Sanguine Cove shards of graphite in my hair

Random Event: Magg, there are signs of a bobcat having been here recently; they might still be around. All welcome to any pack wolves! Magg has been raked across the face and will likely sustain other injuries as well.

She'd meant to be practicing her tracking, thinking maybe hunting was a good niche for her to pursue. The scat she'd found, however, had smelled far too much like that gnarly scent that had clung to Aleister when he'd stumbled home all hurt. The kind of hurt that never got better until he was dead. Magg gagged and backed up, wanting nothing at all to do with such a stench, but-

It was too late. The rival predator had been aware of her for far longer, carefully and quietly scaling the cliffside to gain the higher ground. When it recognized her youth, it made up its mind. This was it's chance to eliminate a threat before it could get any stronger. It's muscles coiled and calibrated, sharp eyes watching the pup's every move and then it leapt, soundlessly.

Magg only happened to look up in time to see the animal seconds before it struck her. They both were sent tumbling, and her entire world was a blur. All she could hear was it's screeching yowls and the tear of her fur as it came loose in chunks. Her face burned and something red was in her eyes but despite the chaos of the moment her own instincts kicked in. With bellowing snarls she fought back, jaws snapping and shaking and ripping.

Not even half a year old, she was locked into her first deathmatch.

(This post was last modified: Oct 12, 2022, 08:37 AM by Magg.)

Stella had been on her way toward their borders, as she often found herself wandering these days.
That was when she heard the sounds of struggle. An angry caterwauling and... someone snarling. Horrible, desperate sounds. Her mind began to wheel at the possibility that the dangers that had claimed her father had returned to haunt them again.

No.

She set off toward the source of the noises, heart racing and legs burning as she tore over the ground. They weren't far, but every second it took her to reach them felt like an eternity. As she went she let out a call, hoping someone else might hear and come to aid. "Help, please!"

As Stella rounded a large boulder, she saw Magg there just ahead, locked tooth and claw with an angry cat. There was blood. She couldn't tell whose it was, but the vivid red was bright in her field of vision, threatening to color everything.

No!

"Magg!" Hackles raised, Stella launched herself toward the fray, lips curled into a snarl that exposed her own canines. Her only thought was to get the awful creature and its razor-sharp claws away from Magg. Away from her family. Rage filled the yearling girl at the beast before her, that it would dare come to the cove, to hurt Magg, dare to try and cause them any further harm. Wasn't enough enough? She'd never been able to do anything about it before, when Al was hurt, but here and now, she was the only one here to help. Her jaws sought the back of the creature's neck, trying desperately to pull it and its attention away from its current prey and break apart the pitched struggle between bobcat and pup.

(This post was last modified: Oct 12, 2022, 02:16 PM by Stella.)

To say the inky boy was bored was an understatement. He had been wandering around the cove without any real direction. He contemplated finding one of his sisters or agemates. He decided that he would wander around until one of their scents came across his path. Magg's scent eventually filled his nostrils followed by that of a feline. His curiosity peaked and he began to follow her, thats when horrible sounds reached his dark ears.

Before he realized he was off, sprinting as fast as he could. Stella's voice reached him calling for help and panic rose further in his small body. Soon the gnarly scene came into full view. Flashes of browns, blacks and cream blurred together. The stench of blood filled the air as fur flew. A growl rose from deep within his chest that turned into a snarl as he launched himself into the fray. He wanted to protect his family with every fiber of his being. Somehow the boy knew he was no match for the bobcat just yet so he lunged with the goal of dragging Magg out of harms way.

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

Stella's voice rang through the cove and the ebony woman heart lurched. She had no idea what was going on but it didnt matter. She took of as fast as her elderly limbs would carry her. The smell of blood reached her first, then the sounds of snarls and fighting and finally the gut-wrenching sight. Mercury orbs fell on the forms of her beloved grandchildren, Stella, Magg, and Matos all in fray with a bobcat. Without a second thought the Eastfall matriarch lunged for the feline, she was not going to allow it to take anyone else from them. Her salt and pepper maw parted hoping to gain any purchase on the invading cat.

Word Count: 114

Everything stung and burned and the cold wet of the grass antagonized rather than helped. Just as she began to comprehend that she was losing this fight, others came to her rescue. When Stella struck out the feral feline released the child to round on the attacked yearling. It hissed and screamed, determined to come out of the situation alive. Magg rolled and tossed at the air for a few seconds more before she realized the animal was no longer after her.

Pain defined every nerve ending beneath her skin, and all at once she was overwhelmed. Now that she had the chance to cry she did so loudly, tears pouring from her eyes and sobs making hiccups of every breath she tried to take. What little she could see through her right eye was drawn to the blood that coated her fur, and she'd never known so much hurt or fright. Matos' scent nor form were recognized when he started pulling at her, and for a split second she thought the bobcat was upon her once more.

Magg screeched in fear and slapped Matos as hard as she could.

(This post was last modified: Dec 11, 2022, 05:39 AM by Magg.)

Dust rose around them as they scrabbled and struggled. Moments felt too long. The wildcat turned on her, letting go of Magg as it did so.

Good, Stella's thoughts had reduced to the barest firing of instinct and intention as she acted. Fight, get this beast away from the girl, end this thing. The bobcat's snarls and screams were horrible in her ears but barely registered with her adrenaline and frantic thoughts. She barely felt the sting as it swept out at her, claws raking her ear. Then she realized they were not alone.

Two shadows joined the fray. One was large and one small, both beloved and familiar as Matos appeared in the corner of her vision, and Moonshadow lunged for the cat beside her. Stella took this as a sign to redouble her efforts, she would be damned if this thing hurt her kin.

Their foe was right to scream in fear for its own survival. It had made a grave mistake in attacking a member of the Cove today. If she had anything to say about it, the cat would not escape to repeat such mistakes.

The adrenaline rose in the young boy as he launched himself towards the fight. His ultimate goal was to drag his sister away from danger. From there he wasn't sure what he was going to do. Inky jaws parted and found some purchase. Fur filled his maw as he tugged backwards. A screech filled his ears as a paw connected with his face, but he refused to let go. There was no sting as if sharp feline claws had gotten him, only a dull pain from a blunt scrape. Dual colored eyes finally were able to focus on the mass of brown fur betwixt his maw. Realizing it was his littermate he pulled even harder, determined to get her to safety...even if she fought him along the way.

I think I need help, cuz I'm drowning in myself

Without thinking of her own safety, the Eastfall matriarch threw herself into the fray, hoping to latch onto the cat. It wasn't her jaws that found their mark, but instead it was her body. Her large form collided with the feline sending it flying as her maw finally grabbed hold. She bit as hard as she could in hopes to draw the bobcat's attention to her and away from the children. The metallic taste filled her mouth as a brief moment of satisfaction filled her. It was wounded and that was a small win for the cove wolves. Now if they could win the war and not the battle, she could rest easy. A mangey feline already took one of their loved ones, they would not do so this time. Or any other time so long as Moonshadow had a say in it.

Word Count: 143

Whatever had her wouldn't react to her struggle, instead continuing to grab and pull at her. It took moments, but eventually Magg did realize this was her brother and not something intent on maiming her. The sobbing grew louder and she practically collapsed into him, snuggling as tightly as she could into his chest. She wanted her mom and dad, she wanted to be home in the den, but there was no magical transition from this mess back into safety and comfort. The pain wasn't ebbing and all she could hear besides her own crying was snarling and yowling as the fight continued.

Moon had knocked the cat off its paws momentarily, and Magg and Matos were relatively clear of the fray. There was no time for any sense of relief, however, the cat was scrabbling in the dust and gathering its feet beneath it. A mean snarl rose from its lungs and scrawled across its features.

Stella took the chance to gather her own feet and leap, trying to pounce on the creature. She was larger, and hoped that by landing on its back she could pin it and get her jaws at the back of its neck, where she could keep it still. And hopefully inflict some damage. Then she and Moon could attempt to finish the thing off before it had a chance to scurry off up some tree or crevice in the rocks.

The girl hit true to her mark, the stench of the feline filling her nostrils as she fought to subdue it. She tasted blood, and nearly gagged, a reaction that took her off guard as she fought to maintain her hold.

(This post was last modified: Feb 09, 2023, 08:13 PM by Stella.)