6 hours ago
(base hunter 1/5)
Eventually, he did catch the scent of something worthwhile, and unmistakable; elk. They were a familiar sight all throughout his life, they were his and his family’s main source of food, and he’d come to know the beasts well. He knew how they ticked, how they lived, and what they did with the change of the seasons. Since it was summer, they were most likely found in higher elevations to distance themselves from the sweltering temperatures of the lowlands.
He was keenly aware of eyes trained on him, but he didn’t care to investigate who they belonged to; he was expecting to be watched.
Dhaska eventually found the herd, cows grazing with their young, easy targets if he could avoid getting turned into a red paste by their mothers. Though, ruefully it appeared Dhaska missed out on the opportunity to hunt them while they were young and vulnerable in the grass, stashed away by the cows while they left to graze.
No matter. A hungry wolf was always a determined one.
He began by making himself known, stalking around the herd while they eyed him warily. It was an ancient game of patience; both predator and prey showing that they were unshakeable. However, with the lives of so many calves on the line, the risk was too great for them to hold their ground, so they began running. Their escape was inelegant as cows and calves attempted to reunite with one another for safety, causing each individual to bump shoulders with another.
(rolling for a trip; d20/5)
Unfortunately, this did not present an opportunity, but the hunter continued the chase. Patience. Your prey will reveal itself.
(weakened elk; d20/15 (calf))
Not every member of the herd remained fit and healthy, and eventually, the weakest link would reveal itself. A calf struggled to keep up with its mother, visibly struggling to maintain pace despite only having begun to flee, its mouth agape as it attempted to supply its sickly lungs with oxygen. It slowed, distancing itself from the herd, and Dhaska dove for the opportunity.
The youngling let out an alarmed squeak as the wolf latched to its ankle. It stopped to confront him, its mother unaware that her calf had been left behind, Dhaska making sure to check she wasn’t charging at him as he circled his prey.
(mama comes to the rescue; d20/9)
As Dhaska seized the calf’s neck to begin wrangling it to the ground, thundering hooves of an individual elk had the wolf bolting out of the way, just narrowly avoiding a mighty kick. The calf’s mother charged him, but Dhaska dodged out of the way, allowing him to reanalyze the hunt with this new, inconvenient addition. No matter, it was nothing he couldn’t work around. If her calf was weak, maybe it was hereditary.
(successful hunt; d20/4)
Unfortunately, that was not the case. The cow was perfectly capable of fending Dhaska off, so much so that her ferocity made him decide to let them go. Allowing them to get a head start gave him the opportunity to follow from a distance, and watch for another advantageous angle to reveal itself.
Not all hunts were a success, some went on longer than the hunter preferred, but Dhaska determined that it was better to be alive to hunt tomorrow rather than being dead. For a second time.
Eventually, he did catch the scent of something worthwhile, and unmistakable; elk. They were a familiar sight all throughout his life, they were his and his family’s main source of food, and he’d come to know the beasts well. He knew how they ticked, how they lived, and what they did with the change of the seasons. Since it was summer, they were most likely found in higher elevations to distance themselves from the sweltering temperatures of the lowlands.
He was keenly aware of eyes trained on him, but he didn’t care to investigate who they belonged to; he was expecting to be watched.
Dhaska eventually found the herd, cows grazing with their young, easy targets if he could avoid getting turned into a red paste by their mothers. Though, ruefully it appeared Dhaska missed out on the opportunity to hunt them while they were young and vulnerable in the grass, stashed away by the cows while they left to graze.
No matter. A hungry wolf was always a determined one.
He began by making himself known, stalking around the herd while they eyed him warily. It was an ancient game of patience; both predator and prey showing that they were unshakeable. However, with the lives of so many calves on the line, the risk was too great for them to hold their ground, so they began running. Their escape was inelegant as cows and calves attempted to reunite with one another for safety, causing each individual to bump shoulders with another.
(rolling for a trip; d20/5)
Unfortunately, this did not present an opportunity, but the hunter continued the chase. Patience. Your prey will reveal itself.
(weakened elk; d20/15 (calf))
Not every member of the herd remained fit and healthy, and eventually, the weakest link would reveal itself. A calf struggled to keep up with its mother, visibly struggling to maintain pace despite only having begun to flee, its mouth agape as it attempted to supply its sickly lungs with oxygen. It slowed, distancing itself from the herd, and Dhaska dove for the opportunity.
The youngling let out an alarmed squeak as the wolf latched to its ankle. It stopped to confront him, its mother unaware that her calf had been left behind, Dhaska making sure to check she wasn’t charging at him as he circled his prey.
(mama comes to the rescue; d20/9)
As Dhaska seized the calf’s neck to begin wrangling it to the ground, thundering hooves of an individual elk had the wolf bolting out of the way, just narrowly avoiding a mighty kick. The calf’s mother charged him, but Dhaska dodged out of the way, allowing him to reanalyze the hunt with this new, inconvenient addition. No matter, it was nothing he couldn’t work around. If her calf was weak, maybe it was hereditary.
(successful hunt; d20/4)
Unfortunately, that was not the case. The cow was perfectly capable of fending Dhaska off, so much so that her ferocity made him decide to let them go. Allowing them to get a head start gave him the opportunity to follow from a distance, and watch for another advantageous angle to reveal itself.
Not all hunts were a success, some went on longer than the hunter preferred, but Dhaska determined that it was better to be alive to hunt tomorrow rather than being dead. For a second time.