Night Stalker

In a way, the auroras had become a familiar part of the night to her, but that didn't mean she liked going out to see them any less. She had become very good at being able to tell when her family was deeply asleep so that she would be able to sneak out to see them–that or becoming a master at using her sweetest pleas to sway her father into letting her stay up for a while longer to see the bright night sky. That's what she had done tonight. She had been spending some time throughout the day with her father and when the night came he said it was time to go home, but she pleaded and promised to do extra chores tomorrow if he let her stay out for a while longer so she could enjoy the lights. He agreed with a couple of conditions, but all she heard was his agreement and the threat that she would be in so much trouble if she didn't come home within an hour. After she promised to follow everything he said her dad finally left to head back to their den, leaving her near the island lake to enjoy her lights.

Happy and proud that her bargaining had earned her an hour of time alone on the island, she turned and began to walk along the tree line near the lake, peering up toward the sky occasionally to watch the bands of light move and shift. She would have been plenty happy just doing that for as long as she dared while still giving herself enough time to get back to the den, but then she saw a bit of movement out of the corner of her eye and when she peered out across the clearing she realized it was her cousin. Daemon was far enough away that she was able to dip into the trees a bit and feel like she would be plenty hidden, but close enough that she could see pretty easily. She stepped behind a tree and peeked around it to watch him for a moment. She had been looking for an opportunity to get him back for the night he had ambushed her with a fight after she had been trying to just make nice and spend time with her cousin and now seemed like a prime opportunity to do so!

She followed him a bit from the trees, making sure to stay under cover as much as she could. With it being dark out she knew the pin points of lightly pulsing blue light scattered through parts of her coat would make her easier to spot–or at least that's what her dad had told her during their lessons–so she darted from one tree to another as she followed him, inching her way forward and trying to get to a spot where she could ambush him in return. She had to hurry up and make a move though cause she was going to run out of time! After a little while of creeping along and trying her best to be quiet, she finally felt like she was close enough to pounce and still maintain the element of surprise. Coiling her legs under her, she sprung forward, making a couple long strides to catch up with Daemon from behind before launching herself forward with her forelegs outstretched to try and hook them around his sides as she went to tackle him.

WC: 576 / 1500

"Kintsugi Mendacium"