fifteen steps

The time was upon the wolf once more to fill his stomach with something small yet fulfilling and the male was growing increasingly bored of rabbit. He was sure that if he devoured just one more rabbit he would sprout long furry ears and his tail would shorten to a small tuft and he would be come the worlds firt wolf-rabbit hybrid. Shuddering at the thought of such a mutation he decided on a change of tact. Maybe a fish lunch was the better way to go right now.

Turning his nose to the air he inhailed deeply closing his eyes to seperate each smell and sound in his mind. First there was the wolf, that was an easy one. Then the bears and ther large preditors, always good to know where to avoid these. Then there were the smaller mammals, the rabbits, mice, rats and the like. Finally there was the distinct mix of silt, salt, mud and finally what he was looking for, fish. Smiling with his tongue lolling out of his mouth he proceeded in the direction of what he presumed was a stream.

Travelling west his stream turned out to be a river. Raising an unsure eyebrow he surveyed the area and the curning of the fast flowing waer made him dizzy just watching. After a time though his eyes slid the edge of the bank when the water was calmer and he could see the river bed and floating just above it, his prize.

In an over-eager manner he jumped in head first banging his nose on the river bed and coming away empty and frustrated. Time did not aid the problem as more passed there were more frustrated attempted at catching the slithery little creatures until he was stood at the rivers edge barking away at the water angrily, dripping wet above his shoulders looking a very pathetic excuse for an adult wolf.

fifteen steps

The once proud wolf was now a very sorry sight, panting to himself, his chest heaving in and out and dripping all over the riverbank not even bothering to dry off. Finally his barking ceased and he once more focused on the river. Then grinning to himself he saw another one of the slippery creatures approach. He lined it up with the tip of his nose and inhaled, deeply but at the same time quietly. Then drawing back his head and shoulder he was ready to strike, that is until he heard a voice from behind him putting him off completely.

Sighing to himself in frustration at the disturbance he turned to face the female. "I had noticed." He rolled his eyes and shook his head away from her careful not to splash her as he dried off. Once he was a tad more presentable he addressed her again. "They're just so..." he searched for the right word or phrase, anything to explain why he was so awful at this simple yet frustrating task. A defeated sign escaped him. "Who am I kidding? They're not just so anything, I'm just so pathetic I think."

He moved a little closer to her and took a slightly softer tone. "Apologies, I forgot my manners in all the frustration. I'm Smoke and apparently I'm not very good at fishing." His ear perked up and he smiled ion the light females direction. "However if you need a rabbit, I'm your wolf. Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit. I'm fed up of bloody rabbit to be honest, but still."

Flashing another grin in her direction he stopped talking and gave the female room to introduce herself if she wished, or leave, he would not be surprised if she did after his ramblings.

fifteen steps

Smoke saw her look of agreement at his current state and he nodded back at her showing her he understood and was happy for her to come to that conclusion. Not that he could have done anything to stop her thinking this, but still. She made some very valid points about his eating habits and it was only now it wa made clear to him that he realised he had been somewhat stuck in a rut when it came to his lunch. It was indeed time for him to branch out into larger prey, but did this not require a pack hunt? Was he allowed to take out anything he wished in the meantime.

Call a guy old fasioned, but he was bought up to believe that the prey belonged to the Alpha and he or she shared it with the pack in return for helping to bring such a large beast down as a team. In his old pack touching food belonging to the alpha could and in most cases did mean death.

After advising Smoke she was in no mood for rabbit she told Smoke of a cache not far from here. His eyes lit up at the notion of such rich pickings. He was not sure what hyperthermia was, but he was pretty sure he did not want it, so this was a good idea. Then came the guilt and worry which he expressed to the wolf. "Will anyone mind me taking from your cache, after all I' am new here as of yet I have not contributed and it does not seem right that I take what others have earned before my time." With his worries out he started to process the end of the last response from the light wolf about the pack surgeon. "Your medic left? Why is that?" He enquired in a curious tone that he tried his best to keep free of jugdement.

fifteen steps

Walking along side her, Smoke could not help but raised his eyebrows at her statement of contribution to the packs cache. here were a couple of moments there where he had to wonder if she was telling the truth, but as she followed up with her speech about him wasted away he clicked and understood she was joking. Stopping for a moment to process the fact he been fooled, he smiled and moved on. She even answered his question about the medic, well in a round about way.

Although he did not show it outwardly he thought how she was going to be hard work. She had not even introduced herself yet. It was akward but he would carry on. The male had a very cute and sometimes annoying complex where he had to be everyone's friend, help, carer. He still had yet to learn in life that not everyone wanted to be his friend, not becasue they did not like him, but purely because they had their reasons he may or may not be able to fathom.

After some moments they both reached the cache and he found himself finally greeted with some decent food and an introduction. Maybe he was growing on her after all. "It's a pleasure to meet you Turq and it sounds like you have a good standing here, always nice to hear of two wolves settling down together. My parents were together for the best part of five years." With his introduction complete he took a few bites, licking his lips. "So, Gunner eh? You must forgive me I am not too sure about the co-ranks here, what is it a Gunner does?" He carried on eating laying down by the leg and pulling it closer to.

fifteen steps

As Turq told Smoke of the nature of her realtionship, the embarrased male hide his maw behind the deer carcass, his eyes firmly planted on the meat in front of him. Swallowing hard he peered over and offered his apology. "Oh, I'm sorry about that, I only meant...I mean I'm...I'm...well lets just say I lean both ways when it comes to courting and relationships, so I meant no offence, only that it is nice to see two souls coming together and spending the rest of their days together."

Having recovered he breathed a sign of relief. The male may have leaned both ways but for some reason female on female relationship seemed a strnage concept to him. He tried to fathom the idea, but found himself lost in his own thoughts and questions. To him, male on male was natural, sometimes more so than female on male but in his mind female relationships were forced. He knew this was not the case and that he was wrong but it was simply the way he felt. He could not help it, nor did her force it upon anyone, just the silent musing of contemplative lupine.

Pausing from filling his stomach he nodded as Turq explained the function of a Gunner in the pack and when questioned himself answered with a smile, puffing his chest out with pride. "Well I'm strong and as you can see quite large. As you know I'm not much of a fisher, but I never was that fast even as a pup, but when it comes to defence or the hunt I can use my weight in many ways, even without resorting to violence, but if violent defence is needed I do not shy away from it."

He did not apologise for this, he was not a violent wolf by nature, but when threated, or his kin were threatened he could become and entirely different animal with a bloodlust and a mean revenge streak, but only in yhe name of love and protection, never for personal gain. "I wish to help protect the pack borders one day by becoming the pack Guardian, this is what my father taught me. My training started when I was year old and was never ending, well until my father passed away, that was when I arrived here." There was a hint of sadness in his quivering voice, but only for a moment, he did not wish to buren Turq with his raw past.