Silvertip Mountain kapiruk ¥

Rolled some dice. 19/20, so... ouch. For @Kukutux

Kigipigak had tracked a small family of deer through the thickets of Blacktail, down in to the valley, and through the shadow of a mountain. His trial had begun before dawn; now, with the summer heat baking in to his layered coat, he realized his mistake.

He did not want to lose the trail. Having found a fresh start with Sakhmet upon her plateau, Kigipigak was determined to make it work - where Greymoor had failed, where Rivenwood was not enough, this was his chance.

Kigipigak would bring down a mighty stag! That would surely impress the dark girl; all he wanted was to make her smile, to earn from her a laugh. To banish the sorrow that clung to her like moss to stone.

With mind fixed on this, sun-baked and dizzy, Kigipigak did not notice the way his path listed westward among the foothills. He was not mindful of the fading deer scent or the prowling danger that followed him until it was too late.

A shriek; a searing pain as something first collided with his back, sinking knives in to his shoulders. Something dragged hot and quick against his haunch as he fell - stunned, then fighting; adrenaline and desperation, clawing kicking biting — !!!!

Enough to escape the beast.

Although the cat would lurk for hours and seek the bloodied trail, it was all a wasted effort. Kigipigak crawled deep among the shadestone and felt the cool relief of mud as he sank away from consciousness.

As safe as a dying animal can be.