Duck Lake I am an arms dealer; fitting you with weapons in the form of words.

It was time. Brynn had done her part in weakening the doe further, latching onto the other foreleg, but the deer wasn't going down without a fight. It stumbled along, battling every step of the way, its dark eyes still shining. At some point, it would become grotesque, cruel to let it live on. That point was rapidly approaching, and before it did, Shale galloped up beside the deer and twisted his head, seizing her neck in his jaws.

Her skin punctured, blood spraying wildly as he ripped through her jugular. It was over swiftly. Warning Brynn to step out of the way, he backed up himself as the doe crashed down, her ruined throat pulsing crimson tides as the shine, the life, left her eyes. She gave several twitches and then lay still; the chase was finally over.

Shale's tongue swept over his jowls, cleaning the blood from his muzzle. He gave an impressed nod to the Easthollow hunter, smiling with pleasure. "Well done," he praised, his tail wagging slightly. "Quick and clean. We make a good team." He stood back, letting her have first pick of the meat. He eyed the doe's bulging belly, hoping he could take home some of the fatty entrails, the choice cuts, for Pema and Aviana.