Ouroboros Spine Send up my heart to you

He was surprised when this elicited no more than a look from the boy, but quickly took it in stride. His tail wheeled again, and he agreed: "I'm sure they'd love that."

But then it was down to business, and Valiant followed in the boy's footsteps, black nose twitching in careful consideration of each passing scent. He offered quiet correction if needed, directing the boy back to the proper paths if the scent trails got too confusing. But there was a prize at the end of this trail: they soon began to hear the quiet rasp and roll of a contented group of foraging pheasants.

"Get down real low, now," he instructed, pride and praise in his voice. They were deep in the trees, by then, though there was a more lighted clearing up ahead. That, he thought, was likely to be where their prey had settled in to forage. Valiant explained as much to his young pupil, and went on to detail The Plan:

"We're gonna hit 'em from both sides," he said, his voice just a whisper, now. "I want you to creep up right here, slow as you please, 'til you can see me on the other side of the clearing. Then we're gonna rush in and scare 'em up. Just focus on the one closest to you and pounce."

His tail wheeled again, but he forcefully stilled it.

"Ready?" he asked, making to break away. He waited, however, for Ludovic to give his agreement.