Something smelled
rotten. And it was nearby. Much, much too close to home, for little miss Neha's liking. So, there was only one thing to do about it.
Find out. The young princess was coming into her own, the summer and fall months bringing about a noticeable transformation in her. She had grown into her previously oversized paws, exchanged her baby blues for an earthy set of browns, and traded shades of dusty ivory fur, for a blend of whites and silver, with gold accents. She was even built a little more slender, but with her thick winter pelage coming in for the first time, you wouldn't notice it.
Old enough to be out on her own, without adult supervision for extended periods of time, Neha was happy exploring the corners of her home. Or refining her still clumsy hunting skills by chasing rabbits or harassing young foxes. They made for perfect target practice. But sadly, it wasn't nearly as much fun as it could have been if her brothers were with her. Both of which, to her, seemed more distant than usual as of late. She didn't pester her parents or try seeking her siblings out. She let it be, and hoped that whatever was the matter, that it would resolve itself soon.
When the sickening stench floated to her nose, she had been in the midst of searching for a snack. Not so much for food, but more for practice. A promising set of bird tracks, likely from a pheasant, looked tempting. But the new smell was too pungent to ignore, and as if to reinforce her need to satisfy her curiosity, Nathaniel's howl rang out somewhere nearby. Ears pricking up with alertness, she sprang forwards to his call, almost doe like in her movements and speed. Not five minutes later, she arrived, finding only the dark man she was so fond of, and a most....bizarre creature.
Instinctively, she stepped up behind the guardian and another adult already present, so they were shielding her from any potential threat. Yet she peered forward with perked ears and wide brown eyes curiously, nose twitching a mile a minute. The animal....which looked to her, like a cross between a rodent and a moose, was snorting, stomping and shuffling about without a care in the world. But what was worse, is that it was tearing into one of
their caches as if he owned it! Teeth clenched, a silent snarl crept to her muzzle, her agitation clearly shown in the lashing of her tail. But Neha did not lash forward. She had learned her lesson at the lake with the swans. And besides, whatever those sharp things were protruding from the beasts jaws, she didn't want to get anywhere close to. Feeling that the entire pack should be alerted about this, and deal with this nuisance quickly, she threw her head back and let out a short, shrill howl. Certain that they had heard her, she pressed closer to Nathaniel.
"...Do you know what that thing is?" She questioned, her voice a suspicious whisper.