Awakening a short time later Zuriel noted his companion had taken her leave while he slept. No questions arose in his mind as he gathered his meager belongings. A zith alone is a shell of a zith and he was finished being a shell.
First though he should shed some of the gore he accumulated in his fur last night, some of which had dried already and was tugging at him uncomfortably. Leaving everything in the entrance to the small cave he flew down, broke the surface and planted his feet as solidly as could be done in the soft sand floor.
Waist deep in the cool substance he let it soak into his fur, cooling his skin as it made its way through. He lowered his wings and sunk to his shoulders, laughing to himself as the salty liquid stung the numerous gashes last nights tousle and tryst had cost him, reminding him again of what he had found.
Zuriel stayed as still as he could for a short while, trying to spy any small prey that might come to find the source of the blood that floated off of him but no such luck was to be had. "Must have startled them too much with the splashing, be more careful next time." Giving up on the prospect of an easy snack he ducked under the water, rubbing his fur furiously to remove loose hair and gore before floating back to the surface. He floated on his back as he had done so many times before and looked to the Cyphrus stars, lazily pushing himself through the water with his wings beneath him until he hit the short sandbank.
Sufficiently relaxed, Zuriel stood and stretched one arm wide. Sliding his hand hard against his fur he removed the water from his outstretched arm before repeating the movement with the other arm and with his chest and legs. Finally the red hunter spread his wings and stretched them out until they felt good. Violently as he could muster he shook himself to remove some pesky water from his ears, it always made the strangest of sounds. Then he launched and flew the short distance to the entrance of his old home and retrieved his equipment.
Taking a long breath Zuriel made sure he knew the scent of his new friend before he leaned out of the entrance-way to his cave and over the edge. He let himself freefall a few metres before he caught the air beneath his wings and circled upwards and out, heading towards where he had first met her. Though his belongings would slow him down and he would need to ensure he stayed on her trail, he was confidant he would catch up with her at some point.
There was no looking back nor longing for the small cave on the cliffside, it was all but forgotten at this point. To the red zith, it was just another place he had survived.
