The Hunt of Necessity

[Ixzo]

50th of Fall, 515AV
15th Bell, Afternoon
Sea of Grass

It was ideal for hunting, as far as Ixzo could tell. The stream was the only one she could find that wasn't close to the people. Preferably, this tactic would work in the dry season, and with a pack, but the Kelvic didn't have that luxury. She needed one good kill to get her feet in civilization, and so she waited. At the moment, however Ixzo wasn't hunting. It was far too early in the night for any animals to be retreating away from the watering hole, so now she made no effort. She had previous to however many moons had passed, the Kelvic had no enjoyed the bountiful hunting grounds of the open plains, but she quickly learned this was what she was built for. Even if when she was alone she could merely snag a quail at best.

And that was why today's challenge was so important. Anything that she could get, that was of worth, would be her ticket back to the humans. Back to where she was supposed to be, instead of out alone, going crazy.

Large graceful paws pressed into the mud that lined the banks. On the other side, a giraffe raised his head from drinking, keeping a careful eye on the lioness. Attempting to go after that would end in her own death, that much she knew.

Worry not, you'll find no harm from me. She let the thought pass, continuing along the bank, coming up on a cluster of bushes. But before she could step any further, the wind picked up, carrying the mouth-watering scent of… something towards her. Opening her mouth to taste the scent better, Ixzo was able to recognize it as herbivore, and there was blood. But it was not fresh blood of a hearty meal, but old blood, of a wound. Or perhaps a birth. Without seeing, she would not know.

Without thinking about preserving her energy, Ixzo felt herself lowering into a crouch. Day was not in her favor, but perhaps it would do.

[Ixzo]

Carefully, the lioness placed two paws in front of the others, weaving her way into the brush. The wind was in her favor, or else she wouldn't have gotten this far, and as she thought about it another autumn gust followed suit. As she spotted the first of the tastey creatures, Ixzo closed her mouth and froze. Still low in the green bush, perhaps she would blend with the shadows well enough not to be seen while she selected her best shot.

It took a mere two ticks of observation to find the source of the sour blood. It was a birth, and the herd itself was sickly. She didn't understand the behaviors of the grassland herbivores, but she did know that a birth near a water-source was not the best idea, especially with a small herd.

But there was no way she could snag the young ones crowded in the center, that was out of the question. She surveyed the thin gazelle that flitted on their feet, trying to graze on the dead grass but snapping their head up when the wind brushed the branches. Taking the sound cover that the gust of wind provided, Ixzo took two steps forward so that she was now on the edge of the cluster of bushes. The gazelles flitted about for a little more, and Ixzo found the one she was looking for. The rest were like leaves, being twirled in place by the rustling of the wind. But one, didn't move so much. Her head was lowered as she took long drags from the water, as if the simple act pained her. She was perhaps the sickest of the herd.

And even though Ixzo would have loved better pickings, she knew this was as good as she was going to get.

But before Ixzo had a change to make a move, the water was broken right at the head of the sick gazelle. She watched in anger as the jaws of a water creature snapped the sick gazelle's head, latching on and dragging the creature down with it. Of course she was not the only one.
.

[Ixzo]

Before she gave herself the time to react like a human, Ixzo's instincts kicked in and she leapt from the bushes. The gazelle had scattered in all directions, but now that she was the new threat, those that had headed her way were scrambling to turn around. Knowing she could accelerate quickly, even in her thin state, Ixzo put all her strength into her stride. Grey eyes focused on only the gazelle closest to her, which seemed rather healthy. When she was nearly matching he creature's stride, she took a chance.

Sacrificing the grace of her own gate, Ixzo stuck a paw out as far as she could, aiming to throw own one or more of the thin gazelle legs. But much to her misery, the lioness missed. With ease the gazelle bounded away, and Ixzo slowed, knowing there was no chance to catch up now.

Angry with herself, the lioness paced back towards the streaming, panting with the exercise and lack of nutrition. Even if she had gotten a gazelle, could she had refrained from just eating her herself? Perhaps it would have done her good.

It was a longer walk back to the stream than the run had been, that much was taxing in itself and when the lioness retired back to the brush, she knew it was likely she wouldn't eat that day. Carefully, the Kelvic set her tired paws into the underbrush, laying her head down beneath them with her eyes on the water. Thankfully, it was only a few chimes before exhaustion forced her into a dreamless slumber.

[Ixzo]

When the Lioness awoke, although with little rest, it was finally dark. Worried, she glanced up, the moon was high in the sky by now, although she couldn't tell if it was just before midnight or just after. She would have to see soon. Slowly, Ixzo pulled herself to her feet, immediately pushign her paws forwards and pulling her rump back, feeling the stretch in her spine.

As the lioness straightened out, her stomach immediately grumbled, reminding her of the hunt. There was however, no food for her. She wasn't in civilization where she could ask Jodoc for some bread and cheese.

A violent pang of rejection shot through her heart as soon as she remembered her past bond-mate. This is for you. She told herself, forcing herself from her human thoughts and begun to focus on her senses.

Standing up straight, Ixzo took a moment to examine her surroundings. Wide feline eyes could see perfectly in the dark around her. Well enough to notice the nose of a crocodile poking out of the water a few meters from her. Turning away from the predator, she followed her ears towards the dark behind her. She could hear the faintest marks of hooves on the ground. But they were not active, a clear sign of a slumbering herd. It took the lion just a moment to realize she was upwind from the herd. Freezing, Ixzo set herself into a crouching, turning parallel to the potential herd of prey.

As she stalked to the other side of the patch of bushes, Ixzo allowed herself almost a half a mile of agonizingly slow crawling along side the heard until she was almost parallel to them with the wind. Struggling to avoid the attention of the herd was not so easy. Keeping her ears perked for signs of change and her eyes open, Ixzo realized she would not make it out of their smell before the entire herd was woken and alerted of her presence. Slowing to a halt, Ixzo settled into a crouch, facing the herd. She could only be about ten meters from the herd, but the males on the edge were starting to waken. Perhaps they didn't know what was stalking them, but prey had a sense about them.

It was five chimes of sitting, waiting, before Ixzo could identify the every so faint smell of the herd. Ibex. Wild goats. Unsure of how south they were, Ixzo wasn't well enough versed in the fauna of the grasslands to know if this was normal.

Slowly, Ixzo settled back into a laying position to bide her time. The lioness wasn't completely sure how many were awake, but it was not hard to hear the agitation of the herd with her proximity.

So she would just have to wait...

[Ixzo]

It was almost a bell of waiting. Flicking her tail and watching the herd. She glanced up at the sky once more to see that the moon was getting lower, which meant it was early morning. Ixzo didn't mind, she was patient. But she knew if she waited too long the Ibex would wake and be off. Now was her time if she hoped to get one. Carefully, Ixzo returned her attention to the Ibex closest to her, gently raising herself to her feet so that she could be prepared to move. Taking two slow steps forward, Ixzo paused to gauge reaction from the animal, muscles tense.

Two more paws forward and she would be a mere nine meters away. She knew the goats would be fast, most herbivores were. But what she would rely on was her being fast, at least for a short while.

One more... the Ibex's ear twitched, and Izo's heart picked up and she froze. Slowly lowering herself back down, she lulled her eyes to limit the reflection in case the Ibex looked up. When there was no more reaction from the slumbing animal, Ixzo rose back into her stalk.

Flicking her eyes across the herd, she noticed a few Ibex wandering around, males likely, watching the herd. Decided now was better then never she stalked just barely closer. This time hte Ibex raised his head.

Hesitating no longer, Ixzo pushed all her weight into her powerful hind legs, watching herself forward. In one leap the night lioness was only six meters away. Hitting the ground with preparation, she was so close to the while goat before he started running. But the male sprung forward with amazing reach, effectively removing himself from her path of hunt. It didn't matter, because as the male goat disappeared from her focus, the waking figure of a smaller female goat became her target. Giving the poor animal no time, Ixzo launched herself towards the ibex just as she started running. Grateful that she was close enough to actually reach the prey this time, Ixzo swiped her paw out once more, getting the move to work.

[Ixzo]

When her legs were stolen from beneath her, the Ibex immediately tumbled down, not gathering enough momentum yet to straighten herself and continue running. Letting out a quick purr, Ixzo dug her claws into the shoulder's of her prey, scrambling for the upper-hand on the tumble.

The rest of the heard had already abandoned the screaming female now, and Ixzo knew if she couldn't secure this ibex, she would be out of luck yet again. Animal instinct took over and Ixzo latched her jaw on the animal's leg, securing her so that she could flip over and secure her back paws on her stomach. Once she did so, Ixzo quickly let go of her leg, eyeing the Ibex's throat for a milli-tick before diving in, latching onto what she thought would be the Ibe'x jugular chord.

There was no satisfactory clamp on the artery though, only the squish of muscle contracting under her teeth. Unclasping, Ixzo readjusted, moving her bit up a few centimeters. This time her teeth dug into he warm artery, filling her mouth with the taste of blood. Ixzo didn't hesitate to clamp down further, using all her strength in her jaw as the Ibex tried to wiggle out from underneath her. The Ibex managed to drag the thin lioness a few feet, but Ixzo didn't let go, allowing the struggling goat to take her a few feet before kicking at her feet with her hind paws, claws tearing into the Goat's underbelly.

Chimes passed before the Ibex ceased struggling, blood flowing into and all over her face. The lioness blinked her eyes closed, breathing heavy as she held on with the rest of her strength. Two more chimes of silence passed before the Lion was sure the struggle had ended and her prey was dead.

[Ixzo]

Ixzo rolled off the Ibex, heaving as she tried to regain her breathe. Slowly pulling herself to her feet, Ixzo drew her tongue across her whisker's, freeing the sensitive strands from the warm tasty blood. But before Ixzo could surrender to her animal desire to devour the goat right then, Ixzo stopped herself.

She turned away from the still warm carcass, forcing herself to calm down, flicking her tail in annoyance. Looking around her, she realized it was getting lighter. Not lighter in a way her human eyes, however powerful, would recognize, but the night lion knew she had to get this goat to the city of tents quick if the humans were going to buy it.

Her stomach growled again at the overwhelming scent of the fresh dead. Ixzo wished badly that she could shift to her human, when the smell would not be as powerful, but she wouldn't be able to carry it in her state. Perhaps if she was healthier, the hundred and something pound goat would be easier, but not now.

Flicking her tail twice more, the lioness turned back to her kill, eyeing for the best place to begin dragging. After a few seconds of struggling between contemplating the ideal place and struggling to keep from tearing open the kill's stomach herself, Ixzo decided to take the neck, where she could get a good hold.

Trying not to sniff too much, the lion leaned into the bloody neck, sliding her jaws over the tantalizing meat once more. Deciding she had to start soon, Ixzo began dragging the Ibex away from the stream, towards where she had known tent city to be

[Ixzo]

It was nearly a bell of tireless dragging before Ixo was inside of the tents. Panting once more, Ixzo dropped the Ibex, pacing around the carcass that was growing cold. Her elbows shivered and her stomach wouldn't stop growling. The struggle to stay sane with the prey so close was becoming easier, but the trek to the city was becoming harder. The sky was lighter now, even though the moon was still up. Her pacing slowed, and Ixzo decided she could drag the carcass a little further before she would be forced to shift back into her human form, else the Drykas see her as a threat again.

Sighing, Ixzo moved forward, latching back onto the Ibex's neck. She took a deep aggravated breath through her nose and pushed her power into her hind legs, pulling the Ibex towards the tents once more.

---

By the time the sky was a light blue, but not yet showing the orange rays of the sun, Ixzo had to stop once more. Immediately, Ixzo took what little energy she had left to force herself back into human form, surrendering herself to the grass once she had two legs.

She smell was easier, although her vision became less acute. She knew she could still see in the dark better than most, but she didn't notice as much as she could with her feline eyes.

Almost twenty chimes of just laying there, naked with blood crusted on her face and neck before Ixzo forced herself to her feet. Determined to make it to the city, she grabbed the Ibex's hind legs, throwing her strength into her thighs and pulling. She wasn't nearly as strong as she was as a lion, but at least now she wouldn't be immediately killed if seen. A scream of frustration echoed out of her mouth and she pulled the Ibex forward. After only a few chimes of pulling, she turned to look back at the tent city, unable to keep her lip from quivering as she realized how little progress she was going to make.

For a moment, the lioness was ready to give up. Shift, eat and try again. But that was what she had been doing all along. If she was able to make a kill like this, she would have to bring it to town, else she would never get out of the cycle that she was in. And this cycle was slowly killing her.

Angry with herself, the Kelvic let a snarl rip through her mouth, returning to the goat with vengeance. Without hesitating, she latched onto the torn up legs, and pulled, getting a little further with that burst than her previous ones. She was going to make it. She was going to make it if it was the last thing she could do.

[Tribal]

G R A D E S

Ixzo

Experience

• Logic: 3
• Observation: 5
• Stealth: 3
• Hunting: 5
• Running: 2
• Wilderness Survival, Plains: 2
• Land Navigation: 1
• Endurance: 3
• Bodybuilding: 3

Lore

• Sea of Grass: Bountiful
• Observation: The smell of blood
• Endrykas waterways aren't safe
• Hunting: Gazelle
• Hunting: Singling out the weak
• Observation: Upwind vs downwind
• Herbivores vs Carnivores
• Hunting: Ibex
• Hunting: Making a kill
• Location: Endrykas

Notes

Great hunting thread, I really enjoyed it.