Spotted Eagle Mountain evermore

there are trails here, to her surprise; a ground squirrel, a fox, and a group of grouse. the latter is the freshest of the lot she'd found so far, and yet remained old enough to warrant further searching. she huffs, breath condensing thickly before her, as her attention is brought to a scrap of fur left pinned to a rough-barked fir.

it is the shrill alarm-call of a cardinal that has her start, stiffening as she straightens, swinging her head around to pinpoint first the splash of crimson as it wings through the trees, and then the greyscale stranger that stands a distance away, watching. twisting towards him fully, she strides once, twice, toward him, closing the distance to one more benefitting communication. "what do you want?" her voice is steadier than the thrumming of her heart, which she does her best to ignore. it is her own fault; out here, she ought to be ever alert. gimlet stare bores into him, shoulder tensed should he prove a threat.