Coconut Grove I'm gonna fight the moon

The moon was full, an ivory disc whose reflection shimmered along the wine-dark sea. Eartha followed it's progress up into the night sky, finding herself unable to sleep. She was not meant for the lone wolf life. She had spent so long in the company of others that the sudden absence of a warm body or a constant chorus of snores unnerved her. The grove that she found herself in was reminiscent of Skeleton Key at least, its gentle palms blowing in the breeze. She closed her eyes, hoping that the familiar noise would help lull her to sleep. She couldn't find the gunner or the traitor while exhausted.

with the sea so accessible, erzulie made it her nightly mission to slide her forepaws beneath the surf. this evening was no different — the gravid she-wolf set off from the moors toward the grove of coconut trees that marked entry to the lapping waves.
her vacation was arrested, however, by the figure of a stranger there. the rusalkan paused, then lowered her head, mintglow eyes glinting with a reserved interest in the other's direction. "de moon, she speaks tonight," erzulie purled, closing the distance between she and the stranger with a step that ended short of the other's personal space.
her gaze, however, was questioning.

She was partially relieved then when a wolf came padding on the shore towards her. Eartha remained still, staring ahead at the shore, even as her ears flickered in the woman's direction. The woman's accent reminded her of Tortuga, but she was not of it. Not that she knew of. Eartha nodded and grunted in agreement. That she is, she rumbled. She turned her head to the woman then, as the distance between them was closed. You want something of me, then? Conversation, perhaps?

"if you be wantin' to give dat," she clucked, coming to a halt. the scent of rusalka hung over the grove. though they were not the only ones who passed through, the harlot had come to think of the coconut-land as an extension of their own.
"you be close to where rusalka makes our keep," erzulie went on, tone warm and eyes watchful.

She hummed in response. Rusalka, Eartha rolled the word over her tongue, embracing the familiarity of its sound. Sounds of home. She turned her head to look at the woman for the first time. She was...soft-looking, for lack of a better term. Like cream and honey. Her eyes though, her eyes pierced. Watching, waiting. I'm afraid I haven't heard of it. Eartha met the woman's dual-toned eyes, her own flat and half-lidded. She wasn't really looking for a fight. Wasn't spoiling for it like most of the day. Are you here to warn me off? Or was that your warning?

who was this woman? erzulie was beginning to rankle beneath her quiet, probing veneer. a fighter, to be sure; she knew their ways. but the harlot was in little position to squabble, heavy sides drawing a breath as the little ones shifted and kicked.
"dat depends. are you a grave danger?" she inquired with a crisp, sardonic edge to her voice. but her eyes had gone back to the direction of the water. rusalka lay at their back. there was little reason to truly fear, though erzulie kept alert.

She hummed contemplatively for a moment, though this was more for effect than actual deliberation. In most cases, no. She had no reason to harass this pregnant woman, nor the family that she belonged to — she never did such things for sport, like the rest of her crew and many of the other pirates. Unless you're harboring a certain wolf I'm trying to find. Eartha kept her eyes on the woman, even though the Rusalka woman looked away towards the sea. Young man, dark red, golden eyes. Calls himself Alizarin, though I'd suspect he has other aliases.

erzulie turned her mintglow eyes upon the woman and a terrible expression passed across her face, a cold light that dawned and brought her gravid self upward upon her feet. "get de fuck out," she spat, spiced ruff bristling.
for she knew her son.
she knew reyes.
and even if this wolf had been searching for a butterscotch girl with blue eyes, erzulie would have reacted the same, for this was the third time a name had been demanded of her.
and now some spectre seemed to lurk for her son. in the next moment she trilled sharply, for @Rosencrantz, their guardian, and then her plume swept up as she growled toward the now-enemy.

His usual drill around the borders was interrupted as a call sounded out. It wasn't the habitual summoning howl, but an alarming signal. Naturally, it drew him in, quickly with the drumming of heavy paws, bringing him closer to where Erzulie had called him and the knight waste zero time in lunging at the same wolf (taking no note whether it was female or male during his rush), ivory fangs bared with every intent in beginning a fight should the other retaliate. 

The paladin didn't need a reason, nor did he bother to talk and find out why Erzulie felt alarmed by the presence of the unfamiliar female... she felt threatened, and that was all he needed to blindly instigate what might possibly become a battle.

The situation quickly turned sour, and Eartha cursed herself for running out alone to find Kingsley and Alizarin. Backup, like the pregnant woman called for, would be useful in situations like this. There was only so much the captain could handle after all. Hindsight was always 20/20, and unlike the pirates that she led she knew how to stay calm in the face of danger and talk things down. But that was why, she reminded herself, she didn't bring any of those scallywags with her. I have no quarrel with you, she spoke evenly, holding back the rush of adrenaline that threatened to kick her into gear. Her hackles raised despite her best efforts (there was only so much you could do to control your body), especially as the man the pregnant wench called for. A chill ran down her spine as she glared at his pink flesh and black, gaping hole that remained as the monument of his right eye. Nor you, she said to the deformed man. I just want the boy. She returned her gaze to the cream and cocoa woman. No one else.

but the jezebel was beyond speech now. reactive to a fault, erzulie assumed the worst. in protection of her brood both eldest and youngest, she let rosencrantz dart for the interloper, his scarred visage and heavy jaws parting to crush the insect bitch.
a snarl bubbled in her throat; how dare these moors be so early marked by blood! but such was the way of rusalka. fighters all and even erzulie was consumed by bloodlust, keeping herself from the heavier blows but snapping at the legs, eyes, ears, shoulder of the would-be thief.

Despite the words coming from the female who didn't seem willing to fight, despite the fur rising along her spine - Erzulie was not swayed, and so, neither was he. As she lunged, he did in tandem, aiming more so for the stranger's face to take the brunt of any retaliation and distract her from Erzulie as he focused on her own face and jaws. His beauty was already gone, all he had to lose was more skin and maybe the remaining eye if he was not careful.

Despite her best efforts, neither wolf was bandied by her words. She didn't turn her attention to the pregnant woman, though she had all the anger and outrage that started this battle in the first place. She could not bring herself to harm a woman in such a state, even as the woman tore at her side: her shoulder, her legs. Instead, she ignored the pain at her sides and bullied her way towards the marred man, aiming at the man's face and neck, dueling him for a hold on flesh.

what would rosalyn think of her now, so heavily pregnant as she took these last moments to risk herself before an interloper? but that was erzulie's way as much as it was that of their pack.
wanting valiantly to shoulder in and grab the woman's nape, the beta circled the mauling pair instead. she was dismayed by her own self-control, but the harlot had never been a restful creature.
as the huntress shoved her way forward, erzulie darted in sidelong to snap her darkspice jaws toward the brow of the stranger, though if rosencrantz had already connected, her own fangs would slice close but harmlessly though air.

His tactic was working, the woman's attention was on him and not Erzulie. Though her teeth grazed his flesh it did not grab a true hold, thanks to Erzulie bumping her in other angles and thus skewing her aim, he managed to snake around her blows and continue with his own to try and grab onto her face or neck and take control of the stranger's movements while Erzulie did her own thing. 

The blur of bodies and fur kept him from being able to see what the pregnant mother-to-be, he could only hope she was safe and well from her angle. He could never forgive himself if something were to happen after all.

Her teeth grazed skin, but she is not successful in biting the scarred male. She continues to ignore the pregnant woman, even as she feels teeth on her brow. If it was a one on one she'd let the woman beat her up rather than breaking her code. She rears, intent on wrapping her front paws around the male's neck and shoulders, using her elevated status to bite down on the top of his head. It was a risky tactic. With two wolves focused on her, she could very well be pushed over, but she wanted to end this skirmish as soon as possible. If their reaction was anything to go by, they knew who Alizarin was and perhaps where he was. Noble to protect their allies, but a mistake. If they had known who she was they would have turned the boy over rather than incur her wrath. They'd be better off killing her.

her time was near.
she did not know the moment nor the hour nor the second.
if she threw herself into the fray, she risked the babes within; if she did not, she risked reyes.
was this why he had become so distant? erzulie wondered vaguely with a rising horror. that he was followed by some brute. is she alone? you will not harm my son, came the snarl within her mind.
the harlot lowered her shoulder, aimed to ram the woman's ribcage. rosencrantz would fight unto the death, but erzulie wished that he would live for the chapters yet ahead.
if true, her aim might break them aside — she prayed that it would be possible.

She made a fatal mistake. As the stranger decided she wanted the flesh atop his head, nape and or back, he would gladly sacrifice it to her fangs as he pushed through to her now exposed underside of her neck. Throat and all as he reached forward and up in an attempt to grab hold of the tender flesh and rip through it to claim victory before anything could befall on Erzulie and her baking young. With spring-loaded legs he lunged with every intention to indeed, kill the assailant with an iron grip on her throat.

hi! sorry for the wait. finished up school. @Erzulie @Rosencrantz

Fatal or not, Eartha was determined to bring her opponent down. The pain of the wolf's teeth on her neck was excruciating, yes, but she bullied through it. Her teeth clamped down on the wolf's skull, hoping to pierce through the already open flesh.

With only two feet on the ground her balance wavered. She stumbled, feeling her trajectory moments before she knew she was going to tumble. She tightened her arms around the maimed male. He had firmer ground, sure, but she would try to pull him down with her.

no worries! <3

a pain coursed erzulie; she grit her teeth and stepped back from the chaos. rosencrantz was hot for blood; she did not think he would release the woman without fetching her to death's door. she worried for his safety, however, as the wiry she-wolf grasped the archangel, seeking to drag him downward.
a burst of staccato barks; erzulie aimed her teeth toward the stranger's haunches, but the time was so very close that the fight had begun to drain from the beta's round form.

As she dug into his head, white fur stained red but nothing vital was struck, not from up there at least. As she stumbles around, even with her harder drip around his neck, he shakes and digs into his own attack on her neck. He had firmer ground, digging his claws into the ground and keeping his center gravity low by bending his knees and elbows just enough to stop him from toppling over with her - he'd continue his assault despite the pain he felt on his head. It was minor in comparison to the parcel he was currently protecting. What were a few more scars to add to his collection anyway? Thrashing his head with the attempt to keep his grip on her neck to fling her around if not rip into that tender flesh further.

*yotes self out* @Erzulie @Rosencrantz

What strength she had left in her lower limbs shot away as the pregnant woman's jaws sunk into them. Wolves weren't bipedal, and there was only so much of her weight that she could bear on only two of her legs. The final twist from the scarred male had done her in, and she loosened her grip and she fell to the wayside.

She could not win against two. Not if she wanted to forfeit her true goal: Alizarin. She spat, blood mixing in with her spittle. Then she ran. 

She held on to that name: Alizarin, Alizarin, Alizarin as she fled, pushing herself away across the sands.

She'd remember them, and this place. And they'd regret what they did to her.

Over a boy.

<3

somehow the demon who threatened reyes twisted away. erzulie was left bloodstained and panting, the healer moving close to lap crimson from rosencrantz' face if he so allowed.
a low, twisted pain in her gut; she groaned, wincing against the ground beneath the grove-trees. heartbeat faster, and mismatched gaze shifted. "dis be too much for me," a gentle, self-deprecating laugh even as her brow furrowed with discomfort. "fuck her. she will not be comin' back."

Finally, she had fallen, and while the woman scrambled to her feet Rosencrantz didn't waste any time to continue to snap and lunge at her, even chasing her off by a few strides to try and bite at anything he could get his fangs onto. He was a growling, snarling, beast. Bloodied and raw but still standing and thus more than capable to keep fighting, but as the woman vanished in the distance, Erzulie was his new concern.

As she lapped up some of the blood from his face, his furrowed brows shifted to stare at the healer. His gaze was possibly more intense than it usually was when addressing her. The adrenalin still thick in his veins. You shouldn't be fighting in your condition. He couldn't help but scold her a little, Erzulie was absolutely capable but even he knew any kind of stress would be bad. I'll kill her next time I find her. He reassured with exposed gums, golden orb shooting off in the woman's direction with pure, liquid, hatred.

rosencrantz, filled with rage; erzulie saw no reason to argue. she did not fear him, and he was correct. "i will allow you to be right," she jested as another cramp swam along her hips, and she sighed sharply into the sea air. "you rip de bitch apart if she returns. save de head for me."
if inclined, erzulie sought to press her shoulder against his own, silently requesting his support as she made her way back to the den. "come wid me, rose. i will get t'ose bites cleaned up for you."