75. Kaya
Kaya
Everyone had shifted. I looked at everyone as they were wolves. I mind-linked everyone, letting them know I smelt a giant moose. Telling my pack that this was a raw hunt. My friends already knew it was that kind of hunt. Over the last week, I had initiated the classes, and the little ones I was training seemed super excited. But, after a week of running around starting new things, I could use stress relief. I spent almost all my time doing something.
Doing nothing overwhelmed me with sadness, so unless I was sleeping, I would be doing something. Cade was, I guess, liking that before bed every night, I would wrap myself up in his body. I knew he was concerned that I was overextending myself, but I assured him it was good for me. My parents and Nieva had been checking in regularly as well. My dad was adamant I stay this busy.
It was hard being in our room. It had been a week since I had woken up from the whole thing of my den being wrecked. I wanted the smell of us to permeate into the room. Our clothes were new, and not all of them had been worn yet, so the smell was not as strong as the last time. Not to mention, there was nothing in there I had made. The pictures we had put in frames made it a little more homey. But, it was not the same. I had hunted earlier in the week, only getting a rabbit, but enough of those and you can have a lovely rabbit blanket. I used them in the past to make gloves, but I didn't need fur gloves in this climate. It had been snowing, but it was not extremely cold here.
Robert had come with me to hunt the rabbit. I had taught him how to skin and gut it. He was eager to learn how to save the fur and make it useable. With the little ones, I could teach them how to skin animals on rabbits; that would be the basics. We would need to master finding the rabbit first, though. They need to condition those noses. I mind-linked those on the hunt. "It is about four miles from where we are." The wind had hit the moose and sent the scent so I could place it quickly.
We had been running into the woods for about half an hour when I finally caught the scent of something big enough for all of us to hunt. We ran in a formation that Saka headed. Now, Cade should have been leading it. He was the Alpha, but he had never hunted big game, so he differed from allowing Saka the right to lead the pack. Moose were different than elk.
With an Elk, you have to separate them from a herd and then surround it. The moose would be dangerous. I was hoping it would be a female. It would be less to contend with, but then again, if she was pregnant, which she could be, we would need to find something else. We ran fast, and when Saka saw it, he mind-linked me. "Female Pregnant." I let the others know. We would need to be out longer. Mark mind linked me. "How long does it take to get an animal, and what was wrong with this one."
"Mark, she was pregnant, and we don't kill animals with babies. They have to be able to reproduce to keep numbers up. As for how long it takes, it can take a while. In the north, a hunt can be days. Animals tend to move around from place to place." We continued to run, and then I smelt it. "Anyone up for." I sniffed again. "I don't know, but there are several." Len mind linked me. "I want to see what you are smelling." We moved again until we saw the side of a steep incline. There were animals on it. I mind-linked Cade. "What are those things?" "Big horned sheep." Len, Saka, Kimi, and I stood there looking at them.
"I want one." Len mind linked. Cade warned me, "Kaya, you can't hunt on that slope; the rocks give out easily." I told my friends, who hesitated but retreated. They knew better than to hunt on unsteady ground. Kimi complained over the link, "Kaya, find us something good." I sniffed. "Okay, I smell something else. Big, but also, I have no idea what it is, but it is not coming from the slope, and it is by." I sniffed again. "By a herd of elk." Saka practically pranced as we chased the smell.
We were dividing the group. I would take the unknown animal with Robert and Cade, and the others would get an elk. We split off once the others caught the smell of the elk. I mind-linked Cade and Robert. "Okay, so I don't know what this thing is." Cade sniffed the closer we got. "Yeah, I smell it, but I can't identify animals based on smell." "See, we need to work on your hunting too." If he was in human form, I knew he would be smiling. "Well, you need to teach me more, I guess. I demand private lessons." I internally laughed.
I finally saw the thing. We had become predators and were hiding, stalking our prey. "That is a mountain lion," Robert said over the link. I looked at the magnificent animal. "Kaya the cat has a bad bite and claws, and they are super agile. I suggest not hunting this." Cade mind linked. "Nonsense. We will just be careful, and it can't be as bad as a bear." "Okay, Robert Cade, you go from the sides. Be loud and growl, and I will come from the front. Make sure you go toward the back end of it, but still the sides. It will feel cornered, and I can attack from the front." Robert said. "Kaya, I think Cade was right. This is not something you eat." "It is an animal, and I will taste it," I demanded.
Cade wolfs nodded, and I knew it was go time. We moved with light steps, making sure not to step on anything that would alert the beast we were here. Cade and Robert did as I asked. The thing lunged at me, and I took a paw to the face, but I hit the thing with my own paw. Cade pushed the thing, flipping it. I didn't hesitate with it on its side for just a second; I bit into it. Not dodging the razor-sharp claws that scratched deeply into me. The mountain lion died, but I had some severe claw marks.
I got off it. "Luna, are you okay?" Robert asked. Cade's wolf came up to me and started licking the wounds. "Cade, I want to eat this thing. We began to feast. The others found us and saw the thing we had killed. Saka, who was already full, had to taste it, as did Len and Kimi. We all found the cat more than satisfactory.
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