In the heart of Auster, where the warm winds whipped across the grassy plains, there roamed Kaino: A silver and lavender wolf, her fur shimmered in the moonlight, making her a captivating sight against the dark, rocky landscape. The kisses of charcoal upon her svelte frame helped her to blend in with the shadows that stretched between the outcroppings of stone. Kaino was not your typical wolf; she possessed a fierce spirit, unyielding determination and a bloodlust that lay just beneath the surface. Her day had been spent exploring the interesting landscape of the lake, where sulfur and brimstone rose up through cracks in the rock and she could periodically feel the earth rumbling beneath her paws. That fateful night, a raging windstorm swept down the mountainside, stirring up clouds of dust and turning the world into a chaotic dance of ash and fury. Kaino, undeterred by the tempest, continued her journey through the ashen blizzard. Her silver and lavender coat blended with the blowing curtains of ash, creating an ethereal aura around her. She had to make her way back to the rest of the Saxe band. Somewhere in the wilds, Absinth and Yarra had been following her. Surely they were somewhere near. As Kaino pressed on, she sensed a disturbance in the air, a presence that did not belong to the usual sounds of the Auster wilderness. The ground beneath her paws vibrated with each heavy step, and through the blowing dirt and debris, the colossal figure of a giant grizzly bear emerged. The grizzly bear, massive and imposing, stood between Kaino and her path. Its fur was as dark as the mountain itself, and its eyes glowed with an intensity that matched the ferocity of the storm. The wind howled, carrying the scent of an impending clash between two formidable beings. With a low growl, Kaino faced the giant grizzly bear, mint and ice eyes locking onto its piercing gaze. The confrontation was inevitable, the clash of titans in the midst of the lakes wrath. Even if she turned now, the look in the bears eye told her that it wasn't prepared to let her go. Did it think that she would be an easy meal? Stupid fucking bear... The windstorm intensified, hurling debris through the air like nature's own weaponry. Dirt, debris and stones became a blinding tempest, yet Kaino and the grizzly bear remained steadfast, locked in a silent battle amidst the chaos. The first strike came from the grizzly bear, a powerful swipe of its massive paw. Kaino, agile and swift, dodged the attack, her silver fur now adorned with ash and bits of debris. She retaliated with a lightning-quick lunge, her glinting fangs bared against the ferocious foe. The two creatures clashed, a dance of strength and agility beneath the relentless assault of the windstorm. Kaino's fur darkened with a combination of blood and soot, her movements fueled by an unwavering spirit that refused to yield, though she did feel her strength waning. The fight and the onslaught of the wind was taking its toll. The battle raged on, a symphony of growls and roars drowned out by the howling wind. Kai's agile maneuvers and strategic strikes kept her in the fight, despite the overwhelming size of her adversary. The giant grizzly bear, undeterred by the storm's fury, fought back with unmatched power. The wind turned debris into needles and Kai's nose and muzzle began to bleed from small cuts. She was forced to squint hard against the blowing wind and tried hard to keep her back to it. It was difficult when battling an opponent such as a grizzly bear. Droplets of blood didn't even have a chance to stain the black stone red. The wind instantly blew them far away. The adrenaline was running thin and Kaino could feel the rocks, sticks and everything else slam into a rip in her shoulder. Hopefully Absinth and Yarra weren't too far behind and would come to offer some assistance. WC- 666/1500 "Speech"

Absinth had been drawn out from the Sound yet again by the woman called Kaino Saxe. Although this time they were not joined by Ely, but the darling Yarrabelle. Absinth regarded the magenta woman with a good amount of interest, a part of her wondering when their next little scuffle would be. Though it was easy to get sidetracked, and with the journey to this odd land, the skeleton of a dead volcano in the distance - it was all really entertaining enough.

The brimstone lake reminded her of the cavern of lava she had discovered not too long ago. Where the heat was uncomfortable and the smell of sulfur was nearly suffocating. This place was different though. There was no lava, but it did smell like fire. The ground shook every so often, like the breathing of the volcano itself, asleep until next it came to life.

Absinth was exploring in the cover of night, when the wind suddenly picked up. It started as whipping winds and only increased in strength. The windstorm began to pelt her hide with all manner of debris, leaves and dirt catching in her white fur. A stick came and hit her square in the cheek, leaving her rightfully pissed off as she squinted in the storm to seek out Kaino and Yarrabelle. They had to be keen on heading back to the band by now, but where the hell were they in this wind?

Ears pinned back so that they would not be cut, she kept her head lowered so that the majority of debris would hit her back. It did not take her long to catch the very fleeting and faint scent of… a bear. It could have come from miles away though, and she was about to ignore it when the faint sound of roaring caught her attention in the storm. It was so faint she thought she had been mistaken, until she made out the barely visible figure of Kaino facing off a huge brown blur.

Absinth put strength into her limbs and shot out towards the fight, her muzzle catching several cuts from twigs whizzing by her face. Irritation set in quickly, her emerald eyes squinting to spot an opening she could capitalize on as she made it to the opposite side of the bear, parallel to Kaino’s position. It was near impossible to signal her next attack, so she went for the best option she could. A distraction. As the bear had not yet noticed her, Absinth leaped up over the beast’s back - singing her jaws into its thick hide in an effort to create an opening for the other women as the bear fought both wind and its own pathetic agility to dislodge the monochrome fae.

WC: 1126/1500

wormwood

Yarra is largely silent as she enters this new land, Absinth at her side. when their eyes do happen to meet, however, she shoots the woman a sharp little grin, something knowing and heated and wanting. already she craves a second meeting, to get her alone so that they might…interact without the interruption of others. already the Sound seems positively brimming with life, a hoard of good little soldiers all willing to fall into line at Sephiran’s say-so. peering at Absinth out of the corner of her eye, Yarra amends this statement. some of them are. alas, this new territory quickly pulls her from her thoughts and directs her attentions elsewhere, both in its volcanic majesty and its…temperamental weather. at first it appears rather unassuming, harmless despite the gothic appeal of its ash-laden graveyard. a volcano without lava is a predator without teeth, imposing but ultimately defenceless, unworthy of her scrutiny beyond the initial cursory glance. but then…but then. one heartbeat and Yarra is picking her way across the scorched earth, nosing at the cracks and imagining the way lava must have lit it from within - and the next she’s being pelted with twigs and various debris, the fur along her spine whipping back and forth in the tempestuous breeze. snorting in irritation, Yarra lowers her head and takes careful steps, ears tucked into her skull and eyes half-lidded to shield them from damage. the wind howls in her ears, creating a cacophony of sound so extreme it momentarily deafens her to the noises around her. so she’s a bit slow to register the roar of combat nearby, a bit slow to parse the faint bear-scent as a real, immediate threat. the monochromatic flash of Absinth’s pelt is enough to jolt her into action, following at the woman’s heels as her companion rushes the bear. the grizzly and Kaino are two dark smudges in the distance, Kaino’s quick and agile while the bear lumbers from spot to spot, relying on its size and muscle than any real technique. silently, Yarra sneers to herself. perhaps she will take its teeth and make a necklace for herself, a morbid piece of jewellery warning off would-be predators. do not mess with the Saxes. of course, she couldn’t entirely blame the bear for its ignorance - after all, bears are stupid. while Absinth scales it’s back, Yarra rounds the bear and dives for its face, claws slashing as she aims to mutilate its nose and eyes. even if her blows don’t land, the bear should be momentarily unbalanced, leaving it at the mercy of her viscous companions. given she’s so close, however, she’s put in direct range for a blow - the bear swings it’s forepaw and lands a hit across Yarra’s cheekbone, drawing blood. Yarra stumbles backward, momentarily stunned as she spits the blood from her mouth. it’s crimson arc is a shock against the black stone, and Yarra grins at the sight of it, displaying the point of every white tooth. shaking herself, she lunges forward and rakes her claws down it’s snout, carving long ugly gashes into its nose. WC: 1648/1500 "Speech"