Laurel didn't pay much attention to what the other alphas said about their packs, and when the time came for the hunt, Cordan immediately found her and put her in his group. They were mostly defenders and Laurel didn't bother to remember all their names. Since there were three Night-dogs in the group, they spread out from the group into the forests of Night Pack territory.

Laurel's eyes widened as she saw trees up close for the first time. They stretched up so high that she wondered if you would touch the sky if you made it to the top. But as they crossed under the leaf cover, she began to feel a little more comfortable. The forest was closer and more sheltered than the wide open meadow, and it felt more like home.

"Considering our line-up, I think we'll do better in small groups or pairs," said a giant dark shepherd who'd introduced himself as the beta of Storm Pack. "Do you have any objections, Cordan?"

The alpha shook his head. "No, sounds like a fine idea to me. I'll take two with me, and the rest of you can divide up however it suits you. Laurel, you're with me, and also you, uh, Jarvis, is that right?"

The Lake-dog, a rich orange with a white chest and paws, nodded with a smile. "I'd be happy to join you. I'm a pretty good tracker, if you'd like me to start scenting for something."

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Cordan said. "We'll regroup back at the meeting place. Good luck!"

Jarvis began heading towards the north, casting from side to side as he scented for prey. Cordan hung back besides Laurel and gave her an encouraging grin. "How has it been so far?"

"Okay, I guess," she answered. "It's still a little weird. ...And I almost started a fight."

"Laurel!" Cordan gave her an astonished look. "What happened?"

"She insulted me," Laurel grumbled. "Theran was right about those Storm-dogs. They're rude."

"Well, yes, diplomacy is generally not their strong suit," Cordan said with a slight chuckle. "But you have to remember, at the Hunter's Moons we're supposed to behave like one pack. So you have to be the bigger dog and not take the bait."

"The bigger dog?"

"...It's an expression."

Laurel laughed slightly, but then frowned. "But Uncle Naaman was telling me that we have to show the other packs that we're not scared of them."

"And you're not," Cordan replied. "But the fact of the matter is that you can't pick fights with the other packs, especially Storm Pack! You won't win, I can tell you that. So the best way of showing them that you aren't scared is to ignore them." He gave a slight scoff of laughter. "One thing they can't stand is to be ignored."

Laurel briefly considered his words but the conversation was interrupted by Jarvis trotting back up to them. "I spotted a group of squirrels up ahead," he said. "If we surround them we can probably snag a few."

"Squirrels?" Laurel asked. "What do they look like?"

"Sort of like mice, with much bigger tails," Cordan answered. "You'll like them. Let's go!"

Silencing all further discussion, the three advanced with Jarvis in the lead. He stopped in front of a cluster of bushes, dropping into a crouch and creeping around to the far side. Cordan adopted the same stance and Laurel quickly mimicked his behavior. She could see under the bushes to where five of these so-called "squirrels" were eating some nuts on the ground. Their warm, meaty scent wafted into her nostrils and she licked her lips. She'd never tasted these creatures before, but they certainly smelled good.

Jarvis's dark brown eyes appeared underneath the bushes on the opposite side and he and Cordan exchanged a look. Laurel heard her father take a deep breath and then he charged, exploding through the bushes onto the unaware squirrels. Caught up in the excitement, Laurel let out a few sharp, exhilarant barks as she dove for one of the creatures. It swerved to her left and shot up one of the trees almost faster than she could blink. Not to be deterred, she turned to the right and charged another one of the creatures, driving it straight to Cordan. He gave her a grateful glance and quickly tackled it, snapping its neck.

It was all over in the span of a few seconds and Laurel looked around to see that three of the squirrels had been successfully caught. Jarvis stood over two of them, grinning. "That was great!"

Laurel looked at her paws. "I was hoping to catch one. I guess I was too slow."

"Never mind." Cordan gave her an affectionate bump on the shoulder. "I wouldn't have caught this one without you, and that's basically the same thing. Besides, you've only had one training session on hunting so far."

"I think you did pretty good," Jarvis agreed and Laurel gave him an appreciative smile. She was glad that not all of the other pack dogs were jerks.

"Let's get these back," Cordan said. "Would you like to carry the squirrel?"

Laurel agreed and scooped up the little creature. She couldn't fully taste it but she felt her stomach growl and picked up her speed. She was excited to try it.

~

When they made it back to the center of the meadow, a few of the other groups had already arrived and were starting to eat. Laurel nearly dropped her squirrel in shock when she saw the gargantuan creature that one group was dragging back. "Dad, what is that?" she whispered.

"Hmm? Oh, that's a deer," Cordan answered. "It's a bit intimidating, isn't it? Looks like River and Quake helped bring it down."

"It's even bigger than a dog! It could feed all of us for weeks!"

"Yes, well, the other packs can devour a whole one very quickly. Big eaters, they are. Well, are you ready to try a squirrel?"

Laurel nodded, slowly tearing her eyes away from the sight. Cordan divided the squirrel in half, taking the tail end for himself. "Go on, take a bite," he encouraged.

Laurel obliged and let out an enthused sound. The squirrel tasted different from the meat she was used to--it was lighter and less earthy, but she liked it.

"Good, isn't it?" Cordan said with a smile. "It's a pity they don't come underground more often, but the trees are where they stay. That's what I like about Hunter's Moons, though. You get a chance to try something a little different. Why, I once even tried a bite of fish!"

"Fish?" Laurel asked. "Oh, aren't they those legless lizards that live underwater? Verity was telling me about them."

"Well, I don't know if I would describe them quite like that, but yes," Cordan chuckled. "Maybe I'll see about getting a bite for you next time."

"I think I'll pass. Lizards aren't my favorite."

"They don't taste like lizards. I think you'd like it."

"If you say so, Dad," Laurel said with a yawn. Now that the night was winding down and the moon was beginning to set, she realized how tired she was.

"Getting sleepy?" Cordan asked. "You've had an exciting night. We'll head home soon."

Laurel nodded and finished her squirrel. Cordan soon called the pack together, bid the other alphas good night, and then led the way back to the closest tunnel entrance. "Overall, how did you like it?" he asked her as they walked. "What do you think over the other packs?"

Laurel reflected on the night, remembering both Silhouette's rudeness and how polite Rocky and Jarvis were. "They're hit or miss, if you ask me," she responded. "Let's just say I've never been prouder to be part of Earth Pack."