DARK CRESCENT

Hunted

September soon turned into October and November followed just as quickly. My missing persons flyers became fewer and fewer around town, until they were just gone. I hated the thought of the pain my parents were going through but was relieved that I could get rid of my cheap, pathetic disguise. The snow lately fell violently from the sky with rough, icy winds biting at your face and appendages. Luckily for me, due to my new condition, I rarely felt the bite of the frosted, unforgiving cold. I hadn't been back to see Maggi, lockdown at Moses' house was tight lately. The reason being hunters were around now.

A few weeks ago, Liam and I were spotted dashing over a fence after our latest dumper dive. Sheriff Hawthorne just so happened to be the person to see my huge paw just moments before it disappeared over a fence. So now the city was kind of up in arms in search of something between a wolf and a bear. The house was active, and people were starting to get irritated being in closed quarters with one another hour upon hour. I was starting to understand how Anne Frank felt. Most days I was either seated on the front porch, or in my room reading a book while listening to my air pods.

But tonight, we had to hunt. The house was restless with the rage starting to build up, and Moses was worried about the twins. He sent Rodney out to survey the perimeters, but it had been hours since he'd heard from him. Ada and I were sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace of the pack house. We'd found an old Scrabble game in an attic crawl space, among Moses' discarded Christmas decorations. Now here we were sitting in the floor, legs crisscrossed while we waited for Moses' signal. Alex was busy spinning a basketball on his finger, while Liam and Paige were somewhere in the house. I could feel the rage boiling in me, making my skin crawl, and setting my teeth on edge. It was like being a junky going through withdrawals. The feeling was annoying and nerve racking.

Finally, Moses stepped into the entryway of the living room, his shadow casting over the game board, signaling us to look up at him. He leaned both hands on either side of the door jamb and released an exasperated sigh. It was time. Ada and I cut glances at each other as we laid our wooden letters beside us on the floor and stood up.

The cold wind sent a chill through my fur as I stalked low through the brush. Although, I didn't see him I could smell Liam at my right flank on the other side of a line of small trees. The twins branched off to hunt near the clearings, while Moses and Paige took to the watering holes. Liam and I covered the middle perimeter, the deep part for bigger game. I guess this was always our position due to the fact of Liam was the fastest and I was a bigger wolf than the rest. There was still no word from Rodney and although he didn't show it...Moses was worried.

Think the hunters got to him?

As if reading my mind, Liam chimed in on cue to my thoughts, catching me off guard.

I hope not, but not sure.

FOCUS.

We both jumped at the sound of Moses' growl and hopped back to task on command.

After about thirty minutes or so we finally closed in on a huge black-tailed buck, stripping the bark from a tree. My thoughts were, he was gathering up for the winter and decided to get a snack. Tree bark, the other beef jerky. Liam cut his bright eyes at me. He was laughing to himself about my comment. We kept low around trees and large rocks as we began to close in on him, making the decision to take him down together and share his heart. He'd be the third one for me, counting a rabbit's heart and a fox. We circled the area as he scraped at the tree with his large antlers. They looked like candelabras atop his head. Liam nodded towards me to let me know he was in position.

I kicked my tail behind me with my hind leg and positioned myself to strike. From a distance we heard loud, fast, rustling. Liam and I both raised our heads up...the buck was gone. He obviously had heard the ruckus as well. Whatever it was, it was coming fast.