08-18-2009, 05:08 AM
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| http://digital-bonsai.com/katew/rp/kae/kae_disorder.jpg); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat;"> The dull gray hybrid was no stranger to rain; the sky had been opening up on and off for the entirety of the day. Patchy sun shone through here and there, but in general, it was another overcast day to an already soaked summer. The hybrid woman was far used to it by now, and she had ceased to give the weather any thought. There was nothing she could do about it, so there was no point in dwelling on it. There was a far more important matter at hand, anyway—like the sudden shortage of prey on Inferni's land. The coyote woman was presently in the woods surrounding their territory, stalking through the forest quietly in search of anything edible. There was a young mouth to be fed at home; the hybrid woman was rather overwhelmed with the motherly instinct to protect and provide. Perhaps it was just instinct—Kaena was the mother to four separate litters of children, all of which had been born years ago on a distant beach—she had begun her child-rearing rather late, however, though it had recently occurred to Kaena that Kerberos, her eldest son, was nearing six years of age. He was nearing old age himself. That had dawned on her one restless night and only added to the idea that she was growing old, and her time left on this earth was not terribly long. The coyote woman pushed these thoughts aside as she encountered the fresh scent of a rabbit—she crouched down, smelling a distinct smell of Inferni on it. Likely it was one of many displaced from the flooded burrows on coyote land. It did not make the rabbit their property, no, but the drab gray canine stalked neutral lands here, and there was no law against hunting them. The hybrid woman figured the animal had no home here, and she was slow and cautious in stalking him. Likely the thing would simply run himself to death if she did not manage to catch him if he had no nearby burrow to seek. Though the hybrid woman was certainly still feeling the ill effects of her prior encounters, the herbs Naniko had provided her with had done an excellent job of healing the wound on her shoulder from Haku, and she was rather pleased with the ability to create a salve from it. The hybrid's bag of tricks was ever-increasing, and this was certainly a good thing, considering she wished to live her life as long as possible. Though she walked with a limp, she was silent and of windward advantage when the rabbit came into sight ahead. The coyote hesitated just an instant, bracing herself before darting forward as fast as she could. She swung her good arm and her claws connected with the small animal's neck, picking it up and bringing it close, single-handedly twisting the small head with her optime fingers until a crunching pop issued from it, and the rabbit ceased to kick. Its sharp claws had scratched her on the leg, and she cursed softly, dropping the kill to the ground to peer at the wound. It was shallow and unlikely to even scar, so she left it be, her attention immediately distracted by the approach of another. Her sable ears swept forward as an unfamiliar wolf walked toward her, smelling of an unfamiliar pack. So this was a representative of the wolves to the south? The silvery hybrid did not stand, merely crouched lower and put her good arm on the ground in front of the rabbit as the man walked her way, intent on protecting this meat for Inferni. Her golden eye narrowed, though she did not show aggression to him yet. She was still recovering from her last brutal encounter; she could not afford another one. At worst, she could pick up the rabbit and make a break for Inferni's territory. It was not such a great distance behind her. The hybrid remained quiet as the wolf approached her, waiting for him to speak his intent or, perhaps if she was lucky—avoid her entirely. It wouldn't do to encounter trouble today, and the hybrid hoped if he was wary of the coyotes their smell radiating from her coat would drive him off. |