Grouse Thicket but we can overcome

A flicker of gold was all that was seen before a young female leapt through the brush and right before him. Kodlak reeled back a few steps, his coat alive in his surprise. Her footing had been lost upon landing, but she reacted quickly enough to regain a solid stance. The Nord held his ground, unmoving from where he stood, and watched her.
 
It did not take long for her to turn toward her intended target – the grouse – that had already started to flee in a panic. The element of surprise had been lost, but if she was swift in her action, she would likely find a mark against the feathered flesh of the bird. Kodlak, realizing that he had no ground there, did not make any effort to beat her to the punch. Instead, the Nord watched her with an expectant twinkle in his sea-swell gaze. There were no signs of malice or ill intent. It was only a calculated stare that met her scramble for food.