Pegasus was nice. It seemed like it always would be, even if it did make Yvan miss the ever-present crashing of waves in Leo, the wet air and cliffs to scale were his home. This wasn't. He didn't know anything of this cave other than how much activity circulated within it, flowing like blood to and from Draco. He didn't need to follow them any time soon, and so he didn't, staying with Ryoto in his little corner of the cave.

Of course, he wasn't entirely idle. A Yvan had to eat. But he was also curious, heartstrings pulling at some unknown that Ryoto wouldn't entirely approve of. No, he had to hunt on his lonesome this time. Lifting his head to the air and casting out his senses, Yvan felt his own heartbeat amplified in his ears as he searched.

This method typically worked, but there were so many beings grouped together that it made his breath stop for a moment, temporarily overwhelmed. Okay, breathe out. Shuddering, Yvan focused on the more fast-paced of heartbeats, opening his eyes to trail through the undergrowth and plod onward.

Perhaps it'd be best to think over his little plan of his. He'd been stretching out into his magic more often recently; Ryoto had felt the brunt of it, particularly with trying to align himself with her thoughts, but all he tended to get was either a comforting warmth or a spike of anxiety when he reached in. It worked on Lessers too, but they'd always followed a different fear than the one Yvan caused when he worried Ryoto.

Of course, there was more to know. He'd never felt lots of things, and some twisted need in his gut told him that he had to try reaching into something different, something smaller. For that, he'd need something that wouldn't flee. That's why he didn't want Ryoto with him— this was probably some form of torture, and he wouldn't be doing it if he didn't have that itch inside him to know.

As he traced the heartbeat to its source, Yvan continued on that strong of magic flowing from him, coalescing it in his mouth as something paralytic but ultimately not deadly. Something to hold his prey in place, something to let him feel what they felt. Lifting fingers to his mouth, he let the mustering saliva drool onto one set of claws. If he'd just get into their bloodstream...

It felt cruel, yes, but he was curious all the same. How would it feel? How else would he know what it's like..?

Slow, careful steps took Yvan to his prey, its jackhammer heartbeat a constant thrum, louder as he approached. It hadn't noticed him yet; he was just close enough to reach with his magic, aligning himself with it to truly feel it.

Hunger. Attention. The need to flinch at a stiff breeze, straining and listening and— alarm shot through him when its gaze landed on him. Now that he was closer, he could see it clearly enough to tell that it was a sort of rabbit up in the tree, six limbs clinging and ready to bolt.

If he moved now, he knew he'd scare it off. If he moved, he'd lose this opportunity. Tensing his wings and lowering his body slowly, Yvan didn't break eye contact in case it did decide to run. And if it did, he could just give chase. He's big enough. It wouldn't even stand a chance.

A single breath, a single shot. Yvan drew all of his magic inward, all except the single line tracing back to the rabbit, that feedback of living anxiety fueling his hunt. He was waiting for himself to take the leap.

He'd held his breath for too long. He'd waited too long. When he moved a little too much, the rabbit started off, clambering further along the branch with a jolt that sent him flying improperly upward, surging forward and hitting his lower shoulders against wood. His yelp (or its?) when he'd grabbed its back and buried his nails into it was loud in his ears. "Shit!" He had a hold on it, but just barely, gripping it with all his might as he slipped from the tree.

Yvan slammed down into the leaf litter, hitting his wings with a pained groan. His back..! He'd still kept his claws buried into the rabbit's own, holding it with one hand around its neck as it scraped at his sternum. 'Come on, go to sleep..!' Yvan hissed as he twisted to pin the thing down, to hold it there and feel the panic slowly slide out of him as the rabbit's senses and his magic dulled.

The spell didn't last long enough. "Damn it!" Growling into the air as his tail lashed, Yvan shoved the rabbit once and sat up away from it, panting from the aftershock of panic that'd flooded through him moments before. Of course the rabbit wouldn't feel anything while it was paralyzed. It probably passed out from shock knowing his luck, leaving him with prey that he really could've just killed instead of this.

Ryoto's imagined voice in his head was right; this was cruel. Baring his teeth, Yvan stooped his shoulders and bit down at the back of its neck, snapping away the spine and coming away with the awful texture of rabbit fur in his mouth. The venom shouldn't be bad to eat, right? He really didn't think this through enough. How does someone get rid of venom? He'll just get something for Ryoto to eat instead of this.

Yvan grimaced as he pushed himself to standing, lugging the rabbit up by its back and promptly slinging it to rest between his wings. He's not gonna try that again. Better to just let the idea of experiencing death remain that; an idea. What if he found out it wasn't as bad as he thought it was? That's scary.

No, he had to focus on food for Ryoto first. Better not think about mortality or anything anymore.

- exit