Deepwood Weald night shadow

The panther pounced while the two were distracted by one another. He did not quite tackle his seal hunter man, but his teeth pulled roughly at that pale scruff while a playful growl grizzled from black lips pulled back tight into a grin. He pranced back as if to escape retaliation, tongue lolling, and — as if he had not just made an abominable nuisance of himself, said —

"I see you have met our song voice woman,"

— for her voice was unlike their own, and Dutch found it strange but pleasing to his ears. Her otherness was something to be prized and wondered over, in his mind. Her meals were payment for her continued presence among them — a small but precious stone among the pretty pebbling of their pack. He recognized that she must share blood in common with himself and Simbelmyne both. Not familial, but perhaps he had more in common with her than Chakliux did. His tail, too, was always quick to wag.

He looked between the two of them and felt like a rich, rich man.