Chapter 04

Wolfpack

The next day, we need a bit of balance in our diet. While us foxes are members of the carnivore order, we are actually omnivores and need about as much plant food as meat food. So come morning we start out foraging again. The morning was fine and uneventful.

Around noon though, we were startled by a wolf's howl. By the relative volume it seems to be about 2 bowshots away ¹similar to 'stone's throw', a bowshot is a vague measure up to 100 meters, likely half that to our northeast. We all immediately hide in a patch of scrub.

I focus myself for a breath to make what comes next easier.

I make a pitchfork-shaped dirt Barrier and scrape it along our path, as far back as I can see, and going past us toward the northeast by another 20 meters. With that done I cancel it before making another big bubble Barrier to collect 'fox scent' and shrink that one to our current hideout. Of course I keep this one active. They might still figure out where we are, but by intelligent guesswork or seeing our remaining tracks, not through smelling us by any means.

With the dust still in the air from the fork in the road, I spot 5, no, 8 wolves heading along the path we were using, from the other direction.

Once they reach the dustcloud, they perk up and start scanning each side of the trail. By nose, by eye and by ear.

. . .

One of them passes by our escape path without noticing, despite its best effort.

Another following up behind, notices something. Examines in more detail, sniffing about.

The one in the middle of the way gives the second wolf a light growl, a question? And recieves a disappointed response.

They're moving past us.

My brother sneezes. They turn back and surround our hideout.

UH-OH

Fight or flight? Snap decision time!

I pat Mama Vixen on the side, then step out from our cover.

The one from the middle, their leader(?), sees this and stalks over aggressively. This one 'feels' dangerous, like the eagle from yesterday did, but more so.

Before he closes the distance, I open my [Dragon's Eye] to glare at him, full of intimidation.

Leader(?) immediately drops on his belly, the rest quickly follow suit. A smell of urine fills the air.

A chorus of pitiful whines abounds. Good enough, so I close my Eye again.

The first few wolves all retreat to behind a copse of trees, clearly unwilling to stay involved.

But an angry howl sounds out from the forest toward the north.

Then a much bigger one, with several more charge into view.

Ain't nobody got time for that!

I pop a wolf Barrier around the lot of them, lift them into the air and fling them back the way they came at the speed of an arrow.
Not even a minute later the alpha charges back, alone this time as he outran the others.

I Barrier-toss him again, twice as fast.

He charges back again, this time with the others.

I ignore them for now and fling him thrice as fast.

Then there is a loud, ear-splitting howl.

He charges back yet again.

This time I hold him in place, pressed into -no, seriously, INTO- the dirt. I walk up to him struggling to stand, frothing with indignation and rage. And when I am close enough to slap him, I open my Eye once more. This one has a stronger will than the others, they were all too scared to consider defying me. But Al (short for Alpha) here is merely quieted for about the space of a breath before growling.

All this Barrier use is starting to tire me though, more so because of how much stronger he is than me, so I better finish this quick. I use a larger wolf-Barrier to forcefully nudge the rest of his pack along the path where they were heading earlier. Then lift Al out and place him amongst them.

Then raise my right paw in their direction and wave it in a 'shoo, shoo' motion.

*POV random wolf*

'We were checking around for tracks and scents, but there wasn't any scent.'

'When a spot we already checked had a noise. A cub sneezed.'

'Then a little fox cub stepped out from the spot. It was just standing there without fear of us. Still it was just a cub, so I went forward to end it quickly.'

'Then it opened its eye.'

'There was such POWER in that eye that just looking at me was scarier than making Boss Redfang mad.'

'My scouts behind me even wet the ground from fear.'

'Then Boss Redfang came to our rescue, but . . '

'The cub tossed Boss away just by looking at him, Three times!'

'The fourth time Boss charged in to use his power move. But the cub's glare stomped him into the dirt!'

'Then what, darling?'

'Then . .' at this point the storytelling wolf started tearing up. 'Then the cub waved his paw, pushing us all along the path, and sent us on our way.'

'What? Is that all?'

'Please understand! If you ever meet a one-eye fox, without a scar on his face. Do NOTHING to upset him.'