Blood Moon Rising

Chapter 17: The Hunt Begins

There was a thick air of anticipation as the packs gathered in the vast clearing that marked the starting point for the annual tournament. The sun wasn’t fully up when the participants of Silver Moon left their territory, prepared; their competitiveness ignited their passion to win. The host of the event for this year is Crimson Claw, their territory sprawling with dense forests, steep hills, and hidden valleys that provided the perfect challenge for hunting contest. Each participating pack lined up, their eyes gleaming with competitive hunger.

Karina had been preparing herself for this day, training her mind and body to make her pack proud and not cause any trouble for everyone. She stood among the Silver Moon pack, her senses alive with the thrill of the upcoming hunt. Caius stood at the front, his expression unreadable, but Karina knew he was just as eager as the rest of them. They had trained hard for this moment, and Silver Moon was determined to prove itself against the rival packs. The Crimson Claw pack, led by Alpha Derek, was a formidable opponent, but there was an unspoken rivalry simmering between the two packs, especially with Karina’s history with them.

“This year’s first event will be the Hunting Contest,” Alpha Lucas’s deep voice boomed over the crowd. He stood on an elevated platform, his presence commanding as he explained the rules. “Each pack will venture into the hunting grounds, a vast area rich with game. Each animal represents points based on its size and difficulty to hunt. The more points your pack gets, the higher your rank. However, there is one creature—a rare white stag—worth more points than all the other animals combined. Capturing it guarantees a massive lead, but beware, it’s elusive, and there’s only one in the field.”

Excited murmurs rippled through the crowd. Karina heard rumors about the legendary white stag—a near-mythical creature that was said to evade even the most skilled hunters. The thought of catching it made Karina’s heart race, but she knew every pack would be gunning for it. This wasn’t just about hunting; it was about strategy, speed, and teamwork.

Derek continued, “All of you will be given three hours to hunt. Once time is up, each pack’s points will be tallied based on their catches. Let the best pack win!”

A wolf gave the signal, and in a blur of movement, the wolves shifted into their forms, powerful and sleek. Karina felt her bones crack and shift as she transformed, her senses sharpening instantly and her magical power suppressing. A surprised gasps were heard from the members of the Crimson Claw, a sign of disbelief that Karina’s form were no longer a small timid wolf. She proudly took her place beside Caius, who let out a low, rumbling growl—his way of signaling the pack to spread out and cover more ground.

The hunt began.

The Silver Moon pack moved with precision, fanning out across the hunting grounds in perfect synchronization. They spent the past few days, moving and working as a team. They had practiced hunting countless times, honing their strategy to be more synchronize, in tuned to each other’s pacing. Karina darted through the trees, her senses locked onto the faintest sounds and scents. Small animals like rabbits and foxes darted through the underbrush, and the Silver Moon wolves worked swiftly, taking down prey and accumulating points quickly.

But while the smaller prey added up in points, everyone knew the real game was in tracking down the white stag. It was the ultimate prize—the one that could make or break a pack’s standing in this tournament.

Caius was the first to catch a hint of the stag’s scent. It was faint, barely there amidst the other animals, but unmistakable. He sent a howl echoing through the trees, signaling the other members to regroup. Karina and the others converged on his location, their eyes gleaming with determination.

“We’re close,” Caius growled, his golden eyes scanning the dense forest ahead. “But we’re not the only ones tracking it. We need to move fast.”

Karina nodded, focusing her senses. She could hear the distant howls of the other packs—Crimson Claw among them—closing in on their target. The race for the white stag was on.

The Silver Moon wolves moved as one, weaving through the forest with breathtaking speed as they hunted on the move, taking down small preys as they ran—not slowing down for a second and increasing their points. The strategy was clear: rack up as many points as possible while keeping their eyes peeled for the stag.

Suddenly, Karina’s eyes caught a flash of white streaked through the trees. Her heart leapt—it was the stag. Its coat shimmered in the dappled sunlight as it bounded effortlessly through the forest, leaping over fallen logs and darting between trees with impossible grace. The sight of it was mesmerizing, but there was no time to for her marvel the majestic creature. The hunt was reaching its climax.

Caius let out a sharp bark, and the Silver Moon wolves surged forward, locking in on a single target. But they weren’t alone. Crimson Claw had already got their eyes on the white stag on the other side of the clearing. Led by Derek, they tore through the trees, their red eyes glowing with feral intensity.

The two packs clashed in the chase, each vying for position. It was chaos—a blur of fur, snarls, and snapping jaws as they fought not each other, but for the prize ahead. Karina pushed herself harder, her muscles burning as she kept pace with Caius. She secretly used her healing abilities on herself, a skill she learned when she injured herself while practicing in the magical lake— supporting her burning muscles and giving herself additional stamina. She could feel Derek’s gaze on her, that familiar mix of resentment and challenge. He was determined to show her—and everyone—that Crimson Claw was superior.

But Karina was faster than she had ever been because of the additional support her magical power lent her. The training with Silver Moon had made her instincts and movement sharper, refusing to back down. As they closed in on the stag, she and Caius took the lead, maneuvering with precision to cut off the creature’s escape routes. The stag was fast, but the wolves were relentless.

In a split second, the stag made a sharp turn, darting toward a rocky outcrop. Derek lunged, teeth bared, but the stag slipped past him, its hooves barely touching the ground as it leapt over a narrow ravine. Caius was ready, his timing perfect. He veered left, anticipating the stag’s next move, and with a powerful leap, he intercepted it mid-stride.

Karina sprang forward, her jaws closing around the stag’s hind leg just as Caius went for its throat. The creature let out a startled cry, thrashing in a desperate attempt to break free, but it was over. Together, they brought it down with a swift, coordinated attack. The white stag lay still, its brilliant coat stained with dirt and blood.

Panting heavily, Karina and Caius stood over their prize, victorious. The other packs arrived moments later, the look of defeat clear in their eyes—especially Derek’s. His jaw clenched, a snarl of frustration barely contained as he watched his prize slip away. He gave Karina a venomous glare, but she met his gaze with unwavering confidence. Karina showed him that this wasn’t the old Karina he could belittle and reject—this was the Karina who had grown stronger with Silver Moon.

Despite capturing the white stag, the Silver Moon continued hunting, securing as many smaller catches as they could before time ran out. The other packs scrambled to do the same, but it was clear who had the upper hand.

When the final horn sounded, signaling the end of the hunt, the packs returned to the clearing to tally their points. The tension was palpable as Derek took the stage once more, the results in his hand.

“In third place, with 135 points—Iron Fang pack!” he announced, and a chorus of howls went up from the Iron Fang wolves, feeling victorious for ranking third.

“In second place, with 180 points—Crimson Claw pack!” Derek’s voice held a bitter edge as he said it, his eyes flicking toward Caius and Karina.

“And in first place, with a total of 220 points—Silver Moon pack!”

Cheers erupted from the Silver Moon wolves, their victory echoing through the trees. Karina couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she stood beside Caius. They had won the first event of the tournament, and they intend to guard their ranking until the end of the event. But she knew this was just the beginning—there are still two events left, and the stakes would only get higher.

As the packs dispersed, preparing for the next day’s events, Karina caught Derek’s glare one last time. His pride was wounded, and she knew he wouldn’t forget this loss. But that didn’t matter. Karina had found her place in Silver Moon, and together, they were proving that they were more than just survivors—they were champions