The doe, scared to the point that the Star Dancer was surprised that it didn’t keel over from a heart attack, just barely managed to skid past her as Rook attempted an advance. By the time she gathered her wits and tried to change course their prey was already disappearing into the bush from whence it came. It was probably thanking whatever higher power it worshipped, if it did such a thing, that it had escaped and lived to see another day. She couldn’t help the bitter disappointment that raked belly, which still barely burbled with hunger. It occurred to her how much she really had wanted to take that deer down, because she hadn’t had a good meal in a very long time. However, things happened and it wasn’t meant to be that day anyhow. There were only two of them going for it, they could have very nearly gotten themselves seriously injured if things had progressed further than they had. Maybe that was something to be thankful for.

Slowing to a trot, then to a walk, she gave a snort. Pants came up with her labored breathing from the run and she, quite frankly, felt very out of shape. The fae hadn’t had to run at full speed for a rather long time and her lack of real exercise had made her lung capacity and stamina considerably lower than before her time as a lone wolf. Turning her direction she made her way back toward Rook and where they had been before the whole mess had started. Her heart slowed its beating back down to normal pace in the minute or two that it took her to reach him and a half-hearted smirk curled her blackened lips. “That was pretty close! If only we’d been a little quicker we could have gotten her,” She said in a sort of praise. Though she knew it was a sort of lie, she still had that forever optimistic appeal to her mood that could sometimes be a little bit annoying.

Moving past him she went to the bank of a part of the water that vastly covered the terrain they were in. Dipping her cranium she lapped at the water, relishing the cool feel as it slid down her parched throat. Flopping into a sitting position she ran her tongue over her maw, her tail laying still on the earth behind her. Her promise suddenly echoed in her mind and she looked over at Rook. If she was hungry, she couldn’t imagine how he had felt considering he probably hadn’t eaten most of the day. The sun was setting and soon they’d need to find a place to sleep, but she figured she’d use the remaining light to catch him the fish she’d promised. They could continue tweaking his fishing skills some other time. Moving to her paws she began the lookout.

(Fade out)