Noctisardor Bypass lost reception

By the time Arbiter brought the voles over to her, Haunt had slipped forward onto her belly. She acknowledged her mother's words with a nod, then began to pick at the food. She was hungry and needed the energy, though her actual appetite flickered like a candle in the wind. So she proceeded carefully, also trying not to tempt fate with any particularly jerky movements of her head and neck.

It took a long time for her to finish a single vole, after which Haunt could hardly keep her eyes open. She let her head drift down onto her outstretched forelegs beside the remaining meat with a quiet, "Mm." Hopefully Arbiter would understand that noise for what it meant: gratitude and satisfaction. She didn't have long to think on it, almost immediately slipping into sleep.