Derek returned the affection, the tender rub between him and his mate giving him solace. With Kitty beside him he felt invincible, though he knew better than to test the theory and push it to the logical conclusion, his ears lifted and he felt ready to hunt.
They fell into their usual formation, Kitty slightly ahead as the better tracker, with Derek behind to prevent ambush. Even with his slightly inferior senses he could smell the creature a mile off. It'd killed recently, the fresh blood was on the air and the hint of decay suggested it wasn't a one off.
He raised his muzzle at the sound and gave a faint yip to his mate, letting her know that he was ready. That he had her back and to be careful. Derek knew from her stance that she was ready to pounce the moment the creature showed itself. As she stalked forwards, he started to circle around, the shadows keeping his darker fur almost invisible to anyone who didn't know he was there. It was ahead now, only a few feet, among the bushes and he stilled and waited for Kitty to give him the signal to move. Every sinew in his body ready to fight.