He'd been hanging back to watch, but when he realized the danger - too late, he was going to be too late! - he leaped into action, shaking Isuma off his back with a twist in spite of her squawk of protest. As a fox he streaked across the ground, as a growl echoed through the earth and the fanged rabbit dodged aside, but it was a raven that flapped faster still over Amalia's spotted head, meeting the territorial wolverine as it lunged from its den with splayed talons that raked at its eyes.
He didn't do any real damage, but the heavyset beast was distracted from the snow leopard, its charge aborted as it twisted to rake thick claws up at the white bird that had scratched its face. Jigano cawed derisively down as it narrowly missed his tailfeathers - and he sent out a mental call for two more birds, wicked blue jays, to fly by and taunt the beast.
Amalia was left unhindered in her hunt for the rabbit, which hadn't paused to see how its trap had fared. It zigged and zagged around trees, intent on putting as much distance as possible between itself and its huntress.
But as the chase wore on its magnificent speed grew slower. It was built for the sprint, not the marathon, and Amalia might find it easier to catch up to now.
He didn't do any real damage, but the heavyset beast was distracted from the snow leopard, its charge aborted as it twisted to rake thick claws up at the white bird that had scratched its face. Jigano cawed derisively down as it narrowly missed his tailfeathers - and he sent out a mental call for two more birds, wicked blue jays, to fly by and taunt the beast.
But as the chase wore on its magnificent speed grew slower. It was built for the sprint, not the marathon, and Amalia might find it easier to catch up to now.
