Firefly Glen [M] stop, don't save yourself

Happens right after these threads: https://wolf-rpg.com/showthread.php?tid=45992 and https://wolf-rpg.com/showthread.php?tid=45963

 
"BEAR ATTACK BEAR ATTACK BEAR ATTACK—" Osiris turned from West, pushing his ears in the direction in which @Keres's call had originated. Where was Leta? Was she safe? 

There was a bear in the glen. They needed to act now. He was too late. They were too late. The pack was in danger. 

His thoughts shuffled like a deck of cards, his pulse began to race, a distinct ringing sounded in his ears— "BEAR ATTACK BEAR ATTACK BEAR ATTACK—"  and without another word, Osiris lept to action. It would take time for them to reach the scene of the crime, much more time than he wished to waste, but these were the cards that had been dealt. 

Osiris dashed through the snow at a breakneck speed, running quicker than he ever had before. But it was still not enough—@Hydra's howl reminded him that.

The call was sudden, urgency laced in the cry as silence fell between the two before they were spurred into action. Osiris was first to take off across the snow laced ground, though West would be hot on his heels. The message carried was one he was familiar with but on different terms. Ursus. Truthfully, he had never seen a real bear, nor the destruction one could bring. Nothing could have prepared him for what was to come, but he would give everything to help his allies, just as they had offered to help Easthollow.

the world went quiet. 

there was a moment, the briefest glimmer of denial in which her eddying bliss refused to believe it truly had heard that call, those words....bear...attack. in fact she went as far as to let trembling jaws part whilst widened eyes sought leta's, fruitlessly praying that she'd meet some sort of bemused warmth that proved that she'd surely imagined it as a breathy "was that...wha..." and then it passed, the mere seconds that cocooned her in sluggish denial left her in the dust and a terrible cold seeped into her chest, clutching with a tightness that made eyes water with the pain as she turned from the girl. 

there was a bear in the glen. 

she could think only of one thing as paws spurred to action and tore her in the direction of the call, west, west, west, please be okay oh my god west. if leta said anything she wouldn't hear, didn't even notice if the earthen girl followed- all she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears as bitter nausea stained her tongue. it had followed them; death. no, had it followed her? her family had died, then she'd joined easthollow and a predator had slain some of its members, ursus had arrived and then clay and then greyback...all since she joined. she'd been so foolish, so naive to think it'd ever stop because now she was here and...bear.

she didn't even notice the tears streaming down her face as she almost crashed right into the two males; could only loose a barely contained sob when she seen west alongisde osiris..alive he was alive.

"you're okay" she gasped, body trembling with the terror that she'd come across his mangled corpse, but he was here. he was okay. she felt like she was going to puke, jaw clenching in an effort to gather herself. he was okay but osiris's pack was in danger, now was not the time to let relief soothe the adrenaline hissing frantically within her system and eyes were dark as she could only hiss "i'm sorry" still so convinced that this was her fault, trapped in the mindset that death had left a mark on her and would forever trail her with mocking fervour.

The call that rang in her ears was met with a look of confusion as Polaris, too, tried to process. Leta did not have the answer for her, confused herself and her mind running at a sluggish pace to meet comprehension. She had already discovered one monumental thing today... and the herald of Hydra was too much to bear... no pun intended, there. She moved in concert with Polaris, not even permitted the space to worry about all that Polaris did as her instinct screamed at her to move. Do something, anything—worry about the rest later. Bear in the Glen; where? 

She could smell something awful, given its source. Not the blood of prey, but the blood of canine. Again? Desensitized, it was the first thing she could think in her exhaustion and fear combined. But something else came next—the thought of Osiris. Where was he? Had he been hurt? Why had she not heard him call to acknowledge he had heard? Would he be struck down—

Leta did crash into Osiris,  and here there was no sob contained as she felt nothing but the rush of relief. So many times Leta had come to the scene when it was too late; when those important to her were dead and gone, or at least dying. Leta prayed then and there that this might never happen again. 

Take me first, Leta willed, let death take me before all the rest. And let it not come for a long time, too. 

Breathing into him, Leta pulled away and looked to her brother. She had the mind to feel the flush of heat in her cheeks and she laughed, we are okay, in a breath. Osiris, he led the Glen, of them all he needed to be okay. What do we do? where do we go? she asked, voice rich with worry.

Yakwahe was not pleased at being forced to leave the place of carnage. The wolves had been terrible playthings, though he felt some satisfaction at breaking the skinny one like a toothpick.

The monster rumbled forward, his paws pounding into the ground as an eagle pursued him overhead. The trees could not hide his bulk. Down his face and neck, blood streamed in little ribbons. Both of his back legs had been bitten, gravity forcing the wounds to stay open. His thick hide kept him going, for despite fighting off many wolves, he had escaped their harassment.

Rage pushed him onward rather than fear, for though he knew that he was outnumbered even with  their dead and dying, he would find other opportunities. One by one he would destroy them all. One by one they would die, until the earth was cleansed of their filth, a pure start for the cubs he would sire in the coming spring.

In the path of Yakwahe were four more, but he did not bother trying to evade them. Furiously he charged and roared, branches snapping under his heavy figure as he went straight for the ones in front. The monster had no time or care to even register their purpose. He was nothing but a terrifying mass coming from the forest like a blood-stained battering ram, teeth and claws swiping and biting wildly in a frenzy.

skippable

The eagle flew down to the scene already in play, having coasted along the trail of the bear on the suggestion of the mountain queen. There were others in the way of the rampaging monstrosity. His magneficient mottled form would have been a true sight to behold had the terrifying animal not been the key focus of the day.

Though the feathered creature had feasted upon the eyes of the shadow pack of the mountain just minutes before, he swooped down to fly a mere foot over the bear's head. His talons did not outstretch, however, as he passed over it and onto the branch of a tree.

The eagle settled in to watch with vague apathy.

Osiris's pursuance was side-tracked as Leta crashed into him. He stumbled a few steps, pushed by his own momentum and the force of her weight, before stopping. Before Osiris could turn and face Leta, she buried herself into his chest, and he breathed a sigh of relief. She was okay.  

He had been lost in their short embrace, despite how brief it had been. He came-to as he turned towards the other, a brief flare of his embarrassment heating his cheeks. He shuffled from paw-to-paw, feeling West's eyes in particular. There was little time to be embarrassed, though; there hadn't even been time to address Leta's question. Their opponent announced it's presence, bellowing a battle cry as it charged closer.

There was very little time for Osiris to comprehend what was going on. All that he knew that he had to do everything in his power to stop it, as his instinct commanded. 

Yakwahe was upon the group much sooner than Osiris had anticipated and was upon them with snapping jaws and tearing claws. He was quick to see red, to feel the searing-hot contact of the other's attack. 

Osiris saw red; everything was red—his pelt, the once-pristine snow underfoot. It was already a bloodbath; his outlook was already grim.

He summoned all of his strength and fought back, willing all of his power to meet his opponent with the same ferocity. Snapping and throwing punches wherever he could, Osiris did everything he could to fight back.

Perhaps he was blessed to temporarily forget about who roamed the glen, for unlike the others, West never derailed into a downward spiral of worry for those he loves. Any small nagging voices that did bite through the noise were quickly quieted as Leta and Polaris were quick to arrive at the scene, the former tumbling into a pile of legs with Osiris causing him to skid in a flurry of snow to a halt with wide eyes. Polaris had been crying, something that worried him at first, though it was clear from her apology and the way she looked at him that she was fine. They were fine.

For a moment it felt as if a blanket had been draped over the four, a sense of safety and comfort as all of them seemed to relish in each other's company and wellbeing. Though peace never lasted and it certainly didn't this time as the bellows of a beast echoed in the open air and brought him back to the situation at hand and what the fucking hell was that???!!

West had heard of bears, pictured something that was...eh kinda close, but...this thing, barreling towards them with blood and rage actually froze him to the spot. For a stumpy legged creature, it moved faster than he expected and was quick to collide with Osiris. It wasn't until he heard the sounds of retaliation that he thawed, a spark igniting within as his options were laid out before him. Truthfully there was no option, for he had picked from the start.

A hunger gnawed at him, hot and angry that the world would even try to strip him of another life, of his family. He hadn't even felt the snarl rising in his throat as legs automatically propelled him forward, fangs seeking along the bear's side to rip and tear what he could. It was clear from the wounds he had that others had attacked, but they weren't here now. They weren't here, and as to what that meant he didn't want to know. What he did know is the beast had to of been weakened now. They could stop it. They would stop it.

she met his gaze, chest constricting oh so painfully at the graze of that familiar viridescence; startlingly calm against the midst of panic flurrying with such potency within her own trembling vessel. but she clung to his energy, let it wash over her and soothe the thrash of her heart at least a bit- because he was okay, they were okay. and there surely was that moment where the dove too fell victim to that same faux belief that caught ahold of west, that now that they'd found each other they were okay- that together, surely they would always prevail. she even went as far as to crack a knowing smile at the way in which leta's tumble into osiris ended up resembling what seemed very like an embrace of sorts; the faintest hints of mirth guttering in her mismatched look at the shared embrassment as they pulled away.

it seemed so natural, even if her senses hissed at what her heart tried to ignore. the quiet. they could've been the only living creatures left, not a hint of bird chatter, the scuffling of tiny critters or even the sounds of wolves fighting....it was so horribly silent.

and then, the surreal glass globe they lingered momentarily within shattered with the most terrifying, unearthly roar polaris had ever heard as a true monster crashed through the glen..right towards them; not a moment's hesitation...certain in its horrifying power. her mind started whirring, frantically attempting to rifle through memories and skills for something- anything that could protect it from such a behemoth. it made ursus' cruel leaders look like pups in comparison.

it was upon them in seconds, the stink of blood- both its own and what was unmistakably canine filling her nostrils and bringing bile up in the back of her throat as it collided with osiris and then west. had she brought something this terrible upon the glen? could this be the final card the world dealt her?

an enraged, primal screech tore itself from her throat as fear gave way to blinding, hot rage. they'd survive this, together, a last 'fuck you' to the universe and its shitty games and then...then it'd leave them alone, she was certain. 

the girl lunged, pearly fangs bared at the ready as she launched herself at its hind paws; desperately hoping that the mere threat of its balance being affected would make it less likely to use those terrible fore paws with those blood slick claws on west or osiris as they attacked. and praying that her nimble body would hold true and get her out of the way in time when it would become necessary.

They were together. And this time, this time they would not fail. The four of them together were the future, and had so much life left to live. West and Polaris; herself and Osiris. She needed to tell him now. Now that they were alright, Leta knew she should. Knew it was the right thing and that the only moment they each had was now, and this now, this speaking of it, it would become her forever. 

She felt in her heart her life could truly begin now once she uttered the words she tasted on the tip of her tongue, and she was suddenly breathless as she tasted something coppery in her mouth, like metal and something else. 

Leta hardly had time to think before what came next. 

And she was not sure what it was that came first. 

Was it the bear, or was it the sound of him? Was it the stench of its blood and those of the Glen, or was it the feeling of it colliding against her? Was it red hot pain, or was it the feeling of the ground beneath her? 

Leta had managed to bite her tongue quite terribly, but pain was a stranger to her with the rush of adrenaline. Swallowing, and then coughing, her own blood, she suddenly felt the terrible feeling of being dragged. Only then did Leta herself shriek—

And remember. Remember wickedly yellow eyes. Remember, remember, horrible things—

Alarmed, Leta sought to fight it—snapped at the woman who grabbed her—it was not West she saw, but Caiaphas. He likely had not the time to realize her resistance, which was futile in any event, or that her fear was not for the bear but for him—her, she saw—before he was off again into the fray. Leta stood—beaten and definitively broken—she stood and she hobbled away from the scene with a wretched scream that was muffled by her own blood. 

She was not brave. Not at all. And she begged for help with a useless tongue that only offered more blood rather than any useful word, the tip clean off. The Sea Witch, @Caiaphas... she was here—she had found her.

The bear could feel his claws smash against something furry. He could feel his teeth settling into flesh, and the moment they did, he pulled ferociously and ripped at the animal.

But the wolf fought back. All of them did, biting and snarling and poking their sad little dog teeth into him. He felt one on his shoulder, tugging toward the rip that one of the ones before had brought. Another was at his stomach. Another toward a back leg. It made him angry. Yakwahe’s gauge for violence intensified, filling with every little poke and prod and tear.

His body felt hot as blood seeped from the open wounds. The monster swiped and spun around, switching targets to the darker of the females who sought escape. He charged forward and toward her, rearing up on his hind legs, hoping desperately to dislodge the wolves from his hide. It was this nature of theirs, this ability to gather in numbers which he found particularly disgusting. Enraged and hurting, he slammed his paws onto the ground in a show of force, trying with all his might to terrify them into submission.

He could feel himself watched from above. A large glob of clotting blood slopped off the side of his face, splashing onto the ground like a morbid water balloon.

The play continued as the bear angrily swiped and chomped and spun. For his part, the eagle sat on his pine perch, grabbing it idolly with his foot, clamping it shut, then open, then shut, then open. He preened his beautiful feathers, removing some of the dirt that had accrued during his tailing of the monster.

At last, he did his duty, launching himself from the tree and swooping low again over the mess of attacking wolves and bear. He called shrilly, noisily. Yet again, though, his talons remained relaxed. The eagle went past them to another, better tree. Adjusting himself, he ruffled his feathers and looked on.

Osiris had been honing into Yakwahe's every move, continually adapting his tactic with every strike of his opponent. Had he had more of a heads up, he would have had more time to sift through the arsenal of his experience to divvy up some sort of useful information for him to use. 

All seemed to be going as well as it could until he heard a scream— Leta's scream. 

Everything changed then; Osiris's savagery was inspired, increasing tenfold in the blink of an eye. Blinded by rage, he threw himself at the bear's face with a harsh snarl. He ignored @Hydra's lesson; emotion overcame him, and he acted foolishly because of it. Osiris tore into whatever piece of the bear he could manage to grab, whether his attack hit its mark or not. Perfection wasn't the name of his game. 

Revenge was. 

Despite his retaliation, Osiris was open and vulnerable. He was the perfect target for Yakwahe to strike down.

One by one they all moved, seeking weak points or previous injuries they could use to their advantage, though one was not fortunate enough to slip out of the beast's path. West hadn't noticed at first until he heard the cry, his eyes dropping to find Leta pinned under the bear. She needed to get out now, though when he reached to grab her and yank her out, he was met with fangs.

The strike was alarming, but he forced himself to wince through the pain until she was able to stand and go on her own. The woodland boy had no chance to linger on why she had struck him though, for her limping, crying body worked as a shining target for the bear that bellowed. West was just snapping out with another bite when it charged forwards, his teeth yanking fur and maybe some flesh as his enemy sped out of reach.

He spat, his eyes quickly checking on Polaris then Osiris who had followed instantly after the bear before he was confident that his attention was needed on Leta. He too stormed off, heavy paws clawing through the snow as he tried to reach the bear, to reach Leta. West needed to drag the bear's attention back, away from those who had already suffered injuries before he lost another sibling. This time his too sought the bear's haunch, his jaw clamping down with as much strength as he could muster in hope of not being shaken so easily, before twisting his head and jerking back and forth to try and rip something or slow the damn thing down.

the shriek cut through the panting, snarling , guttural groaning-- like a knife through butter. polaris faltered, blinking through the haze of a mind running purely off of adrenaline and enraged, primal, instinct until eyes widened in horror upon spotting the small figure of leta under the might of the beast itself. yet before the pale girl could make a move, west was there by his sister's side and she forced herself to ignore the terrified lurch of her heart begging her body to slink over and assist him; that meek sliver of rationality ever chiding and reminding her that she was much more help here. here where she could attack and distract so that they could get the hell out of there and so with a grit of bloodied teeth; the dove flung herself back at the stinking colossus with as loud a cry as she could muster. 

but this was no mindless beast they grappled with, it was a predator with skills and instincts as finely honed as their own and she could only let out a hiss as paws skidded along the sickeningly painted snow when it spotted its opportunity and snatched it, storming right towards the disgruntled earthen girl. a breathless curse, gaze frantically sweeping for the familiar figure of her mate only to be met by the panicked gutter of his own stare likely doing the same. a small swallow of relief as she forced herself to tear away and charge after the bear and the pursuing osiris; cursing her stupid weak vessel and the way in which her chest already burned with each agitated inhale. these months spent lingering within the borders of easthollow...she wasn't as fit as she used to be. 

but there was certainly no time for regrets; not with osiris literally flinging himself at the monster's murderous face. she sprung at its shoulder then, seeking purchase on a wound that already sneered down at her from a past attack- whirring mind unable to help but wonder with dread about what might have happened to the last wolf to sink its teeth into this very spot- trying not to think too hard about the claws that were attached to the end of this very limb. 

for a second her eyes slid skywards as she tugged and panted; coaxed by the itch of seeing something out of their corner. and there- the largest bird she'd ever seen, somehow appearing both regal and so very menacing. her heart seemed to drop at the sight of it as she let eyes return to scene once more and continued her assault, all the while unable to shake the idea that the arrival of a bird, a creature usually associated with agile daintiness and melodies; but sharpened, cruel and dangerous, was some terrible sort of omen.

They say to not look back. That the worst thing one could do was to look back. 

Leta looked back. Her step faltered as she saw only a massive, hooded sort of menace. She was easy to catch up to; easier to take down as it barreled into her. And as it reared, Leta squirmed to get up and out of reach—but a good portion of the weight of her adversary landed squarely upon her spine. So direct was the blow that Leta did not even recognize that as she hoped to move in the synapse of a second it took between life and death, she was already dead, slumped and limp beneath the beast. Perhaps the only way Leta assisted. in this battle of life and death between those she cared about was the potential unbalancing of it by being unstable ground to stand upon... not that she had intended that.

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Screaming, pulling, biting, storming about him. Yakwahe the monster was flustered and confused, blood letting down from each part of him stronger than before. He could feel his strength waning, could feel exhaustion begin to set in. It was resilience that held these stupid beasts strong. The will to protect their own stinking kin was strong, and thus far the bear could not shake them, not even with the pounding of his mangled limbs and paws into the earth, a prayer to the All Mother to drain the life from every last canine on this good and once green place.

The agouti one threw itself at his bleeding face as he charged, no doubt to protect the screaming she-wolf at his feet struggling to get away. He felt white pain across his eye and heard something tear. Rather than writhing in pain, the bear reared again, pulling the wolf who had taken his eye with him, biting with a strange, infuriated focus. He nailed his teeth down into the wolf’s skin, and the moment he made contact, threw him like a ragdoll away from him.

His great paws came crashing onto the unprotected she-wolf, blood from an empty eye socket draining onto her snuffed out figure as she was pulled from beneath him.

Yakwahe could feel teeth sink into his haunch once more. He roared at the pain, stumbling for a moment as the white one targeted the open wound on his shoulder. He wavered, but with two of them down, he turned swiftly to face his two attackers, stepping forward in a bold terrifying display of mangled goliath.

He knew the agouti one was not dead, and looked over at him on the snow. Yakwahe charged again, hoping to destroy the one who claimed the land as his own.

Things were going south for the wolves, who had appeared moments earlier to have an advantage over the injured bear. The eagle's sharp eyes remained trained on the scene, though he did not interfere with the course of nature as it stood. The mountain queen was attending to the dead, but there was reason that others would need to know that the bear had remained, that the other warrior had not found it yet, and that the son of the queen was in danger.

The eagle pushed off from his pine branch, extending his beautiful wings and letting the updraft carry his bulk high over them.

Here, he circled like a vulture, coasting on the wind morbidly. He could hear a raven nearby calling to its murder, alerting them and other animals to the dead and the dying. The eagle was a signal for all in and around the Glen: the bear was still here.

Osiris's success was short-lived, just as his beloved had been. 

Yakwahe's response to the attack was to grab and toss Osiris aside. There was a brief moment of pain, the lift-off, and then the descent impact. Before he could even perceive everything that had happened, Osiris lost consciousness. His world went black as he landed in the snow with a sickly thud. Once still, as his wounds continued to drain, Osiris began to stain the snow with blood.

permission to skip west!

 

 a blink, a fucking blink is the time it took for thing's to go from bad to cataclysmic.

it was insane, time seeming to slow to some sluggish strain as she was letting go and sliding to the frigid earth, spitting blood as jaws parted to loose a scream at osiris's figure being thrown as if he were but a discarded piece of prey. and that was all it took, in that infinitesimal space of time, shift of attention; leta was killed. 

the bear, bloody death incarnated, did not spare even a breath to pause even as it's eye sailed through the air with the glen's sentry's body, the two landing in a terrifying heap that did not stir. polaris did not so much as have time to swivel her neck before that sickening crunch tauntingly tickled her inner ear and by the time eyes finally met their destination-- they were met by the unseeing gaze of the bright girl she'd been giggling with about love and their futures less than an hour ago. 

she began shaking, uncontrollable tremors catching ahold of her body as agony exploded from the tightening of her chest. no, no NO! it couldn't be- it--

the bear turned, a true nightmare as it bellowed and she did not know which part was worse; the bloody socket seeping that bright liquid or the eye burning with such rage and hatred. 

she found herself taking a half step back, they were going to die here. this monster was going to kill them all. her throat burned, nausea hitting hard as she panted harder; her wayward mind careening in the midst of panic and denial- unable to grasp, to react. 

until she seen west, her west; still alive-- she was still alive and osiris....she wouldn't believe he was dead. as if thinking the same thing, the bear began to turn and finally polaris snapped from the daze. shock giving way to the familiar comfort of desperate rage; adrenaline quick to supply the emotion as if it were fuel. they were going to tear this bastard apart. 

she kicked from the ground as hard as she could, teeth pressing so hard together with the effort as she sprinted harder than she ever had-- she had to make it to osiris first, she would there was no other option. her throat continued to heave, body begging to release the bile it had gathered but she swallowed down; denying it the time puking would require. 

a sob hitched from her as she tumbled into the body, noting the shallow rise and fall of his chest before spinning to face the killer with a screamed; "YOU'RE GONNA DIE" teeth baring and haunches tightening as she made to spring at that approaching face; snapping jaws seeking that remaining eye all the while trying to ignore the fear squeezing her heart, the blood of her kind staining its jagged teeth- she could do this she could do this.

Through the blood and sweat West was not oblivious to the sounds. The groaning and the sickening sound of bones crunching as fresh blood hung in the air with its metallic taste. The stench was overwhelming, enough so to make his eyes water and choke him like poison. From the corners of his vision, he saw a body fly, another limp at the beast's forelegs. Every fiber of his being screamed to look, to check and ensure that they were alive. That his sister would be ok, that his soon-to-be brother would be ok, but instead, he swallowed the lump that suffocated him.

There was no need to look, for there was a part of him deep down that already knew.

They were gone. They were gone like everyone else. Like Clay. Like their father. Like Newt. They were all gone. Once he had been told that it was just a part of life. Everyone dies eventually, born from blood and bone just to return to the earth. It was all meant to be. Once he had believed that, but now? Now it was wrong. Now it was just an excuse, one they could tell themselves to make the pain just a bit better, but the pain wasn't better. It hadn't been for a long time.

All that remained was a deeply rooted seed of pain and anger that squeeze him like a threat looking to break him further every day. Whatever forces were out there had NO RIGHT, taking freely as they pleased without a care for who they hurt in their wake. There was no meaning to this. There was no purpose. Tears clouded his vision, hand in hand with the fog that threatened to consume him. Something whispered in his ear, a soft voice to give in. That they couldn't win.

They should be running.

How would that be fair though? Why should he get the chance, over and over to run when others had not. Why was the option always to run or die? Why was it never to live? What stroke of luck had he hit to survive time after time again only to watch the death of his loved ones. What curse did he have to watch them all be stripped away?

Everything they did seemed to have no effect. Even as blood and flesh and sight were stripped from the beast it raged on. Bellows of anger and hate roaring from its maw as it stepped away from the crumpled body of his sister. It was only once he saw how small she looked now, broken and red amongst pure white that he felt the bear slip from his jaws once more.

In a moment's passing the beast and Polaris raced off leaving him and Leta alone. As if time had stopped he lingered, his eyes burning as he choked out a sob. West grit his teeth holding back his cries as if it might make things right or bring forth the power to will her back to life, but it wasn't possible. There wasn't time to even try. Life did not just stop, especially now in the heart of battle. Polaris needed him, Osiris needed him. 

As West turned to run in pursuit he saw Polaris tumble over Osiris' fallen body. It was hard to say what his status was, but either way, it didn't look good. They needed to get both bodies out of here. They needed to get out of here. Death be damned, he wasn't dying here. Not now. Maybe it was cowardly, but he would hunt this fucker down to the edges of the world another day, just not now. Not when they had already lost so much. He couldn't risk Polaris now and he was certain she would kill him if they pushed their luck further and the bear didn't.

Unfortunately, though, they did not seem to fall on the same page. As he neared he saw her turn, the same fire in her eyes that made him fall in love with her from the start as she screeched in the face of the oncoming bear.

"YOU'RE GONNA DIE"

No. No no no no no— she was right, but it wouldn't be the bear that would fall. Polaris would die if she fought here. Filled with newfound energy, West pushed himself to his limit, feet barely touching the ground as he raced time. He just had to make it. He couldn't let her get hurt, he wouldn't. There was no time to stop, no time to drag them both away, so instead, he collided with her, shoving his dove into the snow and out of scraping claws reach as a fire roared to life along his side. Something burned, probably a fresh wound from claws that cut like knives, but he wouldn't be felled so easily.

RUN DAMMNIT.

He couldn't look at her now. He knew if their eyes met she would never leave. He just needed to give her hope that he had things handled, that they could both get out with their lives. Truthfully, he had every intention of doing just that. They could outrun his lumbering bleeding body, but he wanted to ensure that she had a headstart. West lunged for the bear's chest hoping to grab near its neck. It wasn't safe, he knew that, but the rest of its body was so damn thick. He had to chance somewhere vulnerable, somewhere that could end it all.

Through the open wounds, blood infused with the adrenline of fury and sheer hatred drained. Slowly the bear began to lose his lucidity, slowly he felt himself fading, but he would not give up, not while the self-proclaimed king of this place still breathed.

The All Mother had allowed these beasts to roam freely upon her for far too long. They were greedy, messy, numerous fleas upon her soft skin, picking away at each resource with no understanding for its purity. They bred like rodents. Their calls were loud and wrought havoc on the wind. The children of Yakwahe would have no dogs on their land. His wives would roam without their pestering, gnawing, biting.

And so when the white she-wolf called out to him in her language, he stopped in his tracks and rose up. He towered over her pathetically fine figure. She would break as easily as the other. Death becomes you, the words like a foul, ugly, demonic grumble falling from lips broken with the rips from her kin. As she launched herself, he raised a huge paw to strike her down like the little doe that she was.

As she moved, the other male pushed her from him, screaming at her just as Yakwahe's claws met his side. The bear lunged toward him as he simultaneously went for the chest. The monster felt teeth in his thick skin, and made use of his own jaws and free paw to grasp at any part of the wolf he could manage. He wanted to rip him away, to break him, to rip the stupid flag of a tail from his body. Die. He willed of it, though he felt the blood from a new wound.

just gonna drop this for lyrics

One more day we'll spend together
Let your eyes look up upon me for the better

For a moment it felt like he had succeeded, that something had gone right. This was his duty after all, to protect his loved ones. Time after time again he had tried so hard only to see death punt his efforts like a mere toy. Well, maybe it was fitting that now he could properly spit in death's face. He felt as his fangs pierced through, the liquid slowly rolling free from his hold leaving some form of sick and satisfied smirk on his maw. Like he feared though, this position had left himself fairly vulnerable and his own bite was met by a stronger one that ran hot through his chest and shoulder like a spear.

Oh, I know I'm worse for weather
But, my love, I won't give up

Despite the pain he held on, pulling and yanking as he tried to drive his own fangs deeper. It was a race to death at this point, a race he knew he likely wouldn't win, but if he was going to die here like this he would go down fighting. If he had to die today then he would make sure this fucker came with him, even if it meant dragging him down into the earth himself.

Spend my days cursing my soul
Wishing I could paint my scars and make me whole

Part of him always thought it would be Ursus to steal his life. Admittedly, it was one of the reasons he wanted to run originally, to live, even if it meant he would never see his home again. It was Polaris who convinced him to stay, she said it would be selfish of him. The thought almost made him laugh, for hadn't things just come full circle? A bear who terrorized those he loved, as he was grabbed and ripped free of his hold. The selfish desire to be the one to die, for him to be the end-all. West stumbled, a guttural groan as he coughed blood, whos at this point he was unsure. He hadn't even felt his legs go numb as he collapsed into the white.

It wasn't his fault.

It was a quiet thought, but one he had finally accepted. Ursus would have come for them either way, even if he did play a part in it, it wasn't his fault. Just like now. He had given his all, hadn't he? He would give it his all, up until the very end. This bear was but a misfortune just like every other damn bear, but no one could be blamed for its rampage. No one put it here, and he had done all he could so those that lived here could live another day. And he wasn't done. This wasn't finished, not yet. He needed to get up, he needed to fight.

Oh, I know I could be better
But, my love, I won't give up

Osiris came-to quickly, escaping the void of his unconsciousness for now. Everything about his surroundings caused alarm to stir within him; the reek of blood, the roar of canine and ursine, and the lack of Leta's voice. Spurred on with a sense of urgency, as the battle continued nearby, he weakly lifted his head and began to survey his surroundings. He was struggling, his head growing heavier by the moment, and he could feel his energy dwindling. It was Leta that kept Osiris searching; he had to know that she was okay. When he finally did find her, his heart immediately dropped. Despite her stillness, he could not accept what he saw.

Leta couldn't be dead. She still had so much life to live. Osiris could feel tears begin to prick in his eyes, causing his vision to blur. In his determination, somehow, he managed to zone out of the world around him; right now, she was his world. 

"No," he objected hoarsely through gritted teeth, as he mustered all his strength and began to drag himself towards her. Every ache and pain flared as he moved, but the lingering adrenaline and stubbornness kept him moving. Dragging himself through the snow, Osiris left a trail of blood in his wake. He was losing too much blood, and it began to slow him down. 

His breath was ragged by the time he had made it, and Osiris curled himself around Leta with the last of his energy. She was cold, lacking her usual warmth, a shell of what she used to be. Even laying beside her, he still couldn't believe it. He laid his head on her neck, pulling her close, and stared blankly into the distance, his mind slowly catching up to speed as his denial diminished. It was at this point that Osiris realized that he couldn't go on without her. His body was already beginning to give up, and without her, Osiris saw no point in fighting the inevitable.

With an efforted wheeze, he lifted his head; there was so much that he needed to say before he went. 

To @Hydra and @Dirge, he howled, "I love you." His voice was weak, but the warmth in his was unmistakable. It was all he needed to say. He had hardly ended his message when his head dropped unexpectedly, and his sides began to heave. Breathing was becoming all the more difficult, and he could feel his soul begin to lift—it was happening, but it was happening all too fast. He needed more time.

No—there was still so much that he wanted to say. 

He wanted to thank @Antares and @Atlas for their support and tell @Vega how much he had missed her recently. 

He wanted to call to subordinates and thank them—and then regret to inform them that he'd no longer be their leader.

He wanted to thank @West and @Polaris for defending what he couldn't; Firefly Glen would be in their debt. 

But soon enough ... he couldn't. 

Osiris grew still after breathing one last sigh, releasing his life's lingering regrets into the frigid, winter air.

Charles stood and watched, paralysed, as his best friend and the man that he loved were crushed. It was as if an epiphany as he watched Osiris swiped down easily by the giant bear. What a fool to undertake such a venture. But then again, he'd always been a fool — a proud fool ruled by emotion. The death of Leta hurt him more; her scream haunted him as he watched her, already long dead. He couldn't even see the shattered remains of her body at this distance, but he wasn't about to find out. Osiris wanted his revenge, but instead he found his death. Why had Leta even engaged such a dangerous affair? Charles remembered that he had said he should go along to protect her, because she was unable. Fuck, he didn't mean like this.

They were fools, both of them, but they were fools that he loved.

The only two fools he had ever loved, and Leta the only one who'd loved him back. His bestest friend. Crushed before his eyes.

Fleetingly he thought of @Bronco, @Lunaria and @Dhalia — none of which were here — and then he grit his teeth and turned around and started to run. Charles wasn't good at a whole lot of things, but he was good at running. Good at being fast, good at running away from his problems. He'd run all the way here to Firefly Glen, so why shouldn't he be able to run away this time, too?

He'd stayed for Leta, but she was gone.

He'd longed for Osiris, but he was gone.

There was nothing left here for him. Later maybe he would come to regret setting aside his new friends so easily, but currently he didn't believe them to be his friends. He'd had a taste of what it was like to be loved and have friends, and it was ripped away from under him with the death of his best friend and the object of his sick dreams.

Charles ran and ran and ran and he didn't even really know where he was going.

He just knew he had to get out of here.