The bastard black bear came out of nowhere. It was emaciated and there was a feverish look in its eye. It was starving to death and it thought Aslatiel looked like the perfect meal. No sir. Not today. Asla would never ever go down without a fight. Her shoulder had only just healed from her encounter with the lion. Now she was about to get attacked by a bear? Such lovely timing. She must taste delicious. That was her only explanation. As the beast rushed her, Aslatiel dodged to the side. She swept one paw outward, leaving bloody rivulets down the ursine's side with her claws. It groaned and roared before spinning and rushing her again. This time it came slower, its gait plodding and careful. It wasn't so out of its mind that it couldn't learn while it hunted. It learned that it needed to pay attention to this one. The pair circled one another as Asla waited for its next attack. "Speech"

The Vessel slammed into the side of the bear. Doing… a great deal less then he would have liked. As the pair hunted for prey together, they had separated to cover more ground. The sound of a commotion had brought him back to his Princess. The sight of a bear attacking her had driven him into a frenzy. Eyes wild with rage, his paws scraped against the side of the lumbering creature. His muzzle ripped back into a blood-curdling snarl. His life was worth less than the Esteemed Princess, and he would give it gladly if that’s what it took to ensure her safety. The bear retaliated, swiping at him with a paw, his attempt to dodge ensured more meat then claw hit him, but it was still a big enough blow to send him into the ground a short distance away. He hoped it had brought Aslatiel a few moments to either escape or engage. "Speech"

As she knew he would, Basilisk soon entered the fray. It was his job, after all. He was her guard. Only their separation during hunting had peeled him from her side. As the big lad slammed into the bear, Aslatiel curled around the side, making her way behind the black bear. It swiped at Bas, its attention fully on him. She lunged forward, clamping her jaws around one hind paw and biting hard into the tendon of the bears heel. It roared and tried to spin. It's momentum spun Asla along with it, her paws scraping over the ground as she was pulled in a circle. The action made her jaws hurt, but she couldn't let go. Not just yet. Claws sank into one haunch, raking downward and leaving yet more bloody rivulets in the black fur. She could feel just how skinny this bear was and hoped that whatever illness it had didn't transfer to wolves. If so, she and Bas were in a world of trouble. "Speech"

He staggered back to his feet with a snarl, ignoring any aches and pains he might have suffered and jumping back into the fray. So long as Aslatiel was in danger, he would not rest. Of course, having a Master that willingly leaped at crazed bears hadn’t been in the job description. Luckily, he could be versatile when the occasion called for it. He leaped at the bear from the opposite side to Aslatiel. As the bear had spun around, this required a few extra steps. He passed by its front and it swiped towards him. Too slow, this time, as Bas danced around it, and shoved his shoulder into the back of the bears knee. Hoping to drive it off balance with his weight. His fangs sinking into a spot higher then its knee as he sought to inflict as much damage as possible. "Speech"

Bas threw his weight into the bears knee and it crumpled. In that moment, Asla released her hold on it and clambered up the bears back. She bit into it again, this time with her jaws latched behind its skull. This way she could hold it somewhat in place. With her hind paws still on the ground, Asla pulled, trying her hardest to pull the bear backwards. It would fall on her, but it was a very skinny bear and didn't weigh all that much. Once it was on its back though, Bas would be able to make the killing blow. That was her plan. Hopefully it worked out the way she intended. Otherwise, she'd just be flailing around on the ground with a bear on top of her. "Speech"

He stared in astonishment as the bear began to topple. With a cry of rage, he realised that Asla was beneath it as it staggered over her smaller frame. He lunged for its neck, now lowered as it crumpled, and bit in deep. He released his mouthful, only to drive his teeth in deeper. A flailing claw caught him in the side, but he ignored the sudden stab of pain. His need to end this and ensure Aslatiel’s safety was too strong. Ripping out its windpipe, the bear finally fell still, and he shoved his weight into its side, throwing it off Asla. He crouched down beside her, eyes peering anxiously over hers. Mouth bloody, breathing laboured, and eyes touched with wild things. “Mistress, Mistress!” "Speech"

Oh, hey look. He managed to read her mind. As the bear flailed on top of her, she could feel the jerk in its body as Bas bit into its throat. A few more jerks and the ursine stilled. It was then thrust off of her and she was free of its meager weight once more. The look of panic on his face was priceless. Both of their maws were bloodied. Her lower lip had been split with the force of her fall when she'd toppled the bear, but she was no worse for wear. A little chuckle was released and Asla rolled to her paws. She gave a little stretch, rolling her shoulders and flexing her jaws. "Well done," she complimented her guard. She then saw the puncture in his side and furrowed her brow. "You're hurt. Should we visit my aunt again?" "Speech"

He stood over her, breathing heavily, and she seemed as relaxed as though she had taken a pleasant stroll through a garden. Despite the blood in her maw, and the droplets he had splattered on her in his hast. He quickly dipped his head away before he could mar her creamy fur any further. What kind of wolves were these Armada people raising? “You’re okay. You’re okay.” he said, more to himself than her. Dammit, didn’t she realise how priceless she was? It would rip him asunder to lose her. He glanced at his own wounds, and grimaced soundlessly. “It’s just a flesh wound.” he assured her, licking his chops clean, and sticking his nose back into her coat, checking her over for wounds. More to calm himself then her, he began to idly rub his paw down one of hers, searching for knots in her muscles, and loosening any tightness he could find. "Speech"

He was genuinely worried that she was injured and began snuffling through her fur to make sure. He was telling himself aloud that she was okay, which she of course knew that she was. Bas seemed to be in a panic. As she sat there, he began massaging her paws. Man... people thought that she was a basketcase. Extracting her paw from his own, Aslatiel placed a paw on either of the russet wolfs cheeks. "I'm okay. Promise. Let me tell you a story." Releasing his cheeks, Asla placed one paw back on the ground. With the other, she pushed the fur of her left shoulder against the grain, revealing the wide slash marks that were still healing. "I fought a lion recently. This little bear was nothing." The girl gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm a pretty skilled fighter, Bas. With me, you won't have to worry too much. And don't let my size fool you. I'm really tough." Though her lip was split and bloodied, she smiled up at him. Yes, she was a weirdo, but she was proud of her skills and the fact that she wasn't some wussy girl. "Speech"

He stilled at her behest, though he would have much rather continue his gentle massage through her coat. The familiar action calmed him, but he knew a cease and desist when he saw one. He wasn’t sure what type of ‘story’ he was going to receive, but he settled back on his hunches, the image of a captive audience. When she revealed her injured shoulder, he let his breath out in a hiss, and when she mentioned the lion, he let out a soft groan. He loved a suicidal nutcase. Fan fucking tastic. Loved? Er… served. That was the word his addled brain was looking for. Dumbass. “You could be the greatest fighter on the seven seas, and I still won't be happy to see you hurt.” he pointed out wryly. “I’m not foolish enough to keep you out of trouble, so don’t be foolish enough to expect me not to inspect you.” had he really had the audacity to say that outloud? He was undone. She had utterly broken him. The world didn’t make sense anymore. "Speech"

Aslatiel laughed aloud, her eyes closing with the joy of the moment. She shook her head, still grinning. "I wouldn't expect any less of you. I just don't want you to always worry." Again she gave him a pat before turning her attention to the bear. "It's our first kill together. Do you want to keep any of it?" The bear was scrawny and its coat wasn't exactly luxurious, but if he wanted to keep it for a memento, she'd skin it for him. Maybe she'd keep the skull. She did need to decorate her new den. This hunt proved to her that they could work together cohesively. He'd anticipated her needs and she'd done the same for him. Maybe they would be a good team after all. It was kind of funny. The one that she often hunted with was Az, but now that Hanako was around, they didn't spend much time with one another. Looked like Bas was going to be her new partner in crime. "Speech"

The sheer joy on her was contagious, and wormed its way into his heart. He managed a smile on his own, a sort of pained, wry, amused thing. He would do anything to see her laugh again. “I’ve had few rights in my life, this one i’m keeping” he warned her as she told him not to worry. She had granted him freedom, and well he only took it in small measures, there were some guilty pleasures he wouldn’t relinquish freely now that he had a hold of them. He turned his gaze back to the bear with a frown. She was right, it was the first proof of them working together as a cohesive unit. There was a certain measure of pride to be had to that. “I hear a rabbit's foot is lucky, surely a bear’s can only be luckier?” how did one preserve a foot. Hmm…. "Speech"