Dexterous steps had led her nearer to the trail, enough that she could hear the clatter of dainty hooves atop the rocks. Already, the female’s maw was parted in the ready, eyes trained forward and searching for the dingy hide of her quarry. Her steps remained quiet, a whisper upon the earth, lesser still as she slouched to a predator’s progressive stalk. Her shoulders rolled with purpose, nose quivering with anticipation. As she ascended the crest of stone she felt her heart quicken. A bound perhaps and she might-
A sudden bark erupted from below destroying the hunting calm. Furthermore, the click of hoofed toes began to scramble, and in a flash was the dull grey of her prey heading down the steep slope of the mountain’s ledge. In an instant, she hunt was lost. Her fortune gone and prize unattained.
The hunter remained still in her crouch with wide eyes fixed upon the origin of the sound. She hadn’t realized she had turned to it until the adrenaline eased from her bristled shoulders, and a semblance of sentient thought returned to her. That sound had come from a wolf like herself… and as it had been from a wolf, surely the fool could smell game same as she if near. Furrowing her brows, she righted herself, strong head stiff and expression disturbed as she turned from her trail now cold toward the announcement.
“Have you no sense of the hunt?” the female growled, creeping down from the bend towards the lake’s recess, tail lashing in anger behind her. |