ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ

six

ᯓ★

The wolves' snouts were sharp and pointed towards where the rustling had come from. Keen eyes watched in the direction carefully, noses twitching with the quick smelling of air. 

A low growl came from Daya, and her muscles bunched, ready to spring on the threat, whatever it was. Crystal eyed her from the side, attention being pulled away from the noise that had then gone quiet.

Don't, Daya, she snarled. You'll make it worse. It might not even be dangerous. Don't do anything rash.

Daya turned her gaze sharply to her sister.

But we don't know if it's safe, either, she reasoned. If we strike first, we'll have the upper hand.

Crystal huffed.

We don't even know what made the noise. We're in the middle of nowhere; who's to say it's not just a deer or something?

Daya rolled her eyes heavily, but stood back straight again. Her muscles remained tense.

Do you smell deer? she sneered. It smells like human. What would a person be this far into the woods for if not to cause trouble?

Camping? Exploring? Hunting? Crystal listed, trying to calm Daya down. However, her last suggestion made both of the wolves freeze.

'Hunting?' Daya repeated. If they're hunting, an abnormally large wolf shapeshifter would be the ultimate prize, don't you think?

"Guys, what's going on?" Bosco suddenly asked, and the two wolves' heads turned sharply to look at the girl on Daya's back, a look in their eyes as if to say, "shut up or we'll be in trouble."

Bosco closed her mouth and let the question hang in the air, the look and the silence that followed being enough of an answer. She and Gigi glanced to each other nervously.

We should get away from here.

Daya nodded curtly, agreeing.

Without any further discussion, paws padded against the ground, light and smooth, quietly and efficiently removing themselves from the troubling situation. Hardly a noise could be heard from the large animals, ears pointed and straining to hear if the trouble picked up their hasty departure. Gigi and Bosco kept turning their heads to look behind them, to make sure that nothing was following them. After a while of brisk walking, fur laid flat and tensions eased away.

However, because of the nerves of the potential trouble, they mutually decided to call it an early night. They found a small clearing to set up camp. Just to be extra safe, Daya and Crystal remained in their wolf forms to keep lookout a while longer. They felt bad for making Bosco and Gigi do all the work of pitching the tents and putting together the fire pit, but they felt it was best if they kept keen ears and eyes out just in case. They still didn't know what that noise was - it could really have been nothing concerning to begin with - but they weren't about to take any chances. 

The two wolves sat on opposite sides of the clearing.

Maybe we shouldn't be in our wolf forms, Crystal brought up after a while of silence. Daya quirked her head and gazed to Crystal from across the open space, confused. If they are hunters, we shouldn't be the prey, right?