Ulmaria snuck away from her uncle to the battlefield with the intent of finding a sparring partner and maybe getting some tips to beat him in a fight. She was growing more and more bold as she neared the six month mark of her life. She had her both companions with her so what could possibly go wrong? She scampered across the plains, looking for a good place to call for an opponent when she heard an eerie laugh break through the misty morning air.

Uh oh, what was that? She looked in the direction of the noise to see four messed up looking dogs (hyenas) step out of the mist. She immediately had the sense that something was wrong but she tried to play it off. "Oh, hi… I um, would someone want to spar with me?" Neither hyena spoke, instead all four charged and her heart leapt into her throat.

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna slinked toward the battlefield, enjoying the cool of the morning and the chattering birds that welcomed the sun. She had a good feeling about today. Perhaps she would best her next opponent and gain more skills for future spars. That sentiment was cut short as she caught the scent of hyena. Ugh… not these beasts again. Still, she supposed it would be worth a spar if she could find one that spoke and had the intelligence to understand the premise.

She was out of luck for she spied four hyenas rushing a familiar pup and she sprang into action. A single leap nearly closed the distance, a second leap brought her soundly on top of the lead hyena. It shrilly yelped and the others scattered in surprise as she pinned the squirming creature to the ground.


Speech

As was typical, Víðarr had taken up a post watching the comings and goings on the battlefield. He was never one to turn down a good spar, after all. His spot within the woods was one that granted him a solid vantage point, either to look for an opponent or simply to look on as a spectator. Entertainment value, if you would.

It seemed that today, it also gave him a front row seat to something dangerous. It was as soon as the hyenas noticed the pup that he sprang down from his perch. Still, Víðarr isn't the fastest man, especially not with a build like his. It wouldn't stop him from pushing himself to go faster. While he wasn't one to interfere with the fights others would pick, this was different. This was a child, and there were four grown mongrels. The shadow was grateful that he wasn't the only one to have noticed the trouble, though, as a familiar cat intervened as well.

Wordlessly, Víðarr barreled into the hyena nearest to the pup. He was a dense, shadowy thing, and the contact he made was hard. Something like being hit by a semi truck, really. All gas, no brakes. A growl ripped from his chest as he sunk his teeth into the back of the creature's neck, holding tight.

"Víðarr"

Ulmaria shrieked and turned to run. She hadn't gone far when she heard one of the hyena's scream and the other's yipping. Taking a chance she dove behind a shrub and peeked around the other side of it to see a familiar looking snow leopard attacking the hyenas. Not even a second later a large, dark pelted male slammed into the hyenas. Ulmaria observed. She felt a little guilty for cowering behind a shrub but she also didn't want to get in the way so insteead she just watched intently, trying to learn what she could from watching these adults attack, particularly the other wolf.

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna's claws sank deep into the hyena's flesh and it flailed and twisted, jaws snapping as it tried to get back around to reach her. Normally she would go for the throat but hyena's had a particularly nasty bite so she watched and waited for an opening. Suddenly a large black wolf arrived. She recognized the man and was welcome for her arrival for he captured the hyena's attention for a just a moment and it was enough. She latched her fangs on the hyena's throat and it let loose a strangled cry. One of its fellows turned and charged toward her. Birna was forced to let go but the damage had already been done. Her fangs had pierced the creature's windpipe.


Speech

He's bold, unhinged strength. Nothing could hold Víðarr back from really anything, least of all himself. Boldness would always come to him with ease. With incredible ease. Yes it's true, he's brilliant in these moments. Not smart brilliant-- strong brilliant. Radiant. Chosen of the gods, if he wanted to think about it that way. Chosen of the gods. Standing at his full height, Víðarr is nothing short of that. Nothing short of the things that he believes he can be, he believes he will be. With a sickening crack and thud, he slammed the hyena currently within his jaws into the ground. Though it made a strangled cry, it didn't rise again. Víðarr was already on to the next.

The shadow closed the gap between himself and the cat, dragging at the scruff of the one that had fixed its attention on Birna. Yes, he'd grab this one too. Grab it, pull the creature from its feel. Lift, drag, shred-- shred as best he could with his strong jaws. Crushing and chewing, the taste of blood in his mouth. What possessed these creatures to mess with a child of all things? Sickening. They'd catch his wrath, and Víðarr would dispatch them. He's grateful, though, for Birna's help. His jaws around the hyena's neck, Víðarr bites down as hard as he can. His adversary writhed, shook in his jaws. Bastard.

"Víðarr"

Ulmaria crouched down even further behind the brush so that her belly was on the ground, her ears back and her legs coiled beneath her in case sh had to make a hasty retreat. The adults were impressive, making quick work of the hyenas. She watched as the leopard slew one and turned to face the other. The ebony wolf followed suit slaying another and seizing the third. What the hyenas had hoped would be the massacre of a helpless pup turned into a slaughter of themselves and their kin. As the hyena’s fell one by one she grew braver, peaking her head up farther over the brush, ears flicking forward for a sign that it was ok to come out now.

I'm Tired of Looking for Answers

Birna swiped visciously at the hyena, striking it across the face and diverting those dangerous jaws. The hyena yelped then snarled and dove again. Birna leapt out of the way. The hyena was fast but she was faster and could leap in ways the hyena could only dream about. It twisted and charged again and once more her claws shredded its face, piercing one of its eyes. The hyena howled and stumbled, backing up for a moment before turning to run. Birna let it go. There was a fair chance this was a small scouting party and mayhaps the lone survivor would carry back a message of warning to those that would go after pups in these lands.


Speech

The hyenas fell, one by one, scattered around their feet. Víðarr didn't have an issue working in tandem with the cat-- they'd done it before, and he wouldn't be surprised if they did it again. In his clutches, the hyena twisted and writhed, cried out. The thing would fight back with all the force it could muster, but it was no match for Víðarr. As this one stilled, the shadow tossed it to the ground. Discarded, a ragdoll. Crumpled. Gods... how many were left? One final hyena had lunged for his hind leg, teeth gnashing. The shadow smirked, head tossing-- did it really think that would work? It was already banged up, and Víðarr made quick work of that too. Quick work of the lot of them. As the final creature staggered away without so much as a backwards glance, the shadow is finally able to take a moment to catch his breath. Shit that had been a lot. More than he bargained for. Imagine, these fuckers going after a child of all things.

"You are... okay?" He glanced to the pup beneath the bush, and to the cat as well. Right. Best to check in, after all.

"Víðarr"