It was amazing how at times the siblings could be a royal pain in each others’ tails yet still manage to work seamlessly as though they had never had a squabble in their life. Orin watched as Niro pranced up to her and the trail that she was inspecting, and eyed him as he scrutinized both the scent and the physical trail the deer had left in her wake. It was strange how solemn and serious Orin’s countenance became as she watched, a peculiar look of concern on her face as she awaited the verdict of the scent they had discovered. When Niro nodded, she bristled and perked up, smiling but resisting the urge to bark. She did not have the same sense Niro did in these matters, and did not know how far away their quarry was.
It only took one step from Niro and the pair was off again in a streak of ivory and slate fur, leaping felled logs and dodging saplings in their pursuit of their prey. Although she could, and often did, teasingly prance ahead of Niro, the thrill of the hunt had overcome her and, as Niro had hoped, her urge to play submit to their pursuit of game.
They wasted little time in closing the gap between themselves and the doe, moving with unspoken fluidity throughout the woods. Of course, they could have conversed if they wanted to, but hunting was a throwback to their most primal instincts, and not even a novice huntress like Orin required spoken word to participate in the hunt. It was all down to body language, now.
The deer musk intensified as they neared where the doe now grazed. It was no wonder the unfortunate creature wandered here, there was a spackling of berry-bushes growing throughout the trees, in every spot that the canopy broke and let the sunlight radiate through. Her brother dropped back and she took the cue and slowed to a trot at his side, and soon her paws were still. Thrusting her nose in the air, she sniffed the lazy breeze and got a muzzle-full of deer-scent, and her hackles bristled in anticipation.
There had been a brief moment when they were running that she considered deviating from the path in search of boar, just so she would win the pick of what they ate, suspecting Niro would follow her. But she had known how anxious he was for this hunt, as well as to try and fell a larger game animal. If they couldn’t do this, then she would probably try to lead him to the boar. . . if she could find one. For now, she was steady in her position to do what he wanted.
She narrowed her eyes and spied the smooth mahogany rump of the doe. Glancing to Niro, she nodded once; she saw it. She needed no clarification on their strategy - it was obvious; Orin was the stealthier sibling, though Niro was no sham himself, and Niro had more killing power. Crouching, she stalked off in a wide and nearly silent arch around the hind’s grazing grounds.
The berry bushels provided a good wall for her to creep through and remain out of the deer’s sightline, despite the shock of pink-dyed fur at the back of her neck and tail. She moved purposefully and with ease until she was at the opposite side of the deer. Waiting a moment to ensure Niro was in position; she risked a glance from their quarry and could see a streak of gray slip behind a thicket. On that mark, she lunged forward, an alien growl, more ferocious than it seemed the innocent girl could make, rumbling deep within the little white wolf’s chest as she drove the doe towards her brother’s waiting jaws.