Ravensblood Forest insidious

It was almost a relief, facing a flesh and blood threat. Empowered by this thought, Haunt let loose another ferocious snarl, her lips peeling back to reveal the full lengths of her fangs even as her fur continued to bristle. Her tail lashed and she took a hop-step forward. She wondered if the cat would consider her easy prey due to her missing limbs. If it did, it would be sorely mistaken.

She was vaguely aware of the stranger taking up arms beside her, more so when the teenaged mountain lion spat out an indignant hiss and began to slowly back away. Emboldened by its retreat, Haunt darted forward, her single ear practically disappearing against her skull as she let out yet another growl, so guttural it scraped her throat on its way out.

The small cougar continued its slow withdrawal as Haunt (and presumably her fellow wolf) stood her ground. When enough distance spanned between them, it turned and fled into the brush, noiseless as it vanished. Haunt's yellow eyes bored holes into the spot where it had disappeared, her threatening noises continuing for long moments before eventually surceasing.

She turned to face the other wolf only to say, "We shouldn't stay in these woods." Haunt didn't bother with saying anything else, giving the stranger a meaningful look before breaking into a lope back the way she'd come.

Having faced a demon in the waking world, Haunt's hesitation about returning to Sapphique was gone. Fueled by adrenaline, she retraced her steps back toward home, certain she could conquer the nightmares in the same way she had forced the feline monster back into the shadows from whence it came.