Rakia's paws gingerly navigated the frost-rimed pebbles as she descended the slope. The valley stretched out before her like a brilliant painting, its wintery palette dominated by pure white snow and occasional protrusions of marble monuments - remnants of an ancient riverbed. Her keen eyes scanned the cerulean sky for any signs of life. The low-hanging sun blinded her, casting long shadows over the stark landscape and adding depth and contrast to the winter wonderland below. She prowled with almost feline grace, each step precise and calculated, her unwavering gaze fixed on the vast expanse above. The frigid air filled her lungs, sharp yet invigorating, carrying distant whispers of approaching flurries.

A sudden flutter of wings stole her attention. A flock of birds, their ebony bodies stark against the vast blue expanse, swirled in the sky above Rakia's head. The sound of their flapping wings was like a symphony of rustling leaves, soft and rhythmic. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the stunning display before her. Their flight was like swirling ink on a painter's palette - chaotic yet beautiful, with each bird contributing to the fluid patterns formed in the air. Rakia's heart thrummed in anticipation, her body instinctively crouching lower as she observed from her vantage point. Her jaw clenched, and small white puffs of breath escaped her lips as she waited for the perfect moment. The flock swooped low, then soared higher, their movements synchronized and mesmerizing to watch.

One bird in particular caught her eye. Its feathers shone brightly in the winter sunlight, displaying an array of colors: iridescent blues and purples atop a dark, ebony base - a true marvel amidst the ordinary. She wanted it’s feathers, to do what with, she wasn’t entirely sure. But she wanted it all the same. As to how she was going to get it …. she wasn’t entirely sure yet.

310 / 1500 words
"Rakia Perreau"

They’d chosen to stay close to the Syndicate homelands. Traveling only so far a distance incase Absinth had come to change her mind about who they were. In all honesty, a piece of Melanth felt lost in the matter. Having no idea how to convince their sister that she was who she claimed to be. It didn’t help the overly large male who lingered there kept watching her like a hawk. Those piercing green jewels observed every motion she made. As if she were his prey and he the ultimate predator.

Paws somehow found their way back to the familiarity of sharp rocks and hovering trees. This place still holding the memory of spilt blood from previous hunts. Those made by, not only herself; but, the other three wolves she accompanied. As her lungs filled with quick, deep frosty breaths. There was a hint of something else that carried on the breeze. Which lead to careful placements on the path leading down to what was once an old dried river. Its winding path still engraved in the earth to never be forgotten.

Not so far ahead did she spot the multi-colored woman; Rakia. One who’d led their gathered party to various victories. Curiosity fueled her to approach with rushed steps. A calling of that crow from days before still accompanying her. Glossy feathered wings soaring the skies with the occasional flap. Why he was still lingering around, she didn’t have a clue in the world. Only that she appreciated having another besides Helonia to talk to.

566/1500

"Helionia"~"Melanth"

Rakia's senses were pulled down from the spectacle above as a familiar scent cut through the crisp winter air. It was Melanth, her fellow hunter. The size and confidence of her strides were easily discerned even without turning around. But that did not deter her focus from her chosen prey. She lifted a paw, signaling Melanth to halt her approach lest she startled the flock. But the ink-black bird among some of the others that had caught her eye had already begun to separate from its kin, dallying in an aimless dance close to the ground. Its wings, iridescent in the sunlight, curled and unfurled as if teasing the frozen elements around it, adding an ethereal ambiance to the barren valley. Rakia's well-sprung muscles coiled with anticipation, her breath hitching at the spectacle before her.

Her gaze locked onto the bird, oblivious to Melanth's silent participation- if she chose to go after her own bird or not. The world seemed to pause around her; the crisp winter air felt stiller, each snowflake hung suspended in air - time itself seemed to be holding its breath as Rakia prepared to strike. With a stealthy grace, she began to creep forward. Each paw was placed with precision on the frost-dusted marble, careful to avoid the crunch of loose pebbles underfoot. Her paws, adapted to the hard ground of her homeland, found easy purchase on the smooth stone as she silently closed the distance between herself and her target.

The bird's plumage shimmered in the midday sun, each iridescent feather catching the light and reflecting it back in endless hues of blues and purples. To Rakia, it was a piece of the sky made flesh and bone. Her gaze remained fixed on it, her heart matching the rhythm of its flapping wings. The sight of it was worth every painstakingly slow step she took on the marble stones. The bird seemed oblivious to her presence, its focus solely on the small silver fish that darted in the shallows of a nearby icy stream.

905 / 1500 words
"Rakia Perreau"

The sudden shift in the atmosphere caused her pause from further approach. A single paw made to stop Melanth from any more movement. Confusion clear as day on a masked face. Until she saw the change of demeanor in Rakia. Not paying attention to the crow having landed just short of where she stood. Luminescent feathers casting a beautiful display over one another. Attention sought elsewhere in pure oblivion.

Sun’s gaze rested on the scene below. No sign of clouds to shield them from its warm glow. Though it did nothing to hinder the crisp season of winter. Or melt the tundra of white dust littering the grounds beneath. It was only then did she understand what they were hunting. Birds. A flock of them just off to where Rakia once was. Her own focus now on the cluster of prey, she nearly mirrored the posture of the woman.

Long legs bent her body to press close to the earth. Paws now pressing ever so gently with the added weight. Her tail swept up the slightest of dust as she crept forward. The two now on opposite ends heading in totally different directions. Breath hitched the moment one of the birds glanced over where she was. Mel froze for a mere second. Eyes wandering just an inch away to act as if she were not in the act of hunting them.

Time passed and in minutes she returned to her mission. Belly brushed the surface with every step. Distance becoming more and more a memory as she came to shuffle from paw to paw. Birds were not her forte to catch; but, why not have a bit of fun. Perhaps she could discover a thing or two.


1192/1500
"Helionia"~"Melanth"

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"

Silence pierced the air like ice. There was a single moment where everything became quiet. And then, it became filled with the sound of fluttering wings. Her prey had chosen to scatter to safer places. Out of reach even if she still chose to attempt.

Melanth stood with a shake of her coat. A simple eye roll and she found herself walking towards Rakia. Eyeing the her short time companion. "Where to next?"

"Helionia"~"Melanth"