Ellara's paws sank softly into the riverbank, the cool mud squelching between her toes as she ventured out with her brother. The sun cast a golden hue over Cedar Falls, where the river tumbled down the rock face, its gentle hush a soothing melody. The air was rich with the delicious scent of evergreen and cedar wood, the trees standing sentinel around the falls, their branches swaying gently in the breeze.

As her brother moved beside her, she found his protective presence a comforting shadow. They were on a quest for treasures as they had done many times in their youth, the river's edge promising hidden gems and legends untold. The salmon were beginning their arduous journey upstream, their silvery bodies gleaming as they leapt through the sparkling water, a sight that filled Ellara with awe.

Ellara's keen eyes scanned the ground, seeking out the glint of a polished stone or the unique curve of a shell. The river offered its bounty generously, and she delighted in each discovery. A perfectly smooth pebble, a piece of driftwood twisted into an intriguing shape, a feather with the iridescent sheen of a kingfisher – these were the treasures she sought.

As they wandered, the sounds of the forest enveloped them. Birds sang from their cedar perches, and the occasional rustle of leaves betrayed the presence of deer grazing nearby. The serenity of the moment was interrupted only by the occasional roar of a bear in the distance, a reminder of the wild world they inhabited. Her ears would twitch at such sounds, her muscles tensing momentarily before relaxing when she deemed there was no immediate threat.

Ellara found herself lost in the beauty of their surroundings, the poetic rhythm of the river's flow, the vibrant life teeming in every corner of Cedar Falls. She glanced at her brother, his silhouette strong and reassuring against the backdrop of the cascading water. With him, she shared a bond deeper than blood, a silent understanding that spoke volumes as they moved together in harmony.

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

Blue and gold eyes scanned their surroundings as he walked along the river bank beside Ellara, being her eyes and ears while she searched for secrets and treasures. For as long as he could remember their favorite pass time had been hunting for little trinkets and treasures near the water. Before it had been the beach near where they grew up, but now it was any body of water they could find. There was something about the way water could transport, reveal, and hide these things that was fascinating. Still, the distant roar of bears and the occasional shifting of something in the trees kept him from fully relaxing. He still examined everything Ella found with interest and a warm smile, encouraging her to keep going for as long as she liked since he knew how much she enjoyed doing this, but when she wasn't looking his way he was constantly checking their surroundings for danger.

As he looked down toward Ella to examine her latest find, he caught a glimpse of another of the seemingly plentiful salmon that were swimming up stream here. He wasn't sure where they were headed yet, their paws guiding them to wherever felt right, but the further they moved into these lands the more plentiful they seemed. Wherever their instincts or hearts were taking them it seemed like it was to somewhere good. At least that's what he hoped. The last thing he wanted was to take his sister away from their old home just to end up somewhere worse than where they began. "Maybe we can catch one of those fish for dinner," he suggested with a nod toward the water as they began to walk again. Another echoing roar of a bear caught his attention and his head snapped toward the sound, listening for a moment as he tired to decide how far away it was. It didn't sound like they were moving toward it–not that one, at least–but the fact that they were so active and vocal didn't put him at ease.

"Speech"

Ellara's heart skipped a beat at her brother's suggestion of catching a salmon for dinner, but their plans were shattered by the sudden roar of a grizzly bear. The beast, a patchwork of earthy browns, burst from the underbrush, its eyes fixed on the river and its hunger palpable. Ellara barely dodged its initial swipe, her heart pounding as she moved closer to her brother.

Instinctively, she began to circle around the bear, aiming to drive it back toward the falls. Ellara's movements were fluid and precise, each step calculated as she circled around the bear. The grizzly's eyes, wild with hunger, flicked between her and her brother, its growls resonating through the air. With a burst of speed, she lunged at the bear, aiming for its flank, hoping to drive it back. Her teeth grazed its thick fur, but the bear swung its massive paw, forcing her to leap back to avoid the deadly claws.

The bear, now enraged, roared and charged at her, its powerful body crashing through the underbrush. Ellara darted to the side, her agility her greatest advantage. She caught a glimpse of her brother as she moved, her eyes filled with determination as they met his. Together, they worked in unison, their coordinated efforts a dance of survival. Ellara made another attempt, this time aiming for the bear's hind leg, hoping to weaken its stance. She managed to sink her teeth in briefly before the bear kicked out, sending her sprawling but not without causing it to stumble closer to the falls.

[ 1/3 Fought a large opponent (Grizzly Bear) ]

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

The more distant roar turned out to only be a distraction as another bear came charging from the brush beside him, making his hackles immediately bristle as he spun to face the grizzly with a growling snarl, instinctively putting himself between the bear and Ella as his sister dodged its initial heavy swipe. He shifted to dodge the bear's swinging paw as well and lunged forward to snap at its cheek, but falling short and having to hop back again to avoid its slobbery jowls. He almost missed Ellara slipping around behind the bear, but regardless he kept it distracted long enough for her to take a go at its flank. He hoped maybe he would look like enough of a threat to make the bear ignore her, but instead the lumbering creature immediately began to turn toward his sister with another swipe of its massive paw.

His heart leapt into his throat when the bear began to charge at her again before he could stop it. Luckily Ella was fast and was able to dodge out of the way, but even having her here in the mix of the fight was too close for comfort for him. He caught her gaze for brief moment, his gaze worried and warning her to not get involved, but he knew from the determination in her expression that his concern would be lost on her. Be was putting himself into position to charge in with another attack of his own when Ella went for the bear's back leg, but a heard kick from the bear sent her sprawling across the dirt. "Ella!" he called with worry, but he had to trust that she'd pick herself back up as his eyes darted back toward the bear that was now making him its target.

With a snarl he lunged forward again, latching his jaws around the bear's throat near the base of its jaw so it couldn't immediately turn its head down to retaliate. His teeth broke through skin as he crushed down, sending blood across his tongue. The bear roared in response, wheeling backward and swiping frantically at him as it began to rear up onto its back legs. Adriel quickly let go before the grizzly could pull him off of his feet, but he didn't quite avoid the bear's savage paws, its claws scraping across his left shoulder. He winced as he landed back on his feet and squared off with the bear again, his head lowered and lips pulled back in a snarl as he refused to let the bear regain any kind of ground as they continued to push it back toward the falls.

"Speech"

Ellara's heart pounded as she regained her footing, her eyes darting to her brother as he bravely faced the bear. The sight of Adriel latching onto the bear's throat filled her with a mix of pride and fear. She watched, horrified, as the bear's claws raked across his shoulder, sending a spurt of blood into the air. The savage reality of the fight pressed down on her, but the sight of her brother’s determination gave her strength.

Ignoring the throbbing pain from where she had been kicked, Ellara moved swiftly, circling the bear once more. The grizzly, now rearing on its hind legs, towered above them, its roars echoing through the forest. She knew they had to act quickly to avoid further injury, and her brother's ferocity had bought them precious moments.

Ellara darted forward, her eyes locked on the bear's exposed side. With a burst of speed, she aimed for the bear's ribs, her teeth sinking into its thick fur and skin. The bear bellowed in pain and fury, thrashing wildly. The scent of blood mingled with the sharp aroma of cedar and evergreen, the air thick with the tension of their struggle. She released her grip and leapt back just in time to avoid another swipe of the bear's massive paw.

Her heart ached with worry for her brother, but she pushed the fear aside, focusing on the fight. They needed to push the bear further back, toward the falls where its footing would be less stable. With a determined growl, she lunged again, nipping at the bear's legs to keep it off balance. The bear's movements became more frantic, its roars louder as it struggled against their combined assault.

Ellara glanced at Adriel, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of concern and resolve. They were in this together, and she trusted him to hold his own. She prepared for another attack, her muscles coiled like springs, ready to strike. The falls roared behind them, a constant reminder of their goal. With a final glance at her brother, she readied herself, knowing the next few moments would be crucial in their fight for survival.

[ 2/3 Fought a large opponent (Grizzly Bear) ]

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN

As much as Adriel wanted to be able to keep his sister far away from this fight, he recognized quickly that this was a match that he couldn't finish on his own–not without some serious injury to himself. He was more than willing to make that sacrifice for her, but then he would be useless to defend her against any upcoming threats and their travel would be halted entirely. Elara showed again how she had grown and was coming into her own courageousness as she lunged forward to snap at the bear's now exposed ribs after he had driven it into this intimidating stance. It was enough to drive the bear back a few more steps toward their goal and keep it reeling and Adriel stepped forward as well, reaching up to snap at the bear's forelegs and prevent it from trying to drop back down onto all four legs while Ellara went for its hind legs.

He spared Ella a glance, her look mirroring his own concern and determination. Working as a united force they were able to make far more progress in fending off the bear than they would have otherwise and it forced him to face the fact that not only could he not be his sister's shield forever, but he didn't need to be. He refocused his attention on the bear ahead of them with a snarl and leapt up to snap again at the bear's exposed belly and ribs, always making sure to make his attacks brief and sharp to inflict enough pain to keep driving it back without locking himself in place where he couldn't dodge the bear's swinging paws.

"Speech"

Her pink gaze remained locked on the bear and her brother as he continued to fend it off, pride swelling in her heart as she watched. Her brother's willingness to trust her in the fight didn't come easy, she was sure, but she gave him a nod that said, 'I'm alright, I promise.' She knew they needed to keep up the pressure, to continue driving the bear back toward the falls in hopes that it would tumble down and give them a chance to get away.

With a quick glance to Adriel, Ellara darted forward again, a blur of agility and precision as the bear's roars grew more frantic. Ellara aimed for the bear's hind leg once again, her teeth sinking into its flesh and earning a pained bellow from the massive creature. She released her grip swiftly, dancing out of the way of it's retaliatory swipe.

The bear stumbled closer to the falls in an effort to get away from the two tall wolves. The roar of the cascading water was loud in their ears, a constant reminder of it's danger. Ellara could see the desperation in the bear's eyes. Breathing heavily, she prepared for another assault. With Adriel's presence beside her being so fierce and unwavering, it gave her the strength she needed to finish this. She knew they were close to ending this encounter, but the bear was still ready to fight. With her heart pounding, Ellara lunged in again, her eyes locked on the bear's vulnerable flank for the third time. The bear took a step back and nearly slipped, it's weight shifting as it tried not to tumble down the water fall.

[ 3/3 Fought a large opponent (Grizzly Bear) ]

Ellara "Ella" Praetor

CODE BY SIN