A Hunting We Will Go (Gangrel)

[Roxie Hart]

Quickly before they all changed shapes Roxie added. “Just be cautious. I don’t want to see pack of wolves eats bear on the 10 o’clock news.” Granted, it sounded humorous but even as wolves they did pose a threat to the masquerade. Even though wolves hunted in packs and did this shit all the time, the pack was mismatched and may cause suspicion. Wait, what would Dog say? Who the fuck cares.

The Regent watched as they all morphed into the wolf forms. It was easy to tell which one Tracy was. Not hard to find the feisty red head as a red wolf. The black wolf appeared before her and she watched as the Dillon wolf walked toward her. “Don’t worry, if you lick me, we’ll blame it on your animal instincts.”

As Roxie went to straddle and mount Dillon, she knew what to do. She leaned forward, her chest into the withers on his back. Her arms wrapped around above the point of shoulders, but low enough not to strangle and she entwined her fingers. Her long legs bent onto either side of the ebony fur and her feet just below his chest not hard enough to squeeze, but almost like hovering your foot over the break of a car; ready to hold on if necessary. Her head was raised only slightly above his neck to see over the occiput of his head. “Alright, ready here.” Patting Dillon where her hands were. The fur was soft, yet still coarse like any normal wolf's was.

Too bad I ditched the skirt…

[Dillon Connery]

Dillon really can't help but stand with an extra touch of confidence, and noble bearing. It comes with the instinct. Though the poise isn't pompous by any definition, it is with a healthy measure of quiet pride. Keen. Cunning. Predatory.

He allows Roxie onto his back with calm acceptance, equally proud that he could bear the Gangrel Regent on his back, with absolutely no trouble. Her weight doesn't encumber him in the slightest; though he doesn't sling her around needlessly. It occurs to Dillon, at the ease with which she settled onto him, and the immediate comfort of her posture, that Roxie has done this before. But then, as a lady Savage that never bothered to develop this particular level of Protean herself, he supposes she had to have.

Dog? Probably.

Marching a deliberate line past the others once, as though for inspection, hazel eyes quickly check out every aspect of the other wolves. One, marking identifying features in his mind. Even with the instant near-recognition that the Beast provides, it doesn't hurt to be thorough. Nodding his approval in an odd gesture, Dillon seems satisfied. The movement doesn't really appear wolfish, but it's more wolf than man. One final nod at Emma's positioning on Swift's back, and the black wolf trots off toward the tree line.

He can't really acknowledge the last few jokes, or the leggy Regent patting near his chest, but he doesn't need to. Those who have his respect, know it.

Suddenly, he's a black streak in the night.

Knowing he had it easiest with positioning as the leader of the pack, Dillon doesn't outstrip the others. He runs at a medium pace, testing the speed of his Clan mates when he can sense them come into the periphery of his senses. It's hard not to run flat-out. The feel of the wind is exhilarating, the smells of the forest, the sounds of life all around; intoxicating. All at the mercy of this undead creature of darkness.

Sucks to be that bear.

Let's get a few fun, narrative posts about the character's run/ ride through the woods before we start rolling to initiate the hunt

[James Calloway]

As the group takes off, Jim's desert colours rush off to the right flank, the Taifa scouting the outside as any unencumbered warrior wolf would. His brown eyes are watchful as he runs, his fur pushed backward as he runs in an increasingly fast and then slow pattern so that he gets a good pattern of coverage on the right flank. One second, he's back and to the right, then even with the line, then slightly ahead, then back, always watching to make sure the Clan will be warned if a threat comes from the side.

His animal thoughts were on the hunt, focused, active...

...but somewhere in the back of his wolfen mind was the feeling of belonging, even in a Clan to which he didn't feel he much belonged at all.

Even the not-so-wolfish wolf had a place when the dogs went on the hunt. It had just taken him a hell of a long time to find it. Oh, Chris, if only you could do this too...

[Swift]

Wolf Swift gladly accepts Emma's head scratches, even going so far as to push back at her hand a touch. Once Dillon shifts and starts off, Swift lowers his head and begins to move. He starts off a touch slower than he would normally run, both getting used to the feel of a rider and giving Emma a chance to get used to riding wolf-back. Once they both get the feel for the experience he takes off.

Paws sink into wet earth, claws finding traction where human feet would not. Wind brings the scent of forest and earth, of desperate life and sudden, vicious death, of predators and of prey to the wolf's nose. And tonight the biggest predator of these forests shall be our prey.

Swift becomes his namesake and glides through the branches and over stones and other obstacles, always mindful of his passenger. He picks out what scent he can of Dillon and the others, relying on his ears and eyes just as much, though a true wolf would need only the nose, to follow his pack leader. He also stayed alert for any sign of tonight's quarry. A bear was not something to be taken lightly, even by a pack of Gangrel wolves.

[Emma French]

After a few scratches to Dr. Swift's furry head, she gripped on tight. As they started out Emma adjusted her hips and leaned forward to fit better to the wolf form below her. She tucked her feet up and in using her knees to keep her balance. The fur from his neck tickled her face. The smell of wolf mixed with the fresh clean scents of nature. The freedom of riding bareback was only marred by the branches whipping at her clothes and body. Heedless of the scratches to her face she keeped her eyes focused ahead of them.

The rythmic thumping of his paws on the ground was exciting and relaxing at the same time. The muscles of the wolf contracted and released as he ran. Emma could feel the passion for the hunt build inside her. The savage within was rising to the occasion. If Emma was breathing she would be panting with anticipation, instead she became very focused. When action was needed she would be ready.

[Roxie Hart]

After the Leggy Regent settled into Dillon’s frame, she watched as the others came about. There was a sense of pride about her as she rode the Priscus to the head of the line. It wasn’t gloating, but almost a regal leader of the pack feeling for a moment.

And thank God she was holding on properly as he began to take off. She watched off to the sides as the others followed suit. Her eyes were just a hair over the occiput and she could see what was coming as they took up speed.

There was a breeze she felt through her short hair slipping past her ears. They may not have been going fast but they were going at a speed that nearly whistled through her ears. Her eyes squinted from the flow of air, and to see a little further. Roxie was enjoying riding Dillon. Maybe one day I'll get to ride him another way...

She looked back to Emma, a smile nearly predatory in understanding. The hunt was on.

As she looked back to wolf Jim, there was a fleeting moment where she nearly whished she rode him. He may not have taken the heel to the rib cage personally or tightening her legs around him to break a few. Maybe he’d figure out a thing or two.

[Tracy Burns]

OOC

sorry my extended absence folks!

Tracy nodded her now lupine head, not really able to say I'm ready in any other way...well except for maybe barking, but she preferred not to do that in case it alerted that which they were hunting that evening. As the other wolves around her took off into the night, the redheaded Whip followed close behind.

Dillon's joke about her long legs was perhaps accurate, and they moved with a graceful speed as the Gangrel charged forward. Her little black paws touching the ground just slightly, as Tracy leaped every so often from one spot to the next, following their Alpha's lead.

Even as she moved at a quickened pace, she did her best to not get too far ahead of some of the other members of the pack. After all, their success relied on them working together as a team, mimicking the wolves in nature while employing pack tactics to hunt their prey. Her heightened senses remained vigilant, waiting to catch a sign of the bear nearby.

Tracy running

[Dillon Connery]

Four undead wolves comb through the forest in a hungry blitz. Perhaps craving blood, but more importantly: the hunt. Dillon pushes the others' limits of speed, drawing the formation into a lopsided arrow. This is what he brought them out her for. Even though there are two among them still shaped like women, the pack mentality is palpable.

Senses push to their limits, searching for any sign of prey.

Everyone begin rolling Perception at -2 for darkness and the noise of our movement. Even for those using Shape of the Beast, Trained Observer will mitigate this penalty.

This is an extended action; the one who hits 20 successes in the fewest number of rolls senses something!

  Ugh, 7 rolls

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-09-07 06:11:03		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		10, 2, 1, 7, 3, 6, 10, 9, 5, 9		4 successes
2012-09-07 06:10:45		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		3, 10, 8, 8, 3, 5, 6, 10, 4, 5		4 successes
2012-09-07 06:10:29		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		5, 8, 10, 6, 5, 1, 1, 6, 8		3 successes
2012-09-07 06:10:14		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		1, 4, 2, 5, 7, 10, 5, 10, 3, 1		2 successes
2012-09-07 06:09:55		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		5, 3, 8, 8, 2, 4, 2, 2		2 successes
2012-09-07 06:09:35		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		5, 6, 9, 8, 1, 7, 2, 10, 7		3 successes
2012-09-07 06:09:15		Dillon Connery rolls 8 to wolf Perception; Wits + Composure +2 (10 Again)		9, 4, 9, 8, 1, 8, 6, 4		4 successes

[Tracy Burns]

Tracy continued to follow Dillon's lead, moving swiftly through the night. Always keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings. The thrill of the hunt surging through her lupine form, as she trotted along the forest, trying to catch the scent of their mark.

  6 rolls

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-09-07 07:47:00		[06] Tracy Burns rolls 8 to Perception+2 (Wolf form) (10 Again)		8, 8, 4, 1, 5, 9, 6, 3		3 successes
2012-09-07 07:47:00		[05] Tracy Burns rolls 8 to Perception+2 (Wolf form) (10 Again)		5, 1, 9, 1, 9, 5, 3, 10, 8		4 successes
2012-09-07 07:47:00		[04] Tracy Burns rolls 8 to Perception+2 (Wolf form) (10 Again)		10, 3, 8, 10, 7, 8, 1, 5, 3, 8		5 successes
2012-09-07 07:47:00		[03] Tracy Burns rolls 8 to Perception+2 (Wolf form) (10 Again)		9, 7, 7, 9, 5, 9, 9, 7		4 successes
2012-09-07 07:47:00		[02] Tracy Burns rolls 8 to Perception+2 (Wolf form) (10 Again)		10, 4, 10, 10, 4, 7, 9, 4, 5, 6, 5		4 successes
2012-09-07 07:47:00		[01] Tracy Burns rolls 8 to Perception+2 (Wolf form) (10 Again)		6, 6, 6, 6, 5, 9, 3, 8		2 successes

[Swift]

As the pack starts forward and the spirit of the night and the hunt begins to beat along side Swift's heart he puts his nose to air and his ears to the wind, attempting to discern anything that would help them locate their quarry.

  12 rolls....

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[12] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		3, 10, 6, 7, 4, 9, 2		2 successes
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[11] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		2, 1, 4, 8, 1, 5		1 success
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[10] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		7, 1, 9, 1, 7, 10, 5		2 successes
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[09] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		6, 7, 2, 1, 4, 6		failure
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[08] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		1, 8, 9, 1, 6, 8		3 successes
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[07] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		4, 9, 2, 8, 1, 9		3 successes
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[06] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		6, 3, 7, 2, 8, 4		1 success
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[05] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		5, 6, 6, 1, 1, 3		failure
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[04] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		5, 3, 2, 6, 2, 6		failure
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[03] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		1, 9, 1, 10, 9, 1, 10, 10, 5		5 successes
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[02] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		8, 7, 6, 6, 5, 2		1 success
2012-09-08 10:00:16		[01] Dr. Swift rolls 6 to Perception (Wits + Composure - 2 [environment] + 2 [Shape of the Beast: wolf]) (10 Again)		7, 8, 10, 7, 5, 6, 1		2 successes