A fragile dream in the making

Oath’s lips curled in a brief, approving smirk as the small she-wolf sprang into action. Despite her size and obvious disorientation, she had spirit, something Oath respected. Her tiny teeth sank into the snake’s body, and though the serpent thrashed in anger, she was too quick for it to get a solid hold on her.

He shifted his weight, driving his paws deeper into the mud to keep his balance as the anaconda twisted violently beneath them both. Oath could taste the sour tang of its blood on his tongue, his powerful jaws clamped around the serpent's thick neck. His gaze flicked toward the small wolf as she asked her question between bites.

“Depends if you’re hungry enough,” Oath grunted through a grin, the effort of holding the snake still causing his muscles to strain. "But we’ve got to make sure it doesn’t try again."

The snake hissed, furious now, and Oath tightened his grip, his crimson body flexing with raw strength as he fought to subdue it. It wasn't easy, but with their combined efforts, the massive serpent was weakening.

“We’ll drive it off,” Oath decided, his voice edged with tension but steady. “Let it know it’s not welcome here, but keep it alive. It’ll remember us.”

He released his grip slightly, prepared to let the snake escape if it chose to retreat. He glanced at the small wolf, admiration flickering in his cyan eyes despite the situation. The snake fled immediately. "You fight well for someone so small."