THE hunter laid motionlessly, eyes peering into the sky as light cascaded over her peltโโโa great ball of fire w
as rising in the sky, inching over the ground below and covering it with its blanket of warmth. spring was always
a pleasant season of the year, at least to those among the animal kingdomโโโparticularly because with it, spri
ng is prosperous, offering growth and fortune to the pack. soon, the females among the pack may find themselv
es a mate, giving birth by summer or fall to raise their brood until the next spring. or, perhaps the females will
prepare to give birth,, then ensuring their pups will grow strong and healthy enough to survive the winter to co
me... how harsh this past winter had been, leaving the pack of coyotes in shambles, little of them surviving lon
g enough to witness this beautiful aftermath of spring. many of her pack-mates had lost ones they loved dearly
, even including dara herselfโโโshe had lost her brother.
what a strong hunter he had been, the siblings having followed in their father's footsteps. though they were al
ways side-by-side in their patrols, dara had always been the best of the twoโโโcunning, skilled, always at ale
rt, and, not to mention, incredibly loyal. however, no matter their many differences, the two had stuck togeth
er since their date of birth, acting as personal support-systems for one anotherโโโshe, being the quieter one
of the pair, was nurtured into a more confident soul by her brother; but he, being extroverted yet sensitive all
the same, was trained by his sister to not let his emotions hinder his abilities, especially during a hunt. he'd di
ed toward the end of winter, so really not all too long ago, due to sickness that ravaged his strength. dara nev
er left his side during those days, as many of the others can attest to, and even remained there till his lasting
breath.
ever since his death, she'd felt more alone than before, as one might expectโโโthe support she relied on no
w gone, allowing her to distance herself further from her pack-mates. dara realizes that she does this to hers
elf, though it's as if she doesn't care nor mind to be lonely. she enjoys the quiet, the peace, and being detach
ed from the other coyotes was no concern of hers. sometimes, yes, she felt like an outcast, though this is onl
y of her own doing. she's useful to the pack, helping during hunts and patrols, though when it comes to social
ization, she is little help in that department. even now, as the females watches the sun rise high above the h
orizon, she has placed herself on the outskirts of their resting-area. contentedly, she watched on the sideline
s as her fellow hunters, scouts, and even the lead male rose from their sleep to begin a new day.
as if on cue, she, too, rose from her side to join the others. she shuffled her paws beneath her body and push
ed her limber body upright, standing swiftly with little sound made.dara shook her pelt free of loose debris a
nd began to stretch away the sleep left in her body. once comfortable, she righted herself to look around and
take into account all of those that had awaken to the brightness of morningโโโroman, their lead, kayden, a
nd even laurel.already, the female felt the need to distance herself from the others as they gathered prompt
ly in the center.though, as usual routine, she female would need to join them in order to know particularly w
hat she'd need to do today.
so, just like the others, dara hesitantly padded forward and remained toward the outside of the group, ears
pricked atop her head all while avoiding any eye-contact with the others. it was then that her attention rose
to the voice of kayden, a handsome yet stoic male, a hunter, yet very much alike herself beside his occasion
al attitude that caused a scuffle between the others. no matter, he was a skilled hunter that benefited the r
est of the pack when they were in need. dara listened, silently, for a reply from the lead male to kayden's q
uestion.