CHAPTER ONE OUT OF DANGER The gray wolves have been trailing the caribou herd for days Together they patiently stalk their prey The wolves remain close yet silent The caribou's hoofbeats echo across the open plain Making a move then would be too risky Sunlight had melted much of the snow on the ground The caribou could easily outrun the predators here Instead the wolves wait for the right moment The forest's shade keeps snow from melting as fast as it does on the plain 5
The wolves gain the advantage in the woods The snow is not melted there The wolves wide round paws help them dash across the snow’s crust The caribou’s heavier bodies cause their hooves to sink to the ground The slowest caribou begins to fall behind the rest of the herd Moments after the prey crosses into the forest the caribou in the back catches sight of the predators It scrambles to move to the middle of the herd But trying to move quickly through the snow only slows the animal down The wolves surround the caribou as its herd bounds farther away The pack had been focused on this caribou from the start It had been limping ever so slightly The wolves know it is the easiest to catch The lead female wolf races in front of the caribou Dashing back and forth she blocks its path to the disappearing herd She is the quickest wolf but the males are stronger They take down the trembling prey After the kill the lead male and female eat first 6
The remaining members of a pack feed after the alpha male and female 7
