Qeya River thorn blood

THIS IS A RAID

@Senka @Ksura @Kaaya Ayad. this is also an opportunity for @Anselm & @Ilse to try an escape :o the purpose of this is to also sort out QR's fate/leadership

in the end, if he wanted red leaf or ghelan back, yikaas understood he must put down a place until the man recovered. he owed the caribou hunter a debt.

he had threatened the girl with a beating, speaking of his powers at tracking and discovery if she tried to leave. "watch him," he grunted of the injured, weakened man. raising his arm once as if to cuff her, yikaas stared hard at the pair and left them on the moraine.

the river was cold, its winding ways sweet to his thirst. and here was a pack with no leaders spraying scent upon the borderlands. he was hungry, but more than that, yikaas saw how this place was defensible, fed by coldness. ice. snow.  he wanted the long march. it must first have a head. he saw now how a lanzadoii man must adjust in this world.

yikaas crossed the borders and shouted for audience, challenging whoever still roamed the land to come to him and say why they should keep it. he was stronger. he was a hunter, a fierce warrior who could hold the river. he demanded that they come.

how long would they be gone? how long would she tell ksura that they might return soon? she knew he had lost his own son but the women’s children had come first, a wife had come first.

but who remained?

the bullheaded man was not unexpected. she had seen this type of occurance before. so very rare, but so very real. he sought to challenge leadership, but who remained?

her explanation was one of furious teeth as she charged to him. she might have once liked him for this displayed strength, she might have use for him, but for now he was only a thorn in her side. in dire needs of being dealt with before she could know what to do with him.

Ash had been at her altars. Though outwardly she showed no signs she fretted after Silver missing and now Darrow and her heart ached. Perhaps next year she would take herbs to keep her self from reproducing. Though she'd be lying if she said she worried for Wren which was a cruelty,but Ash was not a kind woman at all times.


Ash Star heard the summons and she was irate. She may no longer be a leader, but she was damned if she'd let someone take it without a fight.

Haughty and prideful she swept to the borders. Glacial gaze glaring and dissecting. What she had hoped to be a peaceful conversation was rendered useless. And thus she moved to join the fray. She did not know this wolf Senka well. But she was fighting and thus Ash would too.

cameo to dust the cobwebs off

Where a boisterous young boy had been was now subdued and nervous. Both his mothers were gone. Just gone. And Ash Star though she took care of him was not as warm as mother's.

He heard the call saw the battle and ducked behind tree coverage. Tail tight against his legs. So scared he peed himself. But didn't move. He closed his eyes as tight as he could. And he prayed as hard as he ever had before to gods he didn't even beleieve in.

Ksura bolted upright at the sound of the shouts, and feathers fell from his lips. He'd been eating a bird, but the sound of a rabbe-rouser stirred him into action, and without a second thought, he bolted toward the border. 

On his mind, two thoughts: he wasn't the leader, and he wasn't sure where Wren or Silvertongue were. The former had been searching...And the latter, it seemed, had not yet been found. It was not likely his place to accept a challenge on their behalf, but it was not something he could turn a blind eye to. The other thought was for Senka- part of him knew that she, too, would rise to the occasion- and he was right. 

Senka and Ast Star had charged ahead, and in the interest of saving his strength for the fight, Ksura continued on at a gallop, not pushing himself into a full-out run so that he could assess the situation, and strike where he saw the most opportune opening. 

He caught Rowyn's scent, but couldn't see the boy. He could only hope he would stay out of harm's way.

@Ksura @Senka @Ash Star, next round & no posting order! <3

qeya river sent its horde of teeth to the caribou man's challenge.

a hunter,  a woman, swept forward first. "no leader?" yikaas snarled loudly as they collided. her teeth were quick and hot, laying his ear open almost at once.

but only when the second woman and the man came did yikaas begin to consider his own folly. their fangs ringed him on all sides; he whirled and bucked and snapped, red running in rivulets from a half-dozen punctures now scattered through his dark fur.

"no leaders!" he roared again, pain lancing his body. a retreat began, but yikaas repaid each step he was forced to give up.

Ash snarled. I have been leader and am trusted in place.

She snapped and pushed forward. Her anger paramount. She tasted his blood and she splashed it scross herself as she fought. Tiny but mighty. She had been raised among queens.  He may rip her apart. Many of his fang bites drove tree. She bore wounds upon her torso, her face. Her one leg was bleeding freely. But she fought anyway even if she was not the best.

if i misunderstood anything please feel free to PM me! also i welcome more turmoil so feel free to disagree or go against senka if it fits :)

his teeth as hot against her flesh as his words. old scars reopened beneath hits. she would not forget his strength to both open her skin and raid them in this moment.

the voice of one of the few members left was not lost upon her. yet she did not see it as a declaration. only a thing that had once been, that she was trusted to watch over. senka did not wish this to be in debate! she did not want this man to think his chants were true and that he might return with another hunter or two! if he had the want in him to raid them properly, it would not take much.

his teeth scored her cheek. it was not a snarling sound that escaped her now, but her own declaration of intent. it will be mine to lead and defend! not his, never his.

this did not have to be forever, but it could be such for now. details could be decided, could be debated when it was not a stranger here to challenge it. yet she knew a stake must be made before him.

why not her? why not one who had stayed in the face of turmoil?

Ash will not take that nicely. I am guessing since there is no posting order I can post again? But if not let me know and I will delete it. 

Another declaration of war against them. A woman who had not been here as she had. A girl who did not know her place. Her eyes flashed and she turned teeth towards Senka and she struck as hard as she could. 

TRAITOR!!! USURPER!!!! YOU DO NOT GET A SAY IN THAT REGARD.

Ash Paw had never been so angry in her life. This bitch had come to the borders had been given a place and as soon as the backs of the leaders were turned, she in the midst of a fight for their borders sang her own war chant.

Ash Paw would fight them both if she must. The teeth the claws all of it. She struck both as many times as necessary. Her tawny pieces of pelt turning dark with red. The whites the same. Her sooty paw was no longer the color of soot she fought. Both. None. They were all enemies now. She didn't care if she died. This was not happening today. 

It can be safe to assume that if you do not want me to edit this. That Ash Paw will turn teeth and claws on both and Ksura if he tries to step in.

Snarling and hurling accusations, the trespasser recoiled when met by three territorial packmates. To Ksura, his words were meaningless and thus spurred no response. Wren and Silvertongue were their leaders- and in they had left in their absence a trio of capable packmates who defended the borders. 

Or so he thought. 

He could see reason for Ash Star to step up- she had led the group before, and the laurels of leadership had suited her well in her time. A bluff, he thought- merely words to assure the stranger that they-

What. That they had leadership? That there was no dispute? 

All dashed to pieces when Senka stepped forward and issued her own claim. Ksura’s head snapped up in surprise, so fast that his teeth clicked together. 

With the unwelcome stranger as a witness, it all came to a head. Now, he saw an opportunity-

An opportunity to get out of the way, to avoid having to choose between Ash Star and Senka-

So he chose to charge the unwelcome bystander instead, and leave the quarrel to the women.

no posting order!

twice his barbed insults were issued! twice they found their mark. 

the first proclaimed. the second denied. the caribou hunter lunged backward, out of reach; jaws swinging hard for the man as he continued to back quickly the way he had come.

glee? power? disappointment? all he felt beneath these things was fear.

Ash continued her onslaught. To both. Though now Ksura was in her way to get to the man. So Senka felt hr wrath more. She would deal with him later. He had brought the traitor into their midst. This woman who had no right.

There was a deep malice in Ash Star. She called upon her gods specifically Sos in this regard asking for the strength to see this through.

She was not a fighter in most regards. But she had teeth, she had claws for a reason. She would not stop. This man and that woman would leave or she would kill them, or she would die trying. There was no inbetween.

consider this an exit

traitor to who! usurper to what! how could she have no say in any of it when this was meant to be her home too? the woman treated her as if she was worse than the lone raider.

senka did not fight back.

where was ksura? where was the man?

she was being herded by violence, treated as less than for defending this place. for doing what she had promised to do. why? why?

she did not fight back and each puncture against her skin was a stone against her heart. the woman was quick and small, warrior or no. she was looking for men, she was looking for ksura.

something in a hind leg was giving beneath teeth. something deep and searing in a way her adrenaline would not let her feel fully yet. perhaps the man had placed it there and now the woman accelerated it. maybe the woman had put it there all herself.

it was clear she was wished as dead as the man.

she did not understand it. she did not strike retaliation. in this way she thought she might show her intent, that she had no ill will. even when one who was supposed to be trusted turned against those who remained.

the leg was faltering. she felt no better than an old doe, limping in her run now. weakening with each blow. she meant now to follow the river down into the stream beyond their claim. she could not go far, she refused, but she knew she must be out of reach of this woman’s teeth.

she should have defended herself, but that would not be defending the river.

again, where was ksura? where was the man? lost in her bloodied view as if they had never been there at all.

she wondered if she’d ever know.

The trespasser slammed into him, and  snapping bites made stars swim before Ksura’s eyes- and whatever adrenaline he’d been lacking before, it came to him now. He had to get through the pain, to forget the confusion, and to get this peace-disturber off their territory before eventually returning to the headache of heirarchy. 

He growled and snapped, and once the man was in motion Ksura lowered his head to snap at heels he hoped would wing the man away from their backlands. 
”Go away!” He shouted with a harsh growl.

was gonna pull him out but the RP gods said nah. he's still fighting; currently his wounds include toothmarks to his shoulders/nape/face, clawmarks along his side, and someone has gotten to clip off his right eartip!

one woman exploding in fury for both!

he might have continued but the odds had shifted for him. he did not see the powerful huntress moving in injured flight from the packlands as he chose to back away no longer, but turn in a hard blow.

where she had been tall as him, rangy, the proclaimed leader was far smaller and her counterpart was made for running.

the man shouted at him. yikaas sneered and struck toward the multi-hued woman, seeking to bow her first.

his rout had been assured, but now the caribou man sought the horrible strength inside himself to stand against two sets of ripping teeth.

he grabbed for her muzzle, her throat, her eyes.

dice gods have spoken. Throat and fatal. Ebony if you're uncomfortable with that let me know

As she chased the usurper Senka from the pack lands. She was not prepared for the beast that had come to their borders to turn his teeth to her. She had misjudged the beast.

His teeth rang true and she felt the terrible tearing of arteries and flesh. As his teeth struck true to her throat. She knew it was only a matter of seconds. And she threw a plea to her gods that her children would be safe.

She sank to her knees and fell forward. Azure blew eyes fixed on the sky and the spirit left her. Breathing no more.

 Thus ended the story of a haughty queen named Ash Star.

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Fighting, blood

The man did not back down, did not flee even when Ash Star- presumptive winner of the brief dispute- returned to the clamour. 

Ash Star was a flash of colour, a whirlwind of snarls and the snapping of teeth- and all too soon, a fountain of blood spilled from her throat. It poured to the ground in rhythmic splatters until the beating of her heart slowed. 

In horror, Ksura watched as the mother of his children was slain. 

Horrified, Ksura backed up a few leaves before he tucked his tail, turned, and ran- hoping he could find Senka, and figure out what to do next.

her life lapped warm at his paws as the man reeled back, panting, crimson painting his own coat.

his throat ached. his eyes burned; his nostrils and his mouth gasped air back into his lungs.

for a moment he only caught his breath, watching with single narrowed eye as the man turned and fled.

his howl was triumphant, a furling prideful sound that graciously invited the unknown @Senka to return. after all, now there was no reason to engage strife over a land when he now owned it.

he expected the man to return, heady with his fulfilled challenge. 

yikaas soon hobbled into the riverland, hunting for any scent of those hiding in the territory. in time he would return to bury the woman on the borders, but not before smearing the same rudimentary medicine onto his wounds and falling into a fitful sleep for a short time, blood oozing into a crust along the side of his face.