Lion Head Mesa akame kurēn 鶴

the creek was almost dry today. with temperatures ranging higher and higher it was amazing that anything be left to satisfy the wolves who had chosen it as home; fortunately they had the corridors, the hidden paths, many of which were left undisturbed.
if satsu had liked to avoid the midday sun she would have found her way there, sneaking by the rapturous voices filling the space. no doubt pharaoh was keeping himself entertained as he waited out the worst of the daylight. no; satsu wasn't going to trouble herself with the underground.
she had been sulking along the drying creek-bed when something moved along it — and sharply enough she turned to follow that movement, not a hunter yet with the hunter's instinct.
the bird was like a crane almost; elongated, with a strange profile, and extremely long legs attached to broad feet. its pattern made it difficult to see well and yet the red mark on its face was bright enough to give satsu something to focus on.
when she moved (the slight amount that she did in an effort to stalk closer) the bird jostled along, ducking away from her. leaving the girl perplexed.

As Grimmerie's sprinting plain-faced brethren takes their leave, the raven swoops in to take the place of the ugly thing. He preens, vain even in the despair of his circumstance, and calls out: You! What do you seek? He's turned the question to a game of late. It has yet to lead him any closer to what he seeks, but he finds enjoyment in the answers nonetheless.

whirling to the sound of a voice, satsu looks for the face of a wolf or coyote and finds nothing. a shadow, if that; shifting, haloed.
her desire to chase the bird remains, but the runner is gone and has been replaced by -- a raven?
satsu blinks. did you -- just talk? incredulous.