Vaken watched as the wolf leapt for the bone, giving a coyote a strong shove. He really wasn’t going to give up, was he? The small yearling couldn’t stop himself from giving a small smirk at the other wolf’s determination. It was idiotic and dangerous, but it was brave. Vaken had to give him that. Despite the admiration, Vaken didn’t dare get involved. It wasn’t in his nature to be petty, especially in the face of danger. He wasn’t going to put his health on the line for the leftover drops of bone marrow. When the other male did, Vaken just shook his head in bewilderment.

There were too many coyotes. Vaken was too smart to risk his luck. He had an already eventful day, and he was tired. He wasn’t wounded badly, but he was physically drained from the strain on his body. It was time to call it quits. The energy it would take to retrieve the bone was far more than the bone or pride was worth.

Backing up slowly, Vaken nodded at the other wolf as if to say you deserve it. He kept his tail high and his ears forward, still asserting some dominance. He longed to finish the battle, to pin the other wolf and make him submit, but it was over. He wasn’t going to risk fighting another lone wolf and a pack of coyotes. He bared his teeth a little, half smiling, half growling. “Better hope that doesn’t get infected,” he snidely laughed.

And with that, Vaken turned and ran. Using all the energy he had left, Vaken abandoned the other stray wolf with the coyote pack. He propelled himself into the dense forest with long quick strides, not looking back to see if he was followed. He knew the coyotes wouldn’t be able to keep up with him even if they tried. As for the other male? Vaken didn’t care. He could stay behind and try and defend the bone from a pack of snarling mangy mutts if it meant so much to him.

*Vaken exits (chased out of Sacred Groves by the coyotes)*