Free As The Wind (A Yogscast Fanfic)

Chapter 4 ~ Winter Food Seach

Luna walked back to the temporal den that the pack had settled into, her normally bare feet were covered in leather and moss keeping them warm against the crisp snow. The freezing wind wiped through her hair nipping at her ears, her clothes consisted of a grey hoodie and jeans but they weren't giving the warmth she needed, the den was the only place that was truly warm. However that wasn't that simple, hunting was poor, the deer and other prey herds were dying out in the harsh winter plains or they had moved further south towards human territory, the one place the pack never dared to follow. However they were closer than they ever had been to a human property. Over the hill sat the farmers land, and if the pack’s lively hood was threatened by the lack of food Luna had promised herself that she would make a move on the place and get food for her family.

Her personal hunt had been more successful that the big pack hunts, she had managed to catch two hares and a leather pouch full of berries but it still wasn't enough to feed the entire pack.

Walking into the bustle of the den the youngest pups ran up to her biting at her mouth for food, smiling to them she threw a hare Runo who started dividing the meat for the pups. After making sure the pups had had at least some meat Luna moved over to the back of the den where the elders slept, bowing her head she got to work breaking apart the hare and passing it to the seniors of the pack. Arrow, was a large male grey wolf with green eyes, he had been the last Alpha but passed the position to Mako when he couldn't hunt for the pack; next was Shade, a pure black wolf with a nasty scar on his face, he was an amazing hunter in his time but that time was cut short when a shot at by a hunter, he survived the hit but he now every breath is harsher and raspy; and last Maple, she was the kindest she wolf in the pack, her silver coat had always been a place for Luna to place her head at night. Maple licked Luna’s face gently giving her her thanks, Luna smiled and nudged the food closer to the elder who took it gratefully. The pack did have four elder members but sadly Maroon didn't make it, Luna had helped to dig the grave for the pure white wolf and it had effected the pack deeply.

The rest of the pack was living off the berries and insects that they could find but even they were in short supply. Moving from the elders Luna threw down the bag of berries for the rest of the pack to squabble over before crawling over the Runo and placing her tired head on his chest. Runo huffed quietly licking his friend who had worked so hard to keep the pack running. 

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Sorrel and the herd where also feeing the effects of the lack of food. With a thick blanket of snow covering the ground the herd had to practically dig to get to the grass that lay beneath and Sorrel was beginning to struggle to get to the roots under the frozen ground. Opel nudged Sorrel gently as she slept under a tree protecting her from the falling snow. She stirred as Opel breathed in her face and looked up at the stallion who’s eyes were glistening with tears. “No another one” she questioned looking up at him, a solemn nod is all Sorrel needed before she burst into tears. This was the third member of the herd to be claimed by the winter and wouldn't be the last. Sitting up she looked around to see it was a foal that had been lost. The herd must have pushed him softly into the snowfall letting the snow make his grave as she could make out the shape of the forever sleeping foal beneath the snow. Wiping the tears from her eyes she knew she had to be strong, strong from the remaining members of the herd, they had to make it through the winter and the only option they had was to move into human inhabited areas. The closest being a place inhabited by a which and potion master, but it was the only hope for the remaining members of the herd. Standing from her spot she walked over to Kado and talking through her idea to the head stallion. The decision was made and the herd moved on towards the area around the strange red laboratory.

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Luna was sick of the pack withering away with starvation, she had to do something, Mako hadn't touched any food knowing that his pack needed it more, he was loosing his strength and Luna couldn't allow in. With Runo on her heels she took off towards the farm. Luna nipped at Runo as he  started to get too excited, he was going to break their cover and they couldn't afford for the farmer to catch them, not when they were this close.