The Hunt // Natasha & Graham
It wasn’t hard to fall into routine in a pack. Slowly everyone started to accept him as he worked alongside them all. Of course there were still skirmishes through the years, as personalities clashed and egos came into the mix. Graham however grew a reputation of being ruthless but fair. There would be no killing but he could cripple someone for a few days until the healed. He had gained the respect of Natasha’s ranked wolves, but he seemed to spend little time around her. Not that that surprised him much.
When they came into the same area eyes would meet and quickly seek other places to look, minimal words were spoken beyond orders. It seemed that Graham’s usual mission was hunting, the farther and longer he could be away from the camp the better for both of them. There was still that pull that told him not to run off too far but he chalked that up to them both never solidifying the bond they shared. Though, as years passed that pulsing need he felt at his entrance to the pack, had faded into a dull throb that was easy to ignore, well as long as they weren’t around each other for too long.
Now was one of those times he was left to his own devices, hunting a rogue element that had come into their pack lands. He was nearly positive it wasn’t human. Though, the scent seemed off, so he wasn’t quite sure if it was another wolf. If he was, it could be a scout looking for land or to spy on their pack. Either thought was enough to make him growl at the threat that it could mean. He was crouched down looking over the tracks that remained of the intruder. They were fresh, within an hour at least. He sure whoever it was, was teasing him and his fellow hunters.
What his prey didn’t realize that once Graham was called in they wouldn’t be able to hide long. It was his job to take out this threat and more than likely leave a message to anyone who tried something foolish, like repeating the mistake. He jerked his head up as he heard those approaching footsteps, they weren’t trying to hide which told him it was probably someone from his pack.
He had only been gone two days; usually they gave him a week before sending someone to check in on him. He grunted as he stood and adjusted his stance looking out over the forest that had once housed what he hunted. “We just missed whatever is trespassing..” He didn’t turn to look at who it was who came close. Perhaps he should have, so he knew who was actually coming up upon him.
Finally he wiped his hands on his pants before turning to look at the woman who more often than not occupied his thoughts. He took in a sharp breath then quickly looked away, “Natasha.” He quickly cleared his throat knowing it was not the time to let her distract him, “Whoever it is.. is alone. It stays within a five mile radius of this spot.” He motioned around him, “Still too close to the pack.. it may be prudent to kill it and leave it at the outskirts.. as a warning.”
It could be his want to disembowel someone, or put their head on a pike that spoke to his true need to want to set that warning out to others, but he would draw and quarter the intruder and put various body parts all over their forest if she would allow him to.