sparkled in those bright, piercing blue eyes. Did he and Dartanion not get along? Or was it something else, more personal? But Dartanion seemed unperturbed about the comment.

Her thoughts were interrupted as yet another wolf walked up. There was definitely something significant about this one. She walked with grace, with a soft, gentle, and compassionate look on her face. She was a bright silver, almost white, with bright blue eyes. Achak’s posture and mood seemed to change now too, softening at seeing her. As she came up next to the alpha, they exchanged affectionate nuzzling with one another, tails wagging.

Looking back to Kiona, Achak’s look hardened a bit, that same protective gleam appearing again in his eyes. "This is my mother, Olathe. If you ever need advise or anything else, come to her." glancing back to the bright silver wolf, he smiled a bit. "She’s the wisest of us." for that he received a humble smile in return from the female.

The moment was interrupted by a sort of growling sound, and all ears went erect, and all eyes snapped to the newcomer. Kiona blinked, and looked down to her stomach, then sharply back up, ears drooping a bit in embarrassment. It had been a bit since she’d last eaten a substantial meal. She had had to rely on the small rabbits, if she even found any, or birds if she was lucky. There was no way she could have taken down a caribou by herself, if she even found any.

Achak seemed a bit confused, staring at the red female with a raised eyebrow, then smiled a bit. Seeing Kiona trying to act indignant, like her stomach hadn’t just growled in hunger, was a bit amusing.

Looking to the west, the large alpha studied the sun’s position. It was about time for a hunt, and the pack knew locations where the caribou were. Following his alpha’s gaze, Kanook walked up. "Think she’ll be a good hunter?" keeping his voice down so the said female wouldn’t hear. Achak glanced briefly at Kiona, then to his uncle.

"If she’s hungry enough. She’ll just have to learn to work with the pack." the new dog would also most likely be the omega of the pack for a while until she proves herself to the rest of the pack.

Kiona would also have to learn about following rules, and keeping her place in the pack. The higher ranked wolves wouldn’t hesitate to put her in line, so she’d either have to be cunning, or just behave. And having seen Kiona, and how she acted when she had been with that human…behaving might not happen. Inwardly frowning at that, Achak figured the sooner the female learned about living in a pack, the better off she’d be, even if that learning was the hard way.

Turning to the pack, which had all of it’s members crowded around the cliffs, the alpha addressed them, his deep, authoritive voice catching his members’ attention immediately. "We’re heading out for a hunt near the river. Get in your hunting groups, we’ll be leaving soon." his orders having been announced, the wolves all started forming their smaller, respective groups.

Excitement spread throughout the pack; they loved hunting, and the air was soon filled with yips, barks and howls of anxiousness and exhilaration. One group for stalking, consisting of the small and light of foot or perhaps injured or old, one for chasing, made up of the leaner built wolves, and one for bringing their usually large prey, the caribou, down. This group was made up of the larger, heavier built wolves such as Achak, Kanook, and Dartanion.

Looking out over his pack once they’d formed, he glanced at Kiona who had been watching the rest of the pack with interest. Calling her over he assigned her a group. The female was too small to be in his group, but she wasn’t without her strength, or speed for that matter. The best group for her would be the chasers. Achak was briefly reminded that Olathe, his mother, was in the chasing group, and Kita would have also been in this group. Having Olathe in the group would greatly help Kiona, who would need the guidance. She and Kita had occasionally been in his group as well, Kita having proved her strength numerous times.

As Kiona took her place, somewhat disappointed, but still anxious and interested, the cliffs got quiet. Achak started through the pack, heading out down the cliffs, soon followed by the rest of the pack, tails wagging in anticipation.

At the base of the woods, where it opened to the river, the packed stopped. Calling the stalking, and chasing groups forward, Achak gave them their orders: to move around, through the woods, and get into position. They would need to get as close as possible without being seen.

Kiona seemed to barely be containing her anxiousness to prove herself. As the group headed out, Ayashi, who was a member of the stalking group, ran up, gave her brother an affectionate lick, wishing him good luck on the hunt, then took off again to join her departing group before Achak could respond.

Smiling in an amused way, the silver streaked wolf soon ordered his own group out to take their positions ahead of the other two groups. When the caribou were chased up to where they were, it would not be long before they had their meal.

Olathe, the silver wolf, was in charge of the stalker and chasing groups. As the wolves of the stalking group went to gate in the caribou, Olathe took this time to briefly explain to Kiona what was going to happen.

"Now, the members that just left are going to gather all the caribou together and send them our way. That’s when we chase them up the river to the rest of the pack, where we’ll take down a caribou." Nice and simple. Kiona figured this would be pretty easy!

Then Olathe continued, a different tone to her voice. "But you must be wary of the caribou’s antlers, and sharp hooves. They will fight back, and the caribou are clever. If they catch you with their antlers you might get badly hurt." Olathe had noted Kiona’s size. If one of those caribou managed to scoop her up and toss her into the air, or kick her, the young female may be killed.

But looking defiant and confident, Kiona seemed unconcerned with the danger, but nodded in understanding. Chase the caribou, and avoid being hurt. She was an able, lean, and cunning creature herself. Now she would just have to prove it.

A sharp howl alerted the group that the first stage of the hunt had commenced. A deep thunderous sound was growing, and the ground the wolves and Kiona waited upon began to shake, and the red dog looked down to her paws. The pebbles and rocks beneath her were bouncing, creating little cracking sounds as they knocked against each other. Looking back up, she realized the other wolves were all crouched down, and had grown still, eyes watching downstream.

Narrowing her dark eyes, Kiona could just see the forms of the caribou as they neared, charging towards them.

"Kiona, get ready…" It was Olathe, glancing over briefly to warn her. And good thing she had been warned. The caribou suddenly seemed to be upon them, grunting, and tossing their great heads, their thick fur flowing around them.

Just as the herd was about to pass them, Olathe and the rest of the group shot off just ahead of them. Growling at herself for not paying better attention, Kiona quickly took off as well coming up behind her pack-mates. Though, with her speed, it didn’t take too long to take her place.

Observing the wolves around her, the red female noted that they were nipping at the large animals’ legs, barking and growling. She could do that! Baring her fangs, though smaller than the wolves’, were still sharp and deadly. Growling she struck out at the legs of the nearest caribou. The beast bellowed, half in anger, half fear, and kicked out with it’s hind legs. The attack would have hit, if Kiona hadn’t swiftly ducked. If anything, she only grew more determined by the attack, snarling and going back in, effectively herding the caribou along with the others upstream towards the attack group.

Achak could hear them coming, the thunderous sound of hooves against the hard rocky ground. Now the group just waiting patiently in the brush, crouched low to keep from being seen before they sprung.

The alpha’s sharp, blue eyes singled out Kiona, her bright red fur standing out against the green and brown of her surroundings. She was doing a good job keeping the caribou on route with the rest of the pack. The sight made the large black and silver wolf smirk inwardly.

Swishing his tail to the rest of the group behind him as a signal, they all got ready. The alpha had already selected the caribou he was going after. A large buck. It would definitely be enough to feed the whole pack, with scraps. Now all there was to do was wait for the right moment.

Wait…not yet…a little further…

The caribou probably didn’t know what hit them as the large wolves leapt from the brush, snarling and leaping at them. They reared, bucked and bellowed loudly. But through all the panic, Achak kept his eye on the one caribou he wanted them to take down.

Noting that their leader was on course, the rest of the pack went after it, the chasers keeping to the outside, keeping it’s path straight, while Achak, Kanook and Dartanion closed in. The caribou was already tired, but wasn’t about to give up yet. It kicked out, but the wolves were too swift, either dodging or jumping aside, soon going back on attack.

Kanook came around the right side of the large animal, nipping and getting the beast’s attention. The caribou took the bait and locked it’s eyes on the chocolate and cream wolf. That’s where it made it’s fatal mistake.

At that moment, Dartanion moved in from behind and clamped onto one of it’s back legs with his jaws, shaking his head and pushing against the ground to pull the large caribou off balance. With a bellow that sounded more like a cry, the animal made to turn, but before the caribou knew it, something plowed into him from the front, and strong jaws clamped around it’s throat, claws digging into it’s pelt.

Panicking the beast