From carefree waif to stalking huntress, Melita's focus on their mission narrowed down once they found evidence of the wolf's most recent meal and Jigano was surprised at the near-silence behind him as the humming stopped and her footfalls grew even lighter against the Leafchange loam. It seemed she was getting serious, and he shot a grateful look over his shoulder as he continued to lead their way through the woods until they found the clearing with its forlorn little house.
The pawprint was as good as a signpost, and Jigano suspected what he would find if he snuck closer to sniff at the foundations. Melita did, too, her soft voice mostly hidden by the breeze, and the fox tilted an amused ear her way in spite of the danger. Some stories surpassed the boundaries between worlds, but he didn't think this one would have such a happy ending. No little girls to rescue from the belly of a wolf that had conveniently swallowed them whole, for one. He sat back to consider the situation; the small house, Melita's weapon one of range rather than close-quarters. How good a shot was she? Would she be fast enough? Accurate enough? Questions he probably should have asked before they began the hunt, but now it was time to trust or head back, hunt unfinished.
A thought to Isuma sent the little gryphlet padding quietly forward to sit on Melita's foot, if the girl would allow it. The small feathered creature looked up, big golden eyes solemn as she physically urged the human to stay put while Jigano slunk closer to the house. The scent trail was powerful now, both fresh and layered over time, and the fox had to hold in a sneeze at the unpleasantly musky odor. It screamed danger to his vulpine senses, but he gathered himself to leap lightly to the windowsill, and then over a small table beneath the window to the floor inside.
And very nearly onto the back of the wolf as it surged up from the corner of the room, the pair colliding briefly, the fox yelping in surprise, before Jigano scrambled and retreated much faster than he had entered, the slavering hunter behind him.
The grey fox flung himself from the window like a stone from a sling, a slim bullet of swift motion as the wolf leaped over the table and through the window, his once-massive frame now looking emaciated and his yellow eyes cunning and mad with sickness and an unnerving intelligence as he followed Jigano with a snarl, fangs snapping shut on the very tip of the fox's tail and getting a handful of hairs for his trouble.
The pawprint was as good as a signpost, and Jigano suspected what he would find if he snuck closer to sniff at the foundations. Melita did, too, her soft voice mostly hidden by the breeze, and the fox tilted an amused ear her way in spite of the danger. Some stories surpassed the boundaries between worlds, but he didn't think this one would have such a happy ending. No little girls to rescue from the belly of a wolf that had conveniently swallowed them whole, for one. He sat back to consider the situation; the small house, Melita's weapon one of range rather than close-quarters. How good a shot was she? Would she be fast enough? Accurate enough? Questions he probably should have asked before they began the hunt, but now it was time to trust or head back, hunt unfinished.
A thought to Isuma sent the little gryphlet padding quietly forward to sit on Melita's foot, if the girl would allow it. The small feathered creature looked up, big golden eyes solemn as she physically urged the human to stay put while Jigano slunk closer to the house. The scent trail was powerful now, both fresh and layered over time, and the fox had to hold in a sneeze at the unpleasantly musky odor. It screamed danger to his vulpine senses, but he gathered himself to leap lightly to the windowsill, and then over a small table beneath the window to the floor inside.
And very nearly onto the back of the wolf as it surged up from the corner of the room, the pair colliding briefly, the fox yelping in surprise, before Jigano scrambled and retreated much faster than he had entered, the slavering hunter behind him.
The grey fox flung himself from the window like a stone from a sling, a slim bullet of swift motion as the wolf leaped over the table and through the window, his once-massive frame now looking emaciated and his yellow eyes cunning and mad with sickness and an unnerving intelligence as he followed Jigano with a snarl, fangs snapping shut on the very tip of the fox's tail and getting a handful of hairs for his trouble.
