Bandit, Star

Both sprint in laughing as they tumble over. They wait for the others.

Sivinith, Snowden, Auna, Asplen, Tolacca, *Prey*

Sivinth padded in, keeping her body low to the ground. Normally she hunting in the mountains; but never in such an open place like that. She preferred to stalk prey, but it didn't seem like she could do that here. She took up the lead and traveled on a long ways until she came across a fresh scent; deer. That was something she hunted now and then, but again, it was in the mountains.

The 'deer' were actually a cow elk and her fawn. Sivinith could easily handle prey three times her weight, so she didn't worry. "Go for the little one. I'll try for the big one." Sivinith said after she had set down Tolacca, who lay motionless on the ground. Sivinith slowly began to stalk closer to the elk.

Snowden and Auna began to stalk closer to the fawn. Instinct told them to get very close before they attacked, mainly because they were terribly fast runners. Asplen stayed behind to watch over his sister who lay in the grass.

Bandit, Star

Star sighed slightly she never hunted before for there was never anything to hunt in the wolf center. "Bandit how do I hunt?" She questioned. She had a good idea but wasn't exactly sure.

Bandit explained briefly. The he nodded and Star followed his lead as he stole a few yards as well towards the fawn.

Star copied keeping silent.

Sivinith, Snowden, Auna, & *Elk*

The cow elk lifted her head, easily spotted the mother leopard stalking through the still-dead grass. The elk had never seen a leopard before because they never hunted out in an open place like this. And seeing the rest of the cubs, she figured they weren't much of a threat. With a snort, she wheeled around and faced the stalkers. Her fawn sprinted awkwardly around to hide behind her mother; she was only a few days old.

Sivinith wasn't quite prepared to have the prey turn and face her like that. She was use to hunting smaller prey like bharal and small musk deer. Giving a loud hiss, she made a fake rush at the elk, trying to get her to turn around. As powerful as Sivinith was, she felt vulnerable attacking such a large animal face-to-face. She could be killed easily by the hooves.

Snowden and Auna were confused by their mother's hesitation. Auna hissed at the elk like her mother did, and didn't attack. Snowden halted beside his sister, wondering what they should do.

Bandit, Star

Star walked beside Snowden and Auna wathing while Bandit ran bravely beside Sivinith and bared his ivories at the prey and began to snarl.

Star joined in and remembered that howls could probably scare prey so she howled knowing if they ran Sivinith was fast enough to catch the prey.

Sivinith, Snowden, Auna, & *Elk*

The cow elk was unnerved by all the noises; particularly the howl. But her instincts to protect her calf were strong, and her knowledge of snow leopards was almost none-existent, causing her to not have as much fear of the creature. With another snort, the creature reared up and lashed her hooves out at Sivinith, Auna, and Bandit. If any of them got in the way, the sharp, heavy hooves could be deadly.

The calf watched the predators with its eyes wide, ears forward, and nostrils flared. She was utterly terrified, and for good reasons. But she was hiding safely, for the moment, behind her mother.

Sivinith hissed again but pulled her head back. She was very unprepared for the elk to initiate the attack. She had no idea how what to do with the elk now. She couldn't rush the elk because she would certainly be struck by a hoof.

Auna continued to hiss like her mother, and even went as far as striking out with her paw and claws unsheathed. Her paw didn't come close to hitting the elk, but it was a sign that she wouldn't back down easily. She too pulled back a little ways when the elk struck out

Snowden took a few steps back as his tail thrashed from side to side in agitation.

Bandit, Star

Bandit leapt out of the way and he saw Star creeping around the prey in a large circle. Suddenly he watched Star as she leapt at the calf’s neck trying to grab it without getting hurt. Bandit tried to run under the mother cow elk and leapt up to try and grab her stomach and distract her. He hoped the others would catch on and some help Star with the calf and some help him distract the mother.

Sivinith, Auna, Snowden, & *Elk*

Seeing Star sneak around, Sivinith kept the cow elk distracted as best as she could.

The calf was very alert and wary though. Although it was a very good effort put in by Star, the calf saw her coming. It sprang away from the pup's attack just in time and began to run.

The cow elk was a formidable prey; she had powerful legs and sharp hooves. She saw Bandit as he tried to run under her. She whirled to the side and stomped down her hooves at the pup. She missed him for the most part, luckily, or he would have most certainly been crushed. But one hoof did graze him across the side. Just as her hooves hit the ground, she kicked them up again and this time they did strike Bandit, but the sharp part of the hooves didn't touch him. Still, he was thrown forcefully to the ground.

Sivinith saw that the elk was about to come forward and stomp 'her' pup into the ground. She sprang through the air and collided with the elk hard enough to make her miss stomping on Bandit. As the feline's claws and teeth embedded themselves into the elk's shoulder and side, the cow tried to rear up again, but couldn't handle the weight of Sivinith. Toppling to her side, she kicked out. One hoof caught the mother cat in the side and shattered two ribs. Auna and Snowden rushed forward then as Sivinith sprung back with a painful cry. Snowden narrowly missed catching one of the flying hooves to his head. Wisely, he also sprang back. But Auna some how managed to get one of the elk's legs and clung to it. The cow elk regained her feet kicked out powerfully enough to fling the kitten off her leg and through the air. Now panic took hold of her, as well as the pain from her injuries. She turned and began to run.

Bandit, Star

Bandit yelped as he was grazed then kicked to the ground. The wind had been knocked out of him and he had hit the ground hard so he was dazed and unconscious for the moment but was more or less ok for the time being. Lucky for him he had landed in a soft patch of grass that had cushioned his impact a little.

Star snarled and gave chase to the calf and tried to leap atop it and grab its neck. She hadn't seen Bandit get kicked.

Sivinith, Auna, Snowden, & *Elk*

The calf was very swift and healthy, even for being so young still. Almost any healthy calf elk could outrun a wolf, especially a pup. Soon, the calf began to out-distance Star.

The cow elk caught up soon enough with her calf, and together, they ran. Although the elk was injured, she wasn't slowed down by it.

Auna tore across the ground, hoping to catch the calf. It was hopeless though.

Sivinith picked herself up, wincing now. Being a devoted mother, she did her best to block the pain from her mind as she focused on her young ones. She gave a few peculiar cries then; a kind cats do to call their kittens to them.

Auna gave up the chase and began to walk over towards her mother. But on her way back she spotted Bandit laying unmoving in the snow. Worried, the kitten ran over and nudged him, "Bandit?"

Bandit, Star

Bandit didn't move for he was unconscious but he was still breathing shallowly.

Star gave up as well. She walked back panting like most tired dogs and wolves do and she spotted Bandit. She ran over next to Auna and whimpered. "Sivinith Bandit's not moving!" She yelled worriedly but still panted out of breath.

Sivinith, Auna, & Snowden

Sivinith hurried over to Bandit, followed by Snowden. "He's still alive." she said, relieved, but was still very worried. She didn't like being out in the open like this, especially now with Bandit injured. But she couldn't carry him and the weak she-kitten at the same time. She nudged Bandit, "Wake up, Bandit..." she knew he was unconscious, and wondered, maybe she should get him to the Woodland Farm. She had never been there before and never wanted to be. But her kittens and pups meant the world to her. "Maybe we should get him to the Woodland Farm?"

Snowden and Auna stood by anxiously.

Bandit, Star

Bandit didn't move but his breathing had improved a little.

Star whimpered. "Um Sivinith what if you carried him on your back and Toccala in your mouth. I've never been to the Woodland Farm before but Bandit told me he has and that the lady had helped him get his nose better when some mean humans had taken his smelling sense away. She also gave him food." She said. She was a bit wary of the Woodland farm to. "But he also told me there are many animals there..." She trailed off.

Sivinith, Auna, Snowden, Asplen, & Tolacca

She was silent for a moment while she pondered things. Hearing that there were many animals at the Woodland Farm made Sivinith not want to go, but at the same time, many animals would mean she could hunt some for her young ones. And if she couldn't, Star had mentioned there being food anyway. Finally she nodded, agreeing to the thoughts in her mind, "We will go to the Woodland Farm." She carefully picked Bandit up, and with the help of Snowden and Auna, got the pup on her back. To make sure he wouldn't fall off, Auna also sprang up onto her mother's back. She was the smallest of the kittens.

Now Sivinith padded over to where she left Tolacca. The she-kitten was barely breathing and not moving at all to her great distress. Picking up the limp kitten by the nape of her neck, she padded off to the Woodland Farm. Snowden and Asplen followed closely behind, staying near their mother and Star.

Bandit, Star

Star follows hopefully.