For The Hunt

Sierra stalked towards her prey, and was about to pounce when something startled it away. I smiled at her. Poor Sierra. The wolves were getting bigger. They startled her prey away. She slid over to me with easy grace and rubbed against my side. I rubbed her black and white fur.

"Poor Sierra." I whispered, my voice sounding eerie in the dark silence of the forest.

She rumbled angrily. I laughed at her annoyance.

"Let's get home. I have meat stored away." I walked, knowing she would follow.

She did. Not a leaf stirred as we walked through the forest at night. A wolf passed by, its' head could've easily reached my chest. Sierra growled softly. I hushed her. No need to cause an unwanted confrontation. The wolf could put me out of work, and I didn't need that. If I couldn't work, me and Sierra would die of hunger or the authorities would put her in a zoo. That couldn't happen.

We entered our house. It was dark and cold, so I lit the fireplace. Sierra curled up in front of it as I grabbed more logs from the pile of chopped wood. I tossed them in the fire and sat with Sierra, stroking a hand through her fur.

"I'll have to start school tomorrow, Sierra. Promise me you won't bust it down looking for me. School is safer than the forest, at any rate."

She rumbled in hesitated agreement.

"I'm gonna go clean up."

I stood and left to take a shower.

My cabin wasn't primitive. It had running water and electricity, but the electricity was only for keeping the meat frozen in the freezers. The water was for cooking and bathing. I had no electronics. My money was in a box in a drawer. No credit card. No TV. I had books to read by the fire. I loved my house.

My shower was quick, of course. I couldn't take long showers. Sierra would steal my towel. I dried off and changed into some pajamas. Sierra, as if on cue, trotted towards the bathroom. I smiled when she walked back out. She had gone to the bathroom to use the bucket. She had a 5 gallon bucket in a hole in the ground to go potty. She laid back down near the fireplace and dozed off.

I sat near her. She didn't move. I took a glance at the clock. Near 11. Time for bed. I went and laid down. My head hit the pillow, and I was out.

I woke up to wet kisses on my face.

"Ew! Sierra!" I yelled, playfully whacking her with a pillow.

She nudged me with her nose, urging me to get up. I jumped out of bed and began to get ready. Sierra laid where I had been moments before. I grabbed a backpack and slipped out of the door, leaving the gate unlocked so Sierra could go hunting. I walked through the forest at an easy pace, not at all worried about getting to the bus on time. After 30 minutes of solid walking, I got there. After ten more minutes of waiting, the bus pulled up. I got on without a word and sat near the front. When the bus got to the school, I was the first off. Out of pure habit, I looked at the sky to see how hunting would be. No clouds. I would bet all of my money that Sierra could find a deer if she went out right now.

A girl came up to me. "Hi! I'm Sam, what's your name? You must be the new kid! I'm so excited! Will you please be my friend? Pleeeeeaaaase?"

I gave her a blank stare. "Um... Sure? My name is Karlei."

"Cool! Let's go get your schedule." She pulled me to the building.

After the schedule was retrieved, she led me to class. School went boring until lunch, where Sam insisted on leading me to her table.

I looked around the table Sam had led me to. A boy with brown hair and glasses had his nose buried in a book. There was Sam. A girl named Halle with a horrid additude.

"Wanna come over to my house after school?" Sam asked.

I sighed. "I can't, Sierra would be ticked off if I did. You could come over to mine though."

"Who's Sierra?"

I pulled out my wallet and showed her a good picture of Sierra. She had a fake tiara on her head and sat like royalty for the photo.

"Whoa." Sam breathed.

"That's Sierra. She's a sweetheart, really. She does have her moments though."

"She's so pretty'" Sam squealed.

I cringed. Halle growled inhumanly. I glanced at her.

"You're good at imitating wolves." I told her. It was the closet thing I had heard besides the animal.

"She practices." Sam said nervously.

I resisted the urge to call her a liar, because her tone of voice when she said that proved it. Something was up. I had every intention to find out.

-------------A/N------------

Sierra is on the cover. Isn't she so pretty?

How About Some Questons?

1. What is the big secret Sam is keeping?

2. Where does Karlei get her money?

3. Do you like how I spelled it? (Karlei)