{PRP}Crossing Paths{Kadfael Nordlys x Runa}

[magnadearel]

StrawberryRoseTea

She was feeling distinctly restless today. It was the start of the fall season and all Bakkhos could talk about was his stupid flowers dying and the different fruits and vegetables and gourds that were now ready to harvest. She wasn't the least bit interested in placing offerings on the graves; that was a job for others to do. Though sometimes she did place something tiny on her fathers' grave when hse passed by. When she glanced over towards her minions, they were being all smoochy and sweet. Runa curled her lip and choked back a gag. Nope. She needed to go out today.

The shifter heaved herself to her paws and left her den with her tail twitching. She needed a good run through her territory. That was it. Get her paws moving and her blood flowing. Runa prowled and weaved her way through the dense and thin foliage surrounding the place she called home, over rocks and across streams. She checked for anyone entering that shouldn't, anything new. Runa took her job seriously and left clear boundary markers. But she also went some ways beyond those markers to check who'd passed through recently and how close they had gotten.

Today, at the furthest edge she paused. She was past her markers, so it was a bit of no man's land, but here she noted a new scent. One that she'd never come across before. Runa searched around for a bit of a fresher trace to identify this newcomer better.


WC: 251  

[StrawberryRoseTea]

magnadearel

It felt like the Spring and then Summer had taken forever. The long days had been grinding on Kadfael's nerves for months. The only thing worse than the warmth and light of these lower climates was the unending days of his preferred haunts during this time of year. The afternoon that he had awoken to a chill in the air and the first hints of color in the leaves overhead had been a relief. The days had been growing shorter for a time now and he'd been looking forward to the signs that it was time to move back north. Now they were here.

With a stretch and a yawn he slunk out of his appropriated cave and set off at a prowl through the foliage. He had to find something to eat before he headed out on his long trek back home. Unfortunately, after a quick tour around his normal hunting grounds, it soon became apparent that most of his normal prey had vacated the area. He was going to have to range farther than normal if he was going to find something. It shouldn't be too terribly hard, he mused, what with all the little critters and creatures fattening themselves up for the coming cold months. He bet he could make a fine meal out of one or two plump squirrels. His mouth was starting to water at the thought when his ears caught the sound of little pattering feet just ahead. There. Finally.

He stopped and took stock of his surroundings noting he had never before been this far from his now-former home. It was a bit further than he'd intended to go because now he'd have to backtrack to start his journey but it was a little late to be concerned. His focus returned to the matter at hand. He was just about to make a lunge for the critter he had found when the movement of something larger caught his attention. Distracted he lifted his nose to the air and tried to get a scent. When his mind processed what it was he let out a low growl. It had been many, intentional, years since he'd been near another of his kind. The sound startled his prey away and he straightened and huffed in irritation. If he had scented them then it was likely they were aware of his presence as well. Good. He could use a target for the frustration caused by his lost meal.

WC: 411  

[magnadearel]

StrawberryRoseTea

With a task to focus upon Runa put her all into it. She knew how Veslorurn did not look upon shifters with favor. If there was one trying to move into the area where the herd was, he'd want the creature dealt with as quickly as possible. Not only that, she had to protect her territory and send this intruder upon their way.

Runa started the slow process of tracking. Finding a trace there, a bit of fur here, the faint imprint of a paw on the soil, and a freshly broken twig. All very faint, and fickle and easy to miss. This one wasn't simply walking through. No it had been stalking something. But what? Runa took a careful sniff. No she didn't smell blood. Had it missed?

The signs were slowly growing fresher. She heard the angry chitter of squirrels above her but paid them no mind. Her eyes roamed across the forest as she crouched, semi hidden, trying to find the shifter that dared come close to her home.


WC: 172