[A/N] Hey guys. I just re-read the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, (at least the books I have) and it has given me new inspiration to write stuff. Michelle Paver really can inspire people. Too bad I only have two of her books, Ghost Hunter and Spirit Walker. The rest I borrowed, begged and even threatened to steal (well not really) and I still am trying to get my hands on Oath Breaker, which is the only book in the series I haven't read yet. So I kinda realized there might be a huge gaping hole in this story.
But I decided to do it anyway.
Torak sighed happily as he walked. He has all his gear strapped onto his back with a reindeer hide pack, and the steady padding of his pack-brother and the crunching of feet from Renn relaxed him greatly.
They were tracking a roe buck, young by the looks of its tracks, and probably got chased away from the rest of its pack by a wild boar. The area was still scattered with boar scat and the countless hoof marks that went in all directions, signs of the pack fleeing. The roe buck they were hunting, though, was alone.
Wolf's ears pricked up. He gave a low yip, telling Torak prey was nearby. He signaled to Renn and she nodded once, silently readying her bow. Torak nocked his own, and together they crouched, moving forwards slowly and careful not to scare the prey away.
Torak caught sight of the foal. It was alert, eyes flicking wildly about, leg muscles tense. One mistake and they could send it running. But the young buck was scared, trembling slightly. It could make a mistake, too.
Torak saw Renn lifting the bow to her shoulder, taking aim. He copied her action, targeting the soft underbelly of the Antlered One, so the arrow could easily pierce its flesh. Renn was first to let fly, and the arrow whizzed by and embedded itself right in the foal's belly.
The prey reared, and tried to gallop away. As quick as lightning Wolf pounced, sinking his razor teeth into the foal's neck, and held on tightly. It bucked desperately, but it's strength was already fading. It slowly stopped struggling, the light fading from it's eyes.
He and Renn raced over to the fallen roe buck, and Torak pulled out his hunting knife, deftly skinning the prey. Renn helped as well, and together they sweated out the job. Torak washed the hide and left it to dry. Then, cutting off strips of meat, he handed them over to Renn to be dried and took the hooves, eyes and drained the blood into a juniper cup. He left the rest for Wolf and they Ravens, who eagerly descended on the carcass.
They had no shortage of food now, Torak thought as he and Renn sat near the river that they hunted at, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the bird song that resounded all around them. Nothing could match this happiness he had inside, like the world was perfect and there was not a care to worry about.
Like Fa never died, Oslak never died, Bale never died, and the Soul-Eaters were nonexistent. He knew it could never be true. But it was nice to forget once in a while, and just be with Renn and Wolf. Although he missed his foster father Fin-Kedinn and the rest of the Raven clan a lot, he knew this was where he belonged.
…..
Wolf gulped down the warm, delicious innards of the kill, filling his stomach. Growling softly at the Ravens who tried to approach, he continued to tear off chunks of meat as the Ravens sulked back, waiting for their turn. When the roe buck's insides were nearly empty and his full, he sat back and let the Raven have their share.
Wolf was happy that he could be with Tall tailless and the pack sister without having to miss Darkfur and the cub. They were at the new resting place nearby, the cub growing stronger every day. They had long abandoned the old den where the evil owl attacked and Wolf lost one of his precious cubs and nearly lost his mate.
His cub could eat meat now, and no longer depended on him and Darkfur to sick up food for him. Now he was learning the ways of the hunt, Darkfur having caught a weak elk and teaching him how to avoid their sharp antlers and their vulnerable places.
As Wolf padded over to the shelter, he nuzzled Tall tailless, asking him to play. When he ignored Wolf and continued staring at the female tailless, Wolf's nose wrinkled and he sensed Tall tailless had the same feeling Wolf got when he met Darkfur.
Tall tailless was in love.
Wolf stood silent for a few moments, and got bored. He pounced on Tall tailless, licking and play biting him. He gave a surprised yip and grabbed Wolf's muzzle, and together they rolled into the Wet, Wolf barking and Tall tailless making that breathless yip and yowl.
The pack sister joined in and dived, and together they splashed and swam at each other. Wolf didn't mind the Wet as much as he would when he was a pup, after experiencing the great ancient monster that was bigger than any Wide water Wolf had ever seen and meeting the Pale pelted tailless who was Not-Breath. Wolf missed him a bit, and he sensed Tall tailless did, too.
Leaping onto the bank and shaking his dripping wet pelt, he sent droplets of water flying on both taillesses. Suddenly he lifted his nose in the air and froze. That smell. But it couldn't be. Wolf's hackles rose slightly. He, Tall tailless and pack sister had already destroyed the smell.
But now, it was back.
Wolf bounded off into the Forest, forgetting his pack, determined to track the scent.
Demon smell.
….
Renn wrung out the water from her dripping wet hair. Her jerkin was wet as well, but she didn't mind in the hot weather. Letting the sun bask her in its warm rays, she dried off at the bank. Torak sat down beside her.
Torak looked relaxed and calm, something they didn't have until Eostra was defeated. But deep in her heart, buried under all her thoughts, was a suspicion that they couldn't have gotten away that easily. She didn't think much of it, but it was there all the same.
Renn looked at Torak and saw him looking at her. He quickly turned away, but she could still see the faint blush that covered his cheek. She smiled. Next winter she would be 18 summers, old enough to become a woman, and have a mate.
Quickly she stopped in her thoughts. Not so fast, Renn. But as Torak got up and began to collect some goosefoot growing along the banks, she couldn't help but think how good he looked.
Just then, she heard a howl. Wolf's howl. It was abruptly cut off halfway. Torak's hands stilled and he looked up, face ceased with worry. Renn felt the back of her neck prickle, and a coldness came over her. She instantly knew something was terribly wrong.
'What did Wolf say?' questioned Renn. Torak turned away and started packing up their gear and shouldering it on his back. 'We need to reach him,' he muttered under his breath. 'Quick!'
'What did he say?' repeated Renn once more, her eyes meeting Torak's pale grey ones ridden with worry. All of the warmth and happiness that overcame her earlier drained away as she heard his reply.
'Wolf said help.'
…
Hope you enjoyed. And I have exciting news. If you bothered to read my author's note at the start of the chapter, you should remember that I said I didn't have the book Oath Breaker. WELL, now I do :) It was a gift from my dad. Awesome right? I can't bear to read more than a couple of chapters each time cos its the last book that I haven't read.