The Hunt

"Brrrrrrrrrrrr." Solar shivered. The cold northern wind blew from the lake, waking Solar groggily. Slowly he lifted his swollen eyelids just to close them again and turn his head away. The bright glare of the sunset was multiplied by the reflection off the water.

Slowly Solar arose, wondering where he was. He nearly stepped on Luna who was still curled up, unconscious. That's when he rememberedwhat had happened that morning.

Quickly he went to make sure Luna was still breathing. The hot breath on his foreleg was a waterfall of relief.

Gggrrrrrrrrrumble. Solar jumped at the sound of his own stomach. It was unusual to hear that during the summer when your an alpha. "I should go hunt for when Luna wakes up. " he thought.

Solar stalked off into the woods, he was taught to step lightly and stay low when hunting small prey. He hated hunting like this, feeling like a pitiful cat. His tail drifted low like a peasent wolf.

Slowly he pricked his ears, listening intentlly for the smallest patter of a mouse or the hard hops of a hare. His head pricked up he got the scent of something big. A deer?

Solar got excited and followed the scent trail. The scent got stronger as he got closer, past the towering pines and whisping spruce. Closer...

Closer!...

Any minute now, and...

SNAP! He stepped on a twig. He heard the graceful gallop of a doe just a few yards away.

"Curse my luck." Solar swore under his breathe. He gave chase, jumping over bolders and rounding tree trunks. The does speckled haunches were in sight. Just a little faster and he'd have food for tonight and tomorrow.

There it is! This was his chance. A small tower of mossy boulders lay ahead. He could climb it in a few leaps and launch himself on top of the doe.

1 2 3 LAUNCH!

CRASH!

A shooting pain ran up his foreleg. Solar yowled in pain and frustration as he watched the doe prance off into the trees. "I've never missed before. Why this time?" Solar thought. He decided it was his groggy brain and stalked off to find a hare.

A couple minutes later Solar made his way back to the clearing with a fat squirrel in his jaws. "It's not a hare but it'll do." He told himself. He retraced his scent to find his way back to the lake. Feeling for the chili lake wind as well.

He took it all in. He had never truly been able to walk alone in the forest before he was exiled, it was breathtaking. The wind whistled through the needles and made the fallen ones dance across the floor. Solar laughed at the way the trees cracked in such a measly wind. His ears fell in love with the birds sweet melody, and the moss along the rocks was whimsical.

"Ma? Are you there?" A tiny voice whimpered from ahead. "Luna's awake!" Solar thought gleefully though soon frowned at the thought of a large strange wolf approaching a clueless cub. He didn't want to frighten Luna, after all, he needed Luna's trust.

Solar hid in the brush, which wasn't easy with his snowy fur, and snuck closer to the pup. He pushed his squirrel out where the pup could see and backed away, as though he were feeding a bear. Solar, treading lighter than when hunting a mouse, circled the clearing so he was behind Luna.

She stopped whimpering long enough for her to notice the squirrel.

"Ma? Are you there? Is this for me?" Her tail wagged excitedly as she crouched down to take a bite. Solar slunked away to find some food for himself while Luna finished her squirrel.

A few pounces later and Solar had a squirrel of his own. It was skinnier though it was better than nothing. He started with the tender brown haunches and worked his way to the tougher top.

During the short trek home Solar decided it was better to introduce himself now. That way he could take care of Luna asap. Before trotting into the clearing and scaring the poor thing half to death, Solar de-alphad himself the best he could.

He ruffled up his slik, well groomed fur and slackened his posture, lowering his tail and belly till they barely brushed the tips of the grass. He didn't want to look submissive, just less threatening. Solar pushed through the weeds right behind Luna. She jumped at the sound and turned around with icy blue hopeful eyes.

"Ma?!"