Chasing rabbits

Strai was a wolf who was all too familiar with hunger. His hunting skills needed a great deal of polishing, and he did not anticipate hearty meals while he remained a captive in this pack. That meant he needed to learn to hunt better, and fast. He made his way down off the icy, unforgiving mountain that the Black Nidhogg Vidarr had claimed. He anticipated having better luck across the more lush territory of the Stone Steppe. Of course, winter had claimed this territory as well, and a fresh blanket of snow had fallen. The scents off the snow were cold and crisp. The scent of prey seemed buried, at least this early in the morning.

He made his way into the strange stone ruins, finding a stone he could put his back against. So, he couldn't use his nose very well with the freshly fallen snow. He could still use his eyes. He intended to do just that, with the stone for cover. Here at least there were patches of earth not fully buried, and he could stand without freezing his paw pads. He hunkered down, and watched over the white field. Watching, waiting.

He could be a patient hunter, especially when inexperience had already caused him a few hungry nights. He blinked slowly, chasing away any feelings of sleepiness. Hunger came first. Hunger came before everything. At least here his white fur might actually come in handy. As he lowered himself, he blended well against the snow, and the faded silver of the ruins.

What he would soon become aware of, was the presence of a white rabbit huddled beneath a snow-laden bush in the opposite side of the ruins for now, his back was to the ruins, and his front facing out across the vast field beyond. He wasn't entirely sure what alerted him, perhaps a soft change in the wind gave the barest hint of scent, but he turned. His eyes roaming the ruins behind him. His sensors prickled as he breathed in deeply, his body still and silent as he watched, and waited. After a moment, he saw the barest hint of movement in a bush, barren of leaves but thick with snow. He rose slowly, letting the shadows of the stone hide him as he watched a few moments longer.

The stillness didn’t dissuade him, he knew what he had seen. He began to move, stepping very slowly and cautiously towards the bush. Each step was agonisingly slow, because he knew that stealth was the most important thing now. The closer he could get, the easier the chase would be. When he was about half way across the ruins, his paw hit a hidden stone. Something crumbled and long broken from the main structure. His claw clipped against it, and suddenly the bush shook.

A rabbit, white as the snow around him, shot from its hidden spot. It darted on long back legs through an ancient archway, its feet silent on the snow-packed ground. It was too light to find hidden obstacles like the stone, but he didn’t need sound to track it. Following the movement, he bolted forward. Giving chase, weaving through broken pillars, and under the archway it had vanished beyond just seconds earlier.

The chase led them through a maze of broken columns, shattered status hidden beneath a layer of snow. The rabbit was agile, turning with frightening speed through the many obstacles. Around he chased it, before the rabbit leaped suddenly upwards. Landing on what might once have been a staircase. It looked fragile, and he knew his weight would test it. He weighed caution against his hunger, and hunger won. He leaped, landing on the first crumbling step. He heard a ‘crack’ and scrambled forward. The rabbit was already hopping along, moving upwards he scrambled after it, his steps careful and uncertain. His ears pricked for any further sounds of breaking. So far, so good. He jumped another step, and then another again. He was gaining on the rabbit. It was agile, but he was larger. He covered the jumps more quickly. He was almost up to the rabbit when a loud crack vibrated through his body. He froze, feeling swaying beneath him. The rabbit had frozen too. Carelessly, he leaped. At the same instant, the stone beneath him broke away, him and the rabbit were suspended in freewall, with his momentum carrying him forward. His fangs wrapped around the rabbits body, digging in, as he fell through the broken steps, and hit the packed snow with an oof. His teeth clicked harder together with the impact, eviscerating the rabbit. If he had wanted a warm coat from its fur, he was out of luck. But as for a meal… he released the dead rabbit, his muzzle stretching into a smile. He snapped it up again, and fled to a corner of the ruins where he could eat before anyone saw and stole his meal. Ignoring the pain in his side, or the slight limp with every step.

Wc: 839

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