Raven lifted her muzzle and sniffed. She decided she would grab some pray to give to Awan on her way over. There wasn't much pray around his territory, with all the sickness and traffic surrounding it, no animals would stick around for long. Except for the fish, who had other places to go.
Seeing how Cypress was never much of a fisher himself, Raven was never taught how to catch fish.
Raven watched the trout wiggling along the creek bed. How hard can it be? They aren't even scared of me. Raven thought.
She stepped closer to the water and slipping slightly on the wet gravel, she peered down closer to the fish.
Then pounced, the surge of water blinding her momentarily. Her paws landed on something slimy and slippery and she tumbled sideways into the water.
Raven cursed as she sat in the creek which was now clear of fish.
"Kind of cold for a swim isn't it?" piped a voice.
Raven pinned back her ears in embarrassment as she turned to see Awan, laughing.
"I was trying to catch a fish," Raven muttered and crawled out of the creek.
Awan tutted and shook his head, "You better dry off before you catch a cold, won't be much help if I'm having to treat you."
Raven huffed and shook off, not bothering to move so Awan was out of the splash-zone.
Awan protested as water droplets showered him.
"Don't worry about hunting," he told Raven as she gazed mournfully at the empty creek, "There's plenty of food at my den. Come on."
He turned and picked up a pile of herbs before trotting off, "Keep up now, there's another pile up here you can carry."
Raven shook off again and ran after Awan to catch up. "Are there as many wolves as last time?" Raven asked as they padded across the clear meadow and towards the woods.
Awan shook his head, "Only a litter of pups with Rabbit Fever."
"Rabbit Fever, didn't that pup Rocky have that?" Raven tilted her head curiously.
Awan nodded, "Common in pups born in late spring, they don't grow up fast enough to be able to stand the cold so they get sick. Easy to fix, but it takes time. It's contagious, even to grown wolves. So you need to be careful. Don't let them lick you and don't lick them, no food sharing, don't in their faces so they don't cough on you."
Raven nodded. "So where's this other herb pile you were talking about?"
"Just up here." Awan barked and picked up his pace as his paws found the path leading up to his den.
Awan stopped mid-way up the trail and nodded to the side of the path, "There's the pile. Come on I'll show you where to put it."
Raven grabbed the herbs, dropping a few as she did. "Sorry." She whimpered, "Making a fool of myself today."
Awan shook his head dismissively, "Don't worry about it, come on."
Raven tried not to drop any more herbs as she followed Awan down the path.
Awan stopped as they entered the clearing at the end of the path.
He dropped his herbs at Raven's paws and nodded towards the big rock in the center.
"There's a dugout under the rock, place your herbs there and come back for these. I need to see those pups. If you're hungry the food is kept in a log on the other side of the rock. The midden is behind that, there's a path marked by rocks, easy to find."
Raven nodded slowly, not sure if she got everything.
"If you have any questions, come find me." Awan smiled and added, "I'm glad your here."
Raven sniffed curiously at a shelf of rock, the broad dugout was underneath it. Smart, Raven thought, the herbs will be protected from the rain in here, but what about the snow.
The hole was lined with all kinds of plants; some Raven could recognize and name, others she'd never seen before.
She dropped the first bundle of herbs in before turning back for the one Awan had left.
After she dropped off the second bundle, she had to turn back and pick up the small bits of leaves and petals that had been dropped.
When she finished she felt her stomach rumble and she remembered Awan telling her about the abundance of food he had. Her stomach protested louder, Awan's residents must have brought in a variety of prey.
She walked around the large stone and her ears pricked at the pile. Awan is spoiled with prey, she noted jealously. Awan was here by himself and he must have had more prey than Cypress, Miska, Fawna and I could catch in a season.
She stood for a second and stared in awe at the buffet. What does Awan do with all this prey? She wondered. He surely didn't eat it all himself, he isn't pudgy at all. It must attract scavengers, Oh, I hope he doesn't let it all rot and go to waste.
She sniffed at the pile. There was prey here she'd never hunted before. Beaver, salmon, pieces ram and moose. Raven stared at the pile, not sure what to pick.
Finally, she settled for a portion of ram, her mouth watered at the taste of it as she carried it under one of the trees bordering the clearing.
She laid down in the shade and nibbled away contently.
Raven looked up as she watched Awan walking with the pups and their mother out from under the tree.
So that's what he does with it all, Raven realized as Awan helped the mother carry a big portion of the pile under the tree for the pups and her to eat.
Raven smiled as two of the pups fought over a rib bone.
She pricked her ears as she noticed Awan return to the pile, grab something for himself, and look around the clearing.
Raven curled her tail around herself and Awan's ears pricked as he saw her. He trotted over, his tail bobbing in the air happily.
"Hello, Awan." She nodded at him, "I didn't realize how much food you'd actually have."
He shrugged, "It's been busy."
"Won't you have leftovers?"
"In the winter I'll store leftovers in snowbanks. In the summer I bury them next to the stream; the water current keeps it cool. I don't always have this much. Sometimes I get a lot of injured and sick wolves, sometimes I don't see anyone for weeks, so its good to have some in storage. Sometimes I get a lot of injured and sick wolves, sometimes I don't see anyone for weeks."
"Oh," Raven turned back to her food and finished the rest in a few bites.
Raven groomed herself until Awan finished, that's when he stood up and looked at her.
"Come on," he nudged her up with a paw, "I'll need some help with these pups."
YOU ARE READING
Great Wolf Children Book one: New Beginnings
General FictionRaven was never fond of Fawna and her father being together, but she held no grudge against her younger half-sister when she was born. She'd do anything to protect her, but the wilderness doesn't discriminate on who lives and dies.
