Noctisardor Bypass it might be the chasing dynamic

Druid watched the sunlight dapple the little girl’s coat as she came closer. Kikimora was the smallest member of her brood but the one with the prettiest markings. Maybe thinking that made her a bad mother, though Druid had thought much worse things about her own children, so she gave herself a pass. Besides, she would never say it out loud.

Kiki, she acknowledged when the pup reached her, a growing fondness in her eyes and expression.

Druid waved her tail, then shifted her paw slightly to give the Butternut a better look at the vole. It squeaked and struggled. She felt a little bad for torturing it, though either she’d saved its life or it was about to be put out of its misery soon.

Friend? she said to her daughter. Or food?

She let that query hang in the air for a beat before releasing the vole.