Prove you can keep up!

Kotori knew dad was letting him run the show and Kotori likewise knew it was a chance to prove himself.  Kotori looked at the new situation he’d put himself in and broke the larger task into smaller ones in his mind.  The prey was a moderate-sized white-tail which made him still smaller than dad or Kotori.  All they needed was one or two good bites and the deer would be done for.  

The deer was grazing in the foliage and so as long as they kept it around the area the water wouldn’t get in their way.  Behind the deer, there would be an open area farther from the deer than ideal for sneaking up close.  However, even if the deer spotted a wolf from further back it could scare the deer right into the jaws of a waiting wolf hiding in the brush near it.  That would dad or him would herd and the other would get the kill.  Who got which role?  Both had to be done right or the hunt was a fail.  

Kotori watched the deer for a bit.  Of course, if the deer was dumb or not paying attention it was possible a wolf sneaking up from behind could get closer.  Kotori finally decided that while the differences weren’t overly large it made more sense for dad to grab the fleeing deer.  He had the larger fang and was just a bit larger than Kotori.  This wasn’t about showing off how he could kill the deer right now, this was making the best plan.  Today he would set the deer up and get it to run right to his father and there would be another chance for him to make the kill later.  

“Alright,” Kotori finally said when he had his plan, “you go to the left where that one tree with the broken branch is and wait there.  I’ll go around wide and pop out,” Kotori raised a paw pointing farther off behind the deer where there was brush. “Over there.  The deer is bound to notice me before I can make a good grab at him but I can make sure he runs directly to you for an easy grab.”

"Kotori Fatalis"