Shy Deer Steppes Heavens on fire

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Long Rain had hardly slept a wink through the night, a testament to her youth. She was overeager to strike out on her own and carve out a space for herself that didn’t include her father shadowing her at all times. He was far from being overly protective of her – quite the opposite, really, as he likely would’ve been categorized as neglectful by most parental standards – but that didn’t mean she was interested in having the adult male hang around.

She moved without him again under dawnlight, this time following the scent of blood on the dry steppe air. It was an antelope, felled somehow – she wasn’t wise enough to know how – and a group of scavengers were tearing it to bits. This group included a small wolf among them, which briefly caused the young girl to wonder at the relationship between lesser creatures and the superior wolf species. It seemed unnatural to her to share with them.

The inviting prospect of a meal drew her forward anyway. She didn’t mind the wolf, but the others were a nuisance; she snarled at them, snapping at the crowd as she wedged herself towards the carcass in an effort to steal a massive bite.