Dawnlark Plains there's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold

@Pema come love me

Unkempt, scraggly Shale came a-knocking at his mate's door this fine day, bringing with him the plumpest piece of prey he could find--a baby mountain goat. Nature had done most of the work for him, injuring the creature beyond any chance of survival; he merely had to put the poor thing out of its misery. The easiest kill in weeks, even moons. Which was good, because he was exhausted.

He dragged the babe by its neck, setting it outside and giving her a gentle whuff. He could hear the pups inside, and hoped that Aviana was around as well. Perhaps the woman could babysit for a while, and Pema and he could take a walk after she had eaten. They had not had time to themselves in quite a long time.

His stomach grumbled, squeezing painfully tight as he inhaled, smelling the meat. Licking his chops was agony, a constant reminder of what he was missing. Shale tried to ignore the metallic-sharp taste of blood, instead focusing on the homely sounds of his litter, snuffling and shuffling around in the den. He sat, smiling, waiting for his mate to emerge from the shadows.