take me down to the paradise city [darya]

The pelts were filthy. It was well past time to replace them, but that would take time. To stretch her muscles, and attempt to return her body to its state before pregnancy, the woman was out searching for prey. A good hunt would do her well. Time away from the pups was welcome, as much as she hated to admit it. Thus, she descended into the valley. There was less snow, and more foliage. Squirrels and rabbits were more abundant. Perhaps there were some weakened does about.

Skull slung low between her narrow shoulders, the new mother stalked through the valley. The stunted trees offered little cover, and the skeleton shrubs could only break up her form as she moved. Regardless, she hunted. Fresh scents flooded her nostrils. There were no deer in the area. The winter was too new, too harsh. She grumbled to herself, a few mild curses in her native tongue. Alright, so she might have to seek out something smaller. Charcoal paws pushed easily through the snow, unfazed by its density. This was a wet snow. Further north there might actually be fresh falls, which were rare.

A dead bird lay frozen, half buried by the loose precipitation as the breeze blew it this way and that. Sniffing cautiously at it, she wondered if it was worth bringing back. No, it would barely be a meal for Dom, if she could manage to flake away the frozen meat with her milk teeth. Sighing, she buried it the rest of the way with her forepaw. Marzanna would keep it safe until spring, where the cycle of life would ferry it onwards.