Blackfeather Woods i fear no evil; the shadow is mine and so is the valley

wintersbane doesn't notice her aggression upon her approach — which is likely a good thing as he would not take kindly to it; despite that she wouldn't be the first to mistake him for an intruder. he has been here longer than most of them — save the leadership and the one who he thinks is called shisu ( though he rarely sees her except for glimpses in passing ) and the spiderlings ...and maegi though she only recently returned and aside from the annoyance he wouldn't have undoubtedly felt he might've been left to wonder what it is about him that sparks such a reaction.

this woman, as uniquely colored as him, though in palettes of red and cream, he's seen in passing but their paths had never seemed to truly cross. until today. he studies her with a clinical sweep of glacial eyes but does not make any moves to rise from his temporary bed. it feels good to give himself a break and he's unapologetic for it. long couple of months, he quips sardonically with an arid grin. and winter was only just upon them. they had the bodies and prey was still plentiful and while part of wintersbane wants to be optimistic he knows the winter is still in it's infancy.

he almost makes a joke about being 'too old for this shit' but refrains. he's just entering his golden years, after all. when the world is still his for the taking. still, his soul feels older beyond his years. it feels as old as sky and bone some days. we've never officially met, the darkbrother initiate murmurs the obvious. i'm wintersbane. seems practical to ( for once in his life ) get the introductions out of the way first and foremost.

---

296 words