The story began two years previous. It was hunting day. A crisp fall morning, the wind still and silent, the leaves damp and hushed from last night's rain. The sun was pale yellow as it creeped through the branches and brushes against the forest floor. The wood was just stirring into wakefulness, the animals slowly emerging from their dens. The she-wolf had camped down in some thick bushes, still clinging onto the browning leaves and twigs that hid her form. Ears perked foward, and body low, her silver gaze was trained ahead. A rabit was what caught her attention, hopping out from a well concealed hole and testing the morning air cautiously. Unlike most wolves, this she-wolf hunted alone. There was no other wolf in the vicinity, as this area of the Forest was unclaimed by any predator pack- or loner, like herself. She did not claim them, either, for she travelled through the woods on her own free will. She never remained in one area for too many consecutive seasons, as she didn't want to run the prey dry. She waited...
The rabbit took a couple steps, paused; she shot out of the brush like a rocket. He had no time to run, swiftly grasped in her jaws within seconds and with one sharp crunch, his life was snuffed out. She stopped her forward motion and lowered the limp body to the ground. She surveyed her catch- a young thing, but well fed- but as she was about to lower her muzzle to begin eating, she was interrupted. There was barely a warning snarl before a form leaped at her from the trees. The same breeze that had protected her scent had protected her attacker's. The larger form slammed into her hard enough to force the air from her lungs and send her flying across the small open space beside the large cyprus tree. Paws crushed her rubs when she landed, pinning her to the ground; or attempting to, at the least.
Instinct kicked in, and her hind legs bunched up before hitting solidly just infront of her attacker's hind legs. Balance unsettled, she was quick to throw off the large creature before managing to scramble to her own paws. When she turned to face it, the she-wolf found herself staring down a large, orange and white tiger. His amber eyes were boring into hers, lips pulled back and teeth bared in a feral snarl. His tail lashed once, and with a loud roar, he was attacking again. He attacked with strength, she noted; using his full body weight and pure muscle mass into his leaps, swipes, and charges. At this moment, he was jumping forward, rearing up to swipe with a heavy clawed paw. Yet she was smaller, faster, and her paws danced her out of his reach, out of the range of those sharp and deadly claws. Her floppy ear twitched, right ear pinned backwards, and a snarl ripped from her throat.
She darted in as he went for another swipe, ducking low and closing her jaw in on his back left leg. The answering snarl was defeaning, hovering above her flopped ear, and then she felt him slam into her side and dislodge her grasp on him. Her body went rolling through the leaves and dirt for a moment before she was able to stand once more. The Forest, until that point, had been silent. But as she stood there, silver eyes cold as they witnessed the tiger charging in, it erupted into life. The breath it had been holding was released, and she could feel the breath that tickled her scruff, wrapped around her neck once before drifting on the breeze. Hackles rising, she limped forward a step, body preparing for another leap.
But another form entered the fray. He came out of nowhere, thick furred form slamming into the tigers to knock it off course. The two tumbled to the side in a mass of fur and teeth and claws. The she-wolf was startled for a moment; then she padded a little closer. It was another wolf, larger than her, His coat was of the deepest of blacks and brushed with streaks of sunlit gold. Her ear perked forward as her moonlit gaze swept over him; but then the tiger was in the way. He was fighting strong, ears pinned back and teeth ripping into the tiger's pelt. The she-wolf snarled and jumped in. Two unfamiliar wolves fighting together could be dangerous; unsure of each other's fighting techniques, they could end up injuring themselves. But as she joined into the tussle, she noticed that he immediately shifted his attacks to support hers.
