Wolf RPG

The fur along the panther's spine stood on end. The rotted-meat reek was familiar to him, and sent a pang of hurt through the claw marks still scarring on his hip. He didn't know what this one was doing awake, but it had passed their borders not long ago. The snow was still melted in its tracks.

He might not have been so worried if he hadn't been thinking of dark spirits more and more, as of late. This was a different bear than the one he and Chakliux had encountered, but still. Perhaps the evil one had the ability to summon any bear, any time.

Why wasn't he wearing the talisman???

There was no time to go back and get it. Dutch circled wide around where he thought the bear could be, so that he stood between it and the greater territory. He prowled along, then, reluctant to call out to the rest of the pack and put them in harm's way. And when he spied it — it was only a small bear; female, sub-adult.

The panther charged forward with a volley of barks, hoping to scare the creature away on his own. And scare it did, although it only ran a few dozen yards before slowing, and looking back at him. Calling his bluff, perhaps, because Dutch had no intention of getting within reach of it. Still, he stood his ground, fur standing on end, and growled low and threatening in the bear's direction.

It lingered, sizing him up.

It did not take the morningsong sunset long to arrive; a typical patrol and border mark gone awry was not uncommon, but it typically did not see the likes of other predators. 

He did not need the context. A bear upon wolfland, on moonpack wolfland. Where women were! And the others! 

Fallen Sun thought not. No, he growled a warning.

It better get back where it came, so help him, he'd kill it himself.

The bear made a display of its own, whuffing and popping its powerful jaw. At Fallen Sun's arrival, it gave a feinting charge, its message clear: Back off!

Dutch was just as clear with his own actions, snarling and lunging closer, little by little: no u

With Fallen Sun by his side, he was sure they could run it off. There was no kill nearby for it to be possessive over. There would be, if it got up to their common place. But with panther and sunset on the scene, it wouldn't dare.

The bear stood up on its hind legs in one last attempt at intimidation.

An unfamiliar roar, and a set of growls distracted her from her burrow searching. There had been made she'd found and cleared. Yet, surely there would be more!

Straying off course, she was quick to find the source of the sounds. But she was even quicker to find the horror of Dutch and Fallen Sun facing off with a bear. A small one, but that made less difference in her eyes. Less, only when knowing they were in danger while near it, and without extra teeth to help!

She was smaller than them, she knew. But in a time like this, sometimes number counted more than strength when trying to scare a beast away instead of making it bleed.

Joining along with the two men, she bared her teeth, snarling at the black-furred nuisance. This wasn't the first she'd ever encountered. And it likely wouldn't be the last.

His ear flicked with Winter Song's approach! 

And his maw only furled harder. Inexperienced teeth were white with youth, but if that bear so much as looked at the white she-wolf the wrong way, he'd kill it. Fallen was half-certain he'd already made up his mind about that, but still. It was worth repeating.

Songs from younger days came with the cries of bear and wolf. 

Songs that would not be heard here. 

Without warning, he bluffed a charge at the bear, hoping that a snarling wolf might scare it off. 

. . . 

It did not. In fact, that seemed to only make it angrier, and as a rock sunk to the pit of his stomach, the bear reared on its haunched and raised a paw to swipe. The blow knocked Fallen Sun back a few lengths, out of sheer un-expectance of its strength.

Eira's presence was an unwanted complication. The panther's head turned, and he flashed his teeth in warning: Stay back! but made no attempt to run her off. Her presence would help, even if he would rather her safely far away than standing here as back-up.

In the second his head was turned, Fallen Sun streaked forward. Dutch's head whipped toward him, and the pitch of his snarling changed — it was directed at Fallen Sun, now: Fall back! But a wolf couldn't turn on a dime, and momentum carried Fallen Sun a little too close.

Dutch was a step behind him, making a feinting lunge that turned the bear's attention toward him.

"Help him!" he shouted at Eira, dancing back a few steps. The bear followed. "Get Leith!"

And send Hototo, he thought to say, but he was distracted by the bear's pursual. He badgered it as he circled around, and the bear finally gave chase. Dutch did his best to lead it away from the others.

His side felt like it blossomed with pain. So much - pain. Bear was must stronger than he'd anticipated. It was so small and thin! How? 

Sunset man tried to get to his paws, whimpering with the effort. 

But Silver Shadow was scaring the bear off! And he took a step forward and nearly fell. 

Ow, OW - was he supposed to do that? He could stand! And walk, carefully. Ow ow ow that hurt-

Bear. 

Bad. 

Got it.

A loud whine of distress fell her as she watched her sunset charge forward, then get tossed aside so carelessly by the bear. 

Without hesitation, she went to him. 

Bending at his side, she sniffed all over, worry flooding her eyes like the harshest of ocean waves. 

Leith. Get help. 

She'd heard Dutch's words. 

Tipping her chin, she sent a call through the air as soon as their cheif had led the bear away from earshot. Or at least she hoped. 

The man, @Leith. Sunset needed him! And while she hadn't met their doctor before, she held high hopes that he would be more than capable of tending to Fallen Sun. 

In the meantime, she remained close at his side, offering any support and comfort that she could in the waiting moments.

Leith wasn't impressed with the scarcity of herbs, but he knew he shouldn't have been surprised, either. Lands covered by glaciers were cold and cruel, and what few plants he could dig up were dried or hibernating, and not terribly useful. He decided he might go on a pilgrimage in the summer, to try and harvest plants elsewhere, and find a place to dry and preserve them. Perhaps the other packs might be willing to trade, if he could come up with something worth the cost of their medicines. 

He'd begun tidying up an old den so that he might have a storage place for his future supply when he heard his name called. He did not recognize the woman's voice, but he did hear a tone of urgency. He frowned and cringed. He'd scented that one of the other women in the pack had gone into heat not long ago- he hoped this one wasn't calling to try and get his attention for those purposes. 

He wondered for a moment if he should simply howl back and let her know that he was busy. Or that he simply shouldn't answer at all, and pretend to be out of earshot. Eventually, he convinced himself that he should go- and began to head in her general direction at a lope, hastening his pace only when he caught the scent of a bear. 

This wasn't a booty call- it was a 911 call.

He gritted his teeth and galloped, hoping sincerely that he wouldn't have to try and doctor anyone while the bear was still nearby. He wasn't a fighter- and he knew he wouldn't step up to do so, even if it meant saving another life. He was a medic, after all, not a soldier. He'd be useless in a fight, and useless as a medic if he had to fight first. 

Fortunately, the scene was clear by the time he arrived, and he could only hope that it stayed that way. 

The man with the brilliant sunset pelt was obviously in pain. The pale woman with him hovered over him, but looked to be in one piece. He gave her a nod and approached the man, searching for his gaze. "Steady there, chap. I'm Doctor Leith; let me have a look at you, hmm?" He said smoothly, so as to keep the man calm. His gaze lightened as it flicked to the woman. "And If you wouldn't mind, dear, keep an eye over my shoulder for that bear- thank you," He said curtly. He wasn't asking, after all- his job was to step in and administer aid. Sometimes that meant being deft with delegations. "Now," He said, perusing the man with his steady, focused gaze. 

Fortunately, the man did not have gaping wounds, but Leith had seen wolves get the sense knocked out of them before with a swipe without losing a single drop of blood. "Can you tell me your name?" He asked, as he looked the man over for signs of swelling that might indicate an internal injury. His gaze flicked from eye to eye, checking for dilation, hoping the man would be able to fight through the shock to answer some simple questions.