Walk | Talk | Think
Anais was painfully cautious with each movement that she made, ensuring that each step would only bring her closer to her prey and would not alert the busy little critter to her approach. It was a slow process but an effective one, and with slow precision she inched closer and closer to where she could see it scuffling around amid the grasses. Thankfully her silent observer was also taking a quiet approach, and after a few steps she was able to get close enough to feel confident that a quick leap and short chase would result in a successful catch.
She took a second to ensure that she felt comfortable with her position and watched her prey as it moved, another half-smile curving her lips as her quarry ventured a little more adventurously from its burrow. Even better. The golden brown hunter drew in a quiet breath, and then another, before she resigned herself to action. With a purposeful, powerful spring, she leaped forward through the grass of the prairie, landing close to her prey as she at last gave her position away. The frightened prairie dog started and began scrambling away, turning hastily to retreat back to its burrow, but Anais had positioned herself too close for it to get away easily. It hardly got more than a couple feet away from where it had been scratching around before she pounced on it, slamming down on the creature with her paws before ensuring its end with a swift, succinct bite.
Success! The hunter released her hold on the little creature after feeling it go limp in her jaws and grinned as she licked her lips while admiring her prize. It might have been a simple, easy hunt, but her excitement was high, filling her with a need to make another hunt - ten more - twenty! Gathering too much was a wasteful move, however, and before she allowed herself to collect too much she knew it would be smarter to check the pack's cache one more time before she attempted to gather more food. Reaching down, Anais grabbed the pump prairie dog gently within her jaws and righted herself to look above the grass as she turned to exit back toward the shoreline.
Only, as she turned, she realized she was not alone. Her heart skipped when she saw the large, smiling figure in blue seated amid the prairie grasses and looking her way, delighted as always to see him but surprised nonetheless. Was he there the whole time? With her mouth full, Anais wagged her tail in greeting, smiling around the catch she carried to the point the distorted gesture was still visible within her lemon-gold eyes.
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