Redtail Rise Altay

The carcass made impact with Riley’s face. Masque’s lips formed a moue, surprised by their own precision, right before they let out an ungainly snort. They were still laughing, louder now, when Riley plucked up the limp body and flung it back toward them. They dodged it with another snort, eyes dancing as they planted their feet and looked to the Ulfr.

They saw a smear of blood on the corner of his jaw, trailing toward his neck. The Caru mulled for a moment, then paced closer. Masque paused about a yard from him, still gazing at the patch of sticky fur. Their eyes then raised to catch his.

You got a lil’ something, they said lightly, moving slowly as they pressed their nose against his neck, here. Let me, they muttered.

They peeled their lips back from their teeth a little, then gingerly combed through his fur with their incisors. They removed the blood, cold and gummy where it clumped the individual furs, then smoothed it again with their tongue. Masquerade completed their task thoroughly before stepping back.

Raising pups gives you the strangest skill sets, they remarked with a laugh, thinking of all the times they’d cleaned messy little faces. What should we do with it? the Caru said in the next breath.

Their eyes dropped to the vixen’s body. They could eat it, of course, or cache it. But that fur was so lovely and soft, Masquerade wondered if they could remove it somehow. Wouldn’t it be nice to sleep on that instead of the cold, hard ground this winter?