Fox Revenge (Madison Wolves #5) by Robin Roseau Read Free Book Online

west. Who thinks the wolf hunting method is fastest? Stand over there." She pointed to a spot on the ground. About two thirds of the wolves collected there.
    "Who thinks the fox is fastest?" No one joined us.
    "The rest of you are undecided?" she asked. They all chuffed.
    Lara turned to me. "The teams won't be even," she said.
    "Pick enough to help you take it down," I said. "Who is leading the other team?"
    Karen was standing with the wolves who thought the wolf method was faster. Elisabeth was undecided.
    "Karen, you're leading that team," Lara said. Karen chuffed. "Elisabeth, do you mind joining us?"
    Elisabeth padded over. Lara looked over the rest. "Scarlett and Angel, do you want to join us?" They chuffed and joined us.
    I looked at the rest. None of them were known for being particularly quiet. "Lara, if you are satisfied we're safe with this group, send the rest to hunt the wolf way."
    "Serena, you're protecting the fox," Lara said. Serena left the wolf group and padded over to us.
    "I'm sorry," I told her. She bumped me.
    I talked to Karen. "You have a lot more wolves than I do. I want to see which method is faster, but if you all fan out, I won't learn anything."
    She chuffed and gave me a quick lick.
    I turned to the humans. "Sorry," I said.
    Benny laughed. "It's okay. We can make a bonfire."
    I smiled. "Let's go," I said. I shifted to fur, dropping my blanket, and I led the way west. We ran all out for a mile and a half before I went into hunting mode, slowing us down. As we neared the edge of pack territory, I turned us north and heard three deer shortly after. I shifted to human. "Three," I said. "Nearly a mile north." I shifted back to fox and led us to a point downwind. The wolves with me all began chuffing as soon as they caught the scent.
    I shifted back to fox. "Three hundred yards," I said. "Your hunt, Lara. But I think it might be a mother and two yearlings. I don't think we should take them. Should I go look?"
    She chuffed.
    "Wait here," I said. I shifted to fox and ran for the deer as quietly as I could. Deer weren't afraid of a fox, so they ignored me. I was right; it was a mother and two yearlings. I ran back to the wolves, shifted human, panting for breath.
    "I was right," I said. "We found ours first, but I don't want to take these down. Lara?"
    She chuffed.
    "Let's see if we can find another one." I shifted back to fox and headed north.
    It took another ten minutes before I heard a single deer. I was just setting us up when we heard a distant howl. I immediately shifted human and turned to Lara. "I have one, it would take us ten minutes. Your call."
    She chuffed and turned north, signaling her intent. I stepped in front and set us up for the hunt. I led them to within two hundred yards of the deer then shifted again, quietly saying, "It sounds bigger. Your hunt, Lara."
    She dispersed her wolves, Serena watching over me. The last stage of the hunt took another five minutes.
    Things didn't go exactly as intended. Normally when I find the deer, we scare the deer towards one of the other wolves. But this one took a turn, barely eluding Lara, and suddenly all the wolves were behind the deer.
    It ran straight for Serena and me .
    I immediately ran behind a tree. Serena took a protective stance in front of me, and when the deer nearly ran us down, she leapt, knocking the deer well away from my position before taking it down. She snapped its neck then stood over it and howled a victory.
    I shifted to human and approached Serena and the deer carefully, wrapping my arms around her and whispering, "Thank you."
    She chuffed and gave me a lick.
    The wolves congregated on us. Lara was huffing her displeasure but I said, "Knock it off. Serena kept it well clear of me, and I was completely safe. Serena's kill. Serena, will you share with the pack?"
    She chuffed happily.
    * * * *
    We dragged our kill back to the compound. Karen's group had dressed theirs out and shared out some of it before dragging it to the