First Hunt
By: Bay, 6th grade
A howl pierced the night sky, shaking the stars and sending fear into the hearts of all creatures. The head wolf pack, Excellion, had gathered for a very special occasion. The son of the alpha male was going on his first hunt.
All the wolves gathered in a large circle around the alpha male and his mate. “Welcome, brethren. You are all gathered here on this winter night to witness and join in the first hunt of my son.” The alpha male, named Surokan, lifted one paw in the air and gave a mighty howl. The rest of the pack joined in, all with their muzzles lifted to the dark blue sky.
“And now, I present to you… my son, Keiron.” The young wolf walked into the middle of the circle, his brown and black fur showing greatly against the light cover of snow on the ground. His father looked down at him with a grey muzzle contrasted against his snow white fur, the scar across his eye unmistakable. Liyla, the mate of Surokan, stood behind him, her black fur showing her bright yellow eyes like stars in the sky.
She perked her ears to the wind. Liyla was respected throughout Excellion for her excellent hearing skills. “The elk are near.” She said solemnly, giving her son a slight smile. He gave a small howl, and the rest of the pack each responded. “Now,” Surokan stated. “We begin the hunt!” Excellion instantly bounded through the woods with amazing speed and agility. After all, they were the most respected wolf pack in Kundiar.
Keiron lifted his sensitive nose to the air as the familiar scent of elk reached his nostrils. His father, too, had noticed the change of scent, and began to run faster. The rest of the pack followed, their ears and noses on the lookout for the elk. The pack reached the edge of the familiar forest, and found themselves running along the valley in between the legendary Spine mountain range.
Then, the pack saw the elk. With howls, they charged towards the unsuspecting creatures. The elk panicked, attempting to escape by clambering over the sleeping forms of others, and it was soon a frenzy of horns and hooves. Keiron grinned as his father was the first to attack the elk. The rest soon followed suit, circling the animals until they were trapped. Liyla was sinking her fangs into the neck of an old buck. Her son attempted to do the same to a young doe, but failed. The female, terrified, kicked him off. He sat in the snow for a moment before shaking the slight sting off the side of his head and continuing his hopeless efforts.
As time wore on, Keiron was losing faith in himself. The others had killed many elk, and he had yet to even sink his teeth into one. He frowned before launching himself at a sick fawn. Unfortunately, it ran off just as he was about to land on it. With a ‘thud’, he landed in the snow. Shaking the powder from his muzzle, he lay on his stomach, and gave a sigh. It was hopeless. He would never catch an elk. The rest of the pack had ceased attacking. Surokan gave a mighty howl of triumph, but his son did not join in the celebration. Keiron flattened his ears on his head, his tail drooping. The other wolves were happily chomping on elk, but he didn’t move. It was his first hunt, he was supposed to catch something. His mother, noticing his sadness, grabbed some meat and carried it over to him, her sharp, piercing eyes staring at him seriously. He silently declined the offer of food, and wandered into the forest. He watched the others cram as much elk as possible in their large mouths, their white, sharp teeth glinting in the pale moonlight.
One of the wolves, a young male, walked over to Keiron, his grey fur flecked with snow. “Would you care for anything to eat?” He asked politely. The pup considered this for a moment, but shook his head. It would seem rude, eating food he had not deserved. Soon, the pack was finished with their meal, and were licking their paws and backs. Some were stretched out on the snow, others sitting in the forest. Surokan and Liyla walked into the center of the clearing, and the other wolves instantly looked at attention to the dominant pair. “The hunt has ceased,” Liyla said in her strong, determined voice. “And we have killed many an elk. I declare this hunt a success.” The other wolves wagged their tails happily. Another successful hunt only added to Excellion’s reputation of great teamwork. Keiron gave a sigh. It wasn’t a success to him. He hadn’t killed anything.
The rest of the pack stood, and they all began to run out of the clearing. Surokan, though, stayed. He walked over to his son, his snow white fur almost glowing in the moonlight. “My son…” He said, and Keiron looked up. His father looked very powerful, despite having a grey muzzle. His muscles were strong, and his body was lean and his ears sharp and perked. “I know that you did not kill any elk. Or anything, for that matter…” Keiron looked down at the snow, embarrassed. It seemed so foolish, a wolf not able to hunt. He would be disgraced by the rest of the pack. Surokan bent down so he was eye to eye with his pup. “But….” Keiron looked up hopefully.
“There is always next hunt.”