[Flashback] Even Pups Bite(Miharu)

[Jaeden Kincade]

"As soon as we find the trail," Jaeden said now grabbing his long sword, strapping it to his belt, "then go ahead and track them to their source." Jaeden slowly rose to his feet as his head tilted back slightly, taking in a deep breath. Releasing it, he slowly looked down to Miharu with a smile. "Let's be off then, we'll be searching for tracks that are somewhat fresh," Jaeden said as he swung his leg over the log, stepping over it as he began moving into the thick of the forest.

[Miharu Mindi]

While he slowly stood up, she skipped across the clearing and back over to her pile of leaves and backpack and such, and yanked off her dress as she dissolved in a million pinpoints of light and reformed as the gray wolf. She made a quick circle of the clearing, sniffing here and there to see if anything was amiss, and then ran over to use powerful legs to kick dirt over the still-smoldering fire to make sure it didn't spread.

Once that was done, she stuck her nose in the air, sniffing for a few moments, and then took off into the forest.

She knew where most of the trails were, had marked where they lay just outside her usual territory, so she had a decent idea of where she was going. But she still kept her nose to the ground, chasing the scent, keeping an eye out for the occasional hoofprint and broken twig and bit of hair caught on the bark of a tree. When she finally found the trail, she stopped and looked over her shoulder, giving a sharp yelp to alert Jaeden.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden slowly looked up from the ground as he heard Miharu's yelp in the distance, a mere foot away from running into a tree as he sometimes did when tracking or cloud gazing. "Whoa, that was close," he muttered under his breath before He slipped around the tree and began moving towards the area that Miharu paced back and forth over. Slowly crouching down to the ground, he examined the track, roughly eight inches wide and a full inch deep into the ground at it's lowest point towards the rear of the track. It resembled a hoof print save for the sharp ends at the toe. Jaeden's hand hovered over he track for a slight moment, before fingers pushed along it's surface along the ground and edge, feeling a moistness that suggested the air had not yet dried the waters that had been forced to the surface when the animal stepped there. "Almost a full bell ago, but they should be close," Jaeden commented looking over the area to see several other tracks laying beside the one he examine, all with similar characteristics as his eyes took count. "Small herd as well, no more than seven of them, with three young. Which means they likely won't try to stand ground unless cornered." He slowly rose to his feet once again, looking over to Miharu before a hand slowly feel to the top of her head, sliding back and forth in a rub. "Good job kiddo," Jaeden said before drawing his longsword from it's sheath. He dragged his finger lightly along the blade's edge as blood began to trickle from the wound. Soon stopping about ten yards away from the tracks, he found a clearing between some trees that would suit his needs. He then reached up, dragging his thumb along the barks surface of the tree before looking back to Miharu. "Here's where I'll set things up," Jaeden informed pointing towards the open ground with his sword before once again sheathing it. "Remember, give me at least five chimes of the bell in time before you begin the chase."

[Miharu Mindi]

Her tongue lolled out when he gave her some scritches, and a happy little growl rumbled out of her. She walked over to sniff at the blood, memorizing the scent of it, and then gave another little yelp and a nod of her muzzle before she bounded off to disappear into the woods again.

Five bells. It was a long time.

She spent part of the day exploring the terrain, because it was outside her territory and therefore unfamiliar - and that could get you kill in a hunt. She wended her way back and forth through the woods, silent and careful of the direction of the wind lest her prey catch a whiff of her scent. She finally doubled back to where she'd need to separate their pick of the herd, eying how that would work out, and finally followed it back to the point where she'd have enough to - at full running speed - to jump in and isolate it. Once she found a distance she was happy with, she dug a line across the trail with dull claws, something she would see on the run and be able to recognize as the point of change.

And then she stalked them, and waited.

Five bells. She gave it another quarter-bell just to be sure. Then she crouched down and shifted back and forth on her haunches, revving herself up and preparing for the spring.

Five and a half bells before the thundering of those clawed hooves and the crash of bodies through the brush signaled the herd's arrival.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Five bells. For five bells Jaeden had relentlessly hacked away at the earth of his feet as he tore up ground, root and rock, going deeper with each swing of the ax. He slipped his mind into the mentality of training under Olevar, with allowed him, somehow, to continue his swinging with barely a moments rest until he had managed to dig out a hole that was five feet deep. The hole itself was four feet wide and about seven feet long. He then evened out the dirt he had brought up over the surrounding grounds, covering it with fallen leaves, twigs and brush before finally moving around the area collected sever branches, whether they had fallen along the ground or he had to cut them free from the tree they were attached to, that were at least four feet long and two inches thick. He sharpened each of the branches to a fine tip at one end before bringing them down into the hole. Looking up to the sun, he gave a slow exhale. His time was nearly up as he began plunging each of them into the ground until they were at least a foot and a half deep into the earth. Each of them extended from the base of the pit about half way up the depth of the hole before he began sharpening the other ends as well. Finally, jumping out of the hole once again, he began searching the grounds once again as he pulled several leaves, twigs and long slender branches, weaving them together generically until he had an interweaving of branches large enough to cover the hole itself. He slipped it over the pit fall and proceed to collect several leaves, bush branches and even small patches of grass, and used them to cover the hole itself using the branches he had weaved together. Any normal person would notice it right away the moment they came within fifteen yards of it. But a large animal, running from a predator? They were less likely. Jaeden's head slowly looked up as he heard the thunderous beats of hooves striking along the ground. Satisfied that it was enough, he soon slipped out of sight, so his presence wouldn't sway the beasts movements when Miharu veered it off towards the trap. He just hoped she would remember to stop.

[Miharu Mindi]

The thrill of the hunt sped her blood, made the animal more clear than whatever humanity had been magicked into her blood, and she bounded along behind them as the creatures frenzied and blundered through the woods. The dense trees and foliage kept them from going too fast, and her near-unending stamina served her well.

When she caught sight of the line she'd dug across the trail, some bell went off in her brain and she remembered that she wasn't simply running them into exhaustion. She had a purpose.

A burst of speed caught her up to the straggling female, and she lept up to sink sharp teeth into the soft, exposed flesh just beneath its tail. Blood spurted over her nose and, as she'd expected, it swerved to the side to get away from her as it bawled in pain.

She gave chase, driving it forward more quickly, panicking it and herding it along the path towards the trap as the rest of the herd escaped. But her speed was her mistake, though it accomplished their goal.

Her nose was suddenly stuffed with the scent of Jaeden's blood, and she tried to skid to a halt - too late, for in the flash of a heartbeat the beast bellowed again and fell through the trap, impaling itself on the spikes.

And Miharu skidded after it, scrambling to find purchase in the pine-needle floor of the forest, yelping in panic as she slipped and rolled and tumbled into the pit after it. The beast was still alive, though mortally wounded, and though she managed not to fall onto any of the spikes, she tumbled over the creature's back and got wedged into a corner of the pit, and was suddenly assaulted by those panicked, clawed hooves. Pain ripped through her shoulder, and another glancing blow knocked her in the head and left stars spinning across her vision.

HELP! The cry seemed to come from everywhere at once, panic driving Miharu's voice across the tenuous thread that was just beginning to form between Jaeden and the young Kelvic girl.

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden's eyes narrowed as he watched the heard come running in, a slow smile crossing his lips. His gaze then slowly slid over towards the trap as he saw a large female bounding for it, Miharu bouncing back and forth behind the beast to keep it going on it's forward course. He soon gave a silent cheer as the beasts forelegs fell through the thin layer of branch, leaves grass and bush, causing it to tumble forward into the pit. His eyes then went wide as he saw Miharu herself skidding forward towards the trap as well. "Stop, stop, stop!" Jaeden echoed within his mind as he slowly began to stand from his hidden crouch behind a tree. "Shyke!" Jaeden then yelled as Miharu went tumbling into the pit. He was in a full sprint right away, despite the exhaustion his body already felt, as his right hand shot down to the hilt of his sword, pulling it free from it's sheath. His pace only increased as he heard Miharu's cries for help as the grip on his sword shifted until the blade pointed downward. Without thinking, Jaeden leapt the last five feet before the edge of the pit, his body flying through the short distance as he raised his sword up, gripping it with both hands as the beast came into view first, struggling with what might it had left. Then he spotted Miharu, pinned in the corner of the trap revealing that, while the beast was near death, it's might was still great. Jaeden fell, as he brought the tip of his sword heavily down, driving it through the beasts skill. His strike was lethal and precise, but came at a cost as one of the pikes he had within the pit pierced him through the calf muscle of his left leg. A grunted scream echoed out from Jaeden's lips as pain radiated through his whole body before looking to Miharu. His teeth then gritted as he gave his sword a sharp, quick jolt to the side, finally snuffing out the beast's life as all of it's movements came to sudden stop. Jaeden released his grip along his sword, planting both of his hands along the beast's body as he looked back to his leg, the tip of the wood poking out the top of his calf muscle. Jaeden slowly reached over, grasping his ankle with his hand before lifting with both limps. Wave after wave of pain washed over his body as his leg was pulled free from the tip of the wooden pike and he remained still along the beast's body for a short moment. Looking over to Miharu, he sucked in deep breaths of air as, trying to block out the pain. "Looks lick, you stopped a bit late," Jaeden said between breaths as he pushed himself to his feet. Limping heavily, Jaeden moved over just shy of Miharu. He slowly slid down along the side of the beast until he was partially wedged between the dirt wall and back of the beast as he braced his still good leg along the dirt. Jaeden let out another series of breaths as sweat formed over his brow before bracing his hands and back along the beasts body and began pushing off along the wall with what strength he could muster, rolling the beast back slightly to allow Miharu the space to free herself. "Use me to climb out, and hurry. This one is five times the weight of the infant we brought down yesterday."

[Miharu Mindi]

Once the beast was dead, Miharu gave a high-pitched whine and slumped against wall of the pit. She gave a few licks to the gash on her shoulder, trying to get it to stop bleeding, and then looked up as Jaeden worked to free her.

A sharp flash of light, and then little Miharu climbed to two feet instead of four. The wound looked much worse in human flesh, and must have hurt worse, but there was no way she was getting out of that pit as a big petching wolf. A gangly, thin teenager, though, that was much easier. She planted a hand on his shoulder, then hauled herself up to ground level and just lay there a moment before she turned over on her stomach and reached down to help him up out of the pit as well.

"We should have put the blood farther away so I'd have time to stop, or maybe I was just running too fast. I'm so sorry," she said, tears standing out in golden eyes at the thought of how thoroughly she'd failed him. And now he was injured because of her!

[Jaeden Kincade]

Jaeden grunted slightly as he stood up along one leg. Reaching over he grabbed Miharu's hand, his other grasping the side of the pit as he took a quick hop with his good leg, pulling himself free before sitting along the edge and pulling his injured leg up away from any loose dirt. He then fell into a laying position as his arms sprawled out over the ground as he let out large exhales. He then looked to Miharu, sitting back up. He reached out, dragging his thumb along her cheeks to wipe away her tears. "Don't let the waterworks open up," Jaeden said as slight breaths of exhaustion still escaped his mouth. "No one ever said hunting was a safe trade. Injuries will happen." Jaeden then paused for a bit before his gaze shot upward. "Umm Miha, could you go put on your dress, then we can see to our wounds" Jaeden then requested, showing that he wasn't at all angry and in fact in his usual spirits.

[Miharu Mindi]

She nuzzled her cheek against his hand like any shamed pet might, but instead of going for her dress she reached out small hands to pull up the leg of his pants, careful to get the cloth free from it before his blood could stick it to his skin.

"I can clean it once I'm a wolf," she said, making sure it was free enough for her to get to, "and then it's best I stay a wolf for a little while, at least until I can get this to scab over. Otherwise I'll just keep losing blood."

And with that, she shifted again and began carefully licking at his wound. It would help, since the saliva of wolves helped speed the healing process, and she was careful to get both sides of his leg. When she was finished, she simply sat down and went to work licking at her own wounds, whining just a little at each touch but continuing on.