And tales, it never fails.

The blonde girl was on a mission, searching for a few stones to use for a project she had been eagerly anticipating. She had been dreaming about it for days, maybe even weeks. Her next stop would be the beach, where she hoped to find a wentletrap shell, a highly prized shell with its delicate, frosted appearance reminiscent of glass. As she followed the flow of a river, she unexpectedly came upon towering walls forming a canyon. Despite the potential dangers, she brushed off any concerns, feeling it was too early in the day to worry. If it had been closer to dusk, however, she would have been more cautious. The task of identifying the perfect stones was consuming her, much like a schoolgirl with her first crush.

She believed that this area was the perfect location to discover a grouping of chalcedony and possibly some quartz or even rose quartz if she was lucky. She hoped she would be fortunate enough to find such a beautiful treasure. Soft laughter reverberated through the canyons as she moved forward. She found this place cooler than others, with dim lighting in some areas and continuous flowing water. She bent down to drink from the cold stream, relishing the refreshing liquid. A particular spot caught her eye as she explored further.

She searched for the main vein of quartz, and once she found it, a smile tugged at her dark lips, causing her stained teeth to show slightly. Her tail wagged with excitement as she stood up on her hind legs, using one paw to steady herself while she dug into the rock wall with the other. Even though her once white paw was now covered in dirt, she knew she could easily clean it off with the nearby water. A small glint of rose quartz indicated that she was getting closer to her goal.

She gathered a few samples of pink tinted quartz before setting off to search for some blueish grey chalcedony. Finding the chalcedony wouldn't be simple, but she knew it would be worth it since it came in various hues. As she continued through the canyon, she let out a slow sigh. She noticed a few stones that caught her eye as she crossed the water. With a stroke of luck, she stumbled upon a small patch of chalcedony, causing her to yip in excitement. She washed the stones in the water before collecting them in her mouth.

Exiting the cavern, she realized she needed to find her way back to the beach, or any beach. This was not what she had planned for. At the entrance, a growl caught her attention, causing her to instinctively flatten her ears against her head. Carefully setting down the stones she was carrying, she lowered her head and straightened her tail as the tension in the air grew. Her own growl blended with a hiss, and soon she could see the silhouette of a mountain lion staring back at her. The fur along her spine stood on end as they locked eyes.

The feline's fur would be useful for carrying stones, as well as a blanket, and the skull could make a potential gift. A smile played on her lips as her muscles tensed and relaxed. The young lion hissed and took the lead in identifying items, as he was inexperienced. The lion was indeed a temperamental teenager.

If she could somehow bring the lion to its own demise. As long as she remained vigilant and didn't show any weakness, she would be okay. Wouldn't she? How on earth was she going to keep her composure in this situation? It was truly terrifying in itself. She couldn't deny that. She hoped the fight wouldn't drag on for too long, as she had important tasks to complete promptly. She had reasons for wanting to finish this quickly and get what she desired created and completed. Her tail flicked in irritation as the large cat attempted to circle her to gain an advantage in the battle. However, Identification was not about to let that happen.

The she-wolf growled and snapped her jaws, her tongue lapping as she stared down the cat. Fic stood her ground as the feline lunged, water splashing around them. The cat tried to scare her away, but Fic refused to be intimidated. Though she was scared, she remained strong and showed no fear to the feline.

The creature lunged again, crashing into Identification with a loud roar. The woman growled and leaped just in time to avoid the felines claws, for the most part. The womans fangs also making purchase upon the feline's neck as it mostly dodged the attack, but the cat did manage to make purchase on Identification's shoulder, leaving blood that would begin to bead up in its wake.

As the two strangers danced, engaged in a relentless struggle of intellect and physical prowess, each executing subtle maneuvers that the other failed to detect. Yet, amidst the competition, Identification discovered an opportunity that she had to seize if she wanted to bring the dance to a swift conclusion. Despite both parties experiencing discomfort and attempting to conceal it from their opponent, their suffering was apparent to onlookers. Nevertheless, the two individuals remained focused solely on each other, resolute in their determination to emerge victorious.

Seizing the opportunity, she swiftly plunged her claws into the lion's back while evading its next strike. Growling fiercely, saliva splattering as she shook her head, the sound of bones crunching under her powerful jaws. Despite the excruciating pain coursing through her body, it only fueled her determination to defeat the beast. She refused to lose this valuable pelt, which would be useful for many purposes, particularly in the upcoming winter as she journeyed north or to other destinations.

One of them. Who ever the victor would become. Honestly would experience the pain of a life time the next day, but she was grateful that she knew of some herbs that could help reduce the swelling from her own wounds. The male lion attempted to shake off the wolf latched onto him by slamming his body against the rock, causing pain to the butterfly even more. However, the reward was worth the injury. A howl echoed from Identification before drawing closer to the feline's exposed skin.

"Speech!"

Word Count: 1,046