Flycatcher Downs sign of flame will sting

@Athella @Zephyra

blackfell trudged along the frozen path. the raven flapped above him, hopping from one barren branch to another. it croaked again and again, as if laughing at him, a sound that grated on his nerves more than the biting wind.

you’ve got a lot to say for something that eats scraps, he mutters, snapping teeth mockingly at the pest. the raven cocked its head, eyes gleaming with mischief, and let out a sharp caw that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

blackfell growled under his breath, shaking his head. don’t push your luck, bird. i’m not above eating you. the raven swooped lower, its wings brushing just above his ears before it landed on a rock ahead, its gaze boring into him.

it croaked again, hopping in place. blackfell narrowed his crimson eyes. you think you’re funny?

They were at that age. Of growing independence and curiosity both. Athella had spent much time in the familiarity of her valley home, but now she wanted to stretch her legs. See the world and what was out beyond the ring of mountains encasing Bearclaw. On the way, she had bumped into Zephyra. A girl similar in age as herself. With no formal relationship between them other than being pack mates, the princess felt a shred of guilt for not having reached out to her sooner. 

With a bit of coaxing, she found herself a companion at her side, while striking out into the barren plains to the south. Her expedition was not purely just for fun. It carried an underlying purpose, as always. Coyotes had been running amok in the valley as of late. And Athella wanted to pin them down. Find the source of the infestation. If the pair of girls were lucky, maybe they would arrive home with a trophy or two.

A sharp caw up ahead made her steps slow. Honey eyes focusing sharply. A male voice. She could only just make out the his dark shape, still quite a distance away. She may not know his scent personally, unlike her age mate. A stiff tail brushed against Zephyra's hock in silent acknowledgement. A side eye shift towards her. They were no longer alone.

zephyra wasn't keen on company but if she was to spend it with someone, she'd rather it be a peer her own age than any adult. so when athella had briefly mentioned an excursion past the borders, zeph had found herself reluctantly tagging along. 

there was little said between them as they went about business, noses low to the ground in search of the troubling stench of coyote. but it was a different kind of odor that drew zephyra to a sharpened point, ears flagged forward in alert just as a caw echoed in the distance. 

she knew this smell. 

her muscles tensed as the other girl brushed against her, absinthe eyes narrowing through the openness as she took in the silhouette of the man. she shot a knowing look to her companion — this one is not a friend — before she hunkered herself low and set to stalk in the shadows.

he is, as of yet, unaware of the two stalkers he has in the form of little girls. he is simply persistent in his stalking of the area, nose swiping to the ground briefly to inhale the scents. a doe had passed through some hours earlier, there was the to and from of the nearby pack wolves... nothing of note.

nothing truly... useful for him. gjalla and meleys were somewhere, attending to business. blackfell had went off on his own to scout the surveying area. if their quarry passed through here at any time, he would figure it out. and he would go hunting.

the raven is still persistent. now, it lands upon blackfell's back and begins threading a long beak through his onyx pelt. grooming him, needling at his skin for any insects to steal, and when it comes up empty, it angrily nips at him and takes to flight.

blackfell's snarl is mighty as it vibrates from his teeth and leaks out into the valley. turning around, leaping halfway into the air to snap his teeth after the raven; forelegs hitting the ground once more with a mouthful of tail feathers. and a sneer of amusement.