Hushed Willows mama, please—let me back inside

Tupkuk sustained 20 percent damage in her fight against the wolves of Nova Peak, so she is a little dinged up & bloodied. She will sustain just 5 percent damage (1/20) here.

(Sorry, folks. . .I did two dice rolls and it gave me a one both times. I guess she's craftier in this thread. However, it can be amended if things work out that way.)

Her thirst has not been slaked. Revenge is not a desire easily satisfied. To do battle with canines is one thing, but Tupkuk is out for blood. Her little boy will not be avenged until she smells it, tastes it.

And so, onward she proceeds.

There are even stronger markers along the edge of the willows, a quiet, warm place that the grizzly would be avoidant of in any other case—save the presence of the wolves clearly here. She prefers the mountains, the cool upper atmosphere and grand vistas. She knows she is close to a range. . .this forest is a mere pit stop.

As she did before, Tupkuk lets loose a torrent of urine along the border, hot and acrid. She does not bother to hide her sudden appearance, instead bellowing a challenge into the trees. She lumbers along this way for a short time before turning inward, following the closest and freshest dog-scent.

Heading for the dens—because just as her child was snatched from her, so will their children perish.

Feel free to scare her off no bad things haha

There was a new scent in the area and Minnow found it to be her profound duty to investigate it. That’s when she came across the large creature and with a cock of her head let out a little howl of curiosity. What was this thing and why was it in her home?

She had been laying low as of late. But that was hardly anything new for the shadow mistress, who now called Elysium home. She did her fair share, pitching in where she was needed. Be it in the form of keeping an eye on the borders, hunting down small prey, or passing by the dens like a fleeting ghost, she did it all. If only to ensure she had a continuous place to stay, in relative safety. That didn't mean she liked pack life however. In fact, many a night she often contemplated slipping away, back to her own nomadic lifestyle. But here...here she had everything she needed. And it wasn't like the wolves asked much in return.

Tzila was never above stirring up some mischief or even trespassing over clearly marked borders to get what she wanted. She had done it once before, in fact. And gotten away with it, she thought smugly. But today when the tables were turned, she didn't take too kindly to the uninvited snoop barging through her front door. The scent was not of the canine variety. It was different, laced with the pungent hallmark of bear. Her limbs stiffened with each long, precise stride she took forward. Worse yet, it was headed for the damn dens! The heart and soul of Elysium...the pups, would be there. 

Her blood boiled.

This was just the fix...the rush she needed. In defensive aggression, she'd grind that beasts hide into a scarred pulp with her teeth. Her dark lips curled in a silent snarl at what she saw; the bear herself, who already looked a little injured and a curious pup staring at it in awe. Protectively she stepped in front of Minnow, a sharp flick of her tail meant as a gesture to keep well back. Releasing a keening cry to arms, she called for backup. She would not take it on by herself. The thrill would have to wait a little while longer.

Of all the things to happen today within Hushed Willows. . .this was one she did not expect.

Lily was with @Qilaq, watching @Ziggy and @Lana wrestle over a bone, when the call rang out, urgent, shrill. The two dark women exchanged a glance filled with trepidation. Stay here, she said, voice low, and then sprang to her paws, moving into a swift gallop toward the direction of Tzila's cry. 

She smelled it before she saw it. Lily didn't have any up close and personal experience with bears, but she knew that scent. The big grizzled thing loomed large, heading toward Tzila, and behind her. . .

Minnow! she gasped, breath stolen from her for an instant. Bloody hell, the parents had only just gotten her home again, only for this! She stalked toward the pup, bringing her muzzle low toward the girl's ear while very aware of the situation rapidly unraveling around them. 

Go back to the dens, she hissed urgently, nudging her that way. Go mind your brothers. You can't be here right now, love. Go!

Hoping against hope that the wayward lass would heed her order, Lily moved to step beside Tzila, lips curling to bare her teeth at the intruder, fur bristled out. And all the while, she was thinking—

Oh, God! Where was Khali? Cam?!

She heard all of the commotion and left the other pups with someone. As she headed towards it Minnow ran past her heading towards the den. Oh no what was happening. When she came to where all the wolves have gathered Aliac noticed the bear and growled at it ready to attack and defend her pack and the children within it.

Aeliana was on patrol duty this day, her ears and eyes alert for any signs of life that would be heading towards Eysium's borders, but it was her nose that picked up something first. Something hot and acidic, giving her nose a slight sting. It was urine, but it didn't smell like any wolf, it smelt big and it was heading inward, into the territory.

She moves quickly, galloping through the territory with great purpose till she came across the sight of  Lily, Tzila, and Aliac standing their ground against a large bear. Why would a bear be in their territory like this? Nevertheless, she joins them. Aeliana snarled loudly at the bear, her teeth bared fiercely and her hackles raised to make herself look bigger.

"Where do you think you're going, you lumbering sack of fur?" She snapped at it. She couldn't let her fear show, as much as she felt like turning tail, she wouldn't. She remembers how brave her father was... as a leader, he has to be brave, and as a patroller, she had to be brave. For the sake of the pups.

a lull - atwood takes advantage of ariel's absent attention and slips out, making a spirited break for freedom. he slows eventually, delighted by every new sight, smell the outside affords him. but today is not a fortuitous day for the little bird to explore, for he is soon overwhelmed by the presence of the wolves of elysium, and ahead, some strange, lumbering creature they all seemed upset by.

concerned, atwood seeks out a familiar face and lands on the woman shouting, who he dimly recognizes, and begins to toddle toward. behind him-

"ATWOOD," roars ariel, his gaze torn between the bear and his sweet, fearless son. he's close, too too close, to the commotion (how can one tiny boy move so quickly?), but ariel is, thankfully, fast enough. he gets his teeth into his nap and sends him back in the direction of the den, but does not--cannot--because the bear is advancing on the dens. "go, go," he urges even as he moves, coming to flank lily. they can't let it get any further than this; fear grips his heart, but he will not back down now.

No posting order from here on out -- jump in when you can, and if you haven't already and want to. Just limit it to once during this round. Next round starts in three days.

Ah, the little one. She is weak, defenseless—an easy target. She feels herself salivate, craving this more than she should, looming over the girl. . . And then one of the adults arrives, a dark female, all ferocity and fangs. The wolf named Tzila howls; Tupkuk knows more will soon come, and the fight will not be as easy.

One, two, three, four more come, snapping and snarling. Another child, gawking in the background. Soon all is confusion, the world spinning around them faster than before. She must do something, must. . .

With a whimper, Tupkuk lowers herself as if cowed, eyes raking the ground, hunched shoulders all submission. Oh, the big scary dogs! Of course she is no match for them! She makes a slow quarter-turn, beginning to shuffle to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she watches. She waits.

And then without warning, she spins with an agility shocking for her size, swinging a massive paw at the little dark woman that had arrived to flank the first adult. It hits the delicate skull dead-on, sending the wolf flying, while her claws rake across the paper-thin flesh at her throat and sends a spray of blood across the assembled canines.

Then she lunges at the rest.

Thankfully, others arrived with haste. Aliac, whom she was happy to see, especially since it appeared Minnow was on her way back to the dens. . .to remain there, safe. God willing. Then Aeliana, Ariel—she felt much more confident now, with her friends by her side. She puffed herself up, growling, tail lashing behind her.

For a foolish instant, it seemed as if all would be fine. The bear began to back down, whining, moving off to the side. Lily watched it with her torchlight eyes, lips still pulled tight in a snarl. Even when surrending, the bear was still dangerous. She knew it wouldn't be over until it was long gone from here.

Some say that your life goes in brilliant, instant replay in your mind's eye upon facing death. But not for Lily. She saw nothing as the bear's paw came toward her, at once quickly and infinitely slow, arcing sideways through the air. No Mum or Daddy, no prairie. No Broken Boulder, Alarian, Eris, Korei. Nor Seabreeze, nor Olive, nor Dirge or Vilkas or Barracuda or. . . Not even Khali, Cam, Ziggy, Lana—

No, all she heard was Freddie's voice, as if speaking directly into her ear, laughing in his charming, ebullient fashion:

You're much too tiny to be fighting bears, darling!

In a way, it was good that she was knocked instantly unconscious by the blow. She would have fought 'til the end, drowning in her own blood, bleeding out while she watched her friends die, too. Wondering when her children would be next.

Instead, her last sight was the gentle green boughs of the willows—and then all was darkness, and Lily was gone from this world.

Aliac saw the wolf who flew and saw the bear eye her child but thankfully her you g one had departed before everything unfold. Aliac snarled at the creature and lunged towards it teeth bearing seeking to sink into whatever peice of flesh she could.

She had never considered herself a wolf who was pure of heart. Tzila had a downright bad attitude, was selfish and believed in looking only after herself. But for some reason, here today in this very moment, perhaps she was pulled back to her roots. To her earliest days of childhood in her natal pack, even before the bitter rivalry between she and her brother began.

When one mighty paw sliced through the air, tossing Lily aside like a tattered rag doll, something snapped. Her silver eyes full of deadly she watched as the limp form of the wolf who had stood at her side crumpled to the ground, crimson pooling under her too still body. The warm spray of fresh blood, not her own, against her crinkled muzzle, was what drove her dreadful realization home.

Tzila may not be good, but she wasn't heartless either. These wolves...this pack who had so openly took her in, didn't deserve this.

Wide eyes filled with a primal fury, she let out a banshee war cry as she barreled forward, past and through any wolves in her way. Pivoting deftly on her feet, she swung around in a blur of black and mahogany fur, launching herself at the unprotected rump of the bear. She looked more like a great cat pulling off a maneuver used to take down prey, rather than a measured hunter. With a roaring snarl, strings of saliva stretched between bared sabers of teeth, she bit above the spine, deep down to the bone.

cw: gore

it is all so fast.

he's just at lily's flank, his heart squeezed tight in his chest, thinking almost hysterically, i wish queenie were here for this,
  and then the bear is moving and so is his pack and then there is blood, sharp, stinging, and he does not need to turn and look to know -- to know --

oh, lily. grief surges through him, grief and fear as he flings himself into the fray. only, only: ariel is not a fighter. ariel is small and delicate, the sort who has throughout his life turned from conflict, hidden from it, behind those stronger and more capable than he. someone has gotten their teeth in the beast and it roars and lashes forward as ariel comes to meet it.

--

atwood had not minded ariel, too frightened and awestruck. rooted to the spot he watches as first an aunt he would never get to know is struck; he would not remember her but for the uncanny brightness of her blood, the most vibrant color his young eyes have ever seen.

and then a shriek, a sound he can barely process, as the strange, alien creature strikes true for the second time. his eyesight is not nearly developed enough for him to make out the details in the fray, but that shriek, oh, he knows who it belongs to, and terror takes over his tiny heart.

still, he does not move, even as he sees his mother fall back, sees the strange way the skin of his belly hangs, wrong, funny-wrong, only he doesn't understand what he is seeing, only that it is funny and wrong --

--

the ground is heavy and wet beneath him, and if he looks -- he shouldn't look -- if he looks he knows he will see himself, all inside-out, all wrong. it is not quick, as lily's was, his attempt to throw himself back had only guaranteed his death would be drawn out. 

yet. it is not painful as the world grows blurry around him. instintively he scrabbled back, desperate to stay out of range of the bear, even as his eviscerated interior remains where he fell. he thinks, mildly, queenie will be mad, and, oh, olive, but nothing will stick for longer than a few seconds, a rotating cast of all he's loved and failed and loved again. 

he does not go. he lays on the ground and bleeds slowly and thinks of silver and gold and earth and stars, and wonders about time, the nature of it, and if he had done enough with his.

it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that things had gone south. the whole aura of the place had shifted. the first cry, and then more. anger, agony. . . this was the last place those sounds should exist. and so he had a hard time believing his ears. 

and his nose. and his eyes. he caught the scene from a distance, gaze widening to champagne moons. oh no, no, cortez moaned under his breath, his stomach churning. blood, so much of it. two wolves down— the beautiful ariel, delicate and fine, and a darker shadow he couldn't make out. . .lily. . .?

please, no, he whispered fervently. god, his sister! his sister would be devastated. and yet, the devastation would only grow worse if he did not lend a paw. even if it put him in harm's way, too.

feeling as if he was leaping into a grave, he dashed into the fray, glancing away from the spilled entrails and fixing his teeth instead in any bear flesh he could find. 

they would not die in vain. not while he had a say.

When the bear bowed lowly, it caught her off guard a little, her father told her about bears and how dangerous they were, but to see one bow the way it did was unheard of...

Then it lunged...

It lunged faster than she thought any creature it size could, she yelped and leaped back. Aeliana could feel the air whoosh! past her, as she managed to dodge one of the massive paws, she was lucky... 

She took a moment to catch herself before she could hear the sound of two bodies hitting the floor, she looked to the left to Airel on the floor...unmoving and then she looked to her right to see.. Lily ....and she was unmoving too... 

No, no, no...

The world fell deaf around Aeliana, her eyes were starting to water, refusing to believe that...they were... 

She didn't want to say it...she didn't want to think about it...

It was then that she saw everyone lunging at the beast, she refused to think of it otherwise, this creature, this monster came into their territory, unannounced, intrusively and then had the gall to take the lives of two...one of them being her friend, the one of took her in when she had...nowhere else to go... and leaving her pups motherless and orphaned...

Her sorrow was there but something else burned in her chest and slowly crawling up. Anger. Fury. Unbridled rage. She knew how to direct it...

She saw that Tzila had lunged and bite upon the monster's back and that was a good idea, she had to stay away for the beast's paws and teeth. Aeliana blinked away the tears and rushes towards the monster, moving around it, to its back and lunges.

It was at this moment that she remembered something, but she had run and was wandering aimlessly. She remembered almost stepping into this metal thing. She didn't know what it was but, its teeth were open wide, waiting for something unaware wanders into it. She was lucky, the next to stumble upon it wasn't. She had returned out of curiosity to find a fox, writhing and struggling, its right leg caught in the teeth of that thing, it looked very painful. 

Her fangs will be the jaws of that metal thing and she will hold tight, cause the most pain possible and make sure it deeply regret ever coming here. Aeliana latches her jaws into the back of the monster, digging them in deep till she tastes the beast's blood on her tongue and shakes her head to cause as much pain as possible, hoping to tear a chunk out, releasing her anger. 

reif always had mixed feelings when it came to the much more frequent journeys that had him leaving the little safe haven of his den whether they were alongside his mothers or little escapades with his siblings. on one paw, the amount of things to investigate out there was beyond amazing and whilst his siblings would seem to get most of their kicks out of the thrill or rolling around play fighting- reif would become engrossed in every little thing the world had to offer around him- seen obsessing over things as seemingly insignificant as a blade of grass. but on the other paw, it could be very overwhelming. whilst his brothers seemed to grow in confidence every day, reif would not be able to understand why they didn't seem to grow as distressed by the large numbers of wolves milling about and the noise, the better his hearing got the more skittish he grew. same went for the light, he'd constantly be seen wrapping himelf into tiny balls with paws too big for his body slapping down over droopy ears when things got too active.

nevertheless the need to discover could not be quenched so he'd continue to put himself through this anxiety to explore the amazing things around him- even if to those around him he'd seem quite unimpressed by anything around him, not expressing his joy quite like most pups did with their ecstatic yips or squeaks. 

so when both atwood and ariel's presence was clearly missing from the den after a short doze, curiosity would play its part in drawing the creamy boy from safety and after many conflicting moments- shaky steps had him waddling in the direction of the strange noise until he could bear to go no further, ears flat against his head in an effort to protect themselves from the bitter assault of his senses. he was a decent distance away but that didn't stop him seeing and hearing the scene, little eyes widening in what should be horror but was in fact...wonder. there were so many wolves and frequently he'd have to look away and regain himself before allowing his attention to shift back, needing to squint against the lingering blurriness of his gaze. the monster was like nothing he'd seen before and he'd watch with his little jaw hanging open as it swung heavy paws and threw the wolves aside as if they were the small stones he rolled back and forth with atwood and sundance. but unlike the rocks, vibrant colours burst free from the wolves as they were tossed.

first was the friendly woman he'd gotten used to associating her scent with safety like his parents- a face he'd perhaps never recall after this day but still he watched curiously as the beautiful crimson liquid painted the floor. inhaling shakily, he'd have to lean down onto the ground and bury his face into his paws for a few long moments before looking up once more. awood...his brother stood amongst the fray and reif had no idea how he wasn't screaming, so close to all that noise. a shudder would run up the little boy's spine and then..his mother is delivered a similar fate to the nice woman. a little frown creases his features as he studies the scene, so curious to see the way the skin is torn as effortless as ripping apart a leaf and more of that bright liquid splashes out as his mother falls with a thud reif can practically feel through his bones. not sure what to feel about this his eyes fall to his own body- suddenly wondering is he too filled with that odd liquid? it makes him feel weird and suddenly the yells and shrieks no longer sound like they're underwater but instead bearing right down on his small form. with a bewildered whimper he pushes his paws hard against the ground.

of course this wouldn't appear odd to anyone who might come across him, he'd just seen two wolves brutally slain and one his mother! but that is not the cause for his distress at all, whilst he'd observed that with a strange detached curiosity it was the sudden overwhelming attack on his senses that threw the boy headfirst into spiralling distress and with a neverending string of cries he'd push paws hard around his head- little teeth gritting together so hard it was a shock they didn't shatter to pieces.

He had thought Aliac had taken Minnow for a walk hence both of them missing. He had stayed behind to watch over Aeryn and Valiant, unwilling to leave them alone though they hadn't proven as troublesome as Minnow. Then the chaos started and he rose instantly, whining sharply as he ached to go and realised the boys were there. In the next few moments that the slaughter happened, so quickly but too fast for him to react he caved "Valiant, Aeryn, don't leave this den, not for any reason" there was a serious, desperate snap in his voice and he ran toward the scene the stench of wolf and bear blood making his head swim. He saw Aliac and others attacking the bear and spotted a dark form that he immediately recognised and then Ariel standing in front of Atwood. He rushes toward them and retches as he realises his stomach was torn open. He wastes no time, not caring to be gentle, and grabs Atwood turning to rush him away when he spots Minnow standing nearby. A wave of panic and disbelief hit him and he runs for her, nudging her back in the direction of the den he sets Atwood down and takes in a breath "Minnow take Atwood back home. Now. Atwood, stay with them until i come" he wants to stay long enough to make sure they listen, but they are far enough from the bear for it to be safe for him to go so he does. He goes back to where Lily lay, his eyes filling with tears as rage surfaces unlike anything he has felt before. With a roar to match the bear's he lunged and his jaws sank into the thick flesh of the bears neck, swinging back and forth while his fangs slice through fur and flesh. His mind replayed images of how Lily had given him an out, a way to save the people of Morningside and also give up the pressure of being a leader. She had given him the permission to have a family, she had replaced all the sadness and loss with new life and friends and now she lay slain by this lumbering beast.  His snarls shook his whole body, muzzle wrinkled and teeth exposed as he struggled to rip the bear open with all his might.

next round starts in 3 days. next post will probably be Tupkuk retreating. if anyone wants whumps, feel free to PP Tupkuk dealing them out!

Blood, glorious blood.

First the small woman gone flying, and then all is chaos. Her next victim is a man just as tiny, and he is all too easy to eviscerate; her claws rip through his delicate skin and his guts leave his body. He stumbles back, and then she sets upon a cream-colored woman the wolves call Aliac and deals a nasty blow to her side, her leg.

Really, she goes for anything she can, snapping, roaring, massive paws flailing. Fury and bloodlust and vengeance all together has overtaken her in a dreamlike crimson haze. All she can see around her is death, and the more death, the closer she is to justice for her sweet son.

Her sweet son, taken from her too soon. Well, these dogs will weep tonight. Weep as she had for so many nights.

Finally, they will know her pain.

This is her exit.

Aliac fell to the ground and blood fleeing her body and staining her white fur in its crimson hue. Pain surging through her body as she attempted to get up and fight but she was unable to.

The only thing she could do now was flee and try to stop her bleeding. Sunny arrived and she knew the pups were alone now. She had to get to them.

This will be Olive’s only post

There was the call from Tzila.

Then there was the shouting.

Olive had been tending to the garden, loving the summer’s dulcet heat, when the shock rang across the lands. She ran fast, loathing the sight she knew she would see — but her expectations were nothing compared to reality.

Blood; Horror; Anger; Sadness.

Ariel and Lily, slain — one her closest friend, the other, her wife and lover.

The pain and horror could not rise in her throat in any way that made noise. There was a defense currently happening, from Aliac and Tzila and Aeliana and Sunny and Cortez, bless their hearts… and several pups. She stared for half of a silent second, then fell upon the pups as a living, breathing aegis.

She would mourn later, and feel all the pain that needed to be felt. Right now, the midwife shepherded Minnow, Atwood and Reif towards the nearest den to take cover.

The last he would see from Aliac was her beautiful pale fur stained in horrible crimson as she stumbled away from the bear. He dropped to the ground and shouted out for her "Aliac!" his voice was rough, broken with panic. He didn't know how bad her wounds were, he didn't know if she would be alright. He made to go after her and suddenly felt a heavy force slam against his side, lifting him off the ground and sending him flying. He hit the ground, head knocking against the dirt and lay dazed, amber eyes staring at the disappearing form of his wife. His eyes slowly rolled to see Olive moving Minnow and the other pups to safety and he groaned, rolling to his paws and standing up. His head swam dangerously as he made to go after the bear again and he stumbled wondering just how badly he had hit his head. He hesitated and then with a fierce growl lunged back in, lunging for the bears side, striking weakly over and over again, his fangs missing mostly as he fought the dizziness.

The beast was flailing around now, swing its massive paws around in hopes of hitting something living. She winced as she saw Aliac get scored by its claws and having to retreat and another...Sunny if she remembered, get smacked hard leaving him dazed but he goes in for an attack despite that, missing due to his dazed state. Her fangs were still latched onto the monster's fur, drawing blood and ripping fur. She does let go for a moment only to latch back on, she wanted to leave ragged scars on the creature a mark for the two lives it took so it would always remember her and what it did. Maybe the wounds will fester... Maybe it'll get ill and die from them so Lily and Ariel's souls will pass on, knowing they had been avenged and the pups have nothing to fear.

She looked back at Sunny to see one of the bear's paw swinging his way, she growls and let's go, "Watch out!" She said as she shoved Sunny away before she could move away herself, she was slammed. Aeliana flew backward, feeling the air leave out of her lungs completely for a minute as she gasped and fell on her back, rolling onto the dirt until she came to a halt. She was quiet and still for a moment then coughed loudly, "...Damn Monster..."

The pale woman goes down, though soon rises again and takes off. Tupkuk might have gone after it, were it not the others still coming for her flesh. But they are tiring, and Tupkuk is tiring of them. She has had her blood—moreso than she even expected—and she is ready for a meal, for respite.

The mountains are calling to her.

With one mighty blow, she knocks back the burly, loud-mouthed female, and then charges away through the willows, crushing saplings in her wake. The dens are forgotten. All she craves, now, are the mountains, and the taste of sweet alpine salmon from the streams there.

She leaves chaos behind.

And suddenly he almost died. He saw the large paw aiming his way and felt something click inside of him, an instant calm coming his way as he closed his eyes. Then he heard a deep thud and felt the bear's lumbering form rush past him and his eyes flew open body chilled to the core. He scanned the ground frantically and spotted Aeliana his right eye twitching "N..No" he muttered and then felt a a mind numbing relief as she got up and coughed, seeming stunned but alive. "Thank you.." he said monotone as he turned and walked to Lily, his eyes glazing over as he stared at the Gorey sight of her ripped throat. "I'm sorry we never got much time...but you were still family to me" he whispered it and turned away "I...Aliac...she ran I need to find her....can you go find my pups? Olive should be with them" he asked turning to Aeliana hating that he needed to ask another thing of her.