Witch's Marsh duelo

can be a cameo!

he could smell death. without that ability a vulture would go hungry—and he could smell it now, the same way he could often taste blood in the air before a wolf's nose could detect it in the soil.

he coasted above the marsh; it was evening, so the chance that he might see his heron friend was slim, and he did not choose to look. he would not be here long. if he spent too much time simply existing in an area qapnuk would attract too much attention—from crows, mostly. idiots, crows.

a dark shape moves across the earth, catching the beady black eye of the vulture.