Free As The Wind (A Yogscast Fanfic)

Chapter 2 ~ Pack/Herd Life

Luna woke in the hollow as the early morning sun began to shine into the hollow. The cool breeze causing goosebumps to form on her skin. She listened to the calming noise of the packs quiet snores as she rose from her bed amongst the pack.

Silently she walked out into the world around the safety of the hollow. Dew drops shone on the damp leaves giving the forest a natural shine. Mist weaved around the trees creating a mystical view. Luna nodded respectfully as the night patrol returned from their watch. She was one of the very few in the pack who rose and fell with the sun, her eyesight not allowing her to take full advantage of the darkness of the night. She exhaled deeply watching her breath crystallise in the cold temperature. Feeling the crispness of old leaves below her feet she took off into the woods.

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Over in the meadows Sorrel woke at Opel's side, the stallion towering over her as she lay on the damp grass. Lowering his head he breathed softly, his warm breath bringing heat into Sorrel's stiff muscles. Stretching she looked around to see the herd awake and ready to move, winter was coming meaning that food was scarce and the threat of an attack was more likely, especially when the best food source was located within wolf pack territory. Sorrel jumped to her feet and nodded to Opel before leaping up onto his back as the herd took off down into the valley.

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After running through the woods Luna sat upon a ledge overseeing the valley. She sat with a dead rabbit at her side, food was getting low which was bad news for the younger pup and more senior members of the pack. Her pack control the land to the south of Minecraftia and held in strongly. Mako, the Alpha and her father was a kind and selfless leader, he treated his pack as equals unless force was needed to take control. Taking the strays keep captive by the humans of this land was a thing no other Alphas would dare to even consider, but Mako was different and his pack respected him for it. Luna watched as the horse herd in the land moved to a new location, it was a herd of about 20 horses and they were a force to be reckoned with. Nuktuc, one of the patrol leaders still bared the scars that he received when one of the stallions kicked him; deer were a much simpler hunt but the way the food was disappearing, drastic measures may come into play.

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Sorrel was feeling the effects of the lack of food also. As the rest of the herd grazed on the grass, she picked the remaining berries from a blueberry bush. She would be able to sustain her hunger but with winter drawing nearer she would have to start relying on roots and bulbs for nutrition. Sighing she watched the herd graze before climbing the nearest tree to keep watch for predators, the risk getting higher each day. Opel whinnied to her as she sat in the tree, it was one of the few things she could do that the herd couldn't but it gave her a vantage point. Smiling Sorrel reached to a branch and threw a ripe juicy apple down to her friend. He grunted happily before tucking into the apples sweet freshness.

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On the valley top Luna observed the herd from a far picking out the young and the weak, when the time came she would be ready to help lead the pack into the hunt, and by studying the herd now hopefully the pack would get away without an injury. She groaned throwing her hair back over her shoulder and then she was welcomed by a familiar sound. Turning to face the noise she was thrown backwards by a mess of grey and black fur. Playfully growling and barking Luna looked up into the unusual blue eyes of Runo, the youngest Beta in the pack and her best friend. Pulling at her hair Runo gave Luna a toothy grin as she pushed him off. Righting herself Luna nipped his ear gently which he shrugged off, laughing at the bare skinned wolf’s attempt. The two had only become friends after Runo had been injured by a bear as he tried to defend some pups and Luna had helped nurse him back to health when many of the pack members thought he was a goner. He Runo had always appreciated her spirit as she was truly a wolf inside, her outer body just didn't show it. They were both the same age despite Luna’s odd lifespan, which meant she seen a lot of members pass on but the pack always kept its numbers up with litters of pups and the occasional stray that Luna would bring back to the hollow. Whining softly Runo nudged his pack friend gently then looked back in the direction off the den, nodding she stood from her spot on the cliff and began to make her way down with Runo at her side, as a howl from Mako radiated through the forest making the pair pick up their pace and reply the call to the hunt.

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Sorrel jumped at the sound of the howl which sounded closer to the herd than it ever had before. Many of the herd members, especially the mothers with calves, became alerted by the noise. A nearby deer herd, which grazed at the other side of the valley, had already spooked and began to run mindlessly into the neck of the valley, straight into the ambush of the wolf pack, they were clever, the pack had separated, one half had run ahead as the other pushed the deer herd to their death. Opel neighed loudly below Sorrel’s position in the tree and Sorrel quickly reacted by jumping down and onto the stallions back. The lead stallion called to his herd calming them down as the noise of the trapped deer echoed through the valley. Sorrel nickered to the head before they took off in the opposite direction of the wolves knowing they could outrun they and return to their safe spot on the upper side of the valley, safe from the attack of the pack.

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Luna ran alongside Runo and a few of the other scouting wolves, the valley tactic was working perfectly as she helped push the deer herd towards the ambush. However as she ran she caught a glimpse of the horse herd running in the direction of safely but something was off…. on the back of one of the stallions sat a human…. wait what? Despite Runo’s barks Luna broke from the push and she ran after the horse herd, she knew a short cut so she would be able to check that she wasn't just seeing things. Climbing the valley she was able to find a view point where the herd was bound to run through and right enough on the back of a grey and black stallion sat a human. Tilting her head in confusion she wanted to follow but heard the howl signally the end of the hunt and calling the pack back to the den for food.aking one last look at the red head she took off back towards the den.

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Sorrel sighed with relief as the end hunt howl filled the valley, the herd had make it away unharmed. Her heart still raced wildly as she lay down in the long grass with the foals of the herd all of them still breathing heavily after their first flight from a predator. She nickered to them softly calming them as they drifted off to sleep.

Authors Note

Hey there :) 

2nd Chapter for you!

Please vote and comment if your enjoying.

~ Paw (@ScottishWolfLass)