The Heartwood and i pray to god you dont come back here anymore

skipping merrick again with permission <3
caiaphas' attack: continuing to chew his leg, attempting to sever artery and break bone still, taking vengeance's hit in full since she can't dodge it.

her hold was fast, and so was his. blood splattered in her mouth, overwhelmed her senses.

iron, salt, grime.

still she held, feeling sinew give way both under her teeth, and in her haunch. she had endured pain her entire life, and still, it did not make it any more bearable. vengeance's teeth cut through meat and matter in pristine pain that bloomed violently across her senses.

still caiaphas held on -- feeling him pull her up -- she was lighter, but his strength was not beyond her. if he pulled her in any way, he also pulled on himself -- he would cause more damage to his own body in the long run.

he was at a stalemate, and would soon realize she had the upper fang.

caiaphas attempted to burrow deeper, teeth moving like meat-cleavers now. she had yet to break his bone, fine -- she would instead bleed him out. along the knee and leg was an artery she did not know the name of -- but certainly knew its importance, as it threaded like a vine over patellar ligament and nerves, the blood supply of the stifle and lower limb. this vessel, the femoral artery, was protected by nothing save a thin film of ligament and tendon.. all of which she had already devastated. soon she would hit it, she knew -- and he would be bled out in the manner of a buck felled in winter snow.

still she shook her head viciously, marveling at how his bone had yet to break under teeth designed for cleaving. vengeance pulling against her only served to be the knife pulled taut across vulnerable flesh -- her teeth would do the cutting if he so kindly provided the tension.

all she needed was that little nick --

her haunch would pay the price for her insistence (and how pain howled through her, making her drunken and furious), but caiaphas would not go down without bringing the dark cur with her.