Deepwood Weald coma baby

@Eldritch (this is set after the thread with @Ibis & @Antares) feel free to hop in if you'd like, for now I've just referenced her as being nearby.

The practicioner had wandered from her companion, though not far given that this wood was a deep thicket of close-pressing trunks where one could easily become confused and get turned around, intending to rustle up something for them to eat. They'd passed by a clustering of red deer but the elk, even a few injured members amongst their number, were too big and dangerous for the pair to have a hope of hunting them alone. Not only that, but the fresh scents of a nearby pack had littered the land -- survivors of the gods' wrath regrouping perhaps. It had seemed unwise to poach from a herd claimed by territorial pack wolves. 

Ice crackled under her almost inaudible pawsteps, the huntress stalking after the snow-faded trail of a cottontail -- grateful it was not a snowshoe who might blend in with the sparse snow and frost that clung to the winterworn undergrowth. She prayed silently as she trotted through the Weald on ghostly footfalls, hoping that Hircine might feed them with the same generosity that Sithis had only a week or so prior.

Eldritch stayed within earshot of her night-sister, prowling in mirrored search of something to eat. It seemed this place had plenty of rabbits, for the Seer found a separate trail and followed with ghostly quiet footfalls, eyes and ears and nose alert for any sign of the small game she pursued. 

Mati was nearer here, she acknowledged such, but didn't move to disturb her ally out of respect for the nature of the hunt. 

Seeing her quarry up ahead, only some ten yards, Eldritch lowered herself slowly into a crouch, and began moving to stay out of the small creature's eyesight. 

This might be an easy meal, if the Daedra wished it so. The Seer whispered a prayer to them for aid in catching the rabbit ahead.

When the taupe agouti of the buck rabbit's pelt came into view up ahead, the skinny creature nosing at the half-frozen ground in search of any budding foliage it might gorge on. Aerenys lowered herself, rubbing her underside against the damp earth to cloak her scent as much was possible. She felt Aphelion's length tightening, pressing on her throat almost claustrophobically as he tightened in preparation of her striking pounce. The panthress wriggled ever so slightly, stalking forward and bunching herself up -- leaping towards the rabbit with open jaws.  

The shadowhound crept closer to her own quarry, and was soon within leaping distance as she lowered herself more, brushing her fur against the snow as she bunched her muscles, mirroring Aerenys unknowingly. 

Eldritch smirked a little, and lunged with open jaws for the rabbit she had so patiently stalked.

gonna go ahead and..

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The rabbit jerked, turning to look up at her with endlessly wide pools of terrified, murky water. A squeaky sound of panic left it, hardly more than an exhalation, just before the shadow's maw closed around it -- snatching the creature up into the air. It kicked out wildly with its hind feet, boxing her right in the throat and slicing her skin shallowly with its claws. A rattling snarl of pain escaped her in an infuriated hiss as fire streaked across her flesh, doubly enraged because the beast had almost wounded her familiar. Her fangs curled tighter around it, ending its life with a sickening snap. The Priestess held on for a moment longer, squeezing harder until her jaws ached to suffocate the paralyzed rabbit that still panted shallowly.

The Seer clamped wicked teeth into soft pelt, quickly ending the life of her prey without much effort. 

The hunt was successful, and thus she picked up her loot and trotted off to go join Aerenys.

The Priestess' jaws squeezed ceaselessly. There was a squeaking rasp and a last flutter of movement from the bedraggled creature hanging from her maw before the woods were still again. Giving a low rumble of satisfaction, she ignored the pain of Aphelion slithering against her open wounds as she swung back in the direction she'd come from. She prowled back towards the encampment she shared with Eldritch, sapphire and amethyst gems lifting to light upon her night-sister's inky pelt -- flickering down to the Nightwish's own catch of a rabbit. All the better, now they each had a rabbit to themselves with any scraps and morsels of meat gifted to Aphelion. 

Eldritch had waited to begin her meal until Mati returned, offering a welcoming smile to the Priestess as Aerenys returned to their makeshift camp. 
"It appears we are favored today." The Seer commented with a grateful undertone, beginning to pick apart her meal to share with the Mambo's familiar, Aphelion. 
Familiars are sacred too, after all.

"It would seem so," the Melonii murmured in agreement as she chose a comfortable patch of dirt nearby, stretching her dark length languorously along the soft loam. The Priestess nestled the slain rabbit between her bloodied paws, tearing into its tender underbelly -- peeling away flesh and muscle to feast on the more tender innards. She made sure to section off a portion of the rabbit's meat between bites, tearing it into smaller shreds with her claws and teeth after swallowing a mouthful of hare. This she would pile up and set aside for Aphelion to eat, the night snake having slithered cautiously away from the life-saving warmth her nape provided to investigate what Eldritch was eating -- despite the two women having caught eerily similar rabbits. He reminded her something of a child in this mannerism, causing Mati to chuckle beneath her breath before she returned her attention back to her meal. 

The Seer smiled at Mati's agreement, mirroring the Priestess so far as lying down to begin eating. 
Already, Eldritch had taken a generous portion of the rabbit out, and as he slithered to investigate, she gently nudged his share toward his reptilian self. 

Digging in further, the witchling rested in comfortable silence as she and her night-sister feasted, not currently an instigator or further conversation.