While the morning hadn't gone without an interesting start, upon collecting themselves, they were making good ground into the neighboring territory. Aresenn moved cautiously along the rugged edges of Gale Gorge, the voice of the wind echoing in his ears as it whipped around them. The walls that edged the descent were certainly treacherous in spots, but they were able to navigate with relative ease. A few hardy plants had already begun their growth with the transition of the season. A few pine trees clung with admirable tenacity to the steep slopes. There wasn't a whole lot of room to split off and take different paths, so he pretty well always stayed in sight of Absinth ... but the majority of that precaution had come from the mountain lion they had killed as well. He had very little interest in replaying that scenario.

Aresenn had never really been one to be drawn to the visual appeal of nature, but the gorge was at the very least, interesting to look at. As they followed the natural path as it gradually receded into the valley floor, he couldn't help but notice the force of the breeze intensifying- creating an eerie ambiance that only amplified the sounds throughout the territory. The spindly pine trees swayed with the force, but at least they did provide some cover.

Once they broke through the tree line, there was some sort of immediate relief. But it quickly vanished when he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, the alpine thin air was shattered as the howling winds seemed to carry a more sinister tune. Aresenn's ears perked up- his amber eyes darted around searching for the source of the all too familiar yipping, all the while, backing closer to Absinth. Several coyotes materialized from the shadows all at once, their eyes gleaming with predatory hunger. He could see the confidence in they had in their numbers. Though he simply wouldn't be cowed. The wind, once a mere backdrop, now carried the ominous chorus of impending danger. Aresenn's muscles tensed, preparing for the assault.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Absinth had chosen to delay more thinking about the earlier happenings of the day. Things were good now, and she was more so devoted to organizing a map of the territories they had passed through on this trip within her mind. She could visualize the path they had taken, and would continue to memorize as they went. After crossing from the red forest and into a new piece of land, they found themselves in a gorge. It was rough terrain, and narrow enough that she could keep an eye on Aresenn as he kept a healthy pace ahead of her. She kept a keen eye on the high walls, looking for a flash that might have been another fucking cougar. That shit was not happening again. Not on her life.

The way had been rather plain, uneventful aside from a few lecherous glances at her fiery friends back- until the wind picked up and the chorus began. One she was familiar with. From the edges of the gorge there appeared a coyote pack, encroaching in on them from all angles. Little shits. Absinth stood her ground, her tail rising above her back in a show of domineering aggression. She snarled in return, lips pulled back dangerously as Aresenn backed up towards her for a better defensive position. “Make my fucking day.” Absinth hissed wildly, her veins pumping with exhilarated blood as she tensed for the first strike.

And it came. One from behind her, rushing forward with an idiotic bark that alerted her in time for her to dodge; whipping around on the yote to sink her teeth expertly into the cervical spine. C-c-rack. She grunted, throwing the body to the flood and licking her lips delightfully. She called back to Aresenn, her attention on a coyote rushing her with anger- probably for revenge. “First blood!” The monochromatic woman cackled heartily, readying herself for the attack.

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The silence hung in the air like a heavy shroud, broken only by the sound of breathing and the soft padding of paws on earth. The smaller predators began to circle them, their hungry eyes glinting in the dim light. Aresenn stood tall, his muscles coiled with tension as he prepared to defend himself and his companion against any attack. The hackles on his back rose and his claws dug deep into the ground, ready to launch forward at a moment's notice. His ears twitched, catching the faint sound of Absinth's voice, but he paid it no mind - all that mattered at the moment was the impending fight.

Aresenn barely had time to react. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the smaller canines barreling towards him and without thinking, lunged away. But it was too late, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder as the creature's fangs ripped through his skin. With a guttural roar of rage, he grabbed hold of the canine by its neck and with an unforgiving surge of strength he tore it from his body then pinned it to the ground and strangled the life out of it. In that same moment, he felt another weight on his back – a second coyote had taken advantage of Aresenn’s vulnerable position- as he had ripped its comrade's throat out- and was now sinking its own fangs into his flesh.

Without hesitation, Aresenn twisted around and bit down hard on whatever he could grab, before throwing it off him and into one of the nearby trees. There was a loud thud as it crashed against the bark and fell limp to the ground. Unconscious or dead, he wasn't sure, but he couldn't worry about it at the moment.  

"Aresenn Praetor"

Absinth welcomed another attack, briefly registering the sound of rage from Aresenn as she herself was latched onto by her throat area immediately after. It was a fault of her own. Stupidly diverted her attention from the attack she knew was coming to glance in concern at the fire coated male holding his own. The bite stung- the coyote unwilling to let go of her, and so close to where her companion had left a mark that night. The thought itself enraged her. Everything enraged her. Absinth’s snarl reached an entirely new level of pissed off. She craned her neck to bring her jaws down onto its back in severe punishment; but she was attacked in the same manner as Aresenn. Another coyote, fighting to keep the heat off of the other, latched onto her right thigh and elicited a seething scream from the woman. It was muffled by her hold on the yote still clinging to her throat, but she would rip it from herself- dropping a splatter of blood as she did so. She would proceed to slam the creature down into the ground, placing a paw down onto its back as her jaws made quick work of breaking both hind legs in quick succession- saving the coyote for later as she abandoned it there crying out in agony.

All the while the coyote at her thigh struggled to inflict the most pain possible to make her stop. Biting at her, tearing into her, all to no avail. Instead, Absinth whirled around and grabbed hold of its tail. Pulling, pulling, almost tearing when her attacker released her to save its tail. But she would not release them. She dragged them backwards to the ground, lunging over the body of the smaller canid once they were overcome with pain, and gripping them fiercely by the back of the neck scruff. She did not know how many more coyotes there were, but none more were attacking her at this moment. So she gave into her desires. Dragging the fucking thing over to a rock, she shrieked at it to open it’s mouth or die. So it did. Tearfully and hesitantly opening it’s mouth over a rock as big as it’s head. Absinth promised it salvation if it would only accept a few broken teeth, and the wretched thing actually believed her. Drool and salty tears fell upon the stone she had positioned the poor thing upon. Her paw coming to rest almost sensually against the back of its neck, tracing her way up to it’s skull with a bite of her lip. She relished the idea of a lower creature ending to her will. Her thoughts tunneled around the opportunity to inflict pain most wicked in nature. Blind and deaf to Aresenn at this moment. She giggled, ears pinned back and excitement plentiful in her mannerisms. Her eyes flashing such great hatred. She was, frankly; Girlish. Sadistic. Joyful. True to herself. All in one culmination.

And then she brought her paws down with exceptional force, slamming down multiple times until the jaw was nonexistent. A mere mush of flesh and splintered bone. Her countenance splashed in blood, gurgles below her feet signifying the coyote was still alive even with its extreme physical trauma. Absinth herself? Teeth showing, grin widening by the second, eyes wild. A picture of cruelty. And enjoyment.

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Aresenn had little time to catch his breath before two more coyotes charged at him. He sprung forward, taking a more offensive approach with speed and agility that came naturally, deflecting their simultaneous attacks by colliding with them both. Aresenn locked his powerful jaws around the neck of one of them, its limbs flailing wildly as it struggled in vain against his grip. The other coyote attempted to flee, but Aresenn refused to allow it the opportunity. In only a few moments, he was able to dispatch his immediate victim by gorging out its throat- allowing it to fall to the ground for its final impossible breaths.

With a quick burst of speed, he raced to catch up to the deserter and slammed it to the ground. The animal whimpered and pleaded for mercy, but Aresenn had none to offer it. He snarled, his eyes glowing with savage intensity as he bore down on the coyote's neck, closing his jaws over its windpipe. The creature kicked and squirmed beneath him, but Aresenn held on, his grip unyielding. Slowly, the light in its eyes began to fade, until finally, it went limp. Aresenn released his hold and backed away, panting heavily as he surveyed the carnage around him.

Aresenn felt the pain in his shoulder intensify and he glanced down to see the wound was deep, blood flowing freely from it. However, his primary concern wasn't himself. Absinth. His amber gaze immediately swept through the clearing to check-in. Had she faired as well as he did?  

"Aresenn Praetor"

In the aftermath of her brutality Absinth came back to herself,  and her composure, quickly. Her eyes falling upon the tortured coyote with disinterest now that the novelty had worn off. It hadn’t the ability to cry out anymore, nor could it possibly look even more pathetic to sate her. Done. Useless. She took her jaws and bit down on the base of the back of the neck, her paws stamping down on the lower back as she pulled hard- internally severing the spine along one of the vertebrates as well as the cervical spine, effectively killing the poor thing and leaving it an elongated monstrosity. She allowed herself a satisfied grin then, licking her lips of blood as she observed her work; and then positioning her now dead coyote back the way she’d had it; with its mouth open against stone.

Then she looked over to Aresenn, seeing him appear to have finally finished his opponents as well, seeking the state of her with some amount of concern. Absinth shot him a grin in return, blood spattered and cheerful. Her attention shifted to the yote she had left broken, as it fought to crawl away with broken hind legs. The monochromatic woman slowly crept up on it, giggling and murmuring to it of how well it was doing in its escape… only to sit upon its back with her full weight and cease its movement. Sending it screaming, begging for mercy. Absinth hummed a little, tail wagging even; as she lowered her chest and maw to the coyote; trapping it below her bigger frame. “Not so confident now, are ya?” She erupted in a fit of laughter, watching tears stream down the face of the smaller canid with relish. She could only handle so much weakness before she snapped. So, she went for the throat. Her jaws snapping up the neck of the coyote and drawing it upwards as she still sat upon its back. Hind limbs kicking brokenly, fores clawing the ground desperately as she choked the life out of it. She was merciless and she was cruel, just the way she was always meant to be.

[Exit Absinth]

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