The small donkey wanders dangerously close to a wolf pack’s territory. The normally skittish Oscar is determined to stick close by while his young ward visits a friend. Flat teeth crop at the luscious long grass that grows in the neighboring land, small tail swatting at flies that come to rest on him. Spring has given way to summer and flowers are in full bloom all around him. However, with that beauty, comes the annoyance of flies, bees, and wasps… and the flies seem to love him.

Okay, for everything Oscar hates about the north, its one saving grace is the smaller number of insects. A large blowfly lands on the ass’s rump and Nugget, the donkey’s rooster companion, immediately reaches down and snatches it up with his beak. Oh well, at his friend is getting a feast. Something buzzes loudly near his long ears and Oscar shakes his head, flicking his long ears to discourage anything from landing in them.

Huffing, Oscar returns to his meal, the two eating their fill while they wait for the small coyote pup to return. The ass is wary of any predators that may appear to feast on the grazing prey animals nearby. Suddenly, his broad head lifts as the ass casts his gaze around, dread suddenly crawling up his back to wrap its icy fingers around his heart. Something is wrong… but what? Ears swivel forward as the donkey tries to find what has made his fight or flight instinct kick into overdrive.


"Oscar Monaghan"

Nico had been growing in size, ability, and confidence.  The last perhaps to his detriment.  It was important to be a great role model to Jack after all, right?  It didn’t mean he didn’t go rushing to find dangerous predators but simply he hadn’t worried so much about hiding or peeking around every corner.

In this instance, he had found bushes of blackberries, and even as he had plans to take some of them back to show Jack.  The coyote chomped on some of them first, enjoying the juiciness trapped inside of each berry.  Echo sat content on the brush, feeling much better when Nico wasn’t hanging out with the wolves.  The bird was making soft deep sounds as he preened delicately at his wing feathers to keep them in perfect order.  

Once he was done munching Nico grabbed some of the bushy vines, tugging at it a bit before stepping in, shoving his muzzle in deeper, greedily wanting to get as much of a vine of berries as possible to take back with him.  The pup got a bit carried away with tug of war to notice what was coming up behind.  

Nico heard a deep loud huffing and turned to look behind him, berry vine clinging between his muzzle.  Even as the pup looked the grizzly bear stood up and Nico’s eyes widened into saucers.  

“Run. Run!” Echo lifted up from his bush perch and started flying about the bear's head, “run, run” Then the brave bird launched itself down, pecking the bear’s head before flapping up higher.  The bear was distracted and the bird was just out of reach.

Nico ran as instructed.  It wasn’t cowardly, it was smart.  There was no way he could chase off a bear!  What surprised him was when Nico ran right into a friend. “Oscar!” There was a moment of joy in the voice followed by remembrance as the charging bear came up from behind. “Bear!” As if Oscar couldn’t see it for himself.

"Niko"

Oscar stands, gazing out over the flower studded gulley, waiting for something to happen. Dread hangs thickly in the air as everything seems to still, as if the birds, insects, and animals all fall silent at the same moment. The world stops right then, each second stretching into eternity, as a small coyote pup and bear crest a short grassy hill. Fear sends adrenaline coursing into the donkey’s veins, telling the prey animal to flee from the oncoming danger. But Oscar cannot run, not when the grizzly is after his pup… his Nico.

Time restarts, the colors around him sharper, the green of the grass suddenly blinding to Oscar’s heightened senses. He releases the loudest, longest bray of his life as the donkey turns and charges the bear. Even the beast seems confused by this prey animal that dares to rush at it, quickly losing focus on the coyote pup and rounding on the ass. Oscar is a lot of things but he will not allow this predator to hurt Nico… even if it means he has to lay down his life today. Nugget holds tight to the curly hair on his rump and the pair are suddenly in front of the grizzly, a huge, meaty paw swinging toward them.

It finds only air as Oscar continues to run past the bear, deftly dodging the clawed pad while leaving behind a small present for the grizzly. Nugget flaps his wings, creating a great distraction while also flying straight at the beast’s eyes. Talons claw and beak pecks restlessly, until one of bear’s sockets leaks blood and optic fluids alike. The grizzly roars, shifting to stand and swipe at the angry bird on its face… only to receive a mighty kick to its midsection. Winded, the beast doubles over and the rooster safely returns to the ass’s rump as the pair retreat to a safe distance. With a smirk on his lips, Oscar and the grizzly square off, both too stubborn to flee.


"Oscar Monaghan"

Oscar and Nugget alone wouldn’t be the only odd animals to attack the bear in the protection of Nicco. Once Echo saw there was a chance of help the bold magpie twisted about in the air, swooping down to dive bomb the bear’s head. It never stayed in place long but like some sniper with unlimited bullets the bird would dive down, peck at the head, and swing back up out of the bear’s reach. It had to be the craziest cluster of animals ever choosing to fight a bear.

Nico’s job was to run. Hearing Oscar’s bray he turned to look at everyone risking their necks for him. Even Echo, small and weak as he was could fight the bear. Even the rooster was fighting for him! Nico had to be a pretty big coward to let them do all the work. An image of his mom dead at the tiger’s jaws came to his mind. Nico rounded about as well, snarling with a surprising about of rage. His new friends wouldn’t die for him also.

Nice ran back in, eyes widening at the site of what he was charging. He had no plans to ever admit to the fear he felt right then. Nico ran in and bit at the bear’s leg, snarling and shaking his head. The bear’s pelt and skin were so thick the little coyote wasn’t even sure if he was doing more damage than any of his friends but he was sure trying!!

"Niko"

The reindeer preferred colder environments and hadn’t initially planned to follow Oscar to this far warmer terrain.  However, after so long of the ass being gone he couldn’t help but worry for him.  So it was Kyren had decided to find his friend and see how he was doing.  Reindeer aren’t known for tracking but Kyren was a stubborn soul and went by paths that made the most sense for a donkey and pup to turn on, finding what signs he could of being right.  Perhaps a part of it was luck and another part time considering he only now found his friend.  If not for Oscar’s bray the reindeer might still be searching.

There was trouble and Kyren leaped across the grounds, powerful muscles quickly eating up the distance, lips pulled back to easily show his saber fangs as he inwardly dared anything to harm Oscar.  The hell was this?  Oscar, Nugget, Echo and Nico were all fighting a bear?  Kyren would have shaken his head at the sight but there would be time for that later.  With a bugling challenge, the reindeer ran in, head lowered and slashing out with his fully developed antlers to gouge the side of the horrifically confused bear.

It rounded on the reindeer who leaped back, keeping his horns lowered and sweeping them in a clearly threatening manner.

"Speech"

The grizzly roars at the ass and Oscar brays right back, not allowing the predator any closer to his charge, Nico. However, the coyote pup has other ideas, and darts back into the fray which makes the donkey’s eyes bulge and roll with surprise while he mutters, “Oh. Fuck.” With Nico rushing in, the small ass can’t allow the bear any time to try and attack the pup so he rears up, sharp hooves pawing at the grizzly’s face.

Kyren appears, the reindeer joining the hodgepodge of prey and predators to find off the angry creature. A smile appears on the ass’s lips as his front hooves strike the bear’s face and the beast’s roar of anger fills the gulley. Landing back on all fours, Oscar positions himself to be on the bear’s side that Kyren did not take so the two adults can attempt to drive the grizzly off. Meanwhile, eyes roll in search of Nico so he can grab the pup and chuck him away from danger… dang kid.


"Oscar Monaghan"

The bear was a pretty scary thing but Nico couldn’t let his friends do all the fighting while he just stood there! The small pup’s mind frantically tried to decide on an attack tactic. Of course, the bear really had little interest in the coyote right now when it had larger threats to deal with. It was unlikely it had ever been ganged up on by two prey animals that it hadn’t ever tried to attack before.

The bear sure was big. Echo could fight big predators by pecking on their heads. Huh. Nico ran fast and leaped onto the bear's back. The small boy certainly had plenty of room there and the bear quite frankly continued ignoring him. Its interest was striking out at Oscar and Kyren. Nico got to the bear’s skull and taking a lesson from the bird he tried to bite the skull of the giant bear.

That got enough attention the bear tried to reach up and swipe for the small pup. Nico tried to get away from it and ended up losing his balance, tumbling down the bear’s back and onto the ground with an ‘oof’.

"Niko"

Kyren won’t give the bear a moment's peace to let it consider harming either one of his friends. The giant reindeer slammed into the bear, the tines of his antlers digging in. The reindeer shook his head, slashing deep in the bear. When Kyren pulled back it was only to sink his saber fangs at the bear's fat neck.

Kyren pulled back as the bear swung about to face him. The bear’s look had turned from the offensive beast wanting to kill to a fearful defensive creature, feeling the bruises, cracked bones, torn flesh, and muscle. Roaring between the two prey animals its gaze swept between them. It wanted nothing more than to retreat now. It would only attack should they get in its way.

Kyren snorted, his eyes sweeping to Oscar to see if the donkey was ready to be done with it as well. A side glance at the pup showed he seemed to be fine and also not in the bear's path.


"Speech"

The grizzly bear is quickly reconsidering his snack options as the donkey and reindeer deal damage to it. The beautiful spring day stands as a witness to the battle as bright red blood now streaks the grass and happy flowers that surround the them. Oscar continues to keep the grizzly’s attention on him, internally groaning at Nico as the small pup climbs on the bear’s back. He brays in the beast’s face, flat teeth reaching out to pinch the flabby skin on the bear’s cheek before dancing backward, away from the clawed paw that swings for his broad head.

Small hooves trample the lush green grass as Kyren bites the grizzly’s neck and the pair share a knowing look as the bear looks ready to retreat. They need to chase it away from Nico who lays in the flowers behind the bear. Hopefully the reindeer has the same idea because, with a sharp dip of his head, Oscar suddenly executes his plan. Legs churn as the ass races around the side of the grizzly, leaving Kyren an opening to prod the bear away from Nico. With the pup in sight, the donkey doesn’t stop, racing up to and past the coyote.

However, he does not leave the pup where he is, since, as he nears the boy, Oscar strikes out and easily plucks the pup’s small body from the grassy ground. Lifting him up, the donkey twists his head as he continues to run, depositing the boy on his back before he shouts, “Hold on!” Nico has little time to brace himself as the quickly donkey pivots, lining up his back end with bear’s hind legs and striking out with his back hooves. With Kyren’s help, the duo is able to force the predator to flee. Once it is gone, the ass heaves a sigh and swivels his head to check on Nico. With a great weariness in his voice, Oscar says, “Kid, we need to have a little talk.”


"Oscar Monaghan"