Winter's grasp on the world was weakening, and the great melt was upon the earth. Noelani was heading north of the forests of willow trees and frozen marshlands. She had a full stomach for once and was peacefully chewing on some dry lemon balm for flavor.

That volcano. No matter when she looked to the horizon, she could see it looming in the distance. The mountains near where she grew up had an old odd-shaped mountain that the elders swore erupted years past, but Noe wasn't sure if she believed it. Fire, flying from a mountain? This one here seemed more volatile; there was a deep, foul, earthy stench that emanated from the volcano. Noe could have sworn the ground shook gently beneath her feet as she got closer.

She was watching the outline of the volcano get bigger and bigger, almost in a daze. Her small legs begged her to walk faster, get there sooner. She was lost in thought about her childhood when she realized… something was not right. This is owned land. She froze up, glancing around herself anxiously. I'm fucked.

Wendigo was playing with a new friend when he caught sight of the small, unfamiliar woman walking in the Nook. He stood up slowly, the limp tail of a fox hanging from his lips, and squinted at her. Nope, he definitely didn't recognize her from the meeting. Upon deciding that he lit up and dropped the fox bits. Mummy said trespassers were for playing which meant this was a new friend! He ran after her and gleefully slid to a halt a short distance away. "Hello!" he said brightly, grinning broadly and talking to her as though they were old friends. "I'm so glad you trespassed, there hasn't been any lava in days and I am so bored." Up close Wendigo got a better look at her. She was small, like a child, really, but the lines of her face and shoulders reminded him of the adults in the pack. Which was a shame as in his experience pups made better friends than adults. Oh well, rules were rules. She had a very pretty tail. Wendigo saw that immediately. Mummy would probably be pretty proud of him if he brought her a trespasser's tail, wouldn't she? That settled it, anything for mummy! Wendigo lit up again. "Let's play a game! I want your tail and you try to stop me! It'll be fun!" He lunged for her tail then. Small as she was, the patchwork prince was smaller which meant he was going to have to jump for it. Wendigo versus Noelani for Minor Maim (tail docking) Round 1 of ??? Age: Under 6mo Size: Small Build: Light Skills: Intermediate Hunter & Beginner Fighter Specialty: N/A

Misery was attempting to climb a tree, and he was having mixed luck.  The tree was angled a bit with a root sticking out of the ground.  The boy could leap up onto the root and get a stride in on the angled tree before gravity labeled it still to steep and he fell down.  There was a large bird of some sort higher up in the tree and it seemed less than concerned about a pup trying to reach it.  The boy got up an entire stride farther than before when his eyes picked up a sight a short ways off.  Wendigo and a stranger!  A stranger on their land!  Were they allowed to be here?  Now, this seemed like real fun. Misery ran full on to the two only slowing as he got in close enough to get a good view of what was happening. “Hey, you aren’t allowed here!”  Unless she was invited but unless she claimed otherwise he’d assume she wasn’t.  If she lied then she was stupid as mom wouldn’t appreciate hearing such a lie being told. Then he saw Wendigo go for her tail.  Not really the best plan of attack but this was Wendigo and hey maybe he knew some great strategy that Misery didn’t.  Then again he might just like the tail?  Misery decided no time to wait for an argument on rights since Wendigo was choosing to fight.  The small pup ran in, leaping up to try and bite the front left shoulder.  They were smaller but they were fierce!  Between him and Wendigo this adult had no chance, right? Misery assisting Wendigo and Kali vs Noelani  for minor maim (helping on tail docking) Round 1/? Age: under 6 months Size: Small Build: Light Skills: Beginner Fighter & Expert Intellectual Specialty: N/A Speech:"Puppet Master "

If there was ever trouble in Habari, one could certainly trust Kali to be there to investigate. How she loved to stick her nose in places it probably didn’t belong because, in her opinion, it belonged everywhere! She was the princess of the pack, after all. Okay, maybe there was Carnage, but the girl still considered herself number one, and what did number ones do? They were nosey. How else did they get up in the high seat? So, when she got the inkling that something was amiss, she was quick to take off after it.

She could hear the sounds of her brothers’ voices in the distance, something about ‘not being allowed there’ and ‘tail keep-away’. Well now she definitely had to see! The chocolate and gold swirled girl flew around one of the barren trees at the edge of the Nook and found Misery and Wendi engaged in fisticuffs with a small woman who looked rather...grey and boring. But, she wasn’t someone in the pack, which made her interesting. Why interesting? Because Recluse had given them very specific instructions along the lines of ‘kick their ass’ or something or other, and if she wanted to impress mom, she knew this was her chance.

Kali tilted her head back and let loose a howl to her mother, letting her know they had a ‘situation’ before throwing herself into the fray. Wendi was going for the tail, which was just fine with her considering she didn’t want to be on the business end of an obviously terrified wolf. No, she’d help in the take down. While Misery took the front left shoulder, Kali took the right. As she went, Abaddon, who had been dutifully riding on her neck, tumbled off onto the ground. Once he righted himself, he rose up and flared his hood, a loud and rather terrifying hiss emanating from his blue-toned mouth as he stared down the unknown she-wolf.

Wendigo, Misery and Kali vs Noelani for minor maim (helping on tail docking)
Round 1/?
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Large
Build: Light
Companion 1: Black-necked spitting cobra, Male - Battle
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Hunter
Specialty: N/A

Talking

It wasn't long before a disheveled pup appeared. She looked at the little thing with wide, panicked eyes. A second and third were following close behind. She swallowed hard. Pups. So, mom and dad should be along shortly to kill me, huh? Noe's ears were flat back against her head and tail tucked. She tried to will her body to move but she was absolutely paralyzed with fear.

The first pup said something she didn't quite catch and then launched at her tail. She scream-squealed but didn't move. Little teeth pierced her tail, and two sets of teeth pricked her shoulders. Were these babies seriously attacking her? Or are they just play fighting? The flared hood of the cobra and the painful sting in her shoulders said these psychotic children were not joking.

"P-p-please leave me alone, I didn't mean.." She whimpered. "Didn't mean t-to trespass…" Her words were intermixed with a long, painful whine. She still stood absolutely defenseless, letting herself be attacked.

Noelani vs Puppy Hit Squad
Round 1 of ???
Age: 2
Size: Small
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Healer (0)
Beginner Intellectual (0)
Specialty: Crying

The lady didn’t run or anything, which was a shame because it would have been more fun. Even if she just ran in circles or tried to shake him off the game would have been better in his opinion, not that he was going to complain. This was still fun and mummy would be proud, he was sure of it. Wendigo quickly found purchase on the stranger’s tail. For a second he swung in the air, his little paws scrabbling in search of ground, and then his hind toes struck land. If he stretched he could juuust make it.

He balanced on his toes and then full body wiggled in the hopes of tearing the tail free, growling all the while. In reality it was a bit of a pipe dream, but his heart was in it and he was oblivious to the futility. The shaking didn’t feel like quite enough so Wendigo picked up one hind foot which caused him to swing wildly. He used his raised foot to try to kick at the stranger’s butt. What exactly he hoped to accomplish was anyone’s guess, but it felt like a good attack.

Wendigo, Misery, Kali versus Noelani for Minor Maim
Round 2 of 2
Age: under 6mo
Size: Small
Build: Light
Skills: Intermediate Hunter & Beginner Fighter
Specialty: N/A

The wolf wasn’t even fighting back?  Misery soaked in that odd bit of truth as he spotted Kali joining them, taking the stranger's opposite front shoulder.  Guess even she could be fun sometimes.  The boy let go of his grip on the front leg and ran around to a back leg.  If this wolf wasn’t going to fight back then why waste it? Kali had the other front leg anyway. Misery bit into a back leg and started growling as he tried to back away to drag the leg out, wanting to make her stretch out the leg both for balance and maybe it would help Wendigo get a better position with the tail?  The young pup gave a deep growl for the fun of intimidation as he shook his head.  They were smaller but they were many! Misery assisting Wendigo and Kali vs Noelani  for minor maim (helping on tail docking) Round 2/2 Age: under 6 months Size: Small Build: Light Skills: Beginner Fighter & Expert Intellectual Specialty: N/A Speech:"Want to play? "

Her siblings and her were like rabid dogs going after a piece of meat, latching on and not letting go. She released her hold on the woman’s shoulder and, instead, grabbed onto her foreleg then began to pull roughly. Misery had switched to a back leg and together they were pulling in opposite directions in an attempt to topple their foe. Wendi was still working on her tail, the girl’s bi-colored gaze catching bits of his rump dangling in the air as he swung to and fro. She stifled a laugh. Abaddon continued to intimidate their opponent, his long fangs and wide hood enough to scare anyone she was convinced. She made a mental note to give him some extra pieces of meat as a reward later.

Wendigo, Misery and Kali vs Noelani for minor maim (helping on tail docking)
Round 2/2
Age: Under 6 months
Size: Large
Build: Light
Companion 1: Black-necked spitting cobra, Male - Battle
Skills: Beginner Fighter & Beginner Hunter
Specialty: N/A

Talking

Tiny sharp teeth pinched her shoulder, her leg, her tail. Were these puppies serious? She yelped loud, and paralyzing fear turned to absolute panic. The way they were biting, they were not joking around. "Hey- wait a minute!" She cried. One of them switched to her lower leg, another driving needles into her tail and her hind leg. Small as they were, they still had sharp, painful teeth.

When two of the pups pulled her legs she lurched forward for balance. They didn't quite topple her, but they did remind her she could move. She ran forward, shaking and kicking her legs out. Noe felt wet drips where the pups were biting. Was it blood or saliva? "What the fuck is going on?? Get off me!" Fear turned to anger. Her ears were straight back, her lips curled exposing small but adult-sized teeth. Her tongue flicked slowly between rows of violent teeth.

Noelani Cloudsong vs Wendigo, Misery, and Kali for minor maim
Round 3/3
Age: Over 1 year
Size: Small
Build: Light
Skills: Beginner Healer & Beginner Intellectual
Specialty: :(

Recluse was well into a round of checking her borders, taking Carnage with her this time when Galho approached, the sound of his wing beats drawing her attention. She'd left the Potoo to watch over Wendi, who was proving to be the foremost among her children to cause chaos, though she'd instructed him to do so without disrupting her son otherwise. So when she heard him approaching the woman couldn't help the sudden thrill of panic that went through her. "Mistress, a trespasser and it seems your children have taken it upon themselves to deal with her." Fear and anger went through her at the same time and instantly she was moving. "Carnage head to the den, now. Recluse said in that mom voice that meant she was not messing around, and that her daughter would be in a lot of trouble if she didn't listen. Then she was off, running around the volcano towards the nook, hackles raising and lips pulling back into a snarl as she approached, slowing slightly as she spotted the scene before her. It seemed at least that her children had been holding their own. The woman was clearly growing angered though and she wasn't about to let the woman think she was off the hook at all. She growled as she approached, stalking towards the woman. "Touch a hair on their heads and I'll rip you a new asshole." She snarled, eyes narrowing and clearly preparing to jump in to defend her children if need be. speech think action

Art by Akage-Kitsu

And the winner is...

WENDIGO, MISERY, AND KALI

NOELANI must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out, and ,b>Wendigo, Misery, and Kali's maim is successful. Totals: Wendigo: Rolls: 75, 3, 80, 50 Adjusted rolls: 82.5, 3, 88, 50 Total: 156.45 Misery: Rolls: 41, 47, 81, 67 Adjusted rolls: 41, 47, 89.1, 80.4 Total: 180.25 Kali: Rolls: 58, 79, 81, 68 Adjusted rolls: 63.8, 82.95, 85.05, 68 Total: 209.86 Average of all 3: 182.19 Noelani: Rolls: 36, 73, 59, 2 Adjusted rolls: 36, 73, 64.9, 2 Total: 175.90

A ghostly white beast emerged almost like a vapor from the volcano itself, charging at her and what Noelani assumed were her children. Like she'd seen an apparition, she damn nearly fainted.

Her legs were no longer strong enough to hold her up. She immediately flattened like a weak little pancake. Her body flopped to the ground, belly exposed, urine sprayed anxiously. Her ears were flat and her paws were brought over her face. She whined loudly and yelped when dagger-like teeth ripped through the flesh on her tail. The cold air brushing against the now exposed meat of her tail made her wail in a new kind of agony. "Ppppplease..." She blubbered, the closest to a word she had been able to whimper since the adult wolf appeared.

She tried to tuck her tail, but it didn't seem to be working right. In its place, she felt hot sticky blood covering her back legs.

Despite herself Recluse couldn't help but be a little proud to see her own children taking down the woman, though her anger and protectiveness stopped her from softening too much right now. She stepped forward, a growl rumbling in her chest. "Step back." She told her children, not an order but she was clearly not going to humor them talking back or disobeying right now. Then her attention turned once more to the blubbering mass on the ground. "Submit yourself to me." Recluse growled down at the woman. "You're in no state to fight but I will not hesitate to use force, you trespassed on my lands and by rights, you're now mine unless you wish to fight for your freedom." She watched the woman with open disdain, bending her knees and flexing her toes in case the woman wanted to push her luck. Recluse Klein vs Noelani for Force Claim Round 0/2 Age: 1+ Size: Large Build: Light Offensive Battle Accessory: Badger claw gauntlets Defensive Battle Accessory: Leather bracers Companion 1: Black-necked spitting cobra, Female - Attack Companion 2: Great Potoo, Male - Flying Disability: Light blindness - Moderate Skills: Intermediate Intellectual & Master Fighter Specialty: Juggernaut speech think action

Art by Akage-Kitsu

Suddenly, the woman seemed to have grown a backbone. She lurched forward like a bolting horse, kicking them off as she went but Kali was happy to report she took a bit of the woman with her as she did. The chocolate girl spat the intruder’s blood into the snow, her own lips peeling back to reveal her own canines as the other bared hers. Aba opened his blue mouth into a hiss as he slithered up her leg and curled himself around the girl’s neck as he normally did, hood flared out as if to dare the blue woman to try something. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could, the thundering sound of paw steps echoed through the air before her mother’s voice called out a threat.

The girl whipped around, her expression immediately brightening and her tail giving a wag to the Seraphim. The princess’ expression showed clear pride and a bit of smugness, though not toward their leader of course. Smugness that she’d done her job and they’d won, as was clearly shown by the tail that now hung from her brother’s jaws, and that they’d done it as pups. Her bi-colored gaze looked upon the intruder with disdain as she immediately flattened to the ground, peeing herself in the process. It was an appropriate response to her mother, of course, who looked like she really would rip the other a new asshole, but she wondered how someone could have such little dignity.

Talking

"Please don't hurt me anymore," She said quietly. Her tiny frame shook with fear and sobs. "I'll do wh-whatever you want." She said between hiccups and coughs. She felt more drips of blood coming from her various wounds and the cold air hitting her now very short tail made her yelp in shock. "Accident, didn't mean to…" She muttered over and over. Her head was screaming just kill me already but some more present part of her mind wanted to live.

The pale, ghostly wolf above her was so unbelievably intimidating she wasn't sure what to think. "Anything you say… I don't want to fight…." She whimpered, repeating herself almost in a fit of insanity. She revealed more of her pale stomach but kept her eyes squeezed shut. If she was going to die she wanted it to be a surprise.

Wendigo Klein

Against all odds Wendigo's antics ended in success. He fell away in a spray of blood and landed on his back with the woman's tail clamped firmly between his teeth. For a moment he was still as he processed what had happened. A slight twitch from the disembodied tail broke the spell and he was on his paws with a muffled holler in an instant. This lady was such great fun! He hoped strangers trespassed more often. This was his new favorite game, that was for sure. Playing so rough with his siblings was a little frowned upon so he needed more stranger friends.

He was off suddenly with a cackle running delighted circles around the gathering of wolves, his new prize flapping lifelessly with every step. Neither the smell of the urine nor the tension between the adults diminished Wendigo's mirth any. It wasn't until he caught wind of what they were saying that he took an interest in their words. He slammed on the brakes hard enough to almost topple onto his face and in the process pinched the tail so hard a spurt of blood shot out the end of it. Heedless of the mess he spun around fast enough to turn the spurt into a sprinkler, showering the ground and possibly the others with blood.

Wendigo gaped hopefully up at his mother, the tail barely held back by his bottom canines, and asked, "Mummy? I want her, mummy! I found her so she should be mine, yes? Say yes please!" Manners weren't usually his thing but he threw in a 'please' for good measure. The tail was a great prize and all, but he was ready to make a finders/keepers argument for the whole woman.

screams | actions | whispers

Table coded by Scarlet

Misery stepped back away from the stranger the moment mom called them off.  That had been fun though and they had won!  This had to prove to mom how great they were!  Sure, he and his siblings were younger and smaller but they had just taken down a trespasser before mom could even join in!  The proof was there in the cowering wolf and the tail dangling from Wendigo’s mouth. Misery was torn in wanting to watch how mom handled the stranger and its actions with also wanting to go play with Misery.  The scared wolf was fun to watch and he imagined scaring other wolves would probably be just as fun.  He’d played relatively harmless games on a few in the pack but there was a lot more fun to be had with those outside of the pack. Wendigo stopped his running then though, causing blood droplets to land on Misery’s muzzle.  Take possession of the foolish stranger?  That was a great idea!   “Yeah, that’s a great idea!  We did catch her after all! Wendigo started so I guess he can own her but,” glancing at Wendigo, “I want to play with it too.  Gotta share the fun since we shared the catch!  A bunch of games we could play!”  So many great games! Misery took a step back to stand closer to his brother, an eye glancing on and off at the prized tail.  No trying to steak it yet, first he’d watch mom for her answer, and then the game of tug could commence.   Speech:"Want to play? "