First Hunt {6dewdrops}

[Rykett]

(6dewdrops)

As two wolves walked down from the mountains, a small song echoed through the forest. "Da... Da... Da da Super Rukooooo! He's gonna be the greaaaaaaatest hunter in the world. In faaaaaaact, he's gonna save the whole world with his assassins, his dustyyyyyy devils, his awesome minions. Da... Da... Da Da Super Rukoooo. The superest hero on the entire earth! Superer than every other hero. Never stoooooping until all the bad guys are gooooone! Da... Da... Da Da! Whirlwind!" Ruko was skipping along as he sang. He kept pausing whenever he said 'whirlwind' and focusing on the path ahead. Every time his brow furrowed, a soft breeze made the dust twirl a rotation.

Ruko was so excited to start hunting. This was his first hunt and he was sure that he would be awesome at it. Maybe he would be the youngest and greatest hunter in the world, otherwise known as Super Ruko! Then he could use his hunting and Cyclone power to be a superhero and save everybody! Ruko pause ended and he began singing again. "Super Ruko saves the daaaaay. He saves it a million tiiiiiiiiiiiiiimes! Nobody can stop him. Then after saaaaaving the world some more. He finds a secret treaaaaaasure hidden in the lake, the Kaaaaaai lake. Da... Da... Da Da! The treasure is magical! It makes Suuuuuuuuper Ruko fly! Fly so high! He can also change into a bird! And a rabbit!"

[6dewdrops]

Foxtrot

The large wolf walked through the forest. A trusty sidekick to the "Super Ruko." Ruko's song was pretty loud and Foxtrot had to block him out so that he could search for a lead. Every couple of steps he would pause and sniff the air, looking for a fresh scent. Listening would do him no good while "Super Ruko" was by his side. Realizing the hopelessness of his senses, Foxtrot turned to another worldly power. He repeated the same process as he was before but this time, instead of using his nose, Foxtrot recalled the area in the previous half hour. He hoped by using his power, he would be able to spot a good target and be able to track it. 

As as they were making their way through the forest, Foxtrot paused again to use his power. The leaves fell from the trees when a breeze rushed through the area. In the commotion a speck of white bobbed at the roots of a nearby tree. A rabbit picked up a nearby stock of grass and began nibbling the tip. It was a plump white creature. Despite its obviously voluptuous stature, it continued to devour the grass. Once the grass had dissapeared into the rabbits gaping maw, the rabbit hopped up and began making its way out of view. It made its way in the direction of a mushroom. Although it didn't stop at the mushroom, Foxtrot took notice of the direction. He faded back into reality. 

Foxtrot froze. He stuck his paw out in front of Ruko to stop him. His eyes looked at Ruko in a silent signal to keep quiet. Knowing that this was supposed to be a lesson for the pup, Foxtrot whispered quietly. "There is a rabbit that way." His head nodded in the direction of the mushroom. "If you keep singing you'll scare it away. Now, keep quiet and follow me. Copy everything I do. I will give you silent instructions to help you catch the rabbit."

Foxtrot turned to the mushroom and crouched low. He kept his body barely above the ground and stopped his tail from moving. Using very light footsteps, he moved forward. It was essentially that he make no sound. Rabbits were very sensitive to sound with their ginormous ears and all. He made his way in the direction of the rabbit's path, overannunciating his every movement to help the learning pup. Foxtrot lifted his head and sniffed the air for the rabbit's scent. The autumn breeze carried the scent to his nose and Foxtrot nodded a signal to Ruko to let him know that they were on its trail. He kept going forward for a few minutes before he finally saw the rabbit. It sat under another tree, collecting grass to stuff it's mouth with. Foxtrot turned to Ruko and motioned to the rabbit, letting him know where it was. He flicked his ear to let him know that it was his turn to take the lead. 

[Rykett]

Ruko's mouth shut with an audible snap. He'd just said 'whirlwind.' He was about to use his power, but Foxtrot's words interrupted his concentration. A rabbit! Oh a rabbit! Would his awesome acting skills help with catching rabbits? Maybe, but Ruko wasn't allowed to say anything right now. He had to be quiet.

As Foxtrot finished his instructions, Ruko realized that this was a game of follow the leader, except that the stakes were higher. Ruko needed to copy everything Foxtrot did exactly! He crouched into a hunting position that was as close to Foxtrot's as possible. His tail started wagging, but Ruko noticed that Foxtrot's wasn't moving so Ruko forced his tail to stop with a glare. He tried to make his footsteps as quiet as Foxtrot's but he kept shuffling over leaves. When Foxtrot lifted his head, Ruko lifted his head. The nod was obviously a signal that Foxtrot had the rabbit's scent, but just in case, Ruko nodded. Whenever Foxtrot took a step, Ruko took a step. He tried to step in the exact places that Foxtrot did, but his legs were too short. Ruko stopped as Foxtrot stopped. He peered past Foxtrot as the large male motioned towards a spot ahead. There was the rabbit, nosing around and eating grass. Then came the ear flick.

Ruko watched the ears flick from Ruko towards the rabbit. Did Foxtrot want Ruko to take the lead? But... but how would Ruko know how to move if he didn't have Foxtrot to follow. Ruko took a hesitant step forward trying to be as quiet as Foxtrot had been earlier. Every step created a slight crackling noise. Every sound made Ruko wince. He kept the same crouching position that Foxtrot had been showing him, but he was a little low. He wondered how close he should get before he should pounce. Ruko pause within several feet of the rabbit. Had it noticed him yet? The rabbit was still focused on the grass. It's ears were twitching. Ruko wasn't sure whether he could get closer without the rabbit seeing him. So Ruko took a giant leap towards the rabbit. His paws stretched toward the rabbit. Ruko squeezed his eyes shut as he jumped. He had no idea whether his first hunting attempt had been successful.

[6dewdrops]

Foxtrot

He was happy when he noticed that Ruko had understood all of his signs. Foxtrot couldn't help but smile as he watched him creep froward. His form was a little shaky, but he looked pretty good. If he just learned how to soften his steps, he would make a great hunter. Foxtrot felt pride well in his chest. That was odd. How can I feel proud of a pup who isn't mine? He watched as Ruko made his way to the rabbit. A realization dawned on him. It doesn't matter if I'm his father or not. I taught him something and he followed my every step. We may not be related by blood, but I made a difference in his life. I had an impact on his future. Foxtrot smiled and stood as Ruko leaped at the rabbit. Perfect. He landed directly on top of the plump white rabbit. Then Foxtrot remembered that he hadn't shown the pup how to kill it yet. 

Foxtrot only needed to take one leap to get to Ruko's side. The pup sat directly on top of the rabbit. He slightly nudged the pup to dislodge him before clamping his jaw around the rabbit's neck. With a quick shake of his head, the neck of the rabbit snapped. A slight taste of blood flooded into his mouth. It took a lot of restraint not to devour the rabbit right then and there. Luckily, Foxtrot was able to hold back and release his grip on the rabbit. He turned to Ruko. After giving him a friendly bump, he showered him in praise. "Great job! You landed right on it! And your form looked great! I wouldn't have been able to tell that it was your first time hunting." His smile spread across his face. "Sorry for taking the kill. I forgot that I didn't teach you how to kill yet." Foxtrot quickly shifted to the rabbit and demonstrated as he spoke. "To kill, just place your mouth around the neck and give it a quick shake. That should snap the neck and kill it instantly. The prey shouldn't feel any pain. It would be cruel to make it wait for death. That's why you never play with your food." He paused to release his hold on the rabbit. "Now, your jaw might not be strong enough to make the killing blow yet, but it will get stronger. For today though, I'll let you catch the prey and I'll kill it. How about it? Team "Super Ruko"?" Foxtrot grinned. 

[Rykett]

Ruko felt the rabbit fur beneath him. He'd landed on it! But... how did he kill it? Then Foxtrot stepped in. Ruko tumbled away. He purposely made the motion as exaggerated as possible. Then he laughed and hopped to his feet. He looked at the rabbit he'd caught! Ruko's grin as wide as possible as Foxtrot praised him. Then he nidded, happily and in agreement, as Foxtrot talked about not playing with food. The only good Ruko would play with was already dead.

Super Ruko was right. "Let's hunt some more!" Ruko jumped around a bit as he spoke, "Could you teach me to track the prey? Please! Hunting is so awesome. I can't wait to show Amora how great I am at hunting!"

[6dewdrops]

Foxtrot

He laughed. It made him so happy that Ruko was having fun. Secretly, he hoped that they would be able to do this a lot more in the future. However, for now, he would live in the moment. His laugh bubbled up. "Yes yes. I'm sure your sister will be very jealous. And your mother will be so proud." Foxtrot had intentionally thrown in the comment about his mother to ease the tension between the two of them, but quickly changed the subject as not to give Ruko a chance to comment on it. He began digging in the dirt. A whole started to take form and Foxtrot explained his actions to the pup. "Now, after you hunt, if you want to hunt multiple prey, you have to hide the first prey you caught. Otherwise it might scare away potential prey or get eaten by another predator nearby. So, to keep your prey fresh and away from potential dangers, you bury it. Not too deep, or you won't be able to find it again. But just below the surface to keep it safe." He packed some leaves over the top of the pile and scratched the tree. "Now we can come and get it later."

Foxtrot stood and started walking away from the tree. As he walked, he started explaining the basics of tracking. "As for tracking, it takes quite a while to get food at tracking. I personally like to cheat by using my Recall power, but since you don't have that, I'll show you the normal way." He stuck his nose in the air and swiveled his ears. "If you want to catch prey, you have to be extremely silent. Most animals are highly sensitive to sound. When you are quiet, listen for any small rustling noises that may be prey shifting around. Also sniff the air for any scents. Sometimes if you sniff the air, you will get prey. Then you follow the trail to your target and hunt. You may also get a whiff of another wolf sometimes. Try to avoid them as much as possible. I'm not telling you to run from a fight, but don't go looking for trouble on purpose." Foxtrot paused and inhaled deeply. He caught a scent of squirrel and decided to test the pup's skills. "Now, take a deep breath and tell me what you smell."

[Rykett]

Ruko nodded. His sister would be so jealous that he was hunting! Mommy... He didn't know what to think about Mommy. She was always there for him, but she hadn't told him the truth. She'd hidden how Daddy... Foxtrot was digging, he focused his mind on a a happier subject. Ruko watched carefully as Foxtrot's scooped out the dirt. Ruko pushed the rabbit in the hole as he listened in Foxtrot's explanation. "That's so smart!" he tipped happily as the rabbit disappeared beneath the cover of dirt and leaves.

Ruko started following Foxtrot. Every now and then he skipped instead of stepping. Tracking seemed as hard as hunting. Ruko wondered if his Cyclone power would help at all with tracking. Ruko copied Foxtrot's swiveling ears and sniffing nose. He listened carefully as Foxtrot instructed him. He stored the words away in his brain so he wouldn't forget them. Then as Foxtrot asked him to do, Ruko inhaled. He cocked his head, confused. He hadn't smelled anything. Then Ruko realized the problem. He'd inhaled through his mouth instead of through his nose. Ruko took another breath in through his nose. Scents flooded into Ruko. He tried to organize the scents. Tried to figure out which scent meant what. Ruko picked out the earthy scent of trees, dirt, and leaves. Those scents were easy to block out. Next Ruko decided which scent was Foxtrot's. Foxtrot had a scent kind of like the Autumn leaves all around them mixed with the pleasing smell of... Ruko wasn't exactly sure what it was. He pushed the scent out of his mind. He needed to find prey scent. He knew what rabbits smelled like, but the only smell here was the one they'd buried. There were still a bunch of scents that Ruko didn't know. He attempted to decide which scents he recognized. Only a few were somewhat familiar. One smelled like... oh maybe a bird... no... maybe it was just a flower. Then there was a mousey scent. Of course! "I smell a lot of thing, but I think there's a mouse?"

[6dewdrops]

Foxtrot

Ruko followed his example, making Foxtrot smile. It felt good to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. He felt that sense of pride again and didn't try to deny it this time. Foxtrot was proud of Ruko. He was a smart pup. His enthusiasm to learn made it easy to teach him. He would be a quick study. Foxtrot still remembered his own experience learning from his father. He had been taught his skills like a soldier. The training had been rigorous and failure was not an option. His head fell a little. Foxtrot didn't want to do the same to Ruko. He took a determined stance. And I won't.

He turned to the pup and smiled brightly. "Good job. You are close. It's tough to distinguish between mouse and squirrel on your first try. At least you were able to pick up the scent. That's a good sign." Foxtrot looked around. They only had about an hour left. His head focused back on Ruko. "Think you an try tracking it yourself this time? I'm sure you'll do great." He hoped his assuring comments would give the pup a little more confidence in his abilities. 

[Rykett]

Oh a squirrel! Why didn't I realize that? At least I know it's scent. Then Foxtrot's words sent a thrill of excitement and nervousness through Ruko. He was sure that he could do it, but he still felt nervous about tracking alone."I can do it!" Ruko said aloud. He lifted his nose high. He focused on the scent of squirrel. Super Ruko should have no problem with a squirrel.

He found that tracking was like a game of that he called 'Cold or Hot.' It was a game where Ruko would hide something like a cool-looking stick then tell Amora when she was getting closer by telling her 'hot' or cold if she was getting farther away. The squirrel scent seemed to get more potent the closer Ruko got to the squirrel. Getting hotter! he told himself. Then he paused, scanning the trees above. The smell seemed so close. Maybe the squirrel was somewhere in the trees. A flick of movement caught Ruko's eye. He was about to speak to Foxtrot about his tracking skills when he remembered that hunting needed silence.

[6dewdrops]

Foxtrot

He followed Ruko closely. His senses tingled as he felt the urge to track the scent. But this was for Ruko. He was just there to support him as he tracked it. Then, of course, he would have to kill it. However, Ruko had to catch the squirrel first. Foxtrot observed the pup's movements. He seemed to be darting a little all over the place to sniff the area and move towards the spot that smelled the strongest of squirrel. It wasn't a bad method, but it took longer. If the pup kept his nose close to the ground, he would be able to easily follow the trail. Foxtrot made a note to teach him that after they caught the squirrel. 

Ruko was a natural. Foxtrot was worried that he would have to guide the pup, but Ruko led confidently. After a while, Foxtrot had full trust in Ruko's directions. He just had to follow. Then they saw it. Ruko stopped and Foxtrot was able to spot the bushy tail sticking out from underneath a nearby bush. He would have pointed it out had he not noticed Ruko's head swivel in the same direction. Foxtrot waited to see what he would do. 

[Rykett]

Ruko grinned as the squirrel's tail became obvious. He'd done it! He'd tracked down the squirrel all by himself. Now he just needed to catch it. Ruko positioned himself into the hunting crouch Foxtrot had shown him. He snuck towards that bushy tail. Ruko tried his very hardest to be quiet. But he still rustled some leaves as he passed. The tail flicked. Ruko froze. The squirrel moved deeper into the bush, but not deep enough that Ruko couldn't see it. He crept closer and froze again as his clumsy paw snapped a twig. The squirrel stood straight up. It's ears swiveled, searching for more hints that a predator was hunting it. Ruko held his breath, scared to even think for fear that the squirrel could read minds. Just when Ruko wasn't sure if he could hold his breath much longer, the squirrel was back on four legs and shuffling through the leaves in search of a bit. Ruko let out his breath slowly so it wouldn't make too much noise. Then he stalked closer. Was it possible that he could get a step closer without the squirrel seeing him? Better not risk it.

Ruko sprung forward. His teeth snapped at the squirrel, but he only got a tuft of fur as the squirrel bolted. The chase was on as Ruko landed in a sprint. He sped as fast as he could at the squirrel. It looked as though the squirrel might make it to its targeted tree before Ruko could catch it. Ruko's adrenaline was pumping as he chased. At the thought of the squirrel escaping, Ruko surged with a burst of speed. He pounced, sailing through the air towards the squirrel. He'd promised himself that he'd keep his eyes open for this hunt, but his eyes squeezed shut again as Ruko flew through the air in a final leap to catch his prey.

[6dewdrops]

Foxtrot

Ruko spotted the squirrel. Good. Now sneak up on it quietly. His eyes followed Ruko as he stalked towards the prey. Foxtrot could tell that he was trying to be quiet, but his muscles weren't strong enough to set his paws down without enough skill. A crack echoed the forest and Foxtrot cringed. Dang it. There goes the prey. Surprisingly, the prey didn't dart. It went back to its foraging. Foxtrot let out a silent sigh of release. He went back to watching Ruko. His form looked pretty good as he sat there. He just needs one more step and a leap. Then I'll swoop in and kill it. His eyes observed as Ruko skipped the step and went straight for the leap. Foxtrot grumbled a little. He knew it was the pup's first time, but it was still frustrating to lose prey. 

He darted forward. Ruko went after the squirrel, so Foxtrot stayed a little ways off, but he was nearly running next to the bushy tailed creature. He looked into its beady eyes and saw the fear. Foxtrot looked away and told himself it was a part of life. Then he quickened his pace to pull ahead of the squirrel. He noticed Ruko leap. The pup wouldn't make it with the squirrel's speed. Foxtrot stuck out his paw. The squirrel tricked and Ruko landed on top of it. Foxtrot stepped out and grabbed its neck, shaking his head slightly to here the snap of its neck. He released his hold and looked at Ruko. "Great job tracking it! You were right on the whole time. let me just give you a few tips for next time." His voice took on a teacher's authority. "When tracking, lift your nose in the air to get the initial scent. Once you have that, place your nose to the ground, it will help because you are smelling something the prey actually touched. And lastly, don't be afraid to take that extra step. I know you were scared that you would make a sound again, but there was no way you would have made that leap. If you would have taken one more step, you wouldn't be panting right now." Foxtrot knew it would be a lot for the little pup. "But anyways, great job. How about you say we go grab the rabbit and head back?" He looked up at the sky. They had about an hour of daylight left. That was just enough time to get back to Blaise. 

[Rykett]

Ruko opened his eyes just in times to see the squirrel directly beneath him. The small pup rolled aside as Foxtrot flashed forward to grab the squirrel's neck. Ruko hopped to his feet. Hunting was so awesome. There was always so much excitement. Ruko never knew whether or not he would actually catch the prey. It was very satisfying to feel his claws digging into his target. Ruko grinned up at Foxtrot as he praised his tracking. As the brown male talked about a couple tips, Ruko experimented by lifting his nose in the air then bending towards the ground. Just as Foxtrot said, the scent was stronger closer to the ground where the squirrel had run. Ruko was slightly annoyed that he'd seemed afraid. He wasn't a coward! He could take an extra step. His estimation of how far he could leap was must off. Ruko shrugged his shoulders then nodded vigorously as Foxtrot suggested return. He couldn't wait to see the looks on everybody's faces when Ruko pranced in carrying a squirrel he'd hunted!

Ruko picked up the squirrel. It was only slightly awkward to carry since Ruko wasn't used to being the one that transported meals. He tried shaking the squirrel, wondering when he'd be able to hunt all by himself. Ruko skipped as he took the lead back the the rabbit. He slowed as he realized he wasn't sure if he was going the right way. Maybe his newly found hunting skills could help him! Ruko pressed his nose against the ground, sniffing. There was Foxtrot's scent. Less powerful that usual. It must be the trail. Ruko began to follow the familiar scent, playing the opposite of 'Cold or Hot.' It was definitely easier to follow the trail when Ruko's pink nose was pressed against the ground. Ruko suddenly realized he was dragging the squirrel across the ground. It'd get all dirty and everything. Ruko was sure that nobody would prefer to eat a dust-covered squirrel. He lifted his head higher so that nothing but the squirrel's tail was touching the floor. Ruko started following the scent again. It became harder as the scent faded and since his nose was above the ground rather than pressed against it. Then the surroundings started to look a bit familiar. Ruko lifted his head and immediately saw the mountainside ahead. This must be near where they found the rabbit. Ruko shuffled around until he located the still freshly dug-up dirt. Ruko wondered if he was able to speak with the squirrel in his mouth like Mommy could while she was holding him. He decided that was a trick he wasn't going to attempt yet.

[6dewdrops]

((Do you want to go back to the other thread now?))

[Rykett]

(Okay, Let's go!)
-Exit Ruko-