Iktome Plains cardboard lotus bud

hella vague because idk whats going on with my other threads, especially wrt how much she knows about molech and how she feels about it. @Kalita

Her head was full of this new faith she had found herself in. She had thought and thought and thought on it, about it, through it. She didn't want to think anymore. Instead Ragna longed for the sweet rush of adrenaline in her veins and the wind on her face. The thrill of the hunt called to her, and only instinct could chase out reason.

Ragna tread softly through the bunchgrass in a hunter's crouch. The seabirds sat dumbly, but their eyes were wide and watchful. Her hunger was not great, but today she did not hunt to feed herself. This kill would feed the Malkaria and its bones would be an offering to their foreign god.

She had travelled far from her home, having stalked a doe for a while, but her hunt having been unsuccessful due to a stupid, beginners mistake. After cursing at herself generously, she had continued to travel, not truly paying attention to her direction but knowing that she would find her way back, eventually. She had gone so far, why not farther? 

She unknowingly chanced near to another, thought she did not know it to be so, and continued her walk a little further before coming to a stop a distance from the other, only now catching the other in her gaze. She watched, recognizing her gait as a hunter's crouch, and stayed silent, lest she be hunting something and had no desire to be disturbed.

Rolled to see if she caught it ;)

Another grew near, Ragna noted dimly. An ear flicked, then swivelled to listen closer. They were not so loud that they endangered her hunt, though, and soon seemed to still completely. Satisfied that she would not be disturbed, Ragna devoted her full attention to her quarry. Carefully, she gauged the distance between her and the nearest bird.

If she moved too soon, the bird would have time to flee. It would take some time to get off the ground, but not enough for Ragna to sprint far. Coming to close would stir it too, though.

Ragna was adept at gauging the perfect moment, though, and when it came time, she sprung. She crossed the distance between her and the gull in an instant. With a great leap, Ragna launched herself after the gull (which had made it off the ground). Vice-like jaws snapped shut around the skinny leg of the gull, which broke in her grip. Wings buffeted her face as she threw it to the ground. With little ceremony she released the leg and closed her mouth around the gull's neck, snapping it with ease. There was little blood. With the gull hanging limp in her maw, Ragna finally looked up to regard the stranger. In the quirk of her brows there was a question: what do you want?

A gull. The hunt was perfect, well-timed and well-aimed. She smiled, moving a little closer and relaxing into a comfortable stance once she realised the catch had been made. She surveyed the woman, pale in appearance and rather pretty, and a good hunter as proven moments ago. "Good catch!" she said in ways of greeting, eyes sparkling and stance amiable. 

An idea came to mind, and she barely hesitated before speaking. "Want to hunt? Together, we could probably get something bigger then a seagull, and split it." she put forth her idea simply, no elaborate wording behind her request. "It'd be a win-win." she added, flashing the girl a smile as she waited for a response, hoping that she would agree with her idea.

The compliment softened Ragna. The other was free of mischief and malice; amiable, even, but Ragna still would not trust her. This was her kill, one she had worked hard for. So though she dropped the bird, she also stepped over it protectively. Thank you, she said shyly.

The girl was fire-eyed, a pretty agouti thing. She suggested they hunt together, and Ragna could see no downside to this. Yes, she said. She thought of what they might find. The sea lion pups had grown too large to make off with any, and birds they could hunt on their own. Deer frequented the area more inland, and it was likely they could find some prey there. Follow me, she said, then set off towards the inland and safer hunting grounds, leaving the other woman to follow if she so chose.

Follow she did, flashing the othe a grin as she set of silently behind her, letting the other take the lead and wondering what they should find. She was glad that they trod further inland, for her hunting in the water was...poor. she was silent if only for the reason of preventing any prey from being scared away from them and their potential of a good kill diminishing.

With the stranger in tow, Ragna led them from the seagrass and sand to more solid, regular ground. These were the rolling grasslands that slowly gave way to the wetlands and deltas of the shore. There were birds aplenty, even a long, grey heron that stood, graceful and statuesque as it hunted among the waters. Small prey skittered through the brush, invisible but for their scent. But no matter where the wind blew nor how hard Ragna searched, she could find no prey larger than a marmot. Silently, she sent her companion a pleading glance, as though the other woman could summon large prey to them. Yet none came, and when their search proved fruitless, the women parted. Weary, Ragna departed, hoping to find better luck with smaller prey.