Today's #flashfiction Packing In

 “Right over left, left over right makes a knot both tidy and tight.”

Alexander the Great* #quote

What happens when you dam up river dancing? Does it become a lake dancing? Anyway onto the flash fiction!

Packing In

         Quickfoot, our alpha and an older cousin of mine, led us on a good hunt. Two deer. We will eat well tonight. I liked our previous alpha better. He addressed me and the others by name, an unusual practice for wolves to do so on a regular basis outside of planning for the hunt. “Strongjaw, remember to trust your fellow wolves in the hunt. Any fights at home need to be put away on the hunt for the pack to survive.” He lived long and his advised well, sickness taking him in the end. Some wolves said his kindness was to keep power so that people wouldn't try to take his position. But I found it very genuine. Quickfoot however, I have no problem trying to become alpha in his place.

         Quickfoot then barked to everyone, “To the bushes!” He didn't command the respect our old alpha did, and the instruction was outside the pre-planned activities of the hunt so nobody responded. However I moved when I whiffed something I never smelled before. After I moved along with Quickfoot the others did into the bushes around where we killed the deer.

         I was a pup when Quickfoot went on his first hunt with our alpha. They came back with an extraordinary tale. The tale of the alpha species. The one that could kill anything with the metal tree branch that threw rocks with the power of fire. Without the branch they can be hunted like prey, but with it you are nothing but rabbits to them. I was told that with the gun came the smell of smoke without a forest fire. Quickfoot must have remembered the smell from all those years ago.

        The creature was tall. He didn't have much fur, but covered himself in something to act as fur. It smelled like the wool of a sheep. Perhaps it somehow changed the wool of a sheep to suit its purpose.           The creature looked down and saw the deer we killed in the meadow. It appeared scared despite the fact it held the metal branch. Did it somehow figure out we were here? Is it afraid of us? The face of it turned serious and it started pointed the metal branch towards the bushes. It did know we were here. It must have figured out the kill was fresh.

         “Everyone, run, now!” Quickfoot ran towards the creature. We all reacted instantly this time. The entire pack ran from the alpha species without looking back. I heard a sound like thunder. I never saw Quickfoot alive again, and replaced him as alpha.