Feral Hearts

Part 2: Chapter 21

Natania's teeth snapped down on the rabbit's spine, killing it instantly. She closed her eyes, she was aching with hunger, but there were wolves in the pack who needed it more. It had been two days since she'd last eaten, a month and a half since the pack ceremony. She had been giving her rations to other hungry wolves in the pack, wolves that were sick, or otherwise couldn't hunt for themselves.

"I thought I'd find you out here." Natania's head shot up as Leah padded over, the blue wolf nuzzled her chin and Natania purred with affection. "Do you spend every free moment hunting nowadays?"

Natania dropped her rabbit. "Yes," she rumbled, then looked away. "I'm sorry if you feel neglected." She hadn't found time for the two of them to be alone in a few days. They'd made a point to go for a hunt, run or curl up with a movie at least every couple days, if not more often, since that first date.

On one of their more recent dates, Leah had had her sit still first as a wolf, then in her human guise, while Leah drew them. The result had been a finely detailed drawing of Natania's human half with her arms wrapped around her wolf self like a beloved family pet. She'd loved it. That picture lived on Natania's bedside table where she could see it everyday.

It had been a surprise how much Leah had changed after Nat's confession. She still talked back and was generally troublesome where orders were concerned, but it came across to Natania as more rebellious amusement than distrust as it had previously. Leah was a kind soul with a protective streak as deep as Natania's. Natania learned Leah loved movies that were based on popular YA books, had weekly game nights with her family that she wouldn't miss for anything, her favourite prey was rabbit, and she tried to draw something, even just a quick sketch, every day. To keep in practice she had said. Natania cherished every small piece of information she could discover about the blue wolf.

As much as she would have loved to hunt together, Leah's family had been assigned patrol duty for the last week, exhausting work, and Natania didn't want to add more to their plate. "The pack needs food," Natania said with a sigh.

Leah shushed her and pressed against her side. "Why would I feel neglected by you taking care of the pack? Though, you can lay off my family, you've given us plenty," Leah said, amused.

Natania snorted, she had dropped off a lot of prey to Leah's house. She didn't want them to go hungry. She had done the same for Sara and Branson, depositing prey each morning before she hunted for the others.

"You need to take care of yourself too," Leah murmured. "I can see you losing weight."

Natania shrugged, but her stomach rumbled loudly. She grimaced.

"Why don't you eat that?" Leah said, nudging the rabbit with her nose.

"It's for Sam, he's sick," Natania replied, twitching her ears. "The omegas don't get rations from the stock, they need food."

"You need food too Nat, you hunt four times as much as anyone else. I'm worried." Leah nuzzled her chin. "Please eat."

Natania shook her head as a desperate howl pierced the air. Her head shot up and she howled back, letting the wolf know she had heard, and was nearby.

"It's Carson!" a wolf shouted through the bond, "He's fallen, I can't get to him. We need help."

Natania glanced at Leah. "Run back to camp, bring rope and a harness, and drop this off." Natania shoved the rabbit at Leah and took off.

"Nat wait!" Leah yelled but Natania shook her head and snapped, "Go."

Even as her second, Leah couldn't disobey a real, direct order, with a snarl she snatched up the rabbit and ran back towards camp.