Gusty Emotions on Wet Roads

Ch. 10 - To Hunt and To Feast

Evelyn frowned as she overheard Oscar inform her father of their deteriorating food funds. They were low, and they wouldn't last the month with what they had.

Their situation was deteriorating quickly now that almost all the families of the small pack couldn't support themselves. Soon, they would have to start making decisions about whether the Pack should have cable and wifi in the den. Her brow furrowed as her magic swirled tightly around her.

"Okay... what do you suppose that we do?" she wondered, concerned for her pack. The beta shook his head, trying to rack his brain for an option. Her father rubbed the thick greying hair on his chin in contemplation.

The pack needed to eat.

"Is it still Elk season?" Oscar inquired, furrowing her brow, "We could have a hunt." A hunt? Evelyn and Her father pondered the notion. It could work. The pack would be fed, and it would provide the pack cohesion and reassurance. A morale buster for sure.

"That might work." Her father said as he nodded before turning to his Beta, "Talk with the hunters; see what they say about it."

Oscar nodded as the Alpha spoke. He agreed before he left to find the hunters. This was a good short-term solution to their long-term problem. However, their short-term solution here wouldn't last for winter. Their prey would be scarce and the pack would starve.

It wasn't long before Oscar had returned to the Alpha, who was in the library, with an excited head hunter, Michael, by his side. Before he could ask, Michael had begun to talk of the large amount of game within their territory now. It was the best news he had heard in a while – the pack would eat well tonight. The alpha smiled wide and asked them to tell the pack of the hunt and to invite all those of age if they would like to go.

Evelyn had stayed within the office, writing down their finances in their books to make sure they were on budget for the month. Cuts to her own personal comforts had helped only marginally, but her chest felt lighter knowing that she was helping her pack in any way she could.

Evelyn could tell that word about the hunt spread fast within the pack, exciting all. The den began to buzz with every member rushing to get ready, excitedly talking with one another as they did so. She could hear them through the walls and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Pack magic swelled. The prospects of a hunt and the following feast made their mouths water, and the little pups yipped in excitement.

Evelyn couldn't help but get excited with her pack. She couldn't sit still or focus on the papers on her father's desk as much as she knew she should. Evelyn itched to run through the forest, to stalk her prey with the pack – to hunt. She could practically feel the elk's flesh within her teeth – she craved it now.

Evelyn looked up in surprise when the door opened quickly to reveal her father. The frown lines that only disappeared around her little brother lately were very present as he walked to his desk. He looked very old in that moment as his worry combined well with his greying hair and beard.

Scenting the air as she got out of his chair, Evelyn couldn't find the musk of anger in the air; but his wolf magic was kept tightly around himself. He wasn't celebrating with the rest of the pack. Her wolf magic turned, trying to comfort her father and alpha as well as keep the pack from being alerted to the distress. It wouldn't do to upset them now – not when they were so happy.

"These hunts won't solve the problem for long," he rumbled softly as he sat at his desk, briefly glancing at the paperwork scattered about. As he looked everywhere but her, Evelyn agreed as she worried her hands once more. What were they going to do? What was her father thinking?

"The summer equinox has passed..." he muttered, as he pulled one of the papers closer to read. Evelyn once again confirmed. She opened her mouth ask him if he had a plan for winter, but nothing came out. Would it even be proper to ask? She placed her fingers to her mouth, pondering. It was only a couple of hours from when they had decided on the hunt, but she itched to have some idea of what they were going to do after. She needed know.