Two Birds = Two Stones

The raven-black bird, now pecking at the iced edge of the stream, was within Rakia's reach. Its obsidian eyes glistened with intelligence, yet it remained oblivious to the predator lurking nearby. The thrill of the hunt pulsated through her veins, an intoxicating blend of adrenaline and anticipation that made the frigid air feel warmer, turned each falling snowflake into a dance of light before her amber eyes.

She shuffled closer still, feeling the rhythm of her heart thrumming in her chest, finding its tempo in the bird's intricate dance. The world around her receded into a blur- colors and shapes blending together into an ethereal canvas. All that mattered was this moment, this single, crystalline point in time. Everything else was a distant echo, a shadow puppet play in the back of her mind. Everything else was a distant echo, a shadow puppet play in the back of her mind.

With one final motion, timed with effortless precision, she pounced. The bird had only a heartbeat to register the impending threat before Rakia was upon it. She could feel the tiny creature's heartbeat fluttering against her paw, fragile as a snowflake and just as transient. She lowered her head, eyes softening momentarily as she admired the bird's iridescent feathers before making the swift killing bite. It was quick; there was no pain, just a sudden stillness that echoed through the frozen landscape.

Of course as she had pounced on her target, it had sent all the other nearby birds fluttering back up to the sky- back to the safety of their realm. Relinquishing her grip, she stepped back, her amber eyes still holding a flicker of respect for the fallen creature. The world came rushing back to her senses - the distant rustling of wind through the trees, the soft crunching of Melanth's movements, and above all, the deafening silence created by their prey's demise. She turned her gaze to see how the other woman had faired- gently picking up her own kill in the process.

1518 / 1500 words
"Rakia Perreau"