The Three Wolves

Chapter 5

Simon had just become a battler (you are a pup from when you are born to six months, an apprentice from six months to about 2 years, a battler from 2 years until you are no longer able to patrol and hunt because of age; or have a disability, and then you become an elder, and when your fate is fulfilled, you pass on to Skywolf) so no doubt that he was excited to go on patrols. The next couple of moon circles (months) passed quickly for him. Before he knew it, Simon was leading patrols like nobody's business! This particular one was at the Grey Clan border. As they traveled along the border, at press paw speed, stopping only to mark their specific border marks (Trees, rocks, etc), they heard a soft snap! behind them. They quietly but swiftly twirled around, and there - in the middle of a small clump of yarrow, was a elk, munching on some grass, totally unaware of them. Simon twitched his tail to tell the others to surround the it; after all, the pack had not had much big game lately; it was turning to brown leaf (fall) and almost every deer, elk and moose are heading someplace warmer. When the last wolf had slid into position, Simon flicked his ears to tell them to start creeping in. When they were fairly close, Simon gave a nod and Fargo and him suddenly leapt out of the ferns, howling and yapping, scaring the elk towards the others. When the elk looked like it was about to trample the ferns that Jackal was hiding in, he gave a mighty leap and clung on to the elk's neck, slowing it down. The others, including Simon and Fargo, ran after it and leapt on to it's back, carefully avoiding the hind legs, to push it down to the ground. When the elk finally collapsed, Jackal hopped of of it's neck and looked it straight in the eye, giving it gratium habeo, when the predator and prey lock gazes, no longer enemies. The predator thanking it for its life, and it's meat that will fill it's stomach, prey giving it thanks that it's death would not be for nothing. Then their gaze is broken; the elk gives a soft moan and closes it's eyes for the last time. We sit down and howl our thanks to Earthwolf, for sending this elk, to Skywolf, to help it climb the star ladder, and to the elk, to send it on its way. It was a very peaceful moment.