Zera couldn't help marveling at the strength of the pack as the numbers flooded in after the call. She moved with the inflamed jitter of ruthless energy; yellow eyes jumping back and forth, nose drawing near the earth. Though smaller than the rest, Zera found it easy to keep up with her father, almost too easy to break into sunset on the horizon and surpass them all. Luckily the young lady kept attentive and halted at the flank of her father when he was certain of the pack's collection.

When her star-eyed mother spoke, she listened with one ear cocked, though gazing still at the trees ahead, wishing the musky scent of deer was otherwise tangible. She would stick near Darrah, of course - but if he were lagging behind or lost in the trees like usual, she'd have to take charge. He was always getting coddled for behaving passively, always jabbering behind her tail about the "mischievous" hikes she'd taken, as though he'd get some sort of handout for doing it. It wasn't that Zera agitated their sibling rivalry or anything, it was just a naturally unfortunate situation. If only he were more impressive, might she not feel the need to wander so far for attention's sake. She was too old now to be nursing anymore, but if Darrah still felt the need, well, that was none of her business.

Zera shot an excited glance to Darrah, wondering if his changing eyes would possess any deep, intermingling traces of secret determination. She was actually looking forward to this opportunity to bond with him, to take down the beast together. It was like a competitive chance to come out on top at the same time. She couldn't wait to let her stride consume the trail, to leave him consuming her dust as she brought down the tremendous kill, pride glimmering in her eyes.

Though the pup was often indifferent to order, respect for the pack was already installed, ingrained in her instincts. Zera knew she would never go astray from one of the elders’ orders out of her own belief. She would let them guide her through this experience, because besides her excited fury of determination, she really had no idea where to start. She imagined a doe’s nimble leg would crack easily under the sharp crunch of jaws and that the jugular would end it quickly enough to leave creature’s misery short-lived. A part of her began to wonder about her own dangers as the pack continued to affiliate. Darrah found her eyes and she felt anxious for the both of them without knowing why. Maybe this adulthood thing wasn’t all that great after all. Maybe this was more serious than she imagined.

The difference between Zera and other pups of her age, was that she knew her own weaknesses and carried them around as insecurities. She wanted so badly to be out in front, taking down the oldest, mightiest buck with her own razor lined jaws - but the catch was that she also didn't. She knew she was small, she knew the pack had experience on their side and she was definitely mature enough to let them go before her. This was about development, strategy. Zera new the food would become scarce, it was the pack's essential topic. Autumn approached with the baleful intentions riding high in her family's thoughts. There was this heightened sense of unspoken anxiety as her father surveyed the herd.

When Triell took off, her heart exploded into a bound of ruthless energy. Her slender legs devoured the ground with her first few strides of breakaway, until she was consuming the hunt like she was bred to do. Her mind automatically shifted as she reached the midpoint from her prey and where she began. Zera remembered suddenly her mother's words and fell back, joining the wolves that were responsible for her, all the while watching the husky black body of her father smear into the action. Her fluorescent eyes immediately absorbed the clue. The herd responded with the frantic twist of flight. The adults ahead began to spread and she floored herself, not concerned one bit about her age or her capabilities. She knew what they were doing. This was natural. Zera watched for one more wind whipping blink before she cemented the strategy and made her attempt at corralling the deer, finding herself in the niche.

She wouldn't let her passion clutter precision.