Bramblepoint one in the chamber

I wanted to play this out a bit more but a) Eph's a total coward and b) I'm finding myself overwhelmed and undecided on whether to shelf Ephraim or not, so I think he'd throw the fight and run off. Sphyra is welcome to chase and get a few good nips in!

Ephraim knew what it was to be a kid strung up on their own arrogance. He had made an ass of himself more than once as a result of it. He expected Sphyra to falter when he feigned a snap; most arrogant shits didn't have the bite to back up their bark and thought twice the second a threat was issued.

Not this kid. She didn't even flinch, but began to circle instead. Ephraim coiled back, watching, turning with her, until the moment she lunged for his paw. If he was thinking right, he may have been fast enough to snatch it back, but he was too worried she would grab the rabbit and take off then. Her teeth found their mark and Ephraim's resolve crumpled.

He could do without one rabbit. He could not do with a seriously injured paw in winter. He struck out for her muzzle so that he could wrench his foot back, then immediately turned tail and fled, leaving a trail of red droplets from where her teeth had cut his flesh.