February 06, 2021, 11:46 AM
What appeared to be a small mound of snow turned out to be a wolf that had woken by the first rays of dawn. As he raised his head, the snow that had accumulated around his neck collapsed. Amaguq blinked his eye languidly to adapt to the blinding light and ran his warm, moist tongue over his nose, which soon caught the scents of the forest.
He then shook off what was left of the snow caught in his fur, rising on his long legs. The ravens squawked above him, hidden in the pine canopy, a sound that Amaguq detested, but he made an effort to ignore.
His nose had caught an odor that made his mouth water. He followed the trail without knowing which creature it belonged to. And he didn't have to walk far to find one round porcupine prowling a bush of cranberries, bright fruit encapsulated in a layer of ice that gleamed like crystal.
Amaguq licked his lips: the smell entering his nostrils told him that under the armor of quills was rich and juicy meat. The wolf's eye aimed at the rodent's dark snout, and he crouched down until it felt its belly rubbing against the snow, inching forward.
At some point, the rodent started looking nervous, its big eyes searching for the threat without being able to distinguish Amaguq from the snow.
The wolf attacked, keeping his head low. His quick movements lifted the snow around him, turning Amaguq into a white blur, which was enough to disorient the porcupine and give the wolf the second he needed to clamp its snout between his carnassials.
But hunting was only the first part of the ordeal that Amaguq set out to do: eating porcupine involved patience and dexterity to avoid being hurt by its quills. The wolf was remembered this when, on turning the creature on its back, he felt a sting in the line of his mouth. Fortunately, it hadn't penetrated the flesh, and a shake was enough to get rid of the danger.
Amaguq took a look at the rodent's soft belly and stubby paws, so ridiculously short.
All this work for a meat chunk.
He then tore a hole in the porcupine's belly, gnawing his way into its flesh, blood staining the fur around his head and throat. He had to eat quickly, as the smell of the carcass wouldn't take long to guide scavengers to the scene. The crows were already waiting for their share.
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It's white, but not for long - by Amaguq - February 06, 2021, 11:46 AM