The Story of Fernando, pt. 3

Thistle fought her tired limbs as the hole under the cottonwoods grower larger. Fatigue began to slow her pace as the promise of security neared. She could hear the panting of the wolves behind her grow nearer. Conjuring up the last of her reserves she picked up the pace.
A black wolf snarled hungrily launched itself from behind a tree. Its lean muscles stretched as it leapt down upon her. Its relatively ponderous mass couldn’t adjust in time as Thistle agilely turned at the last moment, dodging his slavering jaws and raking his chest with her short but sharp antlers. Interceptor snarled in pain and wheeled about, his teeth snapping shut with a snap. It was too late for him though, Thistle had made it into the burrow.
The smell of earth and frightened rabbits engulfed Thistle as she crawled through the burrow, careful not to snag her antlers on roots hanging from the tunnel’s ceiling. After a few yards of crawling she came across a brace of rabbits cowering together in a larger chamber.
“Alright plebs, how the hell do I get out of here?”

“So what’s yer plan Fern?” Stump asked worriedly as he watched the wolves circle the tree.
“What’s YOUR plan?” Fernando replied testily.
“How about the three of us just leave?” A third voice came from behind them. The two young bucks spun to see another Jackelope standing behind them, tapping the tip of her paw to the ground to show impatience.
“Well, hello love, my name is Fernan-“
“Goddamnit not now Fern,” Stump said sharply. “Lead the way miss and you tell us what’s goin’ on when we get away.”
Then they ran for all they were worth.

Leader watched Interceptor squirm in the dirt until he found a way to lick at the shallow cut on his chest. “Failure.” Leader growled.
Interceptor merely whined and continued to lick at his wound.
On the outskirts of the pack Chaser sniffed the air, then let out a low growl. Chaser and Chaser broke from the pack and trotted over to Chaser and began to test the air as well. Leader noticed their agitation and joined them. The scent was unmistakable, Shepherd had found them. Leader’s tail dropped between his legs as he realized the kind of trouble he would be in if his pack couldn’t dig out their prey.
Leader watched as Shepherd’s thick form emerged from over the hill. The wolves hadn’t figured out what he was yet besides danger. He was shaped like them, but thickly built and coated in long grey and white fur. As far as they could tell he had no eyes over his nose and killing mouth, just a mound of the same thick fur coming off of his brow. All they knew is he came from where people were.
Leader shimmied along the ground toward Shepherd. He knew how dangerous Shepherd could be, and took special pains to make no dominant gestures. If the Chasers would help they could easily overpower the larger animal, but after the Shepherd tore the throat out of the old Leader the Chasers obeyed his authority. If there was a fight it would have to be between Leader and Shepherd alone.
Shepherd’s bob tail twitched. “Why isn’t it dead, Leader?” It wondered.
“Runs fast. In holes. Jackelopes hide with rabbits. Interceptor failed,” Leader whined, and then pled, “No hurt, no kill.”
“No, Leader,” Shepherd said, “The rabbits have another hole you’ve missed, and your quarry has already escaped you with two others. This troubles me, Leader, but you are fortunate that I don’t believe your current Interceptor would have done any better a job as Leader than you have. So- Good News!- you live to serve me yet. Now, they’ve gone south, how about you follow them, yes?”
The wolves began to run.

“No,” Thistle said, “I don’t know why he wants me dead. He’s just a fucking psychopathic dog,” and this was mostly true.