A circling hawk let out a shrill cry overhead, and she tipped her head back, lifting a hand to shade her eyes from the glare of the sun. It was midday, and her favorite time of year— spring. Shale watched the bird of prey for several moments until it finally disappeared, flying beyond the high fir trees and out of sight. As always, she never heard her blood sister approach. Kale, like herself, was too good a hunter for that. She knew that Kale was nearby though, she could sense her. Going with her gut instinct, Shale looked to her right, and sure enough, Kale stepped out of the forest and into the meadow, giving her a swift nod in greeting. It was like looking at her own reflection, and Shale understood why people mistook them for each other. They were identical— sharp chiselled features, pale blue eyes, long dark hair, tall. But close up, she and her twin sister did have slight differences. Kale had a small scar above her right eye, while Shale had a larger, diagonal scar across the base of her throat.
