Under the cover of darkness, Storm prowled through the woods. He padded over roots and branches. Burs and thorns poked him and tugged at his fur. Storm shook his pelt, stopping to lick a bleeding pad. This part of the forest was dense and crowded by bushes and thorns. He walked carefully until he was on an open grassy ridge that looked over a meadow. Storm howled to the full moon. Then he padded down the hillock and ran through the meadow.
The field was covered in yellow and purple flowers. A herd of elk grazed nearby. There were three bulls and a dozen cows. Storm felt his stomach growl with hunger. One of the bull elks swung his horns and wandered closer to Storm. The wolf howled and caused several of the cows and calves to run. The other bull elk charged at Storm. But the wolf jumped out of the way.
All three bull elks surrounded Storm and let out a loud bugle cry. Storm snapped and snarled as they kicked out and swung their antlers. He was trapped and panic was rising inside him.
The herd was starting to run, so the bull elks decided to join them. Storm grabbed hold of a calf by its back leg. The mother turned and head butted the wolf away. Storm yelped and glared at the cow, forcing her to run. He then chased after the herd. Leaping at another cow elk and holding on. The cow kept running but grew weak. Then he let go and trotted behind them instead.
Two of the bull elks had left, only one remained. As Storm approached a cow and her calf began to veer away from the herd and follow the bull elks. Storm kept chasing them, never growing tired. Hooves pounded on the ground. One of the cows turned to head but the grey wolf but Storm nipped her. Forcing her and her calf to keep running.
They ran for a while. Half the herd split off in the woods while the others stayed together. Storm herded them until they got to a river. He stopped and took a drink. The herd rushed past him and across the river. The hunt was over.
Storm padded slowly towards the meadow again. He found a patch of wild berries on the way and feasted on them. Remembering the bear hunts from the day before. He realised there were bears in the woods. He wagged his tail in excitement, tomorrow they could hunt many more bears.
The grey wolf went to the meadow, his belly slightly full. The elk were long gone and now it was only him. Something rustled in the grass and a mouse scurried towards the woods. An owl dived and swiftly caught it with its talons. Storm barked and twitched his ears. Watching the owl fly away with its prey. A pair of eyes watched him in the darkness. Then three more appeared. They did not move, only watched. Storm noticed them and froze with fear. They smelled like wild wolves. Storm had never seen another wolf. Hunters from the town would go and shoot wolves if they got too close to the people. But up in the mountains the wolf packs and people rarely met.
Storm staggered to the side as a blur of grey fur attacked him. He was in shock as he was snapped out of his thoughts. The other two wolves circled
him, snarling. Storm raised his tail and head high, watching all three wolves. He would not be defeated by the pack. There were two grey wolves but one was black as night. The black wolf padded over to Storm and sniffed him cautiously. Storm did not move, he growled and moved his head away. The she-wolf whined and then howled. All three wolves turned and melted away into the forest.
YOU ARE READING
The Wolf
Historical FictionAleksi is a Polish boy who lives with his parents near his grandfather's farm. He frequently goes on hunting trips with his father and their team of four dogs. Hunting hares and ducks. One day they come across a wolf pup beside a dead she-wolf. Ale...
