Know your limits

Kichi had roamed along the path with the hope of finding prey near the water and imagining if nothing was found fish would be a backup.  Unaware of what was going on up ahead Kichi was in no rush, content to stride along at a relaxed gait.  The grey wolf had things to ponder over, such as how he needed to quit slacking off and work harder at improving himself.  He had spent so long alone and not caring that Kichi really hadn’t changed much.  Then there was Relm.  It was nice being near her and Kichi generally didn’t like being near most wolves.  What did Al think of Relm?

The little water deer though seemed full of energy and charged further ahead on the path to the water.  If Kichi had learned nothing else it was how to pay attention to the world around him.  Little Torch would always be a target to predators and Kichi was the only reason the foolish little deer was alive.  It lacked a proper fear of predators to make it in the world without Kichi at this point.

Torch suddenly stopped his stride and gave a loud warning bark.  Kichi jogged over to catch up, suddenly spotting the trouble.  Al’s son was fighting a giant bear.  Kichi would do his job for any wolf in the pack regardless if he cared but this wasn’t any wolf.  This was Al’s kid.  That bear would pay for harming any fur on the kid's head and by the way, Saracyn went sprawling from the bear hit it was safe to say some furs had been damaged, hopefully not more.

Kichi ran, hatred boiling in him with each beat of his heart and paws against the rocky terrain.  He’d kill this thing, heck Kichi would make the thing wish it was dead!  Saracyn was attacking it again and the bear’s focus was on the kid.  Kichi charged in, his teeth biting into the bear’s back leg, snarling as he attempted to yank and pull the flesh from the leg.  Between him and Saracyn, they could just make it lame enough to slowly kill it!

Kichi tasted blood, elation filling his senses.  Suddenly a bearpaw slammed into his shoulder as the bear spun partway around to slap away the smaller wolf.  Kichi fell back on his side, glaring at the gravel he was on eye level with.  Kichi scrambled back up to his paws turning around with the intent for another attack.  Farther behind him he could hear Torch bark angrily at the bear for knocking the grey wolf down.

WC 1090/1500

"Kichi"