Phoenix Maplewood entree.

Anyone from Legion, Whitebark Stream, or the general area, wanna meet Stryx? She's 1/2 scouting out each pack and 1/2 heading towards the coast.

A rabbit hung loosely from her jaws as Stryx sauntered among the maple trees. The forest had caught her eye because of its transitory nature; most of the trees were quite old and very green, but a few had dazzling yellow crowns, while others had deepened in to orange with flecks of crimson, and she was charmed by the variations. Autumn was a distant thing in her mind. She knew that eventually this forest would shift entirely to a warm composition before shedding it all, and then the barren trees would welcome the snow. There was lots of time for her to prepare for the winter and so she set aside any misgivings that the forest sparked within her.

The rabbit swung as she loped along, less lethargic than usual now that she had something fresh to tuck in to. Once Stryx found a suitable area within the woods to drop her quarry she did so and then began the task of dismembering it. She tore strips from the belly and took her time enjoying the sweet fat on the creature's underside. She plucked the heart and soft tissues out of the rabbit and greedily sank her molars in to them, licking the fluids off of her lips as if they were nectar. It did not take long before the rabbit was in pieces, with only the spine and head remaining.

Whenever Toshi had the itch to get out and go somewhere, he’d always head for these woods. It was close to home and it was a wonderland. There was always something new to discover here. Today a delicious smell wafted through the trees and he just had to see what it was.

Toshi bounded forward, eyes alight, drool flying from his mouth. He was ready to sink his teeth into whatever this would be, but it seemed like someone already beat him to the punch. Bummer.

The boy stopped a few feet away from her and leaned forward. Heya lady! he called, Watcha got there?

Hey lady! Squawked a voice a few feet away, which startled her, but Stryx looked up with a dull expression and sluggishly glanced to the arriving child; they were leaning closer, clearly lured in by the scent of food. Whatcha got there?

She could not tell how old they were, nor what gender, at first glance. Their voice was youthfully ambiguous. Without a word she hoisted the spine up for them to see and then tossed it, and the head landed with a wet thunk, tumbling a little bit closer to them like a ball and chain.

It was a rabbit. She muttered finally, licking some of the mess from her lips.

Ah man, he’d gotten his hopes up for nothing! The lady showed him nothing but bones and a head. For a moment Toshi hoped the face flesh was salvageable, but nope, nuh-uh. That thing made a nasty squish noise when it was chucked at him. There was no way he was putting that in his mouth.

A.. rabbit huh? Nothing but bones and blood now. How disappointing. Well, the smell already got him all hungry, and he couldn’t leave on an empty stomach.

Y’know I was lookin’ for one of those. Wanna join me? It wasn’t like he needed the help—he was totally an amazing tracker already—but y’know, it never hurts to have a sidekick.