Eternity

Chapter 1

The hours stretched long and tedious. Both teams were exhausted. The hunt was three days strong, and the stag better off than any wolf for miles. Erlendur was beginning to worry, as they were growing nearer and nearer to the border of East Winds Pack. Not only had they chased the only herd in their land far from their primary hunting grounds, but close to into another packs land.

If the stag was not slain before then, both he and his brother would fail.

Hunts were long, drawn out processes. Predator and prey would run for miles, admit truce to regenerate, then begin again. All of this mutually mentally decided, of course.

He forced himself to his paws; His team had rested long enough. He howled, and they began again.

~~~

His paw pads were sore, and his legs felt just about as useful as brittle twigs. They had gained much ground, and the stag was finally tiring. But worry still gnawed at his heart. They were mere miles from the border. That distance was rapidly closing.

His brother was never far behind. Auslogs's team never seemed to tire, always a step behind but just as ready to strike.

Suddenly, his brother's team veered in. Right into the heart of the herd towards the stag. That was an illegal move, as death was almost inevitable.

But his brother tried it all the same, and he watched in horror as his prize slipped away. Fury rejuvenating him, he launched into the herd, leaning himself close to the stag. His brother didn't waste a second to look, and immediately launched himself onto the white stags back. It called out in agony.

Erlendur was just about to make a leap and try to make the kill, but a horrible stench washed over him, temporarily disarraying him.

It took him a moment to long to come to his senses, and he realized in horror what it was and what had happened.

They had crossed the border.

The white stag was mere feet from him, limping behind his fleeing herd. But it would be of the highest crime to slay prey in another packs land "Erlendur you fool! Get back over here now!" His brother growled in a voice harsher than he ever remembered. His paws felt frozen to the ground.

"You might want to listen to him, pup." Said a deeper voice he recognized, though not as one of his own. He turned to see a patrol of East Winds wolves (For of course it was them) surrounding him, led by the one and only Olfric Boarslayer. The broad-chested brown furred wolf stood before him, quite imposingly to say the least.

Now he finally broke from his shock. "Olfric Boarslayer, Alpha of The East Winds. Forgive me," He said as he slowly knelt before the great brown-furred Alpha.

Olfric Boarslayer looked down to him. "I will forgive this once, pup. Once." The Alpha said in his deep, booming voice. Bowing his head, Erlendur skittered across the border. Olfric called to his brother. "You will see to a full report is given to your Alpha. I will have no confusion," He ordered.

Auslaug nodded. "Yessir. Thank you Olfric Boarslayer, Alpha of the East Winds." He said, bowing as well, as was customary to all Alphas.

Erlendur kept his head low in shame. He glanced back to the snarling faces of the enemy wolves. There was one face, however, that was not as fierce. In fact, the expression could be interpreted as sympathy.

This face belonged to that of an auburn/brown furred wolf. She looked strong and as fierce as the rest of them, with muscles rippling beneath her pelt. But her eyes, her deep green eyes set her apart. Deep and sympathetic.

He felt a sharp pain in his rump, and turned away from the she-wolfs face to see that of his brothers, furious beyond anything he had seen before.

Begrudgingly, he turned and followed his brother back to camp, head down in shame.