Barrow Fields lotus eater

you know who

The disruption in Drageda barely seems to pass and Thuringwethil can’t shake the funk. Her heat has lasted longer than she wants to deal with, keeping them from advancing on the sound wolves but no less on guard. And the upset she’s seen in Blixen doesn’t bode too well, either, so when the need arises that she needs to stretch her legs, she calls on @Blixen to go with her (probably from being fussed at more than once by @Wildfire). But Blixen needs a win, too, and giving her a job as something akin to an honorary cheka to help lift her spirits (it doesn’t stop her from trying to talk about it, despite her own discomfort with feelings) and lets her sort through her pain as best as she can.

Thuringwethil keeps them from getting too close to the sound, hitting the eastern side of the fields. She doesn’t know what she’s looking for but getting her legs moving and the restless energy forced out of her system. They pass the point where her scuffle with the sound-wolf occurred and her ears flick back, but she lifts her chin a little higher as she recollects her easy victory. Eventually, they reach the southern reaches and they luckily stumble upon a lone deer, a little worse for wear but an easy target and together they bring it down to share the spoils. Her mate’s due date is any day and they need as much to fill the caches nearby and will retreat back to Drageda with what is left.

down? whose spirits are down? certainly not blix, who has thrown herself with renewed vigor into her training in the past few days. so what if the only girl she's ever loved and will probably ever love broke her heart into a thousand bitty pieces, and so what if that means she's also out of a best friend -- well, hell, her only friend, really, no offense seri and others who occasionally occupy her peripherary -- she's fiiiine. she did the angry thing and the sad thing and of course she still feels all the angry and sad (she doesn't really have the ability to compartmentalize). but here's the good thing about angry and sad: it can be redirected.

blixen springs to answer nomi's call like a bolt, pleased as punch to have a job, even if it's just dumb hunting (which is artaax and bobby's thing, less hers). she wants to ask why nomi called for her instead of one of them, but she already knows the answer and she does not want to talk about it, so she doesn't speak, focused on helping nomi bring down the deer. there are things for her to focus on. there are things to look forward to. so what if she'll be alone forever -- she has her family and that's worth more.

She'd taken to haunting the field... well not haunting.  Rosalyn never haunted anything.  She frequented the place as a hunting ground, enjoying it's spoiles and taking a sort of sick pleasure in how close it was to the home of her once (and always) enemy, the grotto witch.

Today Rosalyn had a taste for deer, and for once, she'd found some to track.  If none were injured or had already perished, she could maybe head back to Ironsea and grab some backup, but for now she simply followed the scent.  Her head was down, and her nose wrinkled when she caught the scent of other wolves, likely on the same mission she currently followed, only a good measure ahead.  She knew that scent.  She just didn't recall where from.

Now cautious, she stalked them to where the kill had happened, thinking perhaps she could snag a bite or two.  When she saw it was two of them, the odds not in her favor, she cursed inwardly.  Maybe she needed to start thinking about bringing backup.  But perhaps they were finished, and could be persuaded to leave?  She took a few steps forward, stature growing to a more cocksure manner.  These were (kinda) her stomping grounds, after all.

Thuringwethil is taking her last bite when something tickles her nose, one ear flicking backward for any obvious sounds but she doesn’t pull away just yet. Slate eyes rotate toward Blixen to see if she picked up on it, too but makes no motion or mention of her own. Cheka has to be one step ahead of whomever they’re guarding and if Blixen is as ready as she says she is, she hopes to see some sort of reaction in response.

Eventually, she licks her lips and lifts her head. Being out on neutral grounds with a fresh kill, she does not over exert herself on eating so they have ability to take it back and defend if necessary—one of them already coming true—and she swings to look further south of them to see the dark red coat of a woman. The scent leaves something familiar that she doesn’t sort for in that moment, but a low growl emits easily as the other decides to step closer—as if it is some buffet and it’s their time to move on—and her growl becomes louder in warning.

Come on, she thinks with a playful, deadly sneer, hoping for a reason to get rid of any excess energy.

they're near enough to grimnismal - to all the coastal packs - for blix to be on high alert. even if she's decided that ingram is... not okay, but not a threat, the rest of them are. 

and honestly? she could use the release.

like nomi she catches the faint scent of something, and looks up sharply, feeling the guard hairs along her nape begin to prickle. she sees the woman as nomi does -- what the hell is she doing? something about her boldness is unsettling, and in response blix bares her teeth warningly, echoing nomi's growl.

Rosalyn wasn't hungry enough or desperate enough (today) to outright attack two wolves guarding a kill.  She hesitated as they didn't leave, and instead seemed to grow more protective.  But these lands weren't claimed, yeah? So perhaps she could at least get close enough to satisfy recognition.

Curiosity was a hell of a downfall for Rosalyn, and had gotten her into stupider situations before.  She knew she knew that scent, and it bothered her greatly that she couldn't place it.  So she pressed forward, ears twisting back almost of their own accord.... and ready to be jumped at any moment.  She just hoped it wasn't before she could get a beat on who the fuck they were.

The straggler doesn’t take the hint of their defensive posture over their kill, their vocal growls, and obvious displeasure of her presence. They are tested, watching the woman step closer as if she’ll be invited. Thuringwethil’s lip curls, flashing her teeth with sincerity and taking a few steps to match the other’s brash approach. “Setnes fragon,” she instructions, stepping further away from the felled deer. Her head lifts high, tail curling hard over her spine—neutral territory they may be but Drageda’s front yard no less. Should the other dare to push her luck, Thuringwethil’s legs easily spring forward, launching toward the other.

yall can skip me now unless i'm needed!

she doesn't want to guard the kill, she wants to fight -- but she also wants to prove that she's good enough to be cheka and that means keeping herself in check. huffing slightly the gona moves nearer the deer carcass as nomi steps away, her posture erect and defensive, eyes narrowed. whatever the strange woman thought she was up to, she has another thing coming.

She didn't want to test them... it was stupid to really.  She was about to turn aside before she spotted it, and her attention locked onto a loose haunch, practically begging to be made off with.

She calculated only a moment before springing.  One of Rosalyn's many downfalls; she was not a planner.  Her instinct was to take it and go, and a split second's assessment had told her eh, maybe the large wolf standing nearer was slow enough to get past.  It was all she needed.

Unfortunately, this was not the case, and her opponent had been waiting for just that.  She was bowled over from the side as she sprinted forward, and as she went down, she had a flash of memory; a short stay with a pack, and Thuringwethil, the alpha who led them.  Powerful, crush worthy at the time, and currently ready to tear her apart.  Oh shit.

With contact made, Thuringwethil’s rear swings back, front paws anchoring to the ground to redirect her momentum. Her mind on high, pent up energy and frustration added, she doesn’t notice the familiarity anymore. Hunting down the deer had only taken the edge off and here is her day only gets better. She won't admit that she had been wishing for this, and feigns her fuel by the annoyance of some longer. She uses the other’s vulnerability against her and begins to snap her teeth close to her face in order to drive the woman’s back into the ground.

Her best option was to fight back, to try and get away, something.  She snaps back, and her legs strike out, attempting to reach a mark and gain her some space.  The other's teeth hit their mark on her face, cutting shallow scrapes that sting, but she attempts to get to her feet regardless.

She knows it's to her disadvantage that she was thrown off-kilter so early in the fight.. with her smaller size agility and speed are all she has.  Power-wise she is completely outmatched.

Thuringwethil can hear the snapping of teeth, feel the pressure against her skin, but pain does not come to the front of her mind. Her only focus turns on the woman on the ground, attempting to scavenge her way out of defense. As Rosalyn attempts to get to her feet, no longer snapping at her, Heda comes down with a snarl and latches onto the flesh of her shoulder in her own attempt to strong arm the woman. With all the force she has, she tears into the muscle while shoving her back to the ground with all she has. A memory flashes before her but she decides to ignore it, using it to push her onward instead of holding back.

She sinks into Rosalyn's shoulder deep, and blindly she continues to struggle to rise.  The result is a tearing that, like her opponent, doesn't quite register as pain yet.  Instead it only spiked her adrenaline and desperation.

Rosalyn does not have the jaw or neck strength to pull her off from below, so instead, she attempts to use her hind legs, kicking and clawing at Thuringwethil's side.

She keeps the woman on the ground and in her favor, driving her harder into the ground to get her still. There’s no particular motive in the moment to get her to stop but for now that is how she works. However, as she gets several kicks to her side (most of which don’t do anything more than brush her fur or scrape her skin), she gets one strong kick down in her abdomen, over her kidney. The skin doesn’t break, or tear by nail, but the force causes her to lose her breath and she makes a strangled snarl in the process, letting go of the bitch to get herself together before diving back in.

One of her kicks connects and the other wolf falls back a moment, enough for Rosalyn to flip herself partially up.  No longer quite so disadvantaged, she feels the rage start to build and lunges, snapping at the other woman's face now in an attempt to get her to back off.

She needs space to flee and can get none yet; today she was learning a valuable lesson.  She wouldn't be so quick to expose her flank like that to an unknown opponent again.

In the reorient, Rosalyn—that’s her name!—manages to get upright. She doesn’t take the chance to stand to try and level the playing field, but comes out on the offensive already. Thuringwethil matches her lunch, snapping back and clashing against one another, teeth coating in blood already only gets more from bites by both women. Frustrated she isn’t getting anywhere, she lowers her front legs and charges downward, scooping up under the fallen canine’s muzzle and surges forward to latch to the side of her neck. Her mark isn’t as close to what she wants but she clamps down, proving Roz’s mistake could have been fatal. Still, her teeth sink and tear, and a disappointingly amount of blood coating her tongue again.

Her choice was to sacrifice footing for offensive initiative, and with it She at least lands a few blows.  He assailant is right back on her, however, and they scuffle, small wounds exchanged but for a moment no ground gained.

Then Rosalyn's anger turns abruptly to primal fear as Thuringwethil grabs her throat from beneath, and she is sure it is over.  The aim is off, thankfully, but still blood is pulled, and she immediately lowers her head over the torn flesh, now hunching back into a more defensive position.

She can feel herself shaking with the close call, and knows it is time.  Her next opening she will risk it; she will try to flee.  For now she lunges forward as she tries to get to her paws, her own teeth lined for the chest, attempting once more to spur retreat.

The shift to fear shudders beneath her and Thuringwethil growls loudly, clenching her jaws. Desperate movements outweigh all defensive actions, moving only to free herself. As Rosalyn launches forward, forcing her jaws apart so she can’t press down any harder. Heda leans her head back to try and free herself but not before teeth connect into her shoulder, piercing through muscle meeting bone. A sharp, mind-numbingly jolt of electricity scores through her entire form. She hisses, spitting venom so she can get away. Teeth snap together to bite down against the back of her neck, her shoulder, her back, repetitive bites to achieve the same goal of hurting the other off her.

An immense relief causes her blood to run cold as Rosalyn extracts her teeth from flesh. White heat crosses her brain and she stumbles back with the woman’s scruff between her teeth from the last bite. It makes the most sense to let go, to put space between them, but she’t seems to convince herself otherwise. Thuringwethil works against her to force her head down, bearing down forward against her to try and prevent any further painful snap of teeth.

She couldn't get loose.  Thuringwethil's teeth sank in again and again, and her own caught the shoulder and held, a moment's victory!  But in the scope of things she knew she was by no means winning, and the blood she was losing and energy she was expending were tiring her swiftly.

She saw no softness in her previous alpha; no recognition.  And she knew she would get no leniency for trying to snag a bite for herself, her ill-advised intentions at the start.  She makes one more bid for freedom, thinking perhaps she might be able to flee...

but no.  Teeth snap into her ruff and she is shoved unceremoniously into the dirt.  A sharp whine escapes and she only hates herself for they a little... she's too preoccupied by her dire straits at the moment to be too hard on it.  She can't do anything but leverage her legs and try to push free... she is pinned.

Rosalyn goes down with ease, holding her in place as best she can. Resistance is met when she tries to stand, but she growls in warning and tightens her grip. Her side heaves with her own energy spiraling out, panting through her bite and drool pooling against auburn fur.

The next move will easily lead to the woman’s death, a quick shove and new placement of her teeth. She’s close enough now to know where to connect. But that is not what she wants. A rumble vibrates her chest and she feels the tremble of her legs, ready to spring forward and out to safety. Her eyes flicker back, looking at Blixen over the kill, before she gives one finally blow, shoving her into the ground to match with the spring of the other’s joints to propel her forward. Her teeth tear through skin but does not play chase if she gets out from beneath her lumbering form.

Rosalyn is fairly certain she is going to die here, but continues to struggle, desperation keeping her from exhaustion.  In a way, though, she waits for it.  Maybe her card had been past due one too many times.  What had Smoke spoken of?  A gibbet?

But the kill didn't come.  Her frenzied thoughts slowed for an instant before the final blow instead came, a heavy blow and bite to the side.  She scrabbled in the moment that followed and managed to pull free, her legs immediately launching into an awkward and wild flight.  

She would put some distance between before pain, exhaustion, and shock took her down.  After, she would slowly find her way back to the bay, stinging from the defeat physically but not so much mentally.  She'd merely curse herself for the chance; she would take care not to underestimate a threat the next time.

Rosalyn flees from beneath her, Thuringwethil moving forward only a little, but only o watch the other run back the way she came. Her nose lifts and she releases a long, low call. Do not come back here. She licks her lips, smearing more blood across her teeth, and turns back to look across the way at Blixen. She stands there for a moment, staring off into the distance, before she finally moves and retreats back to the kill. Whatever wounds she acquired in the scuffle aren’t enough to need immediate attention and she can deal with them when they return. For now, however, she returns back to their kill to get it back home before anyone else comes across them.

as she watches, she itches, every muscle underneath red-furred flesh begging to join, to release any of this pent up energy she carries. but there's no place for her in this fight. so she paces and watches, her normal awe at nomi's fighting prowess tempered by her own frustration.

finally it draws to a close, the strange woman barely escaping with her life. blixen barks, a sharp sound following nomi's call, and takes a moment to inspect nomi's wounds. they aren't terrible, and she feels a belated surge of pride -- that nomi, heda, is powerful, an unstoppable force. even if she should have let blixen fight with her. hmph.

but something about that fight... there was a surety, an aggression that didn't speak to her just being some stranger. curiously blix tilts her head. "did you know her?" she asks, glancing in the direction the woman departed and back to nomi's expression.

“Sha,” she says after a moment, looking down at their kill and what is left. Whatever hunger she had before has been satisfied and there’s no desire to eat more despite her victory. She licks her blood smeared muzzle, teeth tainted red, and looks up to her daughter. “Natrona,” she tells her and nothing else. Not many dare to step back near Drageda (and they had moved since the woman left) but if she’d been this way before, she should have noticed. Thuringwethil gave a point of her nose toward the kill and she sidles up next to it for her daughter to get into place.

although on some level blixen is aware that drageda has existed without her, it's still strange to realise she's witnessed a replaying of a bit of history she's missed. the thing about history is that you think about it as if it's all been put to rest, not as if parts of it are still up and running, living their own lives. it's weird.

her eyes snap back to nomi at the word, even as she follows nomi's gestured instructions. "natrona?" she echoes, and then, "chit don em du?" so many more questions buzz but blix starts with that, expression intense and curious as she waits for an answer.