Noctisardor Bypass p[r]imavaera

The baiting worked - too well, unfortunately for Stryx. The dark woman roared and set her sights upon the physician with a turn of the heel and a flurry of snaps.

Stryx felt teeth knock her orbital bone and swiftly cut through the soft tissue of her cheek. Then again, scoring her muzzle as she tried to pivot away, or duck, or whatever movement her frenzied, pain-riddled self could manage.

She barely fought back. Blood stained her face. Soon her eye would be black; it would need a treatment. Winter was a bad time to be warring. Her mind moved rapidly over remedies in the midst of the fight; she couldn't help it.

Some part of her knew to keep low or to zig, zag, grab at whatever she had to; nothing major, nothing that could really maim even if that was required of her. It just wasn't her fight. The other wolf was much more skilled and intent to harm but so long as Stryx could draw her away from Val, she didn't care.