The Hunted

Directions

Elias

The girls stood off in the distance as one of the guards from the neighboring pack set up the stand where the flare would go off. When it came to most hunts, we pressed for the women to sprint into the woods in every direction. We told them it was to bring excitement to the tasks we had planned for them or that the faster they went, the more eager they showed for the future.

I am always surprised the women are not more scared of the size of us wolves. The height of a normal grey wolf is 2 to 2.5 feet while we are the size of a normal dire wolf which is 3 to 3. 5 feet. Maybe they think wolves are naturally this height. If that were the case then I'd love for them to see us standing side to side.

I glanced at the woman who snapped the rest of them out of their cheerful haze. It likely saved a few more lives, now that they know that the hunt is about the strongest surviving. They will make their stay about surviving, strategy, and skill. If she had any of those requirements, then she'd be the type of woman to get through this.

I like her. The paperwork says her name is Lyra, which sounds perfect. Luna Lyra, the queen of wolves. My wolf spoke for the first time since the hunt had begun.

Will you make more of an appearance this hunt my friend?

If she makes more of an appearance, then so will I.

My attention snaps over to the sudden crackling sound of a flare lighting up. They all immediately went into action. Some made their dresses more survival-friendly, tearing layers off and discarding them on the ground before taking off in the direction many others went. A lot climbed trees as if that was going to help them get away from supernatural wolves, not that they knew that that's been tried before. Many, many, many times.

I saw a small number of them team up and talk out a plan before heading off into the woods in a direction not many had taken. While it might have been a good plan, we can hear everything they're saying. All of their effort is useless in the end.

Then there was Lyra, walking over to us. Determination in her step as she marched towards one of the wolves that stood at the end of the huddled mess before stopping right in front of him.

She's mad! Like the hatter in that children's story.

I breathed out in amusement. 

Maybe she wants some tea?

My wolf snickers before going quiet again. I can tell he's happy with the scene that has unfolded. With this being the first time he has taken an interest in the hunt, I can tell he's chosen the kingdom's queen after all this time. I only hope he made the right choice.

Lyra makes her way through the crowd of wolves, looking into their eyes before looking at the next in line. She stops when she gets to me and smiles a little before dropping it and squinting at me accusingly. Her pitch-black hair falls lightly into her eyes before she gently pushes it behind her ears. Her beauty strikes me like lightning in a storm and I'm suddenly overwhelmed with emotions I haven't felt since my mother held me and told me everything was going to be ok.

She looked at me with such disdain that I couldn't bear it. I wanted to be the feathers to her wings, the fire that warms her home in the winter, and the tree that gives shade in the harsh summer heat. I wanted to be her everything, but she looked at me like I was nothing. Dirt beneath her shoe. The problem that she couldn't solve, in some ways, reminded me of the way my father looked at me. 

I let out a whine at the thought that she hated me just as much as my father did. Her eyes softened, almost appearing guilty. She sighed and patted me on the head but stopped halfway. Instead, she turned and walked toward the discarded cloth the others had left behind. She looked down at the cloth for a moment before nodding to herself, gathering it up, walking over to a tree, and yanking the younger branches off.

A few moments later she had made a make-shift archival rucksack, where the twigs comfortably rested against her back for sturdy support. She put the rest of the cloth in the bag and walked back towards the direction of the tent. Guards stood at the entrance and shook their heads when she was just a few feet away from them.

"This place is surrounded by woods yes?" She asked. The guards looked at one another before nodding once.

"Then unless you want me to go all around the tents, I'd like to cut through and just go in that direction. It's not like you think it's going to make a difference, so why not let me go that way?"

One of the guards looked my way and I gave him a slight nod. 

"Fine, but we will follow to make sure you don't stay where you're not supposed to."

"Sounds like a fuckin plan. Now move." 

She has a mouth. Wolf said bitterly.

She is fierce, whether she has a mouth or not doesn't matter. Standing your ground is needed in this situation.

He grumbled and faded away as I watched Lyra make her way into the direction of woods that none of the others had gone. It was then I realized that my men and I had to go that way, away from the other women. I hope suggesting bringing them with me was a good idea, I know their eager for a mate just as much as I am. Maybe bringing them doomed them to wait another year or longer. I sighed and turned to see the flare still burning with the rage of the sun so I slowly plopped down onto the ground until I lay comfortably down on the ground.

I am coming for you, my queen.