Hunt

As a pup, Hunt had always wanted to be a fighter for her pack. She one day left the camp after her warrior ceremony and decided to hunt. Hunt started sniffing. She had never hunted alone. Usually with one other wolf in a hunting party. She picked up a rabbit scent. At that same moment, a rabbit exploded from the bushes. She leaped out of the way and growled. Something had clearly startled it. She ducked under a bush. Tiger Woods stomped out and lunged for it. Hunt noticed he was using a battle tactic on it, giving him the killing bite. She stared at him in horror. This wasn't the way of a warrior! She watched him trudge back to camp, and silently followed him. Was t he supposed to take it back to his hunting patrol, the Night Hunters Team? Night Of No Stars and Kiwi Stripe would be worried. Once Tiger Woods ducked into camp, she went in after him. She noticed he had some warm scent coming off of him. He had Blood on his paws! Although, the rabbit was dripping a lot of it from its neck. She shook the thought away. "Let all wolves old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the high ledge for a pack meeting!" Sky watcher yowled from high ledge. Hunt felt satisfaction ripple through her as she bounded towards it. She could sit and listen to pack meetings now! Sky Watcher continued "As you all know, today will be the gathering at full moon…" he yowled. Hunt's pelt ruffled excitedly. "Here are the warriors I want to come with me. Ice, Dawn, Mianra, Night, Peak, Nettle Shine, Swoop, Kiwi Stripe…" Sky Watcher didn't have a chance to finish. His legs buckled beneath him and he fell over on his side. Chrysanthemum, the pack's herbalist rushed to his side. She felt his heaving flanks with a paw. "Have you eaten lately??" She asked urgently. "This…T-This has nothing to do with prey" Sky Watcher rasped. His breathing was cut off shortly, and his breaths stopped. His eyes glazed, and he fell limp. Chrysanthemum licked his ear gently "he is dead" she gazed dully at the gathered pack. Hunt's heart skipped a beat. No…No! No! He can't be dead! "Where is Kiwi Stripe? He must hear that his father is dead and prepare to become leader! He and us, will have to save our grief for later." Dawn called out. "She's right! Last time I saw him, he was out hunting with Night and Tiger Woods!" Some other wolf called out. Tiger Woods seemed to stiffen as he mentioned him.
"I think Tiger Woods killed him" Hunt said. Her voice was a meager whisper, and yet all the stares turned to her. It was true, Hunt did think Tiger Woods killed Kiwi Stripe. "I had a dream a few days ago, , and I was in the paws of a badger wolf. They ambushed Kiwi Stripe as he was hunting, and threw him off a cliff." Tiger Woods' clear voice rang out. "You said a badger! There are many other badgers here except me" he said. "It's true" Chrysanthemum backed him up " until we have proof, no one will be turned against anyone." Night of No Stars suddenly burst through the bramble entrance. He was alone, with no Kiwi Stripe following him. Chrysanthemum looked up sharply "Where is Kiwi Stripe?" She demanded. "I…I…" he panted "he's dead" he shuddered. "I found his body over a cliff when he went chasing after rabbit so to Toger Woods and never came back. Tiger Woods seems to have gotten here before me" Night was not a badger, he was a pyrope, so there was no possible was his reddish brown coat could have been the one she saw in her dream. " I want to clear my head" she barked quickly, then exited the camp. She heard the bushes rustle a few times but tagged them off as prey moving along the forest. She heard a twig snap. She stiffened "who's there?" She called out into the silent night. Too late. With a bark, Tiger Woods hurled himself at her and pinned her to the ground. She howled as he spoke "how dare you spread my secret? Now you shall pay for it with your life!" He snarled. "So it WAS you!" She said under gritted teeth. "Of course it was me! Who else would want to do such a thing for power?" He snapped. "I gave Sky Watcher deathberries in his prey before the meeting, and I pished Kiwi Stripe off the cliff. Sky Watcher was weak and foolish, and his son was no better." He snarled. "Wha- Why?" She didn't get it finish. Tiger Woods lunged at her but she reared and scratched his belly with her hind paws. He screeched an let go but counterattacked and flung himself at her once more. He raked her flank with his claws, and snapped at her neck. She dodged just in time, and leaped, teeth bared at him. He moved out of the way, but wasn't prepared for Hunt's quickness. Fast as a fox, she spun around and tore his ear and scratched his torso. He rolled, blood pooling over his face from his torn ear. He lunged at her, but she doubled back. She hit him with such force, a spirt of blood shot out of him. But he wasn't ready to die yet. He howled in pain and zigzagged towards her. He sliced his claws through her face. Hot pain seared through her face, as she blinked. Tiger woods was blurring now, and he stumbled back to her once more. He reared with such force that she was knocked off her paws. His claws struck fur, as he sliced her throat.

Hunt awoke In the medicine den. Pain seared in her neck like fire. She blinked. She blinked again. Everything was black. She blinked once more. She heard the gentle murmuring of Chrysanthemum over her. "You're awake! How are you feeling? Do you want some water? Fresh kill?" She asked. "Huh? Where am I?" Hunt asked. " why, you're in the medicine den!" She responded surprised. There was a slight tone in her voice as if she didn't want to tell her something. "What is wrong with me? Why can't I see? Is there something over my eyes?" A thought occurred which filled her with dread. She pushed it away. She had to know for sure. "Well…um…you see…" Chrysanthemum was hesitant. "Just tell me!" She snapped. "You killed Tiger Woods" she told her. "For good riddance" she grumbled. "What? How could you say that! He was your pack mate!" "He admitted it! He admitted that he killed Kiwi Stripe! He admitted that he snuck death berries into Sky Watcher's food! He said it all before I killed him! He wanted to lead the Wandering Charmers Pack!" She howled with anguish. "Really?" She could imagine Chrysanthemums eyes widen. "Now tell me why I can't see!" But Chrysanthemum didn't need to tell her. She already knew what Tiger Woods had done to her face. She was blind.

"It'll be ok, you still have a chance of recovering!" Chrysanthemum tried to reassure her, but Hunt wasn't convinced. "I'm no use to pack if I can hunt or fight I'll have to be an elder for the rest of my life!" She closed her unseeing eyes and fell into sleep.

She awoke with a start. This was the Dynasty's hunting grounds. Was she dead? Sky Watcher padded out of a cloud. "Greeting Hunt" he woofed evenly. When Hunt didn't answer he said "Yes, you will be blinded for the rest of your life until you hunt with the Dynasty. But you don't have to worry about it. You have proved your loyalty stronger than ever. You save the Eandering Charmers Pack from Toger Woods and your sacrifice will never be forgotten." He said. "Why have you come? To torment me about my blindness?" She snapped. He widened his eyes. "No! I've come to thank you for what you sacrificed for my pack…and to tell you who to make as the next leader." . His gaze was cool. "Why are you telling me? Chrysanthemum is the herbalist, not me!" " you have a power within you that no one else has. The next leader will be Mianra" he said as he started fading away m.

She awoke again on darkness. "Chrysanthemum! Miata must be the new leader!"