Overture Downs long live the king

Shardik launched forward. There was no escaping the ursus' fury; Rannoch confronted his fate head-on. In an idealistic world, fear would not paralyze the Alpha. He'd flee within a moment of realizing the danger he was in and would live to see another day.  

Lost Creek Hollow deserved to know where Rannoch was slain. They needed to know that he abandoned them involuntarily. He threw his head back at the last moment, calling to his family, as Shardik positioned himself. Rannoch's cry rang through the Downs, its message loud and clear: Help. 

It was the last thing that Rannoch would say before the forceful strike of Shardik's paw would cause him to lose consciousness.