silver beneath the surface

She laughed at Atreyu's pun, the warmth of their friendship making the morning even more special. "Thank you, Atreyu. I'm sure it will be wonderful," she said, accepting her portion with gratitude. The scene of the seasoned fish filled the air, making her mouth water with anticipation. Living nomadically had admittedly made her a bit more of a feral wolf, rarely engaging in the art of cooking, but the smell of this salmon made her seriously reconsider her life choices. She needed more of this!

As they began to enjoy their meal, the peaceful atmosphere was suddenly disturbed by a low growl. Ellara's ears perked up and she turned to see a cougar emerging from the underbrush, its eyes fixed on the salmon on her plate. The large cat's presence immediately put Ellara on alert, her hackles rising and her lip curling into a snarl. She rose to her feet, her stance immediately shifting into a defensive posture. Her pink eyes narrowed as she assessed the size of the cougar.

"Stay close, Atreyu, Bigs!" she said calmly, but firmly. The two Barred Owls, sensing the danger, took flight from her shoulders and circled overhead, their eyes locked on to the cougar.

With swift motion, Ellara placed herself between her friends and the approaching predator. The owls swooped low, their presence adding to the intimidation factor as they hooted and flapped their wings at the cougar's face.

"You came to the wrong place if you think we're going to give our breakfast up easily," Ellara growled, a smirk crossing her face. The cougar paused, clearly assessing the odds and realizing it was outnumbered, but still it took a low step forward. Hunger drove it to a point where logic did not matter anymore.

[ 1/3 Fought a large opponent (Cougar) ]