Chapter 19 Ylvana: We miscalculated the difficulty by a lot

A Chapter by A.L.Exley

The soft grass tickles my underbelly as we walk. Jay and I are completely silent: scanning the field with our eyes, listening with our ears, and picking up scents on the wind. I can just barely detect Luna and Pine, who ar following us at a close enough distance to see us, but far enough to not interfere.

Jay stops, looks at me, and nods his head. I peer over the tall grass and see the distant figures of caribou, grazing.

As we creep closer, we both pay extra attention to staying low, and making no sudden moves. I think over our plan again. Step one: get close enough to scan the herd. Step two: pick an easy target, preferably an old or young caribou. Step three: separate it from the herd. Step four: pray we don't end up like Pine's Uncle Lob-Bob.

The herd is small; only about forty or fifty compared the usual hundreds. In the spring, the caribou disperse across the field in smaller groups, only coming together during the migration south in the fall.

But even this small herd is enough to make one dizzy. They huddle close together so their tawny grey bodies blend together with the grasses. When one moves, they all move, like a flock of birds flying fluently through the sky. Picking out a single target is going to be harder than I thought.

Through silent agreement, Jay and I split up and circle the herd. Some of the caribou lift their heads and look at us, but as long as we move slowly, and keep our distance, they stay calm.

When Jay and I come back together, we still haven't found a target.

"We'll have to get them running," Jay whispers.

"So the weaker one's will fall behind," I conclude. I have studied wolves in school, so I know about some of their clever hunting techniques.

I know our plan is fairly good, and we have the combined power to take down a caribou, but I am still nervous hunting such a huge animal.

Nevertheless, I follow Jay as he runs right at the caribou herd. They jolt their heads up from grazing and spring away, pushing through each other in the process.

We start off at an easy trot as we follow the herd. There are already starting to be some lagers. At the very back of the herd is an older buck. Though his webbed antlers have many points, his fur is white from age, and his movements are lethargic.

Jay and I look at each other and silently agree; this is the one. We split up again, and pick up our speed. As the old buck struggles , the rest of the herd races ahead, leaving him behind. They know there is no point in protecting such an old buck that weakens the rest of the herd.

I race up besides the buck, and start moving closer. The buck frantically veers away, ditching the herd in an attempt to shake us. Our plan to separate the buck has worked, now all we have to do is chase it down.

We run at a constant pace that forces the caribou to try and out-run us. He swerves across the field, and we stay right behind him. Caribou are fast, but wolves can run forever.

The old buck finally starts slowing down. Jay and I pick up our pace and move in closer. Suddenly, the caribou reels around and faces us with his antler's lowered. It scratches the ground with it's hoof, daring us to come nearer.

Something happens to me then, just like it did when I learned to hunt rabbits. My mind completely shuts down, and something else takes over. It tells my body what to do.

Jay and I pace around the caribou, testing it from all sides. Once in a while, Jay charges in, and forces the caribou to swing it's head. Then, I come at him from the other side, and force him to turn back. We can only hope this will tire out the caribou before it tires out us.

Then, Jay makes a horrible mistake. I leap at the caribou to get him to turn, and then Jay leaps. But he comes at the caribou from behind. He must think the caribou is too distracted, so he can get close enough to bite him. But the caribou senses him, and strikes him with it's back legs.

I hear a dull thud and a yelp, and I suddenly feel weak. I ignore the caribou as it frantically prances away, and go straight to Jay. He is lying on his side in the grass.

"Jay! Oh, man, please don't die on me!" I looks over him to spot any injuries. His jaw is in tact, and his lungs move normally. But I know that hoof hit him hard; he has to be injured.

Jay moans, and rolls onto his belly. "Don't worry, Wolf Girl, I'm not dead." When he tries to move his right for-paw, he grimaces. "Although my leg doesn't feel too hot."

I swear. "I wish I knew . . . shouldn't I make a splint or something? Mir was always reading those first aid books, and I never paid attention."

"My leg doesn't look bent in any way, and I can still move it a little bit. It's probably just a fracture that will cure itself. Right now, you better chase down that buck," Jay says.

I look at him like he is crazy--which he probably is. Maybe he did get hit in the head.

"By myself? After you just got injured?"

"We tired him out so he can barely run anymore. If we let him go, all are hard work will go to waste. You can do it."

I want to argue, but his voice is too encouraging. Hesitantly, I leave Jay in the grass and start following the trail of the caribou, alone.

The bucks stares at me, his eyes are wide with fear

The bucks stares at me, his eyes are wide with fear. We are both panting, and hoping the other is more tired out than ourselves. I have been chasing the caribou all through the afternoon, tiring him out until I was somewhat certain I could bring him down. It is sundown: now or never.

I prance around the caribou to see how fast his reflexes are. He is incredibly exhausted and slow, but a well-placed kick could still hold a lot of power. I have to choose my moment carefully.

The grass stirs, startling both of us. At first I think it is Jay who has recovered, but the scent on the wind tells me it is Pine somewhere in the grass. What is he doing here?

The caribou has turned away from me as it watches the grass. I have a clear shot for the neck. My heart pounds wildly, but I can't hesitate. I leap straight at the buck's throat and sink my teeth into his neck. I taste short, coarse fur that quickly becomes flooded with warm, metallic blood.

The buck groans in surprise, and tries to shake me off. But I am too heavy, and he is too tired. Slowly, my body weight drags him down and he collapses onto the field. As I hold on, I feel him desperately try to suck air into his lungs, but my teeth around his throat make it impossible. His breath ceases, and the rapid pulse fades away.

I let go, and look at the buck. It's eyes are still wide, but now dull. It's mouth hangs open as if it is silently screaming. It looks sad, but I don't feel completely sorry. I've hunted before with a bow and arrow. It isn't my first time killing something.

On the island, for animals and humans, hunting is a fact of life that everyone accepted. As long as the animal is not taken unfairly, and it's body is used (meat, hide, bone and all) then the animal's death is not in vein. As a wolf, this familiarity with life and death intensifies. It seems even less cruel, and more natural. Looking at the caribou's face, I realize he accepts it too; his time is over, his life has been fulfilled.

Pine emerges besides me from the grass.

I smile down at him. "You furry little trickster."

"I figured you could use some help." Pine shrugs. "We'll be eating good tonight them, huh?"

"Yep. Do you think could run and bring Jay over here?"

Pine scoffs. "Ana, do you really think he's going to walk?"

"He will. There is no way I am dragging a 200 lb dead caribou all the way over to him just because one of his legs has a fracture. You tell him to get over here, or he's not eating."

Pine thinks I have a good point, and leaves to get Jay.

I look around where the caribou has fallen. We are a couple yards away from the edge of the forest. Now that the sun is down, the tree's have turned into shadows. Overhead, stars are starting to pop out of the indigo sky, one by one, slowly filling the void with twinkling lights.

I lick my lips. They are covered in dried blood. A few days ago, this would have bothered me. But now, after all the rabbits I've caught, I've gotten use to the iron taste. There is no way I am going to light another fire--I learned that lesson the hard way. I will have to eat this meat raw.

The rabbit I had cooked over that fire had been the last thing I've eaten for two days. If you're going to eat something you find disgusting, it helps if you're really hungry.

Like a real wolf, I rip open the skin on the deer's shoulder with my teeth. The body is still warm, which helps me imagine that the meat is cooked as I eat it. It didn't have a horrible flavor--very metallic and tender. Maybe I can get use to eating raw meat.

By the time Jay limps his way over, I am almost full. There is still plenty of meat left.

"Well, look at the little wilderness girl now." He smiles smugly.

I roll my eyes. "Fine. You were right about raw meat." I smirk at his leg. "Whatever. At least I'm still in one piece."

Jay fakes a hurt expression. "You hurt me."

Jay and Pine settle besides me and start eating. There is still plenty of meat left when we are finished, so we won't be able to eat it all. Hopefully the scavengers will clean the bones after we leave. We decide to spend the rest of the night in the field.

"Has you're leg gotten better?" I ask Jay.

He shrugs. "It's not completely unbearable anymore. You did a good job, bringing down that buck alone."

"I didn't do it alone. I had the wonder-fox to help me." I glance at Pine, who is curled up in a ball, sleeping. Luna is nestled right next to him.

"I guess I won't have to worry about you getting home," Jay whispers, so he doesn't disturb Pine and Luna.

Suddenly, I realize I am going to miss Jay. I haven't known him for long, but we have been through a lot together. He's been a loyal friend to us. It seems like he understands me more than anyone besides my mother. Miria and I never became too close. The Royals and Wolves didn't want me to shift. Alex and Chris don't even know I can shift. Luna and Pine support me, but they can't understand what it is like to be a wolf. But in some way I can't quite comprehend, Jay can sympathize with me.

Just then, a howl interrupts my thoughts. It rises from the depths of the forest, and spreads through the sky like wild-fire. Pine and Luna are startled awake. Jay and I freeze, staring at the forest where the first wolf emerges.

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