Argolis & Others

Three years had taught the hybrid much about survival, not only in the land of the humans, but also out in the wild. One important tactic he'd learned was that many animals came to the Domes during the winter to seek refuge from the cold, and to graze and the abundance of plants that managed to eek a living during the cold months. And that's why he brought his pack here now, in the hopes that they would come across some of these prey animals.

"It's about time we hunted some fresh meat." Honthale mumbled to his brother Desmon. The big, ebony-colored hybrid had only a few faint marks of tan and chocolate brown on his body, whereas his smaller brother had a greater variety to his coat and looked nothing like either of his parents. Desmon glanced at his brother and nodded his muzzle, "It'll be good for the new pups, and..." Des looked over his shoulder, to see where Dixie and Rexina were, "It'll be good exercise for them, working with the pack."

Traveling further ahead of his cousins, Pistol was fanned out to the side of the group. His head was low to the ground, and his ears alert. Bullet was on the opposite side of the group, and much like his son Pistol, had his head low and his senses attuned. If they couldn't find any prey tonight, it meant they would have to scrounge the Dump for food instead.

Rexina

Rexina moved after the others in the very back of the group. She kept alert, her ears going around like radars on her head, and her eyes darting over everything before her. She'd keep a bit back, let the higher ranking ones be before her, then race in when she could help. She wasn't much for strength, but she was fast. Of course, being a wolf, she was probably just as strong as the others, but she was used to using her speed rather than strength.

Dixie

Dixie had been asked by their leader to hang back and take notes on this hunt, so that was what she planned on doing. Though, this did not mean that she could not keep an eye out for possible prey. Her keen brown eyes searched the area for any animal that they could possibly take down. So far she saw none but she was not in the front of the group either, no she hung back just slightly so when the action started the others would not have to trip over her to start their attack...

Argolis & Others

The group moved mostly in silence covering the rocky ground around the volcanic area. Here and there, puffs and great swishes of water would be heard as the various thermal vents spewed out steam and hot water, and this background noise helped to drown out the quieted whispers between the canines, and the even softer noise of their paws over the ground. It also made it a little more difficult for the pack to pick up on the sounds of prey, but if they listened very carefully... they might picked up a low, deep rumbling noise somewhere nearby...

Pistol was the first to stop and turn his head to the right, just barely hearing the rumble in the distance. "Guys... hear that?" His floppy ears were directed forward to silently signal which way he heard the noise, and his lanky, black tail was held out straight to let everyone know he was on alert. Argolis and the others stopped, each one turning their ears and eyes in the direction that Pistol directed, trying to hear what he did. And if they used their noses keenly enough, they might smell a musty odor...

Rexina

She went on high alert as someone spoke, and quietly sniffed the air while listening and looking. She wouldn't go first, but she'd do her best not to go last either. She was tense, ready to sprint, let's hunt..

Dixie

Dixie followed along with the rest of the group, her senses on the alert as she looked around. Her nostrils flared as she looked to see where the strange new scent was coming from. She had never smelled such a creature, since she was used to living on human populated streets where there were no animals that smelled like this, only other canines and house cats... So, she just hung back as she continued to take in the strange scent.

Argolis & Others

Argolis held his pack back for almost a full minute while they all studied the faint sounds and scents that were filtering their way. Then the alpha lifted his head and flicked his tail in a silent but clear signal - move forward! He lead the group in a new direction towards the sound that Pistol had initially picked up, stalking as silently as possible until a great, looming figure could be seen amid a shroud of vapor.

Argolis paused and studied the hunch-backed shape, standing over a shallow pool of warm, sulfuric water that sent steam rising like dense clouds into the air. Only one creature could create such a silhouette as this - it was a bison. Large and dangerous as it may be, it would also provide plenty of meat for the pack if they could bring it down, and in the cloak of night, they had the advantage. "We're going to harry it firs, and check for weakness-" Argolis's low voice hissed back at his pack, trying to catch their attention without alerting their prey. "If you see an opening for an attack, take it." Giving the pack that advice, Argolis himself charged forward, going first for the rump of the creature. Pistol and Desmon tore across the ground after their leader, kicking up pebbles and dusty in their wake. Their aim was to make quick snaps at the bison's side, and divide the bison's attention - hopefully away from the other pack members. Honthale and Bullet, the larger of the canines, took to stalking wide around the bison, preparing to head it off it if tried to break away from the pack and flee.

Rexina

Rexina sped at the beast at the command, and as the others, snapped at the beast's sides. Where ever she could snap at it, she did. Her eyes studied the beast, looking for openings, weaknesses and strenghts. She wouldn't be caught off guard just because she was too singleminded. She thought she could reach the throat, sha had no time to hesitate, she lunged..

Dixie

Dixie watched as the others stormed the creature, taking mental notes of what they were all doing, though she made sure to stay back out of the way. She watched as a few of the others nipped at the big animal's sides and then as the new wolf female lunged for the creature's neck. Her deep chocolate eyes took in everything so hopefully she could join in on the next hunting trip.

Argolis & Others

The bison bellowed when the pack exploded from the darkness and began their assault, his voice deep and thrumming. He turned surprisingly quick on his legs, and swung his head at Argolis first, but in the darkness of night, the canine had the advantage and dodged aside the beast's ill-aimed attack. Only a second later, Pistol was snapping at his flank, forcing the bull to turn on him - which opened up an attack for Desmon to leap in and snap at the creature's opposite shoulder. Rexina joined in the fray just as quickly, and with four pairs of jaws randomly going at his hide and the thick darkness obscuring his vision by some degree, it was difficult for the bison to keep up with his attackers.

Bullet jaunted towards Dixie, "Those legs of his look so little on such a big body-" He explained of the bison, trying to give Dixie a few pointers, "-but don't let that fool you. A bison is still agile, and strong enough to break bones with just one kick. Not to mention what those horns can do if they catch you." The curved, black horns looked small as well on the bulky creature, but if they snagged on a wolf... they could easily flip a predator through the air, and do some significant damage in the process.

For several minutes, the pack harried the beast, who was quickly showing signs of fatigue, suggesting he must already have been in a weakened state before they went after him. His eyes were wide and his mouth agape and panting, and he became slower and slower in his responses to the attacks, until he made a fatal mistake... he turned his head sharply in an attempt to gouge Pistol, and that's when he exposed his shaggy neck for Rexina to attack. The wolfess got her hold easily enough, but now she would need to hold on and avoid his thrashing front hooves, and hope that she could bite down hard enough and long enough to penetrate the dense fur that protected his windpipe and vital blood lines...

Rexina

She could taste blood in her mouth, and she refused to let go. Oh no, you can't get rid of me, you beast! You're mine!
She tried to jam her jaws down tighter on the beast, as well as trying to avoid flailing hooves. This was one of those times when being small and build for speed instead of strength was a good thing. Had she been bigger, she would have been an easier target.
She held on stubbornly, she could taste the beast's blood in her mouth, she wanted it, she needed it, and she demanded it.

Dixie

The boxer vixen was sure that the rest of the pack would think her useless for standing back as they risked their lives to bring down the huge furry animal, but she had her orders to watch and learn... As she did watch one of the pack came towards her, speaking some pointers to her and she nodded, showing that she had heard him and taken in the information, though she barely took her eyes from the big animal as the wolf hung from his throat and the others continued to agitate him mercilessly.

Argolis & Others

Argolis disengaged from the great beast shortly after he realized that Rexine had taken a serious hold on the creature. His first instinct was to bark at her, and tell her to leap back lest she get gorged or stomped by the bison, but he quickly noticed that the female knew what she was doing, and had the agility to keep herself from being damaged by the hooves that kicked at her. Impressed by this, the alpha decided it was time to call the final shot against the beast. "Now!" The rest of the pack would know that this was the signal to go in and finish the beast, and he also spared a quick look to Dixie that said 'you too' - he felt it was safe enough for the inexperienced boxer to join the fray at this point as well.

Argolis powered forward and lunged for the creature's shoulder, sinking his fangs in and letting his weight bear down on the tired bison. The rest of the canines closed in, each finding a spot to latch on and try to drag the beast down and bring an end to the hunt. With so many against him, the weary bison had only to make a slight misstep before his front end bucked and he went down to his knees. Rexina's hold would have to stay firm, though now at least she didn't have to worry about flailing hooves.

Rexina

Not having to worry about the hooves anymore, Rexina could easily keep her hold on the tired creature. As it went down, she held on tight, and made sure not to get caught between it and the ground. When it was dead, and she was entirely sure that it actually was, she moved away to let the others have a go at it first. This pack might not be much for ranks and hierarchy, but she was. Having had it ingrained in her, along with her hunting training and other useful things, since she was a pup, it was impossible for her to ignore it. Some things just stick with you, and she was glad it did.

Dixie

Dixie continued to watch until she saw Argolis give her the cue that she should join in. Since she had watched the others biting at the animal all over and now saw them biting on and holding on for dear life she assumed that was what she should do as well. So, she rushed in to the group of canines being careful to avoid anything that the big beast might try to throw at her but he was already very weak. She then lunged for one of his shoulders that no other canine was holding on to and latched on to the animal, waiting for it to fall.

Argolis & Others

A mixture of shock and bloodloss eventually brought the sickly creature down, unable to fight any further against the hungry pack, or shake the wolf away from his throat. At last came the beast's final, ragged breath, and his body went still, signaling victory for the Lurkers and a successful hunt with their two new pack members. Argolis immediately set into the belly of the creature, tearing off chunks of flesh and all but inhaling them as he filled his belly. His hackles were up and great rumbles and growls sounded from his throat as he fed, a simple but powerful message to the others that he did expect them to keep away from where he was eating. But as Rexina already noted, there wasn't a whole lot of dominance displaying amongst the group, and aside from the young alpha, the others readily shared space around the great beast as they fed themselves.

Pistol was the first to notice that Rexina was hanging back from the group. Where Bullet and Desmon had made room for Dixie to feast beside them, Pistol raised his bloodied muzzle away from where he was feeding at the bison's shoulder. "There's more than enough here for us and those waiting back home." A light smile played on his gory muzzle, where they dark stains of oily red covered the speckles of white on an otherwise black and dark tan face. "Come, join us."

Rexina

At Pistol's word she moved forward calmly, and began to eat where she fit. She would've waited until they were all finished, but Pistol's word could be taken as a command. That, and she was really really hungry, fact made worse by the blood of the beast in her mouth from the fight. Finally she could fill herself, which she did quickly, as she'd been taught. After that she tore loose a chunk of the beast to bring to the den, for those who'd stayed behind.

Dixie

Dixie had felt the adrenaline rushing through her as she had joined in the fight with the huge beast. Sure, the beast was already very weak by this time and she had to do nothing but hold on until he was brought down, but this was her first big hunt and she was just glad to be able to get in on the action. As the beast's life slipped away he fell and they all backed off so that Argolis could get his fill and then the rest fell in, leaving a spot for her and she filled that spot. Her ribs still showed from all of the months with little to no food, but eating like this she would fill out quickly. Though, she made sure not to eat more than her share before she backed off and looked to Argolis for further direction, sure that they would probably be ready to begin carrying the meat back to the pack.

Argolis & Others

The smell of blood and the sounds of feeding eventually drew the attention of a nearby coyote. The small, swift-footed canine didn't dare get close to the pack, but she eyed them silently from the darkness, waiting for her chance to scavenge the kill. Argolis noticed the smaller creature, after he'd eaten all that his now swollen belly could carry. His hackles began to rise like a brilliant mantle along his neck and shoulders, and despite the fact that there was more than enough food here to feed the rest of the pack and let the coyote share some too, the alpha had no intentions of letting the scavenger have a single bite out of it. "Honthale, stay back and guard the kill. The rest of you, finish filling your stomachs, and take the biggest chunk of flesh you can carry."

Honthale was eager to get back home, and didn't exactly like the idea that he was going to be left behind to guard the kill from a mangy coyote, yet he didn't argue. "Yes, Argolis." The big brute rumbled obediently. Pistol and the others eventually ate their fill, and each sought to tear off a piece of flesh to take back to those in the pack that were either too old, or too young to journey back here and eat from the kill themselves. "That was a risky move you took." Pistol whispered to Rexina, between trying to wrestle off a slab of meat to carry back. "And it payed off. Our pack will be all the better with a hunter like you in it." And Rexina wasn't the only one to get compliments; after Argolis had taken a thick piece of meat off the bison to ferry back to the Den, he met Dixie's eyes and nodded to her, "You did good. Next time, you can apply what you saw tonight and join us in the attack."

Rexina

Rexina eyed Pistol, and whispered back a simple thanks, though it was a bit distorted thanks to the meatchunk she carried in her mouth. She eyed the coyote, but kept to the rest of the pack. It made her uneasy not to chase it off, but it wasn't her decision.