Mount Apikuni cat and mouse in partnership

the flinch doesn’t fall beneath wintersbane’s notice though he chooses not to capitalize upon it. if the boy wishes to speak of his trauma then he will, but wintersbane will not draw attention to it by pinning it beneath his scrutiny. it doesn’t take one with much imagination ( luckily for wintersbane ) to imagine the horrors that befell the boy during his time with this stranger he calls ‘mother’. wylla is strict and unforgiving but wintersbane cannot conceive that she would allow this to happen to her son, to inspire an ingrained desire to flinch as if he will be struck with a movement as simple and small as a gesture of wintersbane’s muzzle.

seemingly engrossed in the hunt, wintersbane allows thade to take the lead, convinced the boy will learn no other way. he follows close behind, careful to never stray too far ( though wintersbane is easy enough to spot ). he watches with a small chuckle of amusement as the boy circles and then announces, with gusto, that the footprints smell like the droppings. we must be quieter, thade. we don’t want to scare off our dinner, do we? wintersbane chides with soft amusement. but very good. the tundrian makes sure he praises. lets follow the tracks and see where they lead, eh?