Roll the Bones

Daesamar Silverveil
There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle.

Their thoughts were similar but unspoken and for different reasons. Daesamar was more than happy to risk more because he was bigger, almost twice Ferreiran’s size. He was far more intimidating and he hoped the startled deer would see his size as a threat and run instead of trying to fight them both just to save a calf. He gave one last look toward the lake before taking a step from behind the bushes. “Alright, we run at the same time, go after the calf and leave the others to me. I’m sure when they get a good look at this face they’ll start hightailing it out of here.”

The yearling grinned at his own joke, his crooked right ear flicked and he took a deep breath. He could feel the soft tufts of grass under his paws. “On three.” He said before lowering himself close to the ground to give his hunting companion time to prepare himself. Quietly he called out the countdown. Once he hit three he bunched his muscles up and took off at a run.

The herd was midnight their own business as the light started to fall. The first sign of any danger came in the form of a soft rumbling growl from near the lake. It gradually rose in volume as the massive black and silver wolf appeared, the fur along his shoulder rose and his ivory fangs gleamed in the dying light of the setting sun. The deer started to panic, the mothers called to the calves with their short alarm calls. Many of the youths started to frantically splash and scramble toward the shore.

The countdown seemed to take years. Ferreiran's ears were pricked to catch every number, and the tingling sensation in his legs as they prepared to run. The stillness was excruciating. Finally, Daesamar said three.

He leapt from the stealthy position like his tail was on fire, dark paws carrying him straight to the calf they had selected. It startled, then ran, Ferreiran hot on its heels. He hoped the other wolf was doing his job. As the rear end of the calf drew close to his teeth, he grabbed its ankle. It stumbled, but recovered, leaping forward on three legs.

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Daesamar let his low growl rise in volume, he kept snarling and snapping his teeth in the direction of any deer or calf that didn’t move quick enough to escape the two of them. Keeping to the bank he moved back and forth along it, watching as the last of the herd abandoned the chosen calf to the hunters. He could hear the splashing and the panic dinner’s terrified calls as Ferreiran sank his teeth into the ankles. He looked over his shoulder with an expectant smile on his face.

His eyes widened in surprise when he saw that the calf was still kicking and stumbling toward the shoreline with his hunting companion literally biting its ankles. If they hadn’t planned to eat it, he would have laughed and let it go but they couldn’t do that. “I’m coming!” he shouted before leaping into the water and lunging at the young deer’s struggling form.

A WEAK MAN CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND IN A CROWD

Ferreiran kept his grip on the calf's ankle, as it ran into the water. Soon it was struggling against the current. Daesamar was coming and soon this calf would be their food.

The dark wolf was feeling proud, before his head dipped underwater as it latched on to the meat. He let go, spluttering and shook his head vigorously. After that stunned moment, he ran around the calf to grab at its throat. He reared up and seized the neck with an iron grip. The prey resisted, but it was no use. Two wolves biting at it was too much for it. It collapsed, and Ferreiran, still holding its lifeless neck, dragged it out of the water.

BUT THE WISE MAN IS ALWAYS ALONE

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