"Okay Aleu, just realx your muscles, don't breath too hard, feel the earth under your paws so it doesn't shift and make noise." Legolas told his apprentice. Aleu did as she was told and eased herself. After 10 minutes she got used to the feeling. "now, lets try you combat skills. You know how to fight right? Using your claws and fangs are key to taking down your prey." legolas decided that it was time for some target practice.
"Okay Aleu, you see that baby caribou over there? I want you to catch it and make sure it doesn't get away. I'll look for its mother and distract her." Aleu nodded, leaving legolas to play his part.
Aleu eased herself, felt the earth under her paws, carefully getting closer and closer to the young caribou. Making sure not to step on any rocks or sticks, checking every two seconds. 'almost there, just a little further' Aleu tried not to get excited. 'keep calm Aleu, you can do this, its just a baby.'
Meanwhile Legolas was trying his best to lure the mother far away from its calf as possible. "that's right, come on, Keep coming this way." the auburn wolf kept taunting his prey. 'I hope Aleu is doing fine.' but then suddenly, as if on cue, the mother's head perked up, and looked to its left, as if it sensed something. 'No!' Legolas jumped ahead and blocked the caribou's path, "Looks like I have to take you down myself." this wasn't going to be easy, as caribou's antler's are pretty dangerous.
"oh come on, egh almost, heh gotcha!" Aleu chuckled, grasping her very first catch. "now hold still little guy, it'll all be over quick." she tried to sooth the calf but to no avail. The baby kept squirming and crying hoping its mother would come to its rescue. Aleu quickly dug her teeth in the baby's neck, ending its life. Claiming her prize and picking the dead corpse with her mouth, Aleu trotted the other direction so as to keep her food away from its previous owner. 'Legolas I hope you're doing ok.'
Meanwhile the auburn wolf was having a run for his money. This deer was no push over. Dodging each attack one by one. "tired yet?" Legolas taunted again, back up but soon reaching a halt. Turning around to see what stopped him, a big bolder stood in his way. 'wait that's it, I hope this works' Legolas readied himself, waiting for the right chance. The deer charged ahead, aiming its antlers towards its predator. 'wait for it, wait for it…' "NOW!" he shouted to himself, dodging at the right moment the caribou was too close and too late to stop from the incoming bolder. Knocking its antlers and damaging them in the process, leaving it wide open for a counter attack. Legolas took this chance and lunged at the deer and struck it with his claws and fangs. And with that the caribou was laid to rest.
"excellent job Aleu, you did great, now next time, you'll be taking on an armed one. Think you can handle a grown caribou so soon?" the auburn asked his student. "I'll try and do my best, that's all I can do." Aleu answered taking another bite of her food. "So tell me Aleu, what was your home like?"
"Well, I was born in a litter of half huskies and half wolves, only I was the only one who looked more like a wolf while the others looked like my mother. My father was the wolf and I was forced to live with him since no one would adopt me."
"I see, you must love your father didn't you?" a slight tear dropped down Aleu's eye. "Yes, I miss my papa, I miss him so much." Aleu almost started to cry, knowing that she'll never see her beloved father again. "Hey, I'm sure you'll see him again one day. After all, the ice formed a bridge twice, perhaps it'll form again." Aleu nodded. It made since, who's to say she had to stay here forever? No this was her home now, this is what she always wanted since she was a puppy.
"It's not fair, my brothers and sister's get to visit mama and papa, but…" she was stopped mid sentence noticing she was looking too much at the negatives again. She shook her head "never mind, I guess its not all bad, no more being babied by papa, I can actually go to my wild roots of the wolves like my ancestors before me, and I have you. You accept me for who I am Legolas, and I thank you for that." she walked over to him and nuzzled his chest. "you're welcome, hey look they're back!" the pack had just arrive home with food. "just in time, a bad storm is approaching." Legolas said. "good job everyone." Aleu shouted to her pack.
The wolves looked at her with a strange look. "Yeah no thanks to you." a black and grey wolf laughed. "hey, for your information I'm learning, and I just so happened to catch a couple of deer." Aleu said proudly. "that's right, so I think you should start treating our leader with a little bit more respect." Legolas backed her up. "Heh, you couldn't catch deer nowhere then five meter's" one of the Russian accented wolves proclaimed. "That's anywhere." Aleu corrected. "and what do you call this?" she retorted, stepping back to show the clan her catch. "a grown deer and her calf. With a little help of course." she added looking and smiling at Legolas. "did you really do all that?" Aleu and Legolas nodded. "yup. Now come on lets eat."