Stone Circle Time flies like a bird

@Keoni

A low grumble escaped from the underbelly of the agouti wolf. She glanced down, as if checking to see if she really was hungry. And yes, she truly was. A fortunate thing of the harsh winter was the abundance of free game scattered across the grounds, but despite her demanding stomach, Mara wanted to actually hunt again. Her favorite hunting pastime was fishing, but most of the running waters had frozen over, and the streams would be too cold to enjoy anyway. 

She wandered about the land, her ears especially alert for any signs of animals. It was ironic for one of her favorite hobbies to be hunting, when the girl couldn't smell a thing, but it only made her feel more accomplished once catching a meal. Another reason she appreciated fishing was that scent was hardly if ever used. Her ear twitches at the sudden sound of wings flapping, her eyes instantly scanning her surroundings. Birds were always interesting food to chase after, despite  rarely filling her stomach. It would have to do though.

She was certainly an adept hunter, though birds were a feat she had yet to attempt. They were failry easy to spot, yet one in a distance deemed reachable wass seemingly more difficult. The cold was still ever-present, the girl noted, but she had gotten used to the polar vortex, even though she hardly liked it. 

Currently, her gaze was on a bird hopping amongs the roots of a tree, puasing momentarily to peck at something unseen. It was so easy, so close- and with a leap, she sprang, intent on trapping the thing beneath her paws. But the cardinal was up in a flash, a burst of red as it fled upward, and she watched it fly ever upward with a hungry gaze.

Disappointment came soon after, for it had been such an easy distance, why had she missed so? Should it have been a mouse, she ought ot have caught it, but she did not think to count in the bird'd speed in a factor in her failings, thinking it simply herself. Unaware of the proximity of Mara Susi, she huffed, anger brewing as she stared up after the bird.

The flapping of the bird was covered as Mara heard the annoyed chuff of another. She instantly glanced in the direction, only to find a seemingly aggrivated Keoni. She tilted her head to the side, stepping closer to the yearling with interest. "Something wrong?" She asked, now giving the young one all her attention. 

She sent her a smile, in attempt to cheer her up. It was always unsettling to see someone unhappy, she always tried to aid it in someway. It was then that a burst of red standing out in the white covered land could be seen flying away in the distance. "Was it the cardinal?" Mara questioned.

---

"I missed it!" she announced in explaination to her dour expression, whihc only fell further as she admitted her shortcoming. "It was close, and I should have caught it." She explained further, knowing not that birds were signifcantly harder to catch than other prey, due to the fact that they could not only escape sideways or before her, but also straight up into the air. She had wanted to catch something exciting to show Valette, and the red bird had been perfect, and there were no others in sight. She looked to Mara Susi in defeat, still very much put out.

---

Mara glanced down at the young one, an amused smile agaisnt her maw that she simply couldn't hide. "Perhap's you should start with an easier bird?" She suggested, sitting down next to Keoni. She thought for a moment of the more novice birds to hunt, eyes staring at the sky as she did so. "Why not a grouse?" She offered, shifting her gaze back at the tan girl, hoping to have brought a pleasing suggestion.