It had been a day or so since his spar with Absinth beneath the overhang at the edge of the valley. In the lapse of time, he had been more comfortable sticking to himself. Especially since he didn’t feel like he had a good enough reason to approach other than he simply wanted to. And while they weren’t necessarily in a position to defend the Polar Sound as a sole territory, he still made it his personal task to try and see as much of it as he could. It left a lot of time for the solitude that he was chasing. Though, as he had been lingering near the entrance of the valley- opposite the coastline- something of entirely different interest caught his attention. He heard the lumbering beast before he saw it. If it wasn’t a fucking polar bear. After having to jump off a cliff into a snowdrift to escape two of them once … he had never regained any kind of fondness for them. Granted he and Seph had gone back and killed the one … if not both of the ones that had trapped them. He honestly couldn’t remember- it was all kind of hazy. He was prepared to offer this one the same sort of treatment, though he couldn’t do it alone.

Turning on his heels at once, he ran to grab the girl he had been strategically aware of. He would have gone for Seph, but didn’t know where the other brute could be found. Besides, this was a nice excuse to see how Absinth handled herself in a fight that wasn’t her own. Coming to a sudden halt as he found her scent- he called out to her. “How do you feel about getting your ass kicked by a bear today?” He asked openly, not entirely sure what cover she had taken, but fairly certain that she was close enough to hear him. “There’s one that just came into the valley, and while it’s not really ours to defend … I guess I don’t really need the excuse to do so. Care to join me?” He offered casually, though he only lingered in place for a few more moments before turning once more to return to the last place he saw the massive tundra predator.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Absinth had been much of an explorer ever since parting with Aresenn, leaving him to his thoughts so he could process the words she had imparted. She had been toying with the idea of seeking him out after the escapades in the overhang, but instead she chose to continue her task of getting herself accustomed to the Sound. It was really all she had to do other than hunt while she was on trial with Sephiran. Something needed to happen though, or her worth would hardly be proven. She was contemplating a short trip outside of the valley to perhaps bring back some kind of offering for the purple boy she’d chosen to follow- but her planning was interrupted by the sound of an approach.

Aresenn called out to her, tempting her with the promise of a battle. A thrilling invitation she just had to accept, her tone delighted she would respond with a snicker. “If you wanted my company, all you had to do was ask.” She emerged from her cover a few feet to his right- A fallen tree with a rock propping up one end, a mass of snow and other dead fauna and branches creating a den- one she exited easily at his beckoning. There he was, red-coated and appealing- what a bastard.

Her monochromatic form quickly followed him, coming to a matched pace at his side- she collected all her senses one by one and put them to full alertness. “Got a plan for the fucker?” Bears were a mix of fast and slow, capable of almost charging up energy to move like lightning for an attack or a sprint. You could taunt them all you want, but getting swiped by those claws was brutal. Absinth couldn't help feeling a bit wistful of a new battle scar. Her excitement was palpable.

wormwood

Lingering along the border of the Polar Sound, Sephiran was starting to treat the territory as if it were his own. And, having mapped it out to create a map of the territory in his head, he knew where creatures could enter and leave most easily. So when a polar bear entered the valley, it didn’t take long for Sephiran to pick it up on his radar. Following it, he made a note of its mannerisms while deciding how to approach the situation. Part of him also wanted to see how long it would take for others to notice its arrival. How preceptive were Aresenn and Absinth?

It wouldn’t go unseen for long, and neither would he. Aresenn was quick to gather up Absinth, which Sephiran witnessed from a distance before deciding to approach. He entered their proximity in time to hear Absinth ask if there was a plan. Interrupting before Aresenn had a chance to answer, Sephiran took the lead. “You engage first.” Or rather, he demanded that Absinth take the lead and offer herself as either the sacrificial lamb, or the apex predator. Show me what you’ve got. Staring at her with an unwavering, intense glare, he waited for her to make a move.

And, in the time it took for the trio to exchange words, the polar bear had already covered several yards of ground and was barreling straight towards them.

"Speech"

Code by Sea

It didn’t take his company to fall into step just behind him. If he wanted her company, he should have just asked. What a novel thought. It just felt odd … asking to spend time with someone for the sole interest of spending time with them.  “I’ll remember that next time.” He answered lowly, though his pace didn’t slow. It didn’t take them long to come back into range of the larger predator. He wasn’t sure if it had noticed him on the initial sighting, but it was sure picking up on their scent now. Though it seemed that it wasn’t the only one. Just as Absinth had requested a plan for engaging their opponent, a different voice sounded from behind them.

Sephiran. He pulled out in front without even blinking an eye, immediately directing Absinth to be the distraction. Aresenn flicked his ears a moment, not sure he was willing to allow his … friend to be the one to take that sort of risk. Though in the back of his mind, he was keenly aware of the fact that if she refused, or he stepped in to protect her, what little respect she might have earned would be lost. He had to let it happen. With a silent nod, he returned his attention to their target, now rushing toward them. Without any further communication, Aresenn made the decision to go wide. Crossing behind Absinth and circling around in the trees in an arc to get the best approach at the Polar Bear’s shoulder. He was nearly certain that Sephiran would circle around to try and render one of the bear’s back limbs useless. However, at the moment, he was more concerned with his own approach. And who knew, maybe today was the day that they deviated from their usual strategy.

"Aresenn Praetor"

“You engage first.” The voice of Sephiran came, demanding Absinth to take action first, answering her question of whether they had a plan or not to follow. Fine. The monochromatic fae threw on a grin as she understood this was another one of his tests. His gaze was a cutting promise that refusal meant death. She didn't really mind, and regardless this was going to be a damn good chance to show her brutality. He wanted blood- and it could come from the bear or from Absinth herself.

She rumbled her compliance with his order, brushing past Aresenn to take her stand against the beast as the boys both went separate ways. “Look at you, you ugly fucker.” She spat rather confidently for a girl being charged by a fucking polar bear. Absinth stood her ground, allowing the bear to continue to use its energy in the run at her. She waited, balls of steel and all until it was nearly right on top of her before she dodged to the right of it- narrowly missing a swipe of its massive claws. She quickly whipped around as it roared furiously, her own savage snarls mixed into the thunderous noise.  As the creature lumbered to face her again Absinth took to circling the beast before it came at her again.


wormwood

Time was ticking, and the polar bear was barreling towards them at an alarming pace. Still, Sephiran didn’t peel his gaze away from Absinth- choosing to match her intensity in preparation for the battle. It wasn’t until he was forced to move that Sephiran leaped to his right, dodging the bear’s assault with only seconds to spare. Choosing a similar route to Aresenn, Sephiran rounded on the bear but from the opposite side, allowing the girl to take center stage. Which felt entirely unnatural for him. Watching her advance, he decided to wait on deploying an attack, wanting to see how she approached the situation before offering any aid.

Spewing an insult before dodging an attack, Absinth moved to encircle the beast, which put her in Sephiran’s crosshairs. He felt the urge to throw her under the bear almost overwhelming, which brought out a guttural snarl from his throat. Unable to wait any longer, he barreled forward, shoving his way past her and into the fray. Jaws splayed and closed around a chunk of flesh along the bear’s side, which forced its attention on him for the time being.

"Speech"

Code by Sea

The shouted insult at their victim’s expense caught his attention, though he personally made no hesitation. As the bear finished closing in on Absinth, it hesitated while delivering the first attack. At the same time, Aresenn lunged with outstretched paws and splayed jaws at its side. The connection he made was with the flesh over the bear’s shoulder blade, he braced himself against its body with his own legs, hinging the entirety of his weight on the anchor of his canines. He dangled there a moment, before twisting his neck and shaking his head- and in turn, the rest of his own frame. He felt the Polar Bear’s attention begin to shift with the sudden attack of his doing. However, he felt the impact of another attacker through the body of the beast. It was a far more sensitive target, based on the sudden transition of priority. Maintaining his grip, he tried to pull with all the strength he had to muster- though the bear’s hide and coat was extremely thick and tough. His own grip faltered before the skin tore free- in which he immediately hit the ground- landing on all four paws, using the split second of reprieve to reset his stance and launch back for more.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Now was her chance. Two distractions had come. Absinth was not the only fodder on the playing field any longer, and she easily became the seemingly weakest opponent present. Smaller than both of the males here, it focused on raging with its bear noises at them. It snapped at the boys, but Absinth did not pay attention to if they were hit or not.

She dove under the beast, its attention spread too thin now. Brute strength only got you so far and she was about to prove it.

Her attack was executed with precision. Jaws spread wide and clamping down on the bear's soft abdominal underbelly, the same locked jaw tactic she had used on Aresenn’s shoulder. And how could it ever detach her? She took full advantage of the holds Aresenn and Sephiran had on it. Its cries came next, a symphony of anguish. The bear lost blood immediately and Absinth tore away the unprotected flesh, but she did not stop there. It was as though the bear had been sent into shock, becoming unable to fight back and losing its strength quickly now. She felt the body of the bear being assaulted through her teeth but she had no way of knowing what was happening. It was as though the bear was… confused as to what was happening to it. She brought her maw back to the wound after spitting the flesh away- and forced her face into the cavity to pull more and more of its innards out.

The bear made one final act, weakly and wobbly rearing back onto its hinds before falling flat onto its back to reveal Absinth, bathed in blood. All that pretty white fur stained a brutal red. The girl's laughter was riotous. Her entire face- a mess of blood and viscera. “Tastes good.” Who would have thought it? Ugly over here was a good bite to eat. When her laughter died out the girl approached the bear and tore free a portion of its intestines, not for eating no- she was going to put it to good use. Perhaps a little craft.

[Exit Absinth]
wormwood

Sephiran felt a shift in the bear’s weight, likely from an assault on the other side. Aresenn. There was no other explanation- he must have launched an attack, which meant the both of them were at its sides, anchoring it down. If that didn’t present the perfect opportunity to show off, he didn’t know what would. Another snarl irrupted from his throat, skull thrashing from side to side as he pierced deeper into the bear’s hide. It couldn’t decide which one to attack, twisting and going to Aresenn’ before twisting the other way to go for him.

Another shift was felt, only this time, it was the polar bear starting to waiver. Sephiran heard the symphony of entrails splattering in snow, followed by a spout of steam from the drastic difference in temperature. Someone gutted the bear. His ears perked forward, enjoying the sickly sweet sound of teeth crunching through entrails. But the enjoyment was quickly replaced by jealousy, which caused him to release his hold and backpedal a few steps away. He wanted some too!

He was expecting to see Aresenn at the belly, but instead, it was Absinth covered in blood, retrieving a string of intestines as her prize. Cocking his head, Sephiran stared quite intensely at her, laughter filling his ears as it resonated from her bloodied maw. He didn’t say anything as he approached - the silence itself was an indication that she had done well enough to satiate him. For now. Shoving his way in, Sephiran dove into the cavity, worming his way up to his shoulders in pursuit of the liver. Plus, the warmth felt amazing.

-end-

"Speech"

Code by Sea