ooc; FOR SKILL POINTS. Anyone may participate, but just to refresh on the rules: I need at least one other participant for a medium prey animal, please ONLY join if you can fulfill your end of the bargain... you must be able to post at least three times in a timely manner for us to receive the skill points!

Lips parted in a neat 'o' shape as he tilted his crown back and let loose a summoning howl. It was vague in reference to whom he was calling, as it didn't much matter to him who decided to join him on this hunt. It had been a while since he'd felled another creature personally, and he had decided it was high time to catch his own meal. A gentle breeze swayed the longer fur on his chest as he stood not far from the lake awaiting anyone who might come. Autumn was here in full force and he blissfully drew in a breath of fall. Soon enough it would be winter, his favorite season. An ear flickered subconsciously as a droplet of rain caressed his sensitive guard hairs. He soon found that another would land atop his head, followed by another, and another. The rain picked up into a steady drizzle, just loud enough to be heard and heavy enough to wet his upper layer of fur. He tilted his head to the side and watched it disturb the previously placid water of the lake. Ah well, rain or no rain - a wolf had to eat sometime. ""

The call of her brother was quite difficult to ignore. Lysis had spent quite some time, before reuniting with Kyarst and joining Imperium, hunting only the smallest animals on her own. And truth be told, feasting on small rodents and bird wasn't quite as satisfying as taking down a much larger prey animal. A slight grin played on her features as she loped forward, her pace increasing when she felt a droplet of rain land on her snout. She highly doubted that the weather would deter him at all, so even as the rain began to fall a bit harder - steadying to a strong drizzle - she'd continue toward where he'd called from. Her head would bow to the ground slightly as he came into view, blinking the rainwater from her eyes as she peered across to him. Her posture was relaxed, her expression placid and her smile genuine as she moved to nudge his shoulder as she moved to embrace him. The contact was brief, and curiosity shone in her hazel stare as she eyed him. "Hungry?" she'd quip lightly, grinning more widely at him, wondering what exactly he had planned.. and if anyone else might join them.

His lips drew up into a smile even before he saw her, for her scent drifted toward him and he inhaled it like a drug. Head snapped in her direction, as if she were a bee that had just stung him and required immediate attention. He felt her nudge his shoulder, and he would reciprocate by craning his head around to embrace her the only way he knew how. She quickly drew away, though, quipping something about him being hungry. A growl bubbled deep in his chest. "Starving," he murmured, though it was obvious he was hungry for more than just food based on the twinkle in his eye. He clicked his jaws audibly and then relaxed his posture, knowing that at any moment someone could join them. This whole facet of their relationship was new and exciting, but he hadn't honestly decided how open he wanted to be about it. "I'm sick of rabbits. I got a doe once on my own but she was sick and couldn't really fight back." Not that any deer ever really stood a chance against a seasoned warrior. "Anyway, what sounds appetizing?" His head tilted at an angle, his brow furrowing as he asked the question. "Pick something good," he voiced in jest. ""

Ah, she loved this attention. Her smile would widen as he greeted her, her tail wagging happily behind her. There was no use in pretending that she didn't crave his touch, or his company, and she leaned gladly into him as he embraced her. He admitted he was starving and she'd laugh, a near-giggle that escaped her lips with ease. "As am I," she'd reply with a nod. A good hunt sounded quite appealing, not only for the actual meal but also for the release of adrenaline that the chase would supply them with. He seemed just as eager as she was to take down something larger than usual. Obviously they couldn't go for anything huge, but chasing rabbits and rats was pretty dull and certainly not satisfying as a meal. Lysis felt her mind spinning as she considered what they could go after. Her head would swivel to the side as she examined the land around them, going over the scents that she'd encountered recently. "I could've sworn that I'd caught the scent of some pigs the other day," she'd comment as she squinted, staring into the distance. "Maybe there are still some around here..."

Rabbits had grown to be a bore, and even though the red meat of the doe had been satisfying, there was something to a tag team hunt that only served to add excitement into one's life. Particularly when your teammate was also your lover. She mentioned having smelled pigs in the area, and his nostrils flared instinctively. A nice fat pig would be a marvelous meal. "Where did you last scent them?" he queried, realizing for the first time in a long time it seemed she would be taking the lead. It was odd, but it was something he could at least try to get used to - on occasion. He watched as she seemed determined to spot them, and his gaze followed hers into the distance, his own emerald eyes narrowing slightly to focus on any movement they might find. "They like to dig around tree roots," he thought aloud, figuring that that might be an obvious place to find them. The rain continued to tap along his spine, reminding him that most prey would probably also be seeking shelter from the deluge. Perhaps the forest would be teeming with edible arrangements just waiting to be had. ""

It was quite rare for her take the lead when it came to Kyarst. Perhaps it told just how much she trusted him, or perhaps it was simply how things had happened to go. Lysis had no qualms with voicing her opinion around him, nor would she be inclined to do something that she didn't want to. Maybe it was just that they often wanted the same things, being siblings and all.. She'd find herself smirking at his words. "Away from the barn," she began, her eyelids narrowing to nearly conceal her hazel eyes as she scanned the horizon. "Closer to the river to the west." Her nose would wrinkle as she searched the air for a scent of them, but it seemed the wind was blowing away from that area rather than toward them, though the rain seemed to mask any possible scents she might find anyway. It seemed they'd have to scout the land out before coming to any conclusions. The rain was steady overhead, and briefly she shook the moisture from her coat. "You're right," she began, her voice more serious than usual. The sooner they took down their meal, the sooner they could hide from the rain and fill their bellies with food. "They're probably hiding beneath the trees near the river, waiting for the storm to pass." It wasn't really much of a storm, but it was certainly raining and she knew most creatures tended to hide from the rain. "Let's go," she'd proclaim after a moment, moving to start into a brisk trot as they moved toward the area she hoped to find them in.

They would not be able to track the pigs in the normal way, given that the rain had washed away most of the scent trails in the area and blocked the scents from traveling on the wind. They would have to rely on their eyes, which would also be tricky given the amount of rain falling. She reported having smelled them away from the barn, closer to the river in the west. Moments later she concurred with his thought about the pigs rooting around the trees. "Naturally," he crooned, a sly grin upon his features. He was always right, wasn't he? His brow quirked as he watched her think, listening to her speak about the fact that the pigs were probably riding out the storm under the trees near the river. He nodded, though she wasn't looking at him, and followed suit, picking up a bouncy trot at her side. He found his pace slowing ever so slightly, drifting behind her a stride or two so that his eyes could take in the curve of her spine and the way her hips moved when she trotted. Normally, he might've strived to stay alongside of her, maybe even a stride in front just to prove to her that he was in charge, but he found this much more interesting. That being said he would let his steps come slower and more deliberately so that he would always fall a stride or two behind her and to her right, far enough back to watch her every move. His eyes roved hungrily over her frame as they neared their target destination, and in the distance he could just barely hear the roar of the river over the sound of the falling rain. Lust temporarily sated, he would draw himself forward, aiming to come up and bump his left shoulder against her right. "Alright, what's the game plan?" ""

Leading came naturally, especially when it came to one thing that they both wanted right now - a good hunt and a filling meal. She was slightly oblivious as he let her lead, content to take the reins as they began to head further west. Content to fall into a comfortable silent, she merely snorted playfully in response to his comment. Only briefly would she turn to eye him, noting that his gaze held a bit of want though she was ignorant as to whether it was directed toward her or simply adrenaline from the possibility of a hunt. She'd slow when she felt him bump her shoulder, turning briefly to him as they neared the river. She exhaled gently before breathing in the scents that surrounded them. The air was damp and she had to shake her head once again to rid her eyelashes of water. "There," she'd say softly, gesturing to a group of trees that stood nearby. "I saw movement." How many were there, she wasn't sure, but she was certain she saw them rustling beneath the foliage. They'd likely be caught off guard in the storm, and she hoped that in the chaos one of them might separate from the others. Perhaps one might even be weaker than the rest, and show itself as an easy target. "Maybe you should go at them from the right," Lysis would begin, her tail flicking as she devised a plan. "Try to loop around them from the side and force them toward the river. I'll run at them from this side. In the confusion, hopefully one will stray from the rest.." Even if they tried to swim, it would likely be panicked and sloppy in the midst of the storm, and she hoped even then they might be able to chase one down before it got too far.

His hunger for her would quickly be diminished by the hunger in his gut. She would call his attention with her single word, 'there'. His eyes followed her line of sight until he spotted the movement for himself. There, in the bushes, was a cluster of who knew how many pigs. They were much like wolves, always traveling in packs, and he wondered idly how many they were going up against. One would suit them just fine, and so he hoped that if their plan was good enough they might single one out. She suggested he go at them from the right and force them toward the river. Their options would be to swim or go running into her waiting jaws. Either way at least one would be an easy catch. A swimming pig was no match for a swimming wolf. "Alright," he agreed with her plan wholeheartedly. "If they take to the water I'll go after them, otherwise they're all yours." He hesitated for a moment and then reached his muzzle to the side to swipe his tongue across her cheek. The brief show of affection would last for a mere second before he lowered his frame into stalking position and began to take his position to the right of the hogs. He had to concentrate. When he was in position he waited a moment before glancing in her direction to ensure she hadn't been distracted by something. A moment more passed and then he sprang, darting toward where the pigs had been spotted, moving in an arcing motion to herd them toward her - or into the river. Three pigs broke from their hiding place, two babies and a mother or father - he wasn't close enough or caring enough to tell. They began to squeal and wail, running in the opposite direction of him. One of the babies, however, quickly and foolishly took to the water. In an instant he was soaked, having delved into the depths of the river without hesitation. Water flew in all directions as he powered through the current after the squealing babe. It mattered not to him if Lysis took her own kill, he wanted this one. ""

Though it seemed they had a habit of speaking too much around one another, they could cooperate just as easily without any words at all. Certainly they could could take down one of the hogs, between the two of them. And even if they failed, a good run wouldn't hurt. Her eyes narrowed again, head tilting so she could better shield her eyes as she watched the movement in the distance. Kyarst seemed to have no complaints about her plan, and she grinned at his brief show of affection, returning it with a gentle nudge. She'd mirror his movements, turning to crouch low to the ground, grateful for the low visibility offered by the rain. It made it much easier to sneak up on their prey without being noticed. Her own gaze fixed on the hogs in the distance, briefly straying to watch Kyarst get into position as she crept forward a bit closer. When he moved, she began to sprint forward too, moving quickly toward the animals as Kyarst pushed them toward her. Quite surprising and likely frightened, their movements were erratic as they began to bolt forward, searching desperately for a way out that did not involve diving into the rapidly flowing river. She watched Kyarst for a moment, knowing she had to act fast and make a decision. The small baby hog that Kyarst was jumping after likely wouldn't need her assistance to be taken down. Reeling to the side, she zeroed in on the other squeaker, adrenaline coursing through her as she began to rush forward, ignoring the adult hog as she aimed to veer to the right and send the tiny thing into a panic as it tried to decide whether to dive into the river after its sibling or not.

Determination oozed out of his every orifice as he sputtered and spat droplets of water out of his nostrils and gaping maw. He felt ten pounds heavier as he surged through the water like a great black stallion charging into battle. The little piglet was hardly any match for him, and even as he neared it he almost wondered if this was too easy to be called hunting. A smirk crossed his features as he purposely swam just behind the pig child, allowing it to struggle and panic for moments longer than necessary. It clearly hadn't had much experience swimming, and there were moment when he thought the river might do his job for him. On more than one occasion the child slipped beneath the surface, only to rise again and realize it was still being chased by a ravenous, sadistic wolf. Great thick tail worked like a rudder, leading and guiding him along the path the squealer took. Finally, Kyarst grew bored with the situation and took it to the next level, slipping forward in the water like a stalking shark and taking a painful nip at the piglet's rump. The fat thing squealed in panic and kicked its' legs harder, but blood soon began to pour into the water. The blackened wolf followed the blood trail for a few yards more before picking up the pace and diving toward the pig. In one swift motion he forced the piglet down into the water and simultaneously severed its' spinal cord with a quick bite to the back of the neck. Just like that, the chase was over. He held his grip upon the back of the pig's neck and swam back to the edge of the riverbank, emerald eyes looking over the pig carcass to find Lysis. ""

Their kill hadn't been the most impressive thing in the world, though taking down two pigs wasn't the easiest feat. The pig that Lysis had been running down had gone into panic mode, unsure of whether to try to follow the rest of its family or to go diving into the river, and that moment of hesitation cost it its life. Quickly she loped forward, aiming to latch her jaws around the thing's neck and send in sprawling to the earth as she shook her heads, attempting to crush its throat. She was lucky she'd caught the thing before it took to the water. Panting heavily, she closed her jaws tightly one more time as she felt the last of its life fade away as it fell limply on the soaked earth. Kyarst was significantly wetter than her and she grinned as she let go of her kill, lapping at the blood that now soaked her mouth. "That's a good look for you," she'd call out to him from the patter of rain on the ground, though truthfully she was soaked and didn't look that much better than him. She felt fatigue sinking into her limbs as she turned back to her kill, beginning to drag it away from the river, wanting to feast among the trees and out of the rain.

He exited the water first, moving backwards as he dragged the pig out of the current and onto the bank. Lysis voice was just loud enough to carry itself to him over the sound of the rushing water and the storm. He smirked and tugged harder on the pig, neck straining from the weight. It was smaller than its parents would have been, and thus easier to pull, but it was also now waterlogged and complete dead weight. Not to mention that a pig, even a small one, was never a lightweight creature. His ears twisted back as he heard her settling somewhere in the treeline. Soon enough they would both be gorging themselves. A smile filtered across his lips as he crossed the distance between them, occasionally stopping to glance and make sure he was going in the right direction. Finally he neared her and let his kill rest in the cover of the trees, pausing to pant and glance in her direction. "Two wolves, two pigs.. not bad." There was a certain degree of satisfaction in his voice as he said it. "I never did like sharing a kill with you anyway," he voiced in jest. His head dipped down to few affectionately on her ear for a moment before he would separate himself from her and flop onto his side only a foot away. It was time to enjoy the kill he'd worked so hard for. ""

Even exhaustion wouldn't stop her from enjoying a good meal, especially one she hunted herself. Not that was very exhausted, but she wouldn't deny that the thought of a good meal and a nap to follow sounded quite pleasant now. And truth be told, there was was no one in the world she would rather spend her time with than Kyarst. She glanced backwards at him as she dragged her kill toward the cover of the trees that they had initially chased the pigs out of. Her brother's was a bit heftier, and now bogged down with water, but hers was a fair weight too and she exhaled loudly when she let go of her pig and let it drop to the earth, finally deciding that she'd gone far enough under the foliage for them to stay dry. She grinned at the feeling of his teeth on her ear, knowing it was something he loved doing -- and something she enjoyed just as much. But it was time to eat, not to cuddle, and she was fine when he pulled away from her.   "There's no one you'd rather share a meal with," she'd tease him with a snort, knowing it was true, but happy to jest with him.  Finally she'd flop down to her belly, jaws parting as she begun to tear into the pig's belly greedily. Perhaps they ought to bring their meal home to Imperium, to share with the rest of the pack, but it would be just as satisfying to sit here and gorge themselves. Who knew how soon it would be until they found a good kill like this, with winter on the horizon.

'There's no one you'd rather share a meal with,' she chided, and he found his brow quirking. It was the truth and there was no denying it, but that didn't mean he wanted to concede and tell her it was true. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart," he crooned - sarcasm dripping off of his tongue along with the pig's blood. He watched her begin to devour her kill and he followed suit, his own neck arching and thrusting downward to slice into the warmth that was the pig's gut. "Mmph," he groaned as the metallic taste of blood ensnared his taste buds and sent his stomach lurching and begging for more. He tore off a piece of thick, yet supple flesh and chewed it casually, his eyes flickering to watch her movements - admiring how she looked as blood seeped into the pale flesh around her lips. It was in these moments, these random moments when she didn't even know he was looking, that she looked the most beautiful to him. These moments when she was stained with blood and soaking wet - when everyone else might think her as unseemly. These were the moments he lived for. He continued chewing and swallowed hard before realizing that, sometime whilst staring at her, he'd already finished the morsel he had torn off and now he was swallowing nothing more than thin air. His eyes shifted away from her quickly, very nearly embarrassed for having lost track of the minutes, and he sought to slice off another piece of his kill. ""

Lysis was happy. Truly, completely happy. How the hell had she ever left him before? Since reuniting with him - hopefully for he final time - she realized she could not bear the thought of living without him. Even lying here, soaked to the bone and with a muzzle covered in blood, feeling fatigued from their short hunt, she felt as complete as she ever had. Even when she'd lived amongst family, in Glaciem with their father and all of her siblings, she had never felt quite so at home. It wouldn't be a stretch to guess Kyarst felt the same way. Briefly she looked up from the meal she'd been engrossed in, noticing that he was staring. "What?" she'd ask, feigning a defensive tone, though there was a hint of laughter in her eyes. "Do I have something on my face?" Of course she did -- both of their faces were nearly soaked through with blood, though her mess was considerably more noticeable on her pale fur. A slight grin would be offered and her tail would bat the ground lightly behind her, though she soon moved to tear another strip of flesh off, grateful for the meal and willing to gorge herself until the only possible option was to sleep and digest.