Fierce Flames

At just over half a year old, Ardyn was still very much a puppy, ready to play and explore his world. He was, however looking like anything but a puppy, if half-grown. He had begun to realize that when he went to cuddle into his mother, he made her stagger. He’d surpassed her height, perhaps by three inches, and he was in a growing surge.

He was learning to balance and work in this growing body, tripping over his own paws at times. Today he was trotting along a trail through the hillock, pausing to investigate interesting smells and rustles in the bushes. squirrels and chipmunks were massively busy, scurrying through the trees, tucking away nuts and seeds.

Plenty were young, new to the whole thing and rushing to complete their first caches. The older squirrels were more relaxed, knowing they had enough time.

Ardyn was personally excited to see winter. He may have been born right on the turn of winter, by the time he and his siblings were able to leave the ravine, Spring was in full strength.

He had yet to see snow, but his mother had said she would be taking him and his sibs to the North to experience it before it became a thing here at home this year.

He paused abruptly as the smell of a kill wafted to his nose. He hadn’t heard any howls announcing a kill, and there was no fire ahead to suggest it was Domari or Cairo, or his father processing a fresh kill. If anything, there was a rank odor that smelled a bit like the skins that hung over the alcoves in the caves. Bear?

Fiery frown lines crinkled he brow as he padded forward. The deer was fresh, but he didn’t see a bear anywhere. Maybe he could bring the kill home and practice processing! It wouldn’t be a great hide, what with the claw tears and eaten out sides, but it would still be of use…

He froze at a snarl, eyes drawing toward the sound right ahead. It was a black bear, so… not as bad as a grizzly. But it seemed furious at the possibility of its kill being stolen.

For a moment, Ardyn quailed, feeling very much like the puppy he was, but then he remembered that this bear was on his mother’s lands. Valhallan lands. This was no bear land. The only bears allowed here were rubs and claws.

A growl rumbled to life, and he straightened, ears pushing forward and tail rising over his hips as his claws flexed free of their sheathes on every paw. In part it was his daredevil streak that prodded him into action. In another part, it was a sense of duty. His sisters and brother weren’t as big as he was, though Coran came closer. And Aoife was tiny. He had no doubt she’d give her hardest fight against any bearf she met, but he didn’t like the thought of her being hurt trying. She’d already been attacked by bees. So had Laoise, but Lee had seemed to have received a thrill off the fight.

He charged, hackles rippling in a wave of fiery light. The bear was startled, but just angry enough to stand its ground. Ardyn had… well… hoped that it would run. But it hadn’t, so. He launched himself into the air with a push of his hind legs, front paws spreading open.

He hit the bear head on, clinging to its face and head and very aware that its jaws were way too close to his stomach and legs as he kicked and scrabbled. He made it to the bear’s back, claws sinking in as his front paws grabbed for the bear’s face like a game of behind-your-back peek-a-boo, guess who it is.

The difference was that he unsheathed his claws and made to rake them to the roots in the bear’s eyes. It worked, almost. Ideally, the bear would be blinded and he could finish the kill while it flailed around in pain and darkness, and he would be able to jump free.

In reality, his right paw’s claws scored, while the left’s rakes into the bear’s cheek under the eye, and the beast bucked in pain and fury, rearing up so suddenly that his unwelcome passenger was thrown. Ardyn smacked into a tree and gasped out, bringing the bear wheeling on him with a bellow. The fire child rolled to the side as a paw clubbed toward him, and bark scattered in pieces as the big – very big – claws raked the tree instead.

He swiped with a paw, claws unsheathing and dealt a cat scratch on the leathery nose as the bear bore over him, gruffing and huffing, bleeding and slobbering over the irritating, weird wolf pup.

This time, Ardyn wasn’t lucky enough to dodge the full brunt of the bear’s next swipe, and yipped unheroically as a claw raked his cheek, the tip scoring a wound.

Ardyn curled into a ball under the real pain, then surged up as the bear bore over him again, intent on crushing him, or ripping him open. Ardyn really didn’t want to know what the bear would do to him. He just wanted this ordeal to be over. His jaws opened and slammed shut over the bear’s lower jaw, and he shook his head hard before letting go and lunging again as the bear reeled back in surprise, nursing a savaged tongue.

Ardyn pressed his slim advantage, and he sallied, slapping and raking with his front claws over the bear’s face and neck and shoulders. Finally, half blinded, the bear had taken enough abuse. The bear fled, and Ardyn sank to the ground, listening to the crashing fade into the distance as the bear fled. Distantly, he heard an enraged howl, likely his mother… and then he was pretty sure he heard the bear roar, and a lot of fighting, and then silence.

He just curled there, processing the fight, and the throb on his cheek, and the feeling of blood dripping down his face. He’d never felt that before.

He came out of his daze and looked at the deer, his physical prize. He supposed it was worth the hassle, but… ow. He touched a paw to his cheek and looked at the padded fingertips. Liquid fire clung to his toes, glowing more hotly and more golden than his own fur ever had. He frowned and touched the wound again. Same stuff… His blood was glowing gold.

He sat up, then about whined at the ache in his body. This had been a real fight, and he hadn’t enjoyed the aftermath, but, he had to admit… The thrill had been real. The fast thinking, the real hits... the feeling of fully using his claws and teeth. He’d be sore for days. But he’d be ready to fight again.

Word Count: 1149

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think