Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

He was slowly graduating to patrolling alone again after his fiasco with the bear. He still had watchers, both Chrystal and Loshir were tagging along, though Loshir, he noticed, was glancing at him speculatively as the cat stalked along. Why, Ardyn couldn’t fathom. Maybe the cat was wondering if he’d take off after a bear again. Ardyn paused to examine the wall, not for anything to do with scents, but to study the mortar. It was getting loose here, and he filed that away to tell his mother about. No doubt she already knew, but it was worth noting anyway. As he moved on, a growl sent his hackles bristling in alarm, claws flexing out of their sheathes on all four paws as a tawny body leapt into sight on the wall. A lion. Not a lion lion, but one like Loshir, but naturally colored and not attached to a wolf. It reeked of wildness and bad intentions. It was autumn, and wolf pups were as much an option if they could be snatched as an elk calf. This time, the boy remembered to howl an alarm before he dove to the side in time to avoid the cougar’s flying pounce from the wall. He doubled back on his hocks, twisting to slam his canines into the cat’s haunch and jerking back, letting the sharp back edge shear through flesh and hide before he backpedaled to avoid the lithe cat’s agile retaliation. Loshir was quick to dive in, too, and Chrystal pelted toward the hillock. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Coran hadn’t been too far away.  The pup had been working on his ability to hunt small game when the howl had broken out.  Coran hadn’t hesitated as he spun and ran towards it.  What trouble had Ardyn found for himself now?  Another bear?  Whatever it was this time Coran was going to make sure he was there to help in protecting the pack and protecting Ardyn. Coran only slid to a stop when he spotted what wasn’t a bear but a cougar.  The brindled pup showed off his fangs and slowly moved forward and the opposite direction of the cougar.  He had never fought such a wild beast before but wasn’t this what they had been being trained for?  Ardyn and Coran were pups but they were not naïve in the arts of fighting.  Valhalla didn’t allow for a wolf to be unable to defend itself. Now the cougar had two wolves to choose between.  It’s attention had been on Ardyn and it seemed to want to focus on its original target with only some wariness of Coran.  That would be fixed.  Coran lunged towards it ready to bite if given a chance.  The cat spun fast to face Coran and as it took a second to posture before it lunged in the pup had time to get out of the way, looking over his shoulder mockingly at the cat.  Coran’s adrenaline was pumping fast but he knew the cat couldn’t keep its eyes on both of them at the same time look this.  It would have to leave an opening for one of them.  So cat, what do you think of valhallan pups now? Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

It wasn’t long before a figure bolted into the fight, only it was his own brother. For a moment the cougar seemed more interested in continuing the attack on the black, larger pup while attempting to avoid the larger black mountain lion’s slaps and swats. But Coran forced the tawny cat to give him more attention, and Ardyn took the pocket of inattention. He launched himself at the cat like a lion onto a water buffalo, front paws clapping down onto the cat’s shoulders , fingers flexing and claws unsheathing into the cat’s hide, drawing blood as he raked his canines for the back of its neck, hoping to cut the fight short before Coran could get hurt. His hind claws found purchase as the cougar staggered under the unexpected attack—sure, wolves fought back, but they didn’t normally attack like hunting lions and pounce from behind. It overbalanced, toppling and Ardyn wrenched his left paw free with a slash of claws, bunny kicking at the cat’s back as he sank his teeth into its shoulder, missing the neck in the scuffle. He was unable to keep the cougar contained, however, and soon he rolled out of the way as the mountain lion twisted in his grip and sought to retaliate. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Coran had managed to avoid the big cat’s attack and it was a pleasure to see the tactic had worked as Ardyn wasted no time in a strong attack.  Coran didn’t have the cat-like claws that could dig in as well as his own so it made sense for Ardyn to be the one to get that first solid attack in.  The cat was surely regretting its choice of prey now. Ardyn managed to get the cat caught on the ground and Coran charged back to do his own part.  Ardyn was at the front end so Coran aimed for the back end.  The pup noticed well how well-muscled the cat’s legs were.  It was down and very much focused on the wolf biting near the vulnerable neck.  Coran sunk his teeth into the cat's hind leg, giving his head a good shake, tasting the animal's blood.  When the cougar had managed to get Ardyn off Coran let go of the leg and once more ran in the opposite direction of Ardyn so they kept it surrounded.  The flesh had torn from the cat's leg, the wound wasn’t as large as he’d like but it would help in slowing it down more. Coran snarled, snapping his teeth at the air, daring the cougar to focus on him again.  It was wary of Ardyn however considering that last attack.  Coran ran in towards its shoulder close enough that the cougar had no choice but to turn and swipe at Coran.  Ardyn!  A silent thought as he darted away.  There was a warm sense along a back shoulder.  The cut wasn’t deep and more a warning of how close it had come.  Coran’s adrenaline was more than high enough to not even realize he’d been hurt much less how close it was to being far worse. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Coran had wounded the cougar, but not without consequence. Ardyn had a chance to regroup and dive backin as the cat swiped for his brother and nailed him. The large black heir barreled into the cat like a fireball a heartbeat later, knocking it onto the injured leg and then to the ground as the leg buckled. Ardyn’s jaws dove, parting and snapping shut on the cat’s wrist, wrenching and ripping his head from side to side until it was jerked from his grip as the cat scrambled back. He gave it no quarter, however. It had struck his brother and unleashed an unyielding fury that coursed like ice through his veins. He made no snarls or snaps as he launched into the cat’s side again, forelimbs clamping around it’s shoulders, claws sinking in as his canines fell again, this time into the cat’s neck as Loshir slapped into the cat;s face with a full set of claws. He kept his grip this time, canines hilted into the throat of the feline, leaving room for Coran to add his weight to keep the cat down as it struggled. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Coran was back in a flash to join helping take care of the downed cat.  At first, Coran had imagined they would just manage to chase the cougar off but between them, it appeared the cougar would get no chance to regret its actions, at least not for very long. Ardyn had the neck and Loshir had its face.  Getting on top would be a poor idea with the cat flailing.  Coran went for the back leg again but this time his front legs pressed into the cat’s side at the same time, working to keep it from easily getting up.  With the cat downed and all three of them on it at once, it was safer to keep his grip.  Instead of tearing away flesh this time Coran was shutting his jaw hard, clamping it as he tried for crushing power. He felt something crack a bit under his teeth.  Now even if the cougar got past the claws on its face or Ardyn’s teeth digging into its neck it would now still have to deal with a fractured leg to try and flee.   He felt the animal weakening at some point.  Coran felt a moment of enlightenment on this is how it could end for any predator that got overly bold and took on more than it could chew.  The cougar had learned the lesson the hard way, Coran made a note to himself that he never got so reckless. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Ardyn Cadeyrn Aodhán Phoenix Adravendi

Under the combined weight and teamwork, the trespassing mountain lion succumbed, and Ardyn released his grip on its throat only when he heard a last breath escape its lungs and the legs stopped twitching. Even as he opened his jaws and dropped the dead cat his heart still hammered for several seconds before the adrenaline wore off and he turned his attention to the surroundings. He stood, shaking out his coat and turning to Coran to examine the smaller pup first with his eyes and then, if his brother let him, his nimble fingertips, claws sheathed. “You okay? I saw him land a hit…”” He grinned then, relief and belated thrill of a battle setting in, adding, “Gave him a good scrap, didn’t we? I’m just glad it was us and not Justice’s kids it came across. We’re old enough to hold our own, but they’re still so young…” The thought sent a shudder through him. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Coran hadn’t gotten to kill a predator of such size before and as he stepped off the cat his tail flagged high in pride at their accomplishment.  When his brother first went over to check out the injury, “It di?” Coran stopped before the question fully finished to see where fresh blood had seeped out clearly obvious on his pale coat. “I didn’t even feel it,” said with a bit of wonder. “Can’t be to bad I imagine then?” Of course when his adrenaline fully left him the pup was likely to notice it considerably more.  The wound could have been much worse, it had caused bleeding and dug in enough he could use a bit of stitching but there didn’t seem to be a risk of any more serious damage. Grinning broadly at Ardyn’s second comment, “Sure did.  I have a feeling it was regretting its choice before it died. You don’t mess with Valhalla wolves, not any of us.” The comment stated with a confirming nod and eyeing the corpse as proof.  The image of small pups meeting the cougar wasn’t a pleasant notion.  “I guess we need to up the patrol and warn mom of cougar’s being stupid enough to come onto our land.  Especially while we have younger pups to protect.” “ Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think