Chade was out hunting again, prowling through the bushes, tail low but swaying back and forth as he was starting to actually enjoy hunting.  The necessity to live fading and enjoyment in the challenge and the freedom he felt when running along with a single target.  Running along with another wolf to coordinate a hunt had been fun as well.

As he maneuvered through the brush he found an unplanned problem.  Rustling brush was heard ahead.  Chade paused but didn’t run as he imagined prey.  His nose worked and he realized the problem.  Head circling about in sudden concern.  It wasn’t prey he’d heard nor smelled.  The boy howled a request for help, a knot forming in his stomach.

Several large dogs appeared and were already encircling him.  Chade keened a small whine as the pack of four dogs was definitely more than he could handle.  They had been smart enough to surround themselves before making themselves known.  Chade set himself into the defensive position Manea had shown him.  Theoretically, he didn’t need to win, only hold his own until help came.

Two of the dogs lunged in at the same time, one from the front and another from his left side.  Chade bite the incoming dog at the shoulder and tried to spin about to avoid the other attack.  Chade still imagined himself as the younger child when it came to fighting and was surprised to find that the dog whose neck he held was forced to turn with him.  The third dog came at Chade and he had to let go of his grip and back up.  

The blue wolf tried just to circle around and keep them all together, his heart was admittedly pounding loud enough he could hear it.  Pain shot through Chade, a horrible feeling as it came with the thought of he was dead for sure!.  A lean but tall wirey-haired dog had bit into his right side.  Chade let out a howl of fear and pain.  The damage was shallow but he was still surrounded.

"Speech"

Fern has been out patrolling again. Today she finds herself near the border between the starlit plains and the berry grove. Everything seems fine as she works to reinforce scent markers and keeps a keen eye out for trouble. She rubs her body against a tree trunk, leaving tufts of fur and the packs scent behind. Suddenly, a howl draws her attention and the young voice has Fern racing forward. Running full tilt, the gray girl does not waste time. When she arrives, the pup’s cry of pain makes Fern release a loud growl of anger. Eyes take in the scene even as she continues to bare down on the dogs, assessing, weighing her options and the boy’s injury.

She doesn’t stop or slow, instead running full force into the wiry haired dog that had bitten the blue pup and knocking it off its paws. Once it is on the ground, Fern reaches down and rips the dogs throat out, a fair trade for the injury to the pup. Turning her bloody maw toward the rest of the dog’s, Fern bunched up her scruff and made herself as intimidating as possible. Ocean-hued eyes glance toward the hurt blue pup and sees he is still on his paws. Good, hopefully he can get clear of these dogs. Two dogs turn away from the kid and move toward Fern, growling and snapping as they move.


"Fern"

Chade didn’t know the female who had come to his rescue and he knew it wasn’t the time to ask for names or the why.  Chade is left with one dog that still thinks to take on the younger wolf. It’s a medium-coated muscular fellow with torn ears.  Those ears were apparently what happened if you keep your ears up.  Chade growled at it and as if that was enough the dog ran towards him.  Maybe it felt insulted the pup would growl?

This was now a one on one fight and Chade had been training!  When the dog came at him Chade stepped in, trying to bite the neck but the dog had swung away trying to Chade’s own neck and he also moved away.  The two circled each other looking for an opening.  Chade’s side hurt and while he knew it was just pain he was still all too aware of it.  If they didn’t have a band to help he and Ry would be as good as dead from any injury Chade got.  

The dog lunged in and Chade snapped out, getting a bite in for the dog's shoulder.  Again, the boy had grown stronger lately and now it was starting to show up, his teeth sunk into flesh, blood flowing freely from the muscular dog.  The dog attempted to bite back and Chade jumped away.  He tried to look and see how the other wolf was doing but he was a bit busy with just one dog.  

"Speech"

Fern’s attention is focused on the dogs that approach her, tracking the way the thin dogs try to flank her. They share a look before moving to separate and the gray girl takes that as an opening. When they have some distance between them, Fern rushes the taller of the two dogs, catching it off guard and snapping her jaws tightly around its leg. The creature howls in pain as Fern yanks its leg out from under the dog. The second dog, seeing his friend in trouble, tries to attack her, rushing up toward her neck and she twists her body, making him bounce harmlessly off her shoulder.

With that the gray girl swings her front paw wide and smacks it into the attacking dog’s eye. With a whimper, the second dog retreats, trying to blink away the spots, and Fern quickly moves to end whining dog’s life. Releasing its leg, she steps to the throat and opens its windpipe wide. With two down, Fern turns on the second dog that had decided to attack her. It darts its eyes from her to the pup and back again, trying to decide what to do. She flicks her own gaze toward the pup and his dog, seeing the blood running down the blue pup’s side. Anger raises in Fern and she plants her front paws and snarls threateningly at the dog in front of her. There is no way she will them to hurt the pup again.

"Fern"

Chade had an awareness of canines falling nearby but he didn’t dare look.  He hoped the grey wolf was doing alright.  The thought of trying to end the fight quickly with the dog was pushed away.  Fighting rashly was a key way to lose the fight.  His shoulder still hurt.  Chade was used to a lot of harsh life experiences but up till now, he wasn’t used to an injury like this.

The dog snarled and tried to attack Chade’s face.  Attacking the face was a thing? Chade copied the move and teeth clashed against teeth.  Anger and fear warred within Chade as surely as the fight between dog and wolf.  Chade finally got his teeth into the dog's muzzle and chomped down.  The dog screamed out that ended in a whimper and as Chade let go the dog fled.

Chade wasn’t tempted to follow, he just wanted to be safe.  The oddest feeling of wanting to get back to the band, wanting to get back to home came to him.  Manea or Alastor, there was a part of him that wanted to go back and see if he could get that same gentle touch they gave their kids.  He missed his dad suddenly.

Chade shook his thoughts clear and snarled to the dog still there.  He didn’t feel a need to engage if the dog was willing to accept defeat and flee.  It was two on one now and the pup had proved he could fight.  Admittedly though Chade was injured so would the dog consider an injured pup a threat or just Fern?

"Speech"

The pup’s dog flees and Fern breathes a sigh of relief before turning her full attention back to her dog. Uncertainty slows as the dog tries to decide what to do and the gray girl decides to help. She runs toward it, flashing her teeth and snarling menacingly as she rushes towards its face. That does it. Tucking its tail, the dog turns and flees, trying to catch up with its friend. Heaving a sigh of relief, Fern turns toward the blue pup and asks, “You okay? Where are your parents? Here sit down.” The wound oozes blood and Fern moves towards the blue pup to try and staunch the flow before his family arrives. Directing the pup to sit, the gray girl says, “My name is Fern by the way.” She tries to give the kid her best, confident smile while darting her gaze around in search of his family.

"Fern"