Lakeside loungers

Tarraq moved towards the lake with his normal slow walk but one filled with confidence - as usual. Some blood still stained his muzzle after the young moose the he and his pack just had feasted on. Obviously he had made sure to get the best bits even if the kill hadn't been completely his. All in the pack had eaten as much as they possibly could and now the pied male just wished for some peace and quiet. That was not the easiest thing to get when you were in the company of two young pups. Karigi and Akatchiri walked behind him, and each female carried a big chunk of meat. The merle female the entire left frontleg and the half mane a good section of the moose left thigh. Most likely the females brought some food so the pups would have something to eat later Tarraq figured, since the the pups small bellies couldn't be filled with as much meat as the grown ups could. Aluaq and Tulrujuq had stayed back during the hunt, under the protection of a big log from a fallen spruce. After the moose had fallen Karigi had come and fetched them. She had waited a little so the frenzy of the hunt would have cooled the others down, as well as herself.

Above them the skies were a lovely light blue and not a cloud was to be seen. It was hardly any wind either and but that made it quite hot as soon as they had left the wood behind. Both Karigi and Akatchiri was soon hounded by not just the pups who still jumped and pestered them wanting to “help” carrying the meat. The flies found them too, but they had been drawn there by the smell of the meat. Karigi snorted and did her best to shake her head with the big leg in her mouth, just to get rid of the flying pests. It didn't help that Tulrujuq was trying to get a grip around the hoof and was pulling - even if it was in the right direction. Akatchiri was also annoyed by the insects but they were not swarming her as much as they swarmed the merle female. Earlier, before they left the woods Akatchiri had found a plant that she had made sure to roll herself in, doing her best to rub the green as much over her body as she could.

She had not a clue what it was, but the scent was of the same type that their twolegged had used on them. Something in what the human had put on had kept many of the flies away, and also other biting insects. Just rolling wasn't as effective as getting that paste on you, but none the less Akatchiri had less flies around her. A good thing because she didn't have as much mane on her neck like the merle female to protect her from the insects bites. Jumping up towards the half mane female, Aluaq tried to grab the chunk of meat, but every other time he just gave the meat a lick. To be honest Aluaq wasn't hungry, at least not at the moment. Then he saw something that caught his attention. A bird had noted the small pack approaching, but it could hardly understand that none of the predators were particularly hungry. With a nest of young close by she did what she usually did when something threatening came close. She faked being wounded, screeching, jumping around and pretended to have a broken wing. Anything to lure the predators away from her young that covered in the nest. Her behaviour caught the attention from one of the tokotas, the black pup.

The birds behavior was enough to lure Aluaq away from the half mane female. Ears topped the  black pup jumped after the bird that at all times just out of reach. Her brothers behaviour soon lured the long mane puppy from the merles side and Tulrujuq gave chase after her black coated brother. When the pups closed in, and coming too close to her to be completely safe the bird flew higher up. By now the pack was further away from her nest and her wing became magically better. Her chatter from the branch high up in the shrub only seemed to make the tokota pups even more interested. Aluaq and Tulrujuq didn't even notice when the bird flew off, going back to her nest. They still tried to find it, pawing the branches and standing on their hindlegs. With a cough like sound Tarraq did get their attention back. They was not allowed to drift back the way they did, since separating themself from the only source of protection was obviously a bad idea. The two pups, while not really sure why the male looked at them with such a stern eye, they obeyed him right away. While not having the same nip as the merle female, Aluaq and Tulrujuq had learned early to listen. Karigi and Akatchiri had stopped when the male had gone back for the pups. When Aluaq and Tulrujuq came up to them they bowed their head and wagged their tail slowly as they glanced up at her, like they were asking for forgiveness.

A little while later they came down to the lake. The grown tokotas had chosen a spot where they would be alone but was still able to see some other tokotas that they belonged to other twolegged of the tribe. Karigi lifted her head a little extra and scented the air, and a slow wag came to her tail as she thought she spotted a brown male walking away from the leg with a twolegged. If it was one tokota the merle would wag her tail for and be truly happy to see it was her brother. The playful yip of the pups however got her to focus back on them. The females put down the meat and it was like the trek from the woods had made the pups hungry again. Akatchiri had begun to gnaw at her bit of meat, and flicked her ears back, her upper lip twitching slightly as Tulrujuq came closer. The halfmane wasn't really hungry but that didn't mean the pup could just go and take the meat. Not like her brother who still rather frequently did the mistake, the long mane puppy sat down. Something itched behind her left ear and a hindleg was quick to see to that itch stopped.

After a good enough of time, under which the pups itch stopped, Akatchiri let Tulrujuq go ahead and eat. Aluaq had slowly approached Tarraq who had claimed the moose leg. For once the black tokota pup seemed to remember his previous lessons and waited. When the pied male didn't seemed to notice him the pup whimpered. When that didn't help he yipped and tried to paw the air above, like he was able to paw the leg closer. After a short moment the pup walked around and repeated his actions but from the other side. Tarraq still pretended not to notice, not until he had devoured most of the bigger meat chunks on the leg. By now Aluaq had lied down and just observed longingly. Karigi had vanished down the bank down to the water. Eagerly the young male pup began to eat while the older stretched out beside him, enjoying the sun. A little ways from them the long maned pup was half asleep as well as the half mane was grooming her.

The wind was mild and came from the lake, cooling the big predators just enough. Karigi returned from the lake and even if she laid down as well, she didn't lay down completely. By now the others was sleeping and even if they together with the bear was the top predator, it didn't mean they could relax completely. There was always a risk, even to a strong pack as the one they belonged to. However it wasn't something the merle female was thinking of as she scanned the area across the waters. It was after all a perfect day by the lake.