Tearing At Me Like A Samurai

Tyranis had heard the call to a challenge but had no interest in answering it. He recognized the call as belonging to the man that had harassed him at his borders at least a season ago. What did a lone wolf hope to gain by challenging him? Even if he did win the man lacked the authority of an alpha, and he doubted the man held the numbers necessary to hold a piece of territory, let alone two. He sighed and shook his head and continued on his patrol. His children were much larger now and no longer depended on their mother for milk, or either of them for prechewed food. He kept his eyes open for small prey his new littler could worry their milk teeth on as he walked, his companion circling overhead. The mother of his children was slowly beginning to grate on his nerves, slinking about his lands with the obvious bull she had brought to cuckold him. He had done little to reign her in, convinced that if he had no love for her she was not inclined to love him either. It seemed however that she had gone from disinterest to pure spitefulness and the lightning king had begun to worry that she may try to use his children against him. He recalled the threat he had made on the night of his litter’s birth, a man’s admittance to his greatest weakness delivered with the ferocity of the storm he was.

He lifted his head, turning his ears to the silence of the shrine as in the distance his eyes fell on a boulder he had never noticed before. A low growl escaped him, his hackles rising as the frosted wind brought a distinct scent to him. Bear. Nowhere near as large as the white bear he and his brother had killed, or the sow that had attacked Leera. “Which she was so grateful for being rescued from.” He thought sourly. It seemed that several bears had fallen short on the required habits of their species this year and for the first time, Ty wondered if there had been some other cause for it. He pushed the thought aside and rushed to meet the lumbering creature that had already gotten well into his territory? Where were his fighters? Where was Hannibal who so conveniently seemed to rise to take the mantle of leadership when the threat was Torin from the peaceful Lirium, and not the giant vagabond that had demanded he leave his home.

With a sickening chill Ty watched as the bear reared back and scented the air then ran with surprising speed toward the white treeline. Toward the pups. Tyranis pressed through the snow faster, urging himself to move faster, feeling adrenaline course through his veins as images of his frightened children under the bears claws assaulted him. The bear was faster in the snow and had a good start on him, then like a saving grace Moses swooped down and clawed at the beasts skull, drawing its attention away and casting its line of sight on the slate wolf. The bear uttered a low growl and charged toward him, suddenly more interested in the larger kill than what would have been easiest. Strange behavior for a bear.

The bear was only a head higher than him and when it stood tall on its legs to challenge him Tyranis pounced, leaping bodily with his jaws parted to grab the bear by the throat. As his jaws closed the bears long claws raked down his side, tearing away flesh and fur and splattering the snow with his blood. He planted his feet in the bears oily pelt, attempting to kick away and take flesh with him only to be jostled free as the black creature landed on all fours and dragged him across the ground. He rolled onto his side and snarled, his hot breath misting the wind as blood rolled down his hip. The bear turned in a wide circle and charged for him head long. Tyranis braced his body, fully intending to be hit with the brunt of the bears force then rushed forward and closed the distance between them by sinking his fangs into the bears sensitive nose. The bear gave a low of anguish and surprise and attempted to double back but only succeeded in causing more damage as Tyranis centered his weight in his legs. Claws rose again to strike him, this time hitting the shoulder on the opposite side of its body and sinking in deep. Tyranis sank his fangs in deeper, his fur bristling against the burning pain as blood ran down his weakening leg. They were locked together, two powerful forces of nature battling for dominance, both weakened by each others injuries. Ty thought of his boys, and the two sooty girls he could call his daughters. They would not disappoint him like Rain had, they would not be fodder to the demons. They were kings and queens born of noble lineage who would proudly carry his name and if he didn’t kill the bear in that instant they would all be killed. With a sharp pull Tyranis wrenched the whole of the bear’s leathery snout clear of its body as it cried shrilly in unimaginable pain. It stumbled away pawing at its tender snout and trembling and in that instant Tyranis lunged forward again. This time knocking the bear onto its back while he held onto its throat. Slowly he heard the bear’s gurgled breaths as it drowned in its own blood and felt the tension leave its body. He panted and stepped shakily away from the black creature, exhausted and only looked up when he heard the soft fluttering of his companion’s wings.

“Where is everyone?” He asked hoarsely.

“Most it seems have gone to the battlefield. Leera, Hannibal, the one they call Thys.” The raven answered. He looked at his companion with a mixture of shock and horror. “They left?! ” He snapped and the bird dipped his head slightly in affirmation.

He could have been killed. Their children could have been killed, all to answer the call of an upstart who thought he could muscle around a pack. A snarl bubbled in his throat and he showed his frustration by striking the lifeless bear. He had to go there. He looked over his injuries, his blood starting to ice to his fur and already staining the snow around him. They would see him in a weakened state, and know he would stand no chance. They would all rip at him at the first sign of weakness and tear him limb from limb. He heaved his breath his shoulders starting to shake, then glared at the shimmering pool ahead of him, where he had left his knife.

He worked quickly. Cutting the bear open and bathing himself in its blood, coating his fur to mark where the claws had torn his fur away until his coat was a complete and uniform red. The raven looked at him horrified as Tyranis gave one last look at his companion before marching off to the battle field. Perhaps it was shock, or the thrill of battle, or perhaps whatever madness had driven the bear from hibernation now pooled in his open wounds, but with each step Tyranis seemed to drift further and further away from himself, with little resistance on his part. In his ears he heard drums and chanting, and through his eyes a procession of red wolves lead the way to the battlefield.