Forest

Forest Chapter 1: Onyx

It was early spring. The snow wasn't entirely gone, small patches of wet soil and fresh grown grass were covered with the white blanket of winter. The warm that was melting the snow was creating small water ponds that soon entered in the ground, absorbed by the vegetation and earth. When light got intensified, birds thought that this was the start for their songs. Their eyes like two shiny, black beads were gazing the small area they could catch in their visor. Then, with peaks open, melodious chirps started to echo in the forest.

Shadows felt upon a slender silhouette, a wolf's silhouette, that was moving slowly through the thick bushes that were found on each side of the road the animal was moving on. Eyes of a pale blue were scanning fast the area and with ears perked, barely touching its scruff, the animal let the body fall easily and stopped when the belly was easily touching the ground. Every muscles was tensed and the back curved, the skeleton of the back could get observed through the thin coat that was special for summer. Just the muzzle got the courage to raise easily from the ground and open the jaws, as the black, wet nose was moving with frenzy in the air. The scent of a rabbit as searched, but it was very hard to get as different scents of flowers or birds made the wolf dizzy. Till.... A spark of joy appeared in the eyes. The predator was now hidden between the tall grass. Just its heavy breath could show that there was someone.

Then the bush in front of the wolf easily move its leaves. It wasn't wind that moved them. No. It was a small russet brown hare. It was staying somewhere at the entry in the bush. Its ears were dropped on the back and its pink snout was moving through a pile of grass. The eyes were concentrated on the food he had in front of it, not on the wolf that was slowly sneaking closer and closer to its target. The pale blue colored eyes were lurking in the shadow formed by the trees that was falling upon the landscape. Then, the rabbit raised its head violent with the attempt to leave food and run to survive. But it was too late.

The wolf stretched its neck forward and jaws open, the muzzle headed straight to the hare's scruff. The fangs fixed easily on the target and entered slowly, slowly in the flesh, making the hare move in agony. Blood split in all direction and the impact was so big, that bones crushed easily under the massive fangs. With its last move, the hare let its body free as the wolf raised proudly the prey it caught. The body was still warm when the wolf was walking with tail's tip slightly raised and with some blood patches split on the narrowed muzzle. 

"You did well... The Alpha will allow you to become a hunter after all, Onyx."  The voice made the young wolf tease, but soon, the muscles calmed as the apprentice turned its face to the wolf it heard. "Thanks Scorch! And i can't wait to pass the apprentice rank." The wolf named Scorch just made a little sign from his head as he said with low tone "Well, we need to go back to the camp. We don't want others to worry about you."