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She sniffed at her meal and turned away, licking the bright blood from her veins and delicately cleaning her foreleg. Arterial spray. Delicious, but horribly messy. She caught the scents of other creatures in the area with an attentive sniff (mmm, delicious scents that almost screamed that they were prey) and then tilted her head, surprised to have caught the scent of another soquili on her "hunting grounds."

She stepped towards the scent, stalking it quietly, recognizing it as one she had smelled before- long ago. Odette, her name had been? Ah, who knew. She remembered only that the prey screamed for her as she'd broken her leg.

She paused, considering. Why would the feather-winged freak have come onto her territory. And sated, did she really with to hunt her? She licked her lips, shifting as the blood started drying to her leathery skin.

Another smell hit her nose not long after the feather-freak's scent faded and her eyes narrowed, a feral noise springing to her throat. This was a masculine scent, unfamiliar. From upwind of her, why she hadn't caught it sooner. How careless.

She sought the form with her eyes, teeth baring in a snarl at the familiar bat wings of her kind. She calmed herself just as quickly as she'd angered, staring at him with icy eyes that would let him know she noticed him.

But Zulimar... she was a queen in her own mind. Superior to others- not inclined to make the first move in a potentially volatile situation (unless she was very hungry, she interjected mentally).

So she let out a small noise, a summoning noise, letting the intruder into her territory know that he would be permitted to approach if he desired. And still she watched him with her chill eyes.

She watched him approach, head tilting slightly to the side. She eyed him more like an object than a living being. From the way he approached- he looked almost hesitant, yet his mingled obedience and defiance amused her. "It is odd to have another in my territory." she flicked her tail, looking him over. His half-breed tail almost made her lip curl- but not so fast, for she knew of many who were of well-bred lines who had tails like Others.

Everything else was acceptable, outwardly. inwardly he was a bit hesitant for her tastes. He bore markings like flame and steam, same as her 'companion', Valarauco. Perhaps a cousin, a brother, or... a son? Her lip did curl this time, an amusement gleaming deep within her eyes.

She watched him for a moment before she laughed at him. The tone was rich, mocking. "Well-said, little half-breed." she mocked him with her bland voice, surely. "I wouldn't have known from looking at you that you weren't pure. Suspicions, yes, but your annoyance betrayed you." she made a small noise, another chuckle.

"But you are correct." she decided after a long moment. "It means nothing to me that you left a place that I know little about. I am impressed you left such a weak-willed father; almost as surprised as I am that your mother was a skinwalker. Poor child, she should have eaten you when you were born." she looked genuinely sympathetic. And then her eyes narrowed coyly. "I know some of my kind who take in poor little orphans like you and teach them to be 'real' kalona. Unfortunately, I am not one of those who believes it is possible."

She smirked. "Once a halfblood, always a halfblood. Good company, certainly, but never enough for a mate except among the lesser races or among those with.... tolerance.... for your heritage. IO believe you could be strong, yes, and embrace what was torn from you by your parents.... poor... choices. But you'll never be more than what you are. Not really."

She danced out of his way, laughing softly. "And I killed my siblings the day I was born." she sneered at him as he shot past. "If only my father had survived, he may have been able to stop my mother from saying 'The winner gets the ultimate prize. Her life.' But ah, he was long dead, used to feed my mother during the winter months when she was hungry, and thick with child."

She sounded wistful. "I killed my brother first, with the help of my sister. My herd was very matriarchal." she stepped around him, snapping her tail with cracking noises as she moved in a circle around him. "We broke his neck, and then fought each other. We could barely wobble on our little legs. but three foals... unheard of! And two females... not possible. Only one female could rule, and one would inherit. And stallions are- were- useless anyways, outnumbering us due to our own silly habit."

Maybe it wasn't only his race that made her look down on him. Maybe she was... sexist? She brushed the thought away. "I really only think I won because we were both so spindly-legged... but I figured out how to use my wings first." she paused, looking fondly at the stallion as if seeing someone else. "Ah, how you make me reminisce. Shall we fight then, little stallion?"

Sharp eyes caught his wince and filed it away. Well, if the wee little stallion needed a fight, she'd give it to him. She felt her blood heat with the joyful pulse of battle. Besides, it would be a good opportunity to test whjat this halfbreed son of a skinwalker was capable of. Would he have inherited his mother's lust for blood? Would he tear her to shreds with his rage and the raw power of his heritage?

She bared her sharp teeth at him, eyes narrowing deceptively. Let him think she was truly going to fight. Let him think it was real, this game of hers.

She let him curve around her, dodged enough so that the flesh he got between his teeth was easily torn by her head jerk. Her eyes fluttered briefly as her flesh tore under his teeth as she jerked her head away from him. She shied to the side, bashed her horned head towards his wounded wing.

Damage him. Let him realize his danger.

She knew the moment he was going for the back of her neck. She couldn't stop him- oh no, it was too late for that. So instead, she helped him. She bucked her heavy body, wings flaring out as she slammed her head backwards, aiming to hit him in the mouth with her thick neck. Unless he got a good grip- and he may, he knew- the stallion wouldn't do enough damage there to stop her, and he would be pulling himself into a vulnerable position.

She couldn't stop the gleeful laugh that spilled from her throat- pleasure and insanity mingling like bile to spill into the air. His flames made her pull her lips back from her bloody teeth, displeased at the heat of them but not alarmed. She had no desire to go for the kill.

Yet.

She slid away from him when he let her go to laugh, chilly eyes watching him, tail flicking as though she weren't bleeding, watching him thoughtfully. As her blood dripped over her shoulder she arched her neck to lick up her own blood.

Her own life.

"They say I am insane." she said finally, voice conversational; still thick with disdain, but it wasn't anything personal now. "I am not the only one, I see." she smirked at him. "Tell me then, halfblood. Was your father pure of his lineage?" She seemed to be expectant. Honesty was part of those expectations- deception was not tolerated when it came to this mare and bloodlines.