As ungracious as she had been in the beginning of their meeting it seemed that Astrid knew when to withhold her temper in certain elements. Now that she had ascertained he was not there to steal her meal - then again, that would be a clever thing to do once he had her distracted - she seemed to at least put up with his company at the idea of a fresh meal for them. It wasn't that he was starving. Zaphkiel could always eat, he was still a growing boy, but there are few things as alluring as a hunt. He could see what she was made of and in turn he could use the prowess of his own body to help take down a kill. It was almost intimate, the bonding wolves could do over a shared kill, ripping into the stomach and body parts with a companionable air.
As his yellow eyes peers at her until he notes the sly smirk that seems to coil itself across her maw. Man, she is a handsome creature even with the prickly attitude of a porcupine. But no, wait! She redeems herself with her lovely prose and he bares his teeth in a wolfish grin a her, clearly delighted in her answer. She will be a fun one, he thinks, the perfect partner in adventures. "Alas, I believe you are correct in that assumption. Yet it is not only the males that divine pleasure from such intervals, if the male is of a skilled variety," he promptly replies with another rakish grin and suggestive puff of his chest, all overdone and exaggerated for her benefit of course.
"Whatever you say, Mistress," he replies smoothly, a twinkle in his eyes knowledge that he might possibly irritate her further with such a calling. Well, she couldn't have it one way or another. Zaphkiel would simply find a way around such things or use the stubborn pride that came down from his father and do it anyways.
It would be so easy to lean his shoulder into hers and knock her off balance as they wait, crouched and eying the beasts, yet it would also spoil the hunt. No doubt it would spoil her mood since she had left a perfectly good meal behind for the crows. Zaphkiel isn't a fool - Astrid looked like she'd be a vicious one if he wasted her time. He liked adventure, yes, but he wasn't spoiling for a fight with her.
Astrid growls softly and his lips peel up in response, a primal instinct that works in sync with hers, drool coating his teeth until his pink tongue runs across them and his heart slows. His whole world seems to center in on the deer, his breath soft and so quiet. The bleats of the deer and the wary eyes of the males are forgotten as he waits for Astrid to get into place. His large body shifts forward and back, rocking on huge paws while his claws seek purchase on the ground and he readies himself for the launch, for the sprint, for the fastest speeds he can reach until nothing can be heard but the shriek of the wind in his ears and the snap of his jaws around flesh.
She is a blur of speed and in moments Zaphkiel is reaching the doe now, her attention focused upon the white wolf and disregarding the black one that is now racing at her other side. As the doe turns and Astrid grabs ahold of the foreleg he continues his speed and aims for the back legs at an angle. His intent is to cut right beneath the doe and for his momentum and weight to slam into her legs and bring her down even if it means getting tangled up in the aftermath and that is exactly what he does. Zaphkiel plows into her with speeds he likens to a cheetah - since he has heard of such on his expeditions, and even as the does body rolls over his back and presses down on his hips he makes it out from under her, his body turning sideways and slinging from being knocked off balance.
Zaphkiel slides sideways, claws digging into the grass and cutting gouges into the dirt, belly pressed to the ground - she is down, now it is up to Astrid to secure her throat before she gets back up...
(for one I want to say I am SO SO SO sorry for the wait >.<)