A pale she wolf stood along the borders, considering something she had found along the snowy ground. She shifted from looking into the meadow beyond and gazed into the thick, tangle forest behind her. A light gray and tawny ear flicked back as she debated with herself.

For the past weeks she had been teaching the boys to hunt. They would go out at dusk to practice finding and tracking prey. Already they could recognize the scent of all the native prey animals. However short the autumn days had become, there was always plenty for them to find. Once or twice they had come across the tracks of an unknown wolf and Iopah was quick to instill cautious in the three pups. If they found fresh enough tracks and managed to be quiet, they stumbled upon the animals themselves. At first they'd thrown themselves after the deer. Iopah just sat and waited every time. Eventually they learned rushing at first sight without a plan was pointless. Once patience was learned the lessons advanced. Now they were chasing the deer, not with the intention to catch them, but to show how to drive them.

It was rewarding and frustrating at the same time. She wanted to race forward when she had to keep pace with the kids. She had to watch the deer bound away (laughing, most likely) when they had correctly driven the deer to the predetermined area.

The pale wolf looked back down at the deer tracks she had been considering. It was only a couple prints, but they were fresh and headed north to the openness of the cherry orchard. The ear swung forward to its rightful place. The boys could have the day off, Iopah needed to stretch her legs. No lessons today, this was the real thing. She turned, cream white legs lifting in excitement, to gaze into the Thicket of Secrets for a moment. Alone, she couldn't bring down a deer. But with help, perhaps the help of a larger male, she could. Feeling mischievous she flung her bead back and called for Koda.

Just as soon as the echoes of her call sank into quiet corners of their thickets did his voice rose up to answer. Her body held still as she listened to it's message and then the pale woman fairly danced over the tracks. This was the perfect excuse. The whole day was ahead of them and the sky shone clear and cold. No one could question this time they spent together. She whined softly and stretched her slenderness further to catch sight of him. There was a deep strumming that preceded his appearance and Iopah couldn't help but feel a sense of possessiveness. She had called for him and here he was. He belonged to her, to each other.

Her tail set to wagging despite his headlong rush toward her. She braced herself to accept whatever greeting was planned, having no thoughts of menace even as his teeth grazed along her shoulder. And then he was past and beyond her and Iopah was spinning to face him. Pale front feet slapped at the ground in a spontaneous play invitation and she waited for his return, tail swaying high in the air over her. When he turned it was with a serious expression and Io lifted reluctantly to greet him. The length of her muzzle nudged into the plush fur of his neck and when he spoke her shoulder pushed in with agreement. Though they'd nodded to each other in passing just late last night, it was not the same as this.

Iopah took methodical care in following the trail. The pace was slow enough for both to avoid frozen thorns and skirt around fallen trees that the deer had simply leapt over. There was ample time to study the scents left by their quarry, her muzzle dropped down every few minutes to evaluate the deer that they followed. Soft bird calls caught her attention every so often and her ears would swing softly in their direction, making sure their presence wasn't being broadcast. The pale wolf wasn't quite lingering, but neither hurrying the present company along. Once Koda glanced at her, a quiet movement caught in the edge of her vision. Her lips quirked and she huffed a soft, curious noise at him.

Despite the leisurely pace, it was only minutes before signs of the deer's presence started appearing. Piles of deer scat here and sleeping areas of flattened brush over there. Without a word, Iopah drifted towards an oval deer bed and pushed her dark nose into the mix of brush and coarse deer hair. They had been bedding down in this area for nearly two days now and would know the area nearly as well as the two wolves. Stiff legged, she pulled back and sent Koda a pensive look. Together they followed after the tracks in silence.

In the distance Iopah caught movement and halted, her ears flicking back sharply. Visible through a patch in the leafless thicket the deer shifted again, bare antlers gleaming in the sun. Despite the current rut, there was no indication of injuries on either, but the scent of stress on one was palpable. She hung back for a moment, knowing they would have to chase them to make a selection, and nodded at Koda's request. A single step forward and then she made a sharp left, pushing lightly against his side to indicate to him to follow. The Black Thorn wolves were just to the north and Io had no intentions of driving a meal towards them. As they went into position, Iopah spoke low to him, proposing a plan. "We'll have to chase to find the one we want. I can hold it, while you catch back up." It was a plan she was comfortable with. They stood a better chance of targeting the correct animal together and it was safer to bite it from behind where it couldn't step on her, but it would mean she would be left holding onto a hundred-and-fifty pound deer by herself until he reached them.

Without a word the pair slipped from the meager concealment and started toward the herd. Iopah moved forward methodically, searching for the target before throwing all her energy into a directionless chase. Somewhere in the herd was their next meal. Iopah could smell it, the richness of dried blood and tang of a stressed animal. It was here, somewhere.

The deer didn't react all at once. Iopah watched the first animal, a buck, turn to stare and take worried step away. That action caused another to take notice and soon the entire herd was moving. The huntress moved with them, her male nearby. Faster and faster the deer ran, as it became clearer that the pair of wolves were openly following now. She watched the flash of their wide eyes as they cast fearful glances back, speeding up to test those that spent too long looking. The injured deer had not been spotted yet, but she knew it would fear them the most.

Koda was likely doing the same as her. Her rapidly swiveling ears caught the sound of his footfalls and brief flashes of ashy fur came from the corner of her eyes. Footfall by footfall and flash by flash she noticed he was moving away, finally her attention redirected to him for an instant. He was chasing, yet from the purposefulness of his gait, she could tell he'd made a selection. Smoothly, she cut through the herd, the other animals now irrelevant. She raced side by side for a moment, following the line of Koda's sight, until the unlucky deer had two wolves staring at his hind-quarters.

The injured deer was still with the herd, another buck running just at his side. Iopah felt her long limbs fly through the snow and her pace lengthened further. A low growl built as she surged forward, heading for the space between them. The growl rose until she was close enough to snap at the rump of the injured deer, attempting to split him from his companions. It worked. She watched the herd race one way and him another, and she plowed through the snows after him. The deer was injured, but terrified, and fear lent it speed. Her muzzle was tight in concentration, bounding through the drifts and fighting to gain on it. It was test of speed now, determining whether she wanted to eat or he wanted to live more.

She saw the blood. It was a vivid flash of red against Koda's pale ashy fur, but her golden eyes stayed fixed on the dampness spreading along the deer's rump. It was a good bite. Even with the breakneck pace and the deer's frantic movements, Iopah could see how readily it bled. The wound was a huge mark in their favor. It was only a matter of time now, either their teeth or simple blood loss would kill this deer. She surged forward, legs racing and body slung low to the ground.

The creek was coming up and they had no time to turn the deer now. Iopah pushed it harder, letting a harsh growl sound as she flung her body towards the bleeding animal. Move faster, she urged without words, move recklessly. The deer's legs were much thinner and delicate than a wolf's, they would break readily if it deer slipped on the ice. The deer weighed much more than either of them, if the ice was thin enough it would go right through the ice. Iopah was hoping for either of these two situations. She swore breathlessly at the feeling of liquid water. Cold liquid water. Iopah gasped in shock and turned back to shore. It was much too deep and frigid to attempt a crossing. Water ran down her legs as she panted and watched. Everything would be lost if it made it across.

Her ears perked when it turned around and she barked excitedly to Koda. She could see the dark fear in it's eyes and growled as it came closer to land. Iopah was not above using the situation to their advantage. Both wolves knew how cold the water was and now the deer understood the mistake of entering the water. Hypothermia would set in quickly and the huntress was in no hurry. She took the opportunity to catch her breath and run her muzzle over Koda for injury. When the deer started to dash downstream she was rested and ready, while the deer was numbed and slow. It was easy to keep pace now and she knew it was over for the deer. Iopah veered into the shallower water and lunged to bite down on it's rump. She felt her teeth sink into flesh and tried to use her body weight to drag the animal to it's knees.