Three Hearts One Soul

Chapter 5: Pain

The pack was gathered around the large form of the leader, all silent as his gaze seemed to penetrate them individually. It was time for the weekly hunt and they were currently only waiting on the scout to return. She was searching for a herd that had some likely candidates to take down. The rest of them were always to stay quiet until she returned, to allow for maximum focus on the coming task.

Vincent was waiting in the back, trying not to show how antsy he was. Jesters usually were not allowed on hunts but after last night they needed a large stockpile of food to heal. Thus, they were going after the really big game and needed ALL members of the pack to contribute. Even if it was just him using his small, lithe frame to distract the target while the others took it down.

The scout finally returned, letting them know a cow moose had been found not too far from here. The megafauna rarely came down this far south, so the pack was extra eager with many yippings and foot tappings, especially from the younger members who hadn't had a chance to hunt anything larger than a hare yet. Russel, the leader, stopped all noise though by tossing his head back and letting out the hunting howl.

All of them joined in and it was a chorus of voices from deep to high. They got themselves hyped for the hunt before falling in line behind the leader and scout. He gave the yip that sent the scout off to show where she had found the moose. First Russel followed, then the rest of the pack. After the initial howl, they were all as quiet as could be, a trait that shifters actually had over their animal cousins.

They found the moose easily enough; it was hard to miss something that large after all. However, as they started to circle it, a loud crack sounded from the other side of the clearing she was standing in. This startled the cow into bolting…straight for their pack. Everyone dived out of the way and fortunately the only injury was a trampled tail. Painful and annoying but not fatal.

Afterwards, though, the pack was snarling at the bushes where the crack had come from. One hot tempered youngling leaped before the signal was given, though, apparently intent on shredding whoever had disturbed the hunt. They quickly found themselves on their side though as a reddish-brown wolf tackled them aside with a roar of fury. That roar caused the woods on either side to come alive with the Kingston pack, all of whom leaped into action to defend their own.

The Catskill pack didn't take this lying down either, though and soon the woods were once again ringing with the sound of fighting, raging wolves. Vincent actually found himself facing another Jester and was being given a run for his money. He wasn't the strongest wolf in the pack, so he was actually struggling against the other wolf who had him pinned. A yelp was ripped out of his throat as one of his paws was bit down hard upon, the high pitch causing some to pause and stare.

One of the ones that stopped his battle though did more than just stare, he did something completely unexpected. He leapt, not at Vincent, but his own packmate, sending the Jester flying with a tackle. Lucas seemed surprised by his actions as much as everyone else did, though, and just stood there after, looking shaken. It was apparent that he had not intended to do that and now wasn't quite sure what to do.

The low, warning growls from his packmates startled him out of his thoughts though and he barked at them to be quiet. They did so with reluctance but they were too well raised and trained to listen to the leader to not follow. The battle was over anyways after Lucas' performance, as even the Catskill pack were just staring at him with confusion. They couldn't quite make out why he had done it either, though Russel was looking concerned more than confused.

Vincent stood up and opened his mouth to thank Lucas, but before he could get a word out the other snapped his teeth at him in a snarl. He then led his pack away, leaving Vincent staring after him. It was clear that, despite his actions, he still wasn't ready to accept the rival, low-ranking wolf as his mate. Vincent tried his hardest to ignore how much his heart ached at the thought.

With the hunt ruined by the invading pack, the rest started heading home. It wasn't as if there would be any other prey around after all the noise that had just been made anyways. Vincent hung back, trailing the rest by a good five wolf lengths. The leader took notice of this immediately and started matching his Jester step for step, something the younger wolf was glad of, if a bit surprised.

“Tomorrow, you are to take the day off work. I need you to go as a diplomat to the Kingston pack. These interruptions can't keep happening or we'll starve. Tallow will have to listen if it is pointed out to him that his own pack is suffering just as much. Can I count on you?" Russel asked Vincent, who nodded his accent. The leader nodded in return and the two walked back home in companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.