Always A Reason For The Pain [INVADERS]

THE WOLVES WILL CHASE YOU IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT
Drunk and driven by a devil's hunger...

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Harbringr held firm to the dire wolf's throat like a blood thirsty leech. It twisted and thrashed, running him into drifts and rocks and trees until eventually the beast stumbled and fell. Moments later it was dead. With a snarl, Harbringr released his grip on the creatures throat and squirmed out from under the body just in time to see another dire wolf headed right for him. Oh for spirits sake, how many of these bastards were there? He couldn't keep much focus to what was going on him, he could only hope that everyone else was holding up. He could still hear his son snarling and fighting so he knew the boy was alive. If he could just take care of this dire then he could go and help the boy.

Harbringr took a few deep breaths, seeking to clear the clutter of thoughts from his head so that he might fight clearly.  Every fight was crucial and he could no longer afford to let himself slip up.  Cold, mismatched eyes fixed on the large ivory male that was stalking toward her, tail lifted high like he owned the place. Like he owned Habari and could go wherever he bloody well pleased. Well, not today. Today Harbringr was going to make this brute wish he'd never been born.


Hari's eyes narrowed as his opponents single blue eye started at the Habari wolf, the dire's left one was completely gone.  Scars ran down the beasts face and it was clear to Habringr that this man had seen several battles.  In addition, something about the man seemed… off, unstable, he could feel it in his gut but he refused to show fear to this creature. He had the honor of his pack and his family name to uphold as well as an example to set for his son.

Harbringr was a violent creature in his own right and he could sense they at least had that in common.  This was an excellent chance to cut loose. Defenses fell quickly into place.  Skull and tail lowered to align with his spine, chin tucked slightly and neck scrunched back as his shoulders rolled forward, pushing fur and fat over his vitals.  Hackles rose sharply as limbs spread equidistant apart, bending slightly to lower her center of gravity as well as evenly distribute his weight.  Toes splayed as claws dug into the earth.  Jaws parted, eyes narrowed and ears pinned tight to his head as he prepared for the difficult battle ahead.

Powerful limbs beat into the ground as Harbringr launched herself forward, attempting to close the distance between himself and the dire wolf.  Hari attempted to approach the man nearly head on but a few inches to his own left so that the front of his right shoulderblade would align with the underside of the dire wolf's neck, a few inches above the sternum.  He sought to drive the front portion of his right shoulder blade into the dire's trachea with the intent of severely bruising the trachea and crippling the man's breathing for the remainder of the fight. Ideally he hoped to be able to do enough damage to cause the dire to choke and crumple but Harbringr knew that was unlikely. His opponent was massive and wrapped heavily in muscle. It would take work to do the kind of damage he wanted to.

Nearly simultaneously to his assault on the dire wolf's neck, Hari's neck would curve to his own right, head tilting up as he sought to grasp the dire wolf's throat. He had to try and take care of this quickly for as he fought the dire in front of him, he could hear his son's cries. "Hold on, Ásekll, I'm coming", he thought to himself. As he attacked so did the dire wolf. The pair of them collided viciously. Harbringr's shoulder struck as he intended it to and it caused his opponent to sputter but only for a second. As Hari's jaws lanced up for the dire wolf's throat the brute's head dove down. The became locked together. Hari's jaws seized the dire's throat while the dire wolf grabbed him by the nape of the neck. He was lifted painfully into the air as the creature shook him like a rag doll. He found himself losing his grip when suddenly he was dropped. The dire wolf yowled bitterly and Hari realized that Ginna had arrived and used her talons to shred one of the dire's eyes. As she did this, Ari had taken a knife and cut the achilles tendons of the dire wolf's back legs, crippling it. "Go, help Áskell!" Ari shouted. He and Ginna would finish off this one.

Hari stumbled to his feet, maw soaked in blood and nodded before turning to see where his son was struggling with another dire wolf. Fighting through the pain and exhaustion he pushed through and charged at the dire that was attacking his son. Harbringr aimed low, throwing his body in the direwolf's lower legs with enough force to topple the dire wolf off his son. Then the real battle began. Harbringr leapt onto the dire wolf's frame, fangs eagerly searching for the throat. He found purchase on the side of the dire wolf's neck, just behind the corner of the beast's jaws. Just as he did however, a massive paw rose up and knocked him down, peeling him off and forcing him to lose his hold. It was then, the claws pierced deep into his muscles that he realized his opponent had retractable claws. Hari yelped from the pain but realized he shouldn't have been surprised. He'd seen numerous wolves with mutations, even a horned horse. Why shouldn't one of these northern invaders bear similar gifts?

Harbringr kicked out brutally, nailing his opponent in the solar plexus. The wolf jerked and shuddered, stunned for long enough that Harbringer was able to scramble out from under. The fight swiftly took a more violent turn. They tore and ripped at each other, sending blood scattering over the snow until finally Hari managed to get a hold on the beasts throat. He clamped down, determined not to let go even as the dire wolf slashed at him, ripping muscles and tendons and flinging him left and right, he held on. He held on to make sure the threat would end and he knew when those claws sank deep into his chest and pierced one of his lungs that this was it for him. He clamped down tighter, feeling his opponent getting weaker and weaker until finally the dire wolf died.

The duo collapsed and Harbringr laid there weakly. Ari came over and nudged him gently and gingerly got to his feet. His breath was raspy, blood leaking out of the corners of his mouth as he crawled over to Áskell. He reached out a paw and rested it on the boy's cheek. Áskell stirred then stared at him. "Dad?" Hari nodded and in a weak and raspy, gurgling voice he spoke. "Áskell… be strong. I think… this is it for me. I leave my battle gear… and Ari to you. Please, give this bracelet… to your brother. I… I love…" He swallowed hard on the blood and gore that was shivering up his throat and clogging his air way. He was feeling more and more lightheaded. "I love you two." He whispered before collapsing in the snow. Moments later he passed away.