Secrets of the First Moon

Chapter 2: Hunt to Kill

Arion POV

Trees were rushing past. Obstacles jutted out everywhere. She flew through the tangled trees effortlessly. You had to move fast and be just as quick with every sense; be the forest. There was nothing Arion loved more.

The younger wolves were hunting an elk that they had separated from the herd.

The prey ran as fast as it could down the twisted trail. The desperate legs force the animal to its limits. It would do be of no good in the end. The fleeing elk was an ill match for the skilled young wolves that were now spreading out around.

Arion leapt from the upper trail, flattening her copper-red fur with the force of her jump. She took a chunk from the shoulder.

Once Arion released, she saw a black wolf snap hard on the flank. As Reni released, Arion kept racing on.

Looking to the outside of their hunting pack, she was making sure the other three were holding their positions as well.

She saw Micah grab the elk's nose and twist the head towards him. The elk let out an agonizing scream, but then it changed course. Instead of resisting Micah's bite, the elk turned towards him and charged.

Arion changed her direction with a sharp right. She was now behind their prize and was pleased to notice her pack-mates weren't too terribly caught off guard by the move.

The switch of direction allowed for one of the wolves to clamp onto the throat.

The wounded creature pushed itself, eyes wide, nostrils flared.

They were closing in around the struggling animal. Attempting to avoid kicks from the hooves here and there, four of the five wolves tore at their prey.

The elk threw its head wildly while blindly striking. The distraught elk didn't notice Arion move to the front.

The snap of her jaws around the throat insured the take-down. Reni and the others ripped the belly open so the insides would drop, just in case the front attack had been compromised.

Their target was down and they now gathered around the stilling body. Phinn, the larger of the five adolescents approached the kill first. Arion was looking over the others to make sure none got kicked too hard.

Arion turned back to the elk after ensuring the others weren't beat up too bad. She saw Phinn take the dying animal's neck in his mouth and give it a hard jerk, ending its life quickly. This was the way, but that was Arion's task, not his. He looked up at Arion who lowly growled in return.

Phinn tilted his head and perked his ears.

'What? Did you want to do that?' His low voice rumbled through the pack's mind link.

'You know that the end kill was and is mine.' Arion took a step of advancement while the three others took a step back. Arion then heard Reni give a slight whimper in protest to stop. She ignored the black wolf's plea.

'Come on, just because you're the Alpha's daughter doesn't mean you always get your way, what happens when you have a mate?'

Arion knew Phinn was trying to flirt, but how could he know so little about her while being in the same pack? All he did was piss her off. It was his gift and yet he saw it as enduring, assuming everyone else did.

The watching wolves saw this and did not want any part of it. At least they were smart enough to know that you don't say things like that to Arion, especially coming off of a kill with their adrenaline high.

She lowered her head and started to bare her teeth when they were interrupted.

'Very nice! Excellent formation and timing as well. Clean and quick kill for a smaller pack of hunters.' Their teacher's loud voice entered their link.

They looked upon the ridge where Dorin stood looking down at them. He was one of their elders and ran with the young ones while they trained in hunting as well as other tasks the pack deemed necessary to learn. He was still very athletic for his aging years, (aging slowly helps with that) and his peppered coat hid the new gray that was appearing around his muzzle.

Dorin beamed at them in pride, his tail doing the slow-approving wag. He then sauntered down towards them as they waited patiently.

'Great teamwork, and that is what it is all about to be successful as a pack.' Dorin made eye contact with Arion and Phinn specifically.

Arion could safely say that she was always about the team. It was one of their very first lessons about being a successful hunter and survivor. The pack was everything and needed to work together. She sometimes questioned Phinn though. He usually listened, but lately, he was trying to prove something it seemed.

She was snapped from her growing anger and personal thoughts by the sound of Dorin's gravelly voice entering their minds.

“But enough! Let's drag the prize back on some limbs so we can use the carcass for trading and then we will feast." Dorin turned away from them.

Heading back, as if an after-thought, their teacher mentioned, “Oh, and of course not before a little history refresher."

“You mean a pop quiz, don't you?" Micah whined from behind.

Dorin turned back and sauntered towards the homes, but they all could hear his quiet laughter.

The young pack shifted into their human forms in order to quickly makeshift a liter to pull. Once done, they shifted back and d**g their victory to the farm where the rest of the pack was at.