Shartan was nervous. The time for denmaking had long past, the light fading rapidly and the nolightsmells had begun - silentfliers had awoken, drifting overhead on wings that made no noise, their large eyes peering down at the pack unblinkingly. He didn't like being out, in the open, past the time of brightlight, but the pack they had adopted continued on its noisy way down the widedirt. Shartan had glanced back at Leader many times, the ones the notdogs always called Cormac, and tried to convey his displeasure - but Leader had made the motion that meant Go Smell Ahead and Shartan had unhappily complied.
He was ranging far ahead of the pack now, zigzagging across the widedirt with his nose in the air, all the usual scents of a forest in nolight drifting lazily past his nose while he kept an ear out for Leader's gruff barking, when the acrid stench of fear and the copper of blood washed over him. Shartan lifted his head, his lips curling in a snarl as the hair on his back and ruff stood on end. Notdogs, bleeding and angry, and shortnotdogs, the ones with sensibly pointed ears that always smelled a bit like an oak tree. The shortnotdogs were bleeding as well, much more of them, and the rank smell of their fear and frustration set him running back towards Leader. Shartan choked back the bark that wanted to scrabble from his throat, knowing that Leader would not approve of calling attention to the pack. They were hunting now - mustn't let their prey know they were there. With a small whine he nudged Leader's forepaw, glancing meaningfully at the road with one leg lifted as he quivered with anticipation. Shartan knew Leader did not hear or smell as well as he did, but how Leader could miss the hunt ahead was puzzling to Shartan. The nolight was practically drenched with it.
Leader alerted, Shartan moved beside him, taking a place beside the littlenotdog that smelled of stone, the one Leader called Falina. He knew Leader could take care of himself, but Shartan would be a bad packmate not to look out for those smaller than himself. Unless Leader told him otherwise, he would guard her.