Arexus nodded, shaking out his thick coat. He was happy being a follower, and preferred to stay back, and deal the final killing bite. Lowering his nose to the soil, he breathed in the rabbit scent once more, and, taking in the tracks in the soft earth, began to walk towards the source of the tasty smell. "Keep low. Your white pelt won't aid our stalking efforts." With a flick of his tail, he trotted off, lowering himself till his belly fur touched the dry earth.
(I have to go to dinner, I'll be back soon.)
Tabitha knew he was right. Her fur coat was genetically coded with snow in mind for hunting cover. Not for the forest. Her nose kept to the ground, more focused on any scent that suggested a bigger and more dangerous animal was nearby. Her instincts kicked in and she was on maximum alert for any interruptions to the hunt. Her senses diverted her away from Arexus by about 5 feet to the left, but still within proximity of his 'awareness' zone. Her nose was pointing a different direction, but roughly followed the same path. She had not been on a shared hunt in over 3 months, and took every opportunity to replicate the interactions she had with other wolves before then. Tranquil, she stayed nearby the route of Arexus, but more so through rougher growths of weeds.
Arexus moved slowly forward, keeping his ears on a swivel as he listened for any strange sounds. He knew the rabbits loved to forge in the patches of clovers that grew near their burrows, and it would be easy to snatch one from the edge of the clearing, as long as they could stay downwind. A strong breeze raced past him, carrying the strong scent of multiple rabbits. Perfect. He continued creeping forward, approaching the edge of the clearing. The rabbits were nicely spread out, with a nice large one sitting with it's back facing the woods.
Tabitha emerged from the taller grass and kept low as she approached Arexus from behind. She was carrying prey in her mouth: a small rodent carcass. This is where her nose was diverting her to. It may have been little surprise to herself how quietly she nailed this hunt, and that Arexus hadn't even noticed it happening. As she positioned herself just left of Arexus, the small carcass' rancid odour filling both noses. By this point, Tabitha had made herself very aware of the rabbit situation, and decided to lay prone about half a body-length behind Arexus.
He leapt silently forward, catching the rabbit neatly in his jaws. It didn't have time to struggle, and he quietly thanked the stars before picking up his catch and bringing back into the bushes. Noticing Tabitha had already taken prey, he lay in the shade, panting slightly. The summer's heat was getting to him, and there wasn't a good way to cool off so far from the stream. He wouldn't eat just yet, preferring to wait for the cool of the evening.
Tabitha on the other paw, decided to sit upright and gullet the whole dead rodent like a penguin ate fish. Her mouth was bloody but the rest of her coat was stain-free. After she finished, her eyes finally diverted attention back over to Arexus.
''Are you going to eat that?'' she said firmly.
''It's not that hot.''
She approached Arexus until she was within 4 feet and sat back down. She was aware that Arexus may not be eager to split the meal, since she had no involvement in the hunt. It wouldn't be the first time she were cast aside from feasting on much larger prey.
Arexus began to tear into the rabbit, before he remembered the other wolf sitting beside him. She hadn't helped much, with bringing down the prey, but it was summer, and prey was plentiful. It wouldn't hurt to be nice for once. He tore the rabbit neatly in half, offering the other piece to Tabitha. He wondered, again, what had brought her to the woods. They weren't the best place for a home, with strong packs bordering on all sides. He had been born here, lived his whole life in this beautiful place. His thoughts drifted, as he relaxed in the warm sun. He felt at peace, his stomach was full, and the summer was going quite well.
Tabitha's eyes widened as the half-carcass was offered to her. This was a very unusual encounter. Another lone wolf offering a free meal? It was too good to be true, but she allowed her wolf instincts to defeat the obligation.
''Oh!...er... well, thanks,'' she muttered under her breath.
She did not face toward Arexus directly, but did maintain eye contact as she leaned down to bite the carcass, which had accumulated a few of the local flies.
Her shoulders were up high, a very beautiful gaze of white fur held shape and flared like a peacock. Each fur strand held a bond, giving them soft but dagger-like appearances. This was no rough coat, it was like a white cloud with a shadow of velvet.
As she shredded bits of the now unrecognizable rabbit body, her expression appeared more and more ravenous, as if it were fueling rage into her stomach. Within 2 minutes, only bones and morsels remained, and finally raised her head, the fur on her broad shoulders concealing once more to a flat blanket. She turned her head to look back at Arexus...
Arexus quietly watched her ferociously devour the rabbit, noting the seeming rage in her gaze. He wasn't entirely sure if this wolf was safe to be around, but he would like some companionship. Streching, he yawned, settling back down, his glossy black tail tapping the ground. Tabitha had finished eating, and he considered catching another rabbit for them to eat. The sun was slowly setting, and he could feel her gaze on the back of his head. He was somewhat hesitant to look her in the eye, as she could quite easily overpower him. But he held her gaze, the fur on his spine prickling slightly. "So, you're not from here. Would you like a tour? I know most of the best hunting spots, we'll just have to watch for the packs. They get oddly upset when I cross their precious borders."
It was unusual once more for Tabitha to be invited to company on such random terms. She hesitated to respond, because she found herself also stretching her forelegs in natural reaction to another close wolf doing the same. She thought of her past again, then drifted onto the thoughts of more food, and then to her unknown journey.
''You could, but... I don't plan on staying,'' she said firmly. ''I don't know where I am going, but if I don't try to explore, I may never get answers.''
She paused for breath and reiterated her own sentence:
''I mean... it wouldn't hurt to.''
She gazed back into Arexus' eyes and then felt a sense of trust brewing from each other. Her inner flames started to ease and she took a more relaxed posture.
''I...I don't want to waste your time. You could be so much stronger by having fewer hours spent on keeping me entertained.''
Unaware to Tabitha, Arexus knew this was not a normal perception of wolf pack life. Normally a pack is stronger, no matter how wartorn the lone wolf turned out to be.
With her mind again floating on the issues of the past, she once again turned her head to the ground and sighed frustratingly.
