Thoughts raced through the young female's head as she rested under a large tree, her paws aching from all the running she had recently been doing. It had been several weeks since she had left her previous pack in hopes of catching up to the chert wolf that had been chased off by their old Alpha. Though now it seemed as if her hopes were beginning to diminish due to how much time had already passed. Katja sighed heavily and watched as the ants under her scrambled to fulfill their daily tasks, trying hard to distract herself from the hunger pangs that began to rumble deep within her gut. She knew being on her own would be difficult, though perhaps she underestimated just how much she'd struggle. A quiet growl left her muzzle as she shook away these negative thoughts and pushed herself onto her paws once again, attempting to catch any old scent that might have been lingering on the path.
It might not have been exactly what she was after, but the faintest scent of a carcass stole her attention and her hunger announced itself once again within her. Katja had never really been on her own before and she concluded the only way she'd possibly get something to eat is if she were to steal it from something else. A determination was reflected in her sharp eyes as she followed the scent, her paws now numb to the throbbing pain they had been experiencing before as the delicious smell grew in strength. A few minutes passed and the vanilla female soon spotted the source within a clearing in the brush, surrounded by trees. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a female and male wolf, both lying by the recent kill. Probably waiting for the Alpha...Katja thought to herself as she carefully moved closer, trying her best to stay down-wind from the pair. If she could get away with this, she'd be set for several more days and by then she'd hopefully be able to run into the chert wolf she had set out to find at the beginning of her journey. The she-wolf readied herself before using all her strength to rush to the carcass, her fangs sinking into the flesh easily once close enough. The two wolves that had been relaxing nearby were instantly on their feet at the sudden intruder, a snarl on the female's muzzle at the sight. "Hey!" The fall-coated female barked aggressively as she chased the thief across the clearing. A small chuckle left Katja as she watched the dinar female behind her before some hard, large force had suddenly stopped her. The impact brought her to the forest floor and she gave a quick shake of her head, trying to figure out what had just happened to cause her failed escape.
The pair of bright eyes looked up to see a fiercely snarling male before her, his dark bristling fur making him seem much larger than her in comparison. The sight brought a worried expression on her face as she desperately clung to the carcass between her jaws, her ears flat against her head as she attempted to lower herself. The Alpha moved closer and glared down at the seemingly small vanilla female, his snarl remaining as a low growl left him. The growl was answered with a small whine as the she-wolf dropped the carcass. "H-hi..haha..Don't mind me I just uh..I was just going to uh..bring it to you!" Katja mentally cringed at her foolish attempt to try and find an excuse that could rescue her from this uneasy situation. "Do you take me for a fool?! I know a rat when I see one!" The male's jaws snapped in response as he leaned in closer to the female, making her sink lower beneath him in a submissive manner. "Wait!" A familiar voice sounded only a few feet away, catching the attention of both Isaak and Katja as Klara limped closer, narrowing her eyes at the female she had recognized. The injury she had recently received from a bear attack was still a bit fresh, though showed promising signs of healing. "Klara!!" Katja spoke with excitement, her frightful nature was dropped almost instantly as she slipped away from the male and rushed over to greet her missing friend. The Alpha watched almost in something close to disbelief and took a moment to try and figure out what had just occurred. Isaak would soon find himself allowing the vanilla thief to remain with the pack, despite how much he was initially against the idea when it was brought to him by Klara. Katja was thankful for the Alpha's decision and continues to cherish each day she gets to spend with the chert female, their bond now stronger than ever despite their very different personalities.
Shortgrass Prairie