Post by avalikia on Jul 10, 2009 0:31:36 GMT -5
Characters:
Tix - Female Whitetail Deer
Niabi - Female Elk
Crescendo - Female Adolescent Wolf
Setting:
Sparse Copse
Once again, another sweltering hot day. How joyful. It's amazing that the Copse hasn't actually set itself on fire from the constant burn of the sun, but maybe that's just a case of Tix's logic not working properly. By now, the leaved elms which still stand have become a haven for the Whitetail doe as she lays, trying desperately not to doze off. The warmth seems to affect her more than she realizes, and the irritating buzz of flies about her ears is the only thing keeping her attention. The idea of eating grass is totally rejected by the doe, and so as a result her fatigue is apparent.
On the other hoof, Niabi doesn't seem to be too bothered by the summer heat. True, she's standing in the shade of the elms not doing much, but her ears still flicker about alertly. Ever since that visit by the dog yesterday her guard has been up more than usual, but all the same she's guessing most predators are doing what she and Tix are doing - taking an afternoon siesta until the heat of the day passes. Therefore her eyes only half-heartedly flicker around at her surroundings.
Summer is summer, and Crescendo is still young enough to not know better than to enjoy it. Despite finding the pack she'd been searching for, her wanderlust hasn't been nearly satiated. Therefore she still spends a lot of her time wandering and so is the case today. The sienna wolf isn't in any hurry, pacing ahead at comfortable speed, her alertness too at a lower level. However, when the scent of prey reaches her nose, she slows to a stop and raises her head, idly scanning her surroundings. She's not very hungry, but the smell is still interesting to her.
Tix is grateful for the company of the herd around her. Blinking back the desire to sleep, the doe slowly turns her head to observe the other elk members grazing in the distance. How can they stand this heat!? Another irritated flick of her ears is given and the buzzing subsides for a few moments. Turning her head, Tix examines the surroundings with a squint. The slight breeze is, unfortunately, not passing in her direction, so any scent of predator goes unknown. Looking across to Niabi, she notices that the cow seems more aware than any other herd member. "What's wrong?" She calls out softly, little volume in her tone.
The wind isn't blowing in Niabi's favor either, so she too doesn't catch scent of the wolf. Indeed, all seems idealistic in her little world at the moment, aside from thoughts of yesterday's encounter. Tix's question pulls her out of her thoughts and it takes her a moment to understand why she'd be asking. "Wrong?" asks the cow elk, but it's just a moment before she realizes, "Oh, nothing much. A dog came through here the other day, but I warned it off. Seems that a small group of them are around northwest of here, but I'm not really worried." And she doesn't really seem to be either, though the encounter was a good reminder that this place is not as safe as it seems at times. Little does she know how true that is at the moment.
Catching sight of the elk, for that is what she sees first, Crescendo can't help but be excited. A shiver runs through her body, but she attempts to calm herself down. Between her spiritual learnings and growing up in general, the adolescent wolf is curious and eager to try things out. Walking a little closer, careful to be as invisible as possible, she then lies down on her stomach and crawls a little further onwards, before stopping and watching the other animals again. Her tail almost has a will of its own, what with all the excitement, and Crescendo has to keep reminding herself to stay still.
Tilting her head to listen better to Niabi's words, the doe catches glimpse of a large white cloud drifting overhead which is given a loud sigh of relief. A few moments later and the copse is given the privilege of shade, to which the Whitetail female eagerly pulls herself up to stand with renewed energy. It's still warm, no doubt, but the lack of direct sunlight is all that's needed for the doe to slowly wander out and approach Niabi. It's better to have a conversation when standing together rather than a long distance apart. "Dogs? Are they a threat?" Knowing little of dogs except that they are related to wolves, Tix hopes that they aren't going to be around to cause trouble this coming autumn and winter.
The young wolf must be over-eager indeed if Niabi's the target. Could she have picked a bigger, stronger, more healthy prey? A moose, maybe. Still, between the distraction of conversation and the wolf's stealth she fails to spot it creeping closer. "Well, yes and no," Niabi explains, "They're predators and quite large ones, but they just don't have the skills and instincts of wolves. They're easy to outsmart, for instance. If you know what you're doing they're usually not much trouble. The real danger with them is that they often work for man, though this one was alone." She shrugs and continues to look unconcerned, though there must have been a little if she warned him off.
Not quite sure what she's intending to do, Crescendo listens in on the conversation. She can't help but smirk to herself at the notion that dogs are inferior to wolves - of course they are. Her eyes wander from the elk to the deer and back as she considers her possibilities. She's not all that hungry and even if she were, the elk would indeed be too big for her to take down. The doe is a more plausible prey, but with the elk - and her hooves - so close, it might not be the best idea to follow through when she could do without it. Still, it's good to know where to find food. Crescendo has almost made up her mind to sneak away again, but as she starts moving back, in an unwatchful movement she puts her backpaw down on a dead branch. The wood snaps with a crack that really doesn't help a hiding wolf. Freezing on the spot, Crescendo lies flat on the ground, legs quivering slightly, prepared to take off if need be.
Tix seems relieved at the mention of dogs being inferior. Hopefully this would mean in the remainder of the summer and hopefully the autumn would be free of trouble. Then again, most of the time spent in the herd here had been trouble free. No predator attacks, no lack of food nor water.. It was certainly a peaceful haven for Tix at present. Taking another glance upwards to the cloud overhead to see if it would still remain overhead for much longer, the snap of wood instantly catches the Whitetail female's ears and her tail shoots up in a sign of alarm. Her dark eyes lower and her body stiffens, in the simple instinctive behaviour when there were traces of danger. Her eyes quickly scan the area but in her concern they pass right over the flat-laying wolf.
The snap causes Niabi's ears to shoot up as well, but she'd heard the sound clearly enough to know the exact direction. And now that she knows where to look she spots the wolf easily enough. "Steady," she mutters to Tix as she takes the few steps necessary to place herself between the doe and the wolf, but takes no further action. She'll not flee from a lone wolf - indeed, if she knew the wolf was alone she might even attack - so instead she stands and waits to see what it will do, ears and nose working furiously to try and detect if other wolves are around while her eyes remain fixed on the one she's already found.
Not lucky enough to get away unnoticed, then. As the elk moves, Crescendo is wary but keeps back the snarl wanting to be let out. Rising to her feet, she still keeps a low posture, ready to turn and run if the elk decides to attack. Her eyes flit for a moment to the other members of the herd further away, before she returns her attention to the two in front of her. Her tail is bushy now, and her ears flex back as she tries to decide what approach to take to the situation. Simply running away doesn't appeal too much to her.
Finally the wolf comes into view and Tix freezes up completely. It doesn't even seem like the doe is breathing from the sudden fear flooding her. She still remembers her last encounter with wolves and she is certainly not willing to repeat it. With Niabi by her side however, the Whitetail female feels more relieved. Tail still risen high, the female stares now directly at the lupine having finally tracked it's movements, waiting on the predator to make it's move.
Though Niabi's immediate reaction to a wolf is the fear that it's not alone, every moment that passes with no sign of another gives her the barest bit of confidence. An ear pauses in its wolf-search to flick in Tix's direction, but since the doe doesn't run Niabi has the luxury of allowing the wolf to make the first move. Her own tail remains down and there it will remain unless and until she decides that it would be best for her small herd to flee, but unless this wolf can produce a companion and go from being a potential threat to a real one she'll remain where she is.
Crescendo cannot bring forth a companion and she seems to realize this, as well as her obvious disadvantage in the situation. Lowering her head, she stands a little taller though still keeping a defensive pose. Taking two steps back, a low growl escapes her throat. "I don't mean any harm," she claims through clenched teeth, disappointed in her need to retreat like this. "I was just passing by."
The wolf is given a single fearful stare by the doe as she awaits some form of signal for them to stay or flee. Tix doesn't really intend on staying with her little experience in fighting, but she does know there's safety in numbers. If only Roscoe were here to protect them! Surely those antlers of his would be almost ready, right? Even if not, Tix had no doubt that he would protect her just as he did when the cougar appeared at the pond. The words of the wolf drift by Tix and so does the growl. Obviously the female places no trust in the wolf's claim, but plenty of faith in the fact that the growl is hostile. The previous fear Tix once held when stood before a wolf seems to resurface and her legs begin to tremble, in an obvious desire to flee.
The elk's reaction is quite different; she takes a step forwards. It's becoming more and more apparent that this wolf is alone, and Niabi's both bigger and more familiar with this enemy than her companion. She has no doubt that she'd be able to take on one wolf, as it's when there are more than one that things become really tricky. "If you really /do/ mean no harm, then I suggest that you move on - back the way you came," she says firmly, a mixture of skepticism and confidence coloring her tone. She's no more inclined to believe the wolf than Tix is, but even so she's not very afraid.
Growling louder as the elk comes towards her, Crescendo backs a little quicker - much out of respect for her hooves and size. Throwing a quick glance around her, she looks at the cow again before quickly turning and taking off in a hurried trot, ready to spring into a faster pace if she would have to, disappearing into the woods.
Tix seems to become rapidly calmer as the wolf makes her retreat, although still wary and ready to spring. Sudden realization dawned upon the Whitetail doe and she softly managed to sigh as she watched the danger leave. "Th-thankyou, Niabi.. If you hadn't been here I could've.." She trails off and shakes her head, dreading the thought. Her legs finally stop trembling and almost in sync the sun bursts out of the large cloud above them, showing the area with rays of heat. Although right now, the heat doesn't bother Tix.
Niabi sees no reason to see the wolf off by chasing it, at least if it heads straight out of sight with no further action on her part. Instead she pauses to take another quick look around, though the wolf's fear at her approach pretty much confirms that there were no others. Still, wolves can be tricky and it doesn't pay to take too many chances; she'll be on the alert for anything further for a little while. Once it's out of sight, Niabi turns back to Tix with a smile on her face, "You're welcome. But that was a young one, and alone. I'm sure you could have managed without me this time." Probably not as easily, true, but the elk doesn't want Tix to feel more inadequate than she is.
Comforted by Niabi's reassurance, Tix finds the confidence to nod and return the smile. "I hope so.." She mutters gently, finally letting the white-marked tail drop and her ears restore to their natural pattern of listening. Although still aware, Tix allows herself to relax a little, but the worry still plagues her mind. Had the safety of their herd been made forfeit by letting that wolf go? Only time could tell. Nodding a final thanks to Niabi, Tix turned and moved away to join the other elk, keen on more company and feeding.
Tix - Female Whitetail Deer
Niabi - Female Elk
Crescendo - Female Adolescent Wolf
Setting:
Sparse Copse
Once again, another sweltering hot day. How joyful. It's amazing that the Copse hasn't actually set itself on fire from the constant burn of the sun, but maybe that's just a case of Tix's logic not working properly. By now, the leaved elms which still stand have become a haven for the Whitetail doe as she lays, trying desperately not to doze off. The warmth seems to affect her more than she realizes, and the irritating buzz of flies about her ears is the only thing keeping her attention. The idea of eating grass is totally rejected by the doe, and so as a result her fatigue is apparent.
On the other hoof, Niabi doesn't seem to be too bothered by the summer heat. True, she's standing in the shade of the elms not doing much, but her ears still flicker about alertly. Ever since that visit by the dog yesterday her guard has been up more than usual, but all the same she's guessing most predators are doing what she and Tix are doing - taking an afternoon siesta until the heat of the day passes. Therefore her eyes only half-heartedly flicker around at her surroundings.
Summer is summer, and Crescendo is still young enough to not know better than to enjoy it. Despite finding the pack she'd been searching for, her wanderlust hasn't been nearly satiated. Therefore she still spends a lot of her time wandering and so is the case today. The sienna wolf isn't in any hurry, pacing ahead at comfortable speed, her alertness too at a lower level. However, when the scent of prey reaches her nose, she slows to a stop and raises her head, idly scanning her surroundings. She's not very hungry, but the smell is still interesting to her.
Tix is grateful for the company of the herd around her. Blinking back the desire to sleep, the doe slowly turns her head to observe the other elk members grazing in the distance. How can they stand this heat!? Another irritated flick of her ears is given and the buzzing subsides for a few moments. Turning her head, Tix examines the surroundings with a squint. The slight breeze is, unfortunately, not passing in her direction, so any scent of predator goes unknown. Looking across to Niabi, she notices that the cow seems more aware than any other herd member. "What's wrong?" She calls out softly, little volume in her tone.
The wind isn't blowing in Niabi's favor either, so she too doesn't catch scent of the wolf. Indeed, all seems idealistic in her little world at the moment, aside from thoughts of yesterday's encounter. Tix's question pulls her out of her thoughts and it takes her a moment to understand why she'd be asking. "Wrong?" asks the cow elk, but it's just a moment before she realizes, "Oh, nothing much. A dog came through here the other day, but I warned it off. Seems that a small group of them are around northwest of here, but I'm not really worried." And she doesn't really seem to be either, though the encounter was a good reminder that this place is not as safe as it seems at times. Little does she know how true that is at the moment.
Catching sight of the elk, for that is what she sees first, Crescendo can't help but be excited. A shiver runs through her body, but she attempts to calm herself down. Between her spiritual learnings and growing up in general, the adolescent wolf is curious and eager to try things out. Walking a little closer, careful to be as invisible as possible, she then lies down on her stomach and crawls a little further onwards, before stopping and watching the other animals again. Her tail almost has a will of its own, what with all the excitement, and Crescendo has to keep reminding herself to stay still.
Tilting her head to listen better to Niabi's words, the doe catches glimpse of a large white cloud drifting overhead which is given a loud sigh of relief. A few moments later and the copse is given the privilege of shade, to which the Whitetail female eagerly pulls herself up to stand with renewed energy. It's still warm, no doubt, but the lack of direct sunlight is all that's needed for the doe to slowly wander out and approach Niabi. It's better to have a conversation when standing together rather than a long distance apart. "Dogs? Are they a threat?" Knowing little of dogs except that they are related to wolves, Tix hopes that they aren't going to be around to cause trouble this coming autumn and winter.
The young wolf must be over-eager indeed if Niabi's the target. Could she have picked a bigger, stronger, more healthy prey? A moose, maybe. Still, between the distraction of conversation and the wolf's stealth she fails to spot it creeping closer. "Well, yes and no," Niabi explains, "They're predators and quite large ones, but they just don't have the skills and instincts of wolves. They're easy to outsmart, for instance. If you know what you're doing they're usually not much trouble. The real danger with them is that they often work for man, though this one was alone." She shrugs and continues to look unconcerned, though there must have been a little if she warned him off.
Not quite sure what she's intending to do, Crescendo listens in on the conversation. She can't help but smirk to herself at the notion that dogs are inferior to wolves - of course they are. Her eyes wander from the elk to the deer and back as she considers her possibilities. She's not all that hungry and even if she were, the elk would indeed be too big for her to take down. The doe is a more plausible prey, but with the elk - and her hooves - so close, it might not be the best idea to follow through when she could do without it. Still, it's good to know where to find food. Crescendo has almost made up her mind to sneak away again, but as she starts moving back, in an unwatchful movement she puts her backpaw down on a dead branch. The wood snaps with a crack that really doesn't help a hiding wolf. Freezing on the spot, Crescendo lies flat on the ground, legs quivering slightly, prepared to take off if need be.
Tix seems relieved at the mention of dogs being inferior. Hopefully this would mean in the remainder of the summer and hopefully the autumn would be free of trouble. Then again, most of the time spent in the herd here had been trouble free. No predator attacks, no lack of food nor water.. It was certainly a peaceful haven for Tix at present. Taking another glance upwards to the cloud overhead to see if it would still remain overhead for much longer, the snap of wood instantly catches the Whitetail female's ears and her tail shoots up in a sign of alarm. Her dark eyes lower and her body stiffens, in the simple instinctive behaviour when there were traces of danger. Her eyes quickly scan the area but in her concern they pass right over the flat-laying wolf.
The snap causes Niabi's ears to shoot up as well, but she'd heard the sound clearly enough to know the exact direction. And now that she knows where to look she spots the wolf easily enough. "Steady," she mutters to Tix as she takes the few steps necessary to place herself between the doe and the wolf, but takes no further action. She'll not flee from a lone wolf - indeed, if she knew the wolf was alone she might even attack - so instead she stands and waits to see what it will do, ears and nose working furiously to try and detect if other wolves are around while her eyes remain fixed on the one she's already found.
Not lucky enough to get away unnoticed, then. As the elk moves, Crescendo is wary but keeps back the snarl wanting to be let out. Rising to her feet, she still keeps a low posture, ready to turn and run if the elk decides to attack. Her eyes flit for a moment to the other members of the herd further away, before she returns her attention to the two in front of her. Her tail is bushy now, and her ears flex back as she tries to decide what approach to take to the situation. Simply running away doesn't appeal too much to her.
Finally the wolf comes into view and Tix freezes up completely. It doesn't even seem like the doe is breathing from the sudden fear flooding her. She still remembers her last encounter with wolves and she is certainly not willing to repeat it. With Niabi by her side however, the Whitetail female feels more relieved. Tail still risen high, the female stares now directly at the lupine having finally tracked it's movements, waiting on the predator to make it's move.
Though Niabi's immediate reaction to a wolf is the fear that it's not alone, every moment that passes with no sign of another gives her the barest bit of confidence. An ear pauses in its wolf-search to flick in Tix's direction, but since the doe doesn't run Niabi has the luxury of allowing the wolf to make the first move. Her own tail remains down and there it will remain unless and until she decides that it would be best for her small herd to flee, but unless this wolf can produce a companion and go from being a potential threat to a real one she'll remain where she is.
Crescendo cannot bring forth a companion and she seems to realize this, as well as her obvious disadvantage in the situation. Lowering her head, she stands a little taller though still keeping a defensive pose. Taking two steps back, a low growl escapes her throat. "I don't mean any harm," she claims through clenched teeth, disappointed in her need to retreat like this. "I was just passing by."
The wolf is given a single fearful stare by the doe as she awaits some form of signal for them to stay or flee. Tix doesn't really intend on staying with her little experience in fighting, but she does know there's safety in numbers. If only Roscoe were here to protect them! Surely those antlers of his would be almost ready, right? Even if not, Tix had no doubt that he would protect her just as he did when the cougar appeared at the pond. The words of the wolf drift by Tix and so does the growl. Obviously the female places no trust in the wolf's claim, but plenty of faith in the fact that the growl is hostile. The previous fear Tix once held when stood before a wolf seems to resurface and her legs begin to tremble, in an obvious desire to flee.
The elk's reaction is quite different; she takes a step forwards. It's becoming more and more apparent that this wolf is alone, and Niabi's both bigger and more familiar with this enemy than her companion. She has no doubt that she'd be able to take on one wolf, as it's when there are more than one that things become really tricky. "If you really /do/ mean no harm, then I suggest that you move on - back the way you came," she says firmly, a mixture of skepticism and confidence coloring her tone. She's no more inclined to believe the wolf than Tix is, but even so she's not very afraid.
Growling louder as the elk comes towards her, Crescendo backs a little quicker - much out of respect for her hooves and size. Throwing a quick glance around her, she looks at the cow again before quickly turning and taking off in a hurried trot, ready to spring into a faster pace if she would have to, disappearing into the woods.
Tix seems to become rapidly calmer as the wolf makes her retreat, although still wary and ready to spring. Sudden realization dawned upon the Whitetail doe and she softly managed to sigh as she watched the danger leave. "Th-thankyou, Niabi.. If you hadn't been here I could've.." She trails off and shakes her head, dreading the thought. Her legs finally stop trembling and almost in sync the sun bursts out of the large cloud above them, showing the area with rays of heat. Although right now, the heat doesn't bother Tix.
Niabi sees no reason to see the wolf off by chasing it, at least if it heads straight out of sight with no further action on her part. Instead she pauses to take another quick look around, though the wolf's fear at her approach pretty much confirms that there were no others. Still, wolves can be tricky and it doesn't pay to take too many chances; she'll be on the alert for anything further for a little while. Once it's out of sight, Niabi turns back to Tix with a smile on her face, "You're welcome. But that was a young one, and alone. I'm sure you could have managed without me this time." Probably not as easily, true, but the elk doesn't want Tix to feel more inadequate than she is.
Comforted by Niabi's reassurance, Tix finds the confidence to nod and return the smile. "I hope so.." She mutters gently, finally letting the white-marked tail drop and her ears restore to their natural pattern of listening. Although still aware, Tix allows herself to relax a little, but the worry still plagues her mind. Had the safety of their herd been made forfeit by letting that wolf go? Only time could tell. Nodding a final thanks to Niabi, Tix turned and moved away to join the other elk, keen on more company and feeding.