Hunts were a thrilling experience - but also a necessity. For such a large pack - and almost as large flock - berries and the like would not cut it to make sure everyone went to bed on a full stomach. But, when prey was plentiful and lively such as this, finding something to track down was never difficult - especially when the flock was there to provide eyes in the sky. And with a large enough catch, an equally large number of pack members could be well fed.

But the first step would, as always, be finding it - because even with the Murkrow to help, that never necessarily meant that the prey would stay where it was. Some prey knows to beware the flock's gaze, on top of such. The tracking portion was still its own form of fun, however; a mystery to be solved, hints found in footprints, tufts of fur, broken foliage, and the like.

And then, when the prey is located, comes the prowl - closer, closer, creeping as close as they can to their target without being seen past the maze of trees. Which, more often than not, leads to the chase if they are spotted. A flurry of movement, wild and unbridled - heart beating, blood roaring, lungs heaving... All up until the pounce - a bite to the leg sending their prey tumbling, allowing for the hunting party to converge; a successful conquest.

Ettie is satisfied, licking the blood from her claws. The pack will eat well tonight.

• player/ooc name: Tsukistar
• character tags: Ettie El Sunderland Makoto Kurumi
• dropped characters' tags (if applicable): N/A
• ic posts for characters: El Ettie Makoto
• are characters in directories?: Y
• any notes/comments: a a a a a

A quick departure - but it's alright. Ettie gives him a wave and a "Bye-bye friend!" as she watches him fly off atop his Charizard's back - disappearing from view as he goes beyond the canopy above.

Which leaves her and her pack to their own devices - with a number of newfound members in tow. Ettie affectionately scritches Anne behind the ear, before climbing up onto the Lycanroc's back - settling just behind the mane, either hand on a couple of her spikes like handlebars.

And ready to continue onwards, she nudges Anne forward - the pack following behind like flowing water.

Redeeming:
- Tattered Instruction Manual x6 (Border + Ultra Deep Sea) finally getting this out of the way yay-
- - Getting a Type: Null with the moveset Tri Attack, Crush Claw, X-Scissor, Iron Head, Pursuit, Scary Face

Slow mornings, quiet and peaceful. Shared in the company of one's beloved pack, with a communal meal of preserved meats and fruits that they'd been transporting with them. Ettie was nothing if not resourceful - she always made sure to collect plenty of food wherever she could, for the pack. And she'd been learning plenty of tricks, to make perishables last!

And once the pack's bellies are full, they are off - out into the wilds once more, of the ever-familiar Route 111. Admittedly, there is something that she's seeking out in prowling through here - even if she, thus far, wasn't having too much luck with it. Would today be different, perhaps?

Overhead, a wild Spearow passes by with a flutter of wings.

But as Dorian commented upon the Nihilego, Ettie paused in her idle drawings. "Is not-nice." She spoke, a sense of unease falling over her at thinking back to the strange ultra beasts. "Has... Venom. Bad venom. Makes... Makes confused. Can't-think. Feel wild. Heart loud." Ettie frowned, shaking her head. "Dangerous."

He then asks about the mark - and Ettie blinks, not immediately realizing she had been itching her neck. But when it all clicks, she glances to her own hand - then back to him - before nodding. "Ettie stung, by Nihilego. Was... Not fun." She confirmed. "But friends give medicine. So is okay!" She offers him a reassuring smile with this, even if it's plain to see that thinking back to that cursed experience has her a little unsettled.

And for a change of pace came a pokemon that wasn't a rock-type. In fact, this pokemon appeared to be more of a fire-type, a lizard pokemon with an acrid-yet-sweet smell in its wake.

Ettie was curious to watch the Salazzle from afar - partially because this poison-type had a pack of her own, consisting of charmed Salandits that were tailing right after her. When the larger leader made a gesture, the Salandit followers would immediately act - scampering over to a nearby bush, to gather the berries from it for their queen.

So, not quite a pack, Ettie decided. Maybe more like a swarm, like Vespiquen and Combee? She remembered Julie mentioning something like that... Which was interesting to think back to, and compare to this.

At Nikita's question, Ettie nodded. "Yes." She responded simply, not offering much else. Whether what the pack picked up on was the person they were looking for was up in the air - but she trusted that it otherwise would be something of interest. Anne wasn't one to get distracted, after all.

Distant screams soon grabbed her attention, though. On one hand, this was a good sign - because it confirmed that they were approaching a human, and meant that whoever was out there was very much alive. On the other hand, this also meant that they were in distress - and only time would tell if this was because they were in extreme pain, or cursed with extreme danger.

Either way, Ettie would glance to Anne and Duchess - and pointing ahead, would state "Go." She took point in a way that felt unusual coming from a young girl such as herself - but it was practiced and comfortable for her all the same.

Anne was a bit reluctant to leave Ettie and the other pups alone with the detective and his pokemon - though she regarded Winters with respect, she had not decided upon whether the man was friend or foe. She'd be loathe to let someone who was a threat get close to her sister.

But, even that being said, the two canines would follow Ettie's direction. The Electrike and Lycanroc both were swift - darting on ahead with Quick Attack and Accelerock respectively. The sooner they could reach the human in need, the better.

Nikita Sokolov

Another pack of Lycanroc were afoot - paired with the presence of a particularly ghostly hound. And with each distant howl that echoes through the Jagged Pass each night...

"AoouuuuUUUUU~!"

... Ettie was more than happy to awoo right back - alongside her own pack. Call and response, greetings to kindred spirits - not every meeting of packs had to be one fraught with disputes and violence over territory or prey. Ettie was more than happy to share what she could of her own pack's catches, after all!

And who knows? Perhaps they'd draw in a new friend, amidst these nighttime communes...

It came as a surprise when - one day - a little Rockruff appeared at the garden. First glance might make one think them to be Mina - but the scent was not the same, and the pack were thus surprised to see the pup. Who was this stranger? What brought them here?

Anne understood, however. There came a time where a Rockruff would set out from its pack - somewhat like a rite of age - when the urge to evolve came near. Not out of any lost love for one's pack - but for breathing room, space to grow. And the Rockruff would either return a Lycanroc, or would become independant - often to either form its own pack, or join another.

And it seemed the lattermost option would come along, as Ettie arrived with food. Noting this newcomer, she'd smile to the pup - extending an offering in their direction. "Friend! Hello," She chirped. "Want food?"

In contrast to the prior Magcargo came a Shuckle - the shell they were known for being much less camoflauged. But as Ettie had found out once upon a time, there was not much point in trying to hunt one - the shell was quite hard! Even ghost-fighting-type Delle found it not worth the trouble, more often than not.

So, the pack would leave it be, aside from Duchess curiously pawing at the Shuckle - whilst it was still inside its shell - making it briefly rock.

Example number one of the prior issue: Magcargo. It was definitely one of the less subtle pokemon - particularly with the heat that came off of it, and the glowing cracks. But otherwise, from afar, it looked more or less like an odd boulder when it was in its shell. But, at least they tended to be a more docile sort - and while Magcargo were definitely not prey, they were not predators either.

Ghostly and shadowy as ever, Delle would come close to investigate a wild Magcargo - attempting to peek into the shell. Though, when the Magcargo seemed less than keen on coming out, she'd soon lose interest - returning to the pack's side as they moved on.