Nhevaris & Umbrik

Nhevaris paced through his lands, moving from the outskirts where he'd recently marked to the center where the family tended to rendezvous. He stopped once to listen to a distant howl, recognizing it as a member of the Sedge Creek pack - a group of wolves he had yet to meet, but then they were many miles from his own borders, and not an immediate concern to the alpha. He continued onward, stopping only once he'd reached a shallow knoll a few dozen yards from the den site. There he howled, a short, low call to summon his pack.

'Hhhn?' Umbrik was half-asleep when he heard the summons. Blinking his ruddy eyes, the yearling pushed himself up from the bed of lilies and spring flowers he'd curled up in. Legs quivered as he stretched, and his tongue lolled long from his mouth as he yawned, taking his time as his father's call didn't sound urgent. He finished his routine with a hearty shake before setting off in a gentle lope to meet his father.

Arora, Ataji, & Leopita

Arora's answering howl came in clear and melodic, rising above the distant calls of the Sedge Creek, where she had yet to learn that one of her sons had joined. Setting a quick pace, the alphess pushed through the greening landscape of their territory, jogging past the vibrant purples of blooming violets and phlox, and the dainty whites and pinks of the spring beauties. Within minutes she was reunited with Nhevaris, greeting him with a nuzzle and sliding her head beneath his neck.

Ataji and Leopita weren't much longer in rendezvousing, with both young wolves catching up first with Umbrik as they answered their parents' call. It was Lepiota who seemed most excited as she traveled with her brothers, "What do you think's on the menu this time? I wonder if we'll try cow."

"At this time in the evening, I don't know." Ataji replied, subtly side-glancing in Umbrik's direction to gauge how his sibling felt about this. After the fiasco of their last sheep hunt, he wasn't sure how keen on Umbrik was to have another go at pasture hunting.

Naiche

Naiche was a little late in responding, as per usual. But respond she did, and in time to participate in the hunt this time around. Coming from the opposite direction of the children, the ebony and white wolfdog approached her leaders with a lowered head and swaying tail. "Where are we hunting today?"

Nhevaris & Umbrik

Ataji's quick glance would find Umbrik with a lowered head and ears pointed tailward. Pinched brows further enhanced his look of uncertainty, and they danced a little higher when his gaze briefly paired with his ebony sibling's. "Whatever it is, I hope it's something smaller, away from the two-leggers." Unlike Lepiota, he wanted to steer clear of the open grasses and strange, uniform design of the humans' buildings and fences. And boomsticks. And traps. And poisons...

Nhevaris greeted his mate with similar enthusiasm and tenderness, nuzzling the top of her head and caressing her muzzle with his tongue. The display ended as Naiche appeared, with Umbrik and the other two siblings emerging on the opposite end of the clearing. Once all were gathered, Nhevaris raised his muzzle and spoke, "This evening we will be hunting the hunters. I've come across the scent of two-leggers recently, and caught the odor of a small fire burning on the southern outskirts of our home."

Arora, Ataji, & Leopita

An eager fire lit in Arora's eyes at the news. Her nose twitched, as if anticipating the scent of the smoke that her mate had earlier picked up. This would be their first opportunity to up the stakes and actually take down one of the two-leggers themselves, and not just their farm animals. "We'll not only feed ourselves tonight, but make our pack - and the Valley - a little safer in doing so." She shifted her muzzle, nares flaring as she sought again for that elusive scent.

Lepiota showed a keen eagerness to follow her parents into this hunt, "How do we fell them? Don't they cover themselves in strange hide?"

"What about boomsticks?" Ataji voiced his concern in calm tones, masking the anxiety that gripped at his chest. He didn't exactly share in his family's penchant for targeting the humans, but he was also loyal to them. If anything, he would do his best to make sure everyone, especially Umbrik, stayed safe during this excursion.

Nhevaris & Umbrik

Nhevaris nodded to his mate, and then looked up their three children. "We go for exposed skin, and learn what their weaknesses are. They are slow and clumsy like newborn deer, so catching them will be simple." The ebony wolfdog honestly didn't know himself the best way to fell a human, but based on his observations and his mate's reports of them, it wouldn't be a difficult task. Deep, ruddy eyes turned to Ataji next, "We will have to be cautious. We'll wait until the cover of darkness is on our side, and we'll spend time observing them, and strike when their guard is down. This will be a learning experience for all of us."

Umbrik avoided the gaze of his father when it turned to him. He didn't want to attack the humans, and the thought of boomsticks sent a shiver down his spine. He wanted to slink away and avoid the hunt altogether, but after the chastisement he got from the last failure... Umbrik wasn't sure what to do.

Naiche

"Their jaws and claws are weak." Naiche added her two cents to the discussion, "But their paws are what we need to watch out for - they're as nimble as a raccoon's, and can manipulate objects in horrible ways. Keep an eye on them." She turned expectantly to her alphas then, awaiting direction on this evening's hunt. Though she'd seen the way Umbrik seemed to sink and recoil under the very idea of the outing, Naiche was keen on not getting punished herself.

Nhevaris & Umbrik

"Naiche is right, their paws are something to keep an eye on." The ebony hybrid stepped forward, moving past his mate and pointing his muzzle in the direction of where he'd last scented the humans. "We'll begin stalking their location now, but stay out of their sight. I know their sense of smell is said to be weak, but cover your scent regardless, just to be on the safe side." Nhevaris continued on, limber limbs carrying him at a slow, easy pace through the lightly wooded lands.

Umbrik didn't move at first. He barely managed to lift his eyes to acknowledge the words of his father and Naiche before dropping them down again, as if weighted by the anxiety that so gripped him. He stared at a blade of grass between his paws, then focused absentmindedly on an ant scurrying around him with a morsel of food clenched between its little jaws.

Arora, Ataji, & Lepiota

Pale gray vixen remained attentive as the pack held a brief discussion on how to handle the humans. Her mind briefly wandered to Astra as they spoke, wondering where the curious stranger was right now, and what kind of advice she might have to offer. Arora made a mental note to seek the other out sometime after this hunt, to perhaps share their exploits and seek further guidance on the human expert. As that thought was shelved away and Nhevaris set out for the border of their territory, Arora stepped dutifully in line beside him. A simple, short yip was given to Umbrik - the only warning given to her timid son - before she disappeared among the trees and shrubbery.

"Don't be such a whimp, Umbrik." Lepiota had a few more words for her brother, along with a harsh nip at his shoulder. "If you want to eat with the pack, you're going to have to help out. Mom and dad are losing patience with you." He was given a stern look, whether or not he actually lifted his eyes to meet hers. She huffed then and sprinted away to catch up with Nhevaris and Arora, gliding solidly past Naiche, with her tail boldly lifted to declare her rank.

After the others began to filter away into the brush, Ataji took a quiet moment to approach his brother. "Umbi, c'mon." Where Lepiota offered a harsh nip, Ataji used a gentle nudge of his nose, pressing it against the pale fur of his sibling's head. "Just follow me lead, okay? You'll do fine." He gave him another nudge before stepping away, tail swaying just a little in encouragement. "If we're lucky, maybe we can even find some human food."

Umbrik

He flinched under the nip of his sister, wincing at the shallow pain that it caused. What stung worse was the disappointed from his parents, and he couldn't bring himself to look up and answer his mother's stern yip. He wondered for a moment if he should just turn away and leave the pack, set out like his brother Shadow had. Maybe Shadow had found a pack that hunted normal things? Maybe they had room in their pack for someone like him...?

Umbrik flinched again when another touch landed on him, only to realize it was the consoling touch of Ataji. The young wolf finally raised his eyes, briefly meet Ataji's before they strayed away again in shame. "I don't like doing this. We shouldn't be bothering the humans." Despite himself though, his tail did thump on the ground once or twice, always happy to have the support of his sibling. He found his paws pressing into the ground and his limbs stretching to lift him up, though they did so with great hesitation. Forcing a smile, he nuzzled the side of Ataji's face, "Thanks, Taji. ..I'll follow you."