Noctisardor Bypass Is still directed as a drama

Her mother moved swiftly to cut off the rodent's escape. Grub felt a burst of dismay, certain Arbiter meant to capture her prey. But the adult merely frightened it into doubling back toward the pup. Grub did not expect this and the rat very nearly squeaked past her a second time.

But this time, she reacted quickly enough to at least make an attempt. A paw thrust out, swatting at the wood rat. She felt the slither of its tail whip against her toes before it scurried out of immediate reach. Grub sprang after it with a surprisingly loud, sharp growl.

She was not yet adroit enough to capture such a quick target. The wood rat vanished into the underbrush, leaving Grub tearing through it noisily to no avail. When the rat didn't turn up there, she returned to the dismantled nest and began scrabbling and sniffling. It did not take an experienced hunter to realize the wood rat was no longer in residence.

At length, Grub accepted defeat and looked up at her mother. She couldn't guess how Arbiter might feel about her endeavor. Would she be proud of Grub for trying? Or disappointed in her lack of success? With either one of her parents, really, it was anyone's guess.