Flame Wolf

The Hunt

One day, my mother and father decided to take my kin and I out for our very first hunt. I was really excited, I had been dreaming about this day for quite a while now. My mother led us, my father taking up the rear in case there was an attack from the back. At first, I was really confused because I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing. But I followed my mother's and father's examples, and since I was a really quick learner, I caught on fast. I raised my muzzle to the wind to try and catch a scent. My ears were pinned back, and my shackles were raised, I was ready to pounce at the slightest provocation. At last, I caught a scent. I could tell I was the first, as my siblings were all climbing over each other. They had gotten bored and given up. But I was more determined then they were, and for that reason I was the best hunter. I had patience, something that they were sorely lacking.

I turned my head towards the scent and let out a low whine. My parents backed up, which I took to mean they wanted me to go and catch my prey on my own. I happily obliged. I raised my muzzle to the air again to catch the scent, and then I was off. I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me, for fear of losing the scent. That wasn't going to happen. Whatever this was was making no move to flee. As I raced after the scent trail, I stayed alert. Knowing my siblings, they would try and steal my prey at the last minute. MY prey. I was going to catch it. Certainly not them. I had had the patience, and now I was going to catch it.

After I had ran for a while longer, the scent became stronger then it had been. I saw movement out of the corner of my left eye, and my head snapped around in that direction. I saw some baby ptarmigans waiting for their mother to come back and feed them. I positioned myself behind a bush to conceal myself. Luckily, the wind was blowing south, carrying away my scent so the birds wouldn't be able to smell me. I was downwind of them. I positioned myself to he ready. My hindquarters high in the air, my head and muzzle low on the ground, resting on my paws. My muscles tensed, and I didn't move. I waited for the right moment, and then I pounced. With one swipe of my large paw, I took out all three of them. I picked up a plump ptarmigan between my jaws and felt the warm blood fill my mouth. It trickled down my muzzle, splattering the white snow with speckles of crimson. I placed the other two between my jaws, my mouth fully stuffed, and I padded back to where my parents and kin would be waiting.

As I got back, I found them all waiting. My parents grinned at me and stood, walking over to where I was. They nodded their heads in approval and told me I could drop the ptarmigans on the snow.

"Drop," they instructed. I reluctantly opened my jaws, the plump birds slipping out and landing on the snow with a squishing noise. They nodded and helped me get the ptarmigans back to our den. I was proud of myself, I will admit. None of my siblings had been able to do it, but I had. I had proven that I was the dominant sibling among us all, maybe except for Rowan. But he hadn't been able to catch a ptarmigan. No, I had done that. All by myself.

As the last signs of light and day were fading, I padded back to my den with my head held high. I had done it, I had caught a ptarmigan. I smiled at the thought and then lay my head down on my paws, before curling my tail around myself and going to sleep. I fell into a dreamless sleep, but it was a light sleep. I awoke to the slightest sound of another wolf howling in the distance. I wondered if it was a wolf from my pack, or a wolf from a different pack. Whichever it was, I felt a strange crawling urge to howl, building up in my throat. I got up and walked out to the edge of our den, and then farther out so I wouldn't disturb my family. I put my legs in position, and tipped my head to the moon, my ears pinned back. I felt the howl rising up, until finally, it happened. I emitted a long howl, a beautiful howl. It sent chills through my bones, but I didn't stop. No, it felt too good. I just had to keep howling and howling. I don't know how long it was, but finally I got tired. So I went back to my den and curled up once more, falling asleep again.