Noctisardor Bypass [raid] going deeper underground

For the Ursus raid! if it gets too big a thread, i may work with rounds to keep it moving. <3
@Aventus @Arielle @Indra III @Abel Redleaf

There's no time to answer any questions, Laurel told Indra, who doubtlessly wanted to know what was going on. Abel wasn't here and she worried for him, but she needed to do what she could. First priority was to get Indra safe. We have to go now. I'll get your brother later. Laurel considered her options very quickly while ushering Indra out of their den in dawnleaf forest. She didn't think she'd ever see Merrick again. Not after seeing Bearclaw Valley empty. Now it seemed he was back, and he was out for blood. It didn't take a genius to guess whose blood he was gunning for.

After considering all options — leaving Rivenwood altogether, finding pack mates, finding Mahler — Laurel decided that her best chance was to head deeper into Rivenwood's center and hopefully find @Mahler. She did not call for him, only tried to track his scent as best she could while she hurried the children along. Laurel knew, though, that she would be slower than Merrick or whoever of his dogs he would send for them; she, after all, had a confused child to guide as well, and she wasn't as fast as her mother. Maybe she should just leave Indra with Mahler when she found him. Maybe they could get away; Merrick didn't know she had children, after all. Yet the thought was utterly unappealing and went against Laurel's instincts to fight when pressured. There had to be another way. Mahler would know what to do, surely, and so she kept searching for him, rushing the children, heading deeper into the territory.

laurel kept her den well-hidden. on this day mahler was grateful for her reticence. he retraced his steps, but now there are was no reason to check to see if a wolf followed.
he knew that they did.
there was to his knowledge one way into the bypass and out of it. now their way into rising sun was blocked by the tangling wolves.
somewhere among them was wylla.
he had not gone to the border after all.
mahler, grim and silent, wended through the deepening brush as the trail of indra and laurel darkened into shadow. eventually he announced himself with a low tone.
"they vill be here soon," he said in a level voice. his eyes fell to indra. abel was not here. 
the man's heart sank as he looked on laurel's face, mostly hidden by nightblack as here the trees had twisted into the opposite of the woodland's namesake.
"come. there is a cave." if he had known that the boy would not be with his mother, he would have stopped to find him. no matter now. the wolves came for laurel.

Indra was dead asleep when the screaming voices came, and woke to a frenzied mother. Laurel hurried her to stand and go, and Indra felt herself herded along at first. Stumbling, confused and disoriented, in to a run alongside her mother's flank.

Mum, where is Abel? She thought to ask, but didn't. Looking one way then another quickly, seeing a shape emerge nearby and sweep towards them. Indra wedged herself against Laurel until she saw it was Mahler, but even then the girl was full of questions.

Laurel wasn't interested in explaining. That left her daughter more dejected than anything, but there wasn't time. The man mentioned a cave.

Who --? she asked aloud of the man, looking between the adults while trying to be brave. Indra wanted to understand what was happening.

With the directions to Laurel's den, they set out to find her. As they got closer, she could tell they may not have found it if it wasn't for the Rivenwood girl's betrayal. Arielle had once been afraid of many things, fear itself included, but now she welcomed it because fear revealed who was weak and who was strong. The girl had been weak, and so Ursus had gained an advantage.

Fresh scents filled her nose as they got closer. She nipped excitedly at the bruin-jaw's shoulder before sending up a call to the rest of Ursus and @Merrick specifically. Soon the bruin-witch would have his aunt and the bear would have its sacrifice.

She'd snaked along the trail Mahler had left behind, assuming it would lead somewhere of value. But with more caution than before- lest she be caught be surprise once more by the dark man who had tossed her aside like a ragdoll with one his of his shoulder. She still felt confident she could outrun him- but if he managed to sneak up on her again...

She was surprised, then, to see another set of tracks rejoin his set of tracks from earlier- and more pleased to see that they belonged to the same wolf. Doubling back now? It meant indeed that he had something to protect. She heard Arielle call out- she wasn't far away, so Æsilfír added her voice to the chorus, shuddering with anticipation before she picked up her gait. She could see the two of her leaders in the distance, and moved forward to join them.

merrick & abel are the furthest behind i think (if thats good w u muttn!) so this is a cameo for now as they follow

merrick was merciless as he kept pace with the boy (@Abel Redleaf.)
his teeth did not allow deviation without punishment; he was drunk upon the fear reeking in the pretty forest. here he gathered the tracks of his son and arielle, then the heavier reek of the raided pack's leadership.
"keep moving," he hissed, driving the child deeper into the undergrowth after those who had come before.
laurel's presence hit him sidelong; merrick paused to snarl darkly into the shadows.
"auntie?" he called in a sing-song voice.

let's work with rounds since so many joined - i'll start a new round in 3 days, or when everyone (except Merrick bc of cameo) has posted. <3

It hurt Laurel that Indra was so confused. It made sense that she didn't know what was going on, and Laurel didn't know how to even explain it to her daughter. How could she possibly? She just hoped that Merrick would not find out about the existence of her children, because he would know to use it against her. Laurel didn't think that Merrick cared so deeply about hurting her that he would send his pack after Rivenwood like this.

Oh, but dearest, you don't know half how fun it is to hurt you, Iliksis' venomous voice hissed in her head as she hurried Indra along.

Finally they found Mahler, and relief flooded Laurel. Mahler! she breathed out in a hushed but relieved voice. Mahler suggested a cave, and Laurel nodded. Yes. Abel would have to wait until Indra was safe. She really did want to rescue him, and she was worried for him, but right now there wasn't anything that she could do. Not without sacrificing Indra's safety.

Indra asked a single thing — 'who'. Laurel wanted to explain it to her, but right now she had no time. It'll be okay, sweetie, she instead said softly as she firmly nuzzled her shaking her nose into Indra's forehead. I'll explain everything when we're safe.

Laurel again thought to send Indra with Mahler (even though every instinct she had shouted no to that idea — she needed to protect her little girl!). She was distracted by the howl for Merrick, which sent a shiver down her spine. They were closing in on them. Go, she told Mahler. Take Indra. I don't know if Merrick knows they even exist, but if they see her, they'll know. I'm faster on my own. I'll try to throw them off my scent. Laurel firmly hugged Indra, wrapping a paw across her daughter's back and pulling her in close. I'll see you soon, sweetie. Listen to everything Mahler says — Mama will be back soon.

Laurel had never been a hero, but she knew that Indra and Mahler would only slow her down. Alone, not needing to think about anyone, Laurel stood a better chance — and so did Indra and Mahler. Laurel flashed both of them a last quick glance, especially Mahler — a silent contract was forged for him to keep her daughter safe, but also a chance for him to convince her that he had a better idea than hers — before she would leave them.

I was working on this yesterday but got really busy and never had a chance to finish, so I hope it's still cool to join.

The den was well hidden. These wolves were not stupid after all. Yet in their midst was a traitor, a selfish girl more concerned with self-preservation than her packmates, and that proved to be their undoing. Aventus could not take his mind off Druid's blanched expression, how easily she had betrayed Laurel's location to them. It gave him heart that this pack was so weak. Its ties were superficial if they existed at all. No true wolf of Ursus would betray their own in such a fashion.

He returned Arielle's nip by buffeting her with his tail. Fresh scents up ahead excited him. If not for her, he wasn't sure he would condone this whole situation. What had those of Rivenwood done to Ursus besides Laurel? But with her beside him, he found he wanted to shed these wolves' blood indiscriminately. Hurt them before they could hurt her or any other wolf of Ursus. That was their mistake with the Saints and it was a mistake he would not make again.

He canted his head and pricked his ears at the sound of voices ahead. Exchanging a fervent grin with Arielle, he cut through the undergrowth with more haste toward the sound of them, making no effort to hide his breathing or the thudding of his paws. He wanted to smell their fear and taste the way they panicked when they knew Ursus was right on their heels.

do u guys wanna do laurel > aventus > mahler > indra > arielle > ash? <3

mahler looked at laurel's face. he watched her kiss indra, heard the unsteadiness beneath every breath she drew. it came to pass that as he looked back behind them, where surely the dogs of ursus bayed along their trail, he discovered there would be no other plan.
if indra was paramount — no time to confront her, to demand why she did not speak of her son — then mahler would guard her fiercely. the younger wolves within the bypass were more fleet; he would hope for their escape; mahler, shattering as he realized he could not gather each and every wolf within his packland and guard them.
he reached out and firmly pushed indra behind him. the amethyst eyes again held laurel's own. 
he wanted to tell her a route; he wanted to command that they remain together —!
indra. they wanted laurel and she thought only of her daughter.
"i vill meet you at the glacier."
mahler turned and hustled indra away, uncaring if she cried out or attempted to stay. she was not the size of an infant, but he was larger, and her mother meant for her life to be in his care.

Her mother had never looked so heartsick before in all of Indra's life. There was strain in her voice that didn't fit. Even as Laurel tried to assuage some of Indra's worries with kindness, she was swift to revoke it as well — telling her to go; giving her daughter away.

I want to stay with you! Indra found herself protesting with all her heart. Even as she pled in this way, her mother's voice carried over her: I'm faster on my own.

And somewhere among the shadows of the thicket, a sing-song voice calling, Auntie...

Indra had turned her attention to that voice right as her mother pulled her in for a desperate strangehold of a hug, and the next thing the girl knew, she was being shoved behind Mahler and told to run.

I— mum! Tears spread across the tangerine of her eyes, making the image of Laurel scatter and distort. Indra struggled against Mahler but it was no use, she couldn't get around the wall of his body.

Don't leave me! MUM! Indra shouted sharply as she was finally herded off, directed away from the only home she'd come to know.

She heard the voices too, and met her mate's grin with one of her own, sharing in his excitement. The bruin-jaw practically glowed with anticipation; she thought she could feel the heat of it searing into her heart and feeding her appetite for violence—violence demanded by the bear. 

Arielle heard the bear kings voice nearby, calling out to Laurel. She knew they were close to getting what they came here for. The bruin-heart said a silent prayer to the spirit to guide them.

Her prayer was answered; she saw the fleeing form of a wolf that fit the description given to her by Merrick. She nudged Aves' shoulder as she picked up speed, but he likely saw the same thing. She sent another call out into the sky, calling for Ursus to follow them.

eta: the posting order works for me <3

Yup yup yup :)

The anticipation made her reel with excitement. She spotted Arielle and Aventus- just as Arielle called out, summoning the trailing crew to follow as another wolf jetted off in the distance. With each quick puff of air she exhaled a short, high-pitched whistle. Merrick's singsong voice was not far behind. She paused. With Arielle and Aventus now hot on Laurel's trail, she felt it might be wise to conserve her energy and lag behind them just enough for Merrick to get caught up with her. 

So she prawled around the area, still keen on the scent of the male wolf who's bludgeoned hed earlier. His scent led forward still. She had only seen one wolf fleeing, and Aventus and Arielle had gone after her. It meant that Mahler was still at large, and potentially still a threat.

She tried to analyze what was happening, and found herself wishing they'd gone in with a bit more of a plan. Maybe Arielle and Aventus could have been sent in with the intention of finding Laurel and herding her back to the others; they might still choose to do so, considering the fact the Ursus wolves were split up, but there was no way to communicate that message now without Laurel also hearing it. 

Unless- 

There was this bear of theirs. She had yet to embrace any form of faith, herself, but there was no better time to start directing herself to it than the present. If there was any real substance behind their belief, she willed for it to relay a message to the two bear-wolves who roamed ahead- to shepherd their target, if at all possible, toward herself and Merrick.

She didn't know how to convey the thought or prayer or whatever it was- she simply closed her eyes for a moment and willed the thought into the atmosphere. When she opened them, she caught sight of Merrick approaching in the distance- but he wasn't alone. She eyed the other for a moment before turning her willing gaze back to him- an eager subject, begging to please.

sure, that's also fine with me :)

Laurel knew that she had to be strong, now. But then again, dearest, you've never been known to be strong, have you? the venomous voice inside her head called. She'd pulled away Indra from Merrick to search for her own children, and now she was pushing away her own child because she thought it was the right thing to do. And look how he turned out. A monster. A maniacal monster.

It was hard to be strong when Indra pleaded with her, saying that she wanted to stay with. I know sweetie, but it's safer if you don't, Laurel said with a shaky voice during their hug together, trying to argue logic against Indra's heart-wrenching words.

Do you think she'll ever forgive you?

The words hissed in her head as Indra's heart-rending shouts for her mother tore open the forest. Laurel had already begun her dash but —

But you've never been known to be strong —

She just couldn't —

Couldn't do that to Indra, even though she knew in her head that she was doing it for her daughter. That it was right. That it was the most selfless thing she'd ever done.

But you've never been known to be particularly selfless, have you?

Laurel turned back towards Mahler and Indra and ran to catch up with them. She knew it was the wrong thing to do, but she couldn't leave her poor child — her poor baby — alone. She'd rather die in her daughter's arms than lose her in the rubble of this fight. She didn't even notice the wolves that were hot on her trail as she called out to Mahler and Indra to let them know she was coming: Indra! Mahler!

he had been wrong to let laurel go. mahler had told himself that it was better to attempt a split than let them both be savaged here today. 
but no sooner had he turned away and made for the small cave than laurel returned. the echoing plaintive cry made the gargoyle's skin prickle with fear.
in another handful of seconds, ursus would be upon them. mahler grunted and pulled the woman toward him. indra was pushed into her arms. "go to the cave. now. vhen it is quieter in this voodland, leave it. go left along the lagoon and get out of rivenvood."
mahler did not pause now. he drew away from the pair and crossed back along his tracks, roaring a challenge between the darkened shadows.
the man lunged for the first wolf that separated from the gloom. his jaws would hold nothing back. he placed his massive frame across the trail, prepared to fight for as long as he was able.
run, laurel

Indra! Mahler!

That was interesting. It was almost enough to give Aventus serious pause. Indra — his grandmother — was dead before he was even born. At least, she was supposed to be. Merrick killed her. It seemed she might be quite alive, though, and that meant their targets now numbered two.

Aventus surged along the male wolf’s tracks. Her mate, he assumed. Just a roadblock. They would simply go around him and continue. He popped out onto the path — directly into Mahler’s jaws.

A snarling yelp ripped from him when Mahler lunged and seized his shoulder. The wolf was a boulder, much bulkier than Aventus could hope to be even if he stuffed himself with twenty fat beavers. His jaws were large and menacing. Not a beast to take head on, but now all that Aventus’ mind focused on was Arielle. Protect Arielle. Do not let this bastard get Arielle.

He hoped she would run on after Laurel and Indra. He could hear Ash baying behind them and Merrick was surely close by. There would be back up soon. Let him occupy this behemoth. Aventus peeled back his lips and did his best to embrace the pain in his shoulder, channeling it into rage as he struck for the side of Mahler’s neck.

It was hard to know where to go. Mahler pulled her partway and when she could run of her own volition, her legs felt like stone. She hurried with blurred eyes until a distant voice called out and Indra whipped her head back, in time to see — MOM!

Indra would have run to her mother if there was any time; Mahler shoved them together and gave orders to them both. Directions. Indra pressed against Laurel desperately and wasn't listening.

They were on the move again, with Mahler blocking the path — and Indra saw something large and dark careen in to him, forced herself to blink and look away, even as an unnatural sound erupted from the pathway — !

The girl hurried through the cave, gasping for air, churning her legs, trying so hard to keep up with her mother while panic radiated from every inch of her body.

Maybe the better tactic would have been for Arielle to keep going and leave the bruin-jaw to occupy the large Rivenwood wolf. Maybe it was the stronger thing to do, but the moment she heard Aves cry out in pain, she could think of nothing other than protecting him. Her heart jumped into her throat and panic pooled in her stomach. She knew she shouldn't fear, but she could not lose him. Suddenly all she could do was be afraid that he would be taken from her. 

She knew the others were close; surely they would be able to track Laurel and whoever was with her. The bruin-heart skidded to a stop and turned back to sprint towards where her mate and their enemy fought. She picked up as much speed as she could and when she was close enough, Ariell leaped through the air at the man. She aimed to sink her bite into the other side of his neck; whatever she could do to make him let go of Aves. Individually, they might not be a match for the man but together, they leveled things out more. He couldn't focus on them both at once, and that's what she was banking on using against him.

merrick lunged;
the boy before him; @Abel Redleaf driven like a calf to the charnel house;
and in his mind the cadence of death, and in his heart the resplendence of life;
merrick ran, snapping upon the boy's heels and not quite closing, hot breath a rush as though it were a snort from the nostrils of some apocalyptic horse. the songs, the snarls: the beginning — oh, aunt laurel, i am coming for you
and then perhaps merrick might at last be able to die, to be ended, to lie headless in eternal repose with her his blackbird — ah! corvid queen flashing alongside him, her indigo eyes alight, alight, alight, with the glory of the kill!
his single eye snapped to ash (@Chacal); and with a cunning thrust of his muzzle he aimed to trip the boy into her grasp. "laurel's child," merrick rasped. the four syllables would illustrate their insurance in the shrinking, dirtied child that the hunted had left out for ursus to find.
ahead; his son grappled with a stone mass of a man, and arielle sliced out with her own glittering fangs.
merrick did not pause to help.
the bruin-witch shot beyond the trio, headed for the path ahead where his aunt's scent had thickened, overlaid with terror and mingled with the;
another child
"you've been busy," merrick cackled, hard paws pounding along the trail.

With shepherding jaws Merrick herded the youngster toward her. Cruelly, he spoke- and Æsilfír understood with wicked pleasure why it was Merrick had been driving the child forward, and what he intended for her to do. Snarls she could hear, the gnashing of teeth; Arielle and Aventus were engaged. Merrick sprang forward- and Æsilfír was left to guard the child with the clear, blue eyes. 

She had her own little hostage, now. She intended to keep him clear of the fray; close enough at hand that his life could be bargained for, but the only way she;d manage to keep him secure would be if nobody intervened. 

"You- on the ground, now." She barked. "Yer gonna stay wit' me, an' yer gonna do h'exactly wot I tell ye, or I'll make you do it, got it?" She hissed, teeth bared. She loomed with a leer. She meant her threat to be earnest. If he chose to run, she'd run him down and make him regret it.

Never before had he ran at such a speed. His legs felt as though they would shatter with each heavy step. His lungs were set aflame and they screeched with agony within his chest. Abel wished so badly to stop. Have the beast who snapped at his heels have his way with him. He couldn’t afford that though. It wasn’t him the man wanted.
MOM! He cried out to her, praying she’d appear safe and sound. But to his fright he could not see her through a wall of tears. Nor could he see the woman he was being herded towards.
Abel collided into her and immediately collapsed at her feet. He watched Merrick’s form bound forward towards the sound of snarls and cries and snapping jaws.
No-! As he began to stand he was ordered down to the floor again. He obeyed out of shock. Soon after he whipped around to see a face full of teeth.
He sat there, shaking and staring, for what felt like an eternity. Despite her threats Abel was tempted to run. He had to save his mother from these horrible wolves. But the instinctual rush he had when the man first told him of his plan was beginning to drain. Pure fear of his own life being stolen from him took its place.
Guilt firmly gripped his heart. The kind he felt when he was caught playing too rough with his sister. Or waking his mother for a fishing trip. Or anytime Laurel would scold him. There’s an ounce of familiarity to this feeling, only it was far greater now.
D-Don’t hurt her, he begged with a trembling voice. Please. She didn’t do anything. This- this isn’t fair!
Don’t - he choked on the next words with a sob. - k-kill her! I don’t want my mommy to die. Tell them - tell them to stop! 
His voice grew louder and more frantic. Please j-just stop! Tell them, please! Until it turned into an indecipherable mess of screams and pleads and crying.

Relief flooded her for a brief moment when Mahler and Indra came into view. She pressed close to both of them for a moment, but she knew there was no time for happy reunions. Mahler told them to go, and Laurel was nowhere near selfless enough to not let Mahler sacrifice himself for their escape. Besides, it wasn't him they wanted, she told herself; they wanted her, not him!

In the distance, between the fighting going on, Laurel thought she heard Abel's voice call out for her. Was it just her mind playing tricks on her? Was it just the guilt gnawing at her that he wasn't here with her and Indra? She bit her tongue not call out to him, because she knew it would give their position away. Laurel bit back tears at the thought of poor, frightened Abel. The guilt was overwhelming, but not as overwhelming as the desire to keep herself and Indra safe. She rushed forward towards a cave — presumably the cave that Mahler meant, but everything was a bit of a blur for her, now — and she rushed Indra along, while mumbling, It'll be alright, we'll be alright, though she was trying to reassure herself, perhaps, just as much as she was Indra.

She heard Merrick's insane cackling behind them. How was he still on her trail? Laurel gnawed on her lip and she didn't look back as she hurried her daughter through the cave, hoping that she was taking the right direction, and hoping that she wouldn't run into any dead ends...

for clarity, laurel, indra, and merrick have split into this thread and so will no longer be included in current thread rounds <3

mahler sawed his head back and forth with vicious tearing. blood weltered along the side of his throat. the boy he had grabbed was hard and rangy; he twisted harshly in the graf's teeth, straining the ability of his own muscles. agony seared into being as the other ursus wolf grabbed his ruff, ripping through with silverwhite teeth that brought blood immediately in a well.
there was a third beyond; abel's terrified cries haunted the man.
you have failed
where was wylla? phaedra? sequoia? he counted them all with a fierce desperation that they had escaped, that his wife had somehow gathered them and led them from this. but he knew she would never depart in such a way, and it meant that she still grappled with ursus wolves inside rivenwood.
elsewhere, a place mahler could not be.
merrick! streaking beyond them, the — cave!
no
mahler forced his mind to stratagem. releasing the male would guarantee three stood before him renewed; refusal to relinquish meant the possible maiming of one whilst two ended his own life; he held the biting down for a moment and then ripped up and away;
the ursus wolf thrown as harshly as he was able; a snarling breath cutting from his throat and a bison's thickened snort before he rounded heavily upon the young female, seeking to crush her smaller frame and thereby end the more delicate of his enemies.
head filling with red, heart wheeling. mahler did not know how long he might be able to keep this stand, but keep it he must.

I didn’t realize it was my turn, my bad on the delay!

He knew Mahler was not the kind of wolf to approach offensively. The man was a brute, a great dark wall set firmly in their path. Aventus knew all this, and went for a frontal assault anyway, believing it would give Arielle time to snake past and pursue their real target.

Only Arielle did not do that; it was Merrick who tore past both his fellow leaders on the trail of Laurel, and Arielle joined him in assaulting the colossus that was Mahler.

He did not know if his heart would sooner burst from a sudden rush of love and loyalty or a crushing rage that she would endanger herself like this. He did not have time to ponder it; he was wrenched side-to-side, blood spilling from his shoulder, which went numb with how blinding the pain of it was. In return, Aventus chewed into the side of the man’s neck, not deep enough, no, not close enough to be fatal—!

Then he was torn free and sent off his feet. Only a very short distance, but far enough that he could not regain his balance he landed, instead careening full-force into a tree. A sharp yelp and hiss of agony drowned out the very gentle crack as one of the ribs that broke when he was four months old fractured anew.

Aventus’ silver eyes lit up bright with pain and with anger; he bared his teeth and tried to force himself forward again, but was stunned for several beats, during which he could only watch in horror as Mahler turned next to his mate.

nw! <3

The bruin-heart refused to release the man's flesh as she was lifted up. She thought he was trying to free himself from her but she heard the cry of pain from her mate that came from somewhere behind them. Panic and rage surged within her and made a potent mixture in her veins. She could feel her heart beat in her throat. She wanted to rush over to Aves and make sure he was alive—no, she couldn't let her thoughts go there yet; she needed to focus on the Rivenwood wolf whose blood still seeped into her mouth from where she held on. If she gave up now, he would just kill her, and then it would all be for nothing. 

He lifted her from the ground again and she snarled around her mouthful. Then she felt them both headed for the ground. She didn't want to let him go, but if she allowed him to land on top of her, he would surely crush her. She couldn't allow him that victory.

Still, she lost precious seconds as she decided what to do, and even though she let go and tried to move out of the way, he still landed awkwardly and painfully on her hind end. Her own yelp of pain filled the air before she turned back on the wolf with snapping teeth, attempting grab hold of him again. This time, if she was successful, she would throw her head from side to side. She let the pain and anger fill her until it became vicious determination. He would pay for hurting her mate.

o yeah forgot ash & abel left to their own thread too smfh

one down, the girl turned with her jaws upon him. mahler snapped for her teeth and lunged forward, shouldering into the woman's hip.
laurel was not safe.
wylla was not safe.
the graf felt her jaws seize him just beneath his ear; there they latched and her slender form came with mahler as she tried to shake her away. the man growled, butting against her. 
but the ursus wolf was sinewy and hard-bodied despite her youth; she was not so easily dislodged.
blood rushed freely along his neck where the male had slashed him, and now it mingled with that rushing from the clench of her fangs.
mahler was not as young as these two, he only bore his own skill, and desperation dulled the agony. he closed his jaws on any part of the ursus woman he was able to reach.