Jeepers Creepers: What is this feeling?

Chapter 4: A Peaceful Stroll(rewritten)

Yup, this chapter is getting a complete makeover as well! For the old material here, I still have it saved elsewhere in case I want to reuse it somewhere else within this story. For now, enjoy this new chapter! 

With centuries of practice and grace, Corbin lands in the forest clearing toes first before placing both feet onto the ground. The grass bends away from her, with dust and fallen leaves swirling into the air from the last few beats of her black wings. The unusual woman takes a moment to admire how the airborne leaves swirl elegantly into the air as the forest comes to life from the arrival of its new visitor. Birds chirp in surprise as large blackbirds 10 times their size start dotting the landscape, their croaking drowning out the usual bird song. Squirrels scramble through the leaves and twigs to retreat into their homes, recognizing the foreign being as a predator, which causes other lizards and snakes to scramble away as well. All the while, Corbin listens to the bustling life all around her before she strolls into the treelines.

The unusual woman takes in her surroundings, looking to the treetops where the sunlight peeks through in broken fragments to provide just enough light to see where she's going and giving her more than enough shade. A breeze brushes past her, carrying the scent of the fertile earth, wet grass, and freshly bloomed flowers. Corbin gives a slight smile when she picks up the familiar scent of moss and fish. She continues in the direction of the smell, keeping her ears open for the first sounds of running water. Corbin briefly pauses in her journey when spotting a wild huckleberry bush that looked similar to a blueberry bush. 

When she tried a berry, she found it to be very much like the fruit it resembles. After eating a handful and handing some to her ravens, she takes out her bandana to use as a small bag to save some more for later. She pops another berry into her mouth as she reminisces about springs long since passed, where she and her cousin Elophia would be picking berries for extra food while Hedji supervises. As usual, when she thinks of her former tribe, a sense of melancholy accompanies each memory she has of them, of the home she left behind. 

'Did I ever cross their minds?'

The inhuman woman wasn't so sure if any of her tribe would want to remember her in any way, not after what she put them through. What she put Lavinia through... Luckily, before the usual despair could completely sink its dark tendrils into her mind, effectively anchoring her mood down for the rest of the day and possibly the day after, she picks up the sound of some new song she heard with Darry recently.

"C'mon, c'mon, yeah, c'mon, yeah (uh oooh, uh oh oh oh)

If the party's where you're at just let me know"

Right behind some branches, there sat on the docks a middle-aged man with a thick trimmed brown beard with a fishing pole in hand; on his left, there was a mini cooler with a portable radio on top of it. Corbin tilts her head back as she inhales the air; the man isn't alone but another scent is just starting to fade, so his friend must've been gone for a while now. Despite having eaten two bodies a few hours ago, she could still feel that ever-present hunger gnawing at the edge of her stomach; however, it isn't so bad that she feels ravenously starving as she was the other day. On the other hand, she has her "mate" to consider and not because she actually cares for him in any way. No, he won't be pleased that she went out hunting on her own and not with him, despite being offered the chance.  Maybe a peace offering would be enough to get him off her back and leave her to wait out the days, then again, why should she care? It's not like she'll be going into hibernation with him once the 23 days are up, wait...

Maybe she can't do anything directly to kill him, thus calling off their agreement/truce, but that doesn't mean she can't make it so she can't guide others to do so. It's going to be a long haul and with many casualties, no doubt, but in a war, it's inevitable that there will be spilled blood. Corbin looks back at the fisherman, no longer a potential meal, but a piece of a larger puzzle; not only as of the first breadcrumb for a trail but a way to be within the enemy's good graces for now.