Of Hunting and Running

[daina]

The forest was quiet, as was usual in this season. Dusk was approaching quickly, and the sun was slinking dangerously close to the horizon. The shadows grew long, as they did in the early moments of the day. Small whisps of wind weaved in and out of the close trees and shook the young buds on their tree limbs. No snow remained on the ground. New grass sprouted from the slippery mud from long months without warmth.

But there was another creature in the atmosphere that one could not see very well with human eyes. The medium-sized bulk of dark grey melted perfectly into her surroundings, and the brush added to her security even more. Her deep amber eyes focused on the clearing before her. A female deer fed on the newest green grass with a fawn. The female didn't look strong, but it was better than nothing. Since this bloody illness broke out, not much prey wanted to stay anywhere near the wolf territories.

Ripple forced a small cough to stay in. Since she remained a bit far from the Packs, the young fae wasn't very much affected by the maddening disease as others were. That meant that her head stayed on tight and her brain ticking. Ripple began to arch her hind legs, ready to burst from her hiding place. Her muscles tensed, breathing quickened, the stance her mother had indicated.

But right at that moment, a cough escaped from the fae's snout. The doe looked up with lightning speed and peered around, then at her baby. It was obvious now that a wolf was around. The two then pranced off. Ripple swore under her breath and sprang out of the brush, running after her prey. Why? Why then?! she thought, sprinting through the narrow passages of the wood.

This pursuit would last a bit, Ripple figured. The deer were still in view, but both sides gained speed.

[Ärï]

Medium-sized, jet black and moving with the silence of a shadow, Jasmine slipped through the thick trees around the Redbird Hollow. For the day she and her sister Breeze had split up to do the hunting since Breeze was interested in seeking out some herbs that grew nearby. Jasmine had little patience for her sister's odd interests and so had offered to go off and find good hunting grounds alone. It wasn't an unusual move for the two polar oppisate sisters but still, Jasmine always hated it. It felt like her other half was missing. She would always worry when she and Breeze parted ways, even if it was only temporary. Breeze was her only surviving family that had actually cared for her, cared enough to save her from a wildfire.

Whenever they were apart, Jasmine was on hyper alert. Breeze wasn't a fighter and Jasmine knew that. That was why she hated leaving her sister's side. Breeze was an easy targe for...sick minded brutes. Jasmine sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. If she didn't relax and soon, she wouldn't catch a darn thing. Hunters couldn't be tense. They had to relax, be calm and one with the earth around them.

The problem was, what Jasmine sensed was not what she had expected. She had expected having to run and track for hours until dark before she found something. The last thing she expected was a deer to come bounding through the undergrowth. Right at her. Topaz eyes widened as the frightened animal ran at her. First instinct: run. Too bad Jasmine was locked with surprise. The fae dropped to the ground and ducked her head. The deer leapt over her and vanished.

Raising her head a little, Jasmine's eyes widened again. The deer's hunter was running right at her as well. Please jump! Jasmine thought, eyes wide. She didn't like being a speed bump but she had a feeling the smaller fae was about to come to a sudden stop.

[daina]

Oh, thought Ripple, seeing the fae. That's a first. A wolf that thinks it's a log. Now I know the disease is spreading.

She came to a stop, of course, and looked down at the fae. The deer wouldn't go very far, and others would be around later. "Did you think the view would be better from down there?"Ripple asked, a friendly smirk forming across her snout.

[Ärï]

Thankfully the other fae was able to stop and Jasmine could avoid being leapt over...again. The velvet femmora however, frowned as the other spoke to her, smirking like she knew better. "Hush your mouth" Jasmine snapped bad-temperedly. "If you would watch where you're herding your prey I could have avoided almost knocking myself out." Long pillars unfolded from under Jasmine, raising her to her full and considerable height. For a fae she was a little on the big side, weight wise and height wise.

Her fur, soft ebony shared the tone of a moonless night. Not a speck of white marred the pure tone, just like no impurities dared touch Breeze's ivory pelt. Of course, now her underside was dusty from having to lay down quickly or be run over. Impatiently, Jazz shook herself and flicked her tail for effect then narrowed her amber optics nad looked over at the other fae, waiting for an apology. Of course she felt she was owed one but wolves nowadays in these parts had so few manners, Jazz had a feeling she wouldn't get one. Judging from the younger one's smirk also it seemed she thought Jasmine was either mentally ill or simply very stupid by nature. If she implied such, Jasmine would give her a lesson she'd never forget.

[silverpelt12]

Another dark femmora appered. She had the deer in her grasps now. She lay it on the ground and said, "You two are such fools," she added a growl to her tone. She stood tall on well built, evenly placed pillars. The pretty femmora walked forward. She spat out the fur of the deer and threw it aside. She half wonered to herself, where Dark Hex was. She chuckled to herself, she worried about somebody of his size? Ha. Oh well, she turned her dark ebony head on ther others.

She looked like the near mirror image, she thought, of the black femme there. Only her eyes were an electrifying green.She glared sharply at the two, "Were you two fighting," she barked, noticing the dust, coating the bottom of the darker femme's fur. Her ebony body shook leaves from her pelt and she sat down.

[daina]

Ripple was taken slightly aback by the fae's snapping temper. It was just a wisecrack, after all. "I was just following the deer," she said calmly and reassuringly. "They seemed to think you weren't there." Hopefully this one wouldn't think that an insult too.

Then another wolfess entered the area. Great, Ripple groaned in her mind. There goes my prize... She shook herself and looked at the newcomer, saying, "Not that I know of." At least she didn't get the other one, she thought. The faun may still be out there... Ripple was slightly agitated now that her hunting had been interupted, but what the heck. She barely saw other wolves in this area anyway, and seeing two in one night was a rather strange occasion indeed.

[Ärï]

Jasmine's head snapped around as the undergrowth rattled. Of course. More company. Great. A fea with a high and mighty attitude. Oh Jazz would love to knock her off her high horse but sadly, Breeze would berate her about fighting all the time. Jasmine's lip curled at the femme's tone. "Keep to your own business" she barked sharply, sitting up and shaking her velvety pelt. "Or you might be the one in a fight" Jasmine added coldly. Jazz really wished she was back with her sister, her nice quiet sister. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about fighting and faes getting on her nerves.

But, Jazz was never one to leave an open ended threat so she stood tall and glared at the other femme. Her ebony banner flicked restlessly behind her as she glared at the other, burning topaz eyes flickering angrily. These two had ruined her good mood in all of two minutes if that. She'd set out totally content and now she was ready to fight the next wolf that approached her. Talk about moodswings.

[silverpelt12]

"Oooh, I'm scared, "Barked Envy back sarcastiacally. This fae thought she could beat her? She could rip her brother's apart in seconds if ever they disobeyed her. She had already disowned Greed because of what he did to Clover, and nearly killed him too. Like she was scared of any femmora.

[daina]

Ripple looked from one fae to the other. She didn't want to be in the line of fire, as her mother Luin would say, but couldn't resist watching a fight. If the line was stretched any further, something was bound to snap.

[Ärï]

A deep snarl rippled from Jasmine's throat at the other femme's mocking. Oh she was asking for it. Jasmine's pale amber eyes glinted angrily as she whipped around to face the other femme. Velvet lips curled back to show her ivory razors as muscles bunched. An instant before she was about to spring however, a voice inturrupted Jasmine's rage.

"Jazz what are you doing?!" barked a shocked voice.

Jasmine's head snapped around and she groaned. Breeze's ghostly white figure was flitting toward them, pure blue eyes looking from femme to femme. Her ears flicked in confusion as she looked from Envy's mocking face to Ripple's look of unease and a hint of fear and landed on Jasmine's mix of anger and surprise. A frown found its way onto Breeze's face. "You're fighting again aren't you" Breeze growled and then groaned in frustration, looking at Ripple and Envy. "Which one of you is it this time?"

[daina]

Now Ripple was watching the mess unfold. Whoever this new fae was, she must know how much this "Jazz" liked to fight. Ripple sat on the ground and scratched an ear. Satisfied with the ich gone, she answered, "Well, in a nutshell, here's how it went. I was chasing a deer. The deer jumped over her," she motioned to Jasmine, "and I stopped and asked why she was there. Then she, "motioning to Envy, "came in with my prey, asking if we were fighting. The rest is rather obvious."