So focused was it on the pair of hunters that had first attacked it, the elk took no notice of the third sneaking up behind it until once more it was shedding great, glossy drops of blood. The hammer of her paws scrabbling against his thickened hide was nothing compared to the fangs that buried themselves in his hindquarters, and the bull felt itself fall backward, pulled by the hanging wolf’s weight.

Its hooves stuttered on the ground, seeking some sense of purchase, desperate to right its heaving weight, when the second attack came.

It was only sheer dumb luck and his own frenzied dancing that kept the injury from being catastrophic. As it was, the elk still bellowed in pain as the salt-and-peppered wolf dug her fangs deep into the slab of muscle that covered its sloping shoulder. He wrenched, desperate to turn his rage upon her, but she was off him and away before he could even think to strike.

He only stared at her, eyes rimmed red with pain, took in the splash of his blood upon her muzzle, steaming in the mid-morning cool – and realized that perhaps his life was about to once more flame out, as it had done ages upon ages ago when he was still mortal.

When the third came, he was almost resigned, but still the elk struggled, self-preservation warring with the fatigue that was suddenly sapping the strength from its limbs.

Again, it sidled away at the very last moment, and her fangs closed on a chunk of flesh, tearing it free of the bull’s greater form. The wound she’d left behind bled sluggishly but freely, and the injured limb trembled heavily.

He was so close to death now, still capable of fighting back – but a final assault would drop him down to the ground, and it would all be over from there.

He had to ward them off – was desperate to push them away – and his body gave a great buck, desperate to dislodge the first wolf that clung to his hindquarters.

ooc: wolf attack rolls. spotless again, ladies. same damage as last time, and this guy still hasn't managed an attack of his own.

The bull’s life-force flowed freely. Its strength was flagging. And the sunlight was so warm – so warm that he did not react in time, his darkening eyes only widening in silent pain as the lanky she-wolf gripped his neck.

Her fangs pierced deep and true, and a soft gurgle gushed out of him, accompanied by blood from his tongue, nearly bitten in half from the agony.

He sagged, already lowering his head in wearied acceptance of his fate – and then the second was upon his back, nearly straddling him as she went for his spine. His flanks were too heavily muscles, too meaty, for her to quite work up the bite force needed to sever her spine – but her vicious strike only added to the blood flow.

He dropped with a suddenness that kept the third wolf from her attack, her teeth skimming his hide before he fell away from her, the titanic beast thrashing weakly as it landed on its side.

The last struggle of a dying animal, pain began to fade from his senses, eyes filming over as the finality of death approached. The divine energy that had kept him immortal could not keep him from this sort of death.

But it could at least let him die in peace, eyes slipping shut as if he was taking one last nap amongst the snowdrops.
And then he breathed no more.

ooc: wolf attack rolls. he's dead jim. you'll be allowed until saturday 23rd to do any wrap-up posts in this thread and then it will be moved to the archives. so if you want a long, drawn-out discussion, consider moving it to another thread :> first hunt complete!!