The three had decided to visit the berry grove together.  Thorn had brought his new sword with him for the trip.  He didn’t have any sheath for it yet so he just carried it in his mouth.  The ‘sword’ was a thicker branch with a thin branch as a crossguard.  The two pieces were tied together with vines wrapped and crisscrossed all about them.  It was his first attempt to make a weapon and surely wasn’t all that sturdy but it was a prized possession to the boy.  He finally had a sword of his own.

Searching around the grove, his eyes skimmed about for anything interesting.  His last trip here had included seeing a porcupine.  It had been pretty cool looking and apparently could actually push its squills into others.  What was out here to discover this time?  Hopefully something equally amazing.

Even as the three looked about a sound would come from the east.  Thorn turned his head in that direction and then suddenly another sound came from the left.  Again, another strange sound came forth.  It was like, chirping or laughing or, or something he hadn’t heard before.  Nor had he seen the creatures that stepped forth.  The hyenas were surrounding the three pups.  It certainly would seem a good choice for the hyenas.  Three pups with no adult in sight.  Hey, how’d they manage to get in the pack land?

Thorn glanced in the direction of home but one of the hyenas was already circling to block off the exit.  Thorn grit his teeth, clamping down on his stick sword, lowered his head, and snarled his best menacing snarl.  As one came forward Thorn swung his head at it but realizing how small his sword looked in comparison to the adult hyena the boy quickly back-peddled as he tried to figure out what to do.

"Thorn Carpathius"

Andy walks with the two Carpathius pups among the frostbitten berry bushes, happy to be included in their adventure. Thorn has fashioned himself a sword that he clutches in his maw, happily trotting along under the barren trees. Pale blue eyes roam over to where Dusk is, a grin tugging one side of her mouth up. They both seem to enjoy fighting (and killing) creatures and the quiet girl feels a certain kinship with the crazy soot ball.

A sound pulls her attention to the east as three cackling creatures slowly emerge to surround the small party. Gaze flicks up to the sky where Marshall, her father’s companion, wheels high above the group. As his shadow turns and heads back toward the castle, Andy focuses on the three strange creatures and keeping her friends alive. Thorn grips his stick and snarls while the purple girl drops back slightly, sizing up the three beasts.

As the boy backpedals, Andromeda rushes toward the largest of the hyenas which happens to be the one at their backs blocking the path back to the castle. She leaps up to grab a mouth full of fur and meat, her small, sharp teeth slicing deep into the hyena’s cheek. As she returns to the ground, the purple girl opens a gash that starts near the beast’s eye and ends below the bottom lip. It laughs its horrible, nerve racking laughs as blood spills down to the ground.

Despite this, Andy does not backdown. Mouth now coated in blood, she growls at the creature while bunching up her scruff and readying for the fight ahead.



"Andromeda Fatalis"

Of course she was going to go adventuring with Thorn. If she didn't follow him and keep him safe, he was likely to get hurt out there. Boys were dumb, it was known. Andy accompanying was an added bonus. She quite liked the other girl and flashed her a grin as they followed along behind her blue brother. The day was pleasant enough and Dusk stopped to sniff this and that as they moved along towards the grove.

It was a good thing that she did tag along too. The chortling laughter of some weird shaped creatures met the ears of the trio and they all stopped to look.  It was clearly written on the faces of the spotted beasts that they wanted trouble. That was all fine and dandy with Dusk. The girl's obsidian coat bristled, the longer fur standing up along her spine, making her appear larger. Thorn dove in first and it kind of miffed Dusk. She was the leader! The girl wasted no time and ran headlong into the fight, Andy right beside her.

There were three hyenas, one for each of them. They each chose their target and Dusk focused on the cackling brute before her. Hind paws pushed off of the ground as she lunged for her target, jaws opening to catch the creature just under its jaw. She didn't go for the throat right away. That would have been boring. Instead she would bite the jaw, taste a little blood, get the thing riled up, and show everyone what she could really do.

Andy and Dusk had both made successful attacks and what had Thorn done?  Backed away to avoid getting bit?  That wouldn’t do.  Wooden swords were fun but right now Thorn needed to do damage and the thing he made wouldn’t.  His hyena had glanced up to peer at Andy’s fight with a moment's interest.  Thorn wasn’t even good enough to watch now?  No, that had to change.

Thorn charged the distracted hyena, deciding on his target.  The creature had one paw partially raised, a motion unfinished and Thorn aimed for that.  Thorn bit the paw, those small serrated teeth and strong jaws doing what damage they could in his small body.  It was enough to get the hyena to shriek in surprised pain.  Thorn let go just in time to not get flung aside but had to do a rather undignified scramble to avoid the angry hyena’s teeth that came after him.
Making it mad meant he did hurt it though, right?

"Thorn Carpathius"

Andy snarls at the hyena she fights, teeth snapping at the air in front of her to make the small pup appear more threatening. Eyes dart between the creature in front of her and her younger friends, trying to make sure they are holding their own against the pack of attacking beasts. Truthfully, the lavender girl isn’t worried about her soot ball of a friend, she knows from experience how deadly the black cloud can be.

However, Thorn is another story. The boy with the sword is a good friend but he has yet to be battle tested alongside her. Pale blue eyes land on him as he leaps at his hyena’s paw, watching with relief as he deals significate damage. With the knowledge that both of her friends can handle themselves, Andromeda turns her full attention back to the laughing beast in front of her.

The open wound on its face adds a grotesqueness to the already strange and slightly scary creature but the lavender pup refuses to back down. It cackles its unnerving sounds and Andy snarls in response. The pair faint attacks, testing to see who will be the first to back down. Hackles raise as the fight drags and then, suddenly, something Thorn said in training rings in her ears. Lowering her head, the girl’s budding kudu horns are pointed at the laughing monster.

They may not be fully grown but she can still use the sharp points. Tucking her chin, Andy rushes forward, stabbing her small, growing horns at the hyena’s face. She is rewarded with a howl of pain and a strange squelching sound fills the air as the creature pulls away. However, the beast’s right eyeball stays behind on the point of the lavender girl’s horn. Ocular fluid drips down to splatter on her head but she pays it no mind. With a mighty growl she stands her ground as the hyena begins to consider its options.  


"Andromeda Fatalis"