Rice Bluff hold fast to the break of daylight
#1
The usual spot.

It was somewhat strange for Dakila to think back, to a different time, a different version of himself, with different people, more or less exactly in this space. He'd been a very confused, rather nervous creature at that point, thrust into a world he didn't understand at all by a fate he somehow hadn't seen coming. The new kid, subtly laughed at when bewilderment had come at the sight of everyone stripping, preparing. A little removed, but putting on that brave face, unable to grasp what was coming.

And he stood here now, none of those who had been here that first night here anymore. And him, Dakila, somehow taking up the place as prince, as leader. He didn't believe it in some ways, had never asked for it, would give it up without a fight if it ever became the right thing to do, and yet... A little bit of pride in him, not for himself, but for how far this pack had really come. His life as a werewolf felt more real than it ever had before when he'd had Alina to shield him. And sure, maybe he could have used the sleep tonight instead of turning into a great, furry monster, but some things you had no choice on and you just had to embrace.

Everyone had been requested to gather tonight. It was overdue, really, to get the entire pack together. Between Julian (who Dakila would keep special eye over) and Oryx (who was still Max's responsibility), they had new faces to integrate. The first steps weren't always easy, but Dakila was living proof that you could be so much more than your origin story.

His eyes green, wolf bracing excitedly to the surface in a way he didn't fight, he greeted those already here and waited for the stragglers with all the usual patience.
#2
Max was there, early and eager. He was worn out, but he'd held off of shifting over the weekend in preparation for the full moon, knowing he wanted to keep his energy up from the amount he'd been doing in order to patch himself up rather rapidly. Worth it, to be able to move around without wincing too much, but he was still missing a chunk of his shoulder, with it on it's way to regrowing. The wounds on his chest and stomach were healing, but the little pockmarks of the vampire trying to turn him into a pincushion were still there. Possibly they'd fade with a few more shifts.

It was good, however, to have this with the pack now. A well overdue full moon night with everyone. He'd seen people in passing, but barely had a conversation. Emily had eaten up most of his time, voluntarily on his part. Most of the time she was fine to be on her own, really, but Max found he preferred staying in her company. He hadn't thought much on the reasons, other than that he liked doing what felt good.

The anticipation was crawling under his skin and he knew his eyes were that bright electric blue now. Ready for the shift, ready to let the wolf out, but he'd try to wait for Emily if he could.

"Dakila, Liza," he offered to the two wolves there, already pulling his shirt off to get ready for the shift. Just another day as a werewolf.

He didn't stop to wonder how many of them might not know he'd had a ridiculous run-in with a vampire.
#3
Last month had been the only time Emily had managed to shift without destroying her clothes. However, for the fourth, it had only been with Max, and the man had seen it all. Today it would be the whole pack and her reluctance was as palpable as the high-key irritation she’d come to associate with the full moon. She trailed behind him, coming slow from the car and feeling a bit like a thundercloud compared to his enthusiasm.

And although Max was already stripping, she made no move to pull her own clothes off.

She wore something truly ratty for today. Old sneakers, frayed shorts, a holey t-shirt. Emily may have been entirely set on shifting in clothes. She just... couldn’t. In front of others? God...

The one concession she made as she approached was heel-toeing her sneakers off. Picking them up, she closed the rest of the distance to the other wolves, offering a small, reserved smile but little else. "Hey." She could feel the wolves close to the surface, a kind of thrumming tension that plucked at the string of her spine and turned her eyes pale.

How would they start this? Would it be one wolf and then they’d all cascade out from there? She’d be the last, she was sure, feeling like the newest still, and was kind of sad she wouldn’t be able remember it.
#4
He didn't want to be here, honestly. It was nothing against Dakila. He liked the man, appreciated the things he did. It was more...he didn't want to see anyone else. Not Max, not the woman from the woods, and not anyone else. Certainly not Emily. However he recognized that this was perhaps the only time he had been requested to show in a group setting. He would be an idiot to not show up. Imagine it would do more damage than anything else.

When he arrived, he would sit in the car for a few moments. Dressed in an old shirt that had already been torn from some frantic shift earlier. Pants just grey sweats from the bottom of his dresser. Old tattered shoes that had seen more mileage the last few months than they ever had before. Physically he was prepared for this night. Mentally? It felt more like he lived on the moon and was only held here by the gravity of his wolf's earth. The pull to go get to the others sooner rather than later.

Slowly and with all of the grace of a statue, he made his way to them. Content to linger in the background like he was some sort of campy killer in a movie rather than a member of this wooded gathering.
#5
Liza lingered all the while at Dakila's side, a peculiar little smile on her face as she watched the other wolves arrive one by one. She, of course, had arrived alongside the Prince -- what had started as an emergency measure had become, in many ways, a source of immense comfort for the wolven woman. "The gang's all here, huh?" she marveled, one hand lazily resting in the pocket of her jeans. The other reached out for Dakila's own, giving it a shy little squeeze before allowing it to drop back to the side of her hip.

The entire experience was hard to precisely explain in detail, though Liza found the word that best described it the moment she started to search. Pride welled up in her chest as the others began to gather in earnest. This pack had become something so very different from the old one. But -- it was definitely better, right? And they had played some part in it. This pack was something that they had made.

The woman's eyes lingered upon Julian. She gave the boy a small smile before turning her attention elsewhere. He seemed uptight; she could practically smells his anxiety. Liza certainly wanted him to be welcome, but she had no interest in smothering the poor guy.
#6
After a few moons without the full pack here, she was really missing it. It’d been a nightmare without everyone and then last moon had been full of fear and relief with Katya. They’d confirmed her weird bout of memory loss with shifts had been all some sort of magic or even a vampire, not something to be permanent as feared. A whole arc of a problem and it being solved leaving Natalie pining for the few moons where the pack had simply run together normally.

So instead of heading to this shift with unease and dread, Natalie was shakily, but much more sure that all would be fine and looking forward to seeing everyone. There was even a small bounce to her step as she got closer to the clearing and could hear voices, heart picking up in pace. There, it seemed everyone was accounted for, she was surprisingly the last to show up. Dakila, Liza, Emily, Max, who looked beat up for some reason, and a new, shy face that had to be Julian.

”Hi guys,” she piped up, already taking off her backpack and heading towards a bush with low branches to put it under, the wolf trotting and prancing, full of excitement.
#7
The gang really was all here. It was actually a strange feeling, to see all these faces he had come to know over the last few months and realize, entirely, that they really were connected across the board. And sure, Julian may have lurked on the fringes, but he was here, and a bit of a work in progress anyway. Maybe tonight would help him.

The touch at his hand made Dakila smile briefly over at his Second. She had gone from a source of trouble to a steady presence in his life, truly a Second inasmuch as he'd let her be, aware that he took too much for himself but also knowing she supported him at home so he could continue to do what he felt he needed to.

Then there was Max, battered but not beaten, with his charge just behind him, a willing participant now in a pack where her first impression had been harsh. Dakila regretted none of that, but was still relieved to see her move past it, and to feel like he could move past it as well. He greeted them both, then Natalie as she appeared. They mingled in the area but he turned towards Julian to head that way, telling the others as he did so, "Feel free to shift when it feels right. Figure we can all get paws on the ground and see if we can do a group hunt. There've been some elk around that I think we could make short work of, all six of us." Like an actual wolf pack, what a novel concept.

Then, reaching Julian, he put on his smile that came easily when he sensed someone needed some sort of reassurance. "Hey Julian, glad you came. Think you could handle being my wingman in leading up a hunt tonight?"

Hard to say if the actual wolf would fall in line with such a thought, but it felt right to offer.
#8
Everyone came in, steadily filling up the clearing. It felt good, seeing and feeling all the wolves in one place. Max hadn't experienced that in a while and he revelled in it now, despite all the bullshit recently. He gave a wave to Natalie, grinning. To Julian he also waved as the kid made his approach, shooting him a smile he hoped the kid would read as genuine. He was relieved to see the kid, after everything.

Then Dakila suggested a hunt and the wolf in him perked up even more. His injuries hurt, he looked a right sight, but with a shift he'd be up for anything, he thought. Any complications from a hunt shouldn't bother him, he didn't think.

"Sounds like an easy job, boss," Max offered to Dakila, grinning. Perhaps a little cocky, but it got the job done.

As Dakila left, he turned to Emily, nudging her with his shoulder. "How're you feeling?" To him, he wanted to shift immediately, but he wondered what Emily was feeling about it.
#9
It was the wolf that told her about Julian's approach first and Emily's head swung in his direction. The woman felt nothing at the sight of the boy, save a small twinge of regret. His body language showed a lot of reluctance to be here and she knew that was due in no small part to her. But she'd dealt with such before and honestly, she thought the whole thing was foolish but, who was she to say? She'd apologized, let the boy work it out.

The wolf, on the other hand, startled her with posturing. Another show of dominance in the face of perceived weakness. Apparently she remembered the last encounter, and the glance at Julian became a pale pinned stare, one she didn't break away from until Max nudged her. Blinking, Emily shook herself, trying to pull her brain back to the present moment. Right, a hunt. A hunt for some elk as a pack. That was enough to drag the wolf away from her stupid animal kingdom bullshit. Hey, nice, and Natalie was here too!

It didn't matter how easy or hard it would be, really. She was looking at a blackout for the next night and half a day, but she was certain the she-wolf would find a way to be useful.

"Ah... Honestly, just want to get to the shift." She murmured, giving Max a small smile. "Let me know how it goes, okay?"
#10
He gave an awkward raised hand to Liza. Not...entirely sure what to say or do. Didn’t really feel like he had many options for either of those things. Although it seemed he wouldn’t have to do anything. Someone else showed up and things were being discussed.

Admittedly he felt...something. Something that bordered guilt as he ignored Max because of Emily. The way she stared at him was pretty uncomfortable. He was well aware he had started this unfriendliness between them first, but that didn’t meant he had to enjoy it. Just had to remind himself that he wasn’t here for her or even himself. It was for the group itself. A little for Dakila.

Speaking of...the man closed in on him. Dread and comfort wrapped in a tangled web. Although there was a distinct wave of relief at the words that met his ears. This wasn’t a confrontation. It was an offer. One that the wolf was certainly more thrilled about than Julian.

"Yeah." A slight bob of his head. "I’m actually...kind of there? With the dog now? Like...it’s not a blank space anymore." His voice had dropped into a whisper for just the two of them.
#11
Liza couldn't help but grin as Julian spoke to Dakila in hushed tones. She knew that, of course -- she'd been the one there when he had realized it, after all. Or at least, she thought that was the day -- his demeanor in wolf form seemed to suggest a little bit more humanity than usual.

She let the two converse, moving over to Natalie and Emily and pulling them both aside. "Alright, here's how this is going to go," she murmured conspiratorially -- but certainly loud enough for Max to be able to hear. "The boys think they're going to be leading this hunt, but we're going to show them who the real top dogs are, yeah? I'm not about to get shown up by a bunch of mangy testosterone-fueled mutts." To say that Liza couldn't say any of this with a straight face would be a woeful understatement. She was practically falling all over her giggly self as she spoke.

Honestly, the levity seemed necessary. Everything with shifters was always so dark, especially lately. Liza was so tired of being sad and afraid.
#12
A group hunt! That sounded like an exciting time, the wolf more than ready to go, sending images of what it could be like. ”I’m down.” Bag down and basically all set to shift, she’d rely on when everyone else did so to set it off.

Liza coming over had her attention and she gave a grin, the start of the sentence conspiratorially enough right at the get go. Immediately, it shifted into a guys versus girls scenario and she had to let out a laugh at the way things were presented, especially that last comment, but Natalie was down all the same. ”Definitely.” Another breathy laugh with the exhale into more words. ”I have no doubt we got this in the bag.”
#13
Julian's acceptance made him smile. Further than that... "That's great news, Julian, congratulations." Brightened Dakila up, that realization that they weren't failing Julian so much that he'd remain in the dark forever. "You're getting closer to your wolf, which I know isn't easy. But I think tonight can be fun, if we let it."

Even if Julian was still inexperienced enough that much of his takeaway from tonight would be wolf oriented, it would be good to start having a human mind realize that it wasn't a him versus the wolf situation. They could coexist--had to, in fact. And maybe a group situation would help Julian bond. Dakila did not discount the obvious clue that was Julian sitting on the fringes tonight.

Liza was whispering something over there, but he paid that little mind at the moment, very focused on Julian and then turning back, beginning to get out of what clothing he didn't want to destroy. And with that, he'd begin to give into the wolf, who longed to join his companions with paws on beds of pine needles, a wordless urging for everyone else to do the same.
#14
Emily got a quirked smile and a nod, confirming that he'd tell her what happened once she came back to herself. He looked forward to her finding the control to remember the shifts, knowing she deserved it.

The smile slipped away when Liza tried to pull Emily away, Max frowning gently at them and wondering what she wanted. The little girl's club speech that followed just made him roll his eyes and huff. Jesus, he was too old for this cliquey nonsense, especially with his fucking abdomen ripped up, with his shoulder and arm only just having gotten healed up enough to actually be used instead of just put in a sling.

"Call me a mangy mutt again," he threatened good naturedly, even with Yasha bristling a little at the insult. Their fur was groomed and clean, with great pains taken to maintain it. They were definitely not a mutt.

He wasn't going to engage them beyond that, no interest in entertaining the competition when the ultimate point of a hunt was unity and cooperation in the pack. He'd let them have their fun, however ridiculous it was when a pack was supposed to work together. Instead, he started toeing his shoes and get his socks off, following with his trousers, getting ready for the shift.
#15
Emily might’ve kissed Max if it didn’t feel inappropriate. Instead, she squeezed his hand just before their Second pulled her and Natalie away. Having the opportunity to greet her properly, the pale wolf nudged Natalie gently with her shoulder. It was strange to see her without Katya and she wondered briefly what the rogue wolf would be doing tonight.

Then Liza was proposing a rivalry and Emily, although she stood with her arms knotted for her nerves, favored the idea with an amused smile. Of course, she could have zero stake in this contest, since the animal would be in full control, but it was a fun idea. A nice distraction from whatever beef the beast had with Julian’s.

Max’s grousing somewhere behind them earned him a broader toothy grin. Of course he’d dislike this, with very specific ideas of how pack dynamics should be, but what was the harm?

"I hope you’re ready to run, Yasha." She shot back quietly with a faint smirk. She had no doubt that the pale wolf would be literally hounding him all night in her tireless puppy love.

And then whatever it was that was the signal sounded. Emily, overly sensitive to it perhaps, looked around to find Tomás stripping and realized the Prince had started it. Without a great deal of control, Emily’s shift started immediately in response and she sunk to her knees where she stood, skull starting to split to make room for a set of dire wolf jaws.

She was the second to start but she’d almost certainly be the last to shake out her pelt at the end. The woman leaned forward to press her face to the cool earth against the pain and leaned into it, wishing for oblivion.
#16
He was met with an unexpected congratulations. Truthfully, Julian has started to find comfort in missing hours out of the day. It had been a way out of bad times and now he would be there for that time too.

He could never say as much, though. Didn’t want to make anyone think he was ungrateful more than he might have already had. Just nodded his head softly like he understood that.

Then put a bit of distance between himself and the others again. Stripped out of clothes just barely before there was an ache in his bones. Soon enough it would splinter into pain. Stretched his spine and skull. Readjusted all of his bones.

How horrible it was when there was no darkness to great him.
#17
Liza rewarded Max's threats with a waggling of her tongue in his direction. "Calm down, calm down," she teased. "Yasha is beautiful. You know I would never really suggest otherwise."

But it was time! The others had already started to set in on the fun. She stripped out of her clothes without further ado, throwing them into a lazy little pile by her favorite tree in the area. As her arm made to toss the bundle, though, is snapped. She swore, grinning a bit at the others. "Guess it's that time!" she laughed as she buckled over in pain. Her other arm followed suit soon thereafter; Liza had two big, furry tree trunk arms in very short order. "See you all on the other side."

Except -- oh, god, it was happening again, wasn't it? Liza's spine usually came next, but this time, it didn't break and rework itself into something more horizontal. Instead, it just extended, leaving her with a tail but otherwise very much upright.

She grimaced in confusion even as her muzzle began to push out from her face. Damn it, what was with this?!
#18
The bustle of Emily by her had the wolf giving a welcoming nudge, Natalie sending a smile over before back to Liza. A bit of back and forth with Max had her laughing. ”I don’t knowww,” she added with a light tease as an addition to Liza’s comment.

But before more plans or comments could be made, a noticeable cracking from Dakila’s position had Natalie looking over, the wolf perking its ears. That was the sign and it wanted out just as much. Body feeling like it had a surge of wrongness, the clearing was soon descending with changing wolves.

Quickly getting out of the clothes still on her, she’d lob them over to the bag left behind. Not the best planned, but her wolf didn’t want to be the last one changed, they had a heard of elk to go after.

Bones creaking and beginning to move, Natalie sent a very green look to Liza who was looking very different, in a form she knew way too well. ”Li-zuh,” she gasped out before the shift came full force and Natalie doubled over. The change came swiftly and soon enough a timber wolf would making to proudly stand with a quickly appearing pack, feeling fulfilled and excited to be among them all again for a moon.
#19
Dakila didn't miss it, even in the midst of his own painful transformation, the prince had a finger on the pulse of his second's state and she was growing in a way he was only mildly familiar. Part of him wondered... should he join her like that? But the wolf made the decision for him: a waste of energy, and two hybrids would draw too much attention. It was best he stick with the plan and that meant four paws on the ground, still with intention to lead the hunt.

It wasn't long before the creamy white wolf was up on his feet, shaking his fur out as he took stock of everyone with pale green eyes. He would trot around and nose at everyone at least, once, but ended at Julian, nuzzling into him with soft whines of encouragement and even lupine affection.
#20
Max just shook his head at them, shooting Emily a smirk. He'd lag behind, however much healing he got from a shift, but that was the result of getting mauled by a grumpy vampire. Stripped of clothing and letting the shift come over him, he caught the others as they started, but the most notable one was the Second.

Liza was transforming into the familiar shape of the warrior form, but the expression on her face before it reshaped around a muzzle told of someone who hadn't been in control of it. The reverse problem that he'd had. Maybe he could talk to her about that, see if he could replicate what Esfir had done for him to make the half-form easier to bring forward - or control, in Liza's case.

But thoughts like that were fading fast, Max's bones snapping and reforming, face twisting monstrously before it reshaped into that of a muzzle with fangs, ears poking up out of his skull. He went down on all fours, the faster shift he'd become used to now a welcome relief. The pain in his stomach, his shoulder, his arm, faded into the background as his entire body reconfigured.

Once it was done, the black wolf shook himself, testing his right foreleg and finding it satisfactory to stand on for now. He trotted quietly over to his charge, Emily still struggling to get through the shift, and nudged her gently with his nose, a show of support and company in the painful moment. It felt safe, comfortable, to be among the pack, but his attention was on the newest wolf.
#21
Just as planned, Emily shifted right out of her clothes, the fabric slowly ripping away from her growing, changing form. With her face pressed into the dirt, she didn’t see the rest of the pack shift, although she might’ve liked to. Maybe one day.

It was just a couple minutes of agony before she blacked out, leaving only the pale wolf behind. As she came into being, still shifting, she curled up under Yasha’s attention, grateful for his familiar presence.

The last to finish up her shift, the pale wolf was seized with a rampant kind of energy. Suddenly there were so many wolves and she needed to meet all of them.

Surging to her feet, she bumped up against Yasha, all flapping tail and stompy paws, before rushing off to greet every single wolf in turn. The familiar timber wolf and the big white wolf were the second stop, before she gave a cautious sniff of Julian’s wolf. Big wolf. She wasn’t sure about him still.

And the last. The white-furred hybrid. She recognized Liza but she still got a deeply concerned bark. The last time she met a wolf in warrior form, she got squished into the floor, so.
#22
He would not be the last one to emerge, but close to it. A tawny and gangly thing splayed on the floor when he finished the shift. His tail did tired broad sweeps as he realized who was nearest to him. A familiar pale friend. One who had been a bit differently shaped last time and had offered him interesting pets. This form did too, of course. Was a bit more preferred so they were on even level.

Julian would be content to press his nose into Dakila's side. Until the newest wolf emerged to come sniff at him. Wolf brain was better than Julian brain when it came to her. The oversized dog happy to stay in his low spot and let her sniff. Julian even preferred to not be at the forefront for this encounter. Let the animal handle everything.

Eventually he would have to stand — and wildly shake out his coat to feel complete.
#23
Liza was so tall like this and she gave a happy yawn towards her before a sniff in greeting of Dakila had her changing attention and giving one back, even managing a small nip at a flank as he moved on, tail furiously wagging. And then here was Emily and the wolf brushed her big head against a shoulder sniffing loudly before moving on to greet Max and then curiously and cautiously introducing herself to the scrawnier wolf that was new to them. A delicate communication of tail and ears and when it was fine to do so she’d give him a happy lick to the snout before moving on in a playful bounce to the side before running several lengths. There was so much energy in her legs and she just wanted to play and hunt and go go go with them all.

Putting her snout to the ground, she began to try to pick up on the smell of game, a picked up tick in pace as something more solid slowly started to come to fruition. The wolf stalled and looked to them all, more or less questioning if they were going on that hunt or not, giving a bark to voice as much. She’d found somewhere to start, should they go?
#24
Liza, the odd woman out at the moment, was the first to go off, and Dakila briefly imagined she would hunt on her own. That form did not behave like the rest--he knew from experience--so it would probably be easier that way. He would feel safe with her on the fringes, and happy to focus on the rest of them knowing Liza could hold here own.

So. He had Julian tucked close, Oryx coming to investigate, Max close to her, and Natalie...

Natalie onto something.

He gave a sharp, short woof, stepping up to take the lead, but trying to make a point of making sure that Julian was with him. His wingman for the night. He snuffled at Natalie in thanks, then lowered his head to the trail she'd found. They would need to move fast, it was not an especially fresh track, but it was a start. Posturing lifted, speaking without words in a 'follow me' fashion, he started off into the trees, his footsteps light, swift, and quiet as he weaved the shadows like he'd been born to do exactly that.
#25
The wolves formed up, the warrior form disappearing into the woods around them while the four legged brethren remained behind. Liza exploring the form she didn't quite understand yet, maybe, but speculation would be saved for later.

As they converged on Dakila's spot in the clearing, Yasha came up next up Emily's pale she-wolf, determined to stick with the new wolf. With Natalie picking up the scent, they were on the hunt. Following after Dakila, he investigated the trail - older, meaning a fast pursuit to catch up. His shoulder ached, but knew he could keep up.

Well used to roving with the pale wolf, Yasha trusted she would follow as he leap in pursuit of the trail, Dakila and Julian in the lead. The black wolf smoothly moved quickly into the woods, paws quiet and light on the ground, moving silently like the predator he was. Stepping over the detritus of the forest floor swiftly, he slalomed his way through the trees along the scent trail, sharp nose picking up the smell of prey, the spots on the trees where it had rubbed itself against the bark. All the while keeping within sight of the two in the lead.
#26
The timber wolf's bright energy drew the pale wolf like a moth to the flame. As she bounced around, Emily's wolf was quick to follow, to bound up next to her and play-bow, immediately enticed by a new friend who might share her energy. When Yasha approached, she danced around him in excited celebration, altogether overstimulated by the new pack atmosphere. This was her pack! Her pack, here at last!

Preoccupied with her celebrations, she missed when Natalie picked up the scent of prey. She followed the dark wolf she knew, but it wasn't hard to spot the other figures moving between the trees, all angled on something good. She made the connection eventually, but the important thing she understood was that now they were running, all of them together.
#27
Julian was right behind Dakila. Well, the wolf version of them.

His lean form doing well to keep up with whatever pace they needed to keep on this hunt. Head hung a bit lower than spine level. This was a tracking mission so far. He did not feel the need to be defensively postured.

A slight swish of contentment at all the scents he could pick up out here.
#28
Attention grabbed successfully, Dakila was soon coming up and taking charge of following the scent. Waggling her tail happily to the thanks, she’d wait till everyone was here before following at their brisk paced run.

As they wove through trees and undergrowth, the feeling of wind in her fur and the companionship of the pack, the wolf’s gait was eager. With the smell of prey slowly getting closer, her heart beat happily in excitement, wondering when they’d come upon the herd.
#29
They traveled quickly. Deeper and deeper, away from where they started under the full moon light. The trees grew thicker for it, a canopy of pine and bark. Dakila felt good at the head of the pack, another moment of realizing himself in the moment.

The scent, fresher, sharper. He began to slow, sniffing at things as he passed, picking out the makeup of the elk herd they were riding up on. Several members. All seemed in good health. None were terribly young--made sense, this time of year.

His pale green gaze tracked back over his shoulder to see if everyone had kept up, but then he kept moving forward, certain they would see their mark soon enough.
#30
A thrill of a pack hunt, everyone there or in the area. The ache of his injuries took a backseat to the rush of it all. Their progress was fast, penetrating deep into the woods, the untouched and unclaimed parts of it where only animals called it home.

Real ones, rather than the monstrous animals they counted as.

As Dakila slowed so did Max, head hung low as he scented for the prey. Multiple signs of passage, the marks of a herd, smell of multiple individuals, ragged bark where the herbivores had stripped it from the trees along their path.

Following the leader, he kept his ears and eyes out for the elk, the thrum of anticipation building as the wolf felt they were getting close.
#31
With nothing but animal in her head, the wolf fell in line with the pack, no other thoughts except for the forest, the scent of prey, and how natural and good it all felt. The first pack hunt, after months of being with only one of their number, was just outright good. Even if she was very focused on the lady timber wolf just ahead and all her manic energy.

Whenever the pack stopped, the pale wolf would find her way to her side and rove her nose all over her head, distracted, tail waving, although no invites to play just yet. Just a really big hello again.
#32
Julian was merely Dakila's shadow in that moment. Lingered by the pale wolf's quarters as he followed every little cue that was given. Stop, go, sniff. He would do all of it as the leader did.

Some slobbered separation of his jaws as the scents welled in his nose at their brief check up halt. Then eagerly pushed forward once more. Hungry and half a mind to unnaturally burst through the woods to their target.

He could behave, for now.
#33
There was a sudden stop and she pranced to a halt, ears pricking for the sounds of anything changed, nose to ground and paying attention to how the wind was shifting. From here they needed to be careful and cunning so as not to risk spooking any elk nearby.

A nose to her head drew sparking green eyes in exuberance up, attention momentarily shifting to the paler wolf. Shoving her own muzzle up, she gave a playful nip towards the inclining head before pushing a nose against fur to direct a snout in the direction the pack was moving, encouraging a forward gait. First they needed to hunt and then she’d be more than happy to play, her tail wagging already at the thought.
#34
There, they were all ready. All present and accounted for. Dakila kept his pace light, but up ahead the movement of grazing animals was obvious. He changed their angle of approach slightly, to keep the wind in their favor, but otherwise...

Predators through the trees, he gave them a short signal in his body language to fan out, to start looking for a weak link or an elk already separated from the mass. They could rush in there, sure, an they might even be lucky enough with their supernatural speed to take out whatever they wanted doing so, but they would be even more effectively in a purposeful strike. One or two select individuals.

There was a female and a yearling off a little way, together, grazing placidly. Possibility number one, though he kept flicking glances to his packmates to see if any of them had wordless suggestions.
#35
Following the instructions from the white wolf, Max broke off from the main group to investigate the herd, keeping downwind. Injured, he didn't much relish running one down himself, so sharp predatory eyes scanned the scattered elk, looking for a weak link or one separate from the herd like the Prince. Max spotted the female and the yearling like the Prince had done, moving in a position to cut them off from the herd if they were singled out as their targets.

Ears perked, the black wolf kept an ear and eye out for his packmates. If they zeroed in on another target, he'd be ready to reposition, but for now he thought they would be the easiest. Less risky, he'd already felt a bucks horns dig into his flesh. While normally not shy about risking injury, his pre-existing condition made him aware of not pushing himself into more trouble than he was prepared to meet.

He swung his head to seek out the pale she-wolf, knowing she had experience with hunts, but only in a pair.
#36
The wave of the timber wolf’s tail enough to let the animal know that the message was received, the pale wolf huffed in apparent satisfaction and then went tearing off.

She looked both to their white Prince, something in her telling her to obey his silent signals, and then sought her dark-furred companion.

The wolf bumped flanks with him and then picked out a position a little perpendicular to him, habit dictating that she find a flank. They’d be expected to share with their pack this time, but she hardly had the mental capacity for counting. The doomed pair of animals looked like enough! She was just eager and ready to pounce, cream-colored tail waving like a banner.
#37
Not Julian or his wolf enjoyed the drawn out thoughtfulness of this all. So used to operations that were fleeting and involved a quick thievery. Which meant he hardly bothered to stop the hushed, tight whine in his throat as he hovered near the prince.

They had their pick, an easy little pair that they could stop in no time with all of them here. Could they make a move now?
#38
A huff was given to her before the female bounded off and the timber felt energy coursing down to her toes. First hunt and then playtime as far as could be seen, the perfect night.

Picking up closer to Dakila, but a length or so to the side so as to get a better view, the wolf took full reigns, catching body language signals thrown around. Anticipation held them in her rapt jaws as the pack all narrowed in on a duo as she slowly moved to take stock of the rest of the herd. There could always be other better fitting ones, but the two originally honed in on made the most sense, much easier than anything with antlers. Speaking of, eyes did a quick search for the bucks in question, noting the directions they needed to avoid and their movements. They needed to be careful.

Ears eagerly forward, tail pointed straight, an exhale escaped her snout. She was ready and eyes flicked to the prince, eager to start moving forward as soon as he gave the signal.
#39
With Julian's whine, Dakila knew there was impatience here. It was fine--they had their target, but now they just had to move. He twisted his head to lick reassuringly once at the young wolf's muzzle, but then he was forward again--and moving this time. He was taking the head and moving to rush their prey. Normal wolves would have had to run their prey until they tired, tripped up, got separated. Werewolves, though...

No fleet footed deer knew what they were dealing with when it came to a supernatural hunter.

He was within four strides by time the older deer's head and tail came up in alarm. He was within two by time she started to run. The yearling had yet to even respond.
#40
With the pale wolf bumping into him, a small acknowledgement before she positioned herself properly, the black wolf was ready.

When Dakila moved, Max burst into movement as soon as the Prince's movement was registered. Surging forward, Max left his cover and shortened the distance at the frightening speed a werewolf could reach. The elk cow was startled into movement by Dakila charging her, the young yearling slower to move, but it was too late with the black wolf in place to cut them off from the potential safety of their herd.

The cow jolted to run in another direction, but the slight delay would doom her - an easy target as the other wolves closed in. The cut-off manoeuvre having worked, Max surged forward to lunge at the yearling, the sprightly thing already in motion.
#41
Without a human mind to overthink and override lupine urges, the pale wolf worked on pure instinct. She followed her favored partner’s lead in angling towards the yearling.

Her tactics were a little more brutal than a natural wolf. Preternatural strength and agility had her ducking low and bulling into the creature to take out its legs rather than a simple cutting maneuver. It went down with a crack of leg bones and a startled cry, leaving Max room to dive in a moment later and seal the deal.
#42
Reassurance was good, even if it left some residual embarrassment in its wake. Made him feel very much like the pup he tended to act like.

No time to dwell. Off they all went. He set out to take down the older deer. Strong jaws sought to clamp down on a leg that came back in its stride. The wolf would not stop the force of his bite until he heard something give or the elk cried.
#43
Like a signal had been set, the wolves began their flight forward, the timber watching the way the way the herd and pack moved to inform split decisions.

With Max and Emily cutting off the young one, that left the three others to hone in on the mother. Urging more power into her legs, she'd sidle up to the slowed elk before making a leap for the higher part of a back leg opposite of Julian's side. As soon as teeth sliced into furry skin and paws were among the ground again, she pulled back, trying to help unsteady the animal to the ground.
#44
Max and Emily had their target, the remaining three left to the other, and with Natalie and Julian at the hind, Dakila surged up to grab at its throat. Its head bowed and his weight pulled it as it bleated out, toppling the animal into the forest floor.

Quick work. Laws of nature might even declare it to be too quick. But what was done was done, and they had their prizes. With the hardest work done, it was just a matter of merciful dispatching and then feasting. Together, here under the full moon, the wolf pack was all but some unstoppable force.

It felt good.
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