Blacktail Deer Plateau ghost.exe

When Harps stumbled across a haggard old coyote raiding one of the plateau's caches, the yearling didn't think, she simply acted on her instincts. She crowded him, teeth bared and tail rigidly flung over her back as a guttural growl rumbled in her throat. Rather than flee in the face of her bluff, the desperate creature snarled back, crouching defensively over the stockpile and choking down more of Rusalka's hard-won meat.

Her ears flattened as she looked around as if for backup. But there was no one else there to help, so Harps didn't have any choice. With a high-pitched bark, she leaped at the coyote, teeth snapping at the side of his neck. He whirled quickly, lunging for her own throat with a wild cry of his own. Her teeth didn't even glance him as she felt his fangs puncturing her flesh in turn, squeezing the breath out of her. Harps yelped loudly, somehow shook herself free and sprang clear.

Though his vise-like jaws were no longer clenched around her throat, Harps couldn't catch her breath. She staggered as blood poured from the wound to her jugular. Before she could even process what was happening, Harps slumped to the ground and lost consciousness. She was still twitching when the starved coyote jumped at the chance for fresh meat and began to eat her.