Swiftcurrent Creek The Hunter's Arrow Shines · Pack Hunt

Long, powerful strides full of pent-up vigour created the hunter’s propulsion, and he calculatedly watched as the three females drove their fated prey towards him. When she was in position he waited, and waited, and waited. He kept a measured distance between himself and the ungulate, watching the other members of his team to ensure they were as ready as he was. He might have taken charge of the situation, but he wouldn’t move until he was certain that they were certain. Granted, this didn’t take nearly as long as it felt.

Then his eyes were only on the doe and every movement she made as he readied his body for the impact and snare. With an energetic bound he was shoulder-to-shoulder with their deer, and sickly or not her wild survival instincts were plain to see as a burning flame in her dark eyes. He lunged with every minute shred of strength in his reserves as his teeth made to rip her sleek throat open on the left side. She started to bleed, thick and heavy, but his jaws didn’t move except to close further, crushing the life from her and dropping his weight to slow her as much as he could before Danica and Njal would surely tear her to the ground.

Even if they couldn’t do it in an instant, the doe was finished. Her brain was oxygen-deprived the moment he’d effectively severed her carotid artery.