Blizzard sighed.

Today was the day she was meant to go on her Huntmaster task and prove herself worthy, bringing back a kill for the tribe and her first trophy. Yet nothing seemed to be running this particularly dry morning. MOst things seemed to have scurried off or flown back to there nests though she hadn't yet scented why. Perhaps Forest of Endless Hunting didn't want her to become a Huntmaster on this day?

No that was foolish thinking.

Shaking her head, Blizzard took a deep breath and pressed herself low to the rocky mountain ground. Parting her mouth she let the wind waft scents over her pallet, eyes shut, ears swiveling and alert. Letting herself practically sink into the rock, the she cat curled her tail around her and waited, testing the air and the sounds around her. The cats of High Mountain were good with patience, it was the basis they built their entire hunting and battle strategy on. She couldn't allow herself to fall apart now just because she wanted to return home with a mouth full and several trophies. 'No, get your head in the game Blizzard.' she mentally reprimanded herself and focused.

As she slowly crept forward, something hit her senses. It was dead, long dead, but that wasn't all that she scented. A familiar aviary creature, she could hear its guttural caws and talons scraping against bone and rock as it fought with another of its kind. Large bird that feasted on the dead, its colors and feathering making it look as if it had streaks of jet black fur growing from its beady eyes down its beak. Vultures they had called them. Normally they posed no issue, simply cleaning the mountains of things the tribe did not get too, but this time.... well, it was her prey.

Grinning, she crept slowly, moving to stay downwind, watching as they pecked at the slowly decaying body of an elder goat, felled no doubt by both age and another predator, possibly one of the larger cats that stalked the mountain tops sometimes. That, she didn't care, what little was left of the ram had probably gone bad by now, hence the presence of the squabbling birds. Blizzard paused, waiting behind a rocky outcrop, waiting. She watched them hop about, flaring at each other, fighting for the last pickings of bones. Their talons clashed with each other, beaks bashing against each other until finally the smaller of the two gave up, retreating back to a distant tree, leaving the fat one to finish gorging.

'Perfect.' she thought to herself, creeping along the rocks yet again until she was upon a higher outcropping, peering down at the bird. Each pawstep was slow, methodical, calculated and above all... finally patient. Her breathing was slowed, tail still, eyes dilated and focused. Her ears may have flicked to another sound near by but her sight was fixated on the bird as she reached the edge of the rock. Kneading her paws, she waited until it lowered its head back into the carcass before pouncing. The usual tactics for a flying creature wouldn't quite work so she had to go with the element of surprise.

Landing on its back with a screech, she sunk her fangs into its neck though as it startled, she slid to the side, gouging her claws down its wing and half its breast. Quickly she twisted herself to try and stay away from its talons as it flailed, feathers and fur and blood flinging everywhere, but she didn't let go. As it tried to free itself, claw and peck at her, she found her body quickly becoming sore and aching but any chance she could, she clamped down harder and tore her claws into whatever bit of breast or flesh she could find. Its wings battered her face and head but she held on, telling herself that when it was over, those wings and pretty rust feathers would make her a nice trophy and feed several of her tribemates.

The sun was high in the sky, beaming heat down upon her when the vulture finally began to give up, its movements becoming weak as its blood pooled on the ground below it. Only when it finally gave in did Blizzard let go, panting. She watched it, still tensed for several moments before she finally let herself relax, licking at her own wounds and cleaning her silvery fur. A tired purr began to rumble in the back of her throat as realization began to fully sink in. She'd feel these wounds and bruises later for sure, a trip to the Earth Speakers den was in order..... but she had done it. She had bested the winged beast, had a large meal for her tribe......and finally a trophy to call her own.

As she began to drag the bird back to the tribe, she heard the cawing of the previous vulture circling above her, eyeing her. Grinning, she flicked her long tail at it before moving back home with her prize.