NIGHTGLARE
40th Day of Winter, 513 av
It was near the Sisuba Ruins that the she-devil stopped for a quick meal. Nightglare had been flying for a couple of hours since the sun sank beneath the horizon of the Sea of Grass, well on her way to the establishment known as Xy. Her clan had traveled this area for many years and she trusted herself to reach Xy before the end of the season.
The land here was dotted with patches of high grass and rocky slopes that hid deep caverns. She could eat then retire to a secluded cave and rest until tomorrow night, when she would resume her travels. The human slaves of her clan spoke of plenty of food to be found on the plains, but also plenty of danger. Nightglare smirked slightly as she scanned the landscape, beating her wings powerfully to stay aloft. If there were animals alive out here, she would find them.
Her sensitive Zith ears picked up on the various heartbeats and labored breathing of creatures hidden beneath the grass. These were mostly small and harmless, and they wouldn't make satisfying meals or interesting prey. She needed more of a challenge. Even so, her mouth was beginning to water as she heard the quick rush of blood pumping through the systems of the tiny prey below her.
The land was coated in a slight frost of ice, left behind by a chilly winter day. She was looking for an animal that would stand out against the white ground, something with dark fur. Perhaps dark-furred animals believed they were protected in the black of night. Unfortunately for them, Zith were born to hunt in the dark.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar stench - a stench she had first learned to recognize as a child. Nabato cattle. These heavy beasts of burden were slow-witted but incredibly strong, and the adults grew to be quite large and dangerous. As a child she required help from her brothers and sisters to take one down, and even now attacking an adult by herself was risky. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, making her heart pound in her ears, though, and she decided it was worth a try.
In a moment she had spotted them ahead, and quickly stopped short in the air. Quietly she fluttered her wings, dropping down to land with a soft thud upon the ground. The grass was as tall as she, and the Nabato were the same height as well. The larger head of the herd were located towards the front, but a group of two adults had wandered slightly away from the rest. How foolish.
Moving swiftly but softly, her bare feet parting the grass and racing over dusty spots of rock, Nightglare's pink eyes glowed like lanterns in the night. As she approached them, her breathing became louder and more excited, and by the time she pounced, a sharp cry of anticipation had escaped her dark lips.
The Nabato - possibly a pair of mates - spun their heads in the direction of her noise and let out bellows of alarm. Each adult was armed with a set of sharp, curved horns that would spear her if she wasn't careful. A calf was with them, protected with each parent on its flank.
One of the adult charged Nightglare while the other began galloping towards the herd with its calf at its heels. The Zith's muscled arms reached out to grab the horns of the bull as it lowered its head and kicked out its legs. The impact jolted her body, as the beast weighed far more than she.
In order to gain leverage, she beat her wings in powerful strokes, and jerked the Nabato's head up with her as she rose. The animal was stunned by the quick jerk, and he slipped from her grasp, taking a tumble into the dirt. She quickly decided that an adult was too much trouble, so the calf would have to do. Besides, it would be more than enough meat for one.
By this time, the entire herd had noticed the commotion. There were at least fifteen of them, so if she got caught in a stampede, she was dead. Tucking her body into a bullet shape, she shot forward with her arms outstretched, claws ready to seize the calf that was struggling behind its parent.
She slammed into the calf, and hissed in satisfaction as she felt its muscled back fall into her hands. The calf weighed as much as she did, so she wouldn't be able to lift it for long or for very high - just high enough to kill it.
Her wings flapped laboriously as she rose above the herd that was circling back around to attack. "Ah!" she cried as she dropped the animal, and it gave a pitiful cry as it fell back to the earth. The resulting snap of bones from the fall told her the job was done.
The adults were indeed distressed by the turn of events, but she was now out of their reach. She shrieked triumphantly, staying aloft and pointing a jagged claw at them.
"You lose again, beasts!" she shouted in Zithanese. The Nabato gathered around the fallen calf, some issuing forth low moans. She flew away, knowing the herd would mourn over the body for a brief time and then move on. Once they were gone, she could feast.
While they did this, she flew away to find a place to rest for the remainder of the night and the following day. There was a mountainous rise within the area, and she fortunately found a darkened tunnel to retreat to. From this distance she watched the herd finally relent the calf and move on. Licking her lips in anticipation, the Zith soared back outside to satisfy her bloodlust.
The land here was dotted with patches of high grass and rocky slopes that hid deep caverns. She could eat then retire to a secluded cave and rest until tomorrow night, when she would resume her travels. The human slaves of her clan spoke of plenty of food to be found on the plains, but also plenty of danger. Nightglare smirked slightly as she scanned the landscape, beating her wings powerfully to stay aloft. If there were animals alive out here, she would find them.
Her sensitive Zith ears picked up on the various heartbeats and labored breathing of creatures hidden beneath the grass. These were mostly small and harmless, and they wouldn't make satisfying meals or interesting prey. She needed more of a challenge. Even so, her mouth was beginning to water as she heard the quick rush of blood pumping through the systems of the tiny prey below her.
The land was coated in a slight frost of ice, left behind by a chilly winter day. She was looking for an animal that would stand out against the white ground, something with dark fur. Perhaps dark-furred animals believed they were protected in the black of night. Unfortunately for them, Zith were born to hunt in the dark.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar stench - a stench she had first learned to recognize as a child. Nabato cattle. These heavy beasts of burden were slow-witted but incredibly strong, and the adults grew to be quite large and dangerous. As a child she required help from her brothers and sisters to take one down, and even now attacking an adult by herself was risky. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, making her heart pound in her ears, though, and she decided it was worth a try.
In a moment she had spotted them ahead, and quickly stopped short in the air. Quietly she fluttered her wings, dropping down to land with a soft thud upon the ground. The grass was as tall as she, and the Nabato were the same height as well. The larger head of the herd were located towards the front, but a group of two adults had wandered slightly away from the rest. How foolish.
Moving swiftly but softly, her bare feet parting the grass and racing over dusty spots of rock, Nightglare's pink eyes glowed like lanterns in the night. As she approached them, her breathing became louder and more excited, and by the time she pounced, a sharp cry of anticipation had escaped her dark lips.
The Nabato - possibly a pair of mates - spun their heads in the direction of her noise and let out bellows of alarm. Each adult was armed with a set of sharp, curved horns that would spear her if she wasn't careful. A calf was with them, protected with each parent on its flank.
One of the adult charged Nightglare while the other began galloping towards the herd with its calf at its heels. The Zith's muscled arms reached out to grab the horns of the bull as it lowered its head and kicked out its legs. The impact jolted her body, as the beast weighed far more than she.
In order to gain leverage, she beat her wings in powerful strokes, and jerked the Nabato's head up with her as she rose. The animal was stunned by the quick jerk, and he slipped from her grasp, taking a tumble into the dirt. She quickly decided that an adult was too much trouble, so the calf would have to do. Besides, it would be more than enough meat for one.
By this time, the entire herd had noticed the commotion. There were at least fifteen of them, so if she got caught in a stampede, she was dead. Tucking her body into a bullet shape, she shot forward with her arms outstretched, claws ready to seize the calf that was struggling behind its parent.
She slammed into the calf, and hissed in satisfaction as she felt its muscled back fall into her hands. The calf weighed as much as she did, so she wouldn't be able to lift it for long or for very high - just high enough to kill it.
Her wings flapped laboriously as she rose above the herd that was circling back around to attack. "Ah!" she cried as she dropped the animal, and it gave a pitiful cry as it fell back to the earth. The resulting snap of bones from the fall told her the job was done.
The adults were indeed distressed by the turn of events, but she was now out of their reach. She shrieked triumphantly, staying aloft and pointing a jagged claw at them.
"You lose again, beasts!" she shouted in Zithanese. The Nabato gathered around the fallen calf, some issuing forth low moans. She flew away, knowing the herd would mourn over the body for a brief time and then move on. Once they were gone, she could feast.
While they did this, she flew away to find a place to rest for the remainder of the night and the following day. There was a mountainous rise within the area, and she fortunately found a darkened tunnel to retreat to. From this distance she watched the herd finally relent the calf and move on. Licking her lips in anticipation, the Zith soared back outside to satisfy her bloodlust.
