S.O.S!

As Dutch yanked on the cat's tail, Dagfinn dove in to grapple with the beast's front. He got a quick swipe to the face, which laid him out faster than he expected. With a heavy grunt, Dag hit the ground. His head got a good bump, but he was up on his paws faster than the cat could get its bearings. Like a hell hound, he dove for the cat's neck and tried to sink his teeth in deep. Dag scrabbled for purchase, his grip slipping as the cat snarled and wrenched itself back and forth. His teeth found their hold finally, sinking beneath fur and into fat and flesh.

Growling encouragement to Dutch, he closed his jaws further. Blood flooded his mouth. It was always hotter than he expected. He figured he had hit a major vein, since the cat just kept bleeding. In fact, he choked a bit on it, causing him to loosen his grip just enough for the cat to wrench itself free. The cougar was entering triage, trying to size up its enemies. Was it time to attack or flee? As blood streamed fast and freely from the wounds on its neck, the cat set its sights on a nearby tree.

Before Dag could react, the cat wrenched its tail out of Dutch's mouth and made for the tree's trunk, claws unsheathed for purchase on the bark. "Dutchy! Little lady, go for its tail! Keep it from gettin' up the tree!" He knew Dutch's weight alone wouldn't be enough to drag the cat back down to earth, so he threw himself after the cat as quick as he could.

word count 274
cumulative word count 916/1500