skill: hunter (1/5)

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the glen is quiet, save for the rustle of branches—too quiet, maybe, but twitch doesn't mind.

she sees them from a short distance, perched along arching branches overhead, feathers puffed against the cold. small things, fragile. too easy to startle, too quick to flee—much like her. she needs to be faster. smoother. she shifts her weight, soft-footed across crisp blades of grass. she tells herself she won’t miss this time. better fuckin' not.

there’s a flicker of hesitation. she can hear her pulse in her ears, that creeping doubt slithering in like it always does. what if she fucks it up? what if she hesitates too long? she grits her teeth. no. focus. you're fine. you just need to move.

muscles coil. a slow inhale. a sharper exhale. then she lunges.

Despite her usual desire to stay close to home in the Rise, Kirain found herself wandering—chasing after adventure, or better yet, the possibility of new friends.

She loped through the glen with an easy gait, tail swaying cheerfully behind her, thrilled simply to be out in the open. She’d assumed she was alone, until a flicker of motion caught in the corner of her eye.

Her head snapped toward it, but in her eagerness, her paws tangled beneath her, and she tumbled face-first into the dirt.

She stayed there a moment, gathering herself and quietly processing the embarrassment, before lifting her head to investigate.

Narrowing her eyes, she spotted a small figure lunging at a tree, aiming for the cluster of birds settled in its branches.

Kirain held her breath, eyes wide with anticipation, waiting to see if the little one would catch their prey.

the world narrows to wing and bark and breath. twitch doesn’t hear the stumble behind her—only the flurry of feathers ahead, the sudden lift of startled wings as her quarry makes its escape.

her leap is sharp, but she is not fast enough. claws scrape treebark and all she catches is a splinter. she lands gracelessly, a puff of dust rising around her. ears flat. shit. it leaves her in a breath, resigned.

she lingers there a second too long, one paw still half-raised, staring at the branches where her quarry had been. they always get away. but something feels off. slowly, twitch turns her head and freezes.

someone saw that. a wolf, a girl with perked ears and wide eyes, lying half-sprawled in the grass like she’d fallen too. twitch blinks. once. twice.
then: how long have you been laying there.

Watching her swing and miss was hard to witness. She had been so close. Birds were such difficult creatures to hunt, too quick for their own good. Kirain let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, a quiet sigh slipping past her lips. Darn.

She was still contemplating the techniques needed for catching such quick prey when the she-wolf suddenly turned, golden-green eyes meeting her silver ones, and asked a question.

Uh… not long? Kirain managed, offering an awkward chuckle as her ears pressed back against her crown. She scrambled for something positive to say, not wanting the stranger to feel disheartened.

You were so close! she said quickly, her tail giving a hopeful wag. It was a really excellent attempt. You’re rather graceful, all things considered!

She tried to keep her tone light and encouraging, even as she remained half-sprawled in the grass, determined to find the bright side in this small, unfortunate moment.

twitch stared. she wasn’t sure if the girl's answer made it better or worse. the white she-wolf was still half in the dirt, silver-eyed and all sunshine, trying to coax a smile out of thin air. twitch didn’t know what to make of that.

her ears gave the barest flick. pretty sure i just hit a tree, but thanks. she paused. sniffed faintly. a slow blink followed. her posture remained stiff, uncertain—caught somewhere between fleeing and folding in on herself.

..you can get up now, she added in the least uncomfortable voice she could muster. twitch didn’t have the voice for sharpness, only dull edges and that awkward, crab-clawed way of poking instead of speaking plainly.

Oh.. yes, of course!

Heat rushed to the little dame’s face, and she scrambled to her paws, giving her pale pelt a vigorous shake to dislodge any clinging dirt or debris. When she finished, her thick coat was left wildly untamed, though she didn’t seem to notice or care.

I’m Kirain! Who might you be? Are you hungry? Are you hurt? Are you lost? Are you alone? Do you need assistance?

The questions spilled out in rapid-fire, her silver eyes bright as she took in the small she-wolf before her. Without a thought to boundaries, Kirain stepped closer, tail wagging furiously as a warm, eager smile stretched across her maw.

the barrage of questions hit twitch like a thrown branch.

her ears flattened, pupils shrinking just a touch as the pale blur of movement surged too close to the face. she took a single, reflexive step back, not hostile but wary. i’m not bleeding out, she muttered. little hungry.

she didn’t answer the rest. didn’t know how, really. kirain’s smile was so warm it was almost blinding, and twitch didn’t know what to do with warmth except shrink from it. finally, as if dragged from her throat by a leash: 'm twitch.

It’s so lovely to meet you, Twitch! Her voice was warm and bright, her tail wagging with almost ridiculous enthusiasm. You’re hungry? Would you like to hunt together? I’m not very good, but two is usually more successful than one! She tilted her head, awaiting her answer.

Silver eyes didn’t linger long; she was already scanning their surroundings, wondering what trouble, or adventure, they might find. Nose to the ground, she sifted through the faint scents on the air until several possibilities teased at her senses.

Are you craving something in particular? she asked, glancing back at Twitch, curiosity and a keen desire to please shining in her gaze.

twitch blinked at her like she’d just suggested they rob a bank together. hunt together. that wasn’t usually her thing—too many moving parts, too many ways for someone to watch her miss.

...but kirain was already sniffing around, tail wagging like a banner in the wind, and twitch realized saying no would take more effort than being compliant. at the very least, it'd make for good exposure therapy.

not much preference, she said finally, if it’s edible, i’ll eat it. the girl kept half a step behind the other, allowing kirain's nose to lead. then, after a beat, she tacked on, been craving quail though.

Quail, eh? Kirain chirped back cheerfully to the she-wolf. I think we just might be able to manage that. She set off at a steady pace, ears pricked for any sound of wings or birdsong. It took effort not to hum as they walked, tempting as it was, since she didn’t want to give away their presence.

Before long, they came upon a warren, and the little dame paused. Casting a glance back at Twitch, she tilted her head in silent question. Not quite quail, but it might do if hunger pressed.

There are some tracks leading off to the right if you’re still set on quail, she murmured, her voice low but warm and reassuring. I’ll leave that choice to you.