Chapter 19: Murder in the Woods, Part 5

Nick just growled in response and let saliva drip onto his prey's fur.

"He was seen chasing after a cow moose that wasn't there."

"Even a bull moose isn't that dense."

"There was a scent, but no cow, a call, but no bull. My year's mate's brother's cousin's last year's mate's litter eldest saw it."

"And what do you expect for this information?"

"My children are abroad tonight. Don't hunt them."

"And you?"

"I am prey rightfully caught, just be quick."

Rabbits, while tasty, were on the small side. Nick thought about what the rabbit had told him as he crunched its bones.

How could there be the scent of a cow without a cow? It didn't make sense. There must be a simple explanation. Tomorrow he'd talk to the moose and then it would be her problem. He licked the last of the blood off his lips and headed back to the den.

He woke before the sun and loped toward the grassy meadow where he was most likely to find Irma. The early morning air hung cool and damp. Scent didn't travel far in the still air, but sounds travelled from great distances, like he could hear everything happening in the whole world.

"Jen," Nick stopped and sat on the path. "You might as well come out."

She stepped out of the brush and shook the damp off her fur.

"I though you might want company, in case they tried to step on you again."

Nick just nodded and headed on down the path.

"Don't try to eat the moose," he said over his shoulder.

The reached the meadow as the twilight of early morning was lifting. Nick didn't see any moose, but he didn't expect to. Those creatures were about as paranoid as one could get and still go out to eat. They were prey, though very large prey.

"I have a message for Irma," he called into the still air.

"I'm hungry," Jen said. "I didn't get much more than a mouse last night."

"Should be plenty of mice here, just don't go too far."

There must have been plenty of mice, because soon Jen was hopping and crouching and occasionally there would be a small squeak and some crunching.

"What do you want?" a young cow moose said as she came into the meadow. "Why is she eating all the mice?"

"She's hungry." Nick scratched at his ear. "Mice are easier to catch than moose."

The moose took a couple of steps back from Nick. Jen looked up and grinned at her with a mouse tail dangling from her jaws.

"Just tell Irma I want to talk to her." Nick said. "We'll wait here." He pounced on a mouse that ran between him and the young moose. The moose ran off into the woods. Her crashing through the brush lasted long after he'd caught his second and even third mouse.

"Good hunting," Jen said after they each had caught at least two paws of mice.

"Keep hunting but stay close," Nick said. "A big moose is coming this way." To his surprise it wasn't Irma that stepped out of the woods, but a bull. The spread of his antlers was wider than Nick was long. Used properly they were deadly weapons, and this bull walked like he knew exactly how to use them.

"Are you the wolf that's looking for Bob?"

"Me?" Nick said and tossed a mouse into the air before swallowing it. "Why would I be looking for Bob?"

"Because some fat cow stood on your tail and told you to."

Nick nodded and licked his lips.

"Yeah, that would be a good reason. What's your interest in Bob?"

"Let him stay lost."

"I do that, Irma and her friends trample me into mud."

"If he shows up," the bull said, "I'll trample you into mud." He tossed his antlers. "I should crush you right now and be done with it."

"You want Bob out of the way so you can grab his harem, right?" Nick said. "Don't you want to impress the cows with your masculine prowess?"

"There's younger bulls..."

"But Bob is too much for you is he?"

The bull snorted and lowered his antlers. Nick crouched ready to dodge the charge he was sure was coming. Then a streak of fur came out of the grass under the bull and Jen fastened her teeth on the bull's masculine prowess. A higher squeak than Nick imagined possible came from the bull as he twisted and danced trying to either crush the wolf or throw her off.

"Stand still, or she'll bite it right off. Then where will you be with the ladies?"

The bull stopped and stood absolutely still. Nick could see the whites of his eyes, but the fear was rapidly turning to rage.

"Drop him, Jen." Nick shook himself then crouched facing the bull. "I suggest you leave quickly and quietly," he said to the bull, "I have no interest in a fight to the death here." He bared his teeth and growled. "But say the word and we'll go." Jen growled off to the side. Blood dripped off the huge animal, and Nick drooled at the thought of eating moose. The bull walked off, a little stiffly. He stopped at the edge of the trees.

"This isn't over wolf!" he shouted, then vanished into the trees.

"It's never over until you're rotting or digesting," Nick said.

"What a disgusting thought," Irma said as she stepped out of the woods.

Jen looked up at Irma and grinned.

"Don't even think about it," Irma looked at Nick. "What have you learned? It isn't that I don't enjoy watching Ted being humiliated, but you need to stay focused."

"Ted," Nick stopped and glanced back where Ted had vanished, but without the crash of a bull moose walking through the woods. He raised his voice a bit. "Ted was quite interested in me not finding Bob. It seems he doesn't think he's bull enough to take on Bob." A sudden crashing echoed in the clearing as trees swayed and fell.