Lost Creek Hollow To protect you

perhaps if he had not been abandoned, merrick would have expected treason to hand him something for nothing. but he had grown hard in the weeks indra had been gone, a man in the half-grown body of a boy. the knowledge of this lurked in his coppergold eyes as he gazed steadily at treason.
"the large stag that makes this land his home and has led his herd for some time is dying," merrick revealed a moment later. "he is faltering and he will lose his battles this year." he knew the stumble in the deer's tracks, the way that the old beast moved more slowly these days. "let me lead a hunt and i will kill him to show you, and the pack, that i am ready."