Path Not Taken

Part 26: A Pack

I was frustrated to learn the Sharp had taken us south west of the the tunnel's entrance we went through the first time. I felt like we weren't making in progress, but Sharp thought that Fog wouldn't have expected it. Our bellies started to growl and our bodies seemed slimmer than usual. We were on the lookout for prey, and this time, we wanted something big before we started the long journey ahead of us. Marrow had managed to find a hare, which was barely even a snack when all of us took a bit out it. I lifted my nose to nothing but the cold air.

We were are pretty far away from each other, but still close enough to know where each of us was. We were trying to cover more ground that way. And that's when it finely hit me, the sweet smell of food. I whined to let the pack know I had found something. Sharp came up to me to confirm the smell and motioned at the rest of the pack to follow it. "Mule deer," Sharp said, "Good work Creek."

We began to follow the scent and eventually we found hoof prints in the snow. Sage's tail waged and so did mine. Sharp whispered something to Mallow and she nodded at him. It was the perfect opportunity, we were upwind halfway up a hill. The mule deer at the bottom, shoving it face into the snow to get the grass underneath. Mallow ran towards and Sharp stayed where he was, Sage and I ran with her, the deer didn't notice us until Mallow did a graceful leap erasing serval wolf lengths between her and the prey. The deer began to run, but it had a hard time treading through the ice and snow. It was thicker towards the bottom of the hill, but our claws helped us move through it faster. Mallow had her jaws on its back leg within minutes. I grabbed the other one, but I wasn't prepared for it to thrash as much as it did. It's strong movement made me let go I caught my breathe as the hoof hit the side of my chest. Sage then grabbed it's back leg, and took the hoof kicks of the front ones. Sharp moved in to grab it throat and Mallow began to bit into it. The deer finally stoped moving, the pull of hunger made me starting tearing into the skin, Sharp went straight for the liver. When Sage tried to snag a piece of it, Sharp gave him a warning growl and he went to eat by the ribs where Mallow had already torn into.

I had made my own hole on it's hind leg, and I began to gorge it n the deer. It seemed like my body demanded more with every bite.