bangduck

She was feeling adventurous today. And hungry. Well, mostly hungry. But a fleeting sense of recklessness had overtaken the little magpie today and she felt the need to satisfy her hunger with more than the usual worm or berry. She craved meat. In the warmer months, Shiv was usually able to scavenge through the carcasses left over by packs of wolves or coyotes but now, with the snow settling in, it was an increasingly rare sight to see carrion out in the wild. Prey would be becoming scarcer as winter tightened it's grasp around the Wilds. It was now or never...or, at least, until next spring.

Having scouted the lands all morning, Shiv finally came across the telltale signs of a wolf pack nearby. She had been told of these places, that packs lay claim to whatever territory suits their fancy just as her own flock had overtaken certain trees and forests. Hopping around the base of a tree, the bird inspected the scratch marks upon it's bark. The stench of urine also wafted around the area and the two signs inspired hope within her that perhaps a cache would be nearby. Surely they wouldn't notice a little bit missing?

Scratching through the frosty ground, Shiv began her search, keeping her head on a swivel just in case one of the pack wolves happened upon her.