Silver Moraine The Paths Others Have Trod

The stone steps he found himself on were rough. He still kept nuutuittuq in sight and yet to the north he thought there was only sea. He hoped to see more from the rise of the glacier, was curious about the ice and the cold and let that guide him. It was not time to return home, fear had not yet overtaken him that it would never be time. He knew he was lost, but because he had no destination in mind he did not feel it. Still that comforting feather beside his ear and he let it ruffle in the wind, refusing to dislodge.

The long stretches of silence, of the sounds of the earth, of passing through them and adding to them and walking with them, quieted something within his chest. As if his heart beat to a rhythm not his own, did not pound so hard and heavy in his ears. It made his breaths too come easier.

It does not take Redd long to wander, though she does not go near the mountains she’d come from.  It would take time for her previous health to fill out and for her coat to grow back, but she walked with quiet peace regardless.  What others thought when they saw her did not matter - only that she once more took the mantle of Ulfr.  Things were in the air - she would settle in doing what she could.

The wind brought a shiver to her as it passed over the thinned, patchy fur of her chest.  She saw another nearby but chose to focus on her search, scenting for anything she might successfully bring down.  She did not think they would agree to help one who appeared likely to fail in a larger chase; she would doubt her own chances, were she appraising herself.

He saw another in the distance, and perked up, he was a wolf used to living in a bustling village with many wolves coming and going many of them family. When he saw another face he did not long stop to think whether his own might be unwelcome. Trotting in an arc so his path would coincide with hers he called out "Hello!" More paces and he wondered if her own path took her to follow anything in particular. His choices in game had been limited by both his skill and solitude but he was more optimistic of his abilities working in tandem.

"Are you on the trail?" A wag of his tail and another few steps. "I'm Massaraq."

The wolf was friendly.  This took her enough by surprise that she stopped in her tracks, watching him with a guarded expression as he approached and introduced himself.

Her tail lowered, and gave a slight swish to ease the tension, as she reached forward tentatively to take his scent.  He smelled of a pack that was large and close, yet he hunted alone.  Perhaps he had merely thought to scout, or perhaps others lay nearby.  Still, her ears pricked up some at this finding, and she nodded in answer to his question.

Redd.  She did not usually offer her name, but it was possible that the arrival of winter would necessitate her to make other plans.  If there was a pack nearby, large and well-supported, perhaps they would not mind her presence if the Rise continued to vie for leadership.

He took in her nod and stood still, to let her gather what she wished of his scent, flaring his own nostrils to take in some of her own history. A gentle swish of his tail and a smile on his lips as he spoke again. "It's good to meet you." He scented the air once more, now that he knew what he was looking for he thought he could detect the evidence of other creatures passing by. Whle two wolves was not quite as good as three or four it was still better than one, or at least better than Massaraq alone.

"What say you to a second set of fangs and claws on the hunt?" He asked, canting up his tone at the question as he waited for an answer.

She didn’t answer, but watched him carefully, taking his measure with a likely unnerving intensity.  He appeared to be young but already stood taller than she, carrying a heft and athleticism that she’d lost in recent months.  He appeared to be confident in this place; the signs of a practiced hunter, with no nervousness that betrayed doubt.

With her decision made, Redd tipped her head in acknowledgement, and her tail fell to swinging low as she stepped forward and waited.  He would lead her in this hunt.  A few months ago she would have reserved this only for those of the Rise, but she knew how to recognize her own limitations.  It would take time for her to relearn the herds and hiding places for the prey that remained.

She did not speak again and yet the brief tilt of her head and she seemed ready to follow. Doing his best to recall his lessons from Kivaluk he followed the trail, nose not down to the ground but head and neck even with his shoulders so that he could catch evidence of the trail branching off and did not become too entrenched in following only one of the herd.

A brief flick of his ears in frustration when he realized that he had been on the trail of a smaller band and the main group was further on and he switched paths, taking a wider and more gently angled slope to follow the greater in number. When the scent grew stronger his steps slowed and quieted, not quite willing to reveal their approach yet.

Redd was patient as he backtracked and searched, trusting still that his efforts would pay off.  Occasionally she would test the trail too, confirming if he seemed to seek it.  There was little delay before a herd was before them.

It was too bad the winter hadn’t given way to spring.  She might have lured him home if so, provided he had no mate to look to already.  As it was she had little to offer to entice him, and no awareness on how to leverage the little she did have.  Perhaps, in the spring, they would meet once more.

With that notion easily (and methodically) dismissed, Redd slunk forward at his flank.  She kept her ears and shoulders low as she observed them, casting her muzzle up to fetch what she could by scent.  No obvious illness, nor signs of blood yet.  The wind was with them.  They were in no danger of discovery lest they make noise, so had time to watch with patience.  With only two they needed a surer kill.

The pair ranged and he kept her in sight as she took her own note of the trail, but when they approached and she came up to flank him he crouched low to watch their movements. A second inhale of air through his nostrils confirmed her own findings, no scent of illness or enough blood to indicate injury. But the winter would be upon them soon and autumn was not fresh, he knew that weakness would likely have begun to set in so he watched.

"Far right corner?" He asked, voice hushed, after a short while. The small grouping of does were not fully split from the herd but a short distance and one appeared hard done by the autumn months, pelt hanging looser off her frame and tufted and dull even from a distance. Without seeing how she moved it would be difficult to tell if there were further injuries. But as long as the wind stayed with them they could lay in wait and observe the movements of the herd for prime quarry.

She looked at the one he indicated.  It appeared gaunt, not unlike herself, though where it wasn’t patched her fur had at least regained some sheen of health.  She could not tell from here if the problem was starvation or illness.  Perhaps, like her, it had only been without food for a time.  The herd was large, with many grazing.

Maybe sick. Her response was quiet, but she looked at him readily, approving the choice.  It wouldn’t hurt to find out.  If she was, the herd would not miss her, and perhaps it wasn’t an illness that would affect the meat provided.  He had a good eye for the hunt.

He nodded at the assessment and considered. No better prey presented itself and he did not wish to see how long the wind would stay with them. Balancing his weight over his four paws he spoke, hushed. "We should get as close as we can then cut her from the herd. I'll stick to the left and you to the right." That would keep him between her and the herd should any of the bucks run to attack them, he trusted his instincts in a fight more than in the hunt if it came to that. He would wait to see her assent before beginning to creep forward.

It was a gamble but likely the worst outcome would be their prey scattering with the rest of the herd.  She met his gaze a moment and then broke from it with a nod, signaling her silent agreement.  Then she began to slink to where he indicated she should position.

She was heavily practiced in silent movement, so creeping to an advantageous stance was no issue.  The hard part would be next.

She would wait for his move and mirror it, surging from hiding to snap at those nearest in hopes of scattering them.  Her bristling stature might not be as formidable as the hunt lead’s back home but her teeth should be more than enough encouragement.

Massaraq crept forward, managing fairly well in closing about half the distance, but his white pelt and dark shadows had always stuck out and he caught the eye of a watchful doe. Hoping she would not sound the alarm he continued to stalk forward for a few more steps but as she neared the small band of deer the doe's posture changed a scatter of hooves and he snarled, wasting no more time and lunging forward.

The majority of the herd scattered leaving the four does fleeing in an offshot path from the herd. He rushed to catch up, the doe with the dull pelt beginning to lag behind and snapped at her hooves, catching a clipped blow to his cheek but managing to nip at her heels and begin to force her away in a panic.

The chase began.  The focus of the hunt set her blood to pounding in her ears, a match for the frenzied rush of hooves on packed earth.  She was wary of the danger the other scattered deer presented but her focus was narrowed to one.

She was aware of her companion only for positioning, trusting that he was there and fine so long as he did not fall behind.  As it swerved from him, she put on a burst of speed and snapped at its placed foreleg.  She did not catch, but tore, dropping back just in time to miss a desperate kick in her direction.

She’d hoped to cripple it, but it was faltering more now.  Soon it would stumble.

Their quarry veered towards Redd and he pivoted on his paws ready to follow, but his movement was interrupted by the kicking hooves and flashes of fur in the corner of his vision. He snarled, lunging towards the doe whose path collided with his own, fleeing towards the now injured doe. He twisted and nipped at her flanks and she scattered away as he turned to catch up to the faltering doe. He managed to tear again, a trickle of blood on hind leg as she fled, scrambling to regain ground.

She was theirs.  Redd’s vision narrowed to only the one as it faltered more.  It was weakened enough that this time when she leapt at it she tore at its hindquarters, dragging it backwards momentarily as it bellowed in defiance.

The doe was finished.  It still stood but it was slowed, and now there was no escape. It would die by their teeth or from its wounds.  Redd would continue to widen the wound on its hip until it fell.  Unless Massaraq wished to give the doe a quicker and more merciful end.

The deer faltered, stood to make her last stand but she was sluggish and would succumb to her wounds. A risk to strike at her still but he had been taught to make his kills clean, to not linger on them. He snapped and snarled at the stalled hind and when he saw an opportunity he seized it going for her throat and holding fast until her already weak struggles faded to twitches and she fell.

The hunt was over and he leg go, tilting his head over the doe and offering a quiet thanks for both the deer and his companion on the hunt and their safety. He moved to tear the carcass open, a bloody grin on his lips as he began slicing meat from bone leaving plenty of room for the red wolf to take her fill.

Redd moved in easily to feed off of the kill, knowing there was more than enough and no need to fight over the spoils.  Enough even for them both to take what they could carry and leave the rest to the carrion birds already flocking around.

There was power in this wolf; cooperation too.  As they parted ways, she would offer an invitation with her final look, a silent bid for him to join her and follow her to the rise.

She had no means to convince him aside from the prowess they had shared.  For her, this was enough; his own decision depended on his unknown loyalties.  Either way, she would remember him favorably should their paths cross again.

After days on his own and the success of the hunt he was tempted, for a moment to follow her. But the distance from Moonglow had not worn him so much that he would deviate from the path his anaa had set for him. So he offered her only a jaunty smile and well wishes of his own in thanks before heading on his own way. Perhaps one day he would travel again, return, remember the strength in working together with this sunrise wolf. But the knowledge of miles and miles to go kept his paws on his own journey.