When in Doubt, We Cull

Sericea felt Zagan's weight shift as he slammed into the ewe, driving it to the ground in a tangle of flailing limbs and matted wool. She saw the flash of pain in his eyes as the sheep's horn gouged his shoulder, heard the sharp yelp that escaped his jaws. A surge of protective fury welled up inside her, mingling with the adrenaline that already coursed through her veins.

With a snarl of her own, Sericea lunged forward, her jaws clamping down on the ewe's exposed throat. She felt the animal's pulse flutter wildly beneath her teeth, the frantic beat of its heart as it fought for its last breaths. Sericea's eyes met Zagan's over the dying sheep, a moment of shared understanding passing between them. She saw the darkness that swirled in his gaze, the hint of something feral and unhinged lurking beneath the surface.

It both thrilled and terrified her.

With a final, wrenching twist of her head, Sericea tore out the ewe's throat, feeling the hot gush of blood over her muzzle as the animal went limp beneath her. She released her grip, stepping back on shaky legs as she surveyed the carnage they had wrought. The ewe lay in a crumpled heap, its glassy eyes staring sightlessly at the overcast sky.

"Sericea Praetor-Inferos"