Redsand Canyon 'cause baby's got a black soul

@Virion first please -- there will be a time for pack interference ^^

Aquene had been doing her best to keep herself busy. It was not a difficult task. She’d needed to replace the supplies that she had used on Glaukos and @Kallik after their fight. If she had done her math right, it would be at least another four sunsets until she saw him and felt his embrace again. She only hoped both of them were safe. The more distance she put between the situation and herself, the harder it was to hold any malice or ill will for Glaukos. The more distance there was, the more the entire situation felt like her fault and her responsibility. They were pack and that meant they were family. Perhaps if she had simply confronted him rather than running away, this could have been prevented.
 
She had taken up to trying at least a patrol a day, hoping to compensate for the mess she had made in her panic that had resulted in the temporary absence of two soldiers. She knew how to fight; she had been improving, and so this she could do, right? She was trailing along the northern edge, having just started coming from the common area, her attention sharp as she banished any wandering thoughts from her mind. She liked to think @Germanicus would be proud of the attention she paid to detail. She sought his approval as a teacher; the first real one she’d had, especially in the artforms she had recently taken up.

Tags in post for reference!

Several miles of fury and angered feet; excitement as well, but more the former. Halt came upon the hilltop, eyes looming over the earth below. 

Nothing... nothing... They scanned and scanned, but nothing was found. Again.

Nothing... nothing... wait- A shape could be seen. Sized of the norm and draped in thick, dark fur. It was her..- it had to be!

A terrifying glint befell the yellowish gaze. Feet lifted and fell, tap dancing against the surface. 

There you are, маленькая сучка.


Lifting a tight jaw, Virion sent forth a howl, directing it straight for @Aquene's ear. I'm back, and I'm here for you.

Nothing was out of the ordinary… not until the familiar haunting voice reached her ears, causing her to stop dead in her tracks… there was fear. And then? Then there was anger. So many emotions flooded her as she saw the man barreling towards her. She took up a defensive position; something in her mind told her not to run. What if he pursued her deeper into the territory? She refused to risk putting civilians like Tamar or Malila in his path. The distinct scent of his friend Ryzhov still lingered. He had not been travelling along. Shit.
 
Her own muzzle raised, a call for help. A call for the soldiers… in that moment, she desperately wished Kallik and Glaukos were there too. She hoped @Towhee, @Arsenio, or @Germanicus were nearby, but regardless she knew it would take moments for any of them to reach her. For now? She was on her own. Her muscles tensed as she simply waited, narrowed eyes and a fierce snarl that was uncharacteristic of the weak little healer Dimitri would remember falling from her lips. She would not back down and she would not go silently into the night. "Держись от меня подальше, Дмитрий."

Gondor calls for aide

Yes, look at me. Take a good long look, for this will be a face you forever remember. The beast's haunting stare dove upon her, crazed and hungry.

Virion could not see close enough to know if there was fear, but thus was hoped.

О нет, принцесса. Я никуда не поеду. Но ты. Вернись со мной ..- так или иначе!There was great determination. Virion meant what was said. She would return with him.. one way or another.

Disregarding her words entirely, the man proceeded to advance, lumbering down the mound like a bear approaching its prey. If she ran, he would give chase. But if she stayed, a skirmish would likely result. Though Virion knew the woman knew little, if anything, of how to fight, he was not an arrogant fool. Aquene loathed him; but that just made it all the more fun. It was a game and the first cards were being set out on the table.

In that moment, thoughts of Ruenna and what would happen if the injured matriarch were put into his path crossed her mind, and it led to her meeting his advances. The threat of one way or another was enough to drive her forward to meet him in combat. Somewhere along the way, the connections she had made in Mereo had prepared her to not only meet her fear, but fight him to the death if that were what necessary to keep her friends safe. The snarl ripped through her throat as she immediately lunged for his shoulder, teeth barred and snapping at him in warning. Her own neck brought tight together as a protection method just as she had learned from the Imperator.
 
She had learned a lot, and he was about to find out just how much she had changed in her absence from the Trail. She was no longer some weak medicus he could push over, trap in dens and push against. She still held terror in her heart, but it was impossible to be brave in the absence of fear. She was braver than he remembered her being, a coward fleeing the eve of their wedding.

Towhee couldn’t help but think of Kallik as she performed a perimeter sweep, recalling their recent joint patrol and the agreement to conduct an ambush. She wouldn’t get the opportunity for a few more days, seeing as he and Glaukos had been sent away for punishment. The Redhawk didn’t know the full story, though she imagined that he would want to see Aquene as soon as he returned, so maybe she would ambush them while they were having reunion sex. The thought entertained her, anyway.

All semblance of amusement left her when Towhee came upon quite the harrowing scene: a gigantic gray wolf was attacking Aquene. Perhaps it was the other way around. It was difficult to tell and she didn’t exactly stand there and assess the situation. The instant the Redhawk realized there was a skirmish on the borders involving one of her comrades, she launched herself at the monstrous figure. Towhee didn’t fuck around in situations like this and immediately aimed to kill, fangs destined for the interloper’s neck.

Aquene came for him in quick motion, just as expected. Teeth aimed, pure of rage, and hit their mark. They sunk deep unto the flesh, forcing the beast to grit his own. A trickle of blood oozed, marking a line down the limb.

Dark eyes turned furiously. Now she'd pissed him off. 

No mercy. The voice screamed within his head, reminding him of the trail's way.

Saliva bubbled along his lips, foaming harshly. Virion's jaw expanded. Then his neck curled around her, teeth aiming to clamp upon her nape and tear her off.

Before it could then be processed if the attempt had succeeded, a second wolf flashed to view.

Well.. this was surely going to hell. The interception hadn't been foreseen so soon. Perhaps Ryzhov's assistance would be required after all.

germanicus was upon towhee's tail and limned in ruenna's scent.

the guardian had the huge ashen beast on one side. the imperator moved to the other, mirroring the auxillary.

adrenaline raged through him. 

a man. one from my past.

harsh teeth sliced for the opposite side of the interloper's neck. he set his paws and swung his shoulder for the stranger's ribcage.

it was hard not to find pride in mereo for that moment.

She met her mark, satisfaction in spilling his blood. She needed it, in this moment… but she could tell from the way he harshly. His jaw was opening, and it caused her to release her grip, spinning and jutting her shoulder up so it would take the impact of his teeth and avoid allowing him access to her neck. She aimed to grab his limb in the process but miscalculated, hissing instead as she lost the ground she had made through her first attack.
 
Except there was a familiar scent, Towhee joining the fray that made her let out a breath of relief. She was not doing this alone. Her mind raced, trying to figure out what to do. She hoped the appearance of her packmate would deter him from maintaining his grip, and in that moment she even tried to shake free despite the pain that carried in her shoulder as a result. She would be fine; pain was weakness leaving her body… she just needed to get his filthy fangs off of her. Germanicus was next to appear, and she swore she could have cried at the relief in that moment. One thing did ring in the back of her mind: she was woefully unprepared.

She caught a glimpse of Germanicus’s figure charging from the intruder’s other side. Three against one were exceedingly favorable odds for Mereo, though the onslaught caused so much commotion that she missed her target. Her teeth buried themselves in the giant’s ruff instead, the folds of flesh and fur preventing her from doing any real damage.

The height difference jeopardized Towhee’s balance, as did all the movement, so she released and sprang back before she risked losing her footing. All four paws clapped hard on the frozen earth, orange eyes blazing. She could’ve assessed her pack mates’ positions versus the stranger’s, yet the Redhawk hadn’t bothered before, so why should she bother now? Even with his size, this guy didn’t stand a chance against two masterful mercenaries and a soldier-in-training.

But with the other two busy with his anterior, Towhee shifted her focus to the trespasser’s posterior. He wasn’t much different than large game at the moment, so Towhee pulled a classic hunter’s move and aimed to tear him a new asshole.

I made some assumptions, so please PM me if I need to make any edits! :)

Malila hadn't been far when Aquene's panicked cry rang out. It was easy to decipher what was wrong. An uninvited guest had strolled right into Mereo. She knew nothing of the silvered man and his past interwoven with the medic. But what she did know, was that he had chosen the wrong pack to fuck with.

Memories swept back to her, of a very similar time when she was in Rivenwood, alone with an unknown man in the territory. Only this time, her legs were not frozen in place. They were moving, carrying her swiftly to the congregation. The prickle of irritation soon turned to hot anger, upon seeing her friend attacked. But oh, she was far from alone. Their Imperator, diligent as always, was there. And Towhee, a wolf she knew only by name. 

The stern words of the Imperator on the day of their spar rang clear in her head. Don't hesitate. Don't give yourself away your plans. Silently, ears flattening, she skittered up alongside the seasoned warrior, (Towhee) snapping rows of teeth at a flailing tail. If she got hold, she'd put a nice kink in it or two.

That same, sickly scent flooded within pruned nostrils as Aquene was held by his grip. Virion held on as thought she were some chew toy; his head tossing her back and forth in playful manner.

The stranger that had joined the scuffle made aim, but failed, springing backward to prevent physical damage by her own accord. From the peripheral, the beast could then see her circle and move for another position. Snarling beneath the grip of his betrothed, Virion danced sideways, shielding his rear. Unfortunately, halfway along, his dance was stopped by a third frame. Another stranger had joined... no, two; each aimed for him.

Teeth grappled upon his neck. Heavy blows plowed against his ribcage harshly. Then a piercing within his tail. 

On any normal occasion, a battle like this would send a crude thrill within. But not this time. He was alone and there were too many opposing. Without an able moment, he could not call for an ally's aide. The only option to avoid death was to flee.

Tripping over his own paws intentionally, Virion pressed his weight against the large man at his flank. The objective was to send both sprawling aside and each other with a grip upon him to lose their balance. Aquene was released while feet scrambled to find the touch of the earth. If all were subdued for a spare moment at best, the man would flee.

the man was swiftly outnumbered.

even little malila came surging to the fore. the imperator felt that in this second she had made her choice.

the stranger thudded heavily into his own side, great weight dropping. germanicus was dragged. he disengaged at the last, refusing to be pinned beneath the greater bulk.

he saw that the interloper's teeth were not longer locked to aquene. good. her life was foremost any desire he had to keep the man here for questioning.

With two soldiers charging either end, she did not even notice Malila’s arrival into the fray. There was so much happening at once: chaos at it’s finest. Her former betrothed shook her like a chew toy, causing a harsh and pained snarl to escape her maw as she reached for anything she could get ahold of, something to make him stop… it was the presence of her packmates that made him release his grip and in that moment she staggered away, the adrenaline pumping through her body, commanding her muscles to move back in despite the injury that caused pain whenever her paw touched the ground that shot through her shoulder or the blood running down her leg from an injury that would need immediate medical attention.
 
She lunged back forward, her jaws snapping in anger now. She was furious and it forced her to push through. “ Я никогда не принадлежал тебе, Дмитрий.” The words snapped in anger at him once more. Despite it all, she did not move to physical attack him, just snap at him. She wanted him gone; she did not want his face haunting her any longer but a part of her still feared him, feared the damage he had once again proven his teeth could do, the way his touch made her skin feel like it was boiling and burning her alive.

Someone else leaped into the fray alongside her, startling Towhee so badly that she changed course entirely. By the time she realized it was more backup from Mereo—albeit, someone she recognized only by scent—the others had successfully dragged the beast to the ground, or so she thought.

In a split second, he was lurching back to his feet and trying to flee. Towhee couldn’t be sure what her comrades intended to do but if they let him escape, what would stop him from coming back? She didn’t have the first clue about his identity except that he was a threat to Mereo and could not be allowed to live.

As he bolted, Towhee gave chase with a murderous snarl.

None leapt after to pursue the fleeing man — none but the first woman to show in Aquene's aid. Virion loathed this one in particular. Then upon noticing that she refused to allow his retreat, his feet pressed into the ground, skidding his frame to a halt. With her quickened pace, she would likely have little time to slow before he reached her. Using this to his advantage, the beast lunged forward, jaw gaped, and waited for the second she would pass his snout. Once she had, he would then aim to take her nape within his grasp and fling her aside.

If this attempt were to be unsuccessful, all would be managed is simply shoving her at a distance, sending one, if not both, of them sprawling.

Before a second retreat, Virion lifted his head and sent a booming call through the air. He called for @Ryzhov.

I am coming. Beware... pursuers are anticipated.

He then turned at his heels and sprung over the side of the hill where he had begun, taking along the new wounds his new enemies had left for him to carry.

"aquene, leave." towhee's figure was swiftly retreating. "malila, go with her." there were swirled droplets of blood in the dust.

the imperator let out a sharp howl, alerting @Diesel, @Maxim, and @Arsenio of an intruder. they should stay close to mereo for the protection of the other civilians.

and then he too was racing down the canyonways, allowing his true speed to show itself as he leapt to towhee's side and joined her in murderous pursuit of their enemy.

Her teeth hit, wrapping around the spindly limb of the attackers tail. As much as she would love to bite down and twist, she remembered her training. She knew she mustn't hold on too long, for the silvered wolf was liable to whirl upon her and Towhee. 

In a blur amidst the chaos and commotion, Malila, with her smaller and lighter frame, was easily thrown aside. Tossed to the ground, she winced, but was unharmed. She scrambled to her feet, eyes flashing while the enemy bolted in retreat. Calling to someone. Ah, so he was not alone.

She nodded sharply, wordlessly to the Imperator's command. She would be more useful off the battlefield. She turned to Aquene. "C'mon. We need to get you to your den. Tell me what to do and I'll do it." She stated, with an uncharacteristic seriousness in her voice. As she left with Aquene, her blood surged, making her feel proud. Confident that they were backed by such a formidable pack.

Intending for this to be Aquene's exit from the thread -- not sure if you wanted to move the chase to another thread or keep it rolling here

The command came, Towhee running after the man as Germanicus soon bound after. She opened her maw to protest but the words didn’t come out. A part of her wanted to continue this fight; it was her fight… but she also doubted she could keep up with the pain that shot through her every moment she took a step… so instead she sighed, nodding to the other plebian. “Slowly.” She pleaded softly, a wince any time she put weight on the paw her shoulder was connected to.

 
“We need to get this bleeding under control and get it cleaned up before we can do anything else.” She offered once more so that way Malila would know how to start treatment. It was truly time for her to start learning. Before now all they’d had to consult was pain, stiffness, and soreness, but this was a wound. She only hoped the others avoided any harsh injuries. She had heard Dimitri’s call, and she knew who he was calling to. Ryzhov was a grunt of a man, but loyal to the end it would appear. She knew of his distain for women as well.
 
Without further ado, they made their way towards the tablinum.

Without warning, the intruder ground to a halt. It was such a suspicious maneuver, Towhee denied the impulse to rocket forward and close the distance between them. Instead, she slowed too, wary of flinging herself into a one-on-one brawl with such a large rival without at least assessing the situation first.

He made a threatening move toward her, jaws snapping, but Towhee remained out of reach. She glanced around to see if anyone else had joined the pursuit and saw Germanicus closing rank. But her orange eyes quickly snapped back to the gray beast, watching as he sent up an unheard howl.

Spotting an opportunity, Towhee crouched and leaped for the stranger’s exposed throat.

If Virion already exited the thread, we can just say she missed, lol.

the man sped away, blood flowing from many wounds.

towhee was valiant. germanicus slowed and set his eyes upon her. he gave a stalwart nod and turned back toward their borders.

he would assist aquene where needed and then go to give his report to ruenna. mereo had heard his calls. 

the canyon must now be upon alert.

I figured it was okay to post and wrap, but let me know if I need to make any revisions or revivals! :)

When the intruder escaped into the distance, Towhee could only stand there, catching her breath and reeling. She could not comprehend how a wolf—even one the size of an elephant, like that guy—could run away under his own power after being outnumbered by a pack of trained soldiers.

Her orange eyes roved around until they found the Imperator. He gave her a look and she could only stare back at him in dismay. Towhee said nothing, though she did return his nod and then reluctantly shadowed his footsteps back to Mereo.