Redtail Rise Obey your master

She couldn’t stop thinking about the squirrel, daydreaming of that moment when Avicus had laid it open for her pups so that they might understand the connection between live prey and dead meat. Masquerade reminisced about the stench of blood and the surprising heat of a fresh kill. More than anything, she couldn’t stop thinking about how bright its insides looked, shining wetly in the summer sunlight…

With these macabre fantasies dancing in her head, she lost track of her mother and siblings as they made a routine trip across the territory. Masquerade paused and tried to orient herself, believing she knew the way. But she wasn’t much of a navigator, as soon she found herself even more lost than before, the terrain utterly unfamiliar.

Masque found herself at the edge of a clearing. She was about to call out for help when she saw something small dart across it. She reacted instinctively, giving chase. Although she nearly tripped over one of her own gangly forelegs, she managed to catch up quite quickly and knock it off its feet. Thrilling at her success, she mimicked what her mother had done to the squirrel, jaws going for its throat.

When it went limp, then would come her favorite part. Just as the Wealda had shown her, she would slice it open with her fangs, turning it inside out and consuming the spoils of her first kill. Avicus would be so proud.