Blacktail Deer Plateau if i could, i would dare

OOC: @Peregrine
Edit: I give up 'cause remembering to tag is hard and tagging seems to hate edits. >:

IC: She moved swiftly, her pelt brightly illuminated under the light of the full moon, aiding in her secrecy; it was hard to pick her out against the snow from a higher vantage point. This suited Jinx perfectly, for she had every intent of skulking along Blacktail Deer Plateau's base until she located the path they used to reach the top. Should war ever spring up amidst the packs, Jinx would be sure that Akhlut and his associates knew the surest way to contain these wolves, until starvation forced them to cede their claim. To her, the only way to win a war was to win the land... All wolves knew that, or so Jinx thought.

Nevertheless, she abandoned her haughty arrogance at the fringe of Ravensblood. There, she held rank over all the wolves save her Alpha, and had full intentions of maintaining her position indefinitely, if only to keep Pied from getting too smart with her. In truth, Jinx cared little about the opinions of others in her pack, and would brutalize them all to come out on top. That she served Akhlut was simply a matter of convenience: unseating an Alpha among his subordinates, and coming out true victor, was infinitely harder than being the greatest of those subordinates, particularly when heathen wolves dismissed the old ways in favour of emotion.

Her eyes flashed as she ducked into the shadow of the Plateau, working her way on fleet paws around its northern edge in search of the footpath the wolves used to ascend its sheer walls. The height from there was likely spectacular, but even Jinx recognized its danger. A wolf could sit out a war up there and never need to worry about wolves coming from his back... But they were isolated there, with limited resources, and would eventually need to come down. These things she thought as she merged her shadow with the stony wall, pressing close so those up top would not notice her, devising strategies should Hawkeye ever sound the horns of war against Horizon Ridge (unlikely, but she could dream).

Although coming to with Crete's hind leg drooped over his face and Atticus's snout thrust into his rib cage was not exactly the same as waking up beside Osprey, it came in at a close second. As wakefulness crept slowly over him, Peregrine's lips twitched into a smile and he drew in a deep, satiating breath. Tyrannus may have run them out of their home, yet he was the loser in the end. It would take some adjustment, getting used to a new pack for the first time in their lives, yet together, they could do it.

With a yawn, he shook off the last dregs of sleepiness and pushed himself to his feet, gently shoving either brother's wayward appendages aside. He helped himself to a hare from the nearest cache, then took a long drink from a shallow, icy pool. With both his hunger and thirst slaked, he began to trot toward the borders to resume his vigil. Two of his three litter mates were here now, yet one—the most important piece—was still missing, and Peregrine clung to the belief that Osprey, too, would find her way here.

He located a ledge favored not only by the current Alpha but the one before her and sat there like a roosting crow. His dusky eyes surveyed the land below and saw nothing. He bit back a sigh, then slowly dipped forward until he lay with his silvered belly flush with the cold ground. Peregrine crossed his forepaws but, despite his laid-back demeanor, he remained wary and watchful for any sign of his sister.

Meanwhile, a lurker crept along the rock wall just below him. Though Peregrine believed himself to be paying very close attention not only to the sights but also sounds and smells offered up by his surroundings, he did not yet detect his unwelcome guest nor her proximity. Once he did, one or both of them would be in for a nasty surprise.

<style type="text/css">q {font:13px Georgia; color:#BA6D00;}</style>All along the Plateau's base, Jinx crept in the shadows, thankful for her slim form and her stealthy grace. Had Hawkeye come barrelling down the mountain, the Horizon Ridge Epsilon would have had no qualms with telling her the truce was broken if one hair on her was harmed... After all, she had been approached by one of Hawkeye's subordinates, who had been wildly insubordinate for much of the meeting, from within her own pack territory. Arse the howling requirement, she thought... But truthfully, Jinx didn't consider herself on the plateau, so she didn't care.

It took a little while to locate the footpath, but when she did, she smirked. She had no intention of climbing up it—she would leave that to another day, when she was more certain she would not be caught and tortured for it—but she made note of its location. Above her, a sentry was silently surveying the land beneath him, but he was unaware of her, and she of him. She stepped out of the shadows for just an instant to better memorize where the path was, and her pelt glowed conspicuously with the sudden splash of moonlight.

Deciding she would remember well enough where it was, and unaware that that moment in the moonlight had given her away as surely as a cooking fire would give away an encampment in the dead of night, she ducked back along the edge of the wall in search of any other paths to the plateau's surface.

If you want me to change anything in this post, just drop me a PM. :)

He began to feel restless after a while, so Peregrine pushed himself into an upright position and drew in a long, deep breath. It left him in a hot gush in the next instant and he sprang to his feet, his fur bristling and his lips already peeling back to show his teeth. Looking downright beastly, he began to lope toward the towpath in order to drop down into the flatlands and do a perimeter check to find the source of the intrusive scent. Before he could even make it there, however, he saw a flash of movement below.

It disappeared just as instantly and Peregrine froze, then doubled back and began to gallop along the cliff. Assuming his victim was proceeding more slowly and carefully, he positioned himself on the lip of the ledge and sank down. He peered down along the rock wall and saw her—a lithe white wolf with black paws—pressing against the wall and coming this way. The Sigma held very still, trusting the darkness to hide his swarthy form, and tried to estimate the height of the drop from here. He wondered if he might break a leg if he jumped.

He decided to take the risk. When the she-wolf approached his position, Peregrine suddenly leaped, dropping like a panther in front of her. The impact sent pains shooting through his lissome forelegs, yet he ignored them. He faced the would-be intruder, his ears slicked back so far that they practically disappeared, a savage snarl tearing loose from his chest. He arched his back, every dark fur on his body bristling, and aimed a snap at her muzzle.

The night fell quiet as tension built on the plateau above, but Jinx didn't notice. She was too self-absorbed, and also engrossed in her task, to really pay attention to her surroundings. The shadow lurking on the ledge ahead was therefore ignored as she scouted her way along the plateau's base... At least until he dropped in front of her. The next couple seconds seemed to slow down in Jinx's brain, but they happened in quick succession, fast enough that an onlooker might miss it in the blink of an eye.

Like some great cat, Peregrine descended from the sky and landed silently, only to rise with a protective and furious expression. The snarl gave him away, and as his snout darted for hers, she was able to pull away, but not enough to fully avoid the rake of his teeth against her nose. Pain flooded her senses and she worked her jaw fruitlessly in an effort to rid herself of it... And then it gave way to competitiveness.

It had been a long time since Jinx had been able to cause mischief and mayhem, and longer since she had been in a good old fashioned scuffle. She took stock of Blacktail's guardian in a mere half-second before she raised her own head and issued her own challenging growl, accompanied by the baring of teeth, gums, and tongue. She met his gaze evenly, determine to egg him on... For he was bigger, but she was fast, and confident she could make a break for it if things turned bad.

Ever an unlawful wolf and not taken with losing an advantage, Jinx made the next move, a mere two seconds after his teeth sprung blood from her sensitive nose: she lunged for his snout in turn, for now hoping to just grab it and force his head down.

I responded to your PM about using dice rolls and I'm still down. I just couldn't resist replying 'cause I love role playing fights! :)

He knew satisfaction when his teeth raked her pale muzzle and warm blood sprang from the wounds to slather his tongue. She ripped herself away from him before he could get a good grasp. Peregrine sensed the oncoming retaliation but he was built for strength, not speed, and so he couldn't avoid it when she struck at him like a rattlesnake. This time, her fangs tore into his muzzle and her jaws locked in a tighter grasp that he'd been able to obtain.

Rapidly, the swarthy male shook his head. He didn't care about the damage this wrought; he just wanted to loosen the she-wolf's grip. Fortunately, he met with success and he tore his snout from the proverbial steel trap. Her wicked fangs left gouges on the topside of his black muzzle and a stray tooth somehow snagged on the soft tissue of his nose, partially tearing open his right nostril. It hurt quite a bit and bled even more.

He snarled wrathfully, his tongue snaking out to lick his wounds. He'd sprung his initial attack to chase her away from his borders, as was the instinct of any wild wolf over its pack's territory. Yet not only had the she-wolf stood her ground rather than flee, she'd also counterattacked. Now Peregrine didn't merely want to send her off with a few bites to the backside, he fully wanted—and intended—to kill her.

"You fucking bitch," he hissed under his breath as he launched at her again, intending to use the advantage of his heavier body weight to knock her off her feet and push her to the ground. He'd put her in her place first and foremost, then swiftly execute her by laying open her throat.

H'okay let's give this baby a test run!
We'll say Peregrine's was a success because rolling dice for other people makes me feel weird. Awkward post is awkward because of how it's formatted, but it shouldn't be an issue!

Current HP: 22/22
Action #1: (Defend - 4) Jinx attempts to square her stance and shake to prevent Peregrine from pushing her down.
Action #2: (Attack - 3) Jinx attempts to turn her snout to strike at Peregrine's face.

Her fangs snagged harder than she had expected. A rumble of satisfaction pushed through her throat as she poked out her tongue to lick his blood from her teeth in a macabre sort of sneer... But it didn't last long. The other wolf's nose was opened, and blood rushing his lips and stained his teeth as he snarled in return... And while taunting was certainly not beneath Jinx, she held her tongue for once, for fury danced in the dark male's eyes, and it was a fury she knew she'd have to fight hard to stave off.

Her ears thrust arrogantly forward in a challenging stare, and Peregrine was quick to react, whether to her self-entitled behaviour or the pain she had caused him. Both wolves already had blood staining their snouts, marking the battle as a legitimate one, and not just a friendly exchanging of non-threatening blows. The stakes were high, for Peregrine would kill Jinx given half the chance, and... Well, how Jinx would decide the fight if she gained the upper hand was as yet unknown. Killing him could result in outright war... But then, when had she cared about trifling matters like that?

Peregrine came at her angled from above, with intent known: he would force her into the earth, squish her down until her dignity sputtered out. The Kesuk would not let him; she rolled her shoulders forward into a bearish defensive stance, squared her feet behind her, aiming to take the entirety of his weight on her strong legs and fend off his attempts to push her down. Peregrine was much heavier, so she prayed to Sos then, within her mind, that she might muster the strength to withstand.

If on some off chance she kept her feet, then Jinx would shake her body vigorously before taking a stab at his face with a twist of her head. Perhaps, if luck flew on her side today and Peregrine's jaw weakened from her efforts, she would have enough leverage to reach his precious eyes.

Current HP: 20/20.
Action #1: (Defend - 5) Peregrine evades the brunt of Jinx's attack so her teeth hit his cheek without breaking the skin.
Action #2: (Attack - 6) Having successfully shoved Jinx to the ground, Peregrine attempts to strike the side of her neck.

She braced herself and Peregrine felt the resistance as his body slammed into hers. With a snarl of rage, he overpowered her anyway, forcing her legs to buckle so that they sank to the ground. Having successfully put her in her place, Peregrine kept her pinned by placing his forelegs on either side of her writhing white form and pressing his own weight down continuously. She would have a hell of a time trying to break loose from his imprisoning grip now.

In the several seconds' delay while Peregrine maneuvered himself into a better position, Jinx twisted her head, then struck with that same rapidity. This time, the male managed to jerk his head out of the way more quickly than before, so that her teeth knocked into his cheekbone. It smarted and a bruise would certainly bloom beneath his onyx fur. Yet she didn't even break the skin.

His own blood still poured from his nose, splattering her face and neck, as Peregrine now aimed a savage bite at her throat. Still she squirmed, so even as he came bearing down, her head turned and his fangs sought the swanlike curve of her white neck...

Current HP: 13/22
Action #1: (Dodge - 8) Jinx desperately attempts to struggle free of Peregrine. (I think this would count as a dodge idrk...)
Action #2: (Defend - 6) Jinx attempts to duck her head to guard her throat.

Dodges: 3/4 available — Flees: 2/2 available

She felt his weight fall on her spine, and discovered in the blink of an eye that Peregrine was heavier than he looked. For all her valiant effort, her legs buckled nonetheless and she crashed into the rocky ground with a heavy groan, and her ribs protested the impact with a sharp stabbing of pain. All around her, the black wolf's limbs closed in, tightening to keep her pinned on the ground, where she was completely helpless. Desperation and panic set in, clouding her judgement and triggering the desire to risk everything. Anything to save her life, at that point, she would do.

Summoning all the strength in her body, meagre as it was given her weight, Jinx rolled.

Perhaps Peregrine hadn't been expecting her to try something that so riskily revealed her throat for a moment. Perhaps he had been expecting her to meekly submit now that he laid heavily over her, making even breathing difficult. Her paws found purchase on his body and shoved hard, attempting to make room for herself to escape, to survive. For whatever reason, the Blacktail guardian seemed to lose some of his weight in that instant, and Jinx broke free of his hold with a ferocious snarl and a final kicking struggle.

The battleground seemed to reset itself as she darted a few paces forward, making room between herself and the guardian so that he could not pull that stunt again, and to him she swung with her head lowered protectively over her throat, unsure whether she would turn to face him hurtling headlong at her, or still recovering from her sudden (and probably only) escape. Her eyes shone with the furious will to survive, as well as all-consuming fear for her life. She had come too close to allowing herself to be at his complete mercy, and she would not allow it again.

Damage: 0.
Current HP: 20/20.
Action #1: (Attack - 2) Peregrine charges Jinx while she's still swiveling, aiming at the side of her neck again.

One second, his fangs seemed destined for her throat, as deadly and effective as a handful of butcher knives. In the next, she was somehow slipping out of his grip and bounding away, without even a drop of additional blood added to the flow. She not only wrestled herself free, she put a wide gap between them and began to pivot to refresh the battle, as if she hadn't just been seconds away from certain death.

Although this turn of events absolutely flabbergasted him, Peregrine didn't stop to marvel at her impossible speed. Doubly furious that she'd somehow managed to wriggle away from his clutches, Peregrine dove at her even as she swiveled to face him again. His intense hatred for her in that moment affected the precision of his attack so that his jaws snapped shut on empty air.

Seething at his failure to land a fatal hit—any hit at all—he began to backpedal slightly, apprehensive that the devilish she-wolf would strike with that same lightning quickness.

Current HP: 13/22
Action #1: (Attack - 5) Jinx aims to bite the side of Peregrine's neck.

Even before she had made a full circle, Peregrine was rushing her again, and the same panic squeezed at her heart. Her feet drummed the ground as she swung sharply in an attempt to avoid his ire once more, and this time, she succeeded. The furious black wolf's jaws snapped shut on nothing, and Jinx snarlingly sniggered as she moved sinuously sideways, only to wince with a strangled whine. Her ribs would surely be bruised from the initial beating, and the lifting of her nose was enough to send a fresh wash of blood over her lips.

Snarling wildly, the she-wolf pressed the assault, choosing that instant to turn the tide of battle in her favour. She rushed Peregrine with snout stretched outward so she might grasp his neck. She wished to change their roles in this battle, and force him to obey her will instead, to fight to save himself rather than to wound further. She was hurting, and wouldn't last much longer if he managed to get the advantage again, but the Kesuk had a fighting spirit, and wanted so badly to win that failure didn't seem to be an option.

I've added extra notes here in an attempt to orient myself on the order of logging the various numbers...

Damage: 0.
Current HP: 20/20.
Note to self: Jinx's immediately previous post here.
Action #1: (Defend - 8) Peregrine attempts to rear up on his hind legs to avoid the full brunt of Jinx's attack.
Action #2: (Attack - 2) Peregrine attempts to bear down on and bite the back of Jinx's neck.
Note to self: My post here:

She rushed him swiftly but he anticipated it. When she lunged for his throat, Peregrine rose up onto his rear legs like a wild stallion, chopping at the air with his powerful forelegs. He hovered precariously for only a few beats, then arched his neck so that when gravity forced him back down, he bore down on the back of the white female's head. He didn't hope to press her to the ground, then attempt a killing blow; he simply opened his jaws and tried to latch onto the back of her neck.

Ever the slippery eel, the white she-wolf managed to yank herself free before he could connect—that or Peregrine simply didn't aim precisely. Whatever the cause, the outcome was the same: he missed his target. Yet again, the devilish she-wolf miraculously evaded even the slightest glance of his fangs.

Blooding boiling with fury and frustration, Peregrine loosed a growl that was part bellow. "You slippery bitch," he hissed, tail lashing and blood still streaming from his gored nose. In the future, he might look back on this altercation and marvel at her ability to elude him so completely. Right now, though, it just made him want to kill her all the more—kill her and preferably rip her body apart after the fact to vent his rage.

OOC: It's making me laugh so hard 'cause he keeps missing and she keeps being totally ineffective at everything, but eventually he's gonna wreck her shit and she knows it, lmao!

IC:

Action #1: (Attack - 4) Jinx attempts to slam into Peregrine from the side to mess up his balance.

Current HP: 13/22

Her growl caught in her throat when the male reared himself, effectively pulling his neck out of reach of her teeth. Though she attempted to rearrange herself to strike him elsewhere, a forearm came down to box her on the muzzle, forcing her mouth closed with an audible clap of tooth on tooth. Ears flit backward as she suddenly pulled back, unwilling to be placed anywhere between the male's head and the ground beneath them both.

Peregrine's paws hit the ground and he snarled out his frustration. Jinx would have laughed again, if not for the fact that even breathing hurt her bruised sides, and the severity of the fight was increasing by the minute. It was certain he would kill her if he caught her... But he would have to catch her, and he seemed to be growing sloppy. That was a relief, at least.

Giving him as little time to readjust his paws as possible, Jinx swept to his side and aimed to shove her shoulder roughly into him, interested now in seating him on his behind or, better yet, his side. She would have no more of this cat and mouse game, no more stalemate; she would be the cat now.

Action #1: (Attack - 8) After being partially knocked over, Peregrine lunges upward to tear at Jinx's throat.

Perry's current HP: 18/20 (-2 damage from Jinx's glancing attack).

Even as he cursed her, the she-devil rushed him. Rather than open her jaws and snap at him, she ran into him like a runaway locomotive. Though he was the larger wolf, the force of the impact made his right foreleg crumple underneath him. He stumbled forward a step, then dropped partway. He looked almost playful now, what with his anterior lowered and his posterior thrust up into the air, yet there was nothing jovial about the expression on his bloodied face.

His blue-green eyes flashed darkly as he realized the strange advantage of his position. Ears slicked back so they disappeared against his skull, Peregrine struck upward like a coiled rattlesnake. He aimed for the part of Jinx's neck where its long, slender curve met the meatier flesh of her breastbone. Here, the jugular lay bubbling beneath folds of flesh and fur, just waiting to be burst.

If this hit didn't land, Peregrine swore he would combust into a billion vexed pieces.

Action #1: (Defend - 8) Jinx attempts to turn her head to the side so her jugular is no longer exposed.
Action #2: (Attack - 1) Jinx tries to get a grip on Peregrine to dominance mount him and force his backside down.

Current HP: 8/22 (-10 - -5 = -5 HP)

<style type="text/css">q {font:13px Georgia; color:#BA6D00;}</style>She felt the warmth of glory blossom in her breast, and the siren song of victory sang in her ears, as the sturdy wolf's leg finally gave way. Contact at last was achieved. In her mind danced images of her triumph as she paraded over him, flagging her tail and lifting her leg to urinate all over him and claim him as her bitch... But her mind was carried away, and it was partially to blame for her missing the warning signs that could have saved her.

Peregrine's ears were pulled all the way back by the time she took note of him again, but by then it was too late. All she could do was whip her head to the side as he struck, but there was no hope of dodging that blow. His teeth sank into the tender skin between her jaw and her ear—she had thankfully managed to deflect him from anything terribly vital—and hooked there, releasing a pained whine from the wolf who had previously been about as hard to catch as an eel.

She would not cry mercy yet. She was a Kesuk, for fuck's sake, not some crybaby from a lesser family. Her pride was at stake, her dignity, and her claim to her name. Her claim to her privileges as a fighting wolf. Her last stand would take the form of her grappling a foreleg awkwardly at his side in a feeble attempt to push him down... But that was unsuccessful, for he had her at an angle where her leg could scarcely reach, let alone with any force.

She growled her frustration with these turn of events, and in that moment, decided that Peregrine was gifted. There was no explanation for the way he had absorbed nearly all of her hits with hardly a scratch to show for it, save the tearing of one nostril. A pathetic collection of scars for Jinx Kesuk to leave a wolf with. What the fuck are you? she hissed, convinced he was no longer something mortal.

Action #1: (Attack - 5) Peregrine attempts to body slam Jinx.

Perry's current HP: 18/20.

She thwarted him for the umpteenth time, swinging her head in such a way that he missed his mark. This time, however, she didn't fully elude him. When his mouth closed around the skin and bone of her face, he almost released instantly, so startled was he by his own success. Luckily, he caught himself and not only hung on but applied pressure, hoping to crush her jawbone.

Oddly enough, it was the act of speech—which engaged the muscles of her jaw and therefore rotated the bone—that saved her from such a grievous injury. While maintaining his toothy grip, Peregrine's ears flicked in response to her question. He huffed, then growled, the noises both muffled by the live thing clenched in his teeth.

She batted at him ineffectively and he growled more, then began to shake her. Her blood filled his mouth and, realizing his grasp was no longer particularly effective and that he might choke on the thick liquid filling his maw, he relinquished his grip. All told, it looked much worse than it really was. All he'd truly succeeded in doing was ripping her skin and matting her fur.

"I'm just a wolf defending my home from an insufferable cunt," he replied to her question, even as he backpedaled about three steps, then lunged at her. He'd given up on the idea of landing a fatal bite by this point, so now he sought a more roundabout way to finish her: he would brutally beat her to death, using his own swarthy body as his weapon.

Action #1: (Defend - 5) Jinx attempts to take Peregrine's hit head-on to avoid more injury to her ribs.
Action #2: (Attack - 4) Jinx attempts to latch onto Peregrine's muzzle.

Current HP: 5/22

Jinx's head whipped to and fro, like a pathetic ragdoll's, but this was instinct: he had her by the jaw, and should she tighten up, it was likely it would have done some real damage. Going limp saved her the trouble of having a broken jaw, which would likely have resulted in death, but nonetheless pain stabbed through the side of her neck and shot through her skull when he loosened her skin. Blood poured from the wound, and thankfully, Peregrine released her at this point.

Anything he said beyond that point went ignored, for Jinx was assaulted on all sides by pain. The smarting of her nose seemed trivial compared to the steady buzzing pain at the side of her neck, and her sides positively throbbed with aches. She wondered idly to herself if the heavy fool, as she decided to call him, had managed to break one of her ribs... Certainly not the most debilitating of injuries, but excruciating nonetheless, and the pain was convincing enough to suggest he had.

He came at her again, with his body poised to slam her. Jinx knew it would hurt, but moreso if he truly had broken a bone. She swirled on her feet, panting lightly to try to ignore the pain, and attempted to take his slam head-on, to save her ribs more agony. Even when he solidly connected, she wasn't out yet. She would not leave without harming him somehow. So with the desperation of a wolf winded and wounded beyond its capacity, and with full knowledge that lingering here would only harm her further, she aimed a snap at the demigod wolf's muzzle, hoping to rake his one injury and reopen it before she inevitably fled for her life, or else died trying to.

Action #1: (Attack - 8) Peregrine attempts to body slam Jinx.

Perry's current HP: 16/20 (-2 damage from Jinx's glancing attack).

The white she-wolf frustrated his attempt to slam into her by swinging toward him, presenting him with a face full of teeth rather than her broad flank. Although Peregrine dug his forepaws into the ground—which made them ache and throb from his previous leap from the plateau—and dipped his muzzle toward his throat, he wasn't able to fully avoid it when she snapped at his face. Her fangs found the same wound and inflicted further damage, which tore a sharp cry of pain and a spout of blood from Peregrine.

Every nerve in his body tingled with wrath when he realized what she'd made him do: cry out like some whipped puppy. Snarling his rage, he flung himself away from her, only to immediately spin around and make another dash. This time, he didn't have just three steps to propel him but a dozen more on top of that. He also lowered his head, again intending to use his entire body like an unstoppable battering ram.

Action #1: (Flee - 8) Jinx attempts to run for her life with her tail against her tummy!

Current HP: 5/22

The wroth temper of her interceptor had reached a boiling point when her teeth struck his already wounded nose and he loosed a cry of agony; she could almost see the snap of restraint in his eyes as his anger reared its ugly head. In that moment, Jinx knew fear. Not the quiet flutter of nervous uncertainty in her belly, but cold, heavy dread, sinking into the pit of her stomach like a stone. Before she could so much as move, he had shoved away from her, and within seconds was barrelling toward her once more.

Honour would have dictated she be the better wolf, and submit dutifully, but honour was not her creed. Her alignment was skewed toward cowardice, and so it was that Jinx Kesuk turned craven. She could not win this fight. Another impact would steal her wits from her, if not her consciousness altogether.

She faltered only an instant before whirling on her feet and breaking into a flat-out run, frantic as a spooked bat against the pale snow. She emerged from the shadow of Blacktail Deer Plateau, struck in moonlight and edged in quicksilver that might have been beautiful, but her fur was matted all the way down her neck with blood, her nose bearing ragged tears, and her ribcage practically screamed with each pound of her paws on the ground. There was no beauty there. Her tail fluttered against her underbelly pathetically and her ears hung back against her skull as she fled, leaving any semblance of dignity behind her. Only when Jinx reached Horizon Ridge's territory did her speed falter. Only then did she stumbled, fall, and lay on the cold loam with laboured breath and body consumed in rorturous pain.

He closed his eyes in the few instants before impact, knowing it would jar his entire body along with hers. When no such hit came, he stumbled slightly and snapped his head upward. Peregrine tensed, his dusky blue-green eyes flitting from side to side, yet he needn't fear another dodge-and-attack from his devilish foe. Before his very eyes, she fled into the night, leaving splatters of crimson blood on the snow that glistened wetly in the moonlight.

Peregrine's nostrils flared as he watched her go, resisting the temptation to chase her. Even from here, he could see her tail tucked under his legs and it satisfied him. He snorted, then let his body droop as weariness and pain washed over him. His nose ached, as did his right shoulder and both forelegs. His whole body shivered and trembled from the massive exertion of the fight. He was tempted to sink down into the snow and rest right there.

Instead, he maintained all fours, plodding slowly along the wall until he reached the footpath leading up to his homeland. Home, he thought, feeling a strange twinge in his gut. He'd told her was defending his home. Up 'til now, he hadn't felt attached to the plateau in such a way, yet as he reached the apex and resumed his earlier perch, he supposed that's what it was. He was here, his brothers were here and he'd just risked his life to defend it.

With a sigh, Peregrine eased forward onto his belly and kept a silent vigil there on the cliff, lest the she-devil return. In the meantime, he lapped tenderly at his nose. And though he hadn't proclaimed his triumph over her with a single sound, Peregrine nevertheless felt a humble pride in having successfully beaten off a murderous intruder.