Hey guys, I know it's been a hella long time and I'm so sorry about that. School's being a bitch, what with mock exam results and coursework and essays due, I've been procrastinating a lot. Add to that the fact that I had to rewrite half of this chapter because my phone buggered up, so I'm not totally satisfied but I think it's okay. I swear I need a whip to motivate me to do stuff.
"Jane, I really don't think the little ones are ready for hunting lessons just yet. It's only been a week since they've started to eat meat, perhaps we should wait a while longer. Don't you agree?" Maura asked as watched her bondmate gather the pups up in a straight line so she could have an eye on all of them as she began the lesson.
"Don't worry Maur, our pups are natural-born hunters! It's about time we started teaching them the 'Art of Hunting'. Jane replied with a faux-solemn nod as the four pups giggled at their mother's antics.
Maura had to admit that the four pups had grown since they first left the den and it couldn't hurt to at least begin to teach them the basics of hunting. However, to admit that would only stroke Jane's ego and while Maura did enjoy seeing the Alpha do that silly little strut she tended to do whenever she felt particularly proud, her cockiness did start to wear thin after a while.
"Fine," Maura agreed as she smiled at the pup's enthusiasm, "but I'm going to supervise. Knowing you, you're probably going to do something ill-advised." Maura added with a knowing look.
"Oh, ye of little faith! You just sit and watch my love as I teach our pups the-"
"-art of hunting, I know, I know." Maura finished with a roll of her eyes, a habitat that she had so obviously picked up from Jane, it had the Alpha grinning from ear to ear. After she nuzzled Maura's cheek affectionately, Jane turned back to the four pups and fixed them with a poor attempt of a hard stare.
"Okay kiddos, welcome to your first ever hunting lesson. For the next few months, I shall teach you the techniques of how to hunt. With your Mom as my gorgeous assistant, you'll be the best dang hunters the pack has ever seen!" Jane declared with bravado as she watched the pups cheered in excitement while Maura shook her head with a fond smile.
"Alright," Jane boomed as she moved to the middle of the line so she had two pups on either side of her, "let's begin with stalking your prey. Pretend you have tracked a bunny rabbit and he has finally stopped to rest by a lake. He can't see you, so you use this to your advantage. I'm going to show you how to properly stalk your prey, but to do so, I need a cute little bunny to catch. But where will I fine one?" Jane wondered with a mischievous grin as she slowly turned her head towards her bondmate, who was trying to avoid her gaze.
"Maura, will you be my cute little bunny rabbit please?" Jane asked with a winning smile when the honey blonde wolf finally made eye contact with the Alpha.
Maura rolled her eyes with affection at her family, who were all silently begging her to join in with their big, expressive eyes. "Okay, okay," she said with a laugh, "I'll be the rabbit."
All four pups cheered in excitement as the honey blonde Omega moved so that she was opposite her family so the pups could see the demonstration easily. "Right kiddos, watch what I do and then you all can have a go." Jane said as she crouched down while Maura moved into position with her eyes closed and her back to the five other wolves. "Watch carefully as I approach my prey. Notice how silent my movements are as I move towards her, as I will use the element of surprise." Jane whispered sagely as she slowly approached the honey blonde Omega. A small smirk grew on the Alpha's face when she noticed that the Maura had tensed her back in preparation for the inevitable pounce and tackle.
Jane turned back to the pups who were all watching her with bated breath and she gave them a small wink. As calmly and as quietly as she could, Jane began to sneak around Maura so that she could pounce on her from the front rather than from behind like she was expecting. The Alpha hoped that by keeping some distance from Maura, she would be able to avoid detection from the Omega's sharp senses. This proved to be harder than she thought, as Jane noticed that with every step she took, regardless of how slow or how light-footed she was, Maura's ears would twitch.
Jane was no fool. She knew that Maura would be able to find her scent and hear her footsteps, especially with her now heightened senses due to her closed eyes. She would have to move carefully and pounce quickly before Maura could figure out exactly where the she was.
Once the raven wolf was nearly four metres away, she deemed it a safe enough distance that Maura wouldn't detect her straight away. Giving one last nod to the pups, who were trying desperately hard to contain their giggles of anticipation, she bolted towards her bondmate.
"Then you pounce!" Jane bellowed as she leaped into the air.
Maura, too startled to react in time, shrieked as found herself flat on her back with her Alpha lying on top her of her. She gazed up at the smug smile on her bondmate's face and rolled her eyes with a small grin. She was aware that Jane had moved from behind her, but she had no idea that she had moved to jump her from the front. Maura hadn't heard Jane's footsteps as she had been listening to the pup's giggles and laughter. She had been so enraptured with the sounds of their happiness that Jane really had taken her by surprise.
"And that my children is how to hunt. Any questions?" Jane asked as she kept her eyes on Maura's, her smug smile melting into a goofy one when she practically lost herself in her bondmate's eyes.
"Yeah, I've got one," Bella said, causing the two wolves to snap out of their loving gaze and turn their attention to their eldest pup who was looking at them with a crooked grin, "when we catch our prey, are we supposed to look at it like it's the most beautiful thing in the world, just like how you're looking at Mom right now?" The young Alpha asked as her siblings sniggered beside her.
Jane gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes as a response. "Ha, yeah very funny kid. And to answer your question, while food can be a beautiful sight, especially on an empty stomach, the only one who deserves adoring looks is your bondmate. The love of your life." Jane said as she turned her head back towards Maura, who was gazing up at her with affection and love.
Before the two wolves could lose themselves in the moment once more, they saw their pups whisper amongst themselves before they all nodded their heads in agreement.
Jane yelped in surprise as all four pups pounced in perfect unison and collided into her, knocking her off of Maura and onto the ground. The Alpha groaned as the four pups laughed with glee as Maura quietly chuckled beside them.
"How was that Ma?"
"Yeah did we pounce properly?"
"Yes, yes you did, now cut it out!" Jane chuckled as the four pups climbed on top of her as she lay on the ground. "Maura, help me out here!"
"Oh, not just yet my dear. You did frighten the life out of me after all, so think of this as revenge." Maura said with a satisfied smirk as Jane tried to push the pups off her stomach.
After a few minutes of thrashing around on her back, Jane finally managed to overpower the pups and rose to her feet as the four pups rolled off her and sprinted away.
"Hey! Get back here you scoundrels!" Jane yelled as she charged after them, "I hope you realise that you are no match for my speed and stamina!"
Maura could only watch as the four growing pups ran circles around the Alpha, who had quickly ran out of breath from chasing and taunting the four of them. When Jane finally collapsed in a heap from exhaustion, the pups began to once again climb on top of her. But instead of trampling the Alpha, they all curled up by her stomach and neck and started to doze off.
"All that excitement really tired them out." Maura said as she began to lie down beside her family.
"What can I say, I'm a brilliant teacher. I'd say this lesson was a success." Jane determined with a grand nod of her head.
"Success? Please, all you did was one demonstration on how to pounce, which was done on me I should add, and now they're beginning to fall sleep after pouncing on you a few times. I told you I thought they're too young to be taught hunting skills, and I wouldn't be surprised if they completely forgot everything that you taught them today by the time they wake up."
"Alright, I'll admit it, you've sorta got a point. But you can't deny that we've had a lot of fun today haven't we?" Jane asked with knowing grin as Maura gazed lovingly at the pups for the umpteenth time.
"You're right, we really have enjoyed ourselves today. Oh Jane, they're growing up so fast, soon they'll be hunting together and starting packs of their own."
"Hey now," Jane soothed, "I know it's daunting to think about the future. But life's too short to get worked up over stuff like the passing of time."
"You're right," Maura sighed, "there's no need for me to get worried and overthink things. Besides, the pups haven't even been to the rendezvous site yet, let alone explored the woods by themselves."
Before Jane could reply, a small voice caught her attention. "What's a ren-ren-dev-vo-"
"Rendezvous site," Maura supplied for the Omega pup, "It's the meeting place where all the wolves in our pack gather to socialise, play and prepare for hunts."
Jane nearly cackled when the pup turned to her with a confused look. "Don't worry Luna, she only knew that because when she was younger, she overheard some humans who were researching wolves mention it. It's the place where everyone in our family hang out with each other and catch up."
"Is it far?"
"Nah, just at the bottom of the hill. When you're all ready, we'll go down there and see everyone. Your grandma and your uncles and aunts can't wait to meet you all."
"I can't wait either." Marcus murmured as he rolled over so that he was facing Jane. "Neither can we!" Bella and Ralph said together with matching grins.
"Now look at what you did Maur! They're too hyped up to go to sleep again." Jane exclaimed as she shook her head with a small smirk."
Maura huffed indignantly, "I beg your pardon, but I simply answered Luna's question. You were the one who got them all excited about seeing everyone." Then with a softer tone, she turned her attention to the four pups, "come now pups, go back to sleep. When you wake up from your nap, we'll have dinner and you can play together some more. How does that sound?"
All four pups yawned at the same time as they sleepily nodded their heads. Jane chuckled to herself as she watched the pups drop off to sleep again. As Maura began to lie down on her left side, so that she was opposite Jane and their pups where nestled in the middle of them, Jane could feel her heart swell up with pride and love for her family.
"You know, you really are the most gorgeous assistant I've ever had the pleasure of working with." Jane whispered as she gently pressed her nose to the Omega's with a cheeky grin.
"Go to sleep, Jane."
"Yes dear."
A part of me doesn't want to rush the pups in to adulthood too quickly, but right now I've got more ideas for the four pups as adults than as pups. I think it'll be one more chapter until the pups meet the Rizzoli pack properly. Sound good?
