That little Tyke

Subject: That little Tyke Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:37 pm

They walked along the treeline, but she wouldn't stop smiling. Yet there was sadness in her eyes as she limped along the edge of the desertlands. "Mummy, where are we going?" the young pup asked his mother. She had told him they were going for a short trip, but nothing else was said. As usual, his mother didn't answer him, but smiled down at her son with such love. Sadness was in her eyes, but the young pup didn't notice. The fae tried to hide her limping, but her back leg was causing her such agony. Twice she had fallen as they walked, only to tell falsehoods to her son about tripping. Blood tricked down the inside of her front leg from her chest, unnoticed by the whelp that walked alongside.

They reached a clump of bushes, just big enough for a grown wolf to curl up beneath for shelter. Tyke sniffed the roots around the shrub, then turned his face to his mother. "Can we play here?" The mother smiled and nodded, so Tyke ran through the bush, his tail beating against the twigs and branches. He turned and popped his head out to grin at his mother, his ears twitching as the leaves tickled them, but his mother had stopped smiling. "Mummy, what's wrong?" The femme sighed and bent her muzzle down to Tyke, kicking his head and kissing his ears. She whispered how much she loved him, and told him to stay hidden in the bush. Tyke didn't understand. He had never seen his mother so sad before. "I love you too." He whispered, and then she turned and walked away.

With his head tilted to one side, he watched his mother limp into the distance, the horizon swallowing her silhouette. He knew she was hurt, but he didn't know what to do. She had told him to stay. A thin trail of red beads glistened in the sun on the cracked floor. This was the first he had seen the ground without snow, and it pained him to see his mother's blood staining the soil so harshly. The sun glared down on him, both scolding him with heat, yet protecting him with warmth like an old friend. Tyke settled himself down in the bush and rested his head on his paws. He waited, and was prepared to wait for a long time, but he knew deep down that she was not coming back. With the sun watching over him, the breeze cooling him, and the bush as his shelter, his eyes slowly closed, and he fell asleep.

(Ooc: Sorry it's so sad. Someone save this poor, little guy?)

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:10 pm

((Can I call dibs? ^_^))

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:22 pm

(Ooc: Yush yush! =D)

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:40 pm

.General Information.
Formal Curse: Ixtab
Decent: Eurasian Wolf
Age: 4
Gender: Female
Persona: Ixtab is dark of heart, but has a softer side for pups and mothers and is very protective of them. She will remain friends after the pups grow up and after the mother give birth. She has a reputation of being cold to everyone else, although she isn’t stupid enough to disrespect a wolf, especially those of high rankings. She enjoys bloodshed in a war, but not slaughtering those who don’t deserve death. With these wolves, the furthest she’ll go is threats and minor to major injuries. Then again, there aren’t that many situations wolves don’t deserve death...
Heart: dark

.Physical Traits.
Peltage Hue: greys, browns
Occular Hue: orange
Stands: 32”
Weighs: 160 lbs
Form: somewhat short body, long legs, broad skull. She is light on her feet for her size.
Physical Distortions: none
.Family Tree.
Brothers: Ah Puch, Yum Cimil, Hanhau
Partner: Kisin
Pups: deceased

.Background.
Life Story:
She was born in darkness and grew up in darkness, literally and figuratively. She grew up where the sun didn’t often touch, and loved the times it did. She was the only female of four whelps, and her mother died when she was born. Her father had mysteriously died at the same time, as if held by a bond. She lived, satisfied with her life, until the wolves in her pack started to die for unknown reasons. It was later determined it was a sickness- one her parents had caught all those moons ago when she was born.

The younger wolves, who hadn’t yet caught the disease, were told to leave. Just before they left, there was a volcanic eruption from an inactive volcano. As they fled, the skies darkened ash and soot littering the skies and ground. It was fitting, as Ixtab thought back to the event. Unfortunately, she lost track of her brothers during the flight, and she’s wandered since. Recently before entering the lands of Fire and Ice, she was pregnant, but lost the pups.
Place of Birth: Mictlan Caves

She padded through the terrain, a little bit of blood covering her pelt. She'd recently killed a wolf who was too annoying for his own good. The brute had been following her for miles, talking about random, pointless, and useless things. Who wouldn't have killed him after trying many times to get him to leave? More blood reaches her nares, but it wasn't from the male. This was blood from a different wolf. She came to a stop in the middle of her invisible path, seeing a trail of blood running perpendicular to her path.

In one direction, there was a stronger sense of death, but it was too far to be certain. Perhaps a dying wolf? But... the other side smelled of a whelp, alone, and with the scent of the wolf who clearly went in the opposite direction. She assumed the mother, possibly sensing her demise and not wanting the child to bear witness. Looking in that direction, she closed her eyes, hoping for the best for the mother, if anything even happened to wolves when they die. Without a second glance, she turned to follow the blood trail in the direction of the whelp.

She silently approached the pup's spot. He was clearly hiding, possibly listening to his mother's last request to keep him safe, knowing that wolves passed by and the meaner of them would pass a hidden whelp. The nicer wolves, or those who wouldn't harm the whelp, would find him and take them in. Maybe this would work out for both of them. Standing a distance away from the pup so she wouldn't startle him too much, she said, "Wake up, little one. What are you doing here?"

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:31 pm

His eyes snapped open, and his head turned. Tyke looked up to see a stranger. A fae he didn't recognize. He stood up and backed further into the bush, his nares sniffing the air, catching her scent. Definitely a wolf he had never previously come across, yet her voice was warm. "I'm... waiting." he yipped quietly. He turned to look at the trail his mother had left with a mixture of hope of her return, yet disappointment that she was not yet here. He looked back into the face of the femme. She wasn't too close to him, which gave him the opportunity to take in her features better, yet there was a lonely distance between them. Although she was a stranger, she didn't cause too much fear for Tyke, so he took one step out of the bush, his ears lying flat and his tail low, cautious of why she was here.

His stomach growled slightly. He hadn't eaten for some time, and he winced at the unpleasant feeling, but decided to ignore it. There were more important things at hand than hunger, and the few berries this spring shrub held didn't smell too welcoming. His mother had always supplied him with food, and the few scraps of meat he had caught himself were no more than mice and voles. This place was unfamiliar to him, and there was no snow around to follow the tracks of rodents. He sniffed the air hopefully again, but caught no more than the scents of the fae, and that of his mother which were slowly ebbing away and becoming harder to recognize. He was hungry.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:19 am

She heard his quiet voice, but apparently not in a timid way, as the pup soon stepped a little closer to her. Holding back a smile at the obvious hunger, she said, "My name is Ixtab. May I know yours? I can catch something for you to eat and later to teach you to hunt. There are some small prey nearby." Of course, there were larger prey than mice and hares, but between the two of them, they wouldn't finish it, so there was no point. She was aware of a few rabbits resting away from the heat, as this pup had been doing, but further down, where they probably believed to be safe.

He was a handsome pup, and wondered if his mother had been beautiful. It was only right to take him in. She hoped his parents hadn't been pure wolves, because although she currently didn't seem it, her heart was much darker. The blood drops that didn't come from prey on her pelt proved it. Of course, if he asked, she would pass it off as a fight, because in actuality, that wasn't a lie, so it wouldn't raise uncertainty.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:29 am

He listened as Ixtab spoke, feeling more comfort from her voice the mosre she continued. "Tyke." He replied, and his stomach growled again. "I'd like that." He envisioned himself taking down larger prey, like a hunting game with a great reward. Although he did want to continue waiting for his mother. He looked out at the horizon again and sighed. She wasn't coming back, and he knew it. He didn't know why, and he didn't know where she was, but he knew that waiting here would serve as no purpose, even though hw was instructed to do so by the last person he loved.

Shaking these deep thoughts from his mind, he shook his head and turned back to Ixtab. "What's that?" He asked, noticing the dark stains on her pelt. She didn't look injured, so maybe those stains didn't come from her. If that had been from hunting, then he had found the right teacher; one who really got the job done. He pulled himself out of the bush, shaking leaves and twigs from his soft puppy fur, and stood closer to Ixtab, looking up at her. Gosh she was tall, but he was looking at her from such a low angle.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 12:50 am

"Oh, the blood? I ended up in a fight earlier, but I'm fine. You'll get used to such sights once you start to hunt prey. It stains the fur when catching and eating, no matter how clean an eater you are." Ixtab said. "Well, Tyke, the hares aren't too far, so if you want to stay here, you can. Or you can watch me and observe what I do if you want. After that, we can talk about what I did in more detail." She wasn't sure how far he was willing to wander from the bush, but the hares weren't that far away. Close enough that Tyke would be fine if he decided to follow her or remain behind until she returned.

It was unlikely he was aware of the rabbits, since he was still young and probably wasn't as familiar with the scent yet. Many scents may cover it until he was able to focus better. Ixtab started to walk slowly, a slow enough pace that Tyke could easily keep pace with her. Life was starting to look up. Next was to raise Tyke into a strong wolf and perhaps join a pack while she was doing so.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:44 am

Tyke considered her words. He felt safe in this bush. His mother had instructed him to stay here, and no harm had come to him yet by being here. Yet the idea of catching his own prey excited him. That game of fetch, pouncing on unsuspecting hares enticed him, and he was very hungry. He looked down at his paws. They were relatively clean, minus the odd collection of grit in his fur from walking with his mother. Bloodstain from his own kill wasn't something he was used to, but he was offered tougher meat from time to time after his parents' hunts. As Ixtab walked slowly away, he backed into the bush. Maybe he should wait until she returned. It would be safer this way, and he could always learn later. The protective cover of the bush was warm, and he was reluctant to leave.

"Wait for me!" He called, racing up towards Ixtab and trotting beside her. He looked back at the bush, doubting he'd find himself crouched there again. The last place he was with his mother. He stepped closer to Ixtab for protection as he followed, sniffing the air for the scent of hares, and a rainbow of smells hit his nares. He didn't know what they were, and there were too many to decipher single scents. He was excited to hunt. To chase prey, lunge, and sink teeth ad claws into his capture. To be a real wolf at last.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:26 am

Ixtab smiled when she heard Tyke's voice behind her, telling her to wait up. For his sake, it was a good sign that he was starting to leave his mother's last bit of protection. He wouldn't have remained safe for much longer. She was glad the weather had only changed from its wet season. There wouldn't be as many dried leaves Tyke would unknowingly step on.

As they walked, she said, "When you hunt, the first think you do is to make sure you're downwind from your prey. That means the wind should be blowing towards you and me, not whatever we're hunting. They way we can smell them, but they can't smell us. To them, our scent won't be strong, and they'll stay blissfully unaware. Even though they may not smell us, we still need to be quiet, especially with hares and smaller creatures. They are very timid and will jump at almost any noise, such as snapping twigs or dried leaves. They'll either freeze in their steps, or just run away."

She caught a strong scent of a small group of hares. They were still far enough to talk without needing to whisper yet, so she said, " There's a small group of hares ahead, so if you have any questions, ask them now. We're still too far away from them at the moment that they won't hear us talk, but when we get closer, we need to be quiet."

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:44 am

(Ooc: Yey, picture!)

Tyke nodded and began to sniff the air again. "I don't smell anything." Perhaps he needed to be closer to catch their scent. he hoped his senses would grow stronger as he did. He turned his head left and right, searching in the distance for the rustle of a bush or snap of a twig, meanwhile being careful of his own steps as practice for when they needed to be truly quiet.

A question formed in his mind, now she had given him the opportunity. "What if I don't catch anything?" he asked. He had never caught a hare before, and they were larger and more difficult to ambush than mice. Mice were unintelligent compared to hares, and the latter could escape predators in a heartbeat. Tyke didn't want to go hungry, and he might not get more than one chance at a capture.

A leaf floated past them in the wind, and Tyke's small orbs followed it, watching it dance lazily in the breeze. For added practice, he pounced upon in, one paw pinning it to the ground, his teeth bared down on the paper thin leaf and he ripped it clean in half. Letting both pieces free, he continued to walk beside Ixtab, feeling slightly proud of himself, but he wouldn't allow his mind to become distracted again. He concentrated on sniffing the air for hares again, his pallet watering at the thought of meat.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:34 pm

Smiling, Ixtab watched his antics and replied, "You may not smell anything until you are familiar with the scent- which you'll work on after we catch one. After that, you'll have the scent memorized so you can spread your senses to find one further away than you can now. Don't worry about not catching anything the first time. It takes time and practice to catch hares. I'll be trying to catch one, too, so don't pressure yourself. You're just practicing the motions right now so that you can refine your technique in the future. Hunting takes trial and error, Tyke.

"When we get near, focus on staying quiet, and if you want to practice it, crouch when you walk. When you grow bigger, any prey will see you unless you keep your body low to the ground. Then you keep an eye on their behavior as you stalk forward. When you get closer, they'll sense you nearby and they'll look around a little more. If you continue to sneak up on them too long after that, they'll get scared and run away before your ready to leap out and run after them. Sometimes if you stay still, they'll relax again. The distance you should attack is for you to experiment. As long as you can catch up to your prey, then any distance works."

She stopped walking and said in a near-whisper, "We are starting to get close. If we keep walking this direction, we'll soon see the hares. I'll let you take the lead so you can try out what I taught you. Don't worry if you don't get it right the first time. As I said, it takes time to learn, and I'm here. You'll eat today."

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:19 pm

Tyke crouched low to the ground and shuffled forward, pouncing every few feet to catch up with Ixtab. "How do I knew when to catch one?" he asked in a whisper, pouncing lightly again as he emphasized 'catch'. He had yet to even glimpse a hare and he was already having fun. His ears twitched as he heard a rustle nearby, and he stopped crawling to look at Ixtab. "Is that one?" he whispered as quietly as he could. Adrenaline rose up inside him, tickling his senses.

He didn't want to move too far from Ixtab, as she was the only one protecting him. He wanted to one day be able to hunt his own food and fight his own battles, but perhaps not yet. Tyke was a bru, he could have land one day to defend, or enemies to fight off. He looked up at Ixtab again, his eyes full of awe. She was strong, and knew how to survive alone. Such an idol. He wanted to be like her one day. She had mentioned a fight, and had obviously won. He wondered where the other wolf was. Maybe it had returned to its pack with stories of how he or she had met a more powerful wolf. Well, if he was to reach that level one day, he'd have to start somewhere, and catching his first hare seemed a good place to begin.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 7:45 pm

She whispered back, stopping when Tyke stopped, "You catch it when your paws are close enough, or when you know you can jump on it before it can change direction." She sniffed the air, and continued her voice just audible, "There is a hare nearby. If that was it, it would have taken one step. Let's see how you fare against it." She knew it was a hare, but wanted to see how he would react to this. Would he go for it, or be more cautious? She was confident in Tyke's ability, but knew that how his first hunt would go could be good or bad. Even adult wolves, though, sometimes made mistakes when hunting due to overconfidence. She knew, though, he had the potential to grow into a fine wolf, even stronger with the right prodding.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:11 pm

Tyke looked at Ixtab, then to the bush. Grinning to himself at the thrill of suspense, he crouched low to the ground once more, and crawled closer to the bush. He was aware of how ridiculous he might look, but this was his first try. He made his steps as silent as he could, he tail held low to the ground, yet high enough to keep his balance. Sniffing the air, he came close the the bush, his ears pinned up, listening for any commotions. Suddenly, the hare jumped.

It startled Tyke, but with a quick shake of his head, he growled in his throat and charged towards the animal, twisting between shrubs. He was weary about straying too far from Ixtab, and as the thought this, his paws slowed down. The hare was getting away. No. This was his kill. His first kill. Again, he sprang forward, gaining on the rabbit, his teeth bared in a malicious grin. He could almost taste its blod, its scent strong in his nares, and he pounced.

His paw pinned the hare, his claws digging into its back. His jaws snapped at the hare's ears, but it wriggled free and fled. It disappeared behind a fallen log, and was gone. Tyke headed towards the log, but as he looked behind it, he saw no prey. Turning around, he could still be Ixtab, and he looked back at her with sad eyes. He tried, and came so close, but no self-caught meal today.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:54 am

Her eyes watched his movements closely. She stood up to get a better view when she knew her clear presence wouldn't affect the hare, which was too busy fleeing from potential death. Her eyes slightly narrowed when he seemed to slow down before picking up speed again. Satisfied with her observations, she started to jog towards him as he turned, defeat in his eyes. Either Tyke was good as listening to instruction, or he was a natural at hunting... and if that were the case, he'd be a skilled warrior.

Reaching him, she said, "I'm proud, Tyke. That was only your first attempt at catching a hare, and you had a paw on it. I think you'll catch one on your next attempt. Some things I saw, though. You slowed down. This time, it didn't make too much a difference, since you made a good recovery, but why did you slow?" Looking at his paw, he saw some blood. She didn't have a clear view of what he was doing when he caught up with it, but he had apparently injured it somewhere. "Looks like you injured it before it fled. If you want to try again on that hare, I think it was injured enough to not be able to travel too far. Otherwise, I can catch you something. Before you say you want to try again, think about your body. Is it in condition to try again? It's only in dire times when you don't have any friends around that you should continue to push yourself." She laid out the offer. He had done well, and was possibly tired. Generally pups didn't have much stamina, but it seemed as if Tyke had been walking alongside his mother for some time, so she left it up to him to determine his limits.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:36 pm

Tyke listened to Ixtab, and when she spoke of his paw, he looked down to see his pur glisten red. He tugged at the stained fur with his teeth, ripping at the still-wet blood. If he had injured it, trying again might be easier. By why had he slowed? "I was afraid of running too far from you." He lowered his head in slight shame. Was he a coward? His nares were dry so his tongue lashed out at them. His legs didn't feel too tired, even if he was panting only slightly. But if the hare was injured, another attempt should be easier. It may have stopped somewhere, and if it had receded into a burrow, he could practice his digging. There was no harm in dirtying his fur for prey. He wanted to try again. Even if this was his final attempt of the day, he wanted to feel his adrenaline rising once more. He crouched low to the ground again, his tail beating from side to side with excitement. "I want to try again!" He grinned.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:58 pm

Oh. So that was it. She'd spent so long being independent, even when living with others, that she'd forgotten what it was like for a pup, especially one who lost a mother. Bending down to nuzzle his cheek in a comforting way, Ixtab said, "You're such a brave pup that sometimes I forget you're just that- a growing pup who hasn't experienced much of the world." As she pulled back, she said, "Tyke, although I'm not your blood mother, I won't abandon you. One day, something may pull us apart, but I promise if that ever happens, it won't occur until you grow up into a fine, strong wolf. I found you although you were hiding. Even if you run too far, I'll continue to find you."

He changed from one mood to the next, excited as any other pup would be. Her protective instincts overrode the excitement at seeing the blood, even if she wasn't the one hunting. The memories of her last slaughter would keep her content while Tyke grew up. Then she could start taking her wrath out on deer when he was only enough to join her in hunting one. It wasn't too difficult, since she had spent a long time without killing, for the sake of her children, none of which surviving. It was devastating, but the death of the annoying wolf who had followed her soon after that incident made the pain of losing her children lessen.

She crouched down, taking in the scent of the hare, and caught its trail after it fled from near the log. "I'll teach you to track like this later on, but the easiest way to track something is if it is injured. You'll see occasional blood spots, depending on the injury, if you are following the right trail." She stood up and waited long enough for Tyke to catch up before walking in the direction the hare went.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:37 pm

"Promise?" Tyke looked up at her. She really was like a mother figure. No one could replace his blood mother, but he was more than thrilled that Ixtab had found him. He was excited to continue hunting and to learn more about the chase, and his stomach growled again. He hoped it wouldn't take too long. Tyke rushed up to Ixtab and followed her, scanning the ground with his orbs for signs of blood. He could still smell the hare, and at every rustle of leaves his head would twitch in a new direction, searching for his prey. He wondered what else he could catch once he grew older. Badgers, deer, and if he had others to help him, perhaps elk. These thoughts turned into tastes and he jogged a little faster, still searching for the escaped hare.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:28 pm

"I promise," Ixtab said, hoping he was reassured. If he was, he'd have no fear of going too far and would be able to focus. They continued, and she soon slowed down, motioning Tyke to do the same. In a whisper, she said, "The blood spot are more frequent. It slowed down here, and probably stopped somewhere ahead." She lowered her body closer to the ground, seeing three holes ahead.

"There's a few things you can do in a case like this. We'll choose a method that'll ensure it'll run right into you. Hares are smart when they make their burrows. If you try to catch one from one hole, they'll go to one of their back-ups and escape. All you have to do is block two holes, and scare to escape through the only opening. After we throw that rock into one of the holes, I'll go to that hole over there and scare it towards the hole you'll be standing next to right here. You'll have to be quiet so it doesn't realize you're waiting for it to come out. When the hare comes out, snap its stomach or neck so you can kill it quickly." She knew the injured hare would be more panicked and won't think things through as it normally might. Looking at Tyke, she waited to see what he thought of this idea.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:59 pm

What if the hare was a mother? He was potentially about to kill a mother. Or a father. That hare could be a parent, and Tyke was going to take its life. He stared at the blood droplets silently, thinking. Circle of life, and if the hare was a mother or father, that meant there were others in the family. More to eat. This dark thought shocked him slightly, but he was hungry. For food, and the satisfaction of a successful hunt. This was his prize, and he had to grow into powerful wolf one day. Suddenly, it was a personal goal of his.

Tyke nodded at Ixtab, and moved closer to one of the holes that lead to an underground burrow. Snapping its neck wasn't that brutal; it would put the rodent out of its suffering. This was a good cause for both predator and prey, and if he didn't snatch at this opportunity, someone else would. That's all hares were good for anyway. Food. "I won't miss this time." He said to Ixtab, but he was also making a promise to himself.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 6:10 pm

She smiled as he moved towards the hole. "I know you won't miss. Stay here and watch for the hare to come out when I drive it out." She silently walked over to a rock large enough to be dropped in, but too large for the hare to get around it for a getaway. Picking it up with her jaws, Ixtab carried it over, dropping it from a high so that with its momentum and the curve of the hole, it would roll in far enough to startle the hare. The now blocked hole and the one she was heading towards were closer together than towards the hole Tyke was at.

Quickly, she ran to the unsupervised hole and snapped at it, growling and barking. Between breaths, she could hear it's feet pounding as it ran towards the only seemingly unoccupied hole, where Tyke happened to be guarding. She kept growling and clawing at the hole so that the hare wouldn't become suspicious and backtrack. She was sure he'd kill it this time and be satisfied with the meat. He worked hard for it, but hare tasted much better than smaller prey like rats in the first place.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 6:47 pm

He was ready. Almost holding his breath, he stayed silent and waited. He jumped slightly as Ixtab began snarling at the third hole. She had a vicious sense to her, but rather than being afraid, Tyke felt comforted. She was a good protector, and he wanted to be as fearful as that to his prey one day. Such power and thrill form her snapping jaws and snatching paws. This was true strength, strength to lead and strength to cause fear. Such dominance could be used to control others and lead a pack. To take down mighty beasts in their wake as they ran from danger. And a strong wolf was that danger.

He heard the patter of feet on the hole, a great thud from its rear paws shook the dirt and he knew the hare was warning others, any others that could be there to hear it. The scratching grew louder and the snuffling increased. He waited, grinning to himself. He would not miss, he could not miss. "Come and meet your end, little rabbit." He muttered to himself, not knowing whether Ixtab could hear or not. He was in his own trance.

Snap! The hare shot out of the hole, almost surprising Tyke, but his reflexes were faster than the small animal and his jaws closed around the hare's body. He felt its death. Whether the spine in its back or throat cracked, he didn't know, but he was blissfully aware of the limp creature in his jaws, its whiskers tickling his pallet. Blood slowly seeped down his teeth and only his tongue, the metallic taste of iron filling his mouth. Turning to Ixtab, he dropped the hare to the ground. He knew it was dead, but as added precaution, he placed a paw over the creature to keep it still. Feeling immense pride in himself, he grinned broadly at Ixtab, his heart still thudding loudly in his chest from the excitement, his breath turned to panting.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:10 pm

She looked up from the corner of her eye, waiting until she saw the hare shoot up before stopping her noise, watching her pup, well, he was as good as hers now, she figured, although she probably wouldn't ever verbally be possessive of him. Dark hearted as she was, she was still very capable of love. Soon enough, though, the hare was limp in Tyke's jaws. She saw his paw move to cover its form as he placed it on the ground, and to her, it almost seemed like in pride. She walked towards him and congratulated him, "Great job, Tyke! I knew you can do it. Make sure you remember the scent of the hare and eat your fill. You're the one who caught it." After he finished eating, they should head for water to rehydrate and for Tyke to clean his paws.

She had no specific schedule before finding him, so it was easy to build a schedule around his needs, wants, and training. She lay herself down on the ground, deciding they'd stay here while Tyke ate. There wasn't an animal around that would disturb them, and if one did show up, she'd just have to teach it a thing or two. Her eyes were focused on Tyke, her ears twitching, hearing scanning in place of her sight so she could devote her attention.

Subject: Re: That little Tyke Sat Apr 30, 2011 12:01 am

Tyke smiled up at Ixtab, then lied on the ground and sniffed deeply at the hare, trying to remember its scent. It was stronger than before, and he reckoned he could recall it the next time he hunted. At long last, he ate. First ripping of the fur, it stuck around his lips, then he ripped open its flesh and began to feast. Ixtab was right, it was messier than a mouse, but tasted so much better. Perhaps because it was a different meat, or perhaps because it was his first true kill. Tyke relished in his personal meal, taking the food in fast and grinning as he ate.

"What will you eat?" he asked Ixtab. He had reached the bones of the animal, and began licking at the marrow. Thirst stung his tongue and he turned his head around, but he couldn't see any source of water, and the bush where his mother had left him didn't seem to be near any pools nor an oasis. His legs felt heavy after the hunt, and his mind was filled with new knowledge. This was his victory kill, and he couldn't wait to wash it down with cool water.