Something to Prove

Xina was riddled with expectant energy. Her muscles limber and languidly stretched as she walked. Poised and deliberate, she walked behind her father and alongside her brother. Her gilded eyes scanned the terrain as they walked, feeling every pine needle and errant leaf in her path. The underbrush kept the sounds close and the moss padded their steps into an expectant hush.

She kept her breath even as she slowly absorbed the scents around them, moss and pine, bear and wolf. She heeded the gravity of their trial, this wasn't something to scoff at. She had natural talents and the upbringing to hone them. She had trained just as much as the others if not more, she was ready.

When their father turned to them to remind them this was not a test of strength, Xina glanced at her brother with a grin. Rivals since their first lesson. She stood and listened to her father's commanding expectant tone, her tail swishing aggressively to maintain her control. She leaned into her father's tender press to her head. Her body quivered with the anticipation of the kill. The scent of their quarry filled her nose. Proof, proof, proof. She would return with proof that she was capable. Proof she was more than food for the crabs. Proof she was worth a spot within the circle of Saxes. Proof she was better than her brother, Dracun.

She slipped away from her father silently, a mischievous and casual wink her parting gift to him, her signal not to concern himself so much, she had this in the bag.

Her brother took point, and she narrowed her eyes at him. She'd snap at his tail another time. She slipped over the shadows of the treeline to the left. Her tail twitched with barely contained energy. Her paws barely whispered over the leaves, an expert of the terrain already. Xina's gilded gaze danced about the clearing, measuring and mapping each root and tree trunk. Each stone and branch.

She sank into a position to watch as the mother bear's nose wiggled into the dim light, just a breath beyond the den's maw. She was attempting to catch the scent of danger that awaited her and her cubs. The barest wind was in Xina's and Dracun's favor, drifting the ursine scents toward the predators.

Xina's limbs coiled in preparation, tensing for the right moment. Waiting for the mother bear to just come out a little more... If they took the mother out they could trap the cubs in the den while they dealt with the mother.

Another step as she stood up on two legs and there! Without warning, Xina launched at the mother bear, leaping at the ursine throat to drag her down and claw her belly. The bear called out with alarm as the pup latched on to the flesh around the collarbone, not quite making it to the throat. Xina pushed with ll her might with her paws to rend and tear as much as she could.