The snow was hard and crisp in the mid-afternoon light that filtered through thin clouds. Jigano's dainty paws could cross it without leaving more than the ghost of a pawprint, and Isuma was so small and light even her playful bounding hardly impacted the sturdy crust that lay on top of the snow banks. Thankfully the snow wasn't as deep in among the trees as it was out in the fields, which made hunting both easier in some ways, and harder in others.
Nose down, he followed a trail through the trees, while the little gryphlet chased his fluffy tail, pouncing at it - and usually missing - as she scampered to keep up. There was a rabbit that had passed this way recently, nibbling on the bark of peppermint trees. It was, perhaps, only minutes ahead of them and would make a good meal for them both, and he turned around to catch Isuma on his nose in the middle of her leap. She squeaked happily as she slid from his face, and he shook his head to settle his fur as he looked fondly down at her. He gave her back a lick to settle her, trying to impress on the young creature that they were hunting now and needed to be quiet. She looked up at him with bright yellow eyes from her owl face, covered in fluffy downy feathers of white and powdered blue, merging with fur in pale greys and white, and tilted her head to the side in a gesture reminiscent of his own.
He couldn't laugh in foxform, but his jaws opened and his tongue lolled out in amusement. He was on the tall side for a fox, leggy and lean, but instead of red his fur was pure white, and his eyes were a piercing blue. Turning, he began to move again, this time with greater stealth and swiftness as his companion bounded in his wake, no longer playing - even if not as silent as her friend.
The rabbit was in sight - just across the path that had been worn through the snow from all the people coming and going to the glade - and Jigano was trying to decide how to cross the last barrier between him and lunch when the crunching of quiet footsteps in the snow sent ears up from both predator and prey. Someone was approaching from the direction of the settlement - and the rabbit didn't want to stick around to see who it was. Its nose twitched once and then it took off in a burst of speed, away from path and fox both.
The white fox didn't sigh, but he straightened from his crouch and rose to a sitting position beside the path as Isuma snuggled up against his side, sensing his resignation at the loss of the meal. They might as well see who it was, he thought ruefully. If they were lucky it would be one of his friends. And if not... well, the gryphlet was still small enough that he could carry her in his mouth and disappear into the trees before whoever it was got a good look at them.
Seiji
Nose down, he followed a trail through the trees, while the little gryphlet chased his fluffy tail, pouncing at it - and usually missing - as she scampered to keep up. There was a rabbit that had passed this way recently, nibbling on the bark of peppermint trees. It was, perhaps, only minutes ahead of them and would make a good meal for them both, and he turned around to catch Isuma on his nose in the middle of her leap. She squeaked happily as she slid from his face, and he shook his head to settle his fur as he looked fondly down at her. He gave her back a lick to settle her, trying to impress on the young creature that they were hunting now and needed to be quiet. She looked up at him with bright yellow eyes from her owl face, covered in fluffy downy feathers of white and powdered blue, merging with fur in pale greys and white, and tilted her head to the side in a gesture reminiscent of his own.
He couldn't laugh in foxform, but his jaws opened and his tongue lolled out in amusement. He was on the tall side for a fox, leggy and lean, but instead of red his fur was pure white, and his eyes were a piercing blue. Turning, he began to move again, this time with greater stealth and swiftness as his companion bounded in his wake, no longer playing - even if not as silent as her friend.
The rabbit was in sight - just across the path that had been worn through the snow from all the people coming and going to the glade - and Jigano was trying to decide how to cross the last barrier between him and lunch when the crunching of quiet footsteps in the snow sent ears up from both predator and prey. Someone was approaching from the direction of the settlement - and the rabbit didn't want to stick around to see who it was. Its nose twitched once and then it took off in a burst of speed, away from path and fox both.
The white fox didn't sigh, but he straightened from his crouch and rose to a sitting position beside the path as Isuma snuggled up against his side, sensing his resignation at the loss of the meal. They might as well see who it was, he thought ruefully. If they were lucky it would be one of his friends. And if not... well, the gryphlet was still small enough that he could carry her in his mouth and disappear into the trees before whoever it was got a good look at them.
