Moonlit Bonds

The four young werewolves, Hunter, Beau, Zane, and Orion, were on a hunt in the woods of the Red Moon pack. It was a warm summer's day, with the sun shining high in the sky, casting a golden glow on the lush greenery of the forest. The pack's alpha, Cash, had given the four friends permission to venture out and hunt for a stag, at least that's what Zane told them. A stag was a rare and prized catch for any werewolf. The young werewolves were all in their human form, dressed in simple clothes, their packs slung over their shoulders. They were laughing and joking as they made their way through the forest, the sound of their laughter echoing through the trees. Hunter, the alpha-in-waiting of the Fiery Falls pack, was leading the way, his keen senses picking up the scent of the stag. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a confident air about him. He was the eldest of the group, and everyone looked up to him. Beau, Jaxen's son, and Hunter's best friend were walking by his side. He was just as tall and muscular as Hunter, but with a more laid-back demeanor. He was thought to be Hunter's beta when he became alpha, and the two of them made a formidable team. They met up with Arrow along the way as she was walking back to the pack after a quick run in wolf form. Zane and Orion were trailing behind, with Zane walking a little closer to Arrow than was strictly necessary. Zane was the biological son of Jonas, Cash's mate, but he was raised by both of them as if he were Cash's own. He was tall and lean, with a mischievous grin always on his face. Orion was Zane's best friend and the complete opposite of him. He was easy-going and relaxed, always ready with a joke or a smile. He was still figuring out his place in the pack, but he was content to follow his friends for now. The four of them had been hunting together for years, and they were a well-oiled machine. They worked together seamlessly, each of them knowing their role in the hunt. They were after a stag that was said to be one of the largest in the forest, and they were determined to catch it. As they made their way deeper into the woods, they picked up the scent of the stag. Hunter signaled for the others to be quiet, and they crept forward, trying to get as close as possible. All five undressed as quietly as possible and tied their clothes to their ankles or stuffed them in a bag. Then they shifted into their wolf form almost without sounds, only a few cracking of bones as they morphed into their second form. Just as they were about to pounce, they heard a loud growl. They turned to see a massive bear standing between them and their prey. The bear was easily three times their size, and it was glaring at them with beady eyes. The young werewolves were momentarily frozen, but then Hunter stepped forward. He let out a low growl, his eyes fixed on the bear. The others followed his lead, and the four of them stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the bear. The bear let out another growl and then charged. The young werewolves sprang into action, dodging and weaving around the bear, trying to get a shot at the stag. They were fast and agile, but the bear was relentless, and it seemed as though it would never give up. Just as they were about to give up, the stag appeared from behind the bear. It was a magnificent creature, with antlers that towered over its head. The young werewolves were momentarily stunned by its beauty, but then they sprang into action. Hunter was the first to make a move, jumping over the bear and grabbing the stag by the antlers. The others were right behind him, and they worked together to bring the stag down. Orion latched on the stag's neck to help bring it down while the rest chased the bear off. As the young werewolves brought the stag down, they let out a triumphant howl. They had succeeded in their hunt, despite the unexpected appearance of the bear. Hunter and Beau were working quickly to skin and bind up the stag with the rope they brought with them, while Zane and Orion stood back and watched. Orion was admiring the way Hunter and Beau worked together, while Zane was glancing over at Arrow, who was standing a little way away, looking at the stag with a mixture of admiration and distaste. Orion noticed Zane's gaze and nudged him to the side. "You've got it bad for her, don't you?" he whispered. Zane shot him a look, his expression a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment. "I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered. Orion chuckled. "Sure you don't. I bet you'd like to be the one standing next to her right now." Zane didn't reply, but his eyes flicked over to Arrow again. She was picking up some twigs and sticks from the ground, clearly trying to keep herself occupied while the others finished up the hunt. Orion nudged him again. "Hey, why don't you go help her with that? It'll give you a chance to talk to her." Zane hesitated for a moment, but then he nodded. Zane walked over to Arrow, trying to act casual. "Hey," he said. Arrow looked up at him, her expression guarded. "Hey," she replied. Zane glanced over at Orion, who was smirking at him. He rolled his eyes, then turned back to Arrow. "You don't like hunting, do you?" he asked. Arrow shrugged. "It's not really my thing. I don't mind watching, though." Zane nodded. "Yeah, me too. I mean, it's fun and all, but sometimes I think it's a little...I don't know, violent, I guess." Arrow raised an eyebrow. "Coming from a werewolf?" Zane laughed. "Yeah, I know. It's weird, right? But sometimes I just feel bad for the animals." Arrow smiled a little. "I get it. I'm not a huge fan of violence either." They fell into a comfortable silence, picking up sticks and twigs together. Zane could feel his heart racing, and he was acutely aware of how close they were standing. He was just about to say something else when Orion interrupted. "Hey, guys, the alpha's coming!" he called out. Zane and Arrow both turned to look, and sure enough, Cash was making his way through the trees. He had a stern expression on his face, and the young werewolves knew that they were in trouble. Hunter and Beau had finished skinning the stag, and they were standing a little further off, watching as Cash approached. Zane and Arrow quickly joined them, trying to act as though they hadn't been doing anything wrong. Cash stopped in front of them, his gaze sweeping over the stag and then back to the young werewolves. "What's going on here?" he demanded. Hunter stepped forward, his expression confident. "We were hunting, alpha. We caught this stag, and we were just about to bring it back to our pack." Cash nodded slowly. "And you didn't think of getting permission from me first?" Hunter hesitated, but then he met Cash's gaze. "We're sorry, sir. We didn't think it would be a problem." Cash's expression softened slightly. "I understand that you're young and eager, but you need to remember that there are rules in place for a reason. You should have come to me first." Hunter nodded, looking over at Zane with slight annoyance as he thought Zane got permission from his dad.