The Heartwood Heartwood Snacking

Open. :)

Red eyes searched past the oaks and maples for some kind of prey. Unfortunately for Scarlett the woods seemed deserted. Her white body was like a beacon of light with the brown and grey trees that surrounded the young female. She ruffled her fur and changed into a trot. She could hear the rushing of moving water. Great! Where there was water there was mud. She could use it to camouflage herself. Her dry mouth reminded her that she needed a drink too. It was settled. After a quick trot she reached the moving water. Her first instinct was to drink from the cold water. After she was quenched she lowered her body into the mud and rolled through it. Her head and back was smeared with the brown dirt. She laid on her side for a moment before getting to her feet. He must have looked really charming right now.

A soft breeze brought a smell to her nose. A carcass. The white wolf's stomach growled. It was better than nothing. She wasn't that skilled at hunting just yet. Maybe it had been a better idea to practice on the ducks at Duck Lake. No, instead she had wandered through new found areas in hope she might just casually run into something bigger. Being on her own for such a long time left her less scared to explore without a pack. The wolf moved forward when she saw the 90% eaten mule deer. Foolishly she didn't even look around to check if someone was there before starting to find some left over meat on the bones. The meat was though to bite through but at least she had some of a quick snack to still her hunger.

Hiya :)

Wanderlust had struck again, compelling Koda to leave the Plateau behind for a couple days and set out on a solo journey. On his previous excursion, he'd followed the river Northwest to the Ravensblood forest. There, he'd set his yellow eyes upon the Sequoia trees for the first time in his life. This time, he'd decided to explore the other side of the map, following the river South until he reached the Heartwood.

Koda was giving himself a tour of the inviting woodland. The deciduous trees that grew here made the woods feel very familiar to him, as he'd grown up among the same kinds of trees back home. To him, these woods seemed like an ideal place to raise a family. The forest provided shelter and food, and the nearby river was an endless source of drinking water. How strange that the woods seemed empty of wolves. Maybe, he and Kesuk could move in, once they were ready for pups of their own.

Well, maybe not completely empty. Koda soon came across the first sign of other wolves, a set of tracks winding through the trees. He lowered his head and inspected the prints, finding them to be very fresh. The wolf who'd left them had passed by only minutes before.

At the end of the trail he found a brown, no, a white wolf covered in mud, munching on the long dead carcass of a deer. Koda immediately assumed the worst: this poor creature was a lone wolf, living out here like an outcast, eating whatever she could find just to keep hunger at bay. The Blacktail wolf announced his presence with a quiet chuff, keeping his distance in case this wolf turned out to be a bit overprotective of her food.

"Surely, you can do better than that," said Koda. He knew what it was like, scavenging on carrion just to survive. It was no way for a wolf to live.

Hi! Thanks for replying so quick! :D Lets have fun with these two

It was a difficult job to find any dried meat under the skin and bones maybe the carcass had less than 10% meat on it. The white wolf put her muzzle in the depths of the animal carcass, most of it was eaten. Although she did found a bit of the softer meat all the way inside the big male deer. Her small body had some trouble to reach it but in end she could feed on the half a kilo of old meat. Her tail was moving in a bit of a wag with her findings.

The chuff made her startle. She had not even checked her surroundings! She could be eating from someone's food without her even knowing. Oh dear. She really didn't want to make anyone angry she was worn out enough. She pulled herself from the carcass with a certain swiftness. Scarlett backed off from the carcass immediately and put some more space between the male and herself. She had her ears back in submission. The first thing she noticed was a surprisingly big male standing there. Her red eyes roamed over his strong frame, from the muddy paws to ending at his yellow eyes. The females nose told her he was in a pack, although she had no clue which one.

She relaxed when his voice didn't sound angry or aggressive. Her ears popped back up in a cute away, now sparking a bit more interest in the male. Her tail moved up in a neutral stance, away from her hind legs. The words made it sound so shameful that she was eating from a rotten carcass and maybe it was, a bit. She didn't like to admit her weaknesses to a stranger. Even though the male was younger, Scarlett wasn't going to pick a fight with the bigger male. She just assumed with her little knowledge of this area that it was his carcass.

"I'm sorry for eating from your carcass... Sir?" That last bit sounded so questioning because she had not a clue how to address him. "I got too ambitious with my want for a big prey animal. It seems the herds are somewhere else but here. Just a quick snack to keep the energy flowing," she added with a light tone. Scarlett left out the part about how she wasn't that tactical nor practical in hunting just yet. Taking on a big prey alone was dangerous, she knew. Maybe the male saw it as her being bold, who knows.

:D

The girl with the dirty coat backpedaled, clearly alarmed, when Koda made known his presence, however she quickly calmed down when she realized he meant no harm. He chuckled softly at her apology. No one had ever addressed him as 'Sir' before. "My name's Koda," he told her, flattered by her politeness.

"Oh, it's not my kill," he assured her. He stepped closer to have a look at what remained of the deer, trying to discern what had been the cause of it's death. There wasn't much left to go on, but the buck appeared to have been in his prime, young and healthy. But if wolves were not responsible, that meant an even more frightening predator could be lurking in the forest.

"I just meant you shouldn't have to eat this garbage." He said, wrinkling his nose. He was in a budding mateship, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to help this poor girl get a proper meal. He wondered if Kesuk would be jealous. He hoped she would know better. "If you want, I could help you get some real food."

Scarlett realized he hadn't commented about her red eyes yet. It pleased her that she wasn't treated any differently by his male. Her head tipped a bit at the chuckle, a strange sound she wasn't used to hearing, ever. "Koda. Nice to meet you. I'm Scarlett," She introduced in response. She slowly stepped closer, her nose moving as she checked out his scent once again.

Some relief flooded through her when he made it clear that it wasn't his prey she was eating on. The female wondered what he was thinking. She stood quietly to the side of everything, ready to leave when he offered to help her catch a meal. Scarlett blinked a few times and then licked her lips. Oh, how she would like a good piece of juicy meat. Her stomach growled 'yes' as an answer.

"I recently joined a pack here. So hopefully in a few days I can join their pack hunt," it was a very weak excuse for why she would eat this junk. "You are willing to help me find a meal? But I am not in your pack! You must be a very friendly wolf." Scarlett's tail started moving a bit in excitement. Some offered their company to her. Someone, this male Koda, wanted to spend time with her! None ever wanted to spend time with her before on free will.

The female opened up a bit more and then nodded eagerly. Wasn't it when a male wolf would hunt for a female, he showed that he wanted to take care of that said female? Scarlett looked up at the male in awe. "I'd like that!" Scarlett had always been a bit with her head in fairytale. She would have nothing rather than to have a mate who would protect and love her. In return she would have all the cutest little cubs. She was rather innocent of what a true mating would imply. She only knew the romanticized version as a young female.

Uhh ohh.. Someone is reading Koda's intentions all wrong :P

As the she-wolf stepped closer, Koda studied her, trying not to be super obvious. There was something very different about her, something he'd never seen before. He'd been too distracted by her dirty coat to notice before: her eyes were red, like a pair of rubies. "Oh wow, your eyes, they're beautiful," he said, a note of surprise in his voice. "I guess that's why they call you Scarlett, huh?"

Koda let the subject slide, not wanting the she-wolf to get uncomfortable. He realized she probably heard comments about her unique eye color pretty often. "I just don't like to see anyone go hungry," he said with a kind smile. Her observation was correct, however, Koda tended to be a friendly wolf. There wasn't much he wouldn't do to help someone, even a complete stranger.

He gestured for Scarlett to follow as he started to search for signs of prey. "So, what pack did you join?" He asked her as they walked. He wasn't at all familiar with the scent she carried on her fur. "I came here not long ago myself, and joined the Blacktail Deer Plateau."

Scarlett's ears fell back when she heard the first comment about her eyes. She stepped closer. The female was sure that Koda was about to say something bad about her eye color. But not a second later the male told her that they were beautiful. She blinked and then flickered her tail in surprise. Did he really like her eyes? Her old pack made sure to tell her how scary her eyes were. How she was secretly a monster. Scarlett shuddered at that thought. She brightened up after his compliment. "Thank you. You are actually the first to call them pretty," she said. "I suppose so. It is my mother who gave me my kind name. Others would have called me differently," she hinted lightly at her previous life being bullied.

Scarlet wasn't going to let her past ruin this moment. She stepped closer once more as she agreed with his words. "If I was a better hunter I would do the same. I would love to take care of someone. I still need to practice quite a lot." With 'someone' she meant her future litter, of course. Although even she realized she was far from ready for motherhood. The dirty wolf obediently followed the male. Her ears were scanning on top of her head for any sounds. "Duskfire Glacier," she replied on a softer tone. This way she wouldn't scare any possible prey away. "I don't know much about their morals or believes but I was worn out and didn't want to spend another night alone. If I don't feel at home I might switch. Maybe I could switch to yours. You make me feel at home being so nice. Are all the wolves like you in your pack?"

She walked a bit closer to the male when she thought she heard something. She wanted to prove to this male she wasn't entirely useless in hunting. She was still alive after all! The female put her nose more to the ground, deciding what kind of prey would be nice. Maybe a fat rabbit would be enough to still her hunger, although she rather had a whole boar for herself. Although, those animals and their sharp tusks were dangerous. "What would you suggest to hunt?"

Sorry about the delay, I just started working nights, and it's messing with me, lol

Koda had been genuine when he told the girl he what he thought about her eyes. They were beautiful, even if they were very unusual. He left that second part out, though, knowing how sensitive girls could be when it came to their looks. His cousin had endured much teasing by other juveniles, and even by adults, due to her larger, "unladylike", figure. He'd never understood why his pack mates had treated her so badly, over something she couldn't control. He imagined poor Scarlett had endured similar treatment.

"Well, there are lots of other ways to show you care about someone," said Koda. Having food to eat was important, for sure, but so was caring for pups or tending to the sick. Girls seemed to excel at these types of jobs. "But if you want to get better at hunting, you've come to the right guy."

Koda thought for a moment before answering her next question. He wasn't actually close with any of his pack mates, so he wouldn't even be able to tell her what they were like. He didn't see much of the other Blacktail wolves, and when he did the encounters were usually short and uneventful. In fact, before Kesuk had come back, he'd been pretty lonely there. "I don't know the others very well," he admitted, "but they're good wolves, it's a good pack."

"I'm pretty hungry, let's find us a deer," he said. Scarlett had said she wasn't an experienced hunter, but even so two wolves would be able to handle a deer no problem. He started to lead the pair toward the edge of the woods, knowing that deer liked to hang out close to the meadow.

No worries dear! A lot of people have finals so I thought you were one of them. Take all the time you need if you are busy. RP'ing should be fun, not a chore! :3

The clouds seemed to have settled over the sky. The bit of sunlight they had was now covered in a blanket of fluffy clouds making the skies grey. The wolf's focus was fully on Koda. She wasn't afraid to look at him since he called her eyes pretty. When she thought about it her stomach fluttered a bit. The female was still baffled about the fact that there actually was someone who called her pretty. Her sister was right when she spoke about the fact that there was a wolf for everyone.

"I know. I usually helped the elders of my old pack but the most fun was babysitting the pups. Maybe that is why I haven't excelled in hunting just yet because I was usually.... left behind." That sounded really pathetic. She wasn't that pathetic. "Errhhmm. I mean. To watch over the pups of course. Very important job," she added hesitantly. Her white, and muddy, tail moved excitedly. "Oh good. I could use some hunting lessons."

The female curiously listened to the other male. She felt the same way. She couldn't talk about her pack since she didn't know a lot of them. She liked how he still concluded that they were good wolves. Koda didn't talk bad about them. This male could easily be the type of wolf she could hang out with all day. "I feel the same about my pack."

Scarlett licked her lips at the thought of juicy deer meat. "I'd like that." The she-wolf easily followed the larger male. Scarlett trusted wolves easily which could be her downfall some day. Yet, the female was sure that Koda couldn't be bad. Her red eyes fell onto the meadow filled with deer. She looked up at the male in question. They would probably go for an injured one right?

"It is a very important job, and I bet you were wonderful at it," he remarked. Scarlett was a sweet girl, just the type of wolf he'd want looking after his own pups. Perhaps he and Kesuk would recruit her, if that ever happened.

"You'll get settled in soon, just give it some time," he assured the she-wolf with the ruby eyes. He was also trying to reassure himself. Koda had been living among the Blacktail wolves for months, yet he still felt like a total stranger to them. And it wasn't for a lack of trying, Koda had been working hard to integrate himself into the pack. His effort hadn't gone unrecognized, he held the highest rank among the subordinates. But even so, he didn't feel close to any of them, something he desperately wanted to feel. Just how much time was it going to take?

His thoughts about his pack faded away as they reached the meadow, and his mind switched into hunting mode. Koda's yellow eyes flitted from deer to deer, analyzing the herd to find a weakness. A quick scan revealed most of the herd were young and fit, hardly easy targets for the hungry predators. Koda was about to suggest they go look elsewhere when his sharp ears picked up the distinctive sound of a cough. His eyes followed the sound, looking for the source. A yearling buck had bedded down in the meadow, partially concealing himself from sight. His labored breathing made it easy to see he wasn't laying down for a nap; he was too weak to graze with the rest of the herd.

"See that one laying down in the grass?" Koda's voice was a whisper as he gestured to his intended target with his muzzle. "He's on his way out already, we're gonna go finish him off." The hunter didn't feel a twinge of sympathy for his prey. The relentless winter would have claimed his life anyway. Better he die in their jaws today than suffer a slow death in the icy jaws of winter.

It was time for Scarlett's hunting lesson. "Go get him," he said, flashing a toothy smile. Koda was a big believer in learning on the job. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

Scarlett had the biggest grin on her face when she got complimented. "I don't know that but I was often pointed to the task," she admitted shyly. The white wolf crouched lower to the ground once they got closer. "Actually I am quite settled already." She felt more and more at home as she was meeting more wolves.

Scarlett followed Koda's glance to the coughing deer. She realized that she would also pick this deer. Although the young buck did had antlers. The female needed to be careful with that. "I agree." The pale female ruffled her coat quietly and felt a set of nerves break through her body. She was a expected to kill the deer. It was the same pressure she felt when she was with her family.

The female gathered her courage. She needed to prove herself to this male. Her head raised along with her tail. There was this hidden layer of the female that she usually kept to herself. The white female crept along the bushes on the edge of the meadow. Her steps carefully thought out. The thing was, Scarlett was really modest. She thought she wasn't a good hunter but in fact she was rather skillful. Her old family had pushed her to be better.

The she-wolf pushed herself suddenly forward like an arrow being released from a bow. Her lithe body reaching the yearling deer before it could even struggle to its feet. Her jaw clamped around the muscled neck and closed of the prey's air supply. As she felt the shrill cries echoed through the air Scarlett's tail rose higher and higher. Her head tugged from left to right to make the bleeding wound even bigger. Once life was drained the female let go, her mouth reddened with the staining blood.

sorry it's so late, but can we finish this up in the next couple posts?

Koda lingered within the cover of the undergrowth, waiting to see what Scarlett would do. The she-wolf, surprisingly stealthy despite her light coloring, crept into position without so much as causing a single deer to raise his head in alarm. When she dashed forward, Koda sprang forth ready to back her up. No doubt his strong jaws would be needed to land the killing blow.

He was surprised when he caught up to the white she wolf, the red stains on her snowy fur complimenting her ruby eyes as she stood over the body of the prey. He'd been thinking she wouldn't be able to handle the deer on her own, and he'd swoop in and save the day. But she'd proven far more capable than he'd given her credit for.

"Where did you get the idea you're bad at hunting," he asked her as he seated himself nearby. So, it wasn't the most impressive kill he'd ever seen, but Scarlett definitely didn't need any help. Maybe, she'd even become better than him. The mere thought hurt his pride, so he added this last bit. "That was really good, for a girl."

Not to worry. I knew your reasons. Glad to have you back, lovely! Yes lets do that! I noticed how much progress Scar already made, she was more shy here!

Scarlett's tail wagged gently as she saw the surprised look of the brown male. Her tail started to wag a bit more as she stood over the kill. Her lithe body was still catching her breath. "My old pack. They laughed and me and told me I sucked.. and stuff!," she spoke almost.. happy? It was because she was excited that she did something right. Normally she was talked down by everyone but her father.

The red eyes girl beamed excitedly when he told her she was good. Really good. No one ever said that to her. Her tail wagged more and then she sat laid down by the deer but didn't eat. The girl was so submissive that she didn't even consider starting to eat for herself. She considered Koda higher and as a teacher so he was allowed to eat first if she wanted to show him respect. "Thank you!"

"But it was not that impressive. He was laying down. I didn't even need to chase him," she returned. She was such a modest being.

"True, but it was still a clean kill," he remarked. Even sick deer could still put up a little fight, but Scarlett's swift action hadn't even given this deer a chance to get to his feet. "Don't listen to what your pack said."

It felt odd, encouraging a girl to keep at hunting. He'd always been told that because they were smaller and weaker, females should be protected and kept away from danger. And that meant they should stay behind when the men went out hunting. But since leaving his native land, Koda had met a couple she-wolves that didn't fit that mold at all.

"Um, are you gonna eat?" He asked, after noticing Scarlett hadn't so much as sniffed the carcass.

Scarlett had the biggest grin on her face now. "I won't listen to them. I left for a reason. But sometimes they repeated it so often that you begin to believe it. It is hard to turn that around," she admitted. The white lady stepped forward when the question was asked. She had just gotten into DFG and was the lowest rank, just like in her last pack. Scarlett was so used to the role that she automatically waited. If her fur wasn't covering her face she would blush right now.

"Ah.. Yeah. Sorry I normally had to wait for the scraps," she admitted and sniffed over it eagerly now. She was really hungry and the first signs were starting to show that she was. She opened up the belly off the animal and started feasting on the organs. Something she hadn't done since she was a pup. Even as a pup that often made her wait. Her family pack had been cruel to her. And still this female was so full of light.

Scarlett sunk her teeth in the flesh and started to wolf chunks of meat down in one go. Her pale coat smeared with blood even more than before. She needed a bath after this.

let's have a little more fun ;)

Koda nodded in understanding. His own parents had said some pretty harsh things to him and his siblings growing up. They called had called it 'tough love', and it was supposed to make him a man. As a juvenile, Koda had promised himself over and over that if he had pups, he would never discipline them so harshly. But breaking the cycle wasn't going to be easy. The teachings of his parents were etched in his memory. They subconsciously influenced his every thought and action. He was becoming more and more like his abusive, sexist, judgmental father, and he didn't even know it.

The hungry wolf turned to the scrawny carcass. Scarlett had already done the hard work of opening the abdomen, revealing the tasty organs. The insides were the best part, well worth the effort of chewing through tough muscle and bone. His head disappeared into deer's belly for a moment, then emerged with a dripping liver in his jaws. Koda stretched out beside the carcass, happily munching on his meal. His bushy gray tail gently swept the ground behind him, kicking up little flurries of snow.

Koda was so busy stuffing his face, he didn't notice a sly canine creeping up on him from behind until he felt sharp teeth tug on his tail. With a surprised yelp, he whirled around to see a coyote standing behind him. The big wolf bristled and bared his fangs in a snarl. Koda wouldn't have the filthy scavenger so close to their kill. The coyote took a few steps back, then turned and started running for the treeline.

"Little bastard!" Koda yelled after him, his surprise and anger making him forget his manners. He took off after the fleeing canine at full gallop, fully intent on catching him and pulling his tail clean off. He didn't realize he was being lured away until it was too late. Once Koda was distracted, four other coyotes emerged from the woods and surrounded Scarlett and the kill, intent on stealing it from the wolves.

Oh yes. I keep reminding myself this thread started in her first week. So I should play her even more sky and less confident. 8D

The light colored female eagerly ate on the carcass along with the male. She tried to keep her mind off the fact that this man praised her for being good at hunting. It was such an unreal experience. Had her family been that bad to her? Maybe it was good she left them for good. The deer was amazing. It was warm and juicy. Her first good fill of meat after months of living on scraps and small prey. This was the way to still her hunger.

Scarlett pushed her head towards the heart and lungs of the deer. Her jaws eagerly biting down on the soft meat. Her stomach was slowly filling and extending with each bite. The albino then got to her feet and started on the ribcage, tearing of long stripes. Her head snapped up in shock when the male suddenly cursed. Scarlett watched how the large male just took off after what seemed was a coyote. What a bold one.

The albino watched the male go with a light frown. She then took his spot at the belly of the beast and started eating. She wanted to good meat too. "Ouch!" She yelped when she felt sharp teeth in one of her hind paws. It wasn't a bite that caused a wound, more like a small nip. When she looked up she realized that she was surrounded by four other coyotes. In her dream world she would have snarled loudly and grabbed one by its scruff to make it a desert for their ongoing meal.

But, this was not a dreamworld and Scarlett stood there with her tail between her legs. She had to jump away from another nip and let out a whimper. Ears flattening in fear. "Koda!!," she howled, yet she was reluctant to run away and leave their kill. She bared her teeth but they weren't very impressive, because her demeanor was overall fearful.

yeah, gets tricky when threads go on a long time. also, nice new avatar :)

The little jerk had a bit of a head start on the wolf, but with a rage-fueled burst of speed, Koda quickly closed the gap between himself and his target. Once it was in range, he lunged and grabbed for the coyote's tail, but the slippery canine zig-zagged and the wolf stumbled as he bit down on empty air. Frustrated and out of breath, Koda still wasn't ready to give up the chase until Scarlett's howl rang in his ears. The fear in her voice made him skid to a stop and look back. He saw her trying to stand her ground as the pack of coyotes closed in, but she was in trouble.

He turned and started loping back, but the decoy wasn't about to let him go that easily. Koda let out a sharp yelp as he felt sharp teeth sink into his flank and looked back to see the coyote gnawing on him. He was trying to keep the wolf's attention on him, so his buddies could steal the carcass. "Get off," Koda snarled as he rounded on the smaller canine, forcing it to let go to avoid the wolf's murderous jaws. Once he was free he bolted toward Scarlett, leaving his pursuer in the dust.

Koda charged into the circle of coyotes and stood over the carcass, snarling through his bared fangs. The pack retreated a few steps, but quickly regrouped and continued to harass the wolves. The male snapped at them whenever they got too close, but was careful not to leave Scarlett's side. Koda didn't want to give up the carcass, but he was starting to realize he and Scarlett were fighting a losing battle. No matter how many times they drove them back, the hungry scavengers just kept coming.

I still like this thread a lot <3 Thank you! Laur made it and I am in love with it! :D More serious looking, but the wolf is still fluffy and arghh. Love it :D Plus it gives the wintery vibe of the Glacier she lives!

Scarlett's heart jolted in relief when Koda came rushing back to save her. Her tail was still stuck between her legs but her ears showed how relieved she actually was. While Koda came back Scarlett tried to get the smalls canines off the carcass but often she was met with a nip in one of her paws. The albino female pressed herself against the male once he was next to her. The carcass was tough to defend but Scarlett wasn't giving up.

Every time one snapped at them it felt like one of her old pack members talking her down. She had enough of it! She could stand up for herself. Scarlett proved to this male moments ago that she could hunt! She could defend too. She was not helpless. The coyote started to realize that the white one didn't attack as much, yet when one lunged itself at Koda, Scarlett jumped forward in attack with the courage she had gathered. The female never really lost her temper. She was perfectly fine being timid but in this moment it was not fine.

Her jaws enclosed around the attacking coyote. It was suddenly like there was a new wolf in front of Koda. Scarlett was moving her head from side to side to make the wound even bigger. She wanted the attacker to suffer. The screeching filling her ears. For Scarlett this moment was more metaphorical. Seeing the nips as the sneers from her past. The female let go of the limp creature. She killed it. She thought that would make the others stop but they didn't. "I killed it...," she uttered. "I think I made them more mad. Oh no." A yelp from the girl sounded when two of them jumped her. "I wanna go. Let's go they can have it." In her dreams this would totally have worked! Damn it.

In the chaos, Koda did not see the coyote lunge for him. Luckily, Scarlett had his back. She surprised the male a second time when she tackled the attacker and throttled him in her jaws. She did not let go until the life had drained from him.

Koda was sure the pack would scatter when they saw what happened to their comrade, but they instead came seeking revenge. Two of their number jumped on Scarlett, intent on taking an eye for an eye. Koda rushed to her aid, grabbed one of the attackers by the scruff and threw him off. The other jumped away to avoid being caught in the wolf's gaping maw. Scarlett was free, but the pack quickly regrouped for another attack. If the wolves were going to retreat, now was their chance.

He nudged Scarlett in the direction of the woods. "Let's go!," he barked as he started to lope for the trees. He let the girl run ahead so he could be sure she was safe from the sharp fangs nipping at their heels.

Scarlett felt a nip in her shoulder and in her side. In that moment it was actually pretty scary who knew coyotes were so vicious?! They were probably really hungry. The albino was glad she had eaten the best meat with Koda. The male freed her to Scarlett's relief. She kicked the other coyote off and got to her feet. A few of them were already on the carcass. With the nudge and Koda's words Scarlett bolded. Her ears turned back to hear if the male was following her. Once she got that confirmation she shifted in a higher gear and made sure to be at least a mile away from the carcass.

The pale female slowed down at a small stream. Pink tongue hung out of her mouth while panting. Her red eyes scanned around them for the coyotes but they were gone. "That was so unfair," she whined through her panting. She decided to quench her thirst for a moment and cool her body down from the heated run. In her mind she was still thinking of how she actually did do what she pictured. That was quite the step for her. But it was also a harsh realization. It didn't end how she pictured it. The coyotes were coming back with more force. It only showed that winters were harsh. Even the carnivores started fighting amongst each other. "Are you okay?"

The two wolves ran into the forest, and didn't stop until they had put a safe distance between themselves and their attackers. Only when they came across a small stream running through the woods did they stop for a rest. Koda splashed into the cool water and lapped it up greedily. Running for so long worked up quite a thirst.

Koda looked up from the stream, water dripping from his muzzle. "That's the way life is, sometimes," he said. He was trying to sound chill, but he was pretty upset about what had just happened. He and Scarlett had done the hard work of tracking and killing the deer, and those little beasts had just come along and helped themselves. "At least we got all the best bits before they showed up."

The gray wolf did a quick self-examination. His hind leg was a little bloody where the coyote bit him, but it wasn't too serious. "Got chewed on a little bit, but I'll live," he assured her. He examined Scarlett for injuries, but it was hard to tell whether the blood on her coat was her own or from one of the animals she'd killed. "How about you, you okay?"

The young female grunted soft once at Koda's comment about life. Life had been pretty rough for her until now. The only good thing was that she was accepted in a pack that seemed okay and nice. Scarlett stepped more into the stream and closer to Koda, she almost wanted to lick his wound clean but since he confidence had faltered she didn't. The white lady looked like she had come back from a war zone. She had blood everywhere. One was from the deer, the other from the coyote and maybe a little bit of herself. "Gosh I should wash myself," she realized.

The northerner just lowered herself in the shallow stream at least it was something. She licked over her front and hind legs. It revealed her back paw had some puncture marks, but wasn't too deep. Her shoulder did hurt a bit. She noticed that it was bleeding on its own. She turned more on her side and left the cold water numb out the sting of the wound. Plus it would immediately clean. "I will live," she spoke softly. Her tongue moved over her muzzle to turn her fur back into the colorless white it was before. Scarlett was used to glacier water, so this stream didn't feel that cold to her as it might have to others.

"Luckily we did had the good parts. Guess you were right..," she spoke in realization. "We got an easy kill today, but that compromised for the hoard of coyotes that showed up to steal it," she sighed. Scarlett got back on her fours and shook out her fur. It wasn't pure white but it would do. At least she looked a bit more decent. "Thank you for helping me. You are a good guy, Koda. Blacktail Deer Plateau should be proud to have you!," she complimented then.

Koda climbed out onto the bank and shook out his fur. His toes were a little numb, so he sat down and curled his bushy tail around his paws to warm them. As Scarlett let the running water wash the blood from her coat, Koda licked the blood from his wound. It wasn't anything serious, but he tried to clean it up and hide it as best as he could, knowing Kesuk would probably be upset if she saw it.

It suddenly occurred to him that he'd been gone all day, and he'd be returning to his pack with nothing to show for it but a chewed up leg. He was sure his pack mates would be disappointed. Food had been a little scarce lately. He'd wanted to bring home some leftovers to cache, but he'd ended up feeding a horde of thieves. What a waste.

Despite the disappointment he was feeling, he smiled at Scarlett's encouraging words. "Thanks, Scarlett," he replied. "But I think you helped me, more than I helped you."

Koda rose and looked to the north. He couldn't see it through the trees, but he knew the plateau rose up somewhere beyond the forest and the plains. All he had to do was follow the river back. He wondered where home was for Scarlett. He wanted to get back to Kesuk and the others, but he also wanted to make sure she'd get home safe. "Would you like me to walk you home?" He offered.

Scarlett watched Koda for a moment, as an observer she liked to just watch wolves and their reactions. She could see he was feeling the same as her. At least it felt like her expression matched with the one she had. But that expression soon vanished when Koda said something that peeked her interest for a moment. Scarlett processed what happened and thought about what she helped Koda with. A frown settled on her face, a good frown. "I helped you?," she wondered. Her red eyes seemed to widen. "Nah I didn't do anything. You are just saying that," she quickly added, feeling shy all of a sudden.

Scarlett noticed that the shallow wound on her shoulder had stopped bleeding. She would be more than fine. The female wouldn't even have a scar from this. It was only superficial scratch. "Oh no. It would take days. But very friendly of you to offer. I am like secretly super tough so I will get home, don't worry," she joked lightly. She didn't even notice that she was mocking herself in the process. "I live at the Glacier, actually. You would be always welcome there! Maybe you find some good game in the fields of Wapun Meadow. That is like the middle way to meet I think." She would like to see Koda again. He was the type of wolf she could easily be friends with. Scarlett wondered if she could consider him as a friend now.