Win Me A Prize

His path was longer, but he got there in quick time, and was able to see Vel shake the water from her coat before she returned to the tree tops. He followed the path she took, keeping just a little above her in the trees, as was his habit.

The youthful wolf, older in body by seconds, but younger in heart by months, was eager for the battle. Just like challenging himself against a crocodile had been a game, so too was this. Vel had already set the stakes, likely to draw him in more completely. Of course, deer seemed a low aim after taking on a crocodile…

His sister picked up her speed, encouraging him to move more recklessly through the treetops. He could almost taste her eagerness, see it in the keen sharpness of her eyes. He might have been a boy, but he was still clever enough to realise he owed her one, maybe just a little… for saving his life. She might have set a challenge, but he would help her take down the biggest deer, and harvest the parts she desired.

He pulled to a stop, this time beside her, with no branch perfectly aligned above. He crouched behind her tail, looking down at their prey. “There… that one has the largest.” likely she had already zeroed in on this one, but he would focus them nonetheless. “If you distract it from the front, i’ll land on him from that tree over there, and go for the neck. I’ll try not to mess up your pretty antlers…” he smirked eagerily at his sister.