Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

A black-coated fallow deer lead two other bucks in a mad race towards the lake. Meteor kept clear of the thick woods, where his palmated antlers would easily get caught up and slow him down.

Nitro, a young whitetail buck, kept up easily with the fallow, but his younger age meant that his antlers weren't all that big, nor was his experience with hunters and dogs very good.

Sumac was last, panting hard and trying to keep up. He was ten years old, a high age for a red deer. His antlers, though, were impressive, but his strength and endurance were beginning to wane.

The three stopped at the lake edge, where ice was already begining to ring around the shore. Meteor and the other two swung around, dipping their heads and eyeing the brush in front of them. It wasn't long before a tall, lanky dog came bursting through the vegatation, his mouth hung open with deadly canines glistening at the three. In close tote was a bloodhound, baying excitedly about the chase. And much further behind the dogs were two humans; one with a shotgun and one with a bow.

Kaze

The huge wolfess was wandering around aimlessly, having no particular place to go. Except her terra, but that place wasn't the best for her to go yet. Her shoulder was torn open and one of her forelegs had been bitten and shredded a bit by another canine's fangs. And she had lost a clump of fur on her back area. It didn't cause her much toruble any longer, but she still felt that same burning sensation when she got her torn shoulder wet or stretched. But she was still dying for some blood, human blood, dog blood. Either one was fine. And depsite her knowing of harm that could further come to her, she refused to let herself down. Getting a high bounty took work, not rest. Some in between of course, but Kaze wasn't ever lazy and preferred to continue on without pausing. Catching the drifting scent of dogs, deer, and humans, she began to limp over the ground as fast as she possibly could. Yes, she remembered the scent of the deer. That strange one, with the others. They must be part of his herd. But anyway, being as quiet as she could be with her body being in it's condition, she made her way to where the party was. She kept herself hidden in the underbrush, peeking at everyone through a hole in the few leaves that were left on the bushes. She stayed low, tail flicking every once in a while as she was eager to find the right time to jump in. But in her state, she would need to be extra careful. No telling what could happen out here now.

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

Meteor stepped forward first, and none of them noticed Kaze's approach. The fallow bellowed loudly, swinging his splayed antlers left and right. Of the three deer, he was in the best shape and knew more about how to protect himself. The deerhound hesitated, glaring uncertainly at the branching bones that swayed dangerously before him.

"Come on, get'em!" The bloodhound encouraged, his dark eyes lit with eagerness. Spurred on, the deerhound nodded, "Lets do it!" Swinging in a sharp arc around Meteor, the dog rushed for his flank. The bloodhound went for Meteor's front leg, hoping to pull the buck down.

But meteor was quick on his feet, and sliced his antlers through the air, catching the deerhound along the side of the head. His tines ripped through flesh and struck against bone. The blow sent the stunned dog kicking and yelping to the ground. Another yelp rang out as Sumac's three-foot antlers cut into the bloodhound, stopping the dog from assaulting the fallow buck.

Young Nitro struck next, catching the stricken bloodhound along his flank and flipping him to the ground.

In the near distance, the sounds of the humans could be heard. They'd be at the scene soon enough...

Kaze

Kaze continued to wait, wanting to take the humans by surprise. She could scent them and pretty much hear them. She was dying to taste their blood, anyway. But getting an idea, she stood and then simply limped out of the brush, waving her tail around in the air behind her. She then let out a howl, watching all the dogs and deer. She hoped this brought a dog's attention, for she wanted some fun.

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

The deerhound picked himself up, his eyes blinking dazidly at Meteor for a moment before clarity came back to them. Coming to his senses, the dog leapt nimbly to the side, avoiding a second charge by the enfuriated buck. Before he stole his chance to attack Meteor, the dog heard Kaze's howl and turned her way. There's one I can fight... He thought to himself, finding the deer much to his dislike, as far as fighting went. Besides, he could see that this wolf was injured. Dodging past a third charge from the fallow, the hound blazed towards Kaze, blood streaming steadily from his gashed face. Speeding like a bullet, he tried to plow straight into her and knock her off her feet...

The bloodhound never got back to his feet. As his paws scrambled against the earth for some needed footing, Sumac drove his deadly weapons downward, skewering the writhing dog straight through. Nitro attacked again as well, though it was not needed now, for the dog was dead. But the young buck was thrilled with the apparent victory, and dug his little antlers into the dog's lifeless haunch. Lifting up, he shook at the limp flesh, marring badly. His defiant joy was cut short, however, when an arrow whizzed through the air and struck him in the side. Giving a cry, the buck fell back onto his side.

Sumac bellow out and charged headon towards the human who had just shown up. Frantically, the man was trying to fit another arrow to his sling... The other human, who was weilding a deadly shotgun, was only a few short yards away, momentarily blocked from firing by the thick brush.

Kaze

Kaze grinned as she seen the dog coming at her. This owuld be good... She was sure she could take the bloodhound down, being as large as she was. "Dog, you just made one big mistake." she said, getting her paws firmly placed on the ground. She then snarled, running straight at the dog that dared attack her. But then again, this was her plan after all, yet it was still the canine's own misfortune. She aimed to clamp her jaws shut around one of the dog's forelegs to make it trip instead...

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

The dog was not really meant for fighting, especially against a wolf. His new wounds slowed him down as well. The hound was surprised when Kaze came at him, but he didn't stop or chance his tactics. On he went, ready to slam into her and send her to the ground. Big mistake for him. Kaze easily caught a hold on one of his flying front limbs, gripping tight enough so that the hound did a partial flip and landed on his side. Startled and smarting with pain, the hound floundered in the snow while snapping his jaws blindly about, trying to hit some part of the wolfess.

Meteor gave up his assault on the hound, knowing that Kaze could handle him. He was still very leery of the wolf, but for the moment, took solice in the fact that she had kept to her word so far. The fallow charged forward with Sumac now, lowering his head yet again. The man fumbled with the bow, just getting it to the string when the two hit him. Unable to buffet the several hundered pounds of force thrown upon him, the man fell to the ground. But by luck, their antlers didn't meet his flesh yet; they had only hit the large and cumbersome bow that he was carrying.

The shotgun man was now only a few feet away, shoving branches out of his way so that he could take aim on the situation...

Kaze

Kaze grinned as she realized she had a flipped dogcake over here. Snarling loudly, she reared up onto her hindlegs while still keeping her tight hold, pawing at the hound wildly with her forelimbs. She growled viciously, shaking the leg around as she aimed to snap it or at least damage it greatly. Dogs were definitly her definition of "friend".

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

Meteor and Sumac assaulted the man with their hooves now, stomping at his squirming body. Sumac pulled his head back, freeing his antlers from the bow. Now he jabbed the deadly tines into the man's stomach, gouging and stabbing him with brutal force. Meteor, on the other hand, couldn't get the bow off his splayed antlers. He bucked his head and shook about, but the bow stayed firmly tangled. Giving it up, Meteor went about kicking and battering the man some more. It wasn't long at all before he was dead.

Kaze's victim was in much the same predicament, for he was no match against the wolf. An agonizing howl came from his floppy jaws as she spintered the bones in his leg. He bite frantically at her face, trying to get his tortured limb free from her terrible teeth.

The shotgun man was at the scene now, aiming his deadly weapon from one creature to the next. His first thoughts were on his hunting partner, who he could see was obviously dead now. The cries from the hound, which wasn't a dog of his own anyway, sounded like he was doomed as well. The man's actions were now at saving his own life. He had two cartridges loaded, and another pocket full of them in his coat. "Hey! Ha! Shooo!" he cried out, trying to scare the three attacking animals away. He was afraid to shoot at one, for he thought the other two might come for him before he could aim or reload...

Kaze

Kaze heard the human's strange cries but continued about her own business. She would kill him off if the others didn't. But keeping her attention on the dog she had still in her jaws she hopped backward, hoping to have caused great pain and more damage to the wound. She winced from the pain that surged through her own body form her torn shoulder, but she ignored it. Completely. She then began thrashing her dial around, up and down back and fourth, feeling the slashes from the hound's teeth. She kept her mind off the pain, knowing that she wouldn't give in just because of what she felt in her own body. Pain didn't kill, it just hurt. She continued thrashing around, but quickly felt herself tire. Her actiosn slowed, only a bit, as she kept on rippping at the limb rapidly in a mad frenzy to break it or splinter the bone some more.

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

The dog cried out pitifully, his leg getting mangled horribly until the shattered bones broke through the skin. Blood seeped fast from the broken skin, melting the trampled snow below him. The hound continued to snap at Kaze and try to pull away, but shock was quickly taking hold of him, robbing the dog of strength and focus.

The shouting man yelled more, growing quite irrate. Sumac paused and stared at him, his antlers and hooves stained with human and dog blood. The sight of the man drove a hard fear into the stag, and his wide eyes reflected that. But there was a wild intensity that burned in his dark orbs as well, glaring with defiance back at the yelling man. Sumac snorted and stomped a hoof into the ground, then lowered his massive antlers in defense.

Meteor was currently occupide, flicking his head about angrily, trying to throw the annoying bow off, but to no avail. A clicking sound came to his ears and he stopped his struggles all at once while his eyes shot towards the yelling man. He was aiming his gun at Sumac. The fallow buck knew he couldn't reach the man in time to stop him from shooting, but he sprung ahead anyway...

Before Huyen ever reached the man, Nitro appeared. The young buck had been circling around the entire time, and was no lined up just a spring away from the man's side. Giving the man no time to fire, Nitro had jumped for him and stuck him in the neck with his tines. Bucking his head as he did, Nitro managed to snap the man's neck.

"Nitro!" Sumac barked, seeing an arrow sticking straight through the young buck's neck. Nitro looked down at the dead man, seemingly surprised that he was really dead. Then he looked up at Sumac and Huyen, spotting the startled looks. Nitro could not see the arrow that had lodged through his neck, but he could feel it. "It... it's still there?!?" He asked in great alarm, for he thought that it had passed through.

Huyen stepped forward, nodding, "Just don't move your neck. It's not bleeding much at all..." The white tail was bewildered that Nitro seemed more or less fine, despite the weapon stuck so gruesomely through the arch of his neck. Unknowing to him, it had passed through a narrow band of muscle, narrowly missing the spine and vital bloodways.

With the shock of the strange injury wearing off, the three deer looked to Kaze and her vitcim.

Kaze

Kaze grinned at the blood, seeping quickly from the fresh wound. She realized the bone had found it's way through the skin and out into the air. She immedietly released her victim, moving back away form him so she avoided most of the snaps. She only received a few scrapes from the dog's teeth, nothing at all serious. She stood back and waited-- for the shock to take over the dog and eventually seize his tactics so she could finish him off.

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

The dog staggered to his feet, swaying a bit as he looked snarlingly to Kaze. His eyes were misted though and his breathing sharp and shallow. As the deer watched on, the dog swayed heavily to the side and toppled over, not bothering to get up. His breath was very quick now but extremely shallow as he lay there. His vision had gone partially, leaving him to stare at bright, clouded lights. His stomach chruned as well as shock deprived it of blood.

Meteor looked to Kaze before taking a step back. The others quickly stepped back with him. Without Nhosh, they didn't have such bold defiance against a predator. And Nitro was feeling particularly vulerable, with an arrow sticking through his neck.

Kaze

Kaze grinned devilishly as the dog staggered and then swayed, left to right, back around again. Almost pouncing forward with incredible speed. Best get it done with now. Wouldn't want to leave the little thing suffering. She let out a loud snarl as she aimed a good bite at his completely exposed neck, hoping to finish this. She paid no mind to the deer. She happened to know where they were from.

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

The dog flinched, trying to move himself as he saw the vague figure of Kaze flying his way. It was over with in a moment though, with the dog's blood spilling in a crimson pool beneath his crippled neck. He had no energy to struggle, and within a few mere moments, the dog was dead.

Meteor glanced to his two companions before looking to Kaze again. He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it and stood silently. None of them wanted to run or even turn their backs to a wolf, so they waited for Kaze to move away first.

Kaze

Kaze grinned devilously as she felt the dog go limp in her jaws-- Jaws of death, if she may say so herself. Grinning, she dropped the lifeless carcess and turned, licking her bloody maw. She loved to have the taste of that familier crimson liquid in her mouth and on her tongue. Snorting lightly, she took a final glance at the small group of deer and without a word boundedoffin leaps. Strides. And then heavy pawfalls. She disappeared into the forest.

Nitro, Sumac, & Meteor

They all give a thankful sigh of relief when the wolf takes her leave. "We'd better get you back to Nhosh." Meteor begins, looking with a grimace to the arrow in Nitro's neck.

The buck nodded distractedly and the three headed back to the Oak Prairie.