Art & Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Lucette had been unable to stay asleep. Tossing and turning, she dreamed… dreams of her father, dreams of her son. Not all of them were bad, but that didn’t mean that they didn’t mean they didn’t hurt. The woman cursed herself, leaving the responsibility of getting news of her son upon her younger sister’s shoulders. Guilt gnawed at her. Hay was trying so hard for everyone, and what had she been doing? Apart from keeping the rest of her little ones under a watchful eye, Lucette had been withdrawn into herself. She had been keeping a steady supply of lavender for both herself and Bae-Syl. Where was that fire she had felt before? Had her father’s death shaken her so much that she’d lost her spark? Lucette rose to her paws and drew in a breath.

No. She had been shaken, but she would rekindle the ember within her soul. Her green eyes shifted to her little ones… not so little now, however. They were all growing, and before long they would need to be mentored. Be taught more about the world around them. Lucette drew in a breath and quickly exhaled it. They would be ready, she swore it. They weren’t going to lose anyone else. Her gaze then flicked to Ink and Rush, her companions snoozing away as well. Good, let them stay with the children. It seemed Bae hadn’t come back from his patrol… and Lucy had decided that she was going out to find him. Divinities forbid if the rainbow man had found trouble. She knew how Bae could be when it came to protecting her. Hopefully she wouldn’t come across any bodies at the borders.

And so Lucette left the safety of the caves behind the falls. She would take a slow course through the lands of the Falls down to Cattail Creek. It was cold, the chill in the air freezing her breath the moment it passed her lips in a puff of white smoke. Thankfully she had slipped on the vest Bae had gifted her and with it carried the dirk from her mother. Not that she expected to find danger within their home. Not after the tiger that her mother had torn to shreds to defend her sister. A predator would have to be quite foolish to step over the borders now. But winter was a harsh time, and many creatures would become desperate… especially other predators.

Lying in wait within the trees above the creek, bright green eyes had fixed on the tiny form of the pixie. He thought that he was in the perfect position for an easy meal. The little femme was tiny, a little scrap of a thing that might as well have been a pup. It licked its lips, whiskers twitching as Lucy stepped closer.

Lucette’s ears twitched as her pace slowed further. Something wasn’t right. Even though it was winter things were far too quiet. She stopped, gaze scanning the horizon. She didn’t see anything, her ears flicking back as she drew in a deep breath. She picked up his scent, the musk of a male jaguar. Her gaze snapped up as the beast jumped down from the branches and made for her.

Lucy snarled in response, nimbly dodging the larger creature. “Oh piss off!” The fur on the back of her neck bristled and the pixie barred her teeth. This skinny cat wanted to try and make a meal out of her? No way. Her ears pinned back as the girl widened her stance. She might have chosen to walk her path as a healer, but that didn’t mean she had neglected learning some defensive tactics. She had Bae to thank for that. She kept out of reach of the jaguar’s paws as he swept toward her. Dumb cat. Didn’t they learn not to mess with wolves?

Around the pair the weather was quickly turning. Dark clouds had been rolling in from the moment Lucette had stepped into Ethne’s secondary land. Alongside it the wind suddenly whipped, smacking Lucette with snow and ice from the branches above. This caused her to yelp, a moment of distraction breaking her focus. She stepped back, the shift in environment something she hadn’t accounted for. The last time she had been out in rough weather she had almost died. The cat lunged again, this time knocking the shewolf off her paws.

Before it could go for a killing bite, however, Lucette thrust her forepaws up and clicked its jaws shut with an audible snap. Her heart leapt into her throat as she tilted her head  around and grabbed her dirk. This time when the can tried again it met steel across its nose, earning Lucette first blood as the cat stumbled back in rage and pain. It was all the distraction that Lucy needed as she scrambled to her paws. By the time it lunged again she had slipped out of the way once more, heading into the trees. Fighting it in the open was going to be stupid if she was alone. She needed to get it in an area where its big size would be a hindrance… and her smaller size would aid her in attacks where she could slip away and avoid injury.

The cat roared after her, as if swearing to take her life. ’Go ahead and try, fleabag!’ She would slip between a couple trees as she heard it thundering after her across the snow, more of the snow, ice, and twigs battering them both as it was shaken loose from the wind. She squinted her eyes, refusing to accept any thought other than the fact she was going to walk away from this encounter.

---

Word Count: 951 words
Total Word Count: 951 words

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Bae had been pretty busy today. His patrols being part of that, the second part was with his traps. Someone, or something had sabotaged a section of them. It was frustrating, and he had lost track of time. By the time he had fixed them and returned to his patrolling it was well after the noon. He had promised to take Baecette to the creek tomorrow to practice fishing but he wouldn't let the boy set a paw anywhere outside the den if he wasn't certain it was safe first.

His patrolling took him to the border with the cathedral and it was there he lost track of time. He had stopped, looking out at where Gav had last lived. He had always had thoughts of the what ifs. What if he had been closer that day? What if he had been with the healer? Would he have been able to prevent his wife and bells from ever having to be broken?

The thoughts were always swirling there. He had always hoped that no one blamed him, but secretly he shouldered the blame himself. If he wasn't so caught up in the world that was himself and Luce he would of been on the border that day. Had Gav screamed he would of intervened.

A sigh passed from his lips.

The sun had set and in the night it was cold and clouds were beginning to set in. He moved and turned towards the falls. Luce would come looking. He didn't need her finding him like this. She already feared he was losing himself he could tell. She kept lavender and other herbs nearby. It was what a healer who saw a demon emerging would do.

As the wind turned and started to whip a sound breached his ears. A roar. Not like that of a normal in the distance, but a predator hunting something in the direction of home. Immediately instinct sent him into response mode. He broke from his relaxed gait into a sprint towards the noise. The wind bringing a male jaguars musk to him as well as another scent he knew intimately. Lucette. His pace gunned forward as fast as he could.

As he broke upon the scene Luce was running towards his direction and the cat after her. His eyes narrowed and a sound akin to a demonic roar came from his chest and maw. Loud and deep. His legs sent him leaping over the top of Lucy and landing directly in the cats path. His tail was lifted and legs wide as he stopped. His back hair was on end. A murderous intent for this cat in his eyes.

The cat had chosen the wrong prey tonight.

Lucy and his pack were his.

As the cat came to leap and try to get past him he lunged. His own body colliding with the cats. Snarls and growls from the both filled the air as they both came to their back paws standing and trying for each other's vitals. Claws slicing into bae as his fangs ripped flesh from the cat.

Their bodies came back to all fours and bae had earned the cats attention now. They circled one another. The cat hissing and bae releasing that same snarl to answer. This cat was going to line Lucy's bed now. Bae would see to it. How dare it.

As it finally moved to go for Lucy again bae was quick to retaliate. His fangs grabbing ito its right hip and spilling its blood. It was on then. The cat turned and latched into his face with its claws, narrowly missing his eyes. And its mouth missing his throat as he shoved his shoulder forward into its mouth. Its teeth gripping into his shoulder.

Bae spared the smallest glance into Lucy's direction seeking her eyes, apology in them before they hardened as he moved them back to the caspanhe could of been too late again. But not this time.

Snarls of not only anger and pain ripped from both. Its back limb unable to be placed down as Bae refused it being able to move. It was having to keep its other leg and its last forepaw grounded to stay upright. That was the point of this though. Bae wouldn't risk anyone but himself.

He tighted his grip sending a yowl from the cat as he tore at its muscle. It was trying to do the same to him. They were eye to eye in the moment. The wind was being loud enough to hopefully keep Hay and others away from this scene.

Neither male was backing down tonight.

"Speech!"

Art & Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Words: 773
Total: 1724

No damsel in distress If there was one thing that Lucette wasn’t, it was that she wasn’t afraid. Her fleeing was not out of fear, but a strategic retreat knowing that a head on assault was far too risky. She could feel her fur on end, could hear the pants of the larger beast behind her as it attempted to catch up with her. But Lucette was using her smaller size, and speed, to her advantage here. She’d duck under a low hanging branch, her ears turned back towards the one pursuing her. It broke past the branch, doing its best to gain on her, when the sight of white and rainbow fur caught her attention. Bae. Lucette didn’t stop, knowing full well the state that Bae-Syl would be in seeing her in any form of harm. The wind gave another burst, this time towards her as Bae rushed towards the other predator. It seemed to help propel him over her head and toward the cat. The sound he had made was not something she expected, and it chilled her, but as she always had, Lucette trusted her mate. She spun on her paws, dirk still gripped in her maw as more snow and ice flew at her face and body. It was cold, so very cold, the white stuff melting on her warmer body and soaking into her coat. That only made the wind harsher against her form as she stood there, taking in the sight of her beloved tearing ruthlessly into the cat that had sought to make her into its meal. There was no holding back, Bae’s fangs ripping through flesh as the jaguar and wolf clashed. Neither male was willing to back down. The cat, despite its pain, seemed to push against a more able bodied opponent. It had to be truly desperate, Lucy realized. But there was no sympathy for the jaguar’s pain. It favored its hind leg, forced to keep the other grounded as both it and Bae-Syl went head to head. Lucette’s ears pinned to her skull, her green eyes narrowing as she realized that just as her mate had torn into it, the jaguar had done damage to him. Lucette felt her anger rise from a burning ember to a roaring flame, the protective urge to aid Bae-Syl and end this attack quickly washing over her. They were a team, more than just part of a pack. They were each other’s soul mates, and she would be damned if any creature risked doing something that would leave lasting injury upon her personal rainbow. Gripping the dirk in her fangs tightly, Lucette moved with purpose back towards the jaguar. With his focus on Bae-Syl, the cat failed to react to her approach. Lucette would slam towards the cat, aiming to not only hit its side with her own as she jumped, but to impale the dirk into its side. An attack that was successful, the cat grunting and losing its grip on Bae-Syl. Lucette hopped back as the big cat lost its foot and was tossed to the ground as more ice, snow, and twigs rained down on them from above. To make things even more satisfying when it slipped it had fallen on the side with her dirk in it, pressing the weapon further into its side and causing it more pain. It deserved it, Lucy thought, panting as she moved back to let Bae finish it. --- Word count met, no need to keep track! "Speech," 'Thought.' Don't need to save me

_{Art by Asena}

The wind, snow and branches were ignored as they pelted them all by Bae-Syl. Adrenaline fueling his ability to ignore it and other pain taking the spotlight for him. His entire being was focused on not only protecting but ending yet another would be murderer in the world. This cat could have slipped into a den and taken a pup or someone whole they slept. The pack had gotten lucky honestly.

His shoulder was in the cats jaws and he had its leg, both tightening their grips as the other did so. Bae refused the cat the opportunity to flee. The running approach of Luce sounded and all in the same instance of her standing it and it releasing to yowl and try to grab her he reacted. He gave a great yank, his own shoulder bleeding and roaring in pain causing him to lift the paw to relieve pressure. It might of fractured his shoulder. He wasn't certain though. His head was scratched as well. The moment the thud and another yowl left the cat though bae was upon it.

He released its leg and lunged for its now exposed throat gripping hard and shaking his head. He was going to make this cat wish it had never came for his wife. It felt like forever until everything finally fell in silence. The cat stilled but Bae kept his jaws clenched tight for a few moments longer ensuring it had died. Only releasing it once he was certain.

With adrenaline still pumping into his system he looked towards Luce and hobbled over the now dead corpse of the cat. He kept his left paw up as he moved to his wife. His nose then began pushing into her pelt his eyes inspecting her. He wouldn't let her escape his inspection.his injuries likely looked gruesome, and he could tell likely they would scar but she was more important to him.

"Your not bleeding anywhere or hurt, good...... do me a favor next time though, just run for me." his voice held his exhaustion as the adrenaline left him. He winced as the wind whipped the cold into his fresh wounds. He was starting ho huff in breath now as his body tried to slow his heart and his breath heaved out in pants now. An almost unsettling calm came over him as he looked at Lucy. He was the one covered in blood and wounded and here he was more worried about her. She was likely about to give him an earful but he backed up a step or two before sitting down.

"Gonna have to let Haydee know bout this..... I think I will be down a bit until you deem me fit again. Shoulder feels pretty fucked Luce." he lowered himself to sit with his paw held up. He knew Lucette would make him sit still for a while on this shoulder. So he did them both a favor, tilting his head back he let out a resonating call in the wind for Haydee. He was likely gonna need help getting the cat's body back to the dens so he could make its pelt into a new piece of bedding for his beloved. He would make sure Lucy got to sleep on the beast that tried to end her. His head fell back to looking at luce then after he released the howl. If haydee was even awake. If not he would see her tomorrow after Lucy had patched him up. And then he would make a trip to see Bellamy, so he might convince the woman that maybe her family needed her while he was out of commission.

"Speech!"

Art & Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

There isn’t much that happens within Ethne’s borders that Haydée isn’t aware of. It is part of her duty as the Leader to be informed and it is something that the girl takes extremely seriously. Darkness has settled its heavy cloak over the world and lanterns have been lit in her room so that she can continue to study the books that have piled up on her desk. Bent over an opened book, she pauses in her reading as paw-steps reach her ears and she lifts her head slightly to cast her green eyes at the entrance to her den. But they do not come to her room and, instead, retreat down the halls so the young woman returns to her studies, without giving it a second thought.

Minutes tick by and the girl’s shoulders slowly tighten until they reach an uncomfortable level and she knows that she should get up and stretch. Abandoning the book, Haydée swiftly stands, rolling her shoulders to try and ease the tension that has settled there. A sigh drifts from her lips and she decides to take a small walk as she slowly pads out to the hallway and down the path that leads out from the cave system. The roar of Falls is a familiar lullaby to the young Leader and it helps to sooth some the worry that has been building in her chest. There is so much she should be doing, so much that she needs to plan and implement to make sure that Ethne continues to flourish but it all seems like such a daunting task.

The air is cold as she traces the trail around the pool of water, green eyes lifting to the clouds that cover the sky and their dark bellies that are laden with moisture. Soon the pregnant clouds will be unleashing rain upon the pack lands but, for now, they simply loom over head and continue to threaten the inevitable. A sharp gust of wind tugs at her body, attempting to pull her over but failing and throws debris at her. Haydée body is pelted with stripped leaves and small branches before it suddenly to whip out at from another direction. The girl decides that it would be best to seek shelter inside.

Just as she turns to head back to the cave system, the air stills and a summons reaches her ears. Bae-Syl, her sister’s husband and one of her combatants is calling for her. Haydée is off like a shot, racing over the distance that separates them with urgency. Worry needles her brain and as she approaches and, when the scent of blood and predator fills her nostrils, that worry turns into dread. Gritting her teeth, the Leader bursts onto the scene, eyes quickly scanning the area and taking in the situation. Before her time as Leader, she might have panicked but now she is able to quickly assess and take control.

Spying the injuries on Bae-Syl, the girl immediately tips her head back a offers a powerful, urgent summons for both Dorian and Bay. Reinforcements will be helpful and Haydée knows Lucette will need all the paws she can get. With an air of authority, she steps toward the pair and offers them a dip of her head in greeting as she says, “I have called for Bay and Dorian, they will follow your lead Lucette. Bae-Syl, rest and do she says. That is an order.” An amused smile wiggles her lips as she tosses him a wink and steps over to the dead jaguar. Looking at the dead predator, she says, “I will see that this skinned and its pelt delivered to you Bae-Syl.”

Green gaze moves to the male and her features soften as she says, “You did good. Now, I will take it from here.” A gentle bow is offered as she shoulders the situation, knowing she needs to train other combatants since the predators have begun to encroach on Ethne territory. They must think the pack weak to continue to try and push in and it is time Ethne taught them a lesson.


"Haydée Kedieo"

Art by Moonfin