Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Ardyn had ventured far from home, trying to find the path to the temple his mother had told him about. So far, he was pretty sure he might have missed the entrance. He was careful to place his paws carefully, keeping in mind Cairo’s fall down the mountain. It had been before his birth but the story had been recounted thoroughly as a cautionary tale. He didn’t want to join Cai and Domari in the broken leg club, so he tested each next step thoroughly as he picked his way along the narrow mountainside trail. He could smell sheep, and he was keen to try his paw at bringing one down to bring home. Any bit of meat would be useful for the next seasons. Autumn was around the corner, and he, like his mother, wanted to prepare the pack as best as he could. His ears perked and he stilled, as a clatter of hooves, many of them, sounded ahead, stones scattering down the mountain side. Quickly he scanned the area, taking stock, searching for a good spot that might serve as an ambush location, or a place to built a trap, maybe. It sounded like the animals were ahead of him, and moving away, but the pace wasn’t hurried, so they weren’t aware of him yet. He had time to strategize. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Áskell headed west, journeying from Mount Volkan into the jagged realm of Fenrir's Maw without much of a plan. He had been on a practice patrol around Habari's territory when his feet just seemed to walk out with him. He saw a path that looked interesting and then a rock formation that he wanted to examine and by then he was well on his way into a new territory. He wasn't worried about being lost. He knew the general direction of Habari and his magpie companion was well suited to scouting and getting a birds eye view of the terrain.

A soft and familiar glow caught his attention and he gazed across the rocks and shrubs to see Ardyn, the Valhallan prince. He grinned at seeing the familiar figure and couldn't help but not how strong the other boy was growing up to be. He was tall and muscular and Áskell was torn between admiration and jealousy. Ignorant of the sheep he moved toward the other boy at an easy and relaxed pace, his shoulders back and his tail wagging lightly. "Hey Ardyn, what brings you here today?"

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

He’d just about spotted a good spot that he might be able to rig a blockage that the sheep would have to jump over when he heard pawsteps coming up the path behind him and twisted his head to look over his shoulder, tail sweeping into a wag, black fur torching with fiery light as he grinned at the smaller male, keeping his voice low as he responded, “H’loo, Áskell. I’m hopefully going to come away from here today with a sheep or two. There’s a flock somewhere up ahead, and if I can get one or two to jump off the cliff the wrong way, roast mutton is on the menu. How are you? Congratulations on your win, by the way.” There was no sign of resentment, just a genuine grin as the Destiny moved forward, pulling large rocks and smaller stones toward himself to start a foundation of a stone wall, glancing for a few sapling firs that would be good cover for the drop he hoped to conceal from the sheep. If he got it right, it’d go as he’d said. If it failed, then he’d examine the outcome and break down how it went wrong for next time he tried. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Áskell's ears perked up at the mention of sheep. He wasn't much of a hunter but that didn't mean he was incapable. Especially since the loss of his father he'd had to become more self-sufficient. He was pleased at Ardyn's acknowledgement of his skills in the tournament and he grinned in response, casting a wink to the saber-toothed male. "Haha, thanks, but I just got lucky. If you want I'd be up for helping you. Do you have a plan?" Since Ardyn had mentioned trying to get a few to jump off the cliff in the wrong way he assumed Ardyn already had a plan he was working on.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Ardyn caught the perk of the other boy’s ears and a twitch of amusement sparked across his features like burning embers, a simmering smile left behind for a few beats after the expression had shifted to concentration, though he chuckled as he shifted another few stones into the foundation of the wall he was constructing, remarking, “I’d be grateful for the help. If we catch anything, I’m happy to part with some of the resources, that way both our packs benefit.” Diplomatic to the core. The wink wasn’t taken any differently than one that might have come from Cairo, who was given to that kind of jocularity. Even had he not inherited a great deal from his mother in terms of looks, he’d been given a decent dose of the oblivious to advances gene. The yearling heir glanced around, scanning down the hill and nodding, pointing a finger to the trail peeking through the evergreen boughs below them. “If my hunch is right, that trail could lead parallel to the trail the sheep are on, and with my front paws, I could be able to climb up to get on their trail ahead of them and scare them this way. If you want to wait on the other side of this once it’s finished, maybe you could scare them off the trail over the edge. Maybe we could get some sharpened saplings wedged at the bottom so even if they land on their feet, they might still die on the spikes… or at least get injured enough that catching and killing them will be easier.” He laid another row of stones, pleased that this area seemed to have plenty of shale and slate, which were great for building a temporary wall. “How does that sound?” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Áskell listened as Ardyn offered to split the kill. Not one to pass up a meal he nodded eagerly. "Yea, I'd like something to bring back to my brother." He knew the other had been busy with his healing studies, sequestered in his den. A meal might be a nice gesture. Áskell listened as Ardyn laid out the plan. He was to wait at the lower trail while Ardyn herded the sheep toward him, he would the try to frighten them enough to get them to fall off the ledge, possibly onto spikes.

"Ok, that sounds like a plan to me. I know how to make spears, I can get started on that." Áskell wandered over to some fallen pine boughs. Grabbing one of the branches he brought it back and set to striping the smaller branches off of it with his teeth. "So, what have you been up to since the tournament?"

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Ardyn smiled as Áskell accepted the offer to split the kill, and added as an aside, “How is Jigsaw?” He laid several more rows of stones, wedging several saplings into the wall to make a bristling barrier that would face the sheep when they came barreling back down the path, if everything was to go right. Áskell started on more saplings, and Ardyn grinned at the help, nodding as he gathered more pine boughs from nearby trees, laying them like a tree’s boughs overtop the wall, now tall enough that he’d have to rise on his back paws to see over the top of it. “Training, and the like. Hunting, fishing, exploring the lands. Preparing for the future. I’d love a rematch later on, by the way. Maybe we can just trade wins back and forth, eh?” The last he said on a panted laugh, tongue flashing pink in his ink-and-fire features. He studied the setup, and took a breath, nodding to himself as Lyr dropped from the sky and landed on the wall in front of him. The raven had flitted away to do his own scouting while the boys were talking, and he confirmed that there was a parallel trail that surpassed the sheep herd. “Alright, wish me luck. Lyr, can you come tell me when Áskell’s ready? I can howl when I spring them.” The raven nodded, and Ardyn slipped down the side of the mountain to the trail he’d pointed out, marking a path that the other yearling could take with the saplings unless he’d found his own way. Ardyn broke into a brisk, stealthy trot, watching the path above him and slipping his cloak hood up as he spotted and herd the flock of sheep ahead. He took a moment to observe, and grinned when he saw that there were one or two that weren’t as spry as the rest. They weren’t old, but they did look sick, coughing often and their eyes and noses running. Ardyn marked them out in his mind and pressed on down his trail, spotting a spot he could climb up easily and scaled it, front paws making what would have been very hard an easy chore. Taking cover under an outcropping, he watched the way he’d come, waiting for Lyr’s telltale plumage to come with word that Áskell was ready. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Áskell's teeth skillfully shredded the excess branches. He had quite a bit of practice with this in making spears and the initial steps were quite similar. He paused in his activity as Ardyn asked about Jigsaw. Áskell frowned for a moment. "He's doing… ok. He's focusing more on his healing while I focus on my hunting. We haven't spent to much time together." It was something he probably needed to fix but he also didn't want to get in his brother's way.

He smirked. "I'd be more than happy to kick your butt again." It was a joke of course. He knew they were evenly matched and it would likely be a constant back and forth if they were to spar regularly.

Soon it was time to put the plan into motion. Áskell trotted off to take up his position. He took stock of the wind's direction then nestled himself in a clump of nearby bushes from where he would spring and startle the sheep, hopefully enough to make one fall to its death.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

There was something more to Áskell’s answer, judging by the pause and the frown, but Ardyn didn’t push, respecting the other boy’s privacy, though he put in with a grin, “Learning healing’s a good cause. I thought I might go into it, back when I was a pup, but then hunting sang my name. Didn’t stop me from learning anyway. My front toes are really good for making sutures and keeping a leg steady to set it.” He wiggled his fingers for emphasis. He gave Áskell a toothy grin and laugh as he headed off. In his waiting spot, Ardyn watched patiently, and then, Lyr came into sight, wings flashing as the sounds of the sheep drew closer around the corner. Ardyn nodded and howled, bounding free of the shelter and rounding the corner with a snarl, right in the sheep’s faces. Several shocked bleats rang out, bouncing off the mountainside as the sheep about faced and fled in a blind panic back down the trail, sending stones clattering down the mountain. Ardyn bounded after them, Lyr helping to harry the animals from the left to keep them from fleeing up any narrow paths. He didn’t dare glance down at the ground flying past his paws, beyond taking glimpses ahead on the trail to be sure of his footing. Ahead the sheep fled, and soon, the trap loomed. He saw the front runners begin to gather themselves. Wow, if they were really lucky, there’d be at least three to process at the end of this. He called ahead on a huff, the word “Now!” ringing off the stony wall as Lyr arrowed down, working to spook the sheep away from the mountain, and aiding Áskell at his end. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Áskell tensed, his legs coiled in preparation. He noted Ardyn's howl and prepared for the sheep to head towards him. He had already played out what he would do in his head, eager to succeed in startling a sheep off the cliffside without getting trampled or falling down himself. He noted the startled bleeps as the sheep scattered. A number of them turned and head toward him scattering rocks as they tried to flee. As Ardyn called out Áskell sprang from his hiding place with a vicious snarl. The sheep in front of him panicked, one doubling back and the other trying to leap to the side. It's leap failed as it stumbled and fell, right toward the spears they'd set up. There was a sickening thud and a pained bleat. Áskell skidded to a stop then started navigating his way down toward their prey.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

The flock scattered, and only two remained. He was pretty sure he saw one go over the side, and he surged, lengthening his strides and pouncing for the second, noting Áskell pursuing the one that had gone over. The kill was quick and efficient, a slash of his claws across the sheep’s throat and simply sitting on it until it was too weak to move from the blood loss and slamming a heavy rock down on its head to finish it. Then he rose and peered over the edge, looking for his hunting buddy. He spotted him and grinned, calling, “Great job, Áskell! I got the other one.” He pulled back and reached around, tugging a coil of cordage out of a pouch and unraveling it, tossing the end down to Áskell as Lyr drifted down to the other boy. “Lyr will help tie that around the sheep’s legs or head and I can pull it up to this level for skinning and processing.” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Áskell moved carefully and soon he was upon the struggling sheep. His fangs sank in deep and while it struggled and kicked he could almost see a flicker of gratitude for ending its pain, even if his startling of the sheep was what drove it down upon the spikes in the first place. Once the sheep was dead, Áskell carefully worked it down onto its side, leaving the spear for now. He'd deal with that in a little while. Áskell started to rip the flesh from around the wound, the spear having gone through the rams abdomen behind the rib cage. He paused and licked his lips as Ardyn pulled out some cord and tossed it over to Áskell. The white-pawed boy gazed down at the twine curiously.

"You go ahead and take care of yours. The spear went right through mine so I'm not interested in the hide. There will be two big holes in it. I'd like to get my fill and I'll drag the rest back for my brother and pack members." If Ardyn needed help hauling his sheep up into the proper position Áskell would be happy to help.

ooc: I don't have the brain power for crafting right now but Ardyn is welcome to craft while Áskell chills and eats. Also, I'm interested in hunting awards for Mæva and Jynn if you want more hunt threads with an active participant.