Layla's POV
Maia and I went into alteration ourselves and felt the stiff grasses on our paws. I dug my claws on the cold dirt, feeling the ground, and refocus my eyes on the mountain that we'll soon survey.
The rest of the wolves of Black Lily had turned into their wolf form except for Hunter who had his eyes on his pack members. I know that he conveyed his orders to them mentally when they bolted to different directions all at once. It was Maia and I who were left behind in the field with him, waiting for his other instruction.
"We'll cover the deep part of the forest. You two should be on the cliff sides. Do not engage and stay at a distance. Alert us the location if either of you catches a whiff of their scent."
I only nodded to him and flinched when he placed his hand above my head then to my snout. His thumb run over the rim of my mouth as if inspecting an artifact with intent eyes which glinted of something I can't point out.
"Run with the wind. The two of you," he said.
Maia and I then dashed in bolt from the field in opposite directions. We both turned our heads from each other as the gap between us increased. Since we belong in one pack, only the two of us can communicate mentally.
Just before one of us reached the forest, we nodded with each other.
"Take care." We both conveyed mentally then disappeared in the lushness of bushes rimming the forest.
Young trees were on my path but those didn't hinder me at all. I easily maneuvered my body through gaps between them. As I got further closer to the cliffside, my nose was greeted with hundreds of scents. I always zeroed my eyes to check that one by one while I sprinted past them.
There were always distinct scents around the forest. The dried leaves piled layers by layers, the smell of dampness on them and in the rotting fallen trees, the mosses, the blooming of wild and large flowers, wet soil, dewed grasses, animal dungs, and...something else. A foreign one from all of those. It came strong and with intrusive putridness on my nose. My snout curled in the decaying scent around. Maybe those were the carcasses that Gian reported about. I let my eyes dart everywhere, searching its location. There were only trees, overgrown ferns, and a few protruding hard rocks every now and then. I looked up to the branches and canopies of cypress. I frowned at that. I scanned the ground quickly. My heart throbbed nervously when my suspicion was confirmed.
Not one single movement from the squirrels nor the rabbits around the area. That was odd for me. I knew this part of the woods. Small animals tend to make their habitat here since there weren't significant predators frequenting the area. Eagles flying high in the sky were the top hunter of the place and none else.
For the small animals to disappear like that, was already waving a red flag. I must report this to Hunter immediately. However, I should be certain before doing that. I turned in the right direction where I know a family of squirrels nested at the crook of the trees.
I momentarily changed into my human form in order to climb up to the cypress. I started to move, minding the protruding branches along the way. From down below, I can usually see the Hiji's nest but it was a surprise that they built another one in much higher height.
The rough body of the cypress served as a good factor for me to climb fast. When I reached the single nest in there, my eyes were only greeted with young ones, unattended by their mother.
That was red flag number two. I know Hiji.
"Things not looking good here," I murmured.
That mother squirrel won't leave her kits like that and it seemed that they haven't been fed for days.
I tightened my hold on one branch and swayed my body to the direction of another nest in the adjoining tree. I saw there was movement in there and I squinted my eyes to it.
My breath was caught in my throat when I recognize the little animal.
It was Hiji!
Estimating that I can make the jump to the other tree, I made a leap then and groaned when I hit my stomach on the huge branch. I held on to it tighter, not wanting to drop to the ground at such height. I know what I did was careless but I felt like Hiji was calling out for help.
I wrapped my legs to the branch, swung my body in full hover over it. I slowly climbed to the nest where Hiji was.
It took me a couple of minutes before I was face to face with a weakened squirrel. My brows furrowed at the wound right across her back leading to her hind legs.
"What happened to you, Hiji?" I grimaced as I inspected her wound and saw its deep cut. One more day and she'll die of infection.
The little animal squeaked, darting her head to her own nest. Though clearly weakened, all she had in mind was her kits.
"They're alright but hungry. What happened to Odessa? Isn't this her nest?"
Hiji only weakly purred and rested her head down.
"I'll get something to treat you. Don't force yourself to move." I said and quickly climbed down from branches to branches.
Aside from being a runner of the pack, I also served as a salutary along with Maia when only the strongest wolves were needed in the hunt. Mostly, we treated the wounded with nothing but herbs of a different variety depending on the wound.
My feet met the floor of dried leaves on the forest and I dashed to a certain direction where the herbs were all freshly growing. I know my two feet would take me forever to get there. So I decided to alter my human form into my wolf. I shook my gray fur and let the wind sway them as I padded forward again.
I wondered what contributed to Hiji's wound and the abandonment of small animals in this side of the forest? Could this be...another red flag?