His swipe missed and, worse, it seemed to give Melita only more determination to hold and tear, snarl and cling to the hunt, the kill, the prey that was rightfully his and his alone. He howled his rage to the setting sun, sinking his clawed hand into the turkey's back and holding fast as summer's daughter the blight-stricken beast across from him sank bluntly human teeth into the feathers and skin of the turkey's wing. He heaved a final, desperate gamble to regain his stolen, tainted prize and with a sickening wet ripping sound the wing and a large chunk of muscled breast pulled away into the wicked child's possession.
Blood did not so much spray, for the heart no longer beat, but it splashed from a hundred torn veins and arteries, a treasure in garnets shining upon the white silk of snow beneath them. Jigano stumbled back at the sudden lack of resistance, slamming his back into a tall, straight pine with a grunt, but he wasted no further breath upon the interloper who had nearly ruined his hunt. He tore off a handful of feathers, burying his face into the skin of the bird and ripping at it with teeth he didn't bother to shift to a fox's sharper fangs, enjoying the feel of resistance and rending that accompanied his bites as sweet, thick blood filled his mouth and he gulped down gobbets of flesh swiftly cooling in the winter evening air.
Blood did not so much spray, for the heart no longer beat, but it splashed from a hundred torn veins and arteries, a treasure in garnets shining upon the white silk of snow beneath them. Jigano stumbled back at the sudden lack of resistance, slamming his back into a tall, straight pine with a grunt, but he wasted no further breath upon the interloper who had nearly ruined his hunt. He tore off a handful of feathers, burying his face into the skin of the bird and ripping at it with teeth he didn't bother to shift to a fox's sharper fangs, enjoying the feel of resistance and rending that accompanied his bites as sweet, thick blood filled his mouth and he gulped down gobbets of flesh swiftly cooling in the winter evening air.
