Old Wolf by Avi

Author:Avi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

29

Nashoba waited as three of the wolves moved toward their positions. Pildown remained. Nashoba touched his nose to his muzzle by way of encouragement, then turned back into the aspen grove. He moved forward noiselessly, placing his feet with great care. All the while, he kept his eyes straight ahead, watching, ears cocked forward, listening.

Pildown followed, stiff-tailed.

Nashoba knew that Nikito, with the farthest to go, would take the longest time to get into place. That placement was the most crucial, because it would be exactly opposite his own position of attack. The moment Nashoba showed himself, the elk would bolt straight away from him. When they saw Nikito blocking their way, they would panic. That panic would give the other wolves their best opportunity. First, however, it was up to him, as pack leader, to commence the attack with a successful kill of that limping calf.

Nashoba reached the clearing edge. With no moon or starlight, it was only ground snow that provided a pale glimmering. All else was shadowy. The grazing cows were pawing the ground, their breathing hardly more than little popping puffs.

Nashoba looked for his target calf. The young elk was on the ground, legs folded under, near a cow. He might even be asleep. Better yet, Nashoba thought. Every second helped.

Fleetingly he glanced up among the surrounding trees and saw the glint of raven eyes. The eight birds were deep among the dark branches, still as stone, watching, waiting.

Nashoba checked the sentry elk. She was where she had been, but her movements had become agitated, suggesting she had become suspicious.

The old wolf looked across the clearing, hoping to catch some glimmer of Nikito. He saw none.

He turned back to the sentry. The cow gave a sharp snort. The other cows paused in their feeding, looked up and around. They are nervous. Nashoba looked for the cause.

He caught the gleam of Garby’s eyes. The young wolf had slipped among the trees, behind the sentry cow. But instead of waiting, he was creeping forward, preparing to strike first.

Don’t! barked Nashoba in his head. Don’t!

The sentry cow jerked her head around and snorted. She appeared to look straight at Garby.

Don’t show yourself! Nashoba cried out in his thoughts. Don’t show yourself!

He turned back to his target calf. Even as he spotted her, the calf awoke and jumped up.

The next moment the sentry cow gave a sharp bark!—the elks’ alarm signal. She must have seen Garby. Her call brought an explosion of sounds from the elk—squealing, barking. Simultaneously they rushed toward the trees.

Knowing he must attack, Nashoba—front legs pumping in unison—sprang into the clearing, hurling himself at the calf, which stood frozen in terror. But the wolf’s right front paw—the hurt one—buckled slightly, breaking his charge.

Though he knew he was not close enough—more than five feet from the calf—Nashoba leaped, jaws wide, teeth exposed, aiming for the calf’s haunches. Even as he committed himself, the calf’s mother whirled about, shoved her calf to one side, and kicked out with a rear leg.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.