[soon! lestan dodged between the flailing hooves to cut. blood rushed. a glancing blow to his temple left the eye on that side aching with red, but the crucial moment had passed. the creature was in its final throes. standing close, waiting until the very last seconds of the stag's life, the witch whispered a prayer in tones lifted enough for the boy to hear, committing its energies back into the grounds of the rise and calling upon honor. respect and gratitude given, and lestan dipped his head. at last the twitching had stilled and he gestured toward the tall young wolf. h-hello, he said when he had caught his breath. h-have you ever b-butchered anything before? one day his children would be this age, he realized, with a lurch of happiness and thrill of fear as all parents must for a future unseen.]

soon! lestan dodged between the flailing hooves to cut. blood rushed. a glancing blow to his temple left the eye on that side aching with red, but the crucial moment had passed. the creature was in its final throes.
standing close, waiting until the very last seconds of the stag's life, the witch whispered a prayer in tones lifted enough for the boy to hear, committing its energies back into the grounds of the rise and calling upon honor. respect and gratitude given, and lestan dipped his head.
at last the twitching had stilled and he gestured toward the tall young wolf. h-hello, he said when he had caught his breath. h-have you ever b-butchered anything before? one day his children would be this age, he realized, with a lurch of happiness and thrill of fear as all parents must for a future unseen.