saying goodbye

[OOC: For the open-ended seasonal prompts, Deus is defending his old den from a predator who wishes to take it over for Fighting skill. ]

Aerie was making it's first official shuffling of lands as a band and not a pack, and Asmodeus' spirits were low. What was worse was he couldn't find his mother anywhere. It was another unfortunate downside of nomadic life - wolves could come and go and sleep elsewhere if they wished; had Riva simply camped out in another territory, or was something terribly wrong? As they gathered their things from the ravine and moved on toward the lake to finish cleanup, Deus struck out in search of her. He needed to find her and get word to her on their impending next movement so she wouldn't be left behind, even if Eligos intended to leave messages at each camp on where to find Aerie next.

With him his faithful malinois followed, the pups now grown and each coming into their own skills as companions and fighters. He loved them both like they were his own children, though Tanzanite - the female - held a special part of him. Her eyes had become crystaline after the Long Night, a sign from his God that he was on the right path. The pup's brother Morganite did not seem bothered by Deus' favouritism, only taking the opportunity to learn more and advance faster so he might one day match his sister's favor. Growing up with a religious extremist, the companions were both well aware that some were born better than others.

He made his way back to the ravine, climbing down the rocky ridge and toward where his old den once was. It had been taken over from Danta, and while he had reclaimed her belongings and packed them like treasures to cart to each band camp, it still felt like this land belonged to her. Riva was not there, and so he began to scale back up the rock with the intent to go look around the greenhouse next - perhaps she was gathering herbs to bring along.

A heavy weight fell upon his back suddenly, tearing him from the incline he had been scaling and throwing him full force onto the base of the ravine. He hit the ground with a yelp but was not the only one to scream - whatever had latched onto his back had sunk into his hidden scruff of quills, perhaps it had been the reason he did not die then and there from a bite to the back of the skull. His dogs rushed forward to assist, each diving at the cougar from one side and working to drive it off of Deus' back so he might stand and defend himself. Pain surged through his spine, down his ribs and radiating into his paws but he flailed still, doing what he could from where he was on the ground to convince the cat to move onward.

Feeling the claws release from his shoulders, Deus pushed to his paws with speed and pivoted to face his attacker. The dogs had started to herd it back from him, giving him some much needed distance to recover and calculate. Barking, growling and snapping, Morgan and Tanza time and time again had shown their devotion in his defense - just like Eligos had promised when he'd bestowed the pair upon him.

The cougar's head turned, attention upon Tanza just long enough for Deus to find opportunity. He lunged forward, parting his jaws wide and snapping them down upon the base of the cat's closest ear. With the grasp he was able to get control of the head, yanking his weight back to force the cougar's attention off of his malinois and managing to keep the angry teeth away from him at the same time. The cat flailed and flipped, landing squarely on it's back and extending all four deadly clawed paws out toward him. Deus was forced to release the ear lest he find himself entangled, sidestepping to dodge the attack. His pups too were forced to readjust, beginning to circle and only occasionally taking cautious snaps toward the creature's lashing tail.

Once the cougar had realized that close combat was not to come, it righted itself just as Deus had. Upon it's paws it's crouched low and growled low, swiping out with a paw threateningly toward the wolf in an attempt to drive him away. While he had been taught to leave well enough alone and not do unrequired harm to other animals, Deus was not about to let the cougar take over Danta's old den. Driving himself forward into the paw as it finished it's swipe, he crashed his chest upon the cougar's and brought his weight down hard upon it's shoulders. The pain of tooth and claw sunk in deep to his flesh but still he pushed his weight, forcing the crouching cat to the ground until he could place his own jaws around the cat's base of skull. With a mighty crush of the cord, the predator's form grew still, claws still latched into Deus' shoulder as it slumped into the grass.

He entangled himself from the corpse carefully, not wanting to make worse any wounds he may have gained. The body itself would remain at the base of the ravine - a warning to further predators, or food for those who may need it. To his old den, he said his final goodbyes. No other would live in the place Danta had made a home. He made his way to the back of the den, eyeing the walls that once held half-finished projects and memories. Bringing his paws to the roof of the cave, he began to collapse it starting from the back, working his way toward the entrance until no longer could it be explored. This would stop further predators from making a second home out of it, as well as serve as a sort of farewell for Deus. With a sigh he turned from the ruined den, limping back up toward the incline where he had been ambushed. It was time to find Riva now, and to head toward their new temporary home.

Word count: 1007