Deepwood Weald I found peace in your violence

Red eyes glimmering. Shimmering in the deep shadow lit forest. Brown paws made for maiming and tearing padded silently along broken branches and loam. Vapors near invisible, haloed around a large brutish head.

Saliva and blood dripping from his maw. As the creature he had just felled lay nearby. Gentle pant against prison of flesh and bone.

He sensed that @Kusuma felt more comfortable outside of the village, which was unfortunate. But he accommodated this preference today, leading her back toward the weald to sit and talk over lunch. He brought with him a hunk of meat sans any fancy wrappings, having lost his gifted skin.

Oblivious to the wolf lurking in the shadows, Talisman found a small, sun-dappled clearing and waited for the hybrid to make herself comfortable. He then set the chunk of food at her feet and reclined opposite her, a tentative smile pulling at his lips.

Let me know if you mind the power-play, Kai! I’ll make whatever edits you need. :)

Dreven shifted and froze. New scents into the clearing. Their presence made him irritable. And he knew it would also upset Atka. But would it also upset her if he reacted to them for merely existing.

He wasn't certain. So he decided to scope them out first. He buried his own catch nearby and padded silent towards the forest edge. Red eyes peering at the coyote things.

A sharp glare at them. But he didn't chase. Yet. But with every moving second he was finding his irritability growing.

Darkwoman had followed Talis. 

An icky feeling crept up in her stomach at the mere thought of eating, however much she wanted to eat. Maybe it was one thing or another or she just felt under the weather. Which terrified her in its own right - she wasn't in a place where Oddvoices would come and care for her when she fell ill. 

So she sat, reluctant to eat with a Kusuma not... hungry... in hopes it was enough to ease his concern. Talis eat it. Need be strong. 

Her ears ran warm with each half-hearted glance at him. She felt nervous - well, more than usual. 

Talis want... talk?

Want to share it? Talisman countered. You have to eat, even if you’re not hungry. How else will the pups grow? he added, giving her a lopsided and hopefully encouraging smile.

Before he could concur that he wanted to talk—to really get to know her a bit better, all hesitations and misgivings aside—the pale coyote suddenly noticed a figure looming in the middle distance over her shoulder. The look of him alone made Talis’s belly quiver with fear.

Despite this, he immediately jumped onto his paws and put himself in between Kusuma and the frightening stranger. Talis arched his back and puffed up to look larger, all without thinking. He wasn’t a particularly brave critter, yet the instinct to protect Kusuma and her—their—babies was strong.

Mustering up all the bravado he could manage, Talisman warned the leering wolf, Leave us alone, even as he tried to hide the pregnant Kusuma with his small body.

Mature Content Warning

This thread has been marked as mature. By reading and/or participating in this thread, you acknowledge that you are of age or have permission from your parents to do so.

The participants have indicated the following reason(s) for this warning: Gore, Violence, death

Got permission for this one. I'm not the greatest at these. But I tried. Also can edit if too much Power play.

Dreven found that he no longer cared whether Atka would dislike what he was about to do or not. They were near her, they were a threat. Perhaps that last lick of sanity he had clung too while she was missing had finally snapped.

Or maybe it had never been there to begin with. All he saw was red and a screaming in his head. A low growl curled from deep within in his chest and he snarled.

Paws thundering as he raced towards the small canine. Red eyes zeroed in on the male. It only took a few strides before he was upon them. Teeth snagged into the fur near the males throat and he drug him away from the woman. He'd take care of her later if she stuck around.

The give of flesh beneath his teeth was something he hadn't felt in a long time. A long gone sense of something licked along his innards. And his mind was blank as all he did was kill.

Claws digging into flesh of shoulder arms. The creature fought hard himself. But he was no match for the large male. Another rip and blood sprayed like an arc across the side of his chest and shoulder. While his own fell to mingle in the dirt. Then the coyote lay at his feet. Sightless eyes staring at the sky

Kusuma's body could do nothing but stare, fear in golden eyes, as the father of her pup- 

Talis.. her throat seized up, staring at the Wolf for a moment. Hackles raised, body in every position to flee. 

Wolf-

Wolfs were bad. She knew it, and she'd been RIGHT. 

Her litter needed nowhere near them. At all. 

Moonpack- 

WOLF EVIL. her yip-yap realization seemed to echo in her ears as she high-tailed it out of there.

Tears in her eyes.

I hope this is okay.

Calahan had gotten lost. Very Lost. He was a good scout. A hardened traveler. But this was all...new...he had went the wrong way, going over the flatlands and leaving the mountains behind him. It was all a maze.

He kept to himself, for the most part. Conversation was unwelcome, as was company. He didn't much like the woods. Too many trees. Too many ferns. Very confusing. 

He stumbled upon the violent scene. What the actual fuck? Calahan's life had been full of violence. It marked him, and made who he was. But this...this was downright murder! Nothing new, but nothing good. He saw the large brown wolf, saw the frantic coyote couple, and saw the blood.

He weren't a good man, but he'd be damned if this was okay with him. Without though, he barreled into the large male, trying to knock him away from the dead coyote and the fleeing woman.

It's fine. Full on fight or just run off?

He caught sight of a wolf in varying colors barreling towards hom. He knew what it looked like. Didn't care. He supposed it was murder. But in hia mind it was only protection. His pregnant mate who'd been beaten was only a few paces away.

In his feverish mind of the moment. It was only due. The she coyote was fleeing well that was fine with him. He wasn't gonna give chase.

Well now he had to deal with this one. The qolf built large etill had nothong on Dreven. The sepia thing had knocked him back a few paces. Had wrung a grunt from his side.

He turned bloody teeth and red eyes towards the new menace and snapped. Tightening his body and bending into an offensive crouch. A growl left his throat. Brown lips over blood stained teeth.

Why did he do this? Why did he intervene? Murder, violence, killing. Nothing he wasn't used to. Hell, Calahan had been a cause of much grief himself. However nosey he was, it wasn't always that he'd intervene so aggressively. Perhaps, he refused to believe that the same troubles that riddled the prairie and mountains out east were present here too. Maybe the now-widowed coyote reminded him of someone he had left behind? Whatever it was, it was too late to leave this be.

This wouldn't be a fun fight, that was for sure. He snarled, glaring at the chestnut wolf. "The hell's wrong with'yew?!"

Fight works for me.

Okay so I usually do just a dice roll in tabletop 1d10 on discord. There is also a roll in the ooc forum on here. I rolled a 6. and have 30 hp for both. I will add that Dreven has the trade of mercenary. If you want ot do i ta different way just let me know.
Dreven 30/30
Calahan 24/30

Dreven stared red eyes at him as he was knocked back. Then he darted forward aiming for face and throat. Using his body to block his weaker spots. He would keep his head low and his body ready to strike to maim, aiming with his paws at the other's paws. Unbalance if he could. Rip him apart.

He grunted and growled in response. No words coming bidden to his lips. Too lost in his own frustration, his own pain. He didn't care. At the moment, even Atka was far from his mind.

the fall that took her leg's mobility was felt again as she stared blankly at the scene; coherent thought fell away with all the pleasant things in her mind.

"dreven?" she whispered, unsure if it was words meant for him or a confirmation to herself.

atka had hurried to the putrid scent of blood only to come to a setting that confirmed her fears,      his own words.

"i am exactly as bad i think, and worse than you think, snow."

unwilling to it or not, the words he'd spoke once before ripped cruelly through the love she had for him. it pained her even more that fragments of it remained, even as she looked at the blood that trickled from his jaws. the body that held her at night was stained darkly with the life of the individual spread across the ground.

now, as he flashed his whites and hurled himself towards the other standing she shook with emotion. her lips wrinkled in agitation, or sadness.

"dreven!" she furiously blinked away the tears before her shout escaped her grieved throat.

Calahan hadn't expected a calm explanation of the events that had transpired. He knew better than that. But he didn't expect this. He paid little mind to the pearl toned woman. When the blood-covered wolf turned his hateful crimson gaze upon him, he shuddered. This murderer was a lunatic, no doubt. There was no reasoning with a madman, he was sure of it. 

The hit caught him off guard. It shouldn't have. The wood colored canine aimed for his throat, but it was a mercy that his teeth found Calahan's shoulder instead. Sharp fangs ripped fur, and along with a searing pain, he felt the trickle of warm blood. There went a peaceful resolution. The tawny man lunged, aiming to grasp and sever an ear, a tail, something!

I rolled a 6 in the tabletop forum.

Dreven 24/30
Calhan 21/30

I rolled a 3

Dreven was beyond rational thought. This was something he knew. Something he could do in his sleep. A feeling of calm settled over him. He reacted and parried. Aimed for vital spots when the time came. It was a waiting game.

It was with Atka's voice that he froze. And then it wasn't good anymore. He snarled and moved his body completely into the line of fire. He felt teeth hit his face. Searing pain near his eye and cheek. Blood dripping like a seive. Blindness. Whether it was temporary or not he didn't care.

The pain was secondary, his aim now was to stay in front of snow. Block her completely from view. If he died for it so be it. But his only concern had been her in the beginning and was so again now. The coyote had been to near their sleeping spot.

in case it isn't clear. Dreven would have instead of fighting back at this time pushed himself into the bite trying to keep himself in front of Atka.

atka knew her words meant little, but her presence much more. that much was shown as dreven moved to block her any movement towards her. there was true fear that the two would kill each other, but with that her sight flitted to the little coyote for a moment. how could it have posed any serious threat?

it seemed his obsession with snow had become enough that the harm of others had grown from it, death sprouting from that dark seed. the fear of dreven was no longer enticing. was it love, or possession? everything was questioned as the fight raged on.

"stop!" reasoning could be well beyond the two now considering the adrenaline and blood lust, but she made her feebile attempts and screams.

she recklessly considering inserting herself, but flinched backwards as the two men collided.

The woman's pleas were ignored. She might as well have been a ghost. Calahan once again hurled himself at the wolf, snapping furiously for his throat. Nobody could attack him with impunity. He felt the stinging of his wounds, blood dripping, but did not retreat. As the pale wolf tried to intervene, he turned his judgmental cerulean gaze to her from a brief moment, before turning his attention back to the fight. Stay outta this!

He didn't take any time to consider what he was trying to achieve here. The voice taunted him. Yew can fight...but yew can't think. He couldn't block it out...

rolled an 8.

Calahan 17/30
Dreven 16/30
I rolled a 4

He twisted. Trying to keep Atka out of the range of sight and fire. But he grew anxious. He could no longer see and as such when the aim went for his throat it was true. He felt the tear. The pain and then blood as it gushed at his feet.

He figured he didn't have long to get her out of here. So he swung broadside aiming to boldly shove the man with shoulder.

Red eyes searching and piercing he found Atka.

Run snow.

Then he went back to an attack. Aiming for the others face and throat. If he could blind him or kill him one of the two. But he was slick with blood and each pump drew fatigue along battered body.

"this isn't you!?" vibes rn LMAO

she gave herself the burden, the blame. the life that was taken laid  blood spread across the ground and dreven's chest. now, it seemed he was near to ripping away another. atka could see it, the experience in his strikes towards the stranger. then she wondered for moment that felt like minutes, though it was only seconds, how many lives he had taken before.

she thought herself stupid! dreven had told her what he was and atka denied him that. she denied dreven's truth. the fight pressed on and she could see exhaustion seep into his bones. snow knew remaining here would only kindle the fire that raged between the two men. she asked herself if that was the cause, her presence. atka wasn't sure she wanted know.

no, she didn't want to know. her throat tightened with grief and she hesistantly turned, sight blurry with hot tears before breaking into a run. she wished to be anywhere but here.

It seemed he had hit something important. The assailant weakened and bled. Good. The ivory shaded woman fled. Even better. The less interference, the more visible an ideal outcome was, for him. This fight had started to turn in his favor. Most of them did, eventually. This was oh so natural. And Calahan hated that.

He couldn't let his thoughts linger. There was a skirmish to finish. It was gradually wearing him out, draining his energy. The numerous cuts and scrapes stung fiercely. He took a sharp hit to his flank, the wound throbbing. He had to end this, and quick. Calahan took the chance to make a second lunge at the man's throat, ready to dodge another hit if he had to.

This wasn't good. This wasn't a mess he would have wanted. But right now, in the heat of the fight, all he could comprehend was violence.

rolled a 10.

Calahan 16/30
Dreven 6/30
Are you okay if he escapes this reply? I can do a few more and get hp down to below 0 if you want. But he already has some pretty serious wound. I rolled a 1.

Dreven saw the judgement in Atka's stare and he knew one day this would happen. He had told her though. He had told her and she continued after him. And now look.

The wound free deeper and Dreven knew he couldn't stay in this one. And though part ofhim wanted to fight to the death. He also wanted to make sure Atka was somewhere safe before he died.

So he fought now to get away. To go the same way she had. There was no shame in bscking down when a fight was lost. Dreven had made mistakes and he knew it. He had leaned into the teeth to save someone he loved more than life itself.

Sure thing! Last from me.

So now he was running away. Least finish the damned fight! Part of him wanted to give pursuit. Calahan didn't chase him far. Only a few angry snaps at his ankles before he relented. Continuing was pointless. If this moron wanted to back down from his own problems, in his own shame, he was free to do so. 

Calahan was injured enough. He just hoped the brown wolf would remember him the next time he an urge to go on a murderous rampage. When he was out of sight, he turned around and padded off, each step burning, blood matting his fur. He didn't really know what to feel.

Thanks. Sorry for dashing. Perhaps we can have another thread sometime. I have some things to figure out with him first :D

Dreven would have finished the fight. But for now he wanted to make sure that Atka was alright and possibly lay down and die somewhere. That wound to his throat wasn't exactly a nice one. And with each step he felt a sucking pull as it separated and more blood leaked from him.

Dreven promised himself that if he saw that wolf again. They would have another fight and one of them would die. If he didn't die now. IT was a dark promise, but one none the less. No remorse for his actions. The only remorse he felt was thathe had upset Atka, but not in the action itself.