Temperatures had begun to ease away from the heat of autumn. Winter was not a season of great wonder for the doe though it was her first. It seemed no different and though there was, in her opinion, no reason it seemed to have driven off some of the animals she usually found at every corner. That was a failing and she wondered how that would affect her hunting.While she enjoyed hunting -- it was freeing in a way that even shadows were not -- she knew she had much to learn. Every day her confidence in her skill grew. That was not likely to continue if she could find no game. More than that, she needed challenging game. As a filly she had gone from mere hunting to forcing rules to make it more difficult. It had taught her a great deal in tracking and patience; it had taught her to plan ahead. Even if those very plans fell apart.
It was with an entire puzzle of thoughts that she set off to find a challenge that would fill her stomach. There was a body of water -- a hole cratered between the mouth and end of a strong stream -- that she decided would be the best to place to start. Water attracted all creatures and she was sure to find something there.
The trek was shorter than she thought it would be and she emerged through a band of shrubs that barely reached as high as her horns. The red of her eyes had glimmered at the sight that greeted her. A ball of mottled fur and feathers shook near the water's edge. It was not a challenge; in fact she rather looked at it and considered that she had found a free meal.
She slunk, slow and steady, in the silent fashion of a predator. The moment was quite ruined when the ground turned into mud and her front hoof squelched and sunk. The feathery furball shifted, a larger head than the doe had thought rising as it tilted back to look for the sound. It became unbalanced and tottered before falling into the watery dirt. The eaglehound kicked at the air before managing to roll over. The very model of a needy -- well, needy was really bad enough of a description. However it was not something to fill her stomach. She wasn't sure which one was worse.
With narrowed eyes, she began to turn. It however yipped -- her eyes straying to the pup -- as it tried to rise, too large paws sliding in the mud. It was pitiful. And it was so very embarrassing that she felt it would hurt herself to leave it. Against her better judgement, she made her way and after much nudging, prodding, and (to her dismay) face licking, her teeth clamped onto the skin behind its neck.
The bundle went limp in her mouth and she focused on making it to ground that felt more solid beneath her hooves. Her hind legs slipped and slid; the second half of her body caked in mud as she fell more than once. But finally the mud ended and she stood firm. She placed the bundle down and turned. She had done her good deed.
Except as she moved, the bundle followed. She reprimanded it sharply. It followed still. And it was with great unrest she found that this puppy would not let her leave so easily. She glowered at it -- took in how its eyes flitted around wildly -- and for the briefest moment saw that potential for a great ally tearing through wood and water to wrap its jaws around a feisty piece of prey.
"Fine, you may come -- Eyes Wander."
And the puppy barked, tail wagging, as they moved off.