!~Circe

He had been wandering through the dark copse for what felt like days. The sun was blocked out by the trees that were tucked together densely. It was all compacted and with his medium size, he was fitting decently through the area. He inhaled the scents from the forest floor and caught a whiff of squirrels. His fuchsia pink tongue slid over his ebony lips in a lick as he slowly crept forward towards the scent with his eyes pried on the fact. His fur ruffled slightly from the light spring breeze that took the twists and turns of the thicket well as they stayed on course. He was downwind from the animals. They had no idea that their death was imminent. His lurking came to a halt when he saw the two squirrels collecting their acorns and walnuts from the base of the tree. They slowly climbed up the tree to store them and when one of them made their return, he leapt into action. He rushed forth with immense speed as he swiftly took the animal in his mouth. He bit down hard, crushing the spine of the creature which killed instantly. He then sat down and began to gnaw on the creature that had come to be his snack. Things had fallen into place and he felt more at peace then before. Go now and be what was taught and expected of you but do not stray from your own moral conviction. He reminded himself calmly as he finished up his meal and prepared to further his journey.

I am vertical.

But I would rather be horizontal.

Like shadow does the girl tread beneath that dark canopy. Her body blending to the dark as if she had been made of its very fiber. Betrayed only by those cerulean eyes which guided her solemnly through those thick, interwoven trees. The wind whistles eerily against their trunks and branches moan with contempt. Her haggard pelt feathers and separates against the grain. Disheveled she grinds herself against stone-like trunks to tame the mats tugging naggingly at her skin. A rumor of blood distracts the girl from this task. Fleshy nose to the air she follows those murmurs quietly until she is able to set a rueful gaze upon the bloodletter and his feast. Circle settles upon stiff, sharp haunches to watch the stranger at his meal. A makeshift vulture awaiting to lick blood from dirt if that is all that is left in the end. Ears pinned tautly against her narrow crown, the girl watches the man with growing curiosity. As time passes most nervousness is forgot.

I am not a tree with my root in the soil

Sucking up minerals and motherly love

The scent of a femme in the area was masked by the blood that fell upon his lips and in his mouth. He ate at it like it would be his last meal. It could be his last meal, though he desperately hoped that it would not be. Only when he looked up to check around him did he see the female sitting there. Quickly he rose to his paws and licked the surplus blood off of his muzzle and paws. His pale golden orbs had an apologetic look to them. ?Hello ma?am. Care to join me? I could catch you a squirrel. I found a few lurking about earlier?? He offered her with a dip of his head. It was his form of respect towards her. He examined her and what a fine femme she was. It wasn?t like he was look like that you know, but she was very beautiful. ?I am Octavius Rook Amend though most just refer to me as Octavius or Rook.? He introduced himself with a small smile. He did hope that she didn?t look at him like he was some creep because that was not what he was. He only tried to do what was best for others. He felt a small guilt that she had been watching him eat when she had no food of her own. He would have caught her that other squirrel if he had realized she was there. The light was blocked out a majority of the way by the thicket but the inherit absence of light was alright for him. There was a soft breeze that blew through against his pelt.

So that each March I may gleam into leaf,

Nor am I the beauty of a garden bed

The man's golden gaze falls upon the girl and she is gripped by fear and their eyes interlock. Thick talons grip the earth and she stands in unison with the stranger. Her hackles stiffen in a slow wave. The erection of those fine hairs emphasized by the spine that stood painfully prominent against her skin. Circe's muscles tense as he comes forward. Her crown lowers defensively, flatting her distrustful expression. She is greeted with a mixture of foreign syllables. Her ears tug forward in an attempt of comprehension. Only one expression is familiar. Squirrel. It is the envious meal which has stained his square jowls. She stares with impassive intention. Time passes before she thinks to mimic his nod though she is unsure what the gesture will incite. As their distance closes Circe steps back and considers flight. However she is drawn toward the stranger again by his ambiguous speech. Rook. she mimics, the movements unfamiliar and uncomfortable in her throat. The word nearly incomprehensible as it is more alike to a whine than speech.

Attracting my share of Ahs and spectacularly painted,

Unknowing I must soon unpetal.

She sounded very hesitant and almost nervous and that confused him. She had shaken her head and so he dipped his own skull and rushed off to catch her a snack as he had himself. When he had finally tracked down a scent trail he stalked it carefully as he had before and then he went in for the takedown. He took out another squirrel with a bite to its neck before happily pushing himself back towards the female. He slowly pushed it towards her before returning to his own carcass and sitting down. He had to finish it up because he simply could not let it go to waste. ?May I ask what you are doing around these parts miss?? He asked with only concern and kindness finding their way into his voice. He gnawed on his meal and then on the bones before he licked his paws clean of the blood. He rose and sat down on his haunches as he looked at her. A small and almost undetectable smile formed on his muzzle. She seemed scared or shy but he could not place which it was. He was no threat and he would go great lengths to prove it if he had to. She had taken to calling him Rook which was quite fine with him. Octavius was much too long for encounters sometimes and it was nice to hear his middle name put to use by someone other than himself for a chance.