How was it still so hot? Úlfr panted as he worked his way over the Redwater Rocks. It was fall and most everywhere was starting to cool down but it definitely still felt like summer here in the dry desert lands of the west. So far he couldn't say he was very impressed. This territory was not for him but he felt determined to find at least something of interest to bring home to his mothers. Úlfr paused as he gazed ahead. Though, he supposed he was starting to push his boundaries a bit. He glanced up at his ravens that circled above, waiting for him to pick a direction. Well, maybe he could go just a little bit farther before turning around.

Úlfr pressed on, spying a place of shade he headed right toward it. Nestled in amongst the rocks looked like a cavern. He was just about to go in when he froze. There was something large and hairy in there. It looked up at him. It was a massive brown bear who was not at all happy to be woken up from his nap against the heat of the day. The bear let out a furious roar.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

The was the first time Ardyn was patrolling on his own. Well, mostly. Cairo had accepted Aurielle’s request that Chrystal, his barn owl, watch over her son on his patrol, on wing in case any real trouble came knocking. But the owl floated well out of sight, simply observing. Ardyn’s raven, Lyr, hopped along the wall above him, preening his feathers and their piebald, glowing sheen. The raven was an enigma like himself and his mother, not having shown the glowing plumage until after his first molt. Ardyn had been saving some of his better shed feathers to braid into his fur later. His mane was really beginning to outgrow his scruff, and his tail was showing clear signs of the elegant plume his mother bore. Perhaps, when fully grown, mane and tail would out-length his own mother. Ardyn had been collecting feathers for a while now, and once his mane and tail were long enough, ne fully intended to braid them in. Today, however, he was to patrol the border, and report to his mother what he’d found or not found. However, as he nosed at a mark from one of the pack, intending to mimic his elders by leaving his own scent, a familiar roar permeated the air, and his hackles lifted in alarm. He’d already tangled with a bear, only a week past, and the cut on his cheek, scabbed over, smarted at the memory. He leapt to the wall, and Lyr floated into the air, peering toward the Rocks. “There’s a wolf out there, and that bear looks mad” Ardyn bolted. Common logic said to howl for the pack, let the adults handle it. His nature was to dive headlong in defense of his fellow wolf. He’d face the terror-shakes afterward. He didn’t let himself add in his mind the remark: if he lived. He barreled into the scene, young canines flashing, black claws out, taking a running leap and landing squarely on the bear – the big bear – and sinking in his claws, clinging to the hump and he snapped his front teeth shut on the beasts’s hump fur. He wrapped his short fingers around the bear’s hide, remembering his last scuffle and not wanting to be thrown again as he distracted the beast from its initial target. It worked, and the bear roared again, twisting and swiping toward its shoulder for the half-grown pup clinging to it. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

At the sound of that ferocious roar, Úlfr's defenses immediately went up as he debated about making a run for it. Bears for all their massive size were quick and out running one was no simple task. The bear strode forward and Úlfr tensed. As it prepared to spring another young wolf of similar age suddenly burst onto the scene. He leapt onto the bear and bit and clawed into it. As the bear turned its head to try and bite the pup that clung to its back Úlfr seized the opening and charged forward. His fangs ripped into the exposed side of the bear's face. Just behind the bears left-sided jaw. Úlfr's fangs ripped through fur and flesh and as the bear moved to swat at him he quickly let go and ducked. His legs coiling sharply to pull him down away from those dangerous claws. He could feel the rush of air above him as the bear's massive forearm swiped through the air.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

The two boys fell into the dance of tag-teaming a predator much larger than they were. The pale male scored a hit, and the bear bucked as it swiped for the wolf on the ground, and Ardyn released its scruff with one hand to rake extended clawed fingers over the opposite side of its face from its newly inflicted wound. The bear thundered, rearing and twisting, trying to rub the ink-black, fiery wolf off his back on a rock. Ardyn scrambled catlike up its back, clinging to its neck and slashing his sharp edged and pointed canines for the bear’s neck before it twisted just right and, once again, he found himself sailing through the air like a black meteor, thrown by a bear for the second time in his short life. He tried to twist in the air like he’d seen his mother’s mountain lion guard do, and managed to come down paws first, staggering several steps to the side as his limbs bent to take the shock. Lyr plummeted with a crawk and jabbed the bear between the ears with his thick beak, swooping out of the way as he yanked at the bear's fur, trying to pull its attention from the boys so the pups could regroup. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

The minute the bear's arm missed him Úlfr attacked again, using his lower position to dive under the bear's large body. His head twisted to the side as his fangs ripped into the inside of the bear's left thigh. He had no idea what was going on with the boy above him, he could only hope the other was managing to stay out of harms way. The bear thrashed and started to stumble back. Sensing the danger he was in Úlfr bailed between the bear's left front and left hind leg just in time as the bear shuffled back. It seemed to pause for a moment then tipped back onto its hind legs and roared fiercely in an effort to assert it's dominance and frighten the half-grown pups off.

Úlfr wasted no time. He used his speed to his advantage and barreled into the bear's left front leg with his chest, his fangs seeking to tear flesh as he ran. If he and Ardyn times it right they could take the bear's hind legs out from under it and send it crashing into the dirt. Maybe that would be enough to get the bear to retreat.

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Once his balance returned to him, Ardyn barreled back into the fight in a blur of black fire, tail whipping as he ducked to the side, snapping his lengthened canines, still young and not at their full length, for the opposite leg Ulfr targeted. The bear toppled with a bellow as those canines sank deep and ripped free, severing the tendon… or maybe the hamstring? In some hysterical part of his brain he wondered if his mother would give him another anatomy lesson on bears. She probably would, after she’d finished flaying him alive with her parental fury. Not only had he bolted out of the pack’s borders, he was once again engaged in battle with a bear. And this time, he had no desire to allow it to run away and come back to cause trouble. As it toppled, he dove in, jaws parting and slamming shut on its throat, canines sinking to the hilt. He matched hi smother in height by now, and his jaws nearly fit around the bear’s throat, especially as he’d snagged it in the soft part below the jaws. He ripped his head side to side, then wrenched free as he spotted the paw flailing toward his face. Not again—ouch! The paw clubbed into his shoulder, bear claws tearing halfheartedly into his skin. Luckily for him, the bear’s swat had been weak, and while it had pierced flesh, it didn’t reach bone. Blazing, golden ichor still flowed though, trickling over his black coat, and as the bear fell back, growing limp between spasms, he staggered back a bit, glancing at the injury and internally wailing at the agony. He’d though his face had been on fire, but now it felt like he’d stuck his whole leg into the fire at home. “You okay?” He distracted himself with the other pup’s wellbeing, studying the boy before recognition struck and his ears perked. “Hey! Aren’t you Úlfr?” He had a recollection of the pup coming to the hunting contests and fighting contests at the festival. Lyr floated down with a croaking caw, inspecting Ardyn's shoulder with a click of his large beak, mismatched eyes glittering with concern as he alighted on the ground beside his wolf. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think