Once they neared the densite, well, the game was ready to be called on. Ritsuka would look to Gossamir, eyes shining brightly. The thought of running in a pack hunt brought excitement bubbling within him, and the male would tilt his head back, his call ringing out to the wolves of Tortuga in hopes that others would show. The meaning was simple enough -- if you want to help catch something and eat then come. He was hoping, at the very least, Blizzard, Roman, and Qanik would appear. With five wolves they could certainly bring down something of a good size to feed them all.

Emerald orbs would shift to Gossamir now, his tail lightly brushing against his legs. ?So what are you in the mood for, Gossamir?? She was the one who inspired the pack hunt, so he figured it was only right to let her pick the type of prey that they would go after.

""

Gossamir was humming softly to herself as she hung up various plants to dry. All poisons for now but she was hopeful she could begin to train in the actual healing arts. For now though the poisons could be used defensively if they had to be and she knew some, like Wolfsbane had healing properties, she just needed to learn how to determine dosage. Her heat had left her and the young woman was feeling much better. Autumn was a breath away and while she looked forward to the cooler weather it meant a harder time finding and learning herbs. Gossmair frowned for a moment. Perhaps she should fill her storage den with anything and everything she could find then sort through it later? Sapphire eyes peered across the terra as a call met her ears. Ritsuka! Grinning she bolted from her den curious to see what her friend was up to. He always had ideas for breaking up the monotony of pack life. And it seemed a pack hunt it was! Excellent! She pranced up to him, shifting to brush her left shoulder against his left shoulder in a playful greeting. "Hmm?. white tail deer sounds good to me! Hopefully, everyone will be able to attend. I'm famished!" TALK LIKE THIS

The ivory queen had been in the confines of the gorge when she heard the call of Ritsuka, and her head would lift towards it, a small smile pulling at her jaws. A pack hunt? The idea was splendid. She turned towards it, her long legs pushing her into a lope towards the forest where the sound had came from. As she drew closer, she could distinguish the scent of Gossamir, but no others. She vaguely wondered if anyone else would respond to their pack-mates invitation. She slowed to a walk, approaching the pair from behind, and she would let out a low bark announcing her arrival. Her tail wagged slightly behind her, as she walked forward, a soft smile on her face. "Care if I join you?" She would ask politely, though she doubted they'd turn her away. She craved to stretch her legs, and take down something big- plus it was a goo way to get to know her pack. She approached the pair, coming to the opposite side of Ritsuka, her tail wagging gently in greeting to the pair.

The call came as Qanik was crouched at the edge of the small pool of water nearby her den, slaking her thirst. She lifted her head, thick ears swiveling to catch the sound. Ritsuka was calling for a pack hunt? She gave a sharp nod of her head as she straightened. Good for him, taking matters into his own hands. She'd been impressed with the boy since they'd first spoken, back when the pack was still Deteste's and they were lonely and a little lost. Well, she would not turn down the opportunity. She loped steadily through the forest, that ground-eating pace that a wolf can sustain for hours, though it was considerably less time before she came to see her packmates. Ritsuka and Gossamir of course, and then there was the alpha as well. Melody did not seem to have appeared yet, though, nor had the young male she'd seen at the meeting where they first met Roman... Legolas she believed he'd said then. Well, four would be enough for a deer anyway, if that was what they wanted to go for. "Good morning, Tortuga," she said with humor to the collective of wolves. "I hope you don't mind this old wolf joining you today." Speech,

The playful greeting was well recieved, and Ritsuka would swish his tail back and forth in small movements as smile crossed onto his muzzle. He would dip his head slightly in respect to Gossamir. He truly appreciated her company. He saw her as a friend and a rival, though in a more friendly sort of way. Her presence always made him feel like he had to try even harder, even if he was putting forth his best effort. He might not have been consciously aware of it but Ritsuka was trying to impress her.

?So do I. It?s a lot more interesting to hunt with some larger numbers anyway.? Not to mention they could bring down a bigger target, or perhaps even two instead of one. If that was the case the pack would surely eat good for a while. His own stomach would give a rumble and a bit of an embarrassed chuckle would leave him. ?It seemed like a good time to start one. My own stomach is a little on the empty side.?

Not long after those very words left his lips another wolf would show up. Her presence wasn?t quite necessarily surprising really, and Suka would look to her with a kind gaze, dipping his head again, though a bit lower than he had for Gossamir. ?Of course you can. We?re hoping to get as many of the others participating as possible.? It definitely warmed his heart to have their new alphess wanting to actively participate with the regular members of the pack. She was definitely starting out as the type of leader he wanted to dedicate his loyalty to.

Then, next to arrive was of course Qanik. Ritsuka?s tail would wag again upon seeing her, and he would smile warmly. ?Of course not!? So far so good. Just a few more minutes to see if anyone else showed up and then they could get this show on the road.

""

ooc: sorry for shortness, in a hurry ><

Gossamir grinned as Roman and Qanik showed up for the hunt. Finally Tortuga was starting to feel like a pack again. "Of course Lady Roman! And pfft, your not that old Qanik." Even if she was and still wanted to participate Gossamir wouldn't say no. Tortuga was still growing and they needed everyone who was willing to participate but Gossamir was feeling more confident that if they kept it up Tort would be a pack to reckon with. Gossamir's stance widened and she rolled her shoulders up as her back sloped in an easy stretch. She wanted to get herself limbered up for the event. TALK LIKE THIS

She let out a slight chuckle at the acceptance of Ritsuka and Gossimar's animated words. Qanik appeared and she mentally noted those who had answered the call. Logically four would be enough to take down a buck, but she was disappointed at the lack of participation. She'd deal with that later, taking a deep breath and stretching slightly, her tail waved behind her. She was excited to get to hunt- and taking down larger prey always got her adrenaline pumping. She was content to hang back and let them run the show, though the idea of fresh deer practically had her drooling. Her stomach rumbled with the vivid images in her mind, and she let out an cough to try to cover the sound. She was starving! Looking around innocently, she waited for the party to move. ooc: short crap post, but I didn't want it waiting on me. Speech,

Misha lurked into The Red Forest, knowing there was something important going on with her pack here. A pack hunt, she had heard. The woman's nostrils flared as new scents came rushing into her nose, none familiar but one. Roman. Though, the small fae wouldn't dare bother her Queen at such a time. Misha sat against the tree in the lonely background of the hunt. Her social awkwardness was taking over, making her lurk and hide at the slightest of thingsMisha closed her eyes and sighed. If only Day was here.. The small fragile woman let a sigh escape her lips, watching everyone from a calm distance away, hoping nobody would notice her.

Dayton set off through the forest at an easy run, feeling the new sensations of rolling muscles under his pelt. The small boy had secretly been training for the past week or so, brushing up on his hunting and fighting abilities. This had led to a slight bulk in his figure, a tightening of sinew which had never been present before. It was very subtle, but perhaps Misha would notice. Misha's name sent a flutter through his stomach. His mind chastised him. Misha shouldn't be his concern, at least not right now. He mostly hoped that Roman would notice him. If she saw his improvement, perhaps his rank could be promoted. But that was far enough in the future that he decided to push the thoughts from his mind. He continued to run. He caught new scents on the wind, along with one or two familiar ones. The smells mingled, sending a spike of panic through his veins. The old fear of strangers began to resurface, and Dayton grimaced as he battled them. Confidence was key in any endeavor, and this was no different. He couldn't afford to be a coward now. Several wolves came into view nearby, and the boy slowed his pace to a careful trot. As he brushed past a nearby tree, he felt a ruffle of fur. His first reaction was to move away in shock. He hadn't seen the wolf there until he was upon her. The male felt his paws shift and stumble as he jerked to the side. Then he realized who it was. Misha. His amber gaze flickered from his mate to the wolves up ahead. They were idly conversing as they waited for more members to arrive and hadn't noticed him yet. He had a bit of time. "What's wrong, Misha?" he whispered, coming closer and bumping his shoulder against her. "Don't you want to join the hunt? Roman is there, and you know her, don't you? We can walk up together if you'd like." With that, the russet male began slowly approaching the others, glancing back at his mate every now and then to see if she wished to follow. Eventually he was close enough to voice a greeting. Hopefully Misha would be close at his heels. "Hello everyone," he called, dipping his small head in greeting. "May I join you? May we join you?" Yes, he really hoped Misha was behind him. If she weren't, he would look pretty foolish right about now. Walk. "Talk." Think.

With long white legs, Blizzard raced towards her brother with surprising speed. She nuzzled her brother, and wagged he tail at Gossamir. Moving to her brother, she whispered in his ear. Is that your female, Ritsuka? She asked, her green eyes glowing with a slight tease. She wagged her tail at her brother and panted. Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me. She said to him, quietly, then wagged her tail before raising her voice. How about we make it a competition?






talk, think

It seemed at first that the four of them would once more be the only wolves to join in, but Qanik had done little more than incline her head and smile at Gossamir's protest of her age before more were appearing. Some she had only seen once; Ritsuka's sister Blizzard, the young wolf Day she'd encountered when he'd joined, and if the faint scent carried to her was any indication, another young female she'd not met was hanging around. Qanik blinked in confusion at this - why show up to a hunt if you were going to hide in the background and not participate? - but she let it pass. Day's words indicated that he expected her to follow shortly, unless there was another member she'd not yet seen. "Hello, Day," she greeted warmly. This would be good for the young male, who she was still convinced could be a fantastic hunter. Her head then swiveled toward Blizzard to volunteer her own opinion. "I'm not sure there is quite enough of us for a competition; splitting our forces would mean smaller prey. Working together would be a more efficient exercise, I would think. Particularly with so many young wolves just starting out." She smiled to take any sting out of her words, then deferred to Ritsuka. "But as this is your hunt, Ritsuka... what do you propose?" Speech,

The female followed the male known as Day, nuzzling her nose into his side. His side was so fluffy. And she loved nuzzling into her love's side. She stopped behind Day when he began speaking with wolves she didn't know. She decided to introduce herself. "Hi, I'm Day's mate, Misha.." She bowed her head respectfully then stepped behind Day, somewhat hiding behind him, so that they wouldn't pay much attention and possibly ask her to hunt. Hopefully they wouldn't... She would hate having to ruin the pack hunt for them. She backed up a few feet, tilting her head up a bit, listening to their conversation in silence.

Ritsuka would look around as the others began to speak among themselves, eyes searching as he hoped that some of the other members of Tortuga might show up. They were a smaller pack but he hoped that most of their members would be able to attend. The next to arrive was a male, though a female scent would linger not far behind him. Perhaps she was merely just a bit more on the shy side? He would give a nod, tail wagging back and forth a bit. New faces and new scents, but certainly welcome.

"Of course. All are welcome." He would offer a smile. "...and welcome to Tortuga by the way." Then another would arrive, one he knew all too well. His sister. As she whispered into his ear he would gasp, shaking his head. "N-no!" Okay so the response was louder than he meant for it to be, but it wasn't like anyone had heard the question. It was true he thought Gossamir was pretty, very pretty, but he had hardly made any moves towards telling her such a thing. He didn't want to come off as one of those kinds of guys.

He couldn't help but chuckle though at Blizzard's suggestion. It wasn't surprising for her to suggest it, really. If it had been just the two of them he would have happily obliged, but as Qanik spoke she brought up some good points. He would speak, voicing his opinion on the matter.

"Though it is good to sometimes have some friendly competition now is not the best time for one. As Qanik herself mentioned many of us are still young, and on top of that this is our first time working together as a unit. It would be better for us to do this one all together, so we can see each others strengths and weaknesses while we work. Then, as the pack grows, there can be time for such things." As he finished speaking the female who had been hanging back came up and he would give a nod to her.

"Welcome, Misha." He would give her a small smile of encouragement before looking around again. All right, it was time to get this show on the road. Since Roman made no notion of wanting to take the reigns he would start giving directions.

"Qanik, Gossamir, I want you both to scout ahead for the herd. The last time I saw them they were of in the north eastern part of the forest." He would motion with his muzzle. "That wasn't all that long ago so they can't have gotten far. When you find them come back to us. We'll be following along a distance to await your word. If there are any good targets you happen to see as well let me know." He would look to the others.

"We're going to hit the target in a pincer like movement, coming in from both sides. Roman, Misha, Blizzard and Qanik will handle the right side and Day, Gossamir, and myself will hit it on the left. Now, not to single any of the rest of you out but Misha, Blizzard, and Day... do any of you feel comfortable attempting the killing bite or would you prefer someone with more experience to do this?" He had been with Gossamir enough to know she was capable of that... but it had been some time since he'd seen Blizzard hunt and wasn't so sure where his sister's skills stood or that of the newcomers. He wanted to give them the chance to prove themselves though if they felt bold enough to. While he waited for their response he would get them moving, heading off in the direction he indicated the herd was last spotted in.

""

Misha widened her eyes as she heard the male give off tasks for the other wolves to complete. Misha's name rang in her ears, her heart beginning to thudder with fear."N-no, I.. " She was afraid of hunting something so big, and knowing her; she would screw up and screw the hunt up. He then asked her if they can blow the initial bite. Hell no. She shook her head almost furiously in fear, stepping back a few meters. "I.. I c-can't, I.." she whimpered, her words tumbling over themselves uncontrollably. She looked back at the other wolves, then back at Day, whispering softly to him. "I'm sorry.." she said as she turned around and sat behind a tree not too far away from the group, but still enticed to solitary.

There were many new wolves here, or rather wolves that he had never met. Dayton was the new one in this crowd, as was Misha. He listened with a tender smile as she stammered out a greeting and retreated behind him. His tail curled around her, meant to be a comforting gesture. As for their introduction, he gave a short nod, confirming the fact that they were mates. Only recently had this wonderful thing occurred. It was a blessing, and the boy was still having trouble believing it. He took in the greetings of each member, a friendly smile streaked confidently across his face. The wolves in Tortuga were so kind. "Hello, Qanik. It's a pleasure to see you again. As for the rest of you, I appreciate the nice greetings." After this short phrase, he stayed silent. The hunt was about to begin. The larger male moved his green eyes about as he started assigning tasks to everyone. It seemed he was the leader of this hunt, so Dayton readily turned his attention to him. This would be his chance to prove himself. His chance to earn a promotion. Excited energy bubbled inside the small male as he heard his name being spoken. Dayton would be working alongside the leader of the hunt, on the left wing of the formation. One other wolf would be joining them... the girl known as Gossamir, with her pelt of grey and black. Her scent seemed familiar enough - he gave her a nod of acknowledgment. The male asked some of the younger members whether or not they would feel comfortable making the kill strike. He felt his ears perk at the opportunity. "If none of you are partial to that task, I would be willing," the russet boy announced. "I'm quick and agile, so I'm sure I would be capable. However, it may be wise for me to work with a larger wolf to bring the prey down. My weight may not be enough." At this comment, Dayton gave a small smirk. Suddenly another voice entered the air from behind him. Misha was beginning to panic again. Her words tumbled over each other. "No, I... I can't..." Dayton heard her whisper. Then she apologized quietly and hurried to hide behind a tree. His heart was torn. He wanted to go back and help Misha. If only she felt comfortable here. This was her home. He was here to help her. But this was crucial to his success. He needed to go on this hunt. So Dayton cast a wistful look at the lovely girl over his shoulder, sending her a smile of encouragement. "I'm sorry, love. I'll bring you a bite to eat when this is all over." He mouthed, his voice barely above a whisper. Walk. "Talk." Think.

His sister, smirking at his reaction, sight silently, listening to what he had to say. Her brother had grown since they had last seen each other. She nodded, and only hoped that Roman didn't mind her asking if she could preform the killing bite. Before she could, though, Ritsuka asked if any of the three felt comfortable. She nodded again after he spoke, and began to speak herself. Then, a thought entered her mind, and she added it to her words. I don't mind performing the killing bite. I just need to ask one thing. She paused, and stared up at her brother's eyes with a slight wag of her tail. I want Ritsuka to preform it with me, if that's okay.






talk, think

Gossamir's tail was full on wagging from the excitement. Both because of the hunt but also because of the three new faces that were now present among the group. How could she not be excited? Tortuga was finally growing and she'd never felt more at home! She smiled and nodded at Day and Misha as they introduced themselves. "Hey, I'm Gossamir!" As Misha scurried off Gossamir's head tilted to the side for a moment and she shrugged. The other wolf was probably just really shy. Her head jerked to Ritsuka as he stuttered the n-no. "No? No what? Oh! I'm sure she's just shy she'll be back." She trotted over to Ritsuka then stared at the other femme next to him leaning over to sniff her and was surprised to find she bore a hint of Ritsuka's scent. "Say are you two related?" Soon though it was time to cut the small talk and get the hunt underway. Gossamir listened as Ritsuka spoke. Her early excitement narrowing down into the focus of a predator. She felt pride swell in her chest for her friend with the confidence and strength he spoke with. A strategist with an exceptional mind. She nodded at her task. It was as good as done. "I'm fine with someone else taking it. You guys decide while Qanik and I start scouting." What could she say, she was anxious to start! Nose filtering the air she was off and going. _________________________ Sunlight filtered through the trees as the young femme stalked towards the northeast section of the terra, pausing briefly to eye a patch of droppings. They were on the right path. She turned to Qanik to see what the other thought. Suddenly Gossamir wretched violently, bile spilling from her lips. Her body felt hot and she swooned before sitting down heavily. Oh no... no, no it wasn't fair. Licking her lips she stared at Qanik in disbelieve before sighing. "Shit.... looks like I'm out. I'm going to go back to the den and sleep. Tell Ritsuka I"m sorry." Getting shakely to her feet she took off for her den. -exit Gossamir- Luns is on absence til May 8th! Sorry! Sharpening my words...

Though it had only been a question the new female of the pack would respond quickly with fear, taking off from the group. Ritsuka would pause, frowning, glancing over his shoulder back at her. While instinct said to go comfort her he was supposed to be leading this hunt... And there could be time to build her confidence later. Still, he would offer some last words to her before pressing on.

?You don?t have to make that bite... But if you feel you are not ready for the pack hunt you won?t be forced to participate. If you change your mind you are more than welcome to come back and join us.? Part of him hoped that the fae would but... He wasn?t too sure she would get a burst of confidence. All the same he would walk on, gaze turning to her mate, Dayton, with a smile.

He would make the first offer and then Blizzard would speak up. He wasn?t surprised by the request, really. The wolves here didn?t know anything of the deepness of their brother and sister bond. Gossamir would pick up on that though and he would nod. ?Yes, Blizzard is my sister.? He would look between Blizzard and Dayton, making a decision.

?Well depending on if Misha joins us again we?re going to reorganize our groups. Dayton I?m going to grant you the killing bite this time. The rest of us will be helping run it down and provide injury and added weight if we can. I?ll be making sure that I?ll be doing the later before you go for the kill.? He?d look to Blizzard again.

?As for you Blizzard I?m going to want to go on a separate hunt between the two us of first. Call it a bit selfish but I want to test what you know on a personal level. Don?t think times have changed completely.? He would leave it at that, and likely on Blizzard would know of the competition type thing between the two. He was also fairly certain that Blizzard would be able to pull off such a thing and also wanted Dayton to have a chance to show off his skills. He?d bump his sister lightly with his shoulder before looking over his little group.

?Now we?ll just need to wait for Qanik and Gossamir to return.?


""

Roman took note of Ritsuka's orders and how he worked the unit. Nodding as she was given her job, she sat down patiently, waiting to be needed. She wouldn't interfere with the man's hunt, actually it was quite relaxing not to be in charge! She made notes of those who had shown up, noting the oddly colored female- whose name she didn't know. It would seem in minutes she would be introduced as Blizzard, Ritsuka's sister. The queen took note of that, she also took note of Misha's lack of confidence as the shy dame panicked and retreated to the safety of the trees. She'd have to talk to her about what would make her comfortable in the pack. She didn't want Misha to feel as if she had to hide rather than participate. A slight smile tugged at her jaws as Ritsuka spoke to Dayton and his sister, granting Dayton the killing bite, and lightly teasing his sister about wanting to see her skills. Now, they just had to wait for Qanik and Gossamir to return, and waiting perhaps was the most difficult thing.


(most worthless post ever xD- Roman's just chilling, waiting to chase her some food. xDDD)

Qanik listened Iintently as Ritsuka detailed his plan. The boy knew what he was doing... then again she did expect that from him. Qanik nodded her acceptance of her and Gossamir's role in the hunt, but before she could get on to it Misha unexpectedly cringed away from some part of the plan and took off. There was little Qanik could see to be done about it when her presence was needed for the hunt, but she stared after her thoughtfully for a moment. Something would have to be done. For now though, Ritsuka was rearranging their hunting pattern to accommodate her loss though her role had not changed. Noting the direction Ritsuka had indicated, she headed off with the eager Gossamir to scout. ------------------ Ritsuka's prediction of where the herd would be seemed to be proving correct, and Qanik thought them likely quite close when Gossamir wretched, an awful miserable sound, and vomited. Qanik turned toward her instinctively, worried and wanting to help but Gossamir spoke up to excuse herself from the hunt. Qanik shook her head. "Dont worry about it, Gossamir. We will manage. You just get some rest." Gossamir took off, presumably in the direction of her den, and Qanik continued on. As she has thought the herd was only a short ways from where she was. She watched the long-legged beasts for a moment, eyes picking out the possibilities before she returned to the rest of the pack at a lope. "Gossamir is out," she reported first. "She took ill and had to leave. The herd is about where you expected, less than a mile south I would guess. They are calm for now, as I was not scented at all. There are a few possibilities... an older buck with a limp, probably injured by a younger buck... a few older does that aren't moving so well, one may be going blind." Report made and awaiting any further orders, Qanik relaxed, head cocked to the side just slightly as she watched him. Speech,