Redhawk Caldera Her hardest hue to hold

Prison break #1

Ponyboy waited. Coyly he faked the sounds of slumber, leaving his eye opened only a sliver so he could watch for the others. He’s chosen to sleep on the outside, so that he might not be noticed so much when he pulled away.

Slyly, he waited for the breaths of his family members to slow, and become more deep. He pulled himself from his sister’s side. On careful paws, he slinged past his mother, and toward the den’s entrance.

The land was dark. A full sky of stars above him, perfect for him to get to go outside and play unnoticed. 

But what he did not notice the great horned owl perching nearby- and just when it thought it had the child within its grasp, Ponyboy caught sight of the silent bird and rolled to the side. The bird crashed to the ground, and Ponyboy, not being one to back out on a fight, leaps on the bird, stepping on its wings and feeling it’s grappling hook claws make a grab for him.

Now, the jig was up. He shrieked, offended, and continued to fight off the buffeting of wings as he tried to keep the creature controlled as well.

Inside the warm, cozy depths of the den, Bronte slept. Pulled into a deep, fuzzy dark slumber. Surrounded by family. Mom and dad. Her brothers. In her first few short weeks of life, she had become quite the cuddle bug. Especially with Ponyboy, whom she cherished being close to.

He was so fluffy and soft! Similarly colored to her. The perfect living, breathing pillow. In the blanket of sleep, his escape went entirely unnoticed. Even when he pulled away, earning only a slight grunt from the babe. Bronte didn't even stir.

That is, until the peace was shattered by her brother's shriek. Dark blue baby eyes popped open instantly, her head jolting up. She still struggled to see in the dark, but she most certainly heard the commotion coming right outside. Beyond the den.

What had he done?! Scrambling to her clumsy paws, she made a break for it. Paying no heed as to whether or not she trampled Boris or either of her parents in the process. As she burst through the threshold, she like a tattling child, sounded the alarm. "WHAAAHHAH!!"

Even if she had been on her way to help Ponyboy with good intentions. A flurry of wings smacked her in the face, beating down on her head the instant she popped out. She was fearless, though. Whatever this thing was, surely she and Ponyboy could take it down together! Reeling and stumbling to balance on her back paws, she bared her teeny teeth. Lunging, snapping, biting. Mustering up the most fearsome little growls her small voice could manage.

Bronte indeed trampled over Boris in her haste to heed their brother's alarm, and Boris found himself knocked over, even as he, too, rose to stumble after Ponyboy's scream. Whatever dream he had been dreaming broke to sudden darkness and a deep sense of fear. Urine trickled down his leg but he pushed himself forward anyway -- needing to be brave! Wanting to be brave! Bronte's voice broke out in a tremendous cry and she plunged into the world above, and Boris followed --

and his little heart nearly stopped at what he saw.

He couldn't make sense of the flurry; all he made sense of was a blur of muted gold and the wings of a monster. His eyes widened like the wolf's moon and he scampered back into the den with a tight circle and a lunge directly at @Teya's face.

MAAAAaaaAAAaaaAAA!!!!

wake up Wake Up WAKE UP!!!

she was awake! she came awake! she had been dreaming of sorana, gone now for seventeen days, and seventeen moons crowded a night sky the color of blood —
awake! teya gasped, and saw the denmouth crowded and shadowed by a horrible fluttering. eyes darkened as her instincts took hold, the raven burst past boris, past bronte, and onto the owl itself with sharp snarling and battering of her claws.
she feared the worst; she did not know that ponyboy had meant to wrangle it himself.
claws; screeching; she was fetched a blow that laid her cheek open and still she bit harder, harder.

Ponyboy had seen birds before- typically from a distance- but this one was really something else. The claws were long and hooked, and he did his best to pin the owl’s legs with clumsy hint feet of his own, but when his foot slipped, the owl’s claws raked down the front of his shoulder, missing his artery by mere millimetres. It snapped at him, and got hold of one of his ears, tearing through his tuliped ear, ripping its felt-like tip clean off. 

The owl’s wings were strangely powerful. With them, the creature batted away Bronte’s valiant effort to save him, and with another loud thump it his him in the ribs, knocking him aside. 


But before the owl could take off, Teya descended upon it, causing feathers to fly. Ponyboy, in shock, fell back against his sister, watching in awe as their mother bit in such a way that made the owl’s bones crackle. Blood dripped down from his torn ear, blending with the claw marks on his shoulder, but in shock, he remained right where he was- still, for once- transfixed on the battle before them.

Chaos ensued. It was all a blur. Somewhere behind her, she heard the frightened scream of Boris. In a flurry, their mother rushed past, shooting out of the den mouth. Teya was upon the feathered beast, which was still assailing her brother. Not to be deterred that she had been nudged aside, Bronte planned to continue her offensive game. But the thump and whoosh of a broad wing sent her tumbling, head over heels.

Dazed but not broken, she sat up slowly. Tried to fit the pieces together of what was going on. Of what had happened. Then she smelled it in the air. Then saw it. A slice to Teya's cheek. The gold, velvet tip of Ponyboy's ear detaching. Bright, red blood staining their beautiful fur. Never, had she seen such a vivid color before. It did not look right. Not on them. She sat, quaking in shock. In horror.

Her scream shattered the air of the caldera as she bolted back into the den. "Aaaaaaa!!" She bolted to the nearest body where she would cower, waiting for this nightmare to be over.

last for me!

there was chaos, blood. pain. cries.
the bird was left dead outside the door as teya herded her youngsters back inside. there she would tend to ponyboy; there she would try not to weep, comforting their fears as she waited for bronco to return.
the terror of this time would remain with teya for weeks afterward.

He looked at the dead owl for a moment, until he felt himself lifted and carted back into the darkness where it was cool and safe. His ear throbbed, and he fussed when his mother cleaned it. He would not settle until sometime later, though the vision of the owl's fearsome beak and talons would taunt him again when he tried to sleep at night. 

The owl wouldn't soon be forgotten- but the lesson wouldn't last long.