Kolt paused at the edge of the fjord, his blue eyes scanning the steep rocky walls that plunged down to the dark waters below. The young brute's cream and chestnut fur ruffled in the cool autumn breeze. He could smell the earthy scent of the forest behind him mingling with the salty spray rising up from the crashing waves. Carefully, he picked his way down the cliffside, his claws finding purchase in the crevices between the stones. Loose pebbles skittered down the rock face as he moved, clattering into the churning water.

Halfway down the treacherous slope, Kolt froze. A low growl echoed off the fjord walls, barely audible over the crashing waves. His ears swiveled, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. There - on a narrow ledge jutting out from the cliff face. A massive brown bear regarded Kolt with gleaming black eyes. His heart hammered in his chest, but he fought the urge to flee back up the rocks. But something kept him frozen in place. The bear's thick fur rippled as it shifted its weight, powerful muscles bunching beneath its shaggy coat. It let out another rumbling growl, lips curling back to reveal yellowed fangs.

Kolt's mind raced, trying to recall everything he had learned about bears. Make yourself look big. Don't run. Come on, Kolt, think straight. But the lessons seemed flimsy in the face of the massive predator before him. He fought to keep his breathing steady, his body tense and ready to spring into action. The bear took a step forward, its claws scraping against the stone. Kolt's instincts screamed at him to run, but he held his ground. He raised his head high, meeting the bear's gaze directly. For a long moment, neither of them moved. The only sound was the crashing of the waves and the whistle of the wind through the fjord.

But then suddenly, it charged. Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! The bear lunged forward, its massive paws pounding against the rock as it barreled towards Kolt. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he sprang into action, his limbs propelling him down the cliffside with a speed he didn't know he possessed. Rocks skittered beneath his paws as he half-ran, half-skidded down the incline. What was he going to do when he got there? He didn’t know. But it just seemed like it was the kind of thing to take initiative on. Gods, what was the plan?

"Kolt Carpathius"

Was Ballad supposed to be out here? Probably not. But the scent of his brother leaving the pack lands had caught his attention. It could have been just a make believe rule in his head, or one he hadn't outgrown as a much smaller pup. But they were pretty capable of themselves right? At his age and size, especially compared to his brothers, Ballad didn't quite feel like he fit that bill. Still he found a curiosity in going after Kolt. He need to expand his horizons. There were different phases of life certainly. To his surprise, when his eyes laid on his brother, he was near the bottom of the fjord face to face with a bear. Ballad too froze for the moment, more like a few seconds but it felt like everything went into a stand still. Should he call for help? Uncle Art would have been able to handle the beast all on his own he thought. But he didn't think there was any time for that. Or would anyone even hear his call? And in the end, he sprung into action himself. He was hurried to make it to the two of them, claws sliding and losing grip on the stone surfaces as he made haste. He fell a couple times, leaving a few minor marks on his hips and rump. And then seemingly out of nowhere was he leaping fearlessly up to the bear's shoulders. He didn't quite make it that far, but still made a bite grasp about mid height on the side of the bear, at the perfect angle where he couldn't be thrashed with a large paw. There wasn't much trajectory in his attack, more just luck on acting immediately. And at least it would distract the monster long enough for Kolt to get his paws under him again.

The bear's roar shook the cliffside as Kolt scrambled down the rocks, heart pounding in his ears. He could hear the creature's heavy breathing and the scrape of its claws against stone as it pursued him. Kolt's mind raced, searching for a way out of this predicament. The fjord's dark waters churned below, offering a risky escape if he could just reach them.

Suddenly, a flash of movement caught Kolt's eye. To his shock, he saw his brother Ballad hurtling down the cliff face, eyes fixed on the bear with reckless determination. Before Kolt could shout a warning, Ballad launched himself at the massive predator, sinking his teeth into its flank. The bear bellowed in pain and fury, momentarily distracted from its pursuit of Kolt. In that split second, Kolt's training kicked in. He knew he couldn't leave his brother to face this beast alone. With a surge of protective instinct, Kolt whirled around and charged back up the slope.

"Hey!" he barked fiercely, trying to draw the bear's attention. "Over here!"

The bear swung its massive head toward Kolt, eyes blazing with rage. It swatted at Ballad with a powerful paw- from his point of view, he couldn’t tell if it had made contact. Regardless, Kolt used the distraction to his advantage, darting in to snap at the bear's hind leg, hoping to hamstring the beast. His teeth found purchase in the thick fur and flesh, eliciting another roar of pain from the bear.

"Kolt Carpathius"