"Probably," Rory agreed to Vai's theory about the fox, albeit uneasily; he didn't like to have the little creature out of his sight, especially not with a pack of upset wolves on the loose. Remi was relatively safe in the sky, since the last time Rory checked, wolves didn't fly.
But he had to trust that they all knew what they were doing, from Remi and the fox disappearing to Vai sliding her knife into the gut of the other deer.
Rory wasn't great with trust.
He worked as quickly as he could without messing up, tugging out bowels and organs, putting heart and liver aside, bloodied to the elbows when three little birds came flitting onto the scene; he only noticed them when Vai stood up. "Something is wrong," she said, and he raised his head. The cold feeling of dread remained in his gut, and the sight of the chickadees did little to ease it. The small hairs on the back of his neck prickled.
Rory cursed under his breath. "I'll catch up," he said, standing up and producing a length of rope from somewhere. "I'll just put these somewhere safe..r." Nowhere was safe for a dead body in Caido.
So without further ado he carried the two deer to the base of the nearest suitable tree, and did his best to get them off the ground with the rope and a sturdy branch. He could only hope the savory scent of the offal left out in the open would keep the craftier predators from getting to the now-elevated carcasses.
He wiped his hunting knife on his pants, sheathed it, and set off at a fast jog after Vai. Fuck running in snow, but what are you supposed to do when you've elected to stay behind and hoist some deer instead of take off to save your friends immediately.
Cheap bastard.
It wasn't many minutes he'd lost, but what if he'd erred in his judgment? What if his faith in Remi and the fox was misplaced, that they couldn't take care of themselves? Too late, too late, and he swore with uncharacteristic fervor as he finally caught up to Vai.
The snow was disturbed. Paw prints. And .. blood.
Rory froze.
The two wolves are swift, disappearing with their snack—he's hardly enough to fill the belly of one of them, least of all two, but he's a free meal. After a couple of hundred yards their lope winds down to a trot, then a walk, as their greedy eyes lock together more and more: which one will get to devour the bird? A warning growl rumbles from the chest of the one currently in possession of the hawk.
The wolf left behind growls around its grip on Jigano's shoulder, when the smaller canine twists and comes for its eye.
Instinct has the lid going down, sharp teeth connecting with the thin skin and smashing into the harder bone of the socket. It's painful, and rather bloody, but little more than an annoyance; the wolf avoids critical damage of any sort, but it serves to pave the way for Jigano's freedom. Blood and white hairs smears its muzzle as it growls in frustration, snapping harmlessly after the white tail disappearing between its front legs. Significantly slower, the animal hops around, but Jigano is already out from underneath him and following the tracks leading away.
The wolf suddenly stills, hearing the approach of Vai; stealthily he slinks into the underbrush, shadowing the fox from the side.
He'll get his turn.
The wolf that stayed behind to fight Jigano is wary of the hoomans, but keeps abreast with Jigano.
But he had to trust that they all knew what they were doing, from Remi and the fox disappearing to Vai sliding her knife into the gut of the other deer.
Rory wasn't great with trust.
He worked as quickly as he could without messing up, tugging out bowels and organs, putting heart and liver aside, bloodied to the elbows when three little birds came flitting onto the scene; he only noticed them when Vai stood up. "Something is wrong," she said, and he raised his head. The cold feeling of dread remained in his gut, and the sight of the chickadees did little to ease it. The small hairs on the back of his neck prickled.
Rory cursed under his breath. "I'll catch up," he said, standing up and producing a length of rope from somewhere. "I'll just put these somewhere safe..r." Nowhere was safe for a dead body in Caido.
So without further ado he carried the two deer to the base of the nearest suitable tree, and did his best to get them off the ground with the rope and a sturdy branch. He could only hope the savory scent of the offal left out in the open would keep the craftier predators from getting to the now-elevated carcasses.
He wiped his hunting knife on his pants, sheathed it, and set off at a fast jog after Vai. Fuck running in snow, but what are you supposed to do when you've elected to stay behind and hoist some deer instead of take off to save your friends immediately.
Cheap bastard.
It wasn't many minutes he'd lost, but what if he'd erred in his judgment? What if his faith in Remi and the fox was misplaced, that they couldn't take care of themselves? Too late, too late, and he swore with uncharacteristic fervor as he finally caught up to Vai.
The snow was disturbed. Paw prints. And .. blood.
Rory froze.
The two wolves are swift, disappearing with their snack—he's hardly enough to fill the belly of one of them, least of all two, but he's a free meal. After a couple of hundred yards their lope winds down to a trot, then a walk, as their greedy eyes lock together more and more: which one will get to devour the bird? A warning growl rumbles from the chest of the one currently in possession of the hawk.
The wolf left behind growls around its grip on Jigano's shoulder, when the smaller canine twists and comes for its eye.
Instinct has the lid going down, sharp teeth connecting with the thin skin and smashing into the harder bone of the socket. It's painful, and rather bloody, but little more than an annoyance; the wolf avoids critical damage of any sort, but it serves to pave the way for Jigano's freedom. Blood and white hairs smears its muzzle as it growls in frustration, snapping harmlessly after the white tail disappearing between its front legs. Significantly slower, the animal hops around, but Jigano is already out from underneath him and following the tracks leading away.
The wolf suddenly stills, hearing the approach of Vai; stealthily he slinks into the underbrush, shadowing the fox from the side.
He'll get his turn.
The wolf that stayed behind to fight Jigano is wary of the hoomans, but keeps abreast with Jigano.
