A Morning Stroll

[akisame]

ArchAngel watched her waiting for a response. His eyes observing as she opened her mouth and nothing came out. So she was indeed a mute. However he thought nothing more or less of her. It wasn't something she could change, she never chose it. It chose to happen to her. However how it affects one is always different. Some learn to with it, others do not. If he was a mute it would make his life allot easier. Not having to answer questions with words. Unlike others he never really had to hear his own voice just to know he was alive. So many acted like they had too, and he disliked them all. The rustling in the forest brought his attention to hand. His eyes gazing about, when he spotted a black shadow move and scurry along the ground, leaving tracks in the snow. A light hearted growl escaped him as he half ran forward.

Running on three legs was more difficult then he thought, but then again. Life was difficult so what was the difference. Nothing was ever easy, for if it was then something had to be going wrong. He winced as he instinctivly let his injuried leg go down to help him run. Lifting it back up he forced his mind not to wander. To make sure he didn't drop his leg down again and worked with only three. Surly after survivong this he'd be stronger. Of course he'd have to build up strength in his leg again. It wouldn't be too much of a problem for him.

Orbs followed the black hare around a few trees. Arch's body manuevering around them. He looked back to see if the femme fatal was following him. Straightening his gaze to what was infront of him he swerved almost stumbling and falling flat on his face to aviod hitting a tree. Dammit he cursed at his own stupidity. Tail flicking back and forth in annoyance as he continued to chase the hare. As time went on he began to get slower and slower behind it. A pink tongue lolling out as his legs ached and his breathing was heavy.

[Bandersnatch]

Prompted by his movement, her own paws light and swift, Crow propelled herself from the ground and shot after ArchAngel. Even if her none-too-bulky build meant speed and fluent movement came naturally, it was far too easy for her to keep up with her companion. His unsteady gait already appeared cumbersome enough as he switched between using three and four legs, and the femme’s worry only worked to exaggerate these movements’ appearance. As he winced, empathy caused her to do likewise.

As she observed the male’s pained charge her mind unfocused, fading back to mere moments before. The male had shown understanding of her answer – at least, he hadn’t questioned further – and had shown little reaction. For this she was glad - pity was unnecessary for her affliction, and harbored beliefs that she was somehow inferior, particularly actions upon such beliefs, would have been greeted with annoyed agitation on her part. All too soon she was alerted back to the present as he tripped. Fur bristling, she slid to a halt, her claws doing their best to grip to the slurry below them. The very last thing the brute of a male needed now was another injury. It had been a close call, but he had remained on his feet. A whispered sigh of relief passed her lips as she again sprung forward.

Crow gave a small frown, focused upon the dark figures. His exaggerated breathing reached her ears. It was curious – the male seemed to be hunting without a plan mapped out in his head. Perhaps eventually there would be an opening, but it seemed unlikely that he would be able to keep his endurance if this did not prove to be soon.
There was a chance, though. Perhaps the furry creature ahead had not realized that it was pursued by not one but two wolves. Little breeze billowed across the land – perhaps her scent had not been carried, or it mingled with the males so that it was indistinguishable? Surely the noise of his breathing and staggered steps would work to cover the soft falls of her paws. If she could creep around out to the side unawares. Even if she was noticed, perhaps the prey could be herded around to become trapped by the pair, perhaps even right into the jaws of ArchAngel. It was an ideal outcome, but would it come into being?
The wing-marked one broke away, trying hard to avoid the slightest of noises cause by shifting muck, rustling leaves and dry twigs. Faster she went, each footstep as carefully planned as was possible in the fraction of a second each foot traveled above ground. She was beside their prey now, close enough to see it’s ears and eyes twitch nervously about, though yards away she had hopefully gone unnoticed. Her eyes remained on target, while her ears flickered back, trying to catch news of her comrade’s movement.


((Perhaps Sammi would like to play yet another bunny? :3))

[smartie]

Thud thud thud thud. Splash splash. The wolf that limped on after the solid black rabbit certainly was a clumsy fellow. Flicking his ears, the adapted one tore across the terrain at a break neck speed. It would be break neck, if he took a wrong step, then the rabbit would fall over and no doubt be snagged.

He was unaware of Crow taking the side route; he knew only of the hurt wolf that prodded on along at the rear. The slurry of muck and snow that was the trail on which the rabbit took would no doubt only frustrate the male more, for being on three legs, well, balance would be difficult to maintain.

Smirking, the dark creature dived to the left, which only moved him closer to the unknown presence of the Arnlan mute wolf. If he had been a little more cautious, he may have picked up her scent, but due to the speed on which he raced, his breaths were sharp, and the wind whistled in his long ears.

There was no way he would hear her over that, and ArchAngel. Also, the stench of rotting leaves, mixed with the muck and snow filled the inferior nostrils of the small critter, and so, he was relying basically upon his eyes. Now, the animal trod on snow, and so was not as swift as he should have been.

Not that he was worrying, he was one of the special dark rabbits, who knew the land well and had successfully learned how to maneuver, like many of his friends, around sharp bends, and how to keep balanced well on the slurry. He was a great specimen of the Arnlan residing rabbits, and he was proud to be.

[akisame]

ArchAngel was calm, he did not sense the mute wolf behind him anymore and suspected she was ahead. Of course who wouldn't be ahead of him. He was not going to fall and give in to the frustration that would surly only make him do worse. He kept focus, slowly his awkward gait began to fix up and he gained more speed. He was getting use to running on all threes. Slowly. Maneuvering around a quick corner after the rabbit was key into not sliping and falling on his side or face.

Eyes averted to his left side as he moved. His hind leg sliped. But thankfully he was able to swing himself around in the muck and still keep going. That was how a real trained fighter dealth with it all. The prideful wolf thought. He had been trained, he led a pack before and he would not be counted out because he only could maneuver on three legs. Sure it was a disavantage and he couldn't move fast enough, but at least he was trying. At least he was getting there. At his own pace.

The rabbit was still insight as he watched it maneuvering around, nose twitched on his maw as he tried to sniff out the mute, but his breathing was too hard and he could not either. So he listened, focusing over his loud pawsteps, with his keen ears he could hear the barely audiable trail of the tawny wolfess as she was coming ahead of them. She would cut the rabbit off and make it swerve out to catch them. At least there was something better then a plan he just formed in his mind.

[Bandersnatch]

The rabbit was adapted greatly to it’s Arnlan surroundings. That was true - and quite obvious as the rabbit darted through dark, twisted trunks - but so was its female pursuer. Crow had been raised in these lands for the vast majority of her life, and though she lacked the benefit of generations of natural selection such as the lagomorph had, she had learnt how to work with the ageless trees, the snow, the rain.
But as adapted as the rabbit was, it was smug in its own abilities. A cockiness that may have been of great benefit to the wolves. Crow was intent that it would be captured - be it by her or the silver male, it didn’t matter. ArchAngel needed the energy to help his wound, and she had to look after those from her pack. It was her duty. There were other rabbits in the land that would have been easier to catch, of course, but this one was here, now, and the precious energy would go to waste. A simplistic glaze coated Crow’s eyes as she glared toward the pair’s victim. All thoughts had disappeared from her mind, instead turning concentration toward the hunt. There was an air of seriousness about her as she charged on.

The mottled femme’s ears flickered as the wind tried to sweep them back. It seemed her comrade was gaining speed despite, or perhaps in spite of, his wound. Good.
Better yet the rabbit had slowed as it’s heavily furred feet sunk slightly into the snow as it ran. It had become obvious the creature was oblivious to her presence. It’s swerve had led ever closer to where her feet traced the land. The fur about the nape of her neck rose as adrenaline pumped through her veins. It was so close, she just ahead of it now, and Arch was getting closer too. Everything in her vision seemed to slow as she went into action. Instinctively, Crow leapt diagonally across the prey’s path. Her body dipped as she landed, held low and tense, head sweeping forth with jaws open wide like a springing trap as they reached for the rabbit’s flesh. With any hope, if she didn’t catch it, it would be startled enough to turn tail in the opposite direction, momentarily stupefied, to run right toward the large male who blocked the other way.

[smartie]

The precipitation that had soaked into the fur of the rabbit was weighing him down, slowing him even more, which distressed him slightly. The faint thudding of his heart rung in his mind as he licked his lips in attempt to rehydrate his dry, parched mouth. However, he was confident that he would escape the limping creature, for as far as he knew, the male was still struggling to maintain balance, and held his head high up in hope over that.

It was not long however, whilst going into the direction of Crow, that he became aware of her presence. It was then, that the rabbit snapped from his blinkered mind of he could escape. Straining his legs he did all that he could to get further and further away from the impending doom that hung over him. Like the many other like himself that had been pursued, he wanted to be in the safety of his hide ho, and curl up and be nice and warm and safe once more.

He urged himself to travel faster, in hope that he could escape both creature. It was not particularly the male he feared, but more the female for he did not know where the female was, and this only made him more weary. Adrenaline and fear pumped through his veins now, and he glanced here and there frantically for sign of her. His legs powered him desperately across the snow, however he was slowing down, due to tiring.

But, the adapted male rabbit was no match for the wolf who had spent her life living in these lands. Her dive upon him went unnoticed, and the last thing that was in sight of the male, was quickly lost with his life. A shriek emitted from him, but it was faint. Momentarily he struggled in her grasp, trying desperately to cling onto the soft snow on which he had yet to run upon. His eyes widened with fear, as pain surged immensely throughout him.

When the powerful jaws of Crow had clenched themselves around his form, he was done, for her teeth immediately pierced areas that was vital to life. Blood leaked from his wounds, spilling into her mouth. He was no more. He was caught. And so easily and efficiently. Could he have honestly been named an Arnlan rabbit with a performance like that?

[akisame]

((Latness like always.... I've been doing art for my artclass and reports. Sammi's seen me on but -ish been researching- Here it is. -stops stalling-))

Finally he gained abit more ground, but as he watched a sleek form emerged from the shadows of the trees he knew he should slow down before he ran into the female. Sliding in the muck ArchAngel came to a slow halt. His tri colored pelt was coated with splotches of mud and if he had been the nitpicky he would have shown a disgusted face, but he did not. Instead he watched knowing what was to happen. The Arnlan wolf snatched it up in her jaws and killed the tricky rabbit. Well, technically it wasn't tricky, maybe abit difficult for him on three legs but he would have caught it eventually.

Coal eyes watched her body signs for any hint of communications between the two. Not that he was purposly doing so. He always watched others intently, seeing every movement. Not wanting to be taken off guard. Normal. If that's what you called it. Slowly the male trudged through the mud and stood a few feet away from the mute. He paused and then opened his mouth to speak, maybe she'd reply with some emotion on her face.

"Thanks for helping me hunt..... You can have.... some of the rabbit."

Again his voice was monotone, it barely sounded sincere. Yet if one had good ears they could hear a small hint of the emotion riding on his voice. The bird masked male placed his hurt paw on the ground, he did not put pressue on it, but it felt awkward for him to have it raised in the air. Now he waited. Arch was hungry, tired, and wanted to be in peace. Not that the silence between them wasn't good enough, he just hoped no other wolf would see him hurt like this. It would hurt his own pride.

[Bandersnatch]

(('Sok Good luck with the schoolwork.))

Time had slowed as the silent wolf slid gently across the rabbit’s path. It had had little time to react, scooped up in the she-wolf’s jaws.

Crunch

Smokey clouds of breath escaped from her nostrils and the corners of her mouth, propped open by the rabbit’s limp form, the results of gentle pants as she recovered from the sprint. She could feel rabbit blood pooling in the bottom of her mouth, the metallic taste upon her tongue. She hadn’t meant to kill it in such a way. It was a bit brutal, really. Sometimes rabbits died of fright as they were scooped up, and even if they didn’t a sharp shake of them would snap their necks. But instinct had taken over, and teeth sunk into flesh and bone.

She gave a wince, thinking back to ArchAngel. Would he be annoyed that she had made the kill herself? She had simply acted on instinct. She could have chased it back to him – let him make the kill, perhaps restore some pride to him. But then, the prey would have had a chance to escape. It was a team effort, after all – had he not distracted the swift lagomorph, she couldn’t have made the kill. It was a usual wolf strategy.
Gathering herself back up, Crow turned to her companion, prompting her legs forward the few paces between them.
"Thanks for helping me hunt..... You can have.... some of the rabbit."
The sepia femme crouched, laying the dead creature at the male’s feet. She raised herself back to her feet to look up to his face, her tongue collecting the blood that was attempted to stain her maw. She gave him a sweet smile and shook her head, signing that she would not be taking any rabbit meat. Her belly was not empty, and he needed it much more than she did. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed as he placed his paw tenderly upon the ground. Yes, he certainly needed the food more than she.
Crow softly eyed the tired expression the smoky male wore. It seemed to her that he was not the big, bad wolf he had first made himself out to be – after all, he had enough courtesy to be polite and, as a result, respectful. Regardless of this, ArchAngel probably wanted to eat in peace. Perhaps now it was time for her to finally take her leave. The she-wolf turned about on the spot and paced forward. Here she paused for a moment, glancing back over her shoulder to him.