Aurielle Adravendi

She found a sort of peace in traveling, scouting the far lands to get an idea of better prey. Of course, down here she doubted she’d find any animals, unless something fell into the gorge from above. She knew the history of this place—her great grandmother had once claimed it under Valhalla’s name. She could see why. There were many den opportunities here. Aside from that, it was difficult to reach as a group—invaders that wished to harm children or elders would have to come single file down the narrow paths. The entrances led to caves that meandered and sank deep into the cliffsides, and she thought it could be quite possible to douse the area in strong-scented oils to confuse the noses of an invader. Her paws tread lightly over the stony path, and her eyes shifted along the walls until she chose an entrance and slid into the cool shadows, scraping her pads on the ground to leave a strong scent, something to track as she went deeper into the cave systems. She could only hope that she found something interesting… perhaps a relic from her great grandmother’s rule… That would be something. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He had been hunting the Grizzly ever since he had found its scent by travelers lake, right by where Venom had been only the day before to quench her thirst. He shuddered at the thought of his small apprentice encountering the beast alone. He intended to track it down and figure out where it was staying. From there, he could chase it away or kill it. He had already planned out the party he would take to clear out the beast. He would bring Io, as a schemer, not a fighter. Her input had proven to be invaluable in the past. Hannibal, and Banshee. He didn’t think Deathbelle would mind if he borrowed her warrior. Zee, if only because she would have his balls if he went without her. Certainly, it had never been his intention to face it alone. He was fearless, and reckless and bullheaded but he was not a fool. He would not risk letting himself get laid up for another season, when his leg had barely just healed from his last foolish decision. It was stupid bad luck when he entered the cave system a few entrances away from the bear - with the intention of sneaking a little closer before he turned around - and instead discovered just how interconnected this place was. He came face to face with the creature, and it instantly took offense to his trespass. The great beast stood at equal footing to him with all fours upon the ground, but the moment it reared back onto its hindlegs - which it did at the sight of him - it began to tower. “Shit!" Sirius barked, shocked at its abrupt appearance, tis growl still echoing in his ears as he leaped backwards, almost out of reach of its giant paws. Not fast enough, as it clipped him on the shoulder with enough force to send him spinning. “Shit." he swore again as he stumbled back to his paws and leaped upon a small cropping of stones near the entrance of the cave system, He needed height, he needed a moment to collect himself and make a plan. "Speech"

Aurielle Adravendi

She ventured deeper, leaving a fresh scent at each turn, until, up ahead, she heard a deep bark of “Shit!” And a growl. It was a sound that she was familiar with. Bear. And the bark was a wolf. It came again, more alarmed, and she bounded forward on silent paws. She’d forgone her armor for this trip. Now she wished she’d worn it. As she flashed into the same chamber, from the other side of the bear, across from the male, and took in the hulking beast of a grizzly, of the surroundings even as she launched herself bodily at the bear, just out of its line of sight as it advanced on the other wolf. Her teeth ripped into the muscled shoulder of the bear, drawing blood and a savage roar that shook the stalactites with its reverberations. She’d already leapt back with a push of her paws off the beast’s bulk to thrust herself out of reach as the bear swiped for her. She skidded on stone, resetting her balance and stance as the beast turned to face her, now even angrier that it had been at the Giant’s intrusion. Her eyes flicked to the male in question before she ducked under another swiping paw and struck like an adder for it, slashing flesh and pad before she danced back again, drawing the beast away from the black male, giving a good opening. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He barely had time to think much more past ‘oh shit, if the bear doesn't kill me, Io and Zee will’ when help came from unexpected quarters. The wolf came in fearlessly, and seemingly without a second thought. So strange, for one who did not know him to risk all to aid him. He didn’t dwell upon it, but used the opening, as he leaped back down from the rocks, now that the bears attention lay upon the short white wolf. He got a brief glimpse of an unnaturally long coat, and then he was in the fray. He lashed out with fangs at the bears back leg, the one it had just shifted its weight from. His elongated fangs dung in, quick and hard, and his feline-like claws released themselves from their sheaths and sank in deep just above the toes of the same paw. Blood flowed from both his attacks, and he was there only long enough for both teeth and claws to sink deep into flesh and tendons before he pulled back, and duck under the sweep of its paw, and dove to the side. Come on he thought quietly, going for the same tag-team style of fighting the wolf had begun with her timely attack. She distracted, he attacked, he distracted with even greater pain, and created another opening for her to exploit. Still, even as he sunk into the familiar rhythms of battle, the titan couldn’t help but wonder. Why was she here, what did she want from him? "Speech"

Aurielle Adravendi

The black giant was quick on the uptake, and the grizzly as indeed distracted, whirling with a bellow to aim a barreling paw at the male. Aurielle took advantage, noting the bleeding hind leg and taking aim for the other, ripping her canines for a slash at the hamstring. The bear buckled on that leg, now thoroughly under duress and unsure where to turn next as it wallowed to swing at her. The strike was quick, and she only had time to turn her already well-scarred shoulder into the blow, baring her teeth as she snaked her head back around to rip her teeth into the offending paw as it drew back for another swat. She didn’t dawdle for the next one, dancing and snapping just out of reach to draw the beast’s ire toward herself. If the opening for the throat came, she’d take it, bearhug or no. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

The time she had won him would be well spent, as his cry had drawn thr attention of hi winged companion, who in turn had fetched Bast, who had lingered near the beginning of the terratory. Both appeared as the fight raged on. Marshal let out a shrill cry, hindered by the cave, but not by much, the cavern was giant in size. He glided down, wracking claws through the bears air on his downward stroke, before he was away again.

Bast was there next, appearing beside the titan like a ghost as she kept her silence. She grabbed for the same foot the titan had, smaller teeth digging into the wound he had already opened over the foot.

The stranger, at this point was taking the brunt of the bears anger, making swipes of her own and keeping it engaged by placing her body close to its face. Brave, but surely foolish. If he was to turn and leave her now, she would be bear-meat and he would have a clean getaway. Sentimentals were a waste of breath. He thought or it, for just a moment, to leave her to her fate. Her cursed under his breath instead, and dove back in. Dammit. He didnt know why, but she had helped him first.

He leaped and landed on it's back, riding it piggy back style as his unnatural cat claws dug into its skin for purchase. It bellowed, throwing back its head and tossing its body to throw him. He only dug in harder. Bast at this point appeared beside the white woman, offering protection if she needed a moment to recover from the wounds it had delbt her. The titan went for its throat then. His extra long fangs digging in deep to its thick coat, and well others might have struggled to reach the inner workings of its throat, he did not. He tore, and ripped, and suddenly thr bear lost air flow. It gasped and founded in its panic, finally throwing the titan who had compromised his bit for its throat. He crashed against the nearest wall, stunned for the moment as the bear continued its death throes.

Aurielle Adravendi

The ruckus hadn’t just drawn the male’s companions… Aelloshir had been hot on her trail, cursing under his breath about his young charge slipping his watch again. He arrived just as the black made his killing blow, and even as the male was thrown clear, the big cat was by his charge’s side again, fluffed out and growling even as the bear sank to the ground, throes turned to twitching. He checked the woman over subtly, glared at her – which she ignored – before nodding to the other companions and eyeing the other wolf suspiciously. Aurielle, meanwhile, studied the slowly stilling bear until it stopped moving altogether before she crossed to the other wolf and gave him a cursory once-over with her eyes, still remaining at a respectful distance. She’d seen the man at a distance in the past, back when Ashen had settled in and Valhalla had kept a close eye on the new neighbors, assessing the level of threat they might pose. However, his scent said Alpha, and Ashen’s border then had not borne his mark in such a fashion. “Do you require any medical assistance?” Her query was simple, with no tone of conspiracy or deceit. It had been no calculated move to help him—merely instinct and a worry that a bear left alone might come to bring trouble to her pack. She hadn’t a clue he was a high-ranking wolf when she swooped in. Her own stance was that of her rank, an elegant readiness and alertness to the surroundings, just in case anything else decided to pop out at them. She hadn't forgotten the day she'd helped Eldi. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

He needed a moment to catch his breath, but once the dizziness past, he grunted and drew himself back his paws. Unable to leave himself vulnerable for even a moment. The black mountain lion caught his eye first, and lips began to turn in a snarl. Bast took a step forward, shaking her head, and he knew then that the creature was the strange woman’s companion. He released the expression, eyes assessing the woman. He had many questions, why had she helped him, who was she? And, as he studied her, he added in a few more. What on earth was going on with her fur, and why did she stand like an Alpha?

Ah well, one of those he could answer. He recognised her scent, now that he wasn’t distracted by an angry bear. He had caught her scent in the pack right next door to Ashen, and now, the Armada. He had never bothered to introduce himself to them, but clearly, this was their Alpha.

“No, thank you” he said, offering some measure of niceties considering what she had already done for him. “Why did you come to my aid?” okay, so maybe he wasn’t the politest. He was too direct.

Aurielle Adravendi

The shimmering white Spirit gave no reaction to the black giant’s reaction to Loshir—after all, the big cat had come in the haze of battle, not swooped into the fray with her. Had the male attacked her companion, rather than backed down at his companion’s small signal, she would have done her damnedest to defend her companion. The male declined her questioned offer of assistance, though she imagined his body might end up screaming from the impacts he’d gone through in the struggle—her own shoulder was slowly darkening with crimson, but a quick glance at Aelloshir told her that it wasn’t severe enough to require immediate care. If anything, she was mostly just heavily bruised, which she didn’t let on about. A brief flicker of a smile flittered across her features at his blunt question—rueful amusement at herself. “Instinctive reaction, to be honest. A bear left to its own devices may bring trouble to my people and territories, and I’m not one to leave another wolf to possibly get killed by an angry bear.” She shifted away from the male, turning to examine the dead bear with a frown. “The eruption sure has riled everything up that has teeth and claws…” Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

The Warlord held back a grimace as he forced his settling step to be one of balance, and not a hobble. Being tossed by a bear wasn’t an experience he had sought after, but it was certainly a memory that would linger long after. The heavy set man would not forget lightly how easily he had been thrown by the Ursidae, every time he reluctantly faced off a heavy set predator, they always showed him something new.

He inclined his head once in understanding, he could understand defending her territory. He also would not stand such a threat close to his Armada. He had to have some respect for this woman he knew of only fleetingly. Taking on a bear was no easy mission, solo or duo. He certainly wouldn’t have sought one out with any less than four wolves.

He followed her gaze back to the bear, a frown to match her own. “Indeed, it isn’t the first angry predator who’s path I've crossed since the eruption.”