It was unseasonably warm that morning and the sky had turned a uniform gray overnight. Dew clung to plants and trees, dripping down the leaves, collecting momentum until one drop landed dead-center on Jura's nose, waking him instantly. He blinked open his eyes. and shook his head to fling the offending drop from his muzzle. He pawed at his tired eyes before rolling up into a back-cracking stretch; jaws agape and all his teeth on display in a frightful yawn. That finished, he shook out his pelt of any detritus only to head out to find some breakfast.
The quiet boy lowered his nose to the ground and rooted out a relatively fresh scent trail among the stale and wolfish ones. A rabbit was out foraging nearby; he could see little paws imprinted in the damp earth. He turned, following his catch until he caught sight of movement on his right. A branch trembled as the creature passed beneath it; it was nearly impossible to see against the dark leaf litter of the ground, but he caught a glimpse of the rabbit's ears as it scooted along.
He crept closer, until he was well within sprinting range, and then shot forward in hot pursuit of the now fleeing prey. It cut left, then right, and finally darted under a mossy log. Jura growled and shoved his muzzle in the small hole after it, but it was too deep. So, with a huff, he started to dig.
The quiet boy lowered his nose to the ground and rooted out a relatively fresh scent trail among the stale and wolfish ones. A rabbit was out foraging nearby; he could see little paws imprinted in the damp earth. He turned, following his catch until he caught sight of movement on his right. A branch trembled as the creature passed beneath it; it was nearly impossible to see against the dark leaf litter of the ground, but he caught a glimpse of the rabbit's ears as it scooted along.
He crept closer, until he was well within sprinting range, and then shot forward in hot pursuit of the now fleeing prey. It cut left, then right, and finally darted under a mossy log. Jura growled and shoved his muzzle in the small hole after it, but it was too deep. So, with a huff, he started to dig.
October 29, 2015, 12:01 PM
The sound of a growl and then the churning of earth drew Floki's attention as he descended the mountain. He paused in his step, nearly losing his footing as loose rocks tumbled from beneath his paws. His ears stood tall as he listened for a long moment, and then the lanky adolescent continued his downward path, until he reached the flat ground at the forested base of the mountain.
There, he found a wolf digging furiously, his front paws working like a well-oiled machine as he upturned the earth. Floki watched for a few seconds, then said quietly, "What are you doing? Can I help?" Instinct told him that a hushed voice was necessary, and when he took a deep breath, he could smell the scent of rabbit. Hunting, he realized, even before his packmate could answer.
There, he found a wolf digging furiously, his front paws working like a well-oiled machine as he upturned the earth. Floki watched for a few seconds, then said quietly, "What are you doing? Can I help?" Instinct told him that a hushed voice was necessary, and when he took a deep breath, he could smell the scent of rabbit. Hunting, he realized, even before his packmate could answer.
November 03, 2015, 04:32 PM
Great slogs of earth were kicked out between his hind legs as he excavated the burrow. His claws dug at the soft, damp soil; he could practically taste the rabbit's blood on his tongue as another inhale brought the mingling scent of undergrowth and his prey. He pulled out of the hole for a moment to shake his head free of the dirt that had collected on his nose, but his attention was momentarily diverted by the approach of his pack mate-- the young Floki.
His ears swiveled towards the monochrome youngster with a tilt of his head, and a welcoming smile. The rabbit had no where to go; he wasn't worried about it escaping while his back was turned. Jura motioned to the hole and whisked his tail left to right in a pleased gesture. "Could you dig on that side?" He asked, motioning to the spot on the other side of the log with a jerk of his nose. "He's way in there but I think we can sandwich him."
Jura scraped a bit more at the hole and stuck his nose back in with a snort. Yep, it was still there all right.
His ears swiveled towards the monochrome youngster with a tilt of his head, and a welcoming smile. The rabbit had no where to go; he wasn't worried about it escaping while his back was turned. Jura motioned to the hole and whisked his tail left to right in a pleased gesture. "Could you dig on that side?" He asked, motioning to the spot on the other side of the log with a jerk of his nose. "He's way in there but I think we can sandwich him."
Jura scraped a bit more at the hole and stuck his nose back in with a snort. Yep, it was still there all right.
The older wolf paused in his digging long enough to regard Floki. His countenance and tone of voice were friendly as he told the boy what he could do to assist. Floki wasted no time; he padded around the end of the log until he stood on the side opposite Jura. He hesitated only a moment, watching as the more experienced hunter continued pawing at the ground, then began to mimic his movements.
He hunkered down, reaching out with his forelegs. His claws pulled at the soft earth and he felt dirt promptly squish in between his toes. The sensation made him wrinkle his nose, but he kept going, bending at the elbow to begin shaping a small hole. The more he dug, the more potent the smell of rabbit became; and although Floki wasn't an experienced hunter, the odor was enough to excite his instincts and inspire him to dig faster.
With some work and persistence, the two wolves were able to flush the rabbit out of hiding. Jura was the one to make the kill, though he graciously shared the credit with Floki.
He hunkered down, reaching out with his forelegs. His claws pulled at the soft earth and he felt dirt promptly squish in between his toes. The sensation made him wrinkle his nose, but he kept going, bending at the elbow to begin shaping a small hole. The more he dug, the more potent the smell of rabbit became; and although Floki wasn't an experienced hunter, the odor was enough to excite his instincts and inspire him to dig faster.
With some work and persistence, the two wolves were able to flush the rabbit out of hiding. Jura was the one to make the kill, though he graciously shared the credit with Floki.
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