Felltree Marsh red duck

He was quick, but Yura was quicker.

At the sound of rustling, she sped forward with a panicked gasp, feeling the air move behind her in sinister waves. There was no doubt it was him, and though she did not spare a glance behind, the pant of his breath - the stench - was enough to confirm.

It was not enough. She was not enough. Sharp pain erupted in her tail as the grit of his teeth managed to snag the very end, tripping her into stumble, yelping as her chest collided with frozen ground. Confusion coalesced with a deep hurt; why was he doing this? The caribou hunters were friends, right?

Right? "Stop! Please -" Twisting now, turning to capture his gnarled face in a whale-eyed stare of submission. Oh, she'd been a fool to stray!