Wapun Meadow she is now.

down her quarry went, astara with her

biting kicking snarling screaming

fur flying, white teeth arcing

the crunch of tendon and gristle, the splatter of red --

sightless save for the red cloud of bloodlust, astara dove again and this time, shisu through some sheer force of will or desperation flung her away with a kick of her hind end, sending the panther sprawling and out of wind

she rose and fell immediately, the fire of her lambent gaze receding as sensibility and pain overtook her.

panting, astara lurched to her feet with a wince, feeling the old bruise revui had given her roar to life with complaints. shisu's feet pattered away, gone gone gone

the blackbird turned home

<3