What a wicked game
Saba could feel the crisp water hit the bottom of her stomach and the unpleasantness of it made her pause in her drinking. So maybe it wouldn’t make her hunger seem less relevant after all, but as long as she was going to be underfed, the least she could do was keep plenty hydrated.
In her short break from lapping at the water, something- someone- made a commotion over ground and through bushes. Had they seen her and bolted? She was quite alright with that. Saba could appreciate the fellow desire to avoid others, even if their escape had been considerably dramatic in her opinion.
She helped herself to another drink and then clambered back up the slope, swiping droplets from her lips with her tongue. She didn’t curve her petite body along the same way she’d come- she didn’t have any reason to. Lingering here was not ideal either because the stranger’s scent still hung nearby, despite their hasty exit.
So she sauntered on, following the water’s edge until the bushes became larger and guided her to weave between them and trunks of trees instead. Saba paused mid stride to catch the growled words that came from somewhere much closer than she’d expected. She let her front paw continue the rest of the way to ground her before she faced the voice, one brow raising higher the further she turned her head. She wasn’t sure how she’d missed him before, crouched low in the brush with his tail curled and hackles blazing. He was obviously very protective of something just out of view. Her stomach gave a squeeze when she considered that it might be his dinner he was guarding.
"Unless it’s a more substantial meal than a rodent, I’m not interested in what you’ve got. No need to get your tail in a twist.” Saba said plainly, nonchalantly. One brow was still arched as she studied him.
Saba