Winter was officially here it seemed, though the bite in the wind wasn't quite what he expected. Still, it would be good to keep the stores full in case the weather turned and hunting was made harder. Being essentially brand new to Armada still, Seneca wanted to make a good impression. So he set off early in the morning to track some prey.

Tracks were hard to come by, but he heard the unmistakable sound of turkeys in the distance. He paused a moment to decide whether a turkey would be good enough. After deliberation, he decided it'd just have to do. They were relatively low risk, but if he found a nice and fat tom, it'd be worth the effort.

Seneca slunk through the trees, following his nose and ears. His martin companion scittered beside him, doing his best to stay as quiet as possible. He paused by a large knot of roots to verify he was on the right trail, form still as he listened.

166/1500

wrapped up as they were in Bas' ascension and their own new title, Spider is surprised by how many new members the Armada seems to have gained recently. don't get them wrong, they're greatly pleased by this development - new blood is always a good thing - but as co-heir of the pack, it's important they get to know every new addition, make their presence known and their support available. so they're pleased to come across one of Bas' new hires, a small male about their age with a strange furred bundle at his side. his companion, perhaps? perking up, Spider slips between the trees with Doomsday perched on their shoulder, mindful not to disturb the forest around them. they've an inkling that the boy might be hunting, but they're not close enough to his quarry yet to risk startling it away. the perfect time for an introduction. on light feet, Spider sidles up to the boy's side and leans closer, pressing their mouth to his ear. "hiiii. i don't think we've met." they draw back, smiling and completely oblivious as to how unnerving that might've just been. they hadn't been trying to startle him after all, just make sure their introduction wasn't loud enough to disturb the prey in the forest. "i'm Spider, Bas' kid! who are you?"

WC: 217
Total: 383/1500

"Speech"

Spider has a male raven companion named Doomsday and a female snake companion named Lady Snakeskin. Assume they are present unless stated otherwise.

His tail flicked one way, then another, focused on the turkey somewhere ahead. Seneca was so focused on trying to pinpoint where they were located that he missed a black form sneaking up from the side. A voice tickled his ear and Sen jumped to the opposite side, a little yelp escaping his throat. His body contorted in the air, his head whipping to see the black wolf that had snuck up on him. As he tried to swallow his throat back to his chest, he caught a name - he thinks - and exactly who they were. Seneca looked them over. They were obviously friendly, obviously part of the pack - they said Bas' kid, that meant Basilisk right?

Bright eyes blinked a few times before he forced his body to relax. Once the shock wore off, he was able to do more than just blankly stare. He frowned playfully, raising a paw to point accusingly. "It's not nice to scare people, Spider!" He laughed, shaking the stress off roughly. "I'm Seneca! I haven't been here long - actually I was just tracking some turkey. Turkeys? Whichever." He grinned and hopped from one paw to another. "Wanna come? It'll be fun, I promise!"

WC: 200
Total: 583/1500

Spider flashes a grin, half sheepish and half teasing. “yeah, sorry about that. just wanted to make sure you were awake.” note to future self: don’t scare off new recruits with surprise introductions. they chuckle to themselves, raking a curious eye over this new boy. “nice to meet ya, Seneca. always cool to have new faces around.” the Armada might’ve lost a few members during the power shift, but already Bas was working to replace them with eager, capable wolves. the very thought puts Spider in a good mood, and they’re eager to assist when Sen mentions his current hunting endeavour. “yeah, i wanna come!” winter has descended on Boreas and with it the need to keep food stories stocked and bellies full; Spider won’t be the kind of heir that lets their people go hungry. “why don’t you take charge, hm?” they suggest, smiling encouragingly. “tell me where to go and what to do.” it’ll be a good way to gauge Sen’s skill level and allow him a chance to direct his own hunt, which is integral in a new pack setting. Spider remembers their own struggles to adjust, to learn to rely on others and work in tandem. plus, they’ve never hunted turkey before; it’s bound to be an interesting experience.

WC: 213
Total: 796

"Speech"

Spider has a male raven companion named Doomsday and a female snake companion named Lady Snakeskin. Assume they are present unless stated otherwise.

Seneca was glad to mark Spider down as another friendly face. How in the world did he get so lucky to find a place such as Armada? Wylan had welcomed him with proverbial open arms (wings?), and so had essentially every other wolf he had met along the way. When Spider confirmed they would like to join him, Seneca's tail wagged furiously for a moment or two, before slowing to a more normal pace. He looked back to where he thought the turkey were, somewhere ahead of him, but his eyes quickly cut back to his new hunting companion. Spider wanted him to take the lead and direct the hunt for both of them. "I - well - I mean -" he stammered, two opposing forces struggling for control within. Half of him absolutely jumped at the chance, eager to prove that, yes in fact he was a great hunter and could obviously lead others in a hunt, even if he had never done such a thing before. The other half wisely knew this and wanted nothing to do with it.

His bottom jaw opened and shut a few times as he tried to figured out what to say, before agreeing with a meek tone. "Okay, if you're sure. I don't know the forest well." He waited, teal eyes looking over the other wolf's face just in case Spider wanted to change their mind, before turning back to head in the direction of the turkey. He tried to move as quietly as he could through root and brush alike, his pine martin friend staying close by. Ears swiveled as he listened to the sounds of the woods, picking apart each noise as best he could. Random birds over there, something rustling back there, a loud scratch ahead. Fate smiled upon Seneca and another turkey called out. "There!" he whispered harshly to Spider, as if they couldn't have possibly known that was their quarry. He changed direction just slightly and dove behind a rather robust bush to give himself cover. A peek around the side confirmed what he had hoped - a small flock of turkey was ahead. They were all different sizes, which told him they were all different ages. Good, they had choices.

He looked to Spider, assuming they had followed him to the bush. "Now the hard part," he whispered again, waiting to see if they had any input.

WC: 397

Total: 1193/1500

he seems a little uncertain, this boy - which is completely understandable, given they’ve kind of put him on the spot, here. and yet, he rises to the occasion, just as they knew he would, and quickly proves himself a proficient hunter. he’s got good instincts, after all, and manages to navigate the forest with relative ease despite being unfamiliar with the terrain. needless to say, Spider is already impressed.

adopting his silent footfalls, Spider mimics Sen’s cautious approach as the pair weave through the forest, avoiding sharp twigs and tricky roots to ensure their prey remains blissfully oblivious. it isn’t long until their quarry comes into view; a flock of turkeys, all different ages and sizes, peck away at the grass and cluck to themselves in mindless contentment, completely unaware of the two wolves observing them a mere few paces away. Spider follows Sen as he ducks behind a bush, keeping low to the ground.

“you’re a good tracker,”Spider praises, voice so quiet it’s practically a whisper. they huddle against the bush, using the leaves to shield their dark pelt from view. their gaze locks onto their prey, studying that dark plumage and roving beady eyes. rather ugly, as far as birds go. at Sen’s inquiry, Spider hums softly in thought, head tilting to one side. “maybe…maybe i’ll go out and scare the turkeys? i can guide them to this bush, and then you can jump out and nab em.” it’s not the most artful of plans, but with any luck, the turkeys will be so startled by Sen’s appearance that Spider will be able to catch a couple of stragglers while Sen takes down the front-runners. a few will escape, of course, but at the very least they should be able to bag a turkey each for themselves. still, this is Sen’s hunt, and Spider won’t move without his say-so. turning to the boy, they smile expectantly, eager to hear his thoughts.

WC: 325
Total: 1518
"Speech"

He must not have messed up too much, as Spider follows him quietly through the brush and even behind the shrub. Their voice is quiet, but his ears easily pick up the praise. Seneca was both elated and shy, shooting a glance and smile, his eyes quickly focusing back on their quarry. They were none the wiser, scratching and picking at the ground. His closest ear swiveled when Spider spoke again, offering up a plan that Seneca quickly decides is best. He nodded fervently; Spider was darker and knew the woods much better than he, so they would naturally be the better choice to slink around the other side. "Yes, great plan," he whispered, breathy voice speaking as quiet as he could. "They are large birds, but can still force themselves in the air if they really need to. A surprise pounce will ensure at least one from me, perhaps another from you in the confusion?" Bright eyes swung to fully take in his hunting companion, a grin forming at the corners of his muzzle.

His heartbeat was starting to get louder in his ears at the anticipation, ready to literally leap into action. He would watch Spider, letting them decide when to sneak around. He would be ready.

WC: 209
Total: 1727

Sen seems to like their strategy, and Spider nods along as he offers his own suggestion. “good point,” they murmur, eyes still fixed on their quarry. “okay, let’s do this on the count of three.” after a brief glance at Sen to ensure his preparation, Spider begins to whisper the countdown. “one…two…three!”

bursting from their cover, they charge the birds with a loud snarl, ensuring to be as loud and distracting as possible. predictably, the birds squawk in terror and immediately disperse, but Spider bursts on a burst of speed and turns on their heel, sketching a wide arc that turns most of the startled turkeys into changing direction and running for the bush. a few manage to escape, taking to the sky or disappearing into the undergrowth, but Spider doesn’t bother with them. instead, they wriggle their haunches and lunge forward, flattening a turkey to the ground as the remainder head straight for Sen. the bird thrashes beneath them, wings beating, but they silence it with a neat bite to its throat. no point in needless blood or suffering.

"Speech"