Overture Downs the lonely last page

Sorry to skip you, @Corvasa, but I wanted to go ahead and wrap this up with Reg. Sorry she didn't play longer, @Cougar! :)

She gobbled the soft tissue of the lip, hardly chewing. No sooner had it slid down her throat then something caught her attention in the nearby underbrush. Having lived with a cougar, Regipre was particularly attuned to feline behavior. She did not for an instant mistake this one for her hoary master, however. Every muscle in her body stiffened as her instincts warned her of the danger. Her keeper was a peculiar exception to the rules; most large cats would happily slay her and Reggie was no match for one.

She was already turning to flee on three wobbly legs when the puma exposed itself—herself, by scent—and swatted at Reggie. The coyote stifled a yip, tail tucking between her legs as she made a break for it. She glanced over her shoulder and felt some relief when she saw the cat looking hungrily at the half-buried corpse. Still, she did not slow. Regipre faced forward, slithering away into the underbrush herself, hoping Shardul was nearby so he could interfere should the other cougar try to attack after all. But as the seconds ticked past, a pursuit seemed less and less likely.