A Day Like Yesterday

[HalfMoon]

Avarice watched indifferently from the shade of the ancient tree like he had been doing so for the many past hours. The sun now bordered the horrizon, when just moments ago it had been hanging in the middle of the sky. The shade did nothing to darken his pure white fun in the waning day, the night was no better at the task of hiding him. He didn't care, he didn't need the advantage of dark fur to blend into his surroundings. No, it didn't take such trivial things to feed his need for blood.

Instead, he sat in watch. Hours had passed, and hours more would still pass as he stretched out leisurely, like stone beneath the large tree. His gaze, expression as unreadable as the rock he laid so still to mimic, followed the grazing of two deer. They were a couple and had not left each other the whole day, the doe was expecting, as it appeared. Or much better fed then the male. They had not noticed him as they considered him a safe distance. At least at first they had avoided the tree, but as he had sat there watching they drew ever near, as if having forgotten his presence.

His eyes, oddly matched in colour, flicked after then as they bounded into a leaping display of speed. Their playfulness was not missed as they bounded in large circles, the doe in lead. Avarice could see, in his mind's eye, blood staining the ground they passed over. He could smell the sweet thickness, taste the ruby liquid on his tongue, feel the warmth soaking through to his skin, matting his fur. His thick white pelt had been clean for far too long.

His expression showed nothing of his lustful desires as his gaze followed the pair religiously. He remained still otherwise, his ears needing no reason to twitch from their position to follow the deer, the shade of the oak was a perfect viewpoint.

[Sliver]

(I made up a description of the area because I didn’t see an in-depth one. Hope that’s ok)

A crossed from the great old tree and just beyond the playing deer, another watched the pair…unmoving, and hidden from view by the coming darkness, and bushes another predator lay in wait for her prefect time. Her eyes never left her would-be prey, however her ears swiveled this way and that. She didn’t seem to notice the other predator, even if she had, she didn’t plan on moving on to another hunting ground…. She was hungry and she wanted food!

Her pelt was prefect for blending into the coming darkness and shadows. It’s different shades of browns with stripes of black over her lean frame. Her pelt had once been clean and shiny was matted, and dull with filth which made it that much easier for her to blend it. Her keen yellow eyes focused intently on her dancing prey, her mouth started to water with the expectation. Sliver is what she is known by, however she hasn’t heard her name spoken in so long that she almost doesn’t remember it.

It took every fiber in her being to keep from leaping up at this moment to attack… ‘They are not close enough…’ she told herself. ‘if you go now…you will not eat again tonight…wait… wait…. They will come closer…’ she licked her lips as she watched, and waited.

[Kesare]

'Carefully, carefully... Stupid cat, your pelt isn't good for this kind of terrain... Slowly now...

Kesare's large paws moved inchingly, hungry golden eyes fixed unblinkingly on his prey. He would aim for the doe. The roundness of her belly promised the added bonus of a foetus; always an enjoyable meal. He slid fluidly through the tall grasses, the leaves rustling not a whit in his passing. To be honest, all the care was exaggerated anyway. He probably stood out like a tree in the middle of the desert what with his overall size and cumbersome mane.

Along with the scent of deer was the unmistakeable scent of wolves. But then, Kesare could care less about the irritating canines. After all, very few animals could challenge his relative size but by the smell there was more than one wolf in the immediate vicinity. That gave him pause.

There were two of them. Quite a surprise considering that wolves hunted in packs. Kesare was simply relieved it was not an entire pack he was up against. The hunger that gnawed at his stomach would not allow him to turn away from this golden chance but he would rather not be engaged in a serious fight that could end in injury (he did not even contemplate death. The wolves were half his size, after all). If he really looked, he could just make out the two separate forms; one under the large oak that dominated the clearing and the other hidden at the opposite side of the clearing.

Sad to say, they were doing a much better job of camouflage then he was...

Ah! The doe had just taken a step closer to his patch of foliage, bending her head to graze and apparently ignorant of her dangerous position. His muscles bunched under his pale pelt, coiled and ready to spring. If only she took one more step she would be in range and all he had to do was take a few loping strides to reach that long, vulnerable neck or even the smooth flank that held the vscera.

'One step... Only one step...'

[HalfMoon]

Avarice perked his ears slightly, drawing his gaze laboriously from the prancing meal as the stench of feline reached his muzzle. His gaze didn't have to wander far before it found it's mark. The cat was much larger then he had anticipated, and was doing as much camouflaging as he was, with his pure white pelt, on the plains.
It was none like he had seen before, and much larger then he had seen. His maw drew down in a frown. He didn't wish to pick a fight with this feline, of all that he had seen, but with such promise of a hot kill in such a rare state for the time of year.

Something needed to be done. Challenging the beast could be an unwise move, but perhaps it was placid and unused to being rivalled. The meal would surely flee, but it would be no trouble to him to have to track it down again, he would be able to find it before the cat did; he had never seen or scented the creature before, and so it was obvious it was foreign. With great reluctance of the job at hand, he hauled himself from his position.
Avarice had been in the position for the most part of the day, but showed nothing of a cramp. Instead, he casually stretched his legs in a few long strides.

He returned his gaze to the prey, standing a moment as he watched them, his mind could taste the blood. Without a moment more of wait he launched himself into a run. Avarice reminded himself that he was only chasing the two off as his desire filled his mind, the thought of holding back driving him mad with need. He knew they enjoyed this land and would avoid going too far from it, if he could not find them, then they would return.

He repeated the thoughts to himself as he run full stride toward the two, still blatant for the moment. They would know of his presence soon.

[HalfMoon]

[ooc/ no no that's fine, I left it pretty vague for that reason - I should probably give it a little more structure xD]

[Sliver]

Sliver concentrated on what was at hand. She was mentally visualizing the death of one of the deer, the female most likely… she looked to be weighted down with some extra weight, it would be easier to catch her. Her mouth watered as she watched them.

Then the wind brought something to her nostrils.. She hadn’t ever smelt anything like it before. The scent was totally unfamiliar to her. With out moving her head she scanned the grasses for where the odd scent came from… her eyes fell upon this, not so hidden…beast… she had not idea what it was, nor the name to call it. However from what she could see it was stocking her meal! Normally Sliver doesn’t give up things without a fight, however… that beast was much bigger then she was. Could she take it down? With help maybe but alone… who knew what that thing could do!

Her eyes shifted back to her pray. Suddenly their demeanor changed. Their heads came up, and ears swiveled around then they took off running, of course not toward her like she had been hoping! ‘Shit….shit shit shit!’ Her eyes came upon the reason for their retreat… the other wolf had scared them off. What was he, some sort of novice! Only a novice would come charging at deer in such a matter! But he looked to large, and too well feed to be a novice… so there must be reason for this foolish action.

Now the female had something new to maw over, she was debiting on leaving her hiding spot and start the tasking of tracking the deer he had just lost her down… but at the same time he had charged for a reason, and she wanted to know why…

After a bit her curiosity got the best of her stomach, so she hunkered down to see what this male would do with this…this creature.

[Kesare]

Kesare's hind legs coiled and sprang at the fleeing deer only to fall dismally short. Anger suffused him at the disappearance of his only meal in the past few days and the large feline turned to fix the culprit responsible for frightening away the prey with a rage-filled, molten gold stare. The wolf was obviously well-fed and could afford to foil a hunt or two without fear of repercussion. He was completely unlike Kesare himself who was constantly pressed to eat by the demands of his own body. A large animal like him needed the proper amount of sustenance to keep healthy and so be able to put interlopers like this one in their place (the liger conveniently forgot that he himself was hunting on land not his own).

"Is there a reason, sir, for that timely interruption?"

The gravelly voice was flavored heavily with sarcasm and the title 'sir' was spoken with an additional helping of disdain. This small (small-er) creature dared to scare away another's prey that was being fairly stalked and would have been won easily? Kesare did not speak often; preferring silence to communication at most times, but this was a special occasion. If he had been allowed to take the doe he might even have left something behind for the wolves. After all, winter was always a time of scarcity and he sympathised with those other poor souls who lived on the edge of starvation.

But now, the chance to eat had been taken away from all of them. And this made Kesare unbelievably angry.

"Speak now, Sir Wolf, and see if your tongue is as agile as the rest of your body." 'If it is not then you will simply have to take the place of the doe, oh brave and foolish wolf...' the last was not spoken aloud but the meaning in the rather archaic turn of phrase was as clear as the hunger that ravaged his belly. Kesare never really enjoyed feasting on other predators, but in times of shortage he had had no choice. Of course, he had mourned briefly for the misfortune of the predator who had become prey, but that did not stop him from heartily partaking of the meal laid out for him.

Today would be no exception.

[HalfMoon]

Avarice watched the direction the deer had fled for a moment after he halted his obviously half-hearted 'hunt'. He was not interested in the cat-beasts demands for the time, although he had heard them, he was more interested in the scent of another's presence. It was clear now that the feline had not only known he was here, which was not hard to determine by looking, let alone by scent, but he had also know the presence of yet another wolf.

The new information didn't phase him. Wolves were easily enough taken care of. Avarice turned his attention to the cat, regarding the feline uninterestedly, and as blankly as his face always was. Had his ember eyes not reflected an intensive gaze many would have probably thought he couldn't see the threat. Now that he was closer he could see the feline for what it was; a sandy coloured tiger with a lions mane. Though much bigger then the two cats ever grew, it was unmistakable the beast was the product of some sort of inter-species fling.

Avarice noted the undertone of threat in the cats words.
'Are you threatening me?' He asked, following the cats suit and layering his voice with sarcasm, and hinting a threat. He wondered idly what colour blood the mixed beast would spill. Surely it had to be as odd a sort as the felines appearance - if he ever did get the chance to find out it would probably earn him death.

[Sliver]

Sliver watched the confrontation. She didn’t make a move to join, she just remained still and waited to see what was going to happen.

The female could tell the other wolf had noticed her now. The way he had paused and looked around told her that her scent had been taken to him on the wind… no matter. That didn’t change anything.

Their words drifted over to her. She catch the sarcastic comments, and the threats. Hmm… this could get hairy fast. What would she do if the creature lived and the other wolf died? Most likely she would loose her meal… deer was big pray and she couldn’t take it down alone. She had been planning to use the male to aid her. Weather he wanted to of not. However if he died, then she would be on her own… and what if the creature turn it’s attention to her? No, that wouldn’t be good. She didn’t like that idea much.

‘If it goes to a fight… I’ll join the fray… maybe the male will give aid to me in return. For me sticking my neck out…’ she thought to herself. However she didn’t move forward yet. She would wait and see if the beast went to attack. If it did, she would move from her hiding spot and let a helping paw as it were.