Caribou Hunting Sustain Trial
Originally posted here https://www.deviantart.com/xqueen0fhellx/art/Caribou-Hunting-Sustain-Trial-875593887
Vayrons Included
Artemis 13336 | Erasmus 13176 | Horai 13218 | Volk 11536
The rumble of someone’s stomach drew Artemis’s attention. She suspected she knew who it was without turning, but she did anyway. The small flush that lightened the black faced vayron was mildly cute, she had to admit. She had suspected it would be their escort that was probably used to a more plush lifestyle. They had limited supplies for the journey, but she supposed they could probably stop to hunt something along the way. As long as it was quick. She didn’t want to be crossing the frozen tundra for a minute longer than they had to.
Horai had been something of an enigma to Artemis ever since she slipped. Normally the female would be snappy and always interjecting with her two cent comments. Artemis had tried to get her to open up afterwards to see if anything was wrong, but she didn’t get more than a few words stating that she was fine.
Artemis wasn’t dumb, she knew something was wrong, but Horai was stubborn, she wasn’t going to listen to reason, and would rather just get things done with. She had tried to bring up her concerns to Volk, but the older reosean only shook his head with a smile. It was her problem to figure out.
As such, she had decided not to push them as far as she had the first leg of the journey. They still would have enough food to last, but a hunt might be what everyone needed. At the very least it should brighten up the fluffier female’s mood.
“Alright gang, we’re going to do some hunting! We’ve seen signs of caribou herds across the snow, let’s keep our ears open and our noses sharp!”
***
Erasmus was nervous to begin hunting. He had never proven himself to be very good at it. Those he traveled with though looked more than able, and he knew he’d look like a fool if he didn’t pull his own weight with that as well. The others were more than happy to hunt, and they all seemed like soldiers. There was no way they would be as inexperienced as he, nor that they wouldn’t notice how clumsy he was.
Volk lifted his head and began scenting the air, Erasmus could barely hear the sounds of him scenting deeply, as his maw parted. He seemed satisfied by what he scented, and looked at their leader. Erasmus didn’t know their full relationship, but Volk seemed like a mentor to Artemis, and she in turn seemed to be following well in his paw steps.
When Artemis announced that she scented caribou on the wind, the melanistic vayron thought he could smell it, but he wouldn’t have been able to identify exactly what it was from this distance.
When they left the road to track down their prey, Erasmus could identify it better now, if only due to the fact they were following a herd. Their tracks through the snow were easily seen, and the scent was becoming undeniable.
As the group naturally got themselves into a hunting formation, the pink and black vayron bit his lip and tried to speak up.
“Umm, what - what would you like me to do?”
Three sets of eyes looked back at him, and he flinched under the pressure.
***
Volk was more than curious as to how Artemis might handle this one. The female was more than apt on how to work with soldiers and recruits, but to his knowledge, she had never dealt with anyone this green before. While Horai and himself understood her unspoken signals to get into hunting formation, she had neglected to teach their acquaintance their meanings.
He watched her stumble a bit, before taking on the mantle of command as if nothing ever phased her.
“Alright then. Let me show you our formations.”
She went into detail describing how they hunted, and the best way to take down herds of prey animals. When she wasn’t making sense to the other vay at first, Volk was proud to see her figure out how to explain things in a way he could understand. Artemis was never much of a talker, but she was competent, and knew how to handle others.
She made sure to explain that the hooves were just as dangerous as their antlers, something many forgot. He watched as the younger reosean nodded as he took everything in, nervous but clearly trying his best.
As they fell back into formation, he watched Artemis take the lead, and while he wasn’t the leader of their group, he would still convey what he found as a member of the hunting party. He switched his tail to get her attention, gesturing with his head to the tracks that split from the main group. She likely already had seen it, but he was doing his job.
She nodded, and they changed course.
***
Horai was in a foul mood. After her slip earlier in the journey, she was still hurting, although she wasn’t going to show it. The younger brat was already dragging them down, she wasn’t going to let herself make it even worse. So she fought through the pain, refusing to even show a limp as they continued on.
As they headed off to follow the separate path, she scented the air, noting there was only one female ahead of them, and she was alone. Knowing what she knew, it was likely she was pregnant, and heading off to birth. It could be numerous other things as well, but that was the most common answer.
As they got closer, the scent of blood was in the air, confirming the female’s suspicions. It made the black vay nervous, but she decided just to ignore him. He irked her, and she felt like he was a waste of time.
A bellow and a higher pitched sound caused the group to change course, altering their way to take the most direct route. She considered it lucky they found one birthing this time of year. It would be much easier to take down.
Still, when the group approached the caribou, Horai felt a sense of dread as that was one of the biggest damn cows she had ever seen. Sure it would feed them plenty but damn. And she saw them too. Their luck ran out as the cold winds carried their scent straight towards the ungulate.
Crap. She looked towards Artemis, who signaled with her tail for them to split up. Volk barked at Erasmus to follow his lead, and Horai sped up to follow their leader, ignoring the pain that laced her leg as they ran.
No matter what Artemis decided, Horai didn’t want to follow the rules. She would be damned if she let the males get the glory for catching the big one, even a newbie can handle the calf on his own.
***
Artemis knew how Horai would feel, and signaled for the two of them to go for the mom. The calf was barely standing on its own, and even if that was all the other two managed, it would be enough to at least sate their appetites.
The caribou wasn’t stupid. While instincts wanted to preserve its young, it also wanted to run. But she was labored, and she stumbled away through the snow.
The snow hung up the reoseans as well, as a recent storm had drifted more than enough snow into their way. Sure they could follow in the path that the caribou had left for them, but the longer thinner legs did not lend well for the much bulkier vayrons.
Still, Artemis put on the speed to bound through the snow, thanking her thicker fur to keep her dry in the wintery Roenden.
Horai was right behind her, although Artemis had to glance back once. The other female usually was a bit closer. Still, she looked capable of continuing the hunt, and the wolf marked vay gave the signal to charge.
***
Erasmus’s heart was in his through as they chased after the caribou. Volk took the lead, splitting the two of them off from the girls. He thought he was going to vomit, as the few times he had gone hunting, it was planning out and not in the middle of a long trek. This much exercise was just wearing down on him.
He was slightly relieved when they cut off towards the baby. It was stumbling to try to get to its hooves, and the two of them were upon it in no time. The calf had no chance. Volk was upon it, knocking it down for Erasmus to come in for the kill. He hesitated, feeling terrible about taking the life of something that was only born moments ago.
Still, his paws stumbled as he reached out to swat, snapping the neck of the tiny thing. Guilt filled him, but it didn’t stop his companions. Volk left him to care for their prey, and rushed ahead to assist the girls.
The snow would keep the body hidden from other predators, so Eramus could just hide it simply and come back for it. That would be the easier option, then he wouldn’t have to deal with the body of a newborn. He knew even if the others hid how they felt, the cranky one would for sure berate him.
With a sigh, he hefted the body onto his back, repressing a shudder as liquid dripped into his fur that definitely wasn’t blood. He took care to make sure his bags weren’t crushed; his whole reason for this journey was to sell some of the seeds, plant babies, and pressed flowers he had accumulated and it would be a waste for anything to be destroyed now.
After tying down his new load, he set off at a slower pace behind Volk.
***
Volk could tell the act of hunting displeased their companion. It was something the younger child would have to get used to. He didn’t like pushing others into roles they didn’t like, but it was one of the only ways to grow.
With the calf secured, Volk decided to help the others. He too had noticed something off with Horai, and hoped the fluffiest female wouldn’t push herself too hard.
As he picked up the pack to get in step behind them, he watched them slip to go for different sides. He stuck to the middle, taking a dangerous place in the line of hooves, but also securing himself a position should either of them fall.
As the two ladies came up on either side of the hoofed mammal, Volk issued out a snarl that caused it to falter, leaving an opening for them to jump in.
Artemis jumped swiftly, landing on the creature to bring it down. Horai was more clumsy, Her paws barely getting any purchase on the caribou before she stumbled back into the snow. Volk made sure she was clear of the hooves before leaping in himself to take her spot, and between Artemis and him, they managed to bring it down.
***
Horai gasped out when she landed back onto her injured leg. While her companions brought down the caribou, she felt incompetent, worthless. Even the smaller male who came trotting up with the calf did better than her, pathetic. The tiny bell on his collar jingled and only rubbed it in further. How he hadn’t scared off the caribou before they had come upon them was a mystery to her.
She watched as Artemis and Volk finished off the caribou, biting the throat to end it faster. She could smell the blood that welled forth, and it made her maw water. The gingerbread female left the caribou to Volk before trotting back to check on Horai. The angora snarled and tried to get to her feet, but her injury had been made ten times worse, and she fell back into the snow.
“What happened?” Artemis’ eyes glanced over the fallen vay, trying to judge her condition. Horai knew what she saw, a splayed leg that was possibly twisted as the sprain suddenly became a lot worse when she landed on it hard the second time.
Horai grunted, turning away from the female. Artemis would get the answer out of her eventually, but for now, there was the matter of the caribou to attend to. Artemis rolled her eyes and left the bloodmarked vayron to her own struggles.
She eventually made it to her paws, but her gait was labored as she joined the rest of their group to grab a bite of food. First, she wanted to regain some energy, they could concern themselves with how to continue on later.
-End-
Artemis 13336, Erasmus 13176, Volk 11536 Purity Trial - Sustain Trial
Horai 13218 Companion / Caribou Hunt
The Sustain trial tests the Reosean's ability to provide for their young, either by participating in a traditional hunt or an alternative prompt.
The Reosean sets out on a hunt - if they bring a prey back, their trial is considered passed. Draw your Reosean either stalking, chasing or taking down a prey item from the Prey List.
♦ The prey you choose to hunt must match the background/setting of your trial (the trial is not required to take place in your Reosean's home continent, but say if your hunt is taking place in Roenden, the prey item should come from the Roenden list).
♦ Slashed prey items and light grey drop items are not available at this time! View these as sneak peeks of items to come ♥
WC 2108 + 21
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Horai 13218 +2
Other Reo Erasmus 13176 / Horai 13218 / Volk 11536 +2
Purity Trial +2
Total = 28 CP
WC 2108 + 21
Personal +1
Ingin Artemis 13336 / Horai 13218 +2
Other Reo Artemis 13336 / Horai 13218 / Volk 11536 +2
Purity Trial +2
Total = 28 CP
WC 2108 +21
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Artemis 13336 +2
Other Reo Artemis 13336 / Erasmus 13176 / Volk 11536 +2
Total = 26 CP
WC 2108 +21
Corresponding Land +1
Ingin Artemis 13336 / Horai 13218 +2
Other Reo Artemis 13336 / Erasmus 13176 / Horai 12218 +2
Purity Trial +2
Total = 28 CP