Returning to the marshland, Nimue was on the hunt for something to fill her belly. That crane she’d killed the day Chimera ‘caught her trespassing’ (dumb old man) sounded like a good enough bird to hunt. And so, she was on the prowl, lurking in the grasses of the estuary like the tiny, skilled predator she was. She’d honed in on her target- a smaller crane lingering at the base of the massive willow tree. A little smirk pulled at her lips, paws digging into the mud to brace herself, as she prepared to launch forward when the time was right. But suddenly, an ominous hiss rang out beside her, causing her to whirl around and come face to face with a huge, menacing crocodile. Damnit, just her luck. ”Speech”

As the girl moved into the estuary, her ears pricked at the sound of movement nearby. A small girl, a new member of their pack, was here by the scent in the air. The mottled girl took off, eager to see the new child her father had taken an interest in. Barghest's lips curled into a grin as she laid eyes on the girl stalking a crane, her movements fluid and practiced as she crept closer to her target.

But then, a sudden hiss cut through the air, causing Barghest to tense instinctively. Her gaze snapped to Nimue where a massive crocodile had emerged from the murky waters, its eyes gleaming with hunger and malice. Barghest's hackles rose as she assessed the situation, her mind racing with possibilities.

Without hesitation, she sprang into action, darting forward to jump onto the back of the threat. "Look at this shit! In my dad's land." She growled, her voice a low rumble that carried the weight of authority. You know, because this was her father’s land and it was an unwanted predator. The crocodile hissed angrily, its jaws snapping as it began to shake left and right to remove its passenger. All the while Barghest was laughing with a mix of giggle and bellows.

goblin dog

Slowly, Nimue would start to backpedal away from the hissing beast, wanting to put enough distance between them, so it couldn’t lung forward and grab her. Each step was precise, her body tense and muscles coiled, every fiber electrified with tension as she prepared herself to spring away.

But then, a voice cut through the silence; not feminine, not masculine, but somewhere in between and foreign. Their dad’s lands? A child of Chimera then, who’d emerge from the underbrush and start fighting the beast. Whatever, guess they were killing it. Shooting off her hind limbs, Nimue feints to the left, as the crocodile twists to the right, putting space between them so she could flank behind it and bite its side.  

"Nimue Vasanti"

Barghest's muscles tensed as she landed on the crocodile's back, her claws digging into its thick, scaly hide. The creature thrashed wildly, trying to dislodge her, but Barghest held on with determination fueled by protective instincts for her pack and her father's territory. This way, she felt alive!

As the crocodile's jaws snapped trying to reach her, Barghest's laughter echoed across the estuary.. ”Silly lizard. You think you can invade my home and go unpunished?” The mottled girl taunted, her voice ringing out with authority and spite and boyish mischief.

With a burst of strength, Barghest flashed her metal talons, thrusting them to slice downwards into the beast’s eyes, effectively blinding the crocodile. The crocodile thrashed and roared with its hissing, but Barghest held firm, her gaze unwavering as she asserted her dominance over the scaly trespasser. A grin on her face, aqua eyes glittering with confidence.

""

Biting down on the beast’s ribcage, Nimue is surprised by the resilience of its hide. Her teeth barely puncture through it, drawing little blood to the surface. It was hard to get a good grip too, with its writhing and tough exterior, which earned a snarl from Nimue.

Still, she’d take what she could, ripping away a little chink of meat and stumbling back a few steps. With the other wolf on its back, taunting it and clawing at its eyes, it started to writhe and convulse, trying to throw them off. Nimue had to gauge for an opening, taking the only one she could see. She’d have to attack its side again. Repeating her motion, she’d leap back in, grabbing the crocodile by the existing wound. Only this time, her teeth sunk deeper, spilling more blood and ripping away a sinewed mess of carnage.  

"Nimue Vasanti"

Barghest felt the crocodile's struggles weaken beneath her and Nimue's assault. As the other girl’s jaws tore into the creature's side, she could sense victory was imminent – so she did as she did best. She kept being a fucking nuisance.

Barghest drove her claws deeper into the crocodile's blinded eyes, ensuring she could tickle its brain. The creature's thrashes grew feeble until finally, it stilled beneath them. The mottled girl’s breaths came heavily, huffing – Barghest exchanges a glance with Nimue, aqua seeking amethyst as the former’s glittered with the satisfaction of a battle won. “That… was…. So fun!” She chirped out, her voice a mix between boyish and girlish, teeth flashing brilliantly in excitement. Maybe as uncouth as Nimue was, her father had seen something in the girl – maybe Barghest could see it too. At least, she considered that line of thought for a moment over the cooling corpse of the lizard.
""