Ch. 2 The Hunt

A shimmer in the air and I was moving. A quick zap of electricity coursing through my veins. Transforming was amazing, really. I felt more connected, more comfortable being a wolf. Even if it means a little less privacy. I'm willing to give that up. The Black Forest zipped around me as I headed for the Sand Kingdom. Long ago, King Scorpion wanted the throne and completely ruined Hyuk's wings. He will never fly again. But luckily, my brother showed little mercy and the King lived. I heard he scampered back to his throne with his tail between his legs! I still never completely forgave him. But his tribes great I guess. The people were scared and so they let us hunt on their grounds. Super nice right? I wish. It's so hot here, almost nothing to eat. At night, while everyone's asleep except for the guards, I like to sneak in and hunt rabbits and turtles. There Shift's favorite. My fur is said to be as "black as night". Most people call me Regina Inferos. I know Inferos means Hell in Latin, the language of Hell. But Regina is a whole different story. I can speak Latin, I'm not so fluent though. I needed to learn simple things so I could communicate with the Ice Lands. Their only language is Latin... "Keep your head clear! Let the wolf take full control." I stopped and crouched low, controlling my ragged breathing. Music Note is one of my best guards, most considered taking her in for another Delta. Music was on duty tonight- if I remember correctly. She can sometimes hear or smell things before anyone else can. I kept low and shuffled soundlessly behind a tree. Tree climbing and tree gliding are number one in the school. In between the lands of me and my brother, a safe haven was formed. Schools and markets of all kinds were built in any place you could claim. It's a little messy, but it's a good place for a pup to grow up. I never paid much attention in class... Hopefully I can sneak past. Keeping secrets is hard, especially when your mind is connected. I once saw a nightmare and elder wolf had. It was horrifying. "Ok. So move your tail to this side... Your paw goes in the dip... wings tipped to this angle..." I slipped off the tree and grabbed a branch in my mouth. My tail curled around the branch to my left as my wings unfurled around me. "Maybe I paid a bit more attention than I thought I did..." I repeated the process until I could see sand for MILES! Music Note wasn't working shifts for the border. So I was good beyond the lake. Tonight was Kitty's birthday. Everyone would be on my brother's territory with at least five hundred guards. I spread my wings and soared into the open air. You didn't get this in a cramped kingdom of trees. I soared for a bit longer, letting my muscles relax for once. The sand was almost black behind the giant dunes that's separated King Scorpion's kingdom from ours. A blood scent lingered in my nose before disappearing. I looked down and nose dived, spreading my wings at the last moment to land peacefully. I walked backed ward until I picked up the scent again. It was stronger now, coming closer. It seemed to circle me as I stood still. Moving fast, but not quite as fast as a wolf. In the cool night, it was easier to see in the desert. Most of the time, I just see heat. Night is when my, "Heat Vision" is activated. The desert is scorching hot so it makes it harder, I have to rely on blood for prey. If only water had blood... The scorpion was rising to surface, trying to surprise me. I opened my eyes and watched as the circle grew smaller and smaller. When the scorpion rose I jumped into flight and bit it's head, grabbing the neck. The scorpion froze momentarily, then shook itself out of the sand with its stinger raised between my eyes. I dipped my head, still grabbing the neck, and threw my head up with such force the scorpion flung into the air above my opened mouth and fell hopelessly to its death. With three quick crunches, I finished my meal and swallowed.