Consuming the Wolf's Rage

It was time. Like many other fawns a young colt had decided to finally complete the Coming-of-Age ritual. But he was not like the other fawns. Even if he just looked like every young Blackwood fawn. Dark in coloration with a few scars on their coat he was nothing like them. And he knew that. His magical abilities were something else even if he had fully understood them. But today he would put them to the test. How far could he use his magic to kill a wolf. This was his time to prove himself not only to the herd but also to himself as well. 

Ledger looked around to see parents that had brought the offspring to the ritual. But the colts and fillies had to venture out alone to kill their first wolf or boar. The chestnut colt had come alone because he didn't wanted his mother near him. Ledger had left his mother a few weeks back to prepare himself for the coming ritual. He had trained his abilities and had fed on some smaller animals to keep his strength up. The energy he gained from other living things gave him another feeling of being full. No weed or bark could make him feel that way. And it scared him. But now was not the time to be scared of his own abilities. It was time! Slowly but surely the fawns left their parents and disappeared into the proving grounds. Ledger followed them in a distance. He had made up a plan how he would succeed. He knew that wolf's were pack animals and it would be hard to insulate a single wolf from the pack. So he would wait until other fawns would try to make their move and scatter a pack. Then it would be easy to pick a wolf to kill. And his best bet was a small group of adolescent bucks. So he followed them in the shadows.

It took them a few days to finally find some tracks a small wolf pack. In that time Ledger had kept his distance so the bucks wouldn't see him. Of course they noticed that something or someone was following them. One buck got scared and panicked until the other two calmed him down again. But the chestnut colt could feel their nervousness. It was almost dripping of them. It was their first time doing the ritual just like him. But it looked like they didn't come prepared like a wolf would just die right in front of their hooves. They would see soon enough that this wasn't the case. The tracks they had followed for a few days had finally led them to a pack of five wolves. But when they found them the sight wasn't pretty. The pack just had killed a fawnling and was feasting on it's flesh. The three bucks prepared themselves to attack and scatter the pack so each of them could kill their own wolf. Ledger still kept himself in the back, watching from a distance. He needed the perfect timing to point himself out to a single wolf. 

Then there was the attack. The wolves were furious that they had been disturbed during their meal. Four of them turned away from the carcass and started attacking the bucks. Like Ledger had predicted the three colts scattered into the bushes and the wolves followed. Only one predator stayed behind to defend their kill. This would be his target so the brown colt slowly emerged from the shadows. Almost immediately the grey wolf turned towards him and started growling. Ledger took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the wolf. His stance was broad so he could absorb any blow from the canine. His head was lowered so his tusk would be near the wolf's throat. The wolf noticed that the buck wouldn't back away so it circled around the dead fawnling to change his defense into offense. Slowly it came near still growling and showing his teeth. But when the creature was close enough something happened ledger hadn't anticipated. His magic had activated itself instinctively and slowly sapped the wolf's rage only to copy it onto Ledger. From one moment to the other the colt felt the anger and rage of the wolf himself. His bared his teeth and showed off his tusks. His pelt would stand up on his spine and his eyes glimmered with anger. The wolf read his newly gained body language and interpreted it as a challenge. 

With a huge leap the wolf started it's attack. Ledger dodged the first and second attack with ease. Then it was his time to strike. The chestnut buck jumped forward and snapped at the wolf's neck. But the canine turned his body and a claw hit the colt's flank. Small drips of blood ran down the buck's hide. This only made Ledger more furious and his first attack followed a second immediately. This time he sank his teeth into the wolf's neck. He could taste the copper-taste of blood. Again his magic activated itself. Slowly it drained the wolf's energy and combined it with Ledger's. The wolf's eyes went wide when he finally noticed which way this fight had gone. The creature tried to free itself and the buck let it go. But due to the sudden energy loss the wolf stumbled and fell. It's legs wouldn't carry it. Suddenly a shadow stood above him and the predator looked up. Ledger stood above him a creepy smile on his lips. He felt invincible and with a quick motion the leaped down. His teeth and tusks sank into the wolf's throat. A faint whine could be heard then silence.

Ledger let go of the body which felt to the ground. The wolf's eyes were wide open and you still could see the horror in it. The colt's breathing was heavy but he knew he had done it. He had just killed his first wolf. And the energy he had gained made him feel really good. But Ledger knew that this just had been the first part. Now he had to carry this creature back to the herd to present it to his king. The he could finally chose his future path and there was only one he would follow. As long as he couldn't control his magic entirely he would need to stay away from the herd. He wouldn't dare to hurt the herd like he had hurt his mother before. So he was going to chose solitude.

He had chosen to be a mountain sentinel.


WC: 1096