The scent of a sheep was strong on the air, a clear sign that the prey animal had traveled this very path not long before him. Bronze heaved a sigh as he climbed higher, large paws scrambling to find higher ground as he traversed the side of the mountain. The journey was not terribly precarious but he was still climbing a mountain, or at least a section of one, and so it didn't go without risk. At least the day was a nice one, the sky free of clouds and the air pleasantly warm, a welcome change for the generally chilled north. It was the perfect day for hunting, which was exactly what he planned to do. Pausing and letting his ears swivel to take in his surroundings, he continued his trek higher, his hindquarters nearly giving out beneath him more than once as he moved higher and higher.

She could feel the prickle of new fur beginning to grow itching in all the wrong places. While she was still practically naked, Celeste was secretly thankful she wouldn't be naked permanently. Building up the confidence to be seen without her obsidian and ivory flecked coat, she took to the northern areas where she presumed not many would be lingering about. With the scent of sheep tickling her nose, she followed the trail down a well-worn dirt path. Careful not to climb too terribly high up the mountainside, she picked her path with caution as rocks slipped out from under her paws. Just as she felt she was nearing the sheep, her eyes caught sight of a blue-coated wolf with gold markings. Deflated that she wouldn't be alone during her sunny afternoon hunt, she figured joining up with someone might prove her more successful. "Care if I join you?" The petite wolf called out quietly as she scrambled up the rocky side toward him.

Bronze hadn't expected to run into a mostly-naked yearling girl out here. This wasn't really the place for many wolves, certainly not one who had such a small stature. As soon as she spoke he spun his head around and quietly began to assess her - wondering initially if she'd only slow him down if he accepted her offer. Surely she was cold with that little fur. If he was a different sort of wolf he might ask her if she'd been born that way or something had happened, but he wasn't the prying type, he didn't care enough to be. Shifting his weight so he was on steadier footing, he turned around fully to face her properly. "Nope," he answered simply, giving a slow shake of his head. He wasn't sure if he cared, but he was too distracted by the possibility of food to think on it for much longer. The longer he waited around, the more time the sheep had to get away, too. "This way," he instructed her, grunting as he pulled himself back and loped to higher ground.

Before long it was within hearing distance of them and he slowed, calculating his options. If they were too rash it would definitely escape. "I'll go around, you chase it toward me," he suggested before taking off, carefully moving down the mountainside a bit and aiming to make a wide arc around the sheep, which continued to climb a bit higher. If all went according to plan, Celeste would spook it and send it running down his way.

The other youngster turned to assess her and she knew it was because she lacked a coat and of her small size. It was typically her petite-ness that caused doubt in others, but it didn't stop her. One did not have to be large to be mighty. For a moment, she thought he would shoo her away, but she was proven wrong. As he shook his head, Celeste smiled naturally. Not that she needed to prove to him that she was capable, but she hoped she wouldn't mess it up. Heeding his instructions, she quickly moved back into motion to follow him. Feeling the drum of her paws on solid ground, she enjoyed the way her muscles moved beneath her skin.

Her own senses tuned into the sheep that congregated nearby. Watching as the fluffy animal headed up the slope, one ear turned to listen to his instructions. Silently agreeing that it was a good plan, she waited a moment to let him get a good way into his arc before she started closing in on the animal. Moving in her own motions to begin a sweep around the sheep, she lowered herself slightly before turning sharply and heading directly for it. Her paws scrambled on the rocks as she made her way toward the sheep.

When it noticed her with wide eyes, she snapped at it with clacking teeth. With the wind blowing down the mountainside, the sheep had no idea that another large wolf lies in wait at the bottom. Out of fear and unsure of where to go, the animal quickly turned and began to flee back down where it came. Keeping the pressure on the sheep so it wouldn't get away, Celeste followed on its heels, leading it in the direction of where Bronze was at the bottom.

Celeste Akizora

She was definitely... strange-looking, to say the least, at least to him. And while Bronze was definitely the judgmental type, he wouldn't express his uncertainty out loud, especially not to someone he barely knew. Whatever. She could try to join along. If she proved useless it was no real loss to him, he'd just move along and find a new target if the sheep proved too tricky to take down on his own. He gave a nod of acknowledgment as she agreed without words to join him, setting off on his own path as they neared the sheep and put their plan into action. It was always rough hunting on rocky terrain like this, so a partner would prove useful, as long as she could hold up her end of the hunt.

Scrambling over rocks - it was generally easier to climb down a mountain than up it - he maintained his balance, even when a few steep sections threatened to give out beneath his paws. He paused after a short trip, ears swiveling as he honed in on the sounds around him, largely distorted thanks to the breeze whistling across the rocky slopes. But then he heard it, a cascade of hooves over rock that made it obvious that Celeste had driven the sheep down toward him. He gave it little time to react as it stumbled down, and he used the fact that stopping momentum from continuing downhill to his advantage, climbing higher toward it and charging once it was closer. He was all weight and snapping jaws as he lunged, aiming to pin it down - hoping desperately he'd found a clear section that wouldn't crumble beneath his weight, and hoping Celeste followed to help him take it down as it flailed beneath him.

Her paws quickly scrambled over the rocks after the sheep. Admittedly, it was difficult to find purchase on the smooth surfaces. Beneath her, the ground seemed to give away as both she and the sheep stumbled every few steps. Trying to find a more skipping style of approach, she closed in on the sheep as it got closer to Bronze. Celeste's gaze flitted over to the boy who finally noticed their descent. With the wind whipping at her splotchy furred body, she would be glad when this was over. Breathing hard as she pushed forward, her gait moved to widen her berth around the animal as Bronze lunged toward it.

Forcing it to stay in Bronze's direction, she watched as the powerful youngster lunged at the sheep. Once he was latched on and beginning to take the sheep down, Celeste moved forward with determination. Her lips pulled up to show her teeth as she lunged forward as well. Leaping up to latch on to the sheep's throat, her body moved as the animal began to flail. Blood pooled in her mouth as her teeth sank in deeper past the wooly pelt. Its guttural screams rang out in an echo across the rocky valley before slowly dying off. Minutes seemed to pass before the sheep accepted the fact that it wouldn't be escaping death's clutches today.

Aquamarine eyes watched as the sheep's own began to fade. Breathing hard, she removed herself once the sheep were laid down and unmoving upon the hillside. Looking up toward Bronze, a small, but triumphant smile flicked across her lips. Her body buzzed with adrenaline as she waited for him to make the first move in what piece he would like. "We make a good hunting duo," she commented lightly as her tail swished behind her.

Celeste Akizora

As always in a hunt, everything happened all at once. There was little time for planning beyond the initial ones - once they set into motion they could either see it through it give up entirely, and Bronze wasn't the giving up type. He lunged for the sheep, scrambling over rocks and debris to try to pin it down while it fought for its life beneath him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Celeste heading their way, aiming for the sheep's throat. Its screams weren't lost on him but symbolized their hunt was coming to a close, and he allowed himself to relax his grip on their prey and slowly pull away as it bled out.

Success. If he was the smiling type he'd be beaming by now, but instead he gave the near-stranger a slow nod of acknowledgment. "Guess we do," he agreed, trying to catch his breath. Without hesitating for long he settled down near the prey animal's flanks readying himself to tear into one of its meaty back legs first. There was more than enough food for the both of them and would no doubt lay to be picked clean by scavengers after they left. "Name's Bronze, by the way."