Stepping into the forest, Zagan is surrounded by towering, gnarled trees. They stretch into the heavens, creating a thick canopy of foliage that dilutes the crimson glow shining down from the sky. It was an ominous setting- the trees looked ancient and wise. As if they were watching him. But Zagan wasn’t frightened- instead, he was intrigued.

Weaving through the underbrush, Zagan ventures deeper into the territory, until he reaches the heart of the gnarled forest. Up until this point, he was the only predator in the area- but suddenly, he picked up the scent of a bear.

Pausing, he hones his senses on the symphony of the forest, and hears the grunts of a bear rummaging in the underbrush nearby. It couldn't be more than a few yards away, and was heading in his direction. Shit.

"Zagan Saxe"

Moving north with a long-lived excitement in her bones, Mercy can't help herself. The north had been the place that raised her father, and she needed to see it. Weaving among the trees, recklessly slushing through the undergrowth, crashing among fallen branches and leaves fallen in seasons past. It's exciting, and she'd long-shaken Wake where he lurked on her tail. World's worst babysitter, more concerned with sniffing out herbs than keeping an eye on the pup... it hadn't gotten either of them into much trouble yet.

Speaking of trouble, there's a bear out here. Seemed like just the kind of trouble you'd find in the woods. It's not coming for her, at least as far as she can tell. Swinging wide and getting a better look at the situation, she catches sight of another pup as well.

Huh. Her options laid bare (bear? Ha!), Mercy makes an impulsive decision. She stalks to stand near the tusked boy, all upright posture and confidence. Perhaps too much confidence. Keen vision trained on the beast as it ambles in their direction, she offers a broad grin. "Two's better odds than one, yeah?" Gaze glimmering as she fixates on the beast, who's no doubt heard them by now.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Gravitating toward the base of a tree, Zagan used its trunk to conceal him from the bear. Given his pelt colors, it was hard for him to blend in with his surroundings. And perhaps, that would be his downfall someday- another wolf suddenly appeared beside him, materializing from the underbrush and approaching him with an air of confidence.

Zagan’s surprised he didn’t hear her coming, but he didn’t show it on his face. He kept a cool, neutral expression as he glanced at her, performing a quick assessment to determine whether or not she was a threat.

She seemed interested in taking on the bear, which intrigued him. “I’ve been wanting a claw or two.” He says, with a casual shrug of his shoulders. As if taking on a bear was no big deal.

Their voices were carried to the bear, and so were their scents- which triggered an instinctual surge of hunger in the beast. With a roar, it started crashing through the underbrush, barreling toward them until it appeared on the opposite side of the clearing. To avoid being trampled, Zagan darted to his right and flanked around the tree's trunk, coming out on the other side to bite onto the bear's flank.

"Zagan Saxe"

Bullish and brash, Mercy's gaze glimmers in the low light of the woods. Electric. Absolutely fucking electric as she hones in on the bear, crystalline hackles raising across her shoulders. There's an excitement and an energy to her, a grin that can't be tamed. "Dibs on the jaw." Grinning, lowering her head as she prepares.

Crouching low, gathering herself over her hind legs, and charging the bear-- seemed simple enough, right? Springing through the undergrowth and rushing the thing head on, keeping mindful of the claws. Her compatriot would hopefully be enough of a distraction, as she tags the side of the bear's neck. Snapping and snarling, throwing herself at the thing with reckless abandon. As long as she didn't get hit, Mercy would be fine, just fine.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

With the two youngsters attacking the beast, it became enraged- swiping wildly at them with massive paws, trying to deliver bone-crushing swats that would keep them at bay. But Mercy and Zagan were lost in the fray of their excitement, and were relentless in their onslaught. Unless the bear delivered a life-threatening injury, they would not stop until it was dead at their feet.

While the girl bit onto the bear’s neck, Zagan took bites out of its side and underbelly, weaving in and out of its legs to avoid being crushed. He wanted to bite deep enough to spill its guts onto the forest floor- and with his saber fangs, he was almost able to pierce deep enough. Just a few more bites.

The bear was starting to slow down, but it wasn’t enough. They needed more firepower. As if on cue, Zagan’s panther emerged from the treeline and pounced onto the bear’s back, forcing it to its knees. It went down with a roar, almost crushing Zagan in the process but he backpedaled just in time.

"Zagan Saxe"

It's a rough attack, ripping and shredding with jaws and claws alike. Though the bear lands a solid swipe to Mercy's shoulder, the ragged crystalline structures shred into its paw pad. Bear blood coating her scruff, it's equal parts gross and fucking cool. Her teeth find purchase, ripping and tearing at the vascular flesh of the creature's neck. There's a lot of fur to get through, but Mercy is making it happen.

The roar of a panther almost shakes her loose, until she realizes that it's on their side. Also attacking the bear, and not the pups who'd made a brazen charge. As the bear stumbles, Mercy finally comes loose, not wanting to be trapped beneath it. Tender throat exposed, there's nothing stopping her. It's a vicious chomp, and then another, as the beast strikes for her head with its claws. Shit, no use letting up now.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Debris clouds the small clearing as the bear stumbles to the ground, faltering beneath the weight of Zagan’s panther. The feline stays perched on its back, helping to keep it anchored in place for the pups to attack.

With a snarl, Zagan surges forward, running alongside the girl. They were equally covered in bear blood at this point, and Zagan had chunks of flesh and fur wedged between his saber fangs. The metallic taste of blood on his tongue ignited a visceral sense of glee inside of him. The desire to kill almost overwhelming at this point.

The girl chomps down on the bear’s exposed throat, and while it attempts to strike at her head, Zagan intervenes. Unsheathing his claws, he slashes at its face and claws at its eyes, popping one out of the socket with a few swipes. Zagan’s movements are frantic and almost manic- his paws are swiping at lightning speed, tearing through flesh and muscle until he's able to blind the bear completely.

"Zagan Saxe"

Mercy stumbles, the ground shifting under her paws as someone among them deals the deathblow. The gurgling and swiping slowly fade, and she sinks her teeth deep into the creature's neck. Coated in blood, near trembling from the effort... but she has to look cool while doing it. Nothing about her movements is precise, all raw violence and rage.

Violence. Rage. Then stillness. More blood on the ground than in the bear, a tattered carcass crumpled on the ground before them.

A toss of her bloodied head, the girl is absolutely panting. It's a lot of effort, this whole killing a bear thing. More effort than she thought it would be, but the whole 'learn by doing' thing has its perks.

Taking a step back from the bear corpse, she leans, back heavily against a tree. "Holy shit that was sick." Let a girl catch her breath for a minute, okay?

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Finally, the bear would draw its last breaths. The gurgling, bone-chilling sound filled Zagan’s ears, urging him in his frantic assault. He would continue to claw until its face was unrecognizable- fragments of gore and sinew alike coating his paws and forelegs, even as the beast grew still. His fighting companion had taken refuge against a tree, struggling to catch her breath- but Zagan didn’t stop until he felt satisfied.

Stumbling back, he’s panting too- heaving jagged breaths through his bloody jaws, as his bi-colored eyes shifted to the girl against the tree. He could assess her more thoroughly now- the earthy color of her coat, the reindeer eyes that were shimmering with predatory excitement, and the crystals that jutted out from her nape and shoulders. Sniffing in her direction, he notes she smells like a pack. But he’s not sure which one.

Leaning down, Zagan starts to clean some of the sinew from his paws, tracing his tongue delicately between his toes, to avoid being cut by his claws. “Who are you?” He asks, showing interest in the girl who fought a bear without hesitation.

"Zagan Saxe"

As she leans against the trees, the girl takes in the sheer size and space they occupied. The mile high woods were, well, mile high. The trees seemed to trellis together at the top, their branches meeting and splitting... like a ladder? This is the place where dad had learned how to build tree houses, and this is why she lives in one now. Weird. Like coming full circle, in a way. The girl leans back, catches her breath, sets about licking the blood from her paws.

"Mercy. Who're you?" Her gaze flickers back to the purple boy, getting a good look at him now that the threat is well neutralized. Purples and blues, darker colors under all the bear blood. A little older, more grown into his long limbs, but still with the puppy softness to him. Finally climbing to her feet, she begins to assess the carcass. How was she going to get that jaw off to bring home?

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Clearing most of the carnage from his paws, Zagan feels content with his work- he’s still bloody from the face down- but he’d need to submerge himself in a stream to clean it all off. Unless he wanted to spend hours licking himself. For now, he shakes his pelt, sending droplets of blood and sinew flying in all directions, splattering the gnarled trunks of the towering trees.

Mercy was her name. Just Mercy? Hmpf. Nodding, Zagan straightens his posture, stretching one of his back legs out to release some of the built-up tension. "Zagan Saxe." There’s pride in his voice when as he boasts his name- a palpable sense of grandiosity accompanying his tone. “My Father’s kingdom is West of here.” He motions toward the direction of The Syndicate's domain with a flick of his muzzle. “We’ve got bears in The Polar Sound and the Sparse pines, but-“ He turns his gaze back on her, watching as she starts assessing the carcass. “I figured I’d find something more… interesting, out here.” His gaze narrows on her, an unsettling intensity flickering within his bi-colored eyes. “Is this your home?” He’s prodding for information now, wanting to know more about the fearless girl.

"Zagan Saxe"

The woods around them are far from still, far from quiet. Different creatures skittering in the undergrowth, the dead leaves of seasons past providing ample cover. It's nice here, and a part of it makes her feel even closer to her father. Dread didn't talk much of his family or his childhood, but he seemed to get that look in his eye when they were around tall trees like this. It makes sense, they're way more fun than the tall trees that surrounded the Ravine. These are good for climbing, and probably good for building too. Maybe once she pries her jaw free, she can take a look from even higher up.

Zagan Saxe, the boy seeming to puff out his chest. Right, she has a second name, but it's like... is it important to use? The social convention of it is still weird to Mercy. Hell, she's not the most social beast, all told. "We get these guys in the Ravine sometimes, but someone else always gets there first to kick their asses." She gives a soft hmph at the idea. It's fine, everything is fine, Mercy has found trouble for herself and vanquished it. No telling what that would do to her ego. "Polar bears are fucken cool though, bet their coats are like, so warm."

His father's kingdom, sounded a little braggy. Shit, two could play at that game. Still, he'd asked her a question. "Nah, way in the south, with my grandma-- she's the raid queen. I came up with my uncle, explorin' while he looks at plants or whatever." Where had Wake gotten off to? Really, he's the best babysitter, hardly gets in her way any. That, and maybe it felt good to reveal that she's a third generation badass.

Nosing at the bear carcass, she circles it once, squints. Reaching down to hold the jaw open, she examines the way it hinges. Without much thought she reaches down to begin gnawing at the connective tissue. "How're you planning to get the claws out?" It seemed like a fair question. Hell, Mercy hardly had any plans in general, so maybe she could learn a thing or two.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

The Ravine. Zagan didn’t know what ‘the ravine’ was, but he assumed it was a territory. Most likely her home, too. A low hum bellowed from his chest- an acknowledgment of her statement, and nothing more. "Polar bears roam our forest and island. We ran off a Mother and her cubs recently... forced them into the Northern sea to drown.” A slow, crooked smirk surfaced at the corners of his lips, a spark of excitement dancing in his gaze as he recalled the pride his father boasted when Zagan and his siblings sent the bear to her death. “She was trying to hunt my Father’s sheep." A short pause. "And my Father. He doesn’t like when others play with his toys- his possessions.” He adds with a casual tilt of his shoulders, shrugging nonchalantly at the notion of killing a threat to appease his Father. It was the Saxe way, and Zagan wasn’t the type to act outside his family’s social norms.

Raid Queen. The name felt familiar, like he’d heard it in passing, or while eavesdropping on his Uncle Rhazien’s political conversations with his Father. “The Raiders.” He muses aloud, to see if she will confirm his knowledge. Aside from their name, Zagan didn’t know much about The Raiders. Oh, wasn’t Aresenn born into that pack when they lived on a pirate ship? Memories of his adoptive Father’s lessons worked their way into his mind- someone named Sparrow, who called themselves the Raid King. A shift in leadership, perhaps? His thoughts circled, but there was little clarity. Maybe he should ask the girl himself.

How’re you planning to get the claws out?” Her voice pulled him from his thoughts, his head snapping up toward her, bi-colored eyes refocusing on her face as he watched her examine the bear’s jaw. “Easy.” He says, exuding confidence with a subtle touch of arrogance. Then, he gravitates toward her, to stand in front of the bear’s right front paw. His jaws snake towards his blade, and he unsheathes it with ease. The obsidian shimmers in the low light, casting a glow that is both ethereal and alarming. In a swift motion, he brings the serrated edge down to the joint that connects the claw to the bone. With a sickening pop, he saws through the connective tissue, ending up with the tip of a severed toe bone with the claw still attached.

He turns to her, gauging her expression, expecting her to boast admiration- or at least, acknowledge his brilliance. But she was occupied with gnawing on the connective tissue around the bear's jaw- a slow, tedious process that would wear her out quickly. "You don't have a blade?" He questions, searching her body for weapons. But she didn't seem to have any.

"Zagan Saxe"