to wander this far north, it was uncommon, and they weren’t going to let the opportunity of such a hunt get away from them. Traces of the bison's passing were scant across the riverbed, the only indication a single hoofprint stamped into the brittle frost. Yet, they were a relentless, the lust for the kill driving them forward.

"Rakia Perreau"

With the numerous successful hunts that left a slew of bloodshed and carnage in the Sparse Pines, many of the remaining prey animals had wisely fled from the territory, giving the quartet of lupine hunters little choice but to pursue them into neighboring territories. The pink-tinged fae led them north from the coniferous forests and out to a frozen riverbed, the blue ice broken up by dazzling alabaster stones. The sunlight shining off the rocks was brilliant and had Azrael snow-blind, squinting against the sheer brightness. Camouflage would likely not be his friend out here.

Following her lead and using her tracks in the snow, the dusky violet brute hopped from rock to rock across the ice, tamping down her smaller paw prints with his own larger ones. He didn't know what sort of prey animal could have made it so readily across such uneven and treacherous terrain until he smelled the scent of cold wet hair and earthy musk. It was barely perceptible, having been so much time since the animal had passed here, but it was present nonetheless. He'd never hunted a bison before, but he supposed there was a first time for everything! With renewed fervor, Az followed behind their fearless leader, intent on finding out what bison blood tasted like today.

"Azrael"

Aristaios tracked the lone bison with the ragtag group, his eyes sharp against the blinding whiteness of the ancient riverbed, he blew out a heavy cloud of breath. Another hunt here — with this group he was beginning to trust in, or at least their skills. His nose quivered, catching the faint scent of their quarry in the frigid air. Each step was calculated, his footprints dotting the stark marble landscape as they moved. The jagged cliffs and gleaming boulders formed an oddly beautiful prison, the mid-winter sun harsh overhead. Though strange, lone bison were rare this far north, the opportunity was too great to miss. A single hoofprint in the brittle frost was all they needed; the proof that they were closing in.



""

Melanth and Helonia were engrossed in a deep debate. Both wanted to do this hunt alone; yet, neither wished to give up the front seat. Their internal squabble was unknown to the rest of the hunting group as she did not ever display any sign. Only the shifting of eyes moved quite swiftly from left to right. Though, still seeing everything around them as they moved. Taking brief note of the single lone Bison print in the snow. Something far too rare to pass up. Was it injured? An elder? Or, had it merely gotten lost from the herd? Either way, they both came to an agreement that Mel would take the lead on this. Hel couldn't deny that she had not done so bad the last hunt before. Having taken a moment while the others rested to bathe in Elk's blood. It was why she looked more pink than white. Even though it was slowly fading over time, Mel dared not keep herself filthy like that of Helonia. She was a lady all and all. Despite the hellhound of a voice in her head.

Nose flared against the harsh cold. Condensed smoke left its nostrils as she inhaled deeply to test the surrounding area. The bison alone was not that far off. But, still a bit of distance from where they stood. Her blood bumped with eagerness. Moving pass the two males to stand beside Rakia. For a moment she took in the two beasts with a glint in her eye. She'd been traveling with them through these lands and had not really paid attention to how well they looked. How yummy..
"Helonia"~~"Melanth"

Rakia could sense the anticipation rising, the air electric with the palpable thrill of the hunt. She moved steadily, an orchestrated dance against the snowy canvas. Her gaze focused on their target, a single bison meandering further than it should have dared. She felt her adrenaline spike at the sight of it, large and solitary in the sea of white. The grey toned fae's muzzle twitched as she picked up its earthy scent laced with frost. They were close now, she could feel it. As the others followed her trail, her confidence swelled, her heart pounded in time with the rhythm of their steps. She sensed their unity, their shared purpose creating an intangible bond between them.

As they drew closer, Rakia crouched lower to the ground, her movements becoming a quiet slither through the snow. Every twitch, every sound, every breath counted now. The bison was oblivious to their presence, its attention fixed on scratching through the frost-covered earth for meager sustenance. Rakia watched it for signs of alarm, but there were none; the creature was too focused on survival, too desperate in its hunger to sense the danger that stalked it.

"Rakia Perreau"

The bison grazed without an inch of fear. Its attention lacked what was soon to come. Unknowing of their presence. Like a snake, she slipped through the shadowed underbrush. Snow was silent with every light step of her paws. Like Rakia, she moved ahead. Searching for a better spot to ambush the lone beast. Its head was still low. Tongue licking away at the snow. An occasional flick of his ear was the only sign that it was listening even the slightest.

Melanth cast a gaze t'wards the other three. Having found herself a great distance ahead of them and somewhere near the front of the Bison itself. Her body shuffled as she prepared to spring forth. Nails gripping the earth beneath soft paws. Toes spreading across the snow for further balance. She ceased this moment. While the others remained in place, Mel took it upon herself to make the first move. Launching across the great distance between them. The wide space easily becomes smaller by the second. Her breath formed condensed clouds as she panted. Adrenaline pushed her actions to a deep inquired bloodlust. Helonia howled from the back of her mind. Their joined hunger and excitement released a guttural snarl. All the while, the Bison had taken note of the lone wolf. Its instincts were immediate as it ran in the direction of where the other wolves hid. Chaos rang high. The loud bellows of panic he made filling her blood more.

"Helonia"~~"Melanth"

Aristaios and his group finally located the bison, their collective excitement thick in the crisp air. As one of the females began the hunt, Aristaios swiftly got into position, his muscles tensing in anticipation. The bison, unaware of their presence, grazed peacefully, its massive form a powerful target amongst the snow and frost.

The chase commenced. Aristaios unleashed his full speed, his agile form darting across the snow-covered landscape with grace and precision. The thrill of the hunt surged through him as he closed the distance between himself and the bison, his focus unwavering. His breath came in willowy puffs.

As the bison realized the danger and began to flee, Aristaios felt a surge of adrenaline. Prey drive. His instincts took over, guiding his every move as he pursued the massive beast. With each stride, he drew closer to his quarry, alongside the others.



""

With a quarry as large and as dangerous as a bison, great care needed to be put forward in their tactics. Azrael did not relish the idea of perishing out here on this icy tundra underneath the hooves of some massive beast. Fortunately, it seemed that the others shared his concern. So, with caution and awareness, the four wolves began to ever so slowly talk towards the unaware bison. Being as large and darkly coated as he was, stealth was a limited option for him against the bright white of the Wash, but Az moved slowly and methodically, measuring his breaths so he couldn't fog the air too much and give away his position.

However, despite his best attempts at remaining unseen, it seemed another one of the wolves in the hunting party rolled a natural one on their stealth check, for the bison lifted its head and began to bellow in panic. Shit! It was now or never! A flurry of movement from the other wolves told him they had chosen now. Kicking off the snowy ground in a flurry of icy powder, Azrael sprinted after the fleeing bison, silently cursing the pale wolf that had somehow alerted it despite being the color of the snow when he was fucking purple. Grievances aside, there was a job to do now. Large paws crushed snow and ice beneath his weight, mouth open and pulling in lungfuls of air as the brute made a mad dash for the bison, closing the gap fast. Azrael surged ahead of the group, trying to cut the bison off and get it to veer towards the wolves so the group could mob it and bring it down fast.

"Azrael Saxe"

Rakia was waiting, her body taut with anticipation. The situation had changed rapidly; the bison had become aware of their presence, and now they were in a race against time. Hunter instincts kicked in, driving her forward with the rest of the group. Suddenly, movement exploded around her as the others broke cover. The bison was on the move, stumbling in alarm over the frost-covered ground. Despite its great size and strength, fear made it clumsy — an advantage for them. She leaped forward with the others, trying to choose the best path that would take them ahead of the bison’s course.

Their paws kicked up powdery snow, leaving a shimmering trail behind them. Rakia’s heart pounded in her chest, instilling a rhythm to her chase. The cold air bit into her lungs as she drew in quick, sharp breaths. She could hear the others around her, their panting and swift movements. Rakia focused, her gaze locked onto the bison's heaving flank.

As she drew close enough, Rakia made her move. She lunged forward, her body a blur of gray and white against the prevailing snowscape. With a swift, calculated motion, she sank her teeth into the bison's hind leg, hoping to slow it down for the others. The beast bellowed in alarm and pain, its massive form thrashing in an attempt to shake her off.

But Rakia was relentless. She braced herself against the frigid earth as her jaws clamped down harder, a primal growl rumbling in her chest. Ignoring the sting of cold winds whipping at her face and the threat of being trampled beneath the panicking creature, she held on with determination. There would be no escape, the bastard.

"Rakia Perreau"

She’d succeeded in stirring the massive beast. Its clumsy attempt of escape started off quite pitiful. Discovery of grounding to finally continue a mission of getting way. Did absolutely nothing against the hunting party of wolves.

Melanth pushed herself harder to catch up. Jaws snapping the air with ferocious energy as she made the move. Teeth exposed in an instant before sinking into the fatty tissue of the Bison’s flank. His hide a bitter taste on her tongue as she tried to apply her own weight. Trying to slow the thrashing herbivore down along side Rakia.

Bellows of pain and panic dropped her ears back to tighten against her skull. Mel pressing paws down with the grip of claws to steady her balance. This sucker www going down one way or another.
"Helonia"~~"Melanth"

Without a moment's hesitation, he surged ahead, his powerful frame cutting through the snow like a knife. The rest of the group closed in around the bison. Each wolf took their position, their coordinated attack creating a tightening circle of teeth and muscle. Aristaios' muscles rippled beneath his thick fur as he approached the bison circling from the front, his focus solely on its exposed throat.

With a calculated leap, he launched himself at the bison's neck. His strong bones and tough skin absorbed the impact as he collided with the beast. His jaws clamped down on its throat with unyielding force, the taste of blood igniting his bloodlusting instincts. The bison's bellows of pain and fear reverberated through the frozen air, but Aristaios held firm.

The groups combined weight and ferocity began to overpower the massive beast. Aristaios' powerful jaws crushed down, cutting off the bison's air and hastening its downfall. The bison's struggles grew weaker, its strength ebbing away under the relentless assault of the wolves.

Aristaios' breath came in heavy bursts through his nares as he maintained his hold, his heart pounding with the thrill of the hunt. His eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of a well-executed strategy as the bison's movements slowed to a final, shuddering halt.


""

Working together as a unit against the absolute unit of an animal, the four wolves had the bison down to its last legs in no time flat. The bison was a hardy animal, but in a straight flat run, it could not outpace the predators snapping at its heels. Azrael bit down at its thighs a couple of times, trying to hamstring the creature to slow it down and bring the chase to an end while also deftly avoiding those deadly hooves. Blood splattered across his face as the bison stumbled, and that was all the opening the patchwork brute needed to once more go for the coup de grace and rend its throat. Azrael slowed to a halt as the bison came down, slowly perishing surrounded by the wolves, Az grinning with triumph with a look of maddened glee on his bloodstained face. Well, this had been a fun day indeed!

"Azrael Saxe"