The Wolf Pack , Book 2: Island Wolf

Chapter 5: Hunting Disaster

Then next morning, Starpaw's eyes snapped open. Something wasn't right, she knew it. Today was the day that she was taking Snowy hunting. For the first time, she started to worry. Not about herself, but about Snowypaw. It was an understatement to say she was a substandard hunter; she was an abysmal help when hunting. Nevertheless, it was important for Snowypaw to learn to hunt. She only hoped Snowy wasn't a complete failure later that day...                                                                                                     **********

"Oh, Star, are you sure about this? Star, can you tell me what we're hunting today? Star, are you quite sure we can't do this tomorrow?"

"Procrastinating won't make you any better," Star said under her breath and with gritted teeth.

Nevertheless, Star soon found herself trotting silently along with the others, while Snowy panted behind her. She sighed, glancing back to see Snowy looking both excited and terrified.

"Hi," Shadowpaw said, falling into step by her. "Are you OK?" He had always been able to tell when his friend was feeling particularly sad or annoyed.

She sighed. "Snowypaw came along today, and I'm just afraid... Look, I've been hunting for years with the pack, whereas Snowy barely came to her first hunting lesson! She stopped coming after the first one, and I'm afraid the pack will judge her as not... She's my sister, and I'm worried."

Shadowpaw nodded, but didn't say anything for a while. "Well," he said,"For what it matters, I don't care what the pack judges you or your family as. I still like you." And he was off with a swish of his dark tail.

Star barely had time to process what he had said, before Snowy slid up to her. "You don't need to come to the mingle at all!" She exclaimed in annoyance.

"W-what do you mean?" Star was utterly confused.

"You and Shadowpaw! You've got even more ambition than Lightpaw!"

"Snowy!" Star was embarrassed, but flustered at the same time. "I'm not... we're just friends, Snowy."

"Friends. Yeah, sure," her sister said sarcastically. 

But then a silence swept through the formation, and they quieted immediately.

 "It's deer today," a young male named Greytail told them. "A small herd of them, mostly young ones." He licked his chops, as if for emphasis.

"Snowy, whatever you do, stay by me!" Star hissed.

Then the pack split into small groups, and worked to trap as many deer as possible. As she crouched by Snowy in a thick brush, watching some deer carefully, what Snowypaw had said to her came back. It was true that Shadowpaw and her usually hunted together, but it was just because they were friends. And when they talked, on the way to and from the hunt, it was just... friendly. Starpaw refused to let herself think anything else. And besides, she thought, I'm too young for a mate anyways...

But soon that would not be true. And now that she came to think about all the young males in the pack, she realized that she didn't know many of them well. In fact, Shadow was one of the only wolves she usually hung around...

In the midst of her thoughts, she lost track of the hunt. The wolf in charge of the hunt that day gave the signal, which Star didn't catch, as she wasn't paying attention. Snowy did, though, and without Star to remind her to stay, she charged forward with the first row of wolves. 

The deer bucked in fear and surprise, and Snowypaw made the mistake of heading towards a young female who was standing by her mate. Snowy scratched at her, not hurtfully but merely as an emphasis. The deer's mate camp running at Snowy from behind, and kicked her away. Then, the buck walked over to her, glowering for a moment to tell her never to attack halfheartedly again. Then, he stomped on her, breaking several of her ribs.

The kicking buck brought Star back to her senses, but she was to far away to do anything. It was torture for her, and she was frozen as she watched the deer stomp, then Snowy's body go limp. Then without meaning to she ran with all her might and stood in front of Snowy. She growled at the deer, who merely gave her a menacing look and then trotted away. 

Star felt hatred as she never had before coursing through her veins. She felt wolves trying to get her in line, trying to help her, but she resisted. Not now... it could not have happened.

"Star," said a quiet, strong voice, "There's nothing you can do now..."

And, silent tears of anger streaming down her face, she allowed Shadowpaw to help her back to the pack territory.