Almuit Rune Herd

With their switch stag in the lead, the small, strange group of deer began to make their way up the canyon, following the widest trail they could manage.

After finding a relatively level area, Nhosh stopped his herd and turned once more to Free Spirit. He had moved the herd slowly to accomodate the horse's wounded gait. "Do you scent your herd anywhere around here? This makes a nice vantage point, I must admit. But I like the woods better." The red stag murmured, looking about at the surroundings.

Once again, Gaudalupe piped up, "Did that really hurt..? That's a lot of blood." The young buck pointed out with a shiver. "I've never..."

The pricket was cut off as Solange came charging towards the group, flagging his striking tail in the air in warning. "Dogs! I smelt them!" he panted, having run for quite a distance up the incline. "I cut a V line in our path, but with so many of us..." The stag looked around fearfully, "I wouldn't count on that trick to work this time."

Nhosh's eyes widened as he looked about desperately, but held his calm, "It will do no good to panik and run on blindly. We will wait here and see if they still follow our trail." The stag had delt with humans more than the rest of his herd knew about. "Well, maybe you will get your revenge." The lead pointed out slyly to Free Spirit. "And about the livestock... We could cause quite some damage."

Wycliff shuddered and stuck her large ears high in the air. She and Gaudalupe were very frightened. Huyen and Solange were considerably more calm about it.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit had started panting as they worked their way up the Canyon. He had lost much blood, but the wound was starting the heal. There were marks of blood from when the drops leaked down, giving him an unusual reddish tint on his hind leg. He stopped, raising his head high. He could smell the Clan. "Yes, I scent them, but I predict that they are a bit far from here... I don't really know, at least not yet." he said, wincing from applying pressure on his hind leg.

His attention quickly shifted to the buck that asked the question. "Eheheh, it hurt, lots. It is starting to heal rather nicely, though." he said, trying to gently lay his hoof on the ground. He flicked his tail around when Solange appeared. Free Spirit nodded to Nhosh, narrowing his eyes slightly. He pounded a strong hoof on the ground and looked around, not only getting the Clan's scents, but the dog scents also. "Perhaps all of the animals in the wilderness could team up to defeat the humans, or at least teach them a lesson." he said under his breath, flicking his tail again, but this time in annoyance. He snorted and looked around.

Almuit Rune Herd & *Humans*

Gaudalupe gaped at the wound again, admiring Free Spirit's courage and resiliance. Being just a young buck, he looked up to everyone else and was easily awed by things. He had a lot to learn yet.

Nhosh gazed solemnly towards the horizon, "Maybe one day. Well," he turned to the equine, "When you have healed enough, perhaps we can stage an attack on the humans." Nhosh dipped his head down, half-heartedly grazing on a young bush. The herd began to graze lightly, but they were all wary and waiting. The scent of dog and human grew stronger. Solange had been sent off again to find out what was happening. Several minutes later, the buck came back with the news.

"They are coming." he reported, sucking in a deep breath and standing ridgedly. "Four humans, four dogs, and a wolf pup." Nhosh bared his teeth slightly in anger, stamping the ground, "Well, there is little else choice but to hide. We can ambush them. Are you up for it?" the lead questioned Free Spirit. They still had a bit of time to get positioned.

Solange disappeared into jumble of rocks and grasses. Huyen took up a spot on the opposite side of the trail, hiding in a small gully that was choked with currant bushes.

Gaudalupe watched the other stags take their positions with little fear. He on the other hand felt that his heart was about to burst out of his chest as he drummed wildly in fear. Wycliff nudged the young buck, "Follow me." She encouraged, hiding her own anxiety as best she could. She led the ebony deer to a patch of brambles behind a half-fallen tree.

Nohsh watched his herd drift out of sight, as they had countless times before when humans or other threats faced them. "I know a fair deal about horses. Your hooves are your deadly weapons, but you're hindered rather badly." The stag spoke up, eyeing the wound Free Spirit carried and opening his mouth as if to speak, but no words came forth. Holding back the idea he had in mind, fearing that it would anger Free Spirit, Nhosh changed his words, "Be careful."

Free Spirit

"We can ambush them. I am more up to it now than I ever was." he said, his voice showing slight aggression and boldness. Free Spirit swiftly turned around and headed to the underbrush, standing to watch the humans and dogs if they walked into the clearing. Free Spirit nodded boldly and snorted, shaking away some flying bugs. But something sparked in his mind... Four humans, dogs, and a wolf pup? He shook his head again, in thought. Sounded like the human party that had shot him at the Prairie. He would mention it some other time. Right now was a time to be quiet and still.

Almuit Rune Herd, *Humans, & Dogs*

"Good." The stag replied, giving Free Spirit a confident look. He was always spirited and thrilled when other Arlas, their word for 'deer-like' animals, worked together to benefit themselves. Nhosh took his place opposite of Free Spirit, hiding in thick brush where his high, pointed antlers blended in with the thick shoots of dead branches.

After several minutes went by, a loud baying could be heard. It wasn't long after that four dogs came racing into the clearing, baying and wagging their high-held tails. One was a beagle, one was a chocolate lab, and the other two were a mix of both; being the offspring of the first two. The paused in the clear, smelling where the deer had first lingered.

The four men came up the hill, huffing and laboring with the effort it took to keep up with their dogs going up the rise. One carried the wolf pup, Adeyrn, under his arm. The other three had riffles.

Suddenly there came a swift crashing of branches and undergrowth as two deer sprug out of hiding. It was Huyen and Solange first, who were further down the trail where the humans were just coming up. The large, ebony buck reared and boxed a man with his riffle, sending the bewildered human to the ground with a bloodied face. Solange did the same, but his kicks struck the neck, caving in the windpipe and sending another riffle-bearing to the ground, sputtering and choking for breath.

The third riffle-bearer turned to shoot at Solange, but suddenly found a searing pain in his back end that sent him sprawling face-first into the ground. Gaudalupe snorted and shook his small, bloodied antlers. He had peirced straight through the man's pants, but had also torn much of the velvet from his little spikes of antlers. His eyes shown with emense fear, mingled with hatred.

Nhosh came out next, bellowing deeply. Like the older bucks, he knew better than to use his growing antlers. He bucked and kicked as he ran, rushing past the dogs and heading for the man with the pup. He reared high and struck out, sending the man to the ground as he tried to dodge away.

Wycliff stood frozen in her spot, watching the ordeal. She didn't often fight, but would if her herd really needed it. A deep bark came from one of the mix-breed dogs. Barking a deafening tone, he charged for Wycliff. Barking out in alarm, the hind turned and kicked out.

The other mix-breed had scented Free Spirit and now rushed towards him, ready to tear away at his flesh... the lab followed suit. The beagle charged the stags, snarling and snapping.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit neighed and plunged out of his hiding spot, eyes wide showing their whites. That was a time to run. He swiftly wheeled around and struck his forehooves out at the dog that had came for him, just daring the mutt to get any closer. Free Spirit then turned without any reaction from the canine and he flung his hindhooves out right at the animal, wanting to knock it out and kill it. He wasn't usually a big fan of canines, or humans for that matter. The dog had done some damage, since Free Spirit had collected some scrapes and scratches on his forelegs. He almost stumbled down onto his side because of his injured hind leg. He let out a screeching neigh, ignoring his leg, and he thrust his flat forehead out at the mutt that had attacked him incase the others attacks weren't enough...

Almuit Rune Herd, *Humans, & Dogs*

The lab was flung to the ground and lay as limp as a ragdoll. He was alive, but with a badly damaged head.

The mix breed snarled wrathfully, "You'll pay for that!" she raged and flung herself at Free Spirit again, but was struck by his large head. Yelping at the smarting pain, the mix breed quickly turned her fangs to the horses tender muzzle...

A yelp came from the brush where Wycliff was, as well as another bark from the hind herself.

The stags continued their assualt on the humans, stamping and goring them with their hooves. One man was soon dead, laying crumpled and bruised beneath Nhosh. The stag stood tensely before hearing a pained gasp from nearby. While Gaudalupe was attacking the man with the pup, the beagle had sunk his fangs into his side. Nhosh charged and boxed at the dog with his front hooves.

Huyen had badly wounded his human with several well-placed kicks.

Solange had succeeded also with wounded his human. Yet somehow, amist the onslaught, the man managed to seek protection between the crevis of two large rocks. Solange bellowed and thrashed his head, but he couldn't reach the human now.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit yelped loudly and flung his head upward after the hybrid left a few deep scrapes on his tender, velvety muzzle. He neighed and snorted, shaking his head and flinging blood drops around. His muzzle wasn't the best place to attack, but Free Spirit was enraged. With a sudden screaming neigh, he reared to his fullest height and pawed the air wildly. His ears were laced back and his body was in the stomping position. He was ready to tear this animal to threads! His face turned dark and angry as he pushed down his forehooves that were flailing in the air and he aimed to bring them crashing down on the mixed-breed, with alot of extra force from his front half...

Aderyn*Karai

As the human who held her was kicked to the ground, little Aderyn was thrown several feet to the side, hitting the ground with a loud thump. Her side had been badly grazed by the attack, and she lay unconcious and bleeding, only a few feet from the fray.

Silver huntress saw her little one flipped through the air and darted forward, a low whine escaping her maw as she cursed herself for waiting too long. In all the confusion, a bullet lodged in her left shoulder, but she didn't even feel it as she scooped up her pup and retreated. A howling call to Zhener let him know that she had Aderyn, and with that the mother disappeared into the longer grass, heading for the Sedge Creek Den.

Almuit Rune Herd, *Humans, & Dogs*

The mixbreed jumped to the side, but was hit full on by the hooves. Before he could scramble up, they came down on him with deadly force.

The fight continued a little longer with the deer and humans, but soon things died down. Three humans lay busted and dead on the ground, as well as a dog with a caved in chest. It was certainly not a pleasant scene at all. Then there came a yelp from the brush, a bit of rustling, and then silence. Wycliff stepped timidly out of her hiding spot with a striking stain of crimon over the white fur of her stomach. It was not a serious wound, but it had startled the hind a good deal.

Gaudalupe was the other casualty, but he too carried a non-threatening injury to his side. Nhosh looked over the herd and the dead and gave a nod, "We managed well. You alright?" he questioned, looking to the horse and the newly slain dog. The lab was still alive, but unconscious, so the stag didn't worry about that. "We've got a small problem over here though." He went on, advancing on the rock crevis.

Solange was bucking at the rock, but he could not reach the human who had backed down into the hiding spot. "We can't let him live!" The buck raged, thrashing his heavy antlers, "Humans are too keen with revenge, he'll hunt us down if we let him live!"

Free Spirit

Free Spirit snorted. "I am alright. That was my first attack to the humans. I had a good right to attack, for what they had done to me." he said, snorting again. He pawed the ground with hooves, which were slightly bloody, and then trotted briskly over to the crevise, trying to push his head in while he snapped away at anything that he might reach, preferable bite the human's face. He continued trying.

Almuit Rune Herd & *Human*

Nhosh snorted angrily, boxing at the rocks from the other side. But try as they might, the human was firmly wedged down and just out of their reach. He began to shout very loudly at the creatures. Nhosh pulled his ears back from the sharp, irritating noise, "They always deserve. Never fear about being in the right or wrong when dealing with these scum." He told Free Spirit assuringly.

Gaudalupe buffeted the rock lightly, just venting his anger. His blood was up now and he felt exilierated by the attack. "We should send a snake in to greet him!" The pricket snorted contemptously.

Huyen looked to the young ebony buck, "That's not such a bad idea. But, I should doubt any snake would listen to us, much less risk going in and attacking a human."

Solange nodded faintly, "Wouldn't that be something though." He murmured thoughtfully, "The vipers live around here, in the rocky areas. Unless we can find some ignorant youngster. You know, they are more dangerous than the adults sometimes." He pointed out.

Wycliff turned her muzzle to the breeze, picking up a distant scent. But she ignored it for the moment. "We need to quiet him. He could attracked unwanted attention." The hind added with worry, pulling her ears back as well against the racket that the human was making. She glanced at the unconscious dog and grimaced, "We should do something with him too, before he might wake up."

Free Spirit

Free Spirit listened to the words said. He pulled his head back and snorted, looking around. He had never met a snake before, but he had seen them. He knew that there could be some around the Ruins, but that could be a long, tiring trip.He turned his attention back to Nhosh. "There are also some snakes around at the Ruins." he said. "What should we do with the dog? Push'em over a cliff maybe?" he said, thoughtfully. He swished his tail around and stared intently, pulling his ears back, irritated with the loud noise. Horse ears were somewhat sensitive, at least his were. He snorted again.

Almuit Rune Herd & *Snake*

Nhosh turned to Solange, after hearing the snake plan become more approved by everyone, "Head to the Ruins and get a snake for us. I suppose it'll want a reward or something... well, we'll deal with that in due time. Find a viper of sorts."

Solange dipped his crazy antlers down in a nod to his lead. He was usually the one sent off to do things, which didn't bother him in the least bit.

Nhosh then turned to the dog, "Yes, we'd better shove him off the cliff. The others too... I'd hate to attract scavengers here." He pointed out. Employing the rest of his herd, they began to nudge and kick with their hind hooves, pushing the carcasses and unconscious dog towards the ledge. It was a tireing effort, since the humans weren't all that light. But they eventually reached the ledge, and one by one, the bodies were shoved off.

The human couldn't really see what was taking place, so he peeped his head up once. But Huyen, who had taken his place by the rock again, nearly bashed the human's face in with a swift kick. Down the head went, retreating to the safety of the rocks once more to try and outwait the herd and the horse.

Nhosh spoke to Free Spirit, "It will probably be a while until Solange gets back. The Ruins are a good distance away. Maybe we could contanct your herd, if they are still in the vacinity?"

Free Spirit & Libertys Ride

Free Spirit listened to the words again, getting quite excited with everything happening. He tossed his head up to see if he could scent his Clan still. He could definitly smell them, still. He let out a loud, hearty neigh and waited for them to come.

Soon, one of the Clan members appeared beyond the rocks. It was Libertys Ride, still in perfect condition. She was the Lead mare. Eyeing Free Spirit quickly, she let out a replying, high-noted whinny to him. She could see the deer, but right now she was only interested in seeing the "Lost One" of the Clan. She intended to start calling him that, since he had become lost.
She quickened her strides and shot her legs out farther to go faster. She bounded up and down the steep rocky hills and ledges until she finally reached the group. She stopped in front of Free Spirit and nudged him. She let a slight "Phew" escape her maw as she looked him over, as though he were her own lost son. "Thank goodness you are alright!" she said, licking at his face. She looked at his wound and gasped. She hadn't known a gunshot wound to be so bloody before. She licked him one last time after he pulled his head away and backed up slightly, avoiding her toung. "I am fine." he said quickly.
Libertys Ride backed up as well to allow him some more room. "The rest of the Clan are down farther, in a cave near the base of the Canyon. but first, who are they?" she then asked him, getting curious. Free Spirit looked to the small herd. He had forgotten their names, since his mind was always remembering simple names. He personally thought that their names were a bit tough to manage. He only looked to them, trying to signal to them that he couldn't introduce them all.

Almuit Rune Herd

Nhosh caught on what troubles Free Spirit had. Indeed, their names were quite different, but almost all the names had a meaning behind them; as well as the special terms such as 'aras'. "I'm Nhosh, leader of the Almuit Herd. This is Huyen, Gaudalupe, and Wycliff." He said, nodding first to the two nightly-colored bucks, and then the red deer hind. "There is another, named Solange. He's out fetching us a snake, to rid us of our human problem." Now the switch stag nodded to the crevis where the human cowered.

Gaudalupe blinked in surprise at the mare, awed still by their larger size. He then turned to lick at his wounded side.

Wycliff studied the mare curiously, and with a strange longing in her eyes. It was nice to have the stags around for protection, but it just wasn't the same as living with hinds. No one to gossip with, besides Gaudalupe. But she planned on finding other hind friends sooner or later. Like the young pricket, Wycliff turned her head to inspect and clean the wound to her stomach area.

Free Spirit & Libertys Ride

Free Spirit steped back once more, looking to Libertys Ride.

She turned to look at them all, quite thrown off-course by the colors. She had seen many deer before, but black ones? She had seen a rather small deer called a Blackbuck from where the Clan used to live and frolic. But the hinds weren't black, but orange and white. She snorted slightly and examined them each. "I am Libertys Ride, Lead mare of the Horse Clan. It is nice to meet you all, but I must be going soon. I have much to get done. I have to report back and help the Clan search for a nice, quiet place to stay while the Prairie emties of the humans." she said. She didn't want to keep Apache Outlaw waiting. She dipped her head down and then raised it again as she wheeled around and pushed herself off of the ground with her hinds and was soon going down the cliffs and ledges, heading back to the small cave that the Clan was resting in. She had given a strange loo to the human in the crevise, but figured that it wouldn't do any kind of good to say anything about it.

Free Spirit watched as his own Lead left, seemingly dieing to run back with her. But he would leave only when this human faced pain. "Well, I suppose we can only wait, for now." he said to Nhosh.

Songa

The mare had cantered after the Horse Clan, thinking over the things that had happened. She had watched as Libertys Ride went to meet with Free Spirit, and her curiousity grew. She could smell humans and dogs. Finally she could contain her inquisitive nature any longer. As the lead mare was heading back, Songa began to sprint up the trail.

She made her way along, startled at the scent of horse blood that came to her keen nose. Moving slower, she reached the clearing and found Free Spirit, along with the deer. And then she spotted the man in the crevis and walked cautiously near. She dipped her muzzle, still clad in a worn halter, as near as she could to the rocks and peered in at the battered human figure. "Is he one from the Prairie?"

Free Spirit

Free Spirit turned to face Songa. He could remember her name. He then turned his head back around to the herd of deer. "This is Songa..." he said, starting to think and wonder if the buck that had left had the viper yet. He swooshed his tail up and around. This was getting interesting. He liked interesting things. This was some situation he liked... He quickly shook his head and snorted, knocking himself from the thinking mood. "What will we do with the human in the crevice? We can't really do anything until we get a snake."

Almuit Rune Herd, *Human, & Rattler*

Nhosh nodded his sword-like antlers, "Nice to meet you." But his eyes were fixed on the worn-down halter adorning her muzzle. "Why do you wear that?" he questioned with a look of disgust on his face. He abhored humans.

Wycliff raised her head, "I can help you get it off." She offered hopefully.

Solange had finally returned, panting once more from the journey. Resting coiled in his twisted, deformed antlers was a very large she-serpent; a timber rattlesnake. Carefully, he lowered the snake to the ground and she disengaged herself from the tines. "Quite a ride." She whispered out in awe, having been more scared than she was willing to admit. "Distract the two-legger for me. I'll be out in a second." Her heat-seeking pits had picked up on the human right away and she moved into crevis. Huyen and Gaudalupe began to set up a racket, bucking and bellowing at the man from the opposite side of the crevis.

Solange turned to the others, "She will use all of her venom on this human, which her kind rarely does." The buck began, "In return, since she will not have the poison to catch food for a while, she wants us to catch her a meal... a rat. Also..." he shot a glance to Free Spirit, "She wants help with a human problem."

Nhosh narrowed his eyes slightly, "What kind of problem is this?"

Solange went on, "Around this time, humans set out to hunt and kill the rattlers. She's afriad that they'll find the Ruins. And also, there's a den at the Croal mountains that's in danger as well."

Nhosh sighed heavily, thinking it over. "I suppose we can. Free Spirit, you and your herd are welcome to help us. But if not, that's alright. You need some rest, I think, for that leg."

Suddenly there came a loud cry from the crevis. The rattler darted out from the rocks and coiled herself up in the sun's rays. "I gave him all I got. Enough to kill a..." she paused, looking towards the horses, "Well, enough to kill him. He'll be dead before long."

Free Spirit

Free Spirit looked to the snake when she came back out. He knew what she was going to say, but he didn't care. He snorted and lashed his tail out. "Human problem? I can help, but the Clan probably won't. I think they left, or they should have by now. But I don't know how we can kill a rat, how should we? Stomp on it or something?" he asked, getting a bit confused. He kept looking back and fourth from Songa to the deer.

Almuit Rune Herd & *Snake*

Nhosh sighed, "I'm not sure. It would be easy to trick one, I'd think, to come out into the open where we could stomp it. But then, that would be... well.. like the humans." The lead hesitated, battling with his morals. "It would be too hard to seek one out in their tiny hiding places. Maybe there is some hawk we can pursuad to lend us his meal." Nhosh looked around for ideas on this one.

"The cats." Wycliff piped up, "They are always killing little rodents, and they don't always eat them. We could go to the..."

She was cut off sharply by Nhosh, "The Ranch. Good idea, Wycliff." He flashed her a quick look and she looked away, seemingly startled by something. "The those places are always filled with cats and rats. They'll surely give us a rat. And while we're there, we can have a bit of fun ourselves." Now he looked for approval from his herd and the two horses.

Huyen offered a smirk, "Night time could help hide us. Especially Gaudalupe and I. What do you two say?" he asked, looking to Free Spirit and Songa.

The snake lifted her head, curving it around the edge of the rock crevis. "He won't last much longer." The human was making strange noises now, and attempted to get out of the hiding place. But a quick buffet from Solange kept the man in his death place.

Gaudalupe seemed rather excited by all this talk, "We will be well known among the humans! They will fear us!" The pricket announced bodly, caught up in all the sceming. Huyen chuckled under his breath, shaking his antlered head, "Yes, we will. But remember the price that goes with it." Gaudalupe gazed at the larger buck with wide eyes. His head drooped a bit and he looked down, "Yeah, I forgot about that."

Free Spirit

Free Spirit listened to everything said. He liked the idea of going to the Ranch, he could stir up some trouble. He nodded his head a bit, getting even more excited at everything. He wasn't usually one for making the wise decisions, but he would go along for the fun of thrills. "I will go. I actually want to be known by the humans now. Before I was curious about them, now I am raged by them, since I was shot, and I desire to make their lives harder... No matter what the cost. If we go to the Ranch for a mouse, should we cause some trouble?" he said quickly. He swooshed his tail and examined his wound, turning his head back and licking it.

Almuit Rune Herd & *Snake*

Nhosh's eyes glinted with devilish delight. "Yes, it would be fun to stir up some havoc. Humans need to learn they aren't the only ones on Our earth." The stag looked to the sky, "It shouldn't be too long before sundown. We will have time to graze near the ranch before moving in with the setting sun."

Solange glanced to the human, who was still setting up a racket that was getting louder by the minute. "I'll stick around and wait for him. Just to be sure he doesn't get out before his time."

Nhosh nodded, "Good. But take care to hide yourself well. Who knows if more humans might come or not. Well," the lead turned to the others, "Lets head out." The red deer headed down the trail once more. He was heading for the Sheep Pasture.

The rest of the herd fell in line behind him with Wycliff and Gaudalupe chatting eagerly. Solange watched as the herd left. He turned and disappeared into the vegetation, hiding himself from any humans. He and the snake would spend the rest of the light hours there, making sure their captor died.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit nodded, getting a devilish smile. He quickly trotted along after the herd, glancing back to Songa.

Solange & *Snake*

After a while, the human's noises became quieted. It was a little while later when, when Solange ventured out under the setting sun, that he found the man to be expired. "We'll be back." The buck told the rattler before headed away.