like wolves without teeth

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

Wessex can deal with whining and complaining if it gets the job done and gets her that much closer to mageglass. She’s brought extra furs for Sunjata in case that was his reason - and look, she can’t blame him for wanting to not be freezing cold. If she could feel it, she’d probably act the same way.

Popping out onto the other side of the portal, Wessex hands off an offering to the guards - a jar of honey and a couple of cartons of berries, intended to buy passage for the both of them - things they’ll never get in Halo. She begins to walk out of the cave and towards the Tundra, assuming that Sunjata probably isn’t that familiar with the cold land, based on his reaction to the proposition earlier. Once they’re out of the guards’ earshot, she begins to outline why they’re there. “I need the bones of something that’s died upon the Tundra. We can either kill it or look for someone else’s handiwork.” That would be the Ursurs. Or maybe just the remains of a sickly luxere.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

Oh, he’s incredibly uncomfortable being here. First of all, he realizes now that its bones they require from the Tundra. Second, he realizes that Lusea fucking died here and they’re searching for bones. So if he isn’t already a small amount on edge, he is now. At least Wessex had been kind enough to bring extra furs, that he’s wrapped around himself in a way that leaves it so he can still move his arms and body fairly well, but enough that it wards out the cold.

The bow is settled at his back with his quiver of arrows, there’s the daggers that Maea had gifted him within easy reach, and of course his shifts that he plans on using if and when they come across something that fits the bill.

His steel gaze slides over toward Wessex when she mentions finding the bones or killing something for it, and Sunjata nods before looking ahead along the expanse. “I’d prefer to kill it out right, to be honest.” A small shrug granted, pulling the bow from his shoulder to grip at the ready should something sneak up on them. “Where to first, Wraith?”

---

so sorry its terribad my brain sucks today

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

Oops. Well, look, the Wraith can only be so considerate before she loses her street cred, and that was all used up when she brought Sunjata the extra furs. So. He’ll have to suck up his trauma and deal with it like the rest of them do (or don’t, but the former is highly preferable to the latter given where they are and how dangerous the Tundra can be). Wessex carries a bow and a quiver as well as her usual weapons, tucked into various hideaways. Truth be told, she doesn’t pack as much heat as she used to, having come to hypocritically rely on her upgrades more than good ‘ol fashioned weapons.

She cracks a tiny smile at his preference, having none either way, and nods. Duly noted. She’ll see what she can do. Taking a moment to scan the white and blue expanse, she notes a hill and a small copse of trees a ways away. A luxere-friendly place, if there ever was one, and while an Ursur might be fun to tackle, she’d very much like to keep this low-stakes if at all possible. Get in. Get out.

“Lets head that way,” she indicates casually, one ear on potential conversation whilst the other ear and eyes are on the lookout for signs of animals or death.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

They can at least agree on that – the get in and get out as quickly as possible. The lower the stakes the better (especially because he’ll soon find out that he’s probably not the best to form plans when it comes to hunting in Halo…) but regardless, he keeps his bow in his hand, focusing on the landscape, partially shifting himself a small amount to see better and further away – a predatory panther glimmer to his gaze before Wessex’s indication reaches him.

He gives her a nod, turning in the direction she chooses, focusing on the trees that might hide the possible creatures required to get the shrine built. "Luxere...?" He questions, following the same thought process that Wessex has. He’s intrigued by the sight of it, but keeps himself controlled and quiet despite his size – a hunters mind crossing over his face, giving into the shifts of himself that are far more bloodthirsty, far more fight than flee. He keeps his hand at his bow, his other reaching back for an arrow to nock into place as they get closer, feline shifted eyes focusing on the spacing between the white as he searches for anything. Antlers, fur, eyes.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

Wessex nods. “Sure as hell ain’t going for anything dangerous,” she adds, “Had enough hero-ing for a bit. Besides, I don’t need to prove anything to you.” Flashing the partially shifted man a teasing grin, she hopes it suggests that he doesn’t need to prove anything to her, either. They have a mutually beneficial arrangement, based on the assumption that they’re equals. And while the Wraith may be leading this little expedition, it’s only because this is her task to complete. Sunjata could easily kill a luxere on his own, she imagines.

As they walk towards the copse of trees, there’s a bit of movement – very slight at first as their presence is noted (and how could it not be, the two of them dark and upright against a very white and grey background). Too far away to shoot, it looks like their prey is on the verge of getting away. Wessex hisses through her fangs and shoots Jata a look as she breaks into a human-paced run. “How fast are you if I try and redirect them?” If she tries to head them off – or even cut one from the end of the herd, can he be there in time?

There’s an energy inside her that’s been building up, speed she hasn’t used in too long, and that it’s making itself available to her during the daytime is all the more tantalizing. Oh, Lady – how thankful she is for the seemingly never ending perks of Ascension.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

A chuckle leaves him at Wessex’s comment, glancing over to her and breaking through the ice that’s cascaded over him. “Thank the gods.” Lips feathering into a small smirk with his playful dramatics before he glances back toward the trees, searching the foliage for anything and everything.

“Fast enough.” He responds as Wessex picks up a human paced run. Perhaps he’s confident, but he can hold a better grip over the ground with paws than his own feet, can run faster upon it than he ever could in the best of conditions in his human form. So he shifts fully, now, man turning into a long and sleek panther, paws eating up the snow and ice as he darts toward the retreating herd.

They only need one, however, and so he keeps Wessex’s position in line, bolting across the ground like a streak of night splotched with snow in his pelt as he tries to round it off and cut off the herd — at the very least, perhaps one Luxere. And should one present itself, he’ll launch himself to it, paws outstretched to pin the creature to the ice and snow.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

The Wraith casts Sunjata a feral grin; this feels like two lone wolves coming together for a semi-violent purpose. Like last time, though that was… more bloody than violent. That reminds her, she’s curious about the wolf pelt. Did the person like the gift?

But there’s no time to ask it, as movement on the horizon sets her into motion and they’re off with assurances that each will do their part. She sees Sunjata shift out of the corner of her eyes and then she’s off, turning on that preternatural speed to zip across the ice and snow, flakes and shards thrown up in a mild mist in her wake.

It’s something the luxere can’t miss - the black streak and the unnatural cloud (that may not smell like anything, but nothing in their world moves like that). Bleating, the reindeer begin to run - all of them, across the Tundra. The calves are old enough to be able to keep up, more or less, but there’s a couple of old ones who quickly begin to fall behind. And like Sunjata thought, they only need one. Wessex maneuvers to try and cut through the end of the herd, slowing down to the let the rest of them disperse, whilst trying to send the old bull to the right, and hopefully towards the black panther.

don't be scared

you're like the calmest slit to my neck

It’s been so long since he’s hunted with someone else – and gladly, among the snows of Halo with the Wraith at his side? He finds it’s a pleasant place to be. He’s shifted already, dark shadow of a form darting across the ice and snow as well, finding the luxere as they begin to drift off. But they all can’t keep up, and that’s what the panther is hoping for in the end.

Wessex begins to try and cut through the end of the herd, and Sunjata finds one of the older bulls begin to hedge toward the right – so he redirects his course as well. Kicking up snow and ice in his wake, he pins his ears to his skull and surges toward it before leaping – aiming with claws and teeth outstretched to take the bull down.

bring me in closer

SUNJATA

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

Good, he’s there. The panther probably can’t see the ferocious, calculating look on her face as fangs bare themselves to the wind as the two of them converge on the target. As she draws closer, Wessex realizes she isn’t really equipped to make the tackle on their prey - that should go to the one with paws, the one who can trip a runner up far more easily than she can. The bull bellows, wasting precious breath to announce his distress as he’s effectively cut off from the herd. Now all they have to do is catch it and kill it.

Though  there’s no way for the Wraith to talk to Jata, or vice versa, he seems to know what needs to be done - whether through animal instinct or experience. She keeps trying to angle the bull in his direction, staying on its back right side, and eventually they’re close enough (which is good, because she can feel her speed starting to disappear) and Jata leaps, successfully tripping the Luxere. It stumbles, and Wessex is on it (she assumes her partner is as well), unsheathing her talons for a killing stab at its neck, hoping to sever the spine or otherwise mangle vital anatomy.

don't be scared

you're like the calmest slit to my neck

He launches, claws outstretched toward the Luxere to try and take it down, and he manages the trio of it. But at the speed he’s going, he slips a small amount on the snow and ice as he lands, trying to spin around to reach the Luxere when Wessex does. Luckily for him, the Wraith is there, prepared just as he gets to be once his paws catch a grip on the ice.

And he launches again, aiming to add to Wessex’s strike as he tries to go for the throat as well, maw parted wide with large sharp canines aiming to crush the windpipe of the creature. One paw tries to sit along the shoulder of the creature to keep it down through any tremors or attempts to struggle its way free.

bring me in closer

SUNJATA

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

Between the two of them, they make short work of the bull; Wessex’s talons sink into its lower neck, while the panther’s jaws close around its windpipe. Legs flail for a moment before going limp, all the fight gone - sacrificed for a quick death of blood loss and paralysis. She should be elated, but instead the Wraith is shaking a bit from the daytime exertion. Wessex keeps her talons in the body, trying to steady herself until she can stop the feeling that she needs to feed.

Dead blood is forbidden. She won’t. It won’t take long, she tells herself, to cut a leg off and then get the fuck back to a shrine. Clenching her fists, she closes her eyes for a moment and tries to focus, counting backwards in her head.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

Jaws close and talons sink and blood sprays enough to splatter along the front of him — warm and steaming in the crisp Halo air. And he withdraws, kneeling in the snow as he shifts back to himself, the front of his furs coated in the blood, some of it trickling down the corners of his mouth, down his chin as well.

Steel eyes look to Wessex as she remains with the talons in the creature, a dark brow raising and wondering if she’s praying for it. Honestly, she doesn’t really seem like the type, but who is he to judge? “You okay, Wessex?” He asks quietly, shifting in the snow, reaching for the dagger in his boot.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

dont know where the lights are taking us
but something in the night is dangerous

“I - don’t know,” the Wraith replies, once again fighting down the urge to jump on Sunjata, pin him, and drink until she’s satisfied. Mechanically, and with jerky movements, her hands seem to move of their own accord, slicing into the shoulder so she can take the leg back with her. Blood soaks the ground, seeps into the air. She closes her eyes and pauses. “I think I need to drink. As - soon - as, uh, now,” she says quietly, following it up with a growl of frustration.

She manages to separate the leg at the shoulder joint with a violent wrench and leaves it on the ground to bleed out before she takes it back with her. A vague gesture to the rest of the body indicates that Jata can have the rest of it - for whatever purpose. Or they can leave it there for a Halovian. Or an Ursur.

At the moment there’s very little that Wessex cares about. Only the courtesy of their relationship keeps her from asking to drink from the panther.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

For Sunjata, there’s a difference between those Ascended bites for fun and those needed for survival. So when he notices her nagging movements, the comment of needing to feed now, he remains silent for a brief moment as he considers the options. He doesn’t know where a shrine is, doesn’t know who else might be around to help the Wraith. She seems determined enough to get the leg off without much more of a comment, ready to return with it — and yet…

She is a member of his Guild after all. And he’s not quite in the business of ignoring the things they might need.

So with a quiet sigh, he looks back to the body before them, crouched and kneeling in the snow with the dagger in his hand as he weighs the options. His jaw clenches slightly but he lets his sharp steel gaze flit toward her. “For emergencies, okay?” He rumbles to her with a small smirk, lifting the hand nearest to her with his wrist facing up.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth