"My apologize," Chen sighed when a soft rumble escaped his stomach. "I guess I'm a little peckish. Prey has been rather scarce lately, you see. Hmm, or maybe luck? Either way, it's a bit bothersome, I must admit. Going to sleep with a full stomach is nice, but waking to nothing but bones to pick your teeth with is a miserable way to start the day. Small bones, too. Just a hare the other day. One, mind you!"
Idly the pearl white wolf stretched his back in the cozy evening sun. One of said bones still lay beside him, but it was gnawed off, cracked open and relieved of its marrow already. Now it was only splinters that might upset his stomach. Treacherous hare. Probably an old one with frail legs? Well, some wolves would eat even these remains, but Chen was a bit picky, despite the growing hunger.
"I'll leave this for you," he said and brushed the clean fragments over the grass. "Should supply you longer than me, at least. I wish I could say, I'm looking forward to tonight's hunt, but I've got a feeling it's going to be unrewarding. Hmm, chicken would be nice. Or pheasant."
The empty clearing around him whistled softly in the evening breeze. The only one there to listen to him was a cluster of Allium. Their pretty, purple heads bobbed calmly on their long stalks. It was good company.
"It's been a while since I managed to snag a bird, though I probably should stop lamenting about food..." the wolf's ears perked suddenly. "Oh? I fear we'll have to take a rain check on this subject anyway." Hasty breathing and even more hasty footsteps drew close, somewhere from the north. Eight paws, relatively big, and a familiar howl. "My, my! Should our luck return? You'll excuse me-OURGH!"
A sudden flash of red jumped from the shrubs, another flash just as sudden, though gray, followed right behind it. The former slithered over the pasture, unable to break, or steer much, knocked over the majestic Allium first and the rising wolf second. It was an ungentle, if brief encounter. Labored gasps, a panicked shriek, claws and kicks all over and the flash was back in the shrubs before Chen could apply his teeth.
"Get it! Get it, you lazy fuck!" Reszet's screechy voice huffed. The wolf nearly crashed into his companion as well, though jumped over the tattered white heap in the last second to dash after his prey.
It took one whiff to ascertain what his eyes already suspected: Fox! Not Chen's favorite, but more filling than a hare at least. Swiftly the bulky wolf picked himself up and followed suit, leaving the clearing, the bone splinters and the crushed flowers behind. He veered a bit to the left, when Reszet slowed down to give the fox a slight advance. Together they drove him east, away from the deeper woods, towards the river and, more importantly, the third member of their party.
The small, gray wolf was panting hard, his short legs taking long, arduous paces, but Chen was still fresh and swiftly took the lead. Their target likewise seemed worn out. It stumbled more than it ran at this point. Weird, though, were the sounds it made. Foxes usually didn't yap like a scared pup when chased - didn't want to attract any more hungry wolves. But this one barked like mad. Chen didn't have pity, though. You either eat, or you get eaten, it's simple.
A third, powerful howl echoed through the sparse forest, guiding Chen and Reszet to spring the trap. Relentlessly they chased the fox towards its end. It wouldn't have much strength left to fight, or flee once it was there! Picking up speed again, Reszet helped the white wolf to corner the fox against the third member of their team. It worked. Their meal was running strait for him. Eventually, the fierce hunt ended, though what followed was not an easy snack!
Completely exhausted and obviously in fear of his life, the little fox huddled at the paws of the huge, absolutely massive wolf that towered above him on his hindlegs. Toshi was easily the biggest of the trio. Nearly twice the mass of Chen and easily trice as buff as Reszet, he could probably take both of them on at once and win. His rusty, red pelt was a lot rougher than that of the fox, both in color and texture. He was tense, fangs bared, though didn't aim them at the poor creature on the ground. Instead, his piercing yellow eyes, paired with a monstrous snarl, stopped the other two from closing in on him.
"What the hog are you doing?" Reszet gasped, his thin chest heaving rapidly from the exertion. "Kill it!"
Just as beat, or, well, probably even more beat than any wolf present, the fox quivered at Toshi's paws. Unable to form words, it gasped and sobbed, ears folded and the long, bushy fox tail curled tightly between his trembling legs. "Nhg... p-ea... ys-s-t..."
"Put it out of its misery already. Or shall I do it?" Chen asked, coming a few steps closer.
To that the red-furred giant filled the forest with a growl so imperious that it stopped the white wolf and even sent Reszet a dumbfounded step back. Fury in his eyes, Toshi's chest swelled, his claws at the ready. And the tensed muscles in his ripped arms betrayed not only his undoubted strength, but also his determination. This brute could shred up a bear no problem!
"What's this supposed to mean?!" Reszet hissed, his shaggy, gray fur bristling in a confused mix of his rising temper and the growing apprehension of what the hulk was up to.
Toshi's answer was simple. "We're not eating this one!" he growled, much to the perplexity of his two comrades.
The groveling fox, however, uttered a cry of relief. Slowly - carefully - he picked himself up, grasped the red wolf's fur for support and clumsily circled him to escape the barking duo Toshi was facing. He mumbled something, but his feeble words were lost in the turmoil of angry wolves. Eventually he took refuge behind the large canine's back, fearfully clinging to the broad loin of his savior.
The feral clamor of growling and barking continued for a while, with Chen and Reszet urging Toshi to hand the fox over. They were hungry, the night hadn't even fallen yet and this was a good chance to make up leeway. Fill their bellies to be strong for the imminent hunt. But the big wolf remained stubborn. Fierce even! Though he wouldn't give any reason for his unusual and misplaced mercy. Toshi had never spared a fox before, or any other prey for that matter. So why now?
Ultimately, and obviously rather fed up with the situation, Toshi uttered his final say. And it sounded very final! "Kill the fox, and I kill you!" There was no doubt in his voice. Not a grain.
A fact neither Chen, nor Reszet missed, however much they disliked his claim. But neither of them dared to fight Toshi over it, hunger or not. This fox wasn't worth a broken neck!
"Fine!" the smallest of the group spat. His gray fur was smooth again, but the anger over the lost quarry - the meal he'd chased right into their maws! - was palpable in his features. He fucking ran his paws sore for this! "But don't expect to get even a single bite of my next kill, you overgrown pup. Keep your mangy appetizer," he hissed, then about turned and left.
Chen stood there for a moment longer, silently, condemning, pondering. Though it was obvious they were at a dead end here. At least for now. With one final look at the cowering vulpine, the white wolf turned as well and left without a word.
With a long, powerful sigh, Toshi relaxed his fighting stance and could feel the warm, tiny body that hugged his backside, when his large frame slackened. What a mess!
"Ghmf... th-thank you, Toshiba!" the fox sniffled, his small, sleek face pressed into the wolf's dense pelt. Finally safe, he fecklessly dropped to his knees, feeling his heart pound for the first time again, since he'd started running. "Thank you so much! I..." Helplessly he looked up into the far larger canine's dull, yellow eyes. "Please don't be angry with me!"
Releasing the last of his tension with a frustrated, "Hrmph!" the colossus crouched down beside the squirt, his red, shaggy paw that settled beside the fox's white-fingered hand, easily trice as big. With a deep grumble, Toshi pressed his nose into the fox's nape, unaware of how ruffling the gesture must be to someone who almost got mauled by a wolf. He inhaled. No blood. "You're not hurt," he discerned calmly. An observation the vulpine swiftly confirmed with a gentle nod. "Good." Almost tenderly Toshi licked over his neck, up towards the black-tipped ears. "Let's go."
