That's not a puppy...

Fern is near the castle, working in the gardens, when a raven swoops down toward her. Many of the Carpathius family have the birds as companions so she it is no surprise to see one. However, what is surprising, is how it is acting. It caws, screams, and spins in the air to get her attention. Knowing that something is wrong, the gray woman hefts her sword, that she always keeps close by, and buckles it in place across her back while telling the raven, “Show me.”

Without another sound, it begins to fly toward the grove and Fern chases after it. The musk of a bear strikes her nose along with the scent of her daughter and one of Art and Briar’s children and the woman’s eyes darken. Paws thunder across the plains, past the area where it transitions into the grove, without her even noticing, as she barrels toward the pups and the grizzly. The sword is pulled free from the scabbard as she runs and she doesn’t even break her stride as the metal slides from its home.

Arriving at the fight, she does not stop, running up the bear as it shifts to stand on its hind legs. With the arrival of an adult, the drunken bear seems determined to at least kill one pup before it flees. It near gets the chance. Fern tilts her head down and to the side as prepares to leap in the air. Muscles bunch and release and the gray woman is airborne as she starts her swing. She feels the moment the sword hits the bear’s neck, feels the way it cleaves though muscle and bone while she finishes the swing and slams her body into the creature’s chest.

The dead bear’s body falls to the earth as its head slides free and bounces to the ground, rolling away where it comes to rest at the base of a tree. As the grizzly’s dead weight hits the leaf littered floor, Fern lands on top of it, standing on its chest… on all fours. Her mouth is curled into a snarl around the hilt of her sword as her tail is curled over her back in a show of dominance.

Just as quickly as the rage hit, it dissipates and she is left blinking at her surprised daughter. Worry has her plunging the tip of blade deep into the creature’s chest as she turns to look at Caladia and Bramble. Blood from the beast’s carotid artery, paints her face as she softly asks, “You girls okay?” Fern ushers them toward her so she can look them over before giving them both a hug.


"Fern Carpathius"