silver beneath the surface

Ellara’s heart pounded fiercely as she saw Atreyu cry out in pain, quickly recovering despite the cougar’s swipe taking a piece of her friend's ear. The sight fueled Ellara's need for vengeance. Above, the owls continued their relentless assault, their talons raking across the cougar’s back and adding to its distress.

With a fierce growl, Ellara lunged forward again, aiming for the cougar's other hind leg. Her jaws clamped down with all her strength, her teeth sinking deeply into muscle and tendons. The cougar roared in pain and fury, its strength waning under the relentless onslaught. Atreyu aimed for the cat’s throat, trying to pin it down, while Ellara tugged hard on the hind leg to aid her friend.

Ellara noticed immediately that Atreyu's grip was off, and the cat was writhing out of her grasp. When the cougar's heavy paw reared back, Ellara let go of her hold on the cat and raced forward, bumping into Atreyu to push her out of the way. The cougar's claws raked through Ellara's right shoulder, sending a mist of blood into the air. Yet, Ellara felt no pain, only the adrenaline fueling her determination.

She pressed forward when the cat dug into her shoulder, her jaws finding the cougar’s throat. With one forceful motion, Ellara snapped the cat’s neck, feeling it fall limp in her grasp. Blood poured from her mouth as her teeth sank deep into the cougar’s throat, nearly touching its spinal cord. Her chest heaved as the feline’s life ended on her tongue, and only then did the pain in her shoulder begin to radiate.

Ellara dropped the lifeless body of the cougar and staggered back a few steps, lifting her right forelimb to avoid putting pressure on it. She let out an exhausted sigh, her body trembling from the effort, before collapsing next to the cougar with a wince. The adrenaline began to fade, leaving her acutely aware of the searing pain in her shoulder.