Porcupine Ridge For a mother, a brother and me

This thread is set on the joint border between PR and RJ, therefore members from both packs are welcome to join and it cannot be considered trespassing on either side unless you explicitly state that your character has gone beyond the joint border.

Their neighbours showed no signs of leaving, and though Farstep both sensed and inherently understood that Taggarik wanted no physical confrontation, it was his duty as beta and guardian to keep the borders secured. He felt no remorse as he traipsed across the snowy ridge in the direction of the thundering mountain with the intent to erase their scent markings. It was a war of a different sort, that of willpower. Each pack's border patrols would refresh their markings, and in so doing contest the other's. It was simply the way of things.

The tawny male broke into a purposeful stride as he sighted the edge of the territory. He reached it promptly and, without any preamble, lifted a leg to urinate over the carefully tended scent marks left by the Ridge wolves. The pungent odour of the wolves on the other side made him wrinkle his nose and soon he set about replacing their scents by overlapping his own. It was as an invisible line drawn in the snow: on one side, the thick scent of his comrades; on the other, the scent of strangers. He straddled the line expertly, neither failing to mark it as closely as possible nor crossing into their territory.

Exploring a new-ish side of Asterr... please forgive any oddities in my posts, haha

It was not uncommon for the girl to be wandering along the borders, refreshing the scents previously left behind and keeping an eye on the lands beyond their claim; though the latter was often done from various vantage points amongst the peaks. While her focus was usually placed upon the direction from which most newer members had come, as of late she'd been extra watchful of the shared boundary. Having spotted no sign of their neighbors since their claim, she had wondered if a council might even be necessary. After her discovery whilst nearing the border, however, she was certain it was.

The scent had reached her first, it's stench quite potent, followed by a tawny coat in the distance. Asterr's pace had quickened, going from an effortless trot to a tenacious sprint. From a ways off, the figure had been unfamiliar, but the moment she was close enough to acquire a decent look the male was recognized. It was the mute she'd met prior to the tribe's claim, definitely a member of their neighbour's ranks. Thus her paced slowed before coming to a complete stop just within her own claim, gaze lingering on the other before she began sniffing along the border. She sought out the space he had marked, knowing it to be near given how prominent it was. Upon her finding of it, she looked to the other once more before raising her own leg partially and then squatting slightly, marking over the scent laid just moments prior. When she had finished, her chin tilted out, almost as if to say the ball was now in his court. A bolder move, given her usual demeanor, but she was not about to let her land's markers be wiped from the earth. A promise to protect and honour the land had been given, and so she would do just that.

Oh I couldn't resist... ^_^;

They were here first, his wolves and him. They had chosen the ridge, and had laid the marks that would encircle their claim of it. Their scent and their howls told all that passed by that this was their home, and that they would protect it. But as much as the invisible line was meant to kept others out, it also kept the black wolf in. He had chosen it, and he held himself to the same standard that he held others. One one paw, he promised to harm to any who crossed his territory uninvited, but on the other paw, he promised them safe passage if they kept outside of it.

It was because of this law that their neighbors were permitted, albeit begrudgingly, to exist beside them. It was because of this law he forbade his wolves to harm them unless they trespassed. He thought himself patient, tolerant, and more than fair, so as he watched what happened from a rise on the ridge, he was immediately beset by fury. Perhaps he had seen it wrong; but it looked to him that his faithful beta had refreshed their line, and then that some wolf from the other pack had marked over it. There was nary a buffer for a wolf to pass through between the two borders, but there were two distinct lines separated by a paw at least.

Or there had been, until now.

It was with a thunderous howl to alert his packmates and rally them to him that he charged down the mountain side. Ears pinned forward, lips pulled back into a snarl, tail arched severely over his spine and bottlebrushed... the black wolf was nothing short of a spectacle of aggression and power as he barrelled down upon his neighbor, skidding to a snow-scattering halt mere inches from her face. His snarl was all that was terrible in that moment, and his eyes sought to bore into her own.

And yet, his toes held his line, and he did not pass it.  

@Capriccio @Jhala @Terich-mir @Anwyl @Romulus @Vuk @Illea @Diane

Overlapping the markings of the Ryujin wolves was inevitable—their neighbours had placed their claim so close that one need hardly nudge a stone to cross it—but his aim was primarily on his own scent markers. That urine sprinkled the Ryujin wolves' markers was incidental. Farstep was many things, but unfair was not one of them; he would not have sought to urinate directly over their neighbour's marks unless he was trying to incite a battle, which he was not. The pungent aroma of fresh urine overpowered both sides, though, such that marking his borders served the purpose of erasing, or at least minimizing, the scent of the neighbouring clan, at least momentarily.

As it turned out, Ryujin's wolves were far less fair. He did not recognize the woman from the thundering peak as she neared, not until her scent tickled his nose. He narrowed his eyes as she inspected the split border, but it was with outrage and offense that they widened when she squatted right over his marking and urinated completely over it.

His lips pulled back, his whiskers cropped close to his nose, and he stepped forward to toe his pack's borderline, snarling in the woman's face a brash warning that said, back off. Even if he had been as brash as Asterr, Farstep would still have responded this way. She had encroached on Ridge territory with her claim and, for him, had no right to expect respect from the wolves whose presence she had disregarded. They were here first.

Farstep held his defensive, affronted posture until Taggarik arrived, shouldered past him and stood toe-to-toe with the female himself. The beta withdrew slightly, turning himself cross-wise to guard his alpha's flank, with face still contorted into a warning snarl.

Noctura, NO! ;~; *Squash him*

To Noctura, a romantic with eyes full of moonlight, peace was a kind of magic. It was almost tantamount to the northern lights, such was its beauty and serenity. It reminded him of Asterr. It reminded him of all things good. And it was thanks to her that he had maintained his peaceful behaviour so far — he had always felt uneasy about his own violent instincts, which were instilled in him by a very savage father, and had not wanted to join a pack given the sheer brutal harm he knew he was capable of inflicting on those who attempted to dominate him. It seemed like arrogance, but Noctura — who was otherwise intelligent — saw it as stupidity. Beyond the magic stood a big, stupid brute.

So he remained quite reclusive in his new pack, through concern that he might accidentally hurt a well-meaning packmate, and he was quietly proud of how well he had done so far. Peace, it seemed, had started to settle upon him. Until that day. The lean brown wolf and Asterr who defied him. The handsome black stranger who tore in from the neighbouring territory and threatened Asterr with deep aggression — he was controlled and controlling. But Noctura was neither. Indeed, all he saw right then was the dark male snarling into the beautiful face of small Asterr. In that moment, the Delta's eyes may as well have turned blood red.

Noctura became nothing. There was no magic, no control — and certainly no peace. There was just the scene on the border, and Noctura himself: the big, stupid brute. Heavy as a young bear and with the limber decisiveness of a killer, his teeth flashed as he accelerated for the black wolf without hesitation or fairplay. He had no mind, he had no sense. He didn't even have Asterr. Noctura had reverted, and any victory that could come next would also spell defeat.

To be frank, the boy hated sharing a border with those faceless others. It reminded him off Redhawk, who would stop at nothing to get them, especially the defenseless Leo. He had feared that they would do the same. However, then was not now. The youngster was much older and started growing the bulk that his father had and he was much more aware. Still, that didn't mean he could fight. Yet still, that didn't tamper with his determination.

He heard a howl, quite close to their borders actually. This howl, however, was certainly not their own, but their neighbors.

It got him running to the scene. The closer he became the mire Asterr's scent along with another. Fire was fueled into his steps. If anything happened to her his heart would be shattered.

When he arrived, he could see four: two them two his own. Two where having a standoff with Asterr until the charcoal wolf (Noctura) lunged for one. It was then when he came closer to Asterr's side. Leo's demeanor was not as menacing as the two. Teeth flashed once in awhile but that was it.

I'm with Kuro.. exploring more of Jhala, excuse anything that seems choppy personality wise

The situation was extremely petty; had the newly appointed beta been there she would've walked back over there, hiked up her leg and let loose as much urine as her bladder had available. This was not how 'neutral' packs work and whatever agreement they had had was just pissed on... literally. But she was not, and only heard from a little ways away the howl of her alpha. Right away the girl was on the scene, her ears cupped as she approached. 

She would normally give one of the packmates a greeting nudge or lick, but now was not the time. To alert them of her presence (had they not already scented her) she joined in with a deep, thick growl.

I may or may not have misread the first post, ehe... rolling with it anyways!

It was her own fault that aggression had been displayed, and such was a fact she recognized immediately. First from the tawny male, and then from another whose presence she had never been in prior to that moment. From the way he had approached, the demeanor in which he'd presented himself, she could only assume he was one of the borders main guards. Watching as the first wolf moved back upon his arrival, however, she was left to believe that the dark male was the same she'd decided to seek council with only days ago. Rather than peace being the key component of their initial encounter as she had originally desired it to be, her senseless operation had stirred up quite the opposite. Even still, she bared not a single tooth in either of their directions, remaining neutral if not apologetic while still displaying the rank she upheld.

Words of an apology had lingered on the tip of her tongue, the motive behind them only to calm the scene before things had a chance to escalate further. Before even a single word could be uttered, however, there came the thundering of steps from behind her. The footfalls were not without purpose, but that purpose was one she neither approved of nor was particularly fond of. One look at the male's face and she feared she might be incapable of stopping him, but her drive for leisurely lifestyles pushed her to at least make an attempt. It was her own recklessness that had led to such, and she would not allow for her members to act out against those who were in the right. "Noctura, do not move even an inch closer," she commanded, her voice as soft as usual but still stern. The dragoness was swift, then, in her moving between the ridge wolves and her own, silver meeting grey as she locked onto Noctura's gaze.

When Leo had arrived at the scene, too, the female's eyes flashed to him for only a second, briefly observing his actions. He showed some aggression but, while she could appreciate both of the male's drive to protect their home, she could not stand the notion of impending violence. "Leo, it is fine," she assured him, though her gaze did not leave Noctura's. "Do not encourage a battle you cannot fight." Asterr was well aware that the child had yet to be truly taught anything involving battle, which would do him no good even with his growing bulk.

The howl, deep and urgent, sent Diane streaking along the Ridge, so swiftly that she didn't even realize how sure-footedly she was traveling. Her tail, which in a previous life was used as a rudder, now automatically served to balance sharp movements as she bolted the quickest route down the frigid territory. Nothing mattered, except that every fiber of her being bade her to answer the arresting call of the Alpha.

The scene was frightening, and pungent with scents warring with her docile nature. But even the meek are not immune to instinct, and the aggressive front put her on the edge of something unfamiliar: wild, and dark. Diane approached stiffly, ears up and tail sitting like a spiked rod between the hocks of her hindlegs. Her expression was relatively blank, but her wide, distressed eyes traveled from her packmates to the strangers respectively.

There were two dark wolves, opposites in just about every way except their allegiances, and a young male, as uncertain as she but just as willing to aid. Diane hung back, dreading a fight but expecting it, all of her poised rigid and bristling. Later she would wonder at herself, and perhaps idly she did in that moment, but all of her was focused on being prepared to close the last few yards between her and her new family.

Can I do this?

Her breaths came in shallow pants, scarcely leaving enough space between her lips for air to pass.

It doesn't matter if you can or not. Be ready!

M for language.

Taggarik called for them – his howl urgent, and Capri, despite her mood toward him these days, felt her heart flicker with concern. Her slender limbs propelled her forward in fast-pace, her ears flattened to her skull as her gaze locked upon the interlude before them. She instantly felt rage at the sight of the neighboring wolves so close toward their borders – borders they had placed first, and another surge of annoyance at Taggarik, for allowing it to become so. The Ridge wolves could have chased the pack out when they were but beginning, but she held no doubt they had strengthened in numbers now.
 
Her eyes flashed dangerously as a dark male aimed for Taggarik, and her own vicious snarl bubbled from her jaws as she drew up beside her co-Alpha. Asterr – the she-wolf who had lied to her – tried to call her dog off, but the damage had been done, the wolf’s movement coming forward as he made to move against Taggarik, and Capri’s own posture, albeit smaller than the large male, moved closer to Taggarik, her muzzle coiling to protect her nape, her hackles bristling. “Stand the fuck down,” she snarled, not once faltering as her pale eyes drifted over the male – the Ridge had five adult wolves right now, while they had only two and a pup – Capri would not hesitate to start what she believed should have been done the moment the pack had begun to settle upon their doorstep.

Semble had carelessly been strolling the territory of his newest pack, still familiarizing himself with it's terrain and scenery, the male was content as usual. Until a pungent odor became present in his smell, making his nose wrinkle and shake his pelt in hopes of diminishing it with his own. He recognized that it was urine, but no one in the pack. Him not seeing the situation, assumed a stranger was pissing in their territory. Just the idea offended him, and he increased his walk to a trott. Not long after, he gathered the scent of multiple wolves, a mixture of his own pack members, and strangers. 

When the others were insight, he noticed how close the wolves were to eacheach other's borders, and upon hearing the pale female on the opposite side of the border, he unintentionally barked furiously. "Hey!" he growled, but instantly regretted it. What an idiot, he thought to himself. But his above average height and straight face hid any pentinance he had. The wolf walked to his Alpha's side, already preparing himself for anything that could come his way. He held no fear in his mind, knowing it meant protecting his Alpha, and members of the pack.

Pre-arranged with Noctura that the attack was halted. :)

He made no move to attack the black female; nor had he any real intention to do so. He felt it, the want to sink his teeth into her face and drive her from the lands beside his own, but he an individual capable of restraining himself. Unlike some. Farstep had joined him, but soon another was coming to join the black female, and he was coming at an hostile speed. Snarling furiously, Tagg coiled his muscles and prepared to deflect the attack as he quickly calculated what his next move was...

...but to his surprise, the black female, who he thought could not have a drop of sense in her skull, showed she at some after all. She called a halt to the attack, and her brutish subordinate skidded to a halt beside her. She was soon joined by a pup and another young male, and he was joined by Jhala, Diane, and Capriccio, who thundered her own ire at the brazen male for daring to launch an attack.

Their neighbors were not only outnumbered, but outclassed. It flashed in his mind that he and his pack could demolish them here and now, but despite his mounting frustration and fury, he continued to be steadfast. He quelled the aggressive bristling of his fur, but maintained his posture of intense dominance, while his eyes continued to burn into the black female's own.

His voice was low, firm, and unquestionable. "You will move your borders the length of twenty wolves back from mine," he commanded. Not only would this open up a passage way for his wolves and travellers between the two packs, it would reduce the tensions and prevent the sort war that yet was on the brink of happening.

Others arrived, mostly on the Porcupine Ridge side of things, and Farstep appraised the opposing wolves who came to pester the resident wolf pack. A young male and an even younger male, by the smell of them, and then a savage black beast that charged for Taggarik without much thought for the situation. Farstep positioned himself to intervene, yawning wide his jaws in anticipation, but a sharp bark (what he heard) from the group's lead bitch brought to the black beast to rein and his readiness was for nothing. The guardian pressed his ears forward and set his stance defensively, and from that moment on, his eyes never left Noctura's as he expressed his displeasure, his dominance and his hatred all at once.

The crackly, gravelly sound of Capriccio's voice sounded from somewhere nearby, and then the deeper rumble of Taggarik's voice met the air. He could tell that they were vocalizing in the curious manner of wolves in this region, in the manner he didn't understand, if only because his time among the Ridge wolves had brought him into contact with their brand of communication enough times that he could hear a subtle difference. The growls were less cacophonous, more deliberate. The grumbles and grunts seemed better placed. It was all still a jumble to him, but for once, he knew exactly what was happening: the Ridge wolves were taking a stand, albeit a non-violent one, against their inconsiderate neighbours.

there was a new pack rising, though vuk for the life of her could not figure why they had chosen to crop up so very close to porcupine ridge. yet, when taggarik called for the pack to rally, vuk stopped what she had been doing -- practicing her words along the stream-bank -- and flew through the drifts to join the ridge wolves. when the girl arrived, her eyes were greeted by the sight of two dark-coated strangers, a child, and a pale wolf who sought to command the situation. 

vuk's hackles rose at the tension snapping in the air -- she had not seen the disservice done to the markers set by the ridge's beta --  but both packs seemed on the verge of conflict. she stepped to diane's side with more confidence than she had displayed thus far, teeth flashing in a warning snarl toward the pallid man of the other's pack's ranks.

To both her surprise and pleasure, Noctura had not carried on with his attack, stopping instead and remaining there with her. She'd almost missed Semble's arrival because of it, but once he'd stepped up beside her his presence was immediately recognized. She gave him neither a glance nor even a flick of her tail, her attention having returned to their neighbours. Given the situation, she believed he would understand the lack of greeting and not hold it against her, however rude it may have seemed at any other time. Now, however, was not the time to display the inner relations of the tribe, but rather to prevent a war.

Peaceful she was, and always had she believed she would do anything to uphold such a life. The way the male spoke to her, the words he said, though, had her discovering that their were boundaries she would not cross. In truth, they possessed no real reason to lay their borders so near to the ridge's, as the volcano was vast and it's cavern where most seemed to spend their time. Still, it was the principal of the matter, her immature need to ensure the other leader knew she would not let herself be pushed around. While small and quite young, the fact still stood that she was a leader just as he, and due to that she would not blindly follow his commands.

Asterr remained still as she replayed his demand over within her mind, appearing to contemplate it while, in reality, she was thinking of something else. "Ten," the girl stated, her gaze unwavering and voice clear of stress. "While I understand and respect that you were here first, I do not appreciate your choice of tone." It had seemed like too much, as if Ryūjin was of lesser value than the ridge; it didn't sit well within her. "Still, I value peace, so we will move back the length of ten wolves. Not a single claw more in either direction." To the young chieftess, it seemed perfectly reasonable. Yet, she could not predict how the nameless man might think of it, his mindset being entirely unknown by her.

Right now Noctura was mute and mindless, a beast and nothing else, driven by nothing but the darkest of instincts. Somewhere deep inside he breathed, “I warned you, Asterr. I warned you of my true nature.” But such rationale was too buried to be conscious. It was perhaps, however, the difference between him crashing dangerously into Asterr and stopping suddenly as she leapt defensively before him.

Noctura would one day look back on this scene and know the other black wolf to be magnificent in his balance of poise and power, and some of the standers-by to be admirable in their confidence and control, but right now Noctura knew nothing except red. He didn’t hear Asterr or any of the others — he had only stopped because she was blocking his way. But the huge recluse was glaring right over her head and into the eyes of the other shadow-furred male, his growl a dim background thunder as he bristled on the edge.

The meeting continued without bloodshed, and Noctura was a shadow of unwanted violence as he stood by his Alpha as a now-stationary savage with a pair of deaf ears.

In all of this he had been reasonable and fair, and his present solution was nothing short of generous. In exchange for his continued to tolerance, he demanded she move her borders back to create a comfortable buffer between the two packs. She would have given up nothing but a small, negligible tract of land; but once more she proved that she was was not worth his respect, nor his time or his effort to approach this situation with reason. In the face of war, in the certainty that her and her packmates could be rendered to corpses as they stood here, severely outnumbered and outclassed, she had the audacity to refuse him. Enough was enough. He saw only one solution now.

"You stupid child," he spat. He signalled his pack with a stiff lash of his tail.

Attack!

Taggarik thundered forward with a deafening snarl, bristling madly and the epitome of unbridled power and aggression. He targeted the foolish she wolf herself, who was mere inches from him to begin with, and likely to be caught off guard by the suddenness and ferocity of his strike. He had but one, unspoken offer left for her and her pack: beg for their lives under the gnashing of his teeth and the fangs of his followers, and be chased out, bruised, bashed and bleeding, from the land they so misguidedly claimed.

Or die.

Important! to avoid this thread becoming too much chaos and confusion, please no more joiners from either pack!

Capri quietly seethed beside Taggarik. Her gaze was riveted upon the slender woman – and Taggarik’s demand was heard with skepticism – he stood before them, upon a brink of battle, and made a demand the other pack move their lines back. They shouldn’t have been ther ein the first place, and the Ridge wolves never should have allowed it to happen.
 
The pale wolf was dismissed as unimportant as he called out to her – Capri’s eyes were instead focused upon the deceitful she-wolf before her, and her dark shadow. Asterr responded – lecturing the Alpha as if he were a toddler. Condescending his tone – because that was seemingly what was important to her in this situation – no the grave error she had just made.
 
It was apparently the breaking point for the more level-headed leader of the Ridge, and Taggarik signaled them with body posture alone. His own form moved away from her as he rushed Asterr, and pivoting past him, Capri’s own form shot forward like a bullet. Her ears splayed back to her skull, her jaws loosely agape. A vicious snarl pressed past her lips and her neck scrunched forward to protect the vitals of her throat.
 
Shooting forward like a viper, the silver-tipped wolf jarred her form before Noctura, the hot headed mess who had previously rushed Taggarik. Her jaws were aimed to tear and they sought the male with a vicious snap to the softer flesh of his own neck, given her height to him.

He listened anxiously as the two Alpha's spoke. Tension was so thick it could be sliced with a knife. He didn't want to be here and the voices in his head screamed to go, yet he stayed by Asterr's side. Leo was very loyal to the woman and wouldn't want anything to happen to her.

A cold rush sprung down the youngster's spine right as their rival ordered to attack. An even colder and angered rush came through as Taggarik came to strike at his companion. "No!" he shouted and without thinking, flung himself at the other male with gapping jaws. He didn't care where he landed as long as he could get a piece of him. It was a fools act to fight with little to no experience, but a job Leo felt he must do.

Whatever was happening was clearly going poorly for the mountain clan, and within moments Taggarik's demeanour changed and the silent order to attack was made. Ordinarily a peaceful and non-violent wolf, Farstep's ferocity as he surged forward was unexpected and undeniably intimidating.

At first he stutter-stepped toward Noctura with the intention of ganging up on the brute with the alpha female, but he redirected his course when Leo joined the fray. With a snarl Farstep whirled to intercept the youth, confident that he had the advantage: he was not only a guard, he had nearly two years on the guy. He had no qualms with taking on a seemingly weaker wolf; honour played no part in wolfish battles and he pegged Leo for an easy kill. He aimed for the youth's throat with a sharp lunge.

He didn't know what the other pack had done, really, aside from pissing over his marks like the inconsiderate buffoons he felt they were, but he did know that they were no longer welcome to their peak. Taggarik would never again allow them to rest their laurels upon his doorstep.

she refused! vuk's snarl was almost checked by her surprise -- how could the woman reject yet another offer of compromise between the packs? she was not focused upon their words, but their actions, and then taggarik flew o'er the worthless borderline. the woman had never been in such a battle before, but instinct dictated she followed, and without another moment of hesitance, she snapped wildly for the pale chin of the whitefurred male on the opposing side. they were not evenly matched, the ridge and the volcano-dwelling pack, for one of the latter's number was a child, and set upon by taggarik's powerful beta.

Vuk arrival at her side was the catalyst for Diane's behavior thereafter. She was unfamiliar with everything about this, but the waves of energy rolling hotly from each of her packmates in company dictated that she react the same. Lips quivered as an unnatural snarl began to curve her mouth. There was fear in her Aztec eyes, but not the kind of fear that would drive her away from the tumultuous situation. Because despite her pacifist nature, she had been pulled in by the undertow of distemper and fury.

And this, she suddenly realized, was what it meant to truly be pack, reacting as one in support of their own. In any cause.

At Taggarik's command, his followers streamed forward, Diane in the mix. She kept to Vuk's side, where she felt more confident, and aimed a startling attack on the white wolf simultaneous to her companion. Her initial charge was a bluff, violent in appearance, but she was truly hoping not to have to use her teeth and claws. She hesitated a slow, singular second as her body adjusted relevantly to the need to either jump back or strike forward.

As much as I really want to get in on the action (and get Jhala a nice shiny mercenary trade!!) there's a lot going on and I don't want to add onto the chaos by adding more fighting. If everyone is okay with it- I'm going to pretend that she's contributing and @Taggarik / @Capriccio are welcome to pp her wherever they feel they need her. I don't think I'm capable of roleplaying this situation out accurately. I would just have her sit out, but she's very proactive and would never do that lol. If no ones okay with this just let me know. <3 

Upon hearing her alpha's call, Jhala launched into action. Her heart raced and veins pumped with adrenaline. There was no way in hell that they would get away with this. Such stupid, mindless creatures! And the alpha- UGH the alpha. How dare she disrespect them in more ways than one? The dark girl slowly grew more excited about the scheme that Taggarik had bestowed upon her, and she showed a devilish smile as she struck. 

Sour words, animosity, a silent command. Her subconscious processed things quickly, understanding fully what was happening, and yet the message was not so quick to reach her conscious self. Her ears fell back, the quickest thing she could accomplish given the suddenness of the situation, but not a sound was made. Words would only fall on deaf ears and growls were so foreign and strange she couldn't quite form that of her own. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribs, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her vein as her fight-or-flight instincts kicked in—yet, it was not fear she felt or gave in to. Worry, perhaps, but only for her tribe members. The ones she'd asked for loyalty from, the very same she felt she needed to keep safe.

Perhaps he had hit her, she wasn't entirely sure. The moment she had been able to understand what was going on, she coiled back, playing the role of the defender. When it came to offense, she was hardly any more capable than the child, but she had been taught well in the art of defense. It was hard to say whether or not it would be enough—they were outmatched in every way—but she hoped to at least get by with it. Thus, she evaded, to the best of her abilities, interested only in keeping herself from being caught. The attack had awoken Draco from his slumber, lighting up her mind just as had been the case during her entire journey as a loner. While he brought forth the urge to seek out flesh, too, she was not given the chance nor did she even wish to carry out his voiceless demands.

Leo's voice attracted the yearling's attention, her muscles tensing as she took in the sight. In spite of her warning, the reminder of his lack of training, he had entered the battle. A part of her was furious over his actions, but a larger piece wanted to secure his safety. "Do not touch him!" With her words came an unfamiliar vibration of her cords, gaze narrowing in on the tawny male before quickly flicking back to her own assailant. He was the one in charge, the one capable of doing that which she could not. Knowing she could not win a duel against him, Asterr seemed to fold in on herself, body lowering in surrender. While she had gotten on another's case only days prior for disregarding her position, now she was voluntarily submitting to another in the hopes that the attack might then be halted. In the end, the life of her members would always take precedence over herself.

Hindsight had no part to play in the actions of a wolf who was not just mindless with violence but who was also capable of dying in battle here and now. All that existed was the present, and that meant Noctura's mind was unthinking. His bulk instinctively adjusted for the quick, nimble form of his attacker (@Capriccio), black muzzle thrusting downwards to at once protect his throat and flash his teeth at her young face, but there was something clawing at his intuition. Noctura could sense the shadowed man throw himself at Asterr, therefore every thread of willpower he could summon was desperate to reach his Alpha and save her — so he fought the silver-black female now not to protect himself but to throw her quickly out of his way so he could reach Asterr... the dragon's defeated champion.