Chapter 4

It was hard for the little cub to have slept, having nightmares of gigantic felines chasing him didn't help a bit. There was the excitement of the first hunt, it was something that he would be doing often, but this time, was his first. A moment later he shakes out a few other thoughts that had snuck inside of his head. His eyes moving to focus on his mother. If his eyes could sparkle, they would be shining in the mid-morning sun.

His mother huffs a little at the excitement radiating off of him. For the first time, she seemed to surround her mind in a wall, wrapping up her thoughts in a brick wall that had no cracks in it. The wolfess looking down at her cub and shifting her head, making it obvious what she meant, your by yourself.

He shakes a little, it felt different, like he was alone in an ocean, the comfort of his mother's mind had lulled him into a false sense of invulnerability. A little whimper coming from his throat as he looks out at the world. His mother's nose presses against his side, encouraging, but a little forceful.

He makes his steps out into the forest, ears now perked up, listening for almost every little noise that he could take in. The hyper alertness bringing in all the sounds that he might ignore, the shifting of branches over head, to little animals running through the grass. His nose shifting, taking in all the scents that he had remembered previously, and some new ones that had moved in. He walks slowly, head turning, trying to look back towards his mother. It was hard to notice her, almost like she was starting to hide away in the trees, following close behind, but not enough for her to affect his hunt.

He takes a moment to breathe deep, trying to calm his nerves, knowing that all his thoughts weren't needed for what was to come. His mind plays over the hunts his mother had shown him. The first thing he did, was try to extend his psychic sense, which failed spectacularly. He knew how much life was around him, but he couldn't even feel a bug that was running over his foot paw.

He took another deep breath through his nose, searching out smells instead. His mind latching onto a rabbit's scent, just something faint, it was like a filter had snapped on, letting him start to slowly move towards the scent. It was harder then he had thought to follow, he had lost the scent a couple of times around a fallen tree. The smell starting to slowly build, his mind shaking a little at the excitement of a fresher scent.

In that moment though, his mother had snuck up, his mind was to focused, and barked. He shot up like a fire had just appeared right under his stomach and put his stomach on fire. Causing him to whirl around and stare at her, the walls are carefully taken down, amusement clear in her mind. Showing her favorite mistakes he had made so far, not letting him have a chance to get angry at her.

The first thing that was clear, was that he had become to enthralled in that specific animal, showing that he had scared off a few other animals that had crossed the trail he followed. Of course, the fact that he was so focused on the hunt, the fact that he could be hunted, wasn't a thought either. Nothing had approached, other then her, but that could have just as well been another predator, if she wasn't there.

His mind shakes a little at that thought, he realized he was only barely alert, only careful to avoid making noises and not tripping. A little fear taking root where it should belong, right near his heart, not something pervasive and all consuming, but something to keep his mistakes even more well known.

She shows him then, her own first hunt. It was filled with a few mistakes that had been refined out later in life, the fact of seeing the forest through the trees. Almost an easy thing for all them to lose themselves to.

He takes another breathe, the young wolf taking time to try and find himself something, this time his mother was giving him a little bit of changes to her mind. Her mind showing him the trails that he had been missing, nothing to make him decide, but just showing him where she saw him missing. Letting him know just where she had noticed him messing up.

His nose moving to catch these new scent, trying to figure out which was closest. His mother now reminding him to use his ears, not letting him move until he actually started use more of his senses together. He soon starts to follow another little trail.

It was a bit quicker to follow, a soft lope through the shadows of the trees, it was an hour before he found the end of the trail, a squirrel that was searching through the fallen leaves for little bugs and nuts, along with some fruits. It was completely distracted, and barely noticed the shifting leaves.

He stood still, almost staring intently at it, almost as if he was trying to look through, he jumped when it had risen up with a prize, his jaw closing around the back of it's neck, a quick jerk of his head finishing his first hunt with a crack.

A little pride coming from his mother as she comes towards him. Laying down in front of him, and just staring at him. Showing herself eating her own kills, letting him know what he should be doing.

The next hour was interesting as he starts to gorge, not an easy task, having easy meals for the past month, and no real experience eating freshly killed meat.

His stomach soon filed with the fresh meal, making him feel as if he had just eaten a big meal before he had passed. His mother cleans his face, guiding him back to the cave, it was still bright out when he curled up into her sides, closing his eyes as he forgets the work in the warmth of his mother's side.