Absinth stretched her lean, disciplined frame as she rose from the bedding of the den, her sharp emeralds glinting with mischief as she peeked out. The cool morning air greeted her, carrying the scents of the Sound and… the promise of a hunt. She paused at the entrance, her gaze sweeping over the resting forms of her children until it settled on her daughter, Araxina, who was stirring from slumber.

The dark faced girl, with her striking fiery fur pattern and golden eyes, was already half-awake, her ears perking up at her mother's movement. Absinth smirked, a n impish yet inviting expression crossing her features. She sauntered over to Araxina, her steps deliberate and measured, and whispered a challenge.

“Xina~ Come with me, darling.” With a flick of her tail, Absinth leaned down and nudged Araxina's shoulder with her muzzle, a rough hum escaping the monochrome woman as she prodded the girl to action. She gave her daughter a knowing wink, the kind that spoke of shared secrets and thrills.

She turned and padded out of the den, towards the wintertime forest, not looking back but fully aware that Araxina would follow.


wormwood

Xina was on top of one sibling or another. She didn't like it. She liked to be squished against someone the most. Her restless body picked up the rustling of another body and she noticed her mother was shifting and looking over them. Momma caught her eye and Xina sighed, opening her eyes to her as the monochrome woman approached and whispered over her. Oh, now she didn't want to... She pushed her lips out and nearly muttered an indignant no, but the way her momma headed out the door and gave her a wink intrigued her more than the command.

Maybe she'll see what this is about. Scrunching her face as she clambered off one sibling and hit the floor, she shook her fur out and started to follow her mother. Cranky that it looked like she was following a command.

When they got a few steps away from the den she asked aloud, "Why Momma? What-is-it?"

Absinth paused as she heard the scrabbling of Araxina behind her, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips. She knew her daughter's curiosity and sense of adventure would win out over any initial reluctance. The monochrome woman continued her steady pace until they were a good distance from the den, the crisp air biting pleasantly at her fur, invigorating her senses.

As Araxina’s question reached her ears, Absinth turned her head slightly, just enough for her sharp emerald eyes to catch the golden ones of her daughter. Her smirk widened into a grin, revealing a flash of sharp teeth, dangerous and predatory. The thrill of the hunt was near, and the anticipation thrummed through her veins.

”Why, Xina?” She echoed, her tone a mix of amusement and anticipation. She relished the opportunity to test her most volatile daughter. “Look around, tell me what you see or smell.”

Absinth leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that held a hint of challenge. ”Is it the snow, clean and fresh? The seals on the shore, not too far away, the smell of their shit carried on the breeze? Or,” Her eyes sparkled with a dangerous glint, ”Do you smell the polar bear shamelessly parading about our territory?”

She watched Araxina intently, noting every twitch of her ears, every flicker of her gaze. This was more than a hunt; it was a test of her daughter's awareness, instincts, and courage. Absinth knew Araxina’s fiery temperament and unpredictable nature made her both a wild card and a force to be reckoned with; but a pup like her was bound to run into trouble. This test would push her, sharpen her skills, and perhaps reveal just how far her potential could reach.

Absinth stepped back, her posture relaxed but alert, every muscle ready to spring into action. She wanted Araxina to feel the weight of the moment, to rise to the challenge that lay before them – Or cower, and prove to Absinth that she was all bark and no bite. The monochrome woman turned her gaze back to the forest, her movements deliberate and confident, knowing her daughter would follow, driven by the same spirit of discovery and determination that burned within Absinth herself.


wormwood

No, she didn't want to tell her what she saw or smelled... She narrowed her golden eyes defiantly at her mother. But then they widened with wonder as Absinth went on and listed a few interesting details. Oooo! A challenge! If Momma could smell that, then what could she smell?

She huffed and sat her rump down, closing her eyes to focus. Did she huff her defiance or clear her nose? She lifted her nose to the air and drew in the scents, trees, pine, soil, rock... A waft of seal shit drifted past her and she scrunched her nose in response. What was the smell of a polar bear?

She used her ears to try and pinpoint where the bear could be... shuffling nearby! Yes! The smell was coming from there too! It smelled like... hmmm... Like it had killed a seal recently. Her nose twitched and her ear twitched as she noticed it.
"It just ate a seal recently...." She said plainly, opening her eyes and glancing at the relaxed form of her mother. Xina mirrored the pose for a moment then let her eyes scan the surroundings.

Her mother moved, and she instinctively followed her. "Are we hunting the bear?" She asked loudly into the air, forgetting to temper her tone. She was so ready to take anything on!

Absinth observed her daughter with a mixture of pride and amusement as she watched the young girl’s defiance transform into curiosity and focus. Araxina's golden eyes, initially narrowed, soon widened with wonder as she absorbed the details Absinth had provided. The monochrome woman could see the gears turning in her daughter's mind, her defiance melting into determination. Good.

When Araxina huffed and sat down, closing her eyes to concentrate, Absinth’s smirk softened slightly. She remained silent, allowing the moment to unfold, observing every twitch and flicker of her daughter’s ears and nose. Araxina's reaction to the scent of seal shit drew a quiet chuckle from Absinth, though she made sure not to break her daughter's concentration.

As Araxina seemed to pinpoint the polar bear's location and deduced its recent meal, Absinth's eyes gleamed with approval. She nodded subtly as her daughter reported her findings, noting the accuracy and detail. Araxina’s question about hunting the bear was loud and enthusiastic, which told Absinth of her readiness to face any challenge. Fine.

Absinth's grin widened, revealing her sharp teeth once more. “Good work, Xina,” She praised, her voice a blend of approval and challenge. “Yes, the bear is our target. Don’t you want to beat the fucker up?”

She stepped forward, her movements fluid and full of purpose, ensuring her daughter followed suit. “You will help me kill it, sweetling.” Her voice was calm yet edged with excitement, a reflection of the thrill coursing through her veins.

“Stay close, stay alert, and follow my lead. Today, you prove not just your strength, but your cunning as well. Unless you want to die?” She continued, her tone dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. Though she may have sounded cold and challenging at the end.

With that, Absinth led the way, her posture relaxed but ready, her senses attuned to the environment. She trusted Araxina to follow, knowing that the young girl's spirit and drive would push her onward. She moved, stalking through the snow and frost, her emeralds focused intently on their quarry. And soon enough, there was a huffing, a scratching, as the bear itched it’s back on a tree.


wormwood

Her charcoal dark tail wiggled behind her at her mother's praise! She liked that! She wanted to get more praise! She wanted to get the most praise of all her siblings!

"Yes! Beat the fucker up! Beat the fucker up!" She exclaimed loudly bouncing back and forth alongside Absinth. Yes! Kill it! She'll be the first of her siblings to kill a bear! Right? She didn't hear anything else about her siblings killing bears! She wanted to be first!

Her mother dropped her voice to a whisper and it made Xina pay more attention, she drew closer to listen to her mother's voice. Follow Mama's lead, stay close. Prove her cunning AND strength! Xina narrowed her golden eyes and snarled at the word die. The only one dying was that bear today!

She bounded after her mother, two steps for every one of hers. Her nose was active and her body ready.

She heard the bear, and smelled the bear before she saw it. Massive, white, towering over even her mother as it stood stretching its back against the tree. A wild feral grin creased the girl's maw as she slunk against a tree. Her eyes glittered with intensity. She had to kill it. She had to get it. Must! Must! Her blood thrummed in her ears as she stalked closer to it, not waiting for her mother's lead.

Absinth's emerald eyes gleamed with satisfaction at Araxina's enthusiastic response. Her daughter's eagerness and determination were exactly what she wanted to see. “That's my girl.” She murmured, her voice a blend of pride and amusement. She observed with a smirk as her daughter bounced alongside her, the excitement radiating from the young girl quite palpable. Absinth had always known that Araxina had a fire in her, but depending on how she applied it… it would either be her greatest strength or her biggest flaw.

As they moved through the snow, Absinth's senses were attuned to their surroundings, her posture relaxed but ready. She could feel the anticipation building within her daughter, mirrored by the intensity in her own veins. The sight of the massive white bear towering above them as it scratched its back against the tree only fueled her excitement. But then, Absinth's eyes narrowed as she noticed Araxina slinking forward, not waiting for her lead. The wild grin on her daughter's face was telling. Absinth quickly and silently moved to intercept, placing a firm paw on Araxina's shoulder to halt her progress.

“Patience, Xina,” She hissed quietly, her voice a sharp whisper. “Do you see how big it is? It will not play like your siblings do, it will not stop just because you cry about being hurt by it. It will kill you if given the chance.” She nodded towards the bear, her gaze intense. “Follow my lead. Attack when I do, quickly, then jump back out of its striking range. Rinse and repeat.”

She released her grip, watching Araxina's eyes. This was a critical moment, a test not just of strength but of discipline and unity. They would face this challenge as one, and Araxina would emerge stronger for it. With a final nod to her daughter, Absinth turned her attention back to the bear, her muscles tensing in preparation. The hunt was on. Her tail lashed out behind her, ears flattening as her lips pulled back in a deadly snarl. The bear was surprised to say the least, immediately falling forward off the tree and onto all fours as it huffed and scanned the wolves before it, taking note of the small child with a thunderous roar of its own.

And then, Absinth surged sideways, darting one way, then swiftly changing direction at the last moment just as a swing of a giant paw came for her. Her limbs sprung, a leap at the bear’s ribcage where she sunk her teeth in and tore into the softer flesh there.


wormwood

She huffed and her nose twitched as she felt her mother's stern guiding paw. The hiss from her mother's maw set her dark ears back in annoyance. She knew that! Of course, it wasn't going to play like her siblings! She wasn't *allowed* to kill her siblings!

She hmf'd in agreement. Attack when mom attacks, and jump back out of the way. She'll show her she can take it!

Araxina's eyes were hard set in a devilish glare, all 10 pounds of this girl was ready to take the massive 1000-pound bear down solo, but if her mother insisted on taking it down together, it wasn't like she could stop her. This one was certainly a toddler going on teen.

She mirrored her mother's movements a half step behind her, a little red devil an echo behind her monochrome mother. She snarled aloud as the bear noticed them!

Her mother went forward and Xina was a half breath behind her immediately grabbing at the flesh of the bear she could reach. Barely reaching its elbow she clamped her tiny needle like puppy teeth into the flesh down the arm just below the elbow. Unknowingly clasping on one of the strongest muscles of the bear and barely making a dent.

She was lifted up off the ground as the bear agonized over its attackers and started to swing its arm around. Xina let go, landed on her paws, and immediately relaunched to the grasp just above where the neck met the chest. She clamped as hard as she could and held on for dear life, not realizing the bear could just grab her with its maw, but it as too busy fending off Absinth's attacks.

Absinth felt the irritation radiating from Araxina, her daughter's defiance tempered by youthful exuberance. The hiss from her own maw had the desired effect, though the set of Araxina's ears spoke volumes of her annoyance. Still, the huff of agreement was all she needed for now.

Absinth's gaze remained fixed on the bear, its size a daunting reminder of the stakes. Araxina's fierce determination, while admirable, needed to be tempered with caution. Absinth's movements were fluid, precise, as she stalked the massive creature, the thrill of the hunt coursing through her veins. She could sense Araxina mirroring her steps, a small yet fierce echo of her own predatory grace.

The bear's roar split the air, a thunderous challenge that only spurred Absinth on. She darted forward, her fangs finding purchase in the bear's ribcage, tearing into the soft flesh. The beast's pained bellow was music to her ears, a symphony of their combined assault.

She glanced sideways to see Araxina latch onto the bear's elbow, her tiny teeth struggling to make an impact. The bear, in its agony, swung its massive arm, and Absinth's heart skipped a beat as Araxina was lifted off the ground. Yet, her daughter's resilience shone through. Xina released and landed on her paws with an agility that spoke of her potential. Without missing a beat, she launched herself again, clamping onto the junction of neck and chest.

Absinth felt a surge of pride and worry. The bear could easily turn its wrath on the child, but it was too preoccupied with her own relentless attack. Absinth redoubled her efforts, her muscles straining as she ripped and tore at the bear's side, aiming to weaken it further.

“Good fucking job, Xina! Stay nimble!” She barked, her voice a fierce command over the chaos. “Remember, in and out!”

With a powerful leap, Absinth sank her fangs into the bear's other side, aiming for a vital spot. The bear's roars grew more frantic, its movements more desperate. The snow beneath them was stained with crimson, Absinth’s chest and fores splattered with blood as her eyes gleamed wicked fury. She couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction, knowing her daughter was learning firsthand the brutal lessons of survival.

The bear, wounded and enraged, stumbled back, trying to shake off its attackers. Absinth released her grip, landing deftly on her paws.


wormwood

Her charcoal ears flickered back to her mama's praise and she thrashed her little body hard enough into the bear's flesh to feel it tear. She was nowhere near strong enough to pull the flesh away but as she felt the shift within her jaws she let go and relaunched her assault. The smell of blood was growing thick around them. She pushed off the ground just as the bear had enough of her and swung its head toward her, she took the opportunity to latch on to the flesh of its neck and it roared in response as it stumbled back. Her nose was buried into the thick fur. She dug into the bear's neck with a ferocious blood lust, her pupils became pinpricks as she furiously dug into the thick white fur with her claws and ground her tiny teeth into the beast. With a taste of blood, she growled viciously, insensed, her heart beat in her ears, drowning out anything else but blood blood blood blood.

Suddenly she was yowling and growling and thrashing as she was lifted by her charcoal tail and weakly flung aside by the failing bear. She landed again on three of her paws, one twisted, but she immediately dove again, panting hard and shallow, she launched into attaching herself to anything she could find of the bear. She found its ankle and wildly dug into it like a feral piranha, She found the blood beneath the skin and caked herself in it. She slipped on the slick blood caking the forest floor now but ignored her foiling and relaunched another mindless frantic attack at the pale monster, not even aware if it was still moving.

Absinth's eyes gleamed with feral pride as she watched Araxina throw herself into the bear with relentless determination. The scent of blood grew thicker, an intoxicating aroma that fueled their shared bloodlust. Araxina's small body thrashed with a fury that betrayed her size, and though her strength was not yet enough to rip flesh from bone, her tenacity was undeniable.

“That's it, Xina, just like that!” Absinth's voice carried over the chaos, a mix of encouragement and command as she threw herself back at the ursine. Her own fangs sank deeper into the bear's side, tearing into the beast's flesh with savage precision. She could feel the creature's resistance weakening, the pain and blood loss taking their toll. She was mid-bite when it happened.

Araxina's yowl cut through the air as the bear, in a final act of desperation, flung her aside. Absinth's heart clenched, a brief moment of maternal fear slicing through her battle-focused mind. But then she saw her daughter land, twisting but undeterred, and her pride surged anew. “You're a fucking fighter, Xina!” The monochromatic woman snarled, her own voice rough with exertion and satisfaction as she moved to nip, bark, and snap at the bear to keep its focus.

The bear stumbled, its movements growing more erratic and desperate. Absinth kept up her relentless assault, her muscles straining as she tore into its vulnerable spots without help – asides from her young daughters. Araxina's renewed attack was wild, feral, driven by an almost mindless bloodlust Absinth recognized well. It was the girl's fathers bloodlust. Aresenn’s affliction. Xina latched onto the bear's ankle, her tiny teeth and claws finding purchase in the blood-soaked fur.

Absinth moved to flank the bear, her movements fluid and deadly. She had time to think about that later. “Stay with it, girl! Keep that fire burning!” She barked, her eyes never leaving her daughter as she calculated the implications of this outburst of violence. The bear's struggles grew weaker, its roars turning to whimpers of pain. The snow beneath them was a crimson canvas, painted with the bear's blood and their shared savagery.

With a final, powerful surge forward, Absinth sank her fangs into the bear's throat, crushing its windpipe in a death grip. The bear's body convulsed, a last, desperate attempt to throw off its attackers, but it was too late. Absinth felt the life drain from the beast, its struggles ceasing as it succumbed to their combined fury. Panting, blood-soaked, and triumphant, Absinth released her grip and turned to Araxina with a chunk of flesh falling from her maw. “You did it, Xina. You fucking did it.” She said, her voice a mixture of pride and ferocity. “Remember this feeling, this power. It's in you, always.” Emeralds gleamed with satisfaction, challenge, and pride unto her little girl.
wormwood

She dug and she dug and she dug. When she slipped she would dive back in on a new spot with a frenzied fury, her claws raking into the fur and flesh to get down to the bone.

The bear fell and she worked her way up the hip of the bear, slathered in thick red blood, panting, clawing and growling. Her ears stoppered by the scent and thrum of blood blood blood. A faint sound of her mother tried to wind its way through the pounding in her head. Still, her body persisted and dug, even as the bear became motionless, she snarled and bit and tugged at the flesh, thrashing her head from side to side. Again a voice teased its way through her ears trying to find a purchase in her attentions but she couldn't hear a thing. Her panting became rapid and her movements weakened as her energy waned through the bloodlust.

She slipped on a thick puddle of blood on her twisted paw and suddenly lay still with her eyes closed, her sides heaving breathless. Something within her told her it was dead, that her mother was proud, another was screaming at her to keep going, kill it kill it or she'll die! The second voice was louder and she weakly scrambled back to her paws to keep attacking the bear, her eyes blind as she found a tuft of blood-soaked grass and started tearing at it.

Absinth watched her daughter with a fierce intensity, noting the frenzied determination in every savage movement. Araxina's small frame was almost entirely submerged in the bear's blood, her claws relentless as they shredded through fur and muscle in a manic frenzy. The ursine's fall seemed to fuel her, pushing her to claw and bite with a ferocity that was both impressive and amusing.

Despite the bear's death, Xina's assault continued unabated, driven by an insatiable bloodlust that clouded her senses. Absinth could see the toll the frenzy was taking on Araxina, the way her panting grew more erratic and her movements sluggish. Yet, the girl persisted, heedless of the bear's lifeless state.

When Araxina slipped and lay still, Absinth's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, time seemed to freeze as she watched her daughter's sides heave with breathlessness. Then, as if spurred by some internal force, Araxina scrambled back to her paws, her eyes wild and unfocused. She attacked some blood-soaked grass with the same ferocity she had shown the bear, her mind clearly lost in the throes of her bloodlust. It reminded Absinth of Aresenn.

Moving swiftly, Absinth closed the distance between them, her own paws slick with the bear's blood. She reached out, nipping Araxina's scruff gently but firmly, a grounding gesture meant to bring her back to reality. “Enough, Xina. It's done.” She growled softly, her voice a mix of authority and affection. “Save your strength. Save that bloodlust for your living enemies.” The woman sought to bring her daughter closer, a paw reaching to pull the girl close to her other fore. “You little devil, look at you. You’re more bear blood than the blood that actually courses through your veins right now.” The woman grins, a wicked laugh escaping her own bloodied lips.


wormwood

The nip on the back of her neck had her whirling but her mother's dark face was in front of her. Her voice broke through the swimming red soaked haze. She blinked wildly through a fading snarl on her lips as she finally realized the bear was dead and they had won! She couldn't control the way her lungs were heaving but as her mother pulled her in against her, the warmth of her mother's leg, though sticky and slick with gore, helped ease the ache and frenetic energy in her chest.

She panted through her devilish grin as her mother praised her. Wait until she tells her brothers and sisters about this! She killed a bear with Momma! She was completely soaked through, the only thing visible through the blood was her liquid gold eyes half-lidded and ready for a nap. She didn't realize the overwhelming bloodlust wasn't really a normal thing or something other wolves didn't experience. She thought it was all part of the hunt and the kill! Part of the thrill! Why wasn't Momma as tired as she was? She leaned her head on her mother's foreleg. That was nice. Her energy spent she felt a serene calm overcome her body. Something she hadn't experienced much before. Her body didn't need to move, her mind wasn't a constant static. It was bliss.

"Hmmf...thissh-nicemomma" She murmured. Save the bloodlust for the living enemies.