Hopping through the last of the trees, Branna's nose began twitching furiously as she came out upon a beautifully manicured garden, the solitary mansion looming ominously in the background, Strangely colorless next to the bright flora. She momentarily rubbed her paws over her face as she observed the sweeping lawns, the tables set so carefully in the shade of the flowering trees, the dogs sprawled comfortably in the grass with their pink tongues lolling... The hunting party must have only recently returned. Indeed, there seemed to be several guests still astride their mounts, laughing merrily as they fanned faces or delicately mopped at sweaty brows with silken handkerchiefs. She watched them all with growing excitement.

Two men stood apart from the rest, admiring the architecture of the estate manor from the backs of their own horses, one slender and tall with a halo of dark locks, The other a heavy set gentleman that seemed to be reaching a ripe old age. This latter cast his gaze around the garden, Seeming to be studying the multitude of plant life, Before he suddenly stiffened, Staring directly at her. She stared in return, long ears twitching, and studied his posture, his expression. Could this be the new Lord she had HeardWord of? ...No, He didn't carry himself as one just come into an inheritance. But his companion, as he turned his mount around at something the older gentleman said, his face held the pride she would expect to see on the face of a man who had just tasted freedom. He also stared at her, but his expression did not hold The same awe she saw on the other's face. He looked skeptical.

The men conversed quietly with one another and Branna found herself taking a step forward, Straining to catch their words. But to no avail, Their words didn't carry to her, But whatever had been said had the younger man grinning. He lifted his voice in a call for the dogs, The hounds leaping to their feet with eager obedience and bays of excitement. It had her heart leaping within her chest, Her muscles tensing with anticipation of the Chase. As he he heeled his gelding forward in her direction, she dug her claws into the ground, twisting back towards the forest and leaping into the cover of the trees, ready for the hunt.

Flying over the forest floor, Branna thrilled over the stretch and bunch of her muscles, The rapid tattoo of her heart within her chest, The feeling of the air as it washed over her body, and the pure joy of the speed of her run. If she could have laughed while in this body, she would have gaily allowed her happiness to escape her in peals of mirth. Instead, she found that she had to be creative in releasing the excess energy, bounding around trunks of trees, Diving through clusters of bushes, And taking every opportunity she could to tease The hunters. Several meters into the forest now, she spotted a half collapsed tree that was leaning against its neighbors, Darting beneath it's rotting wood and turning sharply to the left, diving within the cover of a blackberry bush. Skidding to a stop, she lifted her ears as she listened to the howling of the dogs and the pound of hooves as their master followed closely behind, his voice mingling with the cries with whoops of encouragement. She stood, quivering with the heaving of her breath and the twitching of her nose, until one of the dogs came crashing through the bush in pursuit of her. She twisted nimbly away from his snapping ivory teeth, darting beneath his squirming body in the direction she had just come from. Kicking down with her back legs, she leapt over the second hound on the other side of the bush, Confusing the poor creature to no end as this resulted in his collision with his companion, the canines yelping with surprise as they became tangled within the branches of the bush she had just fled.

Speeding away from the struggling beagles, the black hare seemed to consider her actions before she suddenly turned in the direction of the approaching horse and his rider, Gaining momentum as she raced across the open ground. At the last possible moment, she tensed The muscles in her legs, pushing away from the ground in a powerful jump that sent her arcing high into the air, she had timed her leap so at the pinnacle of her arch, She crossed over the exact point between the man and his gelding's neck, claws scraping the leather of his saddle. For the briefest of instances, she was able to turn her head just enough to catch a glimpse of the man's face, His piercing blue gaze, And then she was falling to the other side of the horse, Landing with a soft huff as the air was pushed out of Herlungs. Without a backwards glance, Branna sped onward into the forest, heading into the direction where she could smell the sweet scent of a spring fed pond, Thoughts lingering on the Lord of the estate, The blue of his eyes...

[i]Yes![/i] She thought gleefully as she ran. [i] this is quite definitely [b]fun[/b][/i]