The land near the coast is exceptionally monotonous, with only a few slender trees growing sparsely, leaving only bare trunks in winter. Even the most vigorous wild grasses are extremely rare on the vast land, and they disappear completely in winter. Below the hillside, there is nothing but scattered rocks and snowflakes, and the view is filled with a desolate atmosphere.
The wolves' gaze swept across the strong, tall stags, and among the outermost circle of stags, they identified their target: a stag lying on the very edge. It wasn't old, and its physique was quite robust among the herd, but unfortunately, its hind legs were twisted strangely, clearly indicating an injury.
In addition, their targets are two old and frail deer and a fawn caught between the male deer.
The wolves weren't very ambitious; they just wanted a good meal. For this small pack, the three adult deer were enough, and the fawns were an unexpected bonus when they got close.
The reason why reindeer herds migrate in groups is to better protect the doe and fawn. During the journey, the doe leads the fawn in front and in the middle, while the stag surrounds and brings up the rear like guards, presenting a protective posture. When resting, the reindeer herd's formation is roughly the same.
Therefore, the wolf did not initially target the female deer. Its search was for old and frail deer, and if it was lucky, it might even find a disabled or sick deer on the road.
The lead male wolf had reached the expected attack range. Its eerie eyes flashed, and it suddenly charged toward its target, the lame male stag!
Several wolves charged into the sleeping deer herd almost simultaneously. Their target was clear, and their attack was ruthless. Soon, the angry cries of the deer rang out one after another.
The hunters charged, and the reindeer scattered in panic. The doe, with her fawn, fled in the direction they had chosen earlier. Large numbers of reindeer moved about, their cries of alarm filling the air. But in the darkness, no one knew who had been attacked.
The reindeer leader was awakened by the roars of its kin. It hurriedly got up and listened to the continuous panicked roars. It was stunned for a moment, then its hooves anxiously called for its kin. Only after receiving a few responses did it slowly calm down. At this moment, it could no longer think about anything else.
Even as panic resurfaced and strange thoughts became clear again, it had no time to perceive anything. Its frantic eyes searched its surroundings, and its ears strained to catch the cry of the young deer, but to no avail.
The calls and hooves of the deer created a chaotic cacophony.
Under the cover of darkness, snowflakes fell incessantly, and the tiny figure darted about aimlessly, unable to see clearly or determine its direction.
After the deer herd scattered, down the hillside, two large male wolves were fighting with a lame male deer. The wolves' excited howls filled the air, while the male deer's pitiful cries were high-pitched and filled with panic. The mournful cries of the deer were even more desolate in the cold, falling snow.
However, the reindeer that rushed past it offered no assistance.
As the wolf bit its spine, a look of sorrow appeared in its eyes. Perhaps it had already foreseen that, with its leg crippled, it probably wouldn't live much longer. But with the end in sight, it couldn't help but wonder if it would be lucky enough to at least return to the place where it was born and raised...
A mother wolf leaped forward, chasing after a fawn that was running in panic. However, just as she was about to bite the fawn and retreat, a huge antler swept across, and with a thud, the mother wolf's body fell sideways to the ground.
The pain from being struck by the antlers caused the mother wolf to let out a hoarse growl. She angrily stood up, arched her back, and glared fiercely at the sudden attacker.
The reindeer leader coldly stared at the slightly thin female wolf before it, but it did not underestimate her, for it knew that even the thinnest wolf was still a fierce beast with sharp fangs and claws.
"Young..." The frightened fawn ran a distance but kept lingering, unwilling to follow the reindeer herd ahead. Its innocent and naive eyes, filled with anxiety and helplessness, kept looking at the wolf and deer facing each other in the distance.
"Awooo!" The mother wolf let out a threatening growl, trying to scare away the stag in front of her. A young and strong adult stag was not her hunting target, and she, having been hungry for many days, would not be a match for a strong stag. Therefore, she was just testing the waters and wanted to give it a try.
The reindeer leader remained unmoved, even lowering its antlers slightly, aiming them at the she-wolf who was trying to scare it away with threats.
The hard antlers came into view, and the mother wolf felt a dull pain all over her body. With a low growl of resentment, she finally turned and left. Although the fawn was tender, it was just an extra. As long as the wolf pack's harvest was guaranteed, the wolf cubs would not go hungry. There was no need for her to fight.
"Cheep~~" The fawn cried out happily as it watched the reindeer leader escape unscathed.
The reindeer leader's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the fawn, the coldness and anger in his eyes towards the mother wolf gradually fading.
Leading the fawn towards the tail of the herd, the reindeer leader suddenly had a strange thought. Today it was able to use its strength to drive away a weak she-wolf, but what about the future? Could it make itself stronger to protect the safety of its pack?
While stag antlers have always served both protective and offensive purposes, in most cases, wild animals not only possess an innate offensive advantage but are also extremely cunning, making it very difficult to win using antlers alone.
The reindeer chieftain had learned from generations of experience that escaping was its advantage over fighting, but a seed had been unknowingly planted in its heart.
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After several days of travel, the reindeer herd reached an area covered with rocks. Seeing this familiar terrain, all the adult reindeer were overjoyed. Further ahead from this rocky area was a long river. Once they crossed that river, they would be safe.
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