But If I Know You, I Know What You'll Do

Ellara blinked, Quill's dismissive words barely registering as her mind tried to process the surrealness of the situation. He was real, standing right there, flesh and blood, and yet... something felt off, as if the world had shifted without her consent. The snark in his tone stung, but she couldn’t focus on that now. Her thoughts spun, trying to find some semblance of order in the chaos of emotions she felt. But before she could formulate a response, she noticed the sudden shift in his demeanor: his gaze darting past her, locking onto something behind.

Before she could react, Quill shot forward, his side brushing hers as he moved with alarming speed. Ellara froze for a heartbeat, confusion clouding her thoughts until the low growl and heavy movement behind her made it all too clear. A bear. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes wide in shock as she turned to see the hulking creature barreling toward them. It took her a moment to snap out of it, her mind catching up to the danger at hand, as Quill threw himself into battle, meeting the beast head-on with a force that took even the bear by surprise.

Her instincts finally kicked in. Ellara lunged forward, circling wide around the bear to position herself at its side. She couldn’t stand by and let Quill fight it alone, not after all that had transpired. Teeth bared, she dove in, sinking her fangs into the bear’s exposed shoulder, pulling with all her strength to keep it off balance. The rage and confusion she had felt moments ago channeled into her movements, her focus solely on the fight, on protecting them both.