B-b-b-Bear!!

Through her terror, Kali noted with disappointment that nobody was immediately rushing to her aid. The entire pack didn’t burst through the trees to defend their precious princess from the terrifying monster, willing to risk life and limb for their future leader. If she hadn’t been in the middle of running for her life she might have pouted a little. But, as it was, she was in no situation to have much more of a passing thought about it. A man’s voice called out to her to keep running and she was tempted to yell no shit over her shoulder, because what else could she do? She wasn’t an adult yet, her bark was literally worse than her bite that point and no matter how much she wished she could or acted like it, she would have to wait a few more years before claiming that adult title.

From above, she could see the small form of her sister safely perched upon a ledge. She called to her, her pale blue eyes wide with the same terror that the chocolate and gold-spun Klein felt. She tried to push herself even faster, but the bellowing roar that the beast released when the blue man bit into its ankles startled her. She tripped, body crashing and rolling in the snow and she felt a distinct throbbing sensation in her ankle, telling her she’d twisted it. Oh, what perfect timing.

Kali rolled to her paws, managing to throw herself to the side just in time as the monster crashed into where she’d just been. She shuddered to think of what might have happened if she hadn’t reacted so quickly. She took off again at a lame, hobbling run, another howl echoing from her jaws into the air calling for help because surely one man couldn’t take down a whole beast.