Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

From the northrwestern corner of the land, the Aspen Grove wolves spilled out from the prairie and filtered into the boggy land of Galar's Marsh, with Starscream leading the troupe. He clung to the edge of the timberline, trying to stay on dry-ish ground when he could, but having no qualms about getting his paws muddy. The cool liquid felt nice today, anyway. The sun was shining high and bright, and the startled chirp of wood frogs sang out as Star led his family further along.

Arora and merged back within the treeline, preferring to hide herself, while using her keen ears to stay in line with her family.

Stormrunner followed behind his father, struggling somewhat to keep himself focused on the task at hand. There were a few times the yearling would stop to investigate a bullfrog or watersnake, only to have Darling give him a nudge on the rump and send him skittering to catch up with the alpha.

Crow & Hawk

Golden-eyed Hawk wasn't quite as easily distracted as his cousin, but he did pause now and then to focus on a frog, or ponder about a shadow he'd see gliding beneath the murky waters. A single look from his father or seeing Stormrunner get nudged would quickly put him back on track.

Crow fell further behind Darling now, letting her handle the yearlings while he put his attention more on finding a meal. He'd stop now and then himself, but for reasons other than the local aquatic wildlife. He hadn't seen Starwhisper in many moons, and was getting worried for his packmate.

-Potential Prey-

A little further around the next bend, the scent of moose can be detected. A cow and her young daughter are foraging, with her yearling son nearby.

On the edge of a nearby slough, a large mass of rotten plants has been partially uncovered by a raccoon; some alligator eggs have been revealed.

A large swan can be seen swimming slowly nearby, one wind being held a slightly odd angle.

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

'Moose' The scent was picked up by Starscream, and immediately his mouth began to water. A moose would be plenty to feed his pack, but first they would need to investigate and ensure their target was a realistic one. "Hold up." The alpha quietly rumbled. "Moose are nearby." Not scenting an adult bull, Star decided to go for it, and nodded back to Darling in a wordless command for her to keep an eye on the yearlings and keep them in line. Dropping into a more stealthy gait, the alpha wolf proceeded into the timberline, wanting to use the leaves and branches as cover as he stalked towards their prey.

Darling nudged Hawk and issued a low whine, urging the yearling to follow closely by her as she then sidled up beside Stormrunner next. "Both of you stay close, Starscream caught wind of some moose. Stay quiet, and follow my lead." The she-wolf made sure to hang back several yards from her father, so that she'd have a chance to get the youngster out of the way if their prey turned dangerous, but was also close enough to dive into the hunt if the target looked promising.

Arora had been close enough to catch her father's words, and quickly picked up the scent herself. Already within the timber, she fanned further out from where her dad was and proceeded forward with determination.

Crow & Hawk

Darling's orders were heeded by Hawk. The young wolf matched the elder's pace step for step as he lost all interest in the frogs he'd been admiring earlier. At one point he opened his mouth to speak, but seeing how focused and intent everyone was, the yearling snapped his jaws shut and followed without a word.

Excitement danced in the green eyes of Crow. He chose to stay on the edge of the water as most of the pack merged into the forest. That way, if the moose tried to bolt for deeper water, he could attempt to cut off its escape.

*Moose*

The young calf had her head lowered in the water, with just the tips of her ears poke out behind her as she lipped for fresh, aquatic vegetation. She was completely unaware of the approaching pack.

The mother was not so unaware of her surroundings. She didn't need the wind to be in her favor to hear the splashing of water that sounded as Crow stalked along the banks, or the less than stealthy steps of the juveniles. Duck weed speckled the cow's muzzle as she lifted her head from the murky waters and turned her ears like a pair of large radars in the direction of the bend.

The yearling bull was knee-deep in the waters, skimming the top for floating foliage as he lazily grazed the marsh. His back was to the approaching wolves, and he hadn't noticed his mother's alert pose.

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

Upon breaching the forest at the other end of the bend, Starscream finally laid eye on their targets. The calf was a choice pick, but with an alert mother towering beside her, he was not stupid enough to send his pack in after her. Unless they could get the mother to run, it was too dangerous to go after what looked like a healthy and very capable cow. The yearling bull however... that was another potential option.

Starscream waited at the edge of the woods for the rest of the pack to catch up and fall in line. Once they were near enough, the wolf sprinted into action and charged into the shallow waters. With his eyes and ears directed at the young bull, it was a signal to the rest of the Aspen Grove on who their target was. His immediate goal was not to leap up and try to pull the beast down, but startled it into a run, to get it further away from its mother.

Arora was rushing in next, a dash of pale gray tearing through the water. A furious growl would add to the chaos, and hopefully unnerve the entire cervid family into bolting. The fae didn't wait to see if their target would flee or not though, for she was going full throttle into the attack, and launching herself at his haunches the second she was close enough...

Darling sprinted out shortly after her father, growling lightly as excitement grew in her. "That young moose there is our target." She offered in a low whisper, her vocals rumbling, "Don't get in front of him, and don't get directly behind his legs either; one kick can maim or kill. We need to test him first."

The sounds of excited growling and crashing water had Stormrunner's heart pounding. He glanced back at his cousin, a mix of thrill and a touch of fear in his eyes, as this was the first time he'd come so close to a living moose, and they seemed much bigger than his memory served him. "Got it, stay away from the hooves." He managed to repeat, and then dash through the waters after Darling. Mimicking her and Starscream, he didn't go in for any sort of attack, but began to growl and snarl...

Crow & Hawk

Crow continued his less stealthy course, splashing around the outskirts of the bank while most of the pack slunk through the shadows of the trees. The tactic had gotten the trio's attention, and hopefully pulled their attention his way, so that the rest of the pack would get a surprise jump on the moose and startle them into running.

Once Starscream made his move, Crow sprung into action himself. Snarling and gnashing his teeth, the silvery male rushed at the cow and her calf. He aimed to peel away well before reaching her of course, but was hoping to at least keep her focus while the others went after the main target...

Hawk's vocals came to life in sharp growls as well, born of thrill and anticipation now that the scent of moose was in his nose. The sight of the pack rushing in, with each adult reading each other and knowing their roles, was both mesmerizing and empowering to the young wolf, and it bolstered his confidence as he bounced forward with Darling and Stormrunner. Giving his most fearsome snarl, the young wolf followed her lead...

*Moose*

The cow was well aware of the pack's presence, or at least the presence of a few unsavory beasts approaching through the woods around the bend. She stepped closer to her young daughter and gave the calf a nudge with her knee, quietly warning her child to be ready for the approaching danger.

Crow's charge took her focus, and she rushed head on towards the brazen lupine when he got close enough. Head swung low to the ground, where her brown muzzle was just inches from the water, she planned to slam her front hooves against the wolf if he wasn't smart enough to alter course before hand...

The young bull was startled enough by the sudden rush of canines and the cacophony of snarls and barks that he's initial response of standing his ground was immediately shot down by the need to run. Arora's attack initially landed, her fangs catching fur and flesh, but the yearling was strong enough to throw her off and begin to run...

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

The moment the bull began to run, Starscream switched tactics. The alpha pushed his legs to the limit, lunging through the water to try and catch up with the moose before he could get far, and launch at the creature's opposite haunch...

Arora was pleased with the mark she left, but furious that she'd not gotten a more secure hold on the beast. Quicker and more agile than her sire by virtue of youth, she too pressed onward to catch up with their prey. Water flew high with every bound she took, soaking all but the fur along her back, and danced in arching droplets from her tail with every swing. Once close enough, Arora would leap again for the brute's hindquarters, going for the side opposite of her sire.

For Darling, there was a different role to play. Seeing a prime opportunity to teach the yearlings about tactics and teamwork, she flashed them both a nod and smile, "Good work, we've startled it into running! Now we've got to keep it from getting away from Star and Arora." Her words came in huffing breaths as she was still running, but this time in a slight semi-circle away from the moose. Her goal was to run around them and get in front of their fleeing prey, to hopefully force him to stop or try to turn back into the jaws of his pursuers.

In all this chaos, Stormrunner still maintained enough attention on Darling to hear her orders, and didn't delay in following after her. He continued to snarl and yip as he went, partly out of excitement, but also because he felt pretty proud of himself for helping to scare a creature as big as this young moose, and wanted to kept it on its toes.

Crow & Hawk

Emerald eyes flashed briefly to the rest of the pack as they rushed by to harry their true target. His focus darted back to the cow in the next moment, and wasn't surprised to see her meet his charge head on. Crow continued this daring game of chicken until he was within a few yards of the stampeding best, then cut sharply away from her and bolted in the opposite direction that the rest of his pack was going. A quick glance over his shoulder was used to see if the moose was still trailing him, or whether she changed course.

The water proved a little taxing on the young Hawk, who had yet to develop the strong musculature that would eventually allow him to keep up with the elders in the pack. Where he was lacking on endurance though, the young wolf had plenty of ambition and excitement to keep him going. His tongue was lolling from his parted jaws in between yips and growls, and his tail was a-wag with excitement. That thrill was especially high when they circled alongside their leggy adversary! Hawk fluffed the fur along his spine and upped his snarling, even going so far as to dart a little closer to the fleeing moose and offer a few snaps.

*Moose*

The relentless chorus of noise from the pack filled the bull's large ears, to the point that he pressed them back in a vain attempt to drown them out. It was a clever tactic though, pressing the young animal with fear so that he would run, rather than turn and face his aggressors. And that's what allowed the pack to swarm him without facing his hooves, as Crow had with the mother moose. Darling and the adolescents further helped by swarming in front of him, forcing the bull to falter and change course in an attempt to evade them. It was enough of a pause that Starscream and Arora were able to catch back up with their fleeing quarry, with Arora landing her fangs into the creature's side and digging deep into muscle.

Unfortunately for Starscream, there was another danger in the waters other than the stampeding ungulate. A seemingly innocuous branch, submerged beneath the murky surface, was positioned just right to lance the wolf's paw just as he was about to launch himself up for the strike. The sodden bit of wood tore through the center of the wolf's paw, opening a decent sized wound and dislocating one of the digits.

With a wolf clinging from his side, the bull finally lashed out in a panic, striking his hooves for the foolish adolescent that had gotten closest to him. Giant hooves struck just inches from Hawk's head before slamming into the waters beside the young wolf, narrowly missing their target...

Meanwhile, the cow moose was having none of Crow's antics. She continue to charge after the wolf, determined to flatten him beneath the waters. With her longer legs, she was quickly closing the gap on the silver beast...

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

The surprise assault from the hidden branch quickly felled the alpha. He'd jerked his paw back with a yelp of surprise, and jumped a little to clear what he thought might be a snapping turtle or particularly ill-tempered gar beneath the surface. When he came back down, it was at an odd angle that saw his one good paw slip upon a mat of algae and sent him crashing sideways into the mars, to be momentarily submerged by the cool waters. A second later he was floundering back to his three good paws, soaked to the skin and covered in little dots of green duckweed. His curses rang loud and foul across the water before he began to run with a pronounced limp to try and catch back up with the moose and the rest of his pack.

Darling might have chuckled at her father's tumble, but as soon as she saw the way he held his paw, any ounce of mirth quickly died. It looked like his paw might just be hurt worse than his soggy pride in that mishap. At least he was up and moving again, which assured her enough to keep her attention on the moose and the two yearlings she was trying to keep safe during the hunt. "Good job, you two! ...Hawk, not so close yet!" Now that the beast had turned and shown indecision, Darling made her move and lunged for his shoulder, going for the same side as Arora...

Stormrunner was tickled pink by the praise from his older sister, and it actually kept the young wolf from becoming too brazen and rushing in for an attack himself. Feeling useful in his role, the gray and white wolf continue to harry the bull, darting around this way and that, barking and snarling, and generally making a nuisance of himself.

Arora held on tight now that her teeth were secured. Seeing her half-sister now going for the bull's shoulder, Arora began to thrash her dial and pull back, trying to destabilize the moose and bring him crashing down into the water where he'd be easier prey...

Crow & Hawk

The second time Crow looked back, his heart nearly jumped into his furry throat. The cow was even closer, and somehow looked even more pissed off than before. A look of 'oh, shit!' crossed his features, with his ears flat back and the whites of his eyes showing as he looked ahead again and sought any sort of landmark that might help him evade the irate mother. Crow veered towards shallower waters, where his shorter legs wouldn't be so bogged down, and headed for a fallen silver maple tree. With any luck, he could dive through the maze of branches with his lithe frame, and force the cow to either stop, or travel around the tree to continue her chase.

Now further away from his father, Hawk had no idea the sort of trouble his sire had gotten himself into, or how it gave he and the rest of the pack time to tackle the bull a bit more safely. He was busy dealing his own hunting lesson, and luckily got to survive long enough to learn from it. His squinted his golden eyes and ducked his head with a gasp of fear when the hoof flew over it. The wind from its passing wake was felt, and he swore it must have clipped one of his ears. With a bit of fear to temper his overly ripe enthusiasm, Hawk decided to give the bull a bit more space, and let the adults wear it down to a point where he could safely engage.

*Moose*

Thanks to the teamwork of the pack, the young bull was slowed and disorganized in his retreat. He didn't have the wisdom or confidence to know he could easily plow through these yearlings, or turn and stomp down the adults that came at him. His indecision and the resulting attacks from Arora slowed him enough that Starscream would be able to catch up, even with his wounded paw.

Arora was able to keep her hold on the moose, and with it, deliver her fangs deeper into her quarry's flesh. The creature was slowed further by this, and in his heightening panic, couldn't properly decide whether to keep running or stand and fight back. Darling was able to safely launch herself at his shoulder, where her teeth found their mark lower on the beasts' front limb. Between their combined efforts and the bull's erratic actions, the pair were able to pull him off balance just enough that he stumbled and crashed to his knees...

Crow gambit paid off, both for himself and the pack. The mother was nearly upon him, gaining steadily on the wolf with her long, lean limbs that handled these shallow waters far better than his own. It was the uprooted maple tree that saved the wolf's skin. He was able to dive between its fallen branches as hooves kissed the end of his tail. One more bound, and those hooves might have struck down on his backside and sent him under the waves. The cow had to stop, foiled by the sagging branches and clusters of brown leaves that still hung loyally to the dead tree, but she wasn't done just yet. She stormed around the tree to try and cut off Crow's escape...

Caught somewhere between these two chaotic chases, the youngest calf began to head in her mother's direction.

*Moose*

Caught somewhere between these two chaotic chases, the youngest calf began to head in her mother's direction.

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

Starscream tried once or twice to put his paw to the ground, but the dislocated digit caused him too much grief, and he had to stifle a yelp on his last attempt. He continued on diligently with three paws, and by the time he caught up to the bull, it was crashing down in the shallow waters and making things a whole lot easier for the seasoned alpha. Starscream rose high on his hind legs, pushing off in a small bound to try and grab hold of the bull's upper hip. If he could secure this hold, he'd begin to thrash and tear chunks from the moose, and work to keep him grounded so that he was a safer target for the rest of his packmates.

Darling worked similarly to her father and aunt, using her fangs as anchors and the weight of her body to make it difficult for the bull to rise back to his feet. "N'w, go!" Through a mouthful of thick fur, she mustered a muffled command to the yearlings, encouraging them to move in now that the moose's hooves were safely beneath its body.

Stormrunner had been waiting for this moment. With the creature down, and a little closer to his level, it seemed less daunting than before. The shrill yips and growls of his family added onto that sense of confidence and unity, leaving little room for hesitation or uncertainty. The yearling targeted the moose's neck...

Arora's goal was shared with Starscream and Darling. As long as they could keep the bull down, its fate would be sealed. She tore without mercy into her prey, rending whatever bit of flesh and muscle her ivories could reach. And if she felt that the bull was about to power himself up out of the water and shake the pack off, she'd put her effort into holding him down...

Crow & Hawk

Another curse ran through Crow's head when the cow appeared on the other side of the tree. He could have made a bolt for it, but he'd be out in the open again for a stretch before being able to reach the timberline. The silver brute dodged back into the protection of the branches, nearly tripping a few times as he sought the center of the brown canopy. From the shadows of the draping leaves, Crow's green eyes glinted, shining like a pair of finely cut emeralds when the sun hit them just so. They were narrowed, and soon joined by a flash of ivory as he bared his fangs and snapped in warning at the air, adding a snarl for effect as he tried to scare the mother away.

Instinct helped to guide Hawk in his next steps. Once Darling gave the okay, he joined his cousin in rushing for the downed bull, though he had darted back nearer to Arora, and away from those dangerous looking antlers. It was the creature's soft side, just past the ribs, where he targeted.

*Moose*

The young bull grunted and pressed upwards with his hind limbs, trying to drag himself up out of the water, and off of his knees. The wolves at his back were relentless though, with Arora, Hawk, and Starscream all catching secure holds into his across his lower half, making it all the more difficult for the beast to stand. When Darling found a grip at his shoulder, the shift in weight nearly brought him lurching to his side. What the young cervid lacked in pure adult strength though, he made up for in vitality and a will to live, and with a surge of adrenaline was able to finally push up off his knees and get his front hooves properly secured beneath him.

He bellowed and swung his head, trying to dislodge some of the many points of pain across his body, and Stormrunner happened to be in his path of antlered destruction. The young wolf hadn't quite managed to land a solid bite on the moose yet, with his teeth snagging through soggy fur rather than flesh. Before he could attempt to fix this blunder, a palmate antler swept up against his ribs and front leg, and flipped the young wolf through the air...

Meanwhile, the cow was busy staring down the wolf hiding within the tree. She stomped furiously at the ground directly before the branches, making it abundantly clear what she planned to do with Crow the second he tried to step out of his shelter. The flashing teeth and snarls did little to convince her otherwise. She might have stayed there for many minutes longer if not for the plaintive cry of her youngest child, who was now wading through the waters to rejoin her mother. The moose snorted and dashed a hoof at one of the branches that shielded Crow, sending a splash of water in his direction. She then gave a call to the little calf and began to usher her away from the downed maple, and away from her eldest child, who was now completely surrounded by the rest of the pack.

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

Stormrunner didn't realize what had happened right away. One minute he was caught up in the thrills of the hunt, and taking what he thought was his first bite of live moose, and the next something smashed into his side and he was suddenly flying through the sky. There was no air left in his lungs to yelp, leaving his impromptu flight a silent one where he briefly and fruitlessly flailed his limbs before crashing back to earth. Thankfully there was water to cushion his fall, preventing any further damage from happening. As soon as he got to his feet, the adolescent yelped as his ribs protested this movement, and turned his muzzle back to see the damage.

If not for the moose lurching back to his feet, Darling would have bolted to her little brother's side. A hasty side-glance was all she could manage as she clung desperately to the moose's shoulder, thrashing and baring her weight against him, trying to pull him back into the waters, or at least keep him from charging anyone.

Arora and Starscream were likewise alarmed by the brutal attack, with Starscream seeing a brief glimpse of his son rag-dolled into the air before falling back to the marsh. If he wasn't angry before from his earlier blunder, the alpha was livid now. He tore with greater urgency at the beast, working along with Darling and Arora's tactics to keep their quarry from moving too much and possibly trampling one of them...

Crow & Hawk

Crow had drawn back with each stomp from the dangerous beast, only to snap his teeth defiantly back at her and rage all the louder with his snarls. That attitude abruptly shifted when he saw the cow's focus drift from him and latch on to the young calf. He was silent as she circled back around the tree to reunite with her daughter, and offered no quarrels when she began to guide the youngster away. That's all Crow wanted; he'd done his job to separate the matriarch from the bull, and now that she seemed to be cutting her losses and focusing on her remaining offspring, he too switched focus. The silver wolf squeezed himself deftly out of the tangle of branches bolted across the shallows back towards their true target.

'Ohh, no.' A splash and flail of limbs was all Crow caught of Stormrunner's unfortunate tumble through the air. Worse yet, the bull was rising back to his hooves, where he would become more dangerous to his surrounded family. Hackles rose once more across the wolf's water-speckled back, standing high like an agitated porcupine. Making a daring move, Crow swept in and tried to grab the moose by the tender snout and pull back. If he could occupy the head, he could keep the bull from stomping around and swinging his antlers...

Hawk had the taste of blood in his mouth now. Having heard the commotion of Storm's accident, he bit all the harder into his prey and began to thrash his head about, determined to bring their quarry down before his cousin was injured any more...

*Moose*

Like a cascade of tiny jewels, droplets of water danced from the coats of the wolves and the moose alike in their desperate skirmish, each catching a brief glimpse of summer sun before falling back into the murky waters of the marsh. Through this confusion of thrashing bodies and sloshing waves, Crow broke through and nabbed the bull's fleshy snout as a curtain of water crashed down along his muzzle and face. A split second sooner, it would have been a hoof instead, and the wolf's hunting days might be over. This risky gamble managed to pay off, similar to his gambit with the the cow. With this full weight pull down on the snout, the moose couldn't swing his antlers at anyone, and couldn't stomp forward to smash the predator.

The four wolves clinging to various other parts of the bull, spilling blood and sapping his energy, soon became too much. Maybe if he had been a year older, and had more strength to him, or had not hesitated during the initial rush, he could have fended them off. Instead, his legs buckled and he crashed down for a second time, first falling to his knees, and then sinking to his belly in the turbulent waters. From there, it was only a matter of minutes before the pack was able to finish him off, earning their dinner for the day, as the cow and calf slipped further away into the surrounding forests.

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

Starscream waited a few moments after the bull ceased his struggles before relenting on his attack, wanting to make absolutely sure their quarry was dead and no longer a threat. It was only then that he sprinted around the carcass to his son, one forelimb still being favored. "Storm, are you alright?" He nosed about the other, and laced his ears back at the sight of blood.

"I'm alright." Storm meekly assured, while enduring his father's prodding nose and wincing back when it came near his bruised ribs. "I'll be more careful, next time."

Darling was soon at his side, while Arora stood alertly beside the carcass, watching and listening. "You did good, Storm. You and Hawk both." She turned a tongue against his side, clearing away some of the blood around the shallow punctures. "You've learned a lot today, now go fill your belly." She gave her younger brother a nudge, and a quick glance at their father to be sure all were invited to feast at once.

There was no flashing of fangs or growls from the elder alpha today. The moose was big, and everyone had helped out, and there were no young pups; no one would be waiting for their turn to feast. He even raised his dial and howled for the rest of the pack, letting them know of the kill so that they could join in. The piercing howl ended abruptly, interrupted by a gurgle from Star's belly. With his banner swinging high, Starscream approached the kill and began to dig in.

Darling, Arora, and Stormrunner soon piled in, happily tearing into the feast with pleasant growls.

Crow & Hawk

Crow kept a close vigil on the trees that bordered their kill, keep an emerald eye out for the mother moose. When he saw no sign or sound of the cow, the silver brute approached the kill and settled in for a feast.

Hawk scampered around the carcass to check on his cousin, mincing past Starscream and Darling to do so. The sight of blood made him wince and drop his tail. But Storm was up and already moving towards the kill, so Hawk accompanied him the last few feet, "You really flew, dude!" He exclaimed, while eying his friend's side with a mix of worry and a little admiration that Stormrunner had taken such a savage blow and was doing relatively okay. "Did it hurt?"

"Don't dally too long." Crow advised, raising his crimson-stained muzzle to peer at the two younger wolves. "This kill is outside of our lands, so we can't afford to feed at leisure."

Starscream, Darling, Arora, & Stormrunner

He felt his heart race a little whenever he thought of that brief flight through the air, and spent a few entranced moments staring at the antlers that had flipped him off the ground. The scent of blood and his ravenous hunger eventually snapped him out of it though, and he nodded distractedly to Crow's advice. To his cousin, he smiled meekly, "A little, I guess." Truth be told, it was smarting more now, but Stormrunner wasn't going to openly admit that. Flashing a forced smile to his friend, the young wolf tore into a well deserved meal.

After an hour at the kill sight, the time spent rotating between short rests and snacking on the flayed carcass, Starscream used a short bark to gain the attention of his packmates. "We're heading back. We've been out in the open long enough. Take what meat you want." Taking no meat for himself, other than what was in his engorged belly, the alpha began to hobble back to their packlands.

Darling watched her father go, surprised he'd let the pack stay this long outside of their lands, and in such an open area. Star had become more paranoid with age, and especially so after the last fight with the Haunters. Perhaps the relative peace in the last few years had mellowed some of that anxiety in him. Keeping these thoughts to herself, Darling nudged Hawk and Storm, "Why don't you two grab some hide? It'll be good to play with later." Offering the pair a smile, she began to saunter after the alpha, but kept a close eye on the adolescents.

Stormrunner was more than happy to tear off a length of skin, growling mightily as he did so. He gave Hawk a daring look of 'Bet'cha can't take this from me' before bolting away, splashing through the marsh after Starscream.

Staying away from the chaos of her younger half-siblings, letting Darling fill the role of babysister as she was want to do, Arora had focused on filling her belly as full as she could. As the pack began to depart, she trailed after at a slower pace, her mind on other things.

Crow & Hawk

Silvery sides rose and fell in shallow repetition where Crow lay on a grassy mount a few dozen yards away. His stomach was full to bursting, so much so that at a glance, one might confuse him with a pregnant she-wolf. At the sound of his leader's call, the wolf was roused from his food-induced coma and idly rolled to his paws. Seeing that Darling had a handle on his son, Crow meandered back towards the kill, where he tore off what remind of one hind limb; this he would bring back for Hulia.

A wide smirk wrinkled Hawk's muzzle when Darling suggested they bring back a prize. He pounced for the moose and began to tear away at a piece of fur and flesh. Stormrunner dislodged a piece first though, and his inviting growl could not be ignored. Giving up on his hunk of hide, Hawk dashed after his cousin, more than happy to chase him all the way back to the packlands.