[B] Play Dead [Killing Moon + Dustbath]

[thyPOPE]

Dustbath was playing chase.

Well, play was perhaps not the correct word here. She was giving chase, certainly, but there was prey here to catch: a quick-winged bird, who certainly flew higher than she might ever manage to reach. Still, it wasn't like she was going to hurt it. Much. She just wanted to know she could do it. And then let it go. And do it again.

...okay, yes, she was definitely playing. But the bird was not playing, and as it darted around between the long spindly legs (well, roots) of a mangrove she gave chase. It had been - red, yes. A little flash of red, over there, and a flutter of feather.

And then something red moved which was neither small nor feathery. What - ?

Oh, bother. She'd gotten distracted. Now where had the bird gone? "I won't hurt you," she cajoled.

She just wanted to catch something! It seemed like it'd been far too long since she'd succeeded, and yet, she thought: her stomach and her joints were all a little swollen from her top shape, even though she'd mainly been feasting on plants, lately. How had she gotten so plump without eating delicious fatty meat? Or, perhaps - perhaps it was the fat slowing her down?

It was certainly unusual. She had not yet connected it to the buck she'd had fun with a few months back.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

Something moved in a frantic rush, a flash of red, of orange, of grey, and two sounds, a squawk and crunch to signal the end of the game. Three figures emerged from around the mangrove roots, padding casually across the mud. Two of them left no pawprints, intangible guards to the one in the middle, whose eyes glowed bright and somehow seemed amused.

The Eaglehound offered his prize, the dead bird hanging limp and broken in his jaw, to the Acha.

thyPOPE

 

[thyPOPE]

Dustbath stretched and turned, not particularly bothered by the sounds. Certainly, there were dangerous things in the swamp, but kin were big, and - oh!

Oh, how valiant! A puppy - no, three of them, working in concert. Well, no, these were more hound than pup, and the one holding the bird had eyes that glowed intelligently, like a swampborn Kimeti's. Someone's trained dogs? No, then the kin would do the offering. This had to be a wild pack, but it was a smart one. Well.

"Is that for me?" she demurred with a giggle. Or was it a bribe? "You caught it, though, didn't you?" And what a smart, quick pack they'd been - she was a fine birdcatcher. Usually. Although, really, she might as well take what she could get.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

Well, she had a point. He had caught it.

The eaglehound grinned around the bird and then began to eat it himself. Feathers went flying, sticking to his fur and floating in the air as he plucked his way to the meat. The spectral hounds watched impassively until all that was left was a beak, two legs and a pile of feathers.

In the blink of an eye the eaglehound was no longer an eaglehound and the stag in its place was regal and tall, hair flowing around his shoulder and his nose twitching - achoo! The Killing Moon sneezed as one of the feathers tickled his nose.

"You will," he paused, not for dramatic effect but because he could feel another sneeze building, "hunt with us."

thyPOPE

 

[thyPOPE]

It seemed almost like the dog understood.

She'd still watch delightedly as the packleader began wolfing down his well-earned meal, and then - ahh, its hair hadn't been that long just now, had it? And it definitely hadn't been that ta - oh.

Oh. No wonder its eyes had glowed. This buck was one of the Swamp's chosen few. And here he was, sneezing like a normal kimeti, and talking to her like she wasn't just a rather unathletic doe who liked flowers a little too much.

"Well, it looks like you're a lot better than me - but I'll make an excellent student, I promise!"

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

“That is all I ask,” The Killing Moon assured her.

Then he grinned - and then he was an eaglehound once more, instantly turning, loping forward. The spectral hounds followed smoothly, soundless. The hunt began as most of them do, with the search, maintaining a constant easy pace, all eyes and ears on alert.

Two wolves joined in the hunt, weaving in and out of view. One of them growled at the pregnant doe, hackles raised, before he loped away behind the sheltering mangroves. Another eaglehound appeared to take the rear. The kept the doe surrounded in the middle with The Killing Moon in the lead.

Whether blood was shed or not, he would be satisfied as long as she remained with them and saw it through to the end.

thyPOPE

 

[thyPOPE]

There was something joyous about getting to run amidst a pack of hounds - never mind that one of them was, apparently, one of those legendary kimeti. "What are we looking for?" Dustbath asked amiably, not even sure whether any of these hounds could answer. She just liked to babble.

Oooh, wolves. They gave her pause for a few seconds, before she continued her slightly unsteady run. One of them didn't seem very happy to see her...but it looked like he wasn't going to attack or anything weird.

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

The Eaglehound didn’t answer; he only gave her a toothy grin.

And so the hunt continued.

The Acha doe was not quite built for a long and arduous trek but they eased the pace to allow for her weakness, making sure she was surrounded at all times and kept up with the pack.

It was one of the wolves loping up ahead that caught a scent first and with a simple shift of body language, alerted the rest. There an instant reaction of perked ears and flaring nostrils, suddenly that much more focused.

They moved in silence, directing Dustbath with nudges and looks, until they split up and she was left with only The Killing Moon. They weren’t alone for long. The ramcat was angry, spitting and fierce, chased their way by the rest of the pack.

The Killing Moon fell on it, cut off its escape, braved the claws to wrestle it into the ground with his superior weight. Then he waited, endured the struggle with his teeth around its throat and turned his glowing eyes upwards to the Acha doe.

thyPOPE

I'll end and proper bless after your next post <3