As the cold wave arrives, winter snowflakes begin to fall from the sky, covering the earth with a thin layer of snow.
On a clear winter morning, the northern ground, swept by the wind, was covered with two feet of snow overnight, and the temperature was -26°C.
A herd of reindeer wandered around, stopping to scratch the ground with their hooves and dig small holes with their wide hooves, then sniffing the lichen intently in search of food.
In grasslands and forests teeming with water and grass, herbivores would hardly pay attention to such food. However, in colder areas where trees are increasingly scarce, it is one of the few plants that can grow, and it is one of the most common foods for reindeer on the second half of their journey.
The reindeer leader and herd are about to reach the treeless Arctic Ocean coast, their last stop before victory and the long, arduous second half of their journey. Their journey will only truly end once they successfully reach the permafrost of the Arctic Circle.
In winter, the Arctic permafrost is like a desert formed by ice and snow, barren, cold, and lifeless; but in summer, the permafrost is full of life, lush and green, and completely transforms its appearance.
Once the reindeer reach the tundra, they will no longer need to search for lichens and struggle to survive by consuming their stored fat. At this time, the tundra will grow lush vegetation and animals, and the reindeer will feed on the fresh plants.
When they reach the tundra, they no longer need to evade the pursuit of wild animals such as wolves, because the surface of the tundra is frozen all year round, making it impossible for wolves to reach. Compared to wolves, the few bears and other wild animals do not pose a significant threat to the reproduction and survival of the reindeer herd.
Caribou herds typically arrive at the Arctic permafrost around the turn of spring and summer. At this time, the permafrost begins to revive, with plant buds constantly sprouting from the soil. After sprouting, the plants grow rapidly, and the water stored in the snow is quickly absorbed.
When summer arrives in full force, the permafrost will be transformed, and lush vegetation will thrive. With ample food and relative safety, thousands of reindeer will begin to roam and begin their new year of survival.
The permafrost zone throughout the Arctic Circle is the final destination for caribou herds during their migration, and also one of the areas they are familiar with and have lived in for a long time.
But before that, they will face a huge crisis: wolf packs near the Arctic Circle pose their greatest danger.
The wolf pack's habitat is nearby, and the reindeer will encounter attacks from the wolves as they continue their journey. These skilled wolves will attack the exhausted herbivores, who are weary from their long journey, multiple times.
To reach the permafrost, the reindeer herds need to cross many rivers, some of which contain huge ice floes. Some wolves and grizzly bears familiar with the reindeer's route will cleverly lie in wait on the riverbanks, waiting for the exhausted reindeer to arrive, and then launch a fatal attack when they are unable to avoid it.
Of course, they will also keep their eyes on the fawns that have lost their mothers' protection while crossing the river.
Reindeer milk is the most nutritious of all land mammals, so newborn reindeer receive enough nutrition to grow very quickly. Young reindeer can learn to run within a few days and are fast enough to rival adult reindeer.
Young fawns, which are highly gifted in speed, clearly lack the talent and experience to navigate rivers. Without their mother's guidance and protection, they are prone to panic and causing problems.
And this is the best opportunity for these hunters.
In the natural world where survival and hunting are paramount, no predator cares about age or morality; in their eyes, it's simply a matter of how much food there is.
The reindeer herd passed through the last forest to the north, and further on, a long river appeared before them like a beautiful woman half-veiled behind a pipa. Trees lined the riverbanks, casting shadows that obscured the flow, and there was a sizable, flat clearing on the bank.
A thin cloud blocked the sun, casting shadows on the riverbank.
Birds perched quietly in the gaps between the branches, watching as one reindeer after another emerged from the woods and began to move along the riverbank. This was the reindeer herd preparing to cross the river; they needed to replenish their water during their long journey.
The riverbanks were covered with snow, and many ice floes were floating in the river. Most of the older reindeer were on high alert, as their memories of crossing the river were not pleasant, and being attacked was a common occurrence.
While the deer remained vigilant, the wolves, who had been lying in wait on the ice floes of the river for some time, were gleaming with excitement.
However, due to the distance, the deer could only see the silent ice and snow in the river, and could not see any more detailed information. Even with their vigilance, they had to cross the river when faced with the glacier on the riverbank and thinking about their destination.
"Splash!"
As soon as they entered the river, the icy water soaked them, and countless reindeer were frozen. However, no reindeer retreated. Young reindeer hesitated when they saw the cold water, but their mothers would forcefully lead them into the river. Of course, they would also offer help.
The large herd of deer stepped into the river and headed towards the other side of the riverbank.
The reindeer leader, nestled among his own kind, gradually dimmed his golden eyes and gazed intently at the opposite bank, his gaze filled with longing and anticipation.
It thought that as long as it reached the permafrost, the place where it grew up, everything would be alright again.
At this moment, on the floating ice of the river, watching the herd of deer crossing the river, a group of hunters who had been waiting for a long time also looked on with anticipation.
This is a pack of wolves, who are "old friends" with the reindeer herd. Every year at this time, they arrive in this area on time to prepare for a seasoned hunt.
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