No Man's Land [Erik]

Erik knows these woods. Though it would be strange to admit it later, he knows these woods better than even the mountains, that would one day be his birthright. The grove calls to him, strange and wild and alive. Bleeding, much in the same way that he is. A weird kinship with a place that's near a seething as he is. Strange pulse. What lurks beneath? Too soon to tell. Secrets are for later.

A grim, sickly musk hanging in the air. Erik bristled. Hackles up. Pinpointing it on the breeze as he came over the swell in the land. Hyenas, surrounding a girl. Menacing her. Without another thought, he'd take his surprise round. Picking up a sundering, nauseating lope, the boy barrels toward the predator on the stranger's flank, grabbing it by the ankle and yanking once within striking distance. It whipped around, tagging his ear and the side of his face in the process. A second hyena leapt upon Erik's shoulder in turn-- ah. This was what he'd come out for. This was fun!