Yes, it seemed they were both fast enough to live long enough to see another day. They passed the marker Little Crow had pointed out, and it seemed she could breath easier all at once. Like her thoughts weren’t so damn loud. Like her heart wasn’t beating quite as hard. None of that was true, but it felt that way, and her paws were lighter as rye fields became lower grasses, and lower still, until they were nearing the water hole where they’d started this little adventure earlier in the afternoon.

She didn’t stop running until she careened right in, water spraying up all around her and Buzzard in a great arc. Mud and stink fell away with the drops, leaving only fresh cleanliness and barely any natural scent at all. Her tail lashed behind her wildly as she moved across the pool, dropping her kill to dive back in, to roll and splash and rinse it all off as she cackled wildly, incredibly pleased with how the entire operation had gone off. All at once, she rolled to her feet and trotted out, spraying water in a shake before grabbing her meal, and trotting further to somewhere a little more secure.

Only once they were private did she give Big Buzzard a bite on his ear.

“Good job.”

Fade.