::Bad Moon Rising:: -- Open Meadow

The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow about the woods and meadows in cascade mountains. Verda had needed to get away from the heart of the town, out into the woods, and Jarek and Cassidy she had made stay behind. She needed time to get things sorted out for herself, to determine a course of action, and how to set it into play once it had been decided upon. So she’d walked out to the meadow, had found a hidden dip in the land, and undressed, then shifted forms quickly. For most, the shift could be painful. If they weren’t dominant enough, some couldn’t even shift on their own so far from the Full Moon. Verda was an alpha though, and the shift came easily, painlessly and quickly to her. Her black coat shaken out, she stepped out of the little hidden dip in the land, and surveyed her surroundings with new eyes. Her stomach rumbled, and she huffed softly, turning to nip at her flank impatiently. She’d hunt this night, and fill her empty belly.

A couple hours had passed since her change. Darkness had fallen, and nocturnal animals were out and about. Verda had attempted a kill a couple times, but been unsuccessful. This time, she wasn’t going to screw up. She had a deer in her sights, and she was slowly, oh so slowly, closing the distance between herself and her next meal. Fortunately, luck was with her, the wind was pulling the deer’s scent toward her, and unknowingly, the animal was moving slowly toward Verda… When she was close enough, Verda launched the attack. It didn’t take long to bring the animal down. It was old, and slower than it had been in past years… weaker too. She got a good clamp around the poor beast’s throat, and let her body weight drag the animal to it’s knees. She was merciful in the kill, snapping the animal’s neck quickly, and ripping out its throat with a soft, satisfied snarl. She didn’t hesitate about ripping into the deer’s tender spots either. Ripping away fur, hide, and tendons as she sought out the tender, red hot meat of the animal’s belly. All the while she kept an ear out for approaching adversaries, ready to defend her kill if someone happened across her, and decided they wanted it for themselves.