Wolves' opportunism is manifested in their tendency to observe and probe first, prioritizing prey that is sick, weak, has congenital defects, is old, or young, in order to reduce the cost of hunting.

Amidst the wind and snow, the lush larch trees were filled with snowdrifts and icicles formed from accumulated snow. Ice formed on the dark brown bark, and the thick branches and emerald needles were hidden deep beneath the white snow. This was the densest part of the forest.

The old wolf found the snowdrift where the deer was, familiar with the area. The snow covering the deer carcass had clearly been removed, and messy claw marks were etched on the deer hide, revealing the stiff corpse underneath that had been gutted. The claw marks were smaller than its own and easy to identify, probably the work of some small carnivore.

The wolf didn't care; being discovered was to be expected. As long as the deer was still there and there was still food, its trip was worthwhile.

The old wolf lifted the snow, revealing the remaining parts of the deer. The intestines, which had been ripped out by the unseen predator, were exposed on the snow. The low temperature had made the intestinal walls less resilient, and plant residues that the deer had eaten fell out, mixed with some blood, creating a chaotic mess, but the old wolf didn't care.

It reached its paws toward the deer's rump, where most of the flesh had been gnawed away, revealing dark red muscle with tangled teeth marks. Although most of it had been eaten, there was still a lot left on the back, and the old wolf was preparing to bite there.

The sound of swallowing flesh and blood rang out in the wind and snow. The unknown small beast was probably watching it eat from some hidden hiding place, but the old wolf was not afraid. Although it was old, it was not lacking in courage and cunning.

A small thief, unable to completely steal the deer from its mouth and lacking the courage to confront it, is not worth paying attention to.

The wolf devoured the deer quickly, leaving only a small, incomplete leg, which it tore off and set aside. It intended to take this back for its two wolf cubs.

There wasn't much venison left on the deer leg, but it was enough for the two wolf cubs to have one meal. As for what food they would get afterward, the old wolf didn't have time to think too much about it.

The old wolf, carrying the deer leg, returned safely to the small hill. It was lucky that it didn't encounter any predatory beasts along the way, and it was also lucky for the two wolf cubs.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, the old wolf heard no howl from the cub. A sense of foreboding suddenly arose in its heart. It bit down on the deer's leg and quickly squeezed through the cave wall. As the cave passage widened, the old wolf's heart sank lower and lower.

Inside the cave, the old wolf looked at the lifeless little black wolf, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"Awooo..." In the pitch-black cave, the little gray wolf smelled the old wolf's scent and immediately let out a miserable howl.

The old wolf looked at the only surviving wolf cub, its eyes filled with unease.

This morning, it thought both wolf cubs had survived, but when it returned, the black wolf cub's body was already cold. It didn't know if it would have to face the gray wolf cub's corpse the next time it left and returned.

The little gray wolf, having lost its limbs, was helpless and bewildered. It stayed close to the old wolf, following it closely whenever the old wolf moved, as if afraid that even this only remaining familiar scent would disappear.

Seeing the uneasy little gray wolf, the old wolf did not carry the little black wolf's body out to store it in the snowdrift. Instead, it quietly lay in the den, licking the little gray wolf's body again and again, giving it comfort and confidence.

With the old wolf by his side, the little gray wolf gradually calmed down. It breathed evenly, its belly heaving, seemingly without any problems or signs of discomfort. However, the old wolf still dared not let its guard down. The relief and joy of the morning and the cruel outcome of its return were still vivid in its mind. Until the little wolf was able to leave the den, everything remained uncertain.

Looking at the sleeping little gray wolf, the old wolf made a decision. It would no longer leave the den. It decided to take care of the only remaining little wolf in the den until it survived or died.

As for the food problem, the old wolf was not worried. Although it did not have much food in reserve, wolves rarely ate their fill. Sometimes they would only eat once a week. Besides, it had just eaten, so it would be fine for three to five days.

Three to five days is enough time to confirm the little gray wolf's fate.

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In the fiercely competitive primeval forest, wolves are considered top predators in the food chain, occupying a favorable position for survival. When they gather into packs of a dozen or even dozens of wolves, they can dominate the area and roam freely without restraint.

Wolf packs can hunt large herbivores during periods of high animal activity to ensure their survival, and they can also awaken hibernating brown bears during the winter when prey is scarce, allowing them to outnumber and kill the bears for their own survival. In some cases, wolf packs can even scare away tigers, ensuring their own safety.

But when a wolf loses the protection of its pack and becomes a lone wolf, the difficulty of survival increases dramatically.

Whether it's the lynx, the wolverine, or the Amur leopard of the same class, or the formidable Siberian tiger, brown bear, and other large predators, all pose a threat to the wolf.

Large and medium-sized felines, in particular, rely on their powerful explosive force and swift agility to quickly kill wolves. Fierce beasts like Siberian tigers can even cause casualties or wipe out small wolf packs. A lone wolf, facing such a crisis, obviously has no way to protect itself.

In such a perilous situation, it is clearly not a wise move for an old lone wolf to raise a young cub.

But the old wolf persisted, guarding the cave and watching the little gray wolf eat raw meat meal by meal and survive day by day.

Seven days later, the old wolf, having exhausted its food reserves, finally decided to go out again. The little gray wolf had survived on raw meat for seven days and had obviously adapted to digesting it; its body would no longer have problems with raw meat.

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