Dusty & Fyre

The big male stayed near the large creek that filtered along the ridge's center. "We'll learn how to hunt some rabbits. How's that sound, guys?" Dusty questioned, turning his head back a moment to gaze on his two sons.

Fyre wagged his tail merrily, "I'll catch the first one, I bet! A big 'ol rabbit, all for myself!" The boisterous pup bounced towards Drac, bumping shoulders with him, "I'll catch the first one! I'll catch the first one!" He taunted.

Jessie & Drac

She followed side by side with her mate, muzzle trailing a few inches from the ground as she sought out the scent of prey. "Teamwork is the way of the wolf." Jessie reminded them, but couldn't harldy expect them not to try and out do each other.

Drac bumped his brother back, giving an indignant snort, "And I'll catch the most!" Obviously ignoring what his mother had just told him.

Nightcrawler

From his previous pack, he knew how much of a chore pups could be, and so he decided to offer a hand in helping them hunt. "Hey, Dusty! Jessie! Need any help?" Nightcrawler asked, sprinting towards the pair and their two sons. Although he figured they could probably keep track of two youngsters easily enough, Night wanted to simply be with some of his pack members right now.

Jessie & Drac

Jessie paused, looking back to her good friend, "Why of course, Nighty! We could always use some help." She yipped, tail wagging to greet him. "We need to find something for them to practice on."

Drac tossed his head back in a dramatic emphasis, "Aw, Mom!! We don't need help catching anything! We just need help finding it, that's all."

She laughed and nuzzled the top of his head, which he grudgingly shied away from, "Finding your prey is half the challenge, Drac. And I don't think you want to take on anything larger than a rabbit."

*Potential Prey*

Up ahead, there was a sharp, unmistable scream that pierced the air. A rabbit's death cry...

Dusty & Fyre

"Sure, we could use the help." Dusty added, with a glance to Nightcrawler. Then he swung his head to the side, ears perked to the distinct scream of the rabbit. "Wonder what caught it." He spoke to himself, moving faster now, tying to locate just where the rabbit was.

Fyre bumped his brother back, snapping playfully at his head. He nearly jumped out of his fur when he heard the scream. His heart was racing fast, with the jolt of fear and then with excitement. "Come on, Drac! We're gonna catch something!" He growled excitedly, hurrying after his father to locate the rabbit.

Jessie & Drac

Alerted by the scream, Jessie felt her own heart beat faster. Although a rabbit wasn't nearly as thrilling as chasing a deer or larger animal, any hunt had a degree of exileration to it. Following silently after her mate, Jessie was curious to find out what had caused the rabbit to cry out so.

Drac yipped in his excitement, chasing after his brother. "This is going to be awsome!"

*Rabbit*

A rabbit was laying on its side, breathing slow and shallow. It was near a current bush, who's golden foliage partially shielded the creature from view. But there was clearly some blood around the mouth and nose, and it looked as though the rabbit was just seconds away from death.

Dusty & Fyre

The scent of blood filled his nostrils and made his mooth drool, "There we are, there is a rabbit for you two to practice with." Dusty said, eyeing the hapless rodent as it lay on its side. "Must have gotten dropped by a hawk or eagle- it won't be running now." The father concluded, circling around the bush and waiting for his sons to finish the creature off.

Fyre plunged into the bush, his mind set on kill mode. Hardly knowing what he was doing, the youngster bit for the rabbit's hind leg and attempted to thrash the creature about.

Jessie & Drac

Jessie joined her mate in circling the rabbit, eyes narrowed and watchful as she kept her sights on the downed creature. "Go for the throat, it will be the quickest kill."

Once again, her words went on deaf ears as Drac charged for the dying rabbit. Springing about to the side of his brother, Drac went for one of the rabbit's front legs.

*Trap*

As the two pups headed for the rabbit, a leghold trap suddenly snapped up from under a layer of leaves, closing around one of Drac's front legs. Being made for an adult wolf, the metal jaws of the trap were enough to fracture the small bones of the pup's upper leg and cut through his skin.

Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler was joining the adults in circling the prey when the trap went off. It brought back memories from his former pack, and poor little Kivo who got his muzzle stuck in one of these things. That's when Twister was fatally wounded, and Aliyyah was nearly killed. "Drac!" He barked sharply, rushing forward with wide eyes, "Don't fight it, just relax!" Night urged, ears back with worry as he began to dig at the base of the trap. He knew from experience that they couldn't hope to open the steel jaws on their own, and that only the twisted, naked paws of the humans could undo the trap.

Jessie & Drac

Drac yelped and jerked back, but that only hurt his leg worse, "HELP! Momma! Daddy!" He cried out, flailing wildly and yanking back with all his life. Night's words fell on panic-stricken ears to say the least, as the youngster was overtaken by pain and fear. "HELP!" His pitiful yelps wrung loud and clear in the air.

"DRAC!" Jessie barked sharply, rushing towards her son, whimpering, "Drac, hold still! Drac baby, you need to keep still so I can see it!" Even her words could not calm the frantic youngster as he continued to thrash and struggle. Not knowing what else to do, Jessie bit furiously at the hardened metal, but only succeeded in chipping several of her teeth. Taking Night's cue, she began to dig at the base of the trap.

*Trap*

Despite their efforts, the trap was burried firmly underground, and looped around and attached to a large rock. There was no budging it.

It would be two days before anyone would show up to inspect the trap line.

Jessie & Drac

Drac continued to struggle for nearly an hour before his strength was finally gone. By that time, Jessie had given up trying to disoldge the chain when she realized that it was pointless. As the night drew in, she curled up around her son to keep him warm. "What will we do? Should we call the rest of the pack in?" She asked, saddened eyes shifting from her mate to Night.

Dusty & Fyre

After escavating a large, pointless hole in the ground in the attempts of undoing the trap, Dusty sat down next to Jessie and Drac, "Bringing them in would only raise possibilities of casualties. The three of us aren't getting anywhere anyway." The father pointed out dismally, reaching his muzzle down to touch his son. With a big sigh, he turned to Nightcrawler, "Take Fyre back home with you. Stay there with him... protect him."

Fyre didn't say a word as he huddled between his parents, frightened and confused about the whole situation.

Nightcrawler

Night put his ears back as he paced around the tragic sight, burning his mind for a solution. Nothing came to him. When Dusty spoke, the wolf hung his head even more, but didn't argue with a superior. It was best for Fyre anyway. As much as he wanted to stay and help, Nightcrawler padded towards the little family and carefully hauled the youngster up by his scruff and carried him to the Ochotona Mountains.

*Humans*

On the dawning of the next morning, two humans were quietly approaching the trap area. Downwind, they could not be scented. With newly fallen snow to muffled their already stealthy approach, the duo would be very hard to detect. Skilled hunters, they crouched down a few hundered yards away and aimed their riffles. And then they fired, on cue- one for Jessie, and the other for Dusty.

Dusty

The big male had turned in a restless fashion just before the shot was fire, throwing the human's aim off. The bullet still struck him though, tearing into his lower chest and shattering a rib in its course. The projectile had hit at an angle, and blasted out the the other side without managing to hit his lungs or heart. With a yelp, he reeled back and collapsed from the pain. In an instant though, he was up again and running towards nearby cover. "Jessie, come on!" He barked frantically, knowing that their only hope was to hide from the unseen foes before doing anything else. Afterall, they would be no help to Drac if they were dead.

Jessie & Drac

Jessie sprang up a fireball of pain rent her side. With a gasping yelp, she collapsed onto her side, paws dashing frantically against the ground. A familiar voice was calling her name as the world seemed to spin around her. Stunned and shocked by the grevious wound to her side, and overridden with fear, the mother wolf headed for Dusty, scrambling into the underbrush as a bright trail of blood marked her path.

Drac shot up, eyes wide and ears back as the thunderous shots rang out. He was too frightened to speak, and didn't know what to say anyway. Unable to get away, he cowered down to the ground, eyes glued to the spot where he heard the blasts come from.

*Humans*

They men came out from hiding when the parents departed into the brush. They stood for a moment in front of the pup before one man came forward. Wearing thick gloves to sheild the cold, the human stooped down and grabbed Drac by the scruff. His actions were quick and precise, his grip like steel. There was no room for the youngster to twist around and bite him now, and even if he did, the thick leather gloves would be a good sheild against them.

The other man came forward now and unhinged the trap. Without bother with the adult wolves, they carried Drac away.