The Sentinels strapped down to something that you don't understand

She finds her way back to the coast.  She doesn't have some half-assed excuse to be away from home this time, she just is.  This morning is chillier than the ones before it, excaberated by the cool air that rolls in from the sea.  

She thinks first of the dark boy who she'd found in some other bay, and then as she moves into the burned wood she thinks of Slavik.  She wonders where he and Speedy are now, and if they're faring well.  Part of her envies them for their freedom.  Part of her does not, for winter is coming and the colder months will not be so kind.

She takes in a breath and pulls her gaze to the crashing waves.  There is a distinct lack of wolf smell, which strikes her as peculiar.  She knows she is close to Ironsea's claim and she was half-expecting to run into them.

Perhaps she will scout it out later.  For now she is content to rest, her paws in the sand and her back to the Plateau.

She knew Sia would probably be worried right about now; she was supposed to return home from the sanctuary two days ago, and being the reliable sister she was, she always kept her promises to her older brother. She felt a little guilty that he would be wondering where she was, but she had to do this. She had made the decision to find the girl that had hurt Sia sometime on her journey back to the glacier and instead of making her way up the mountain, she continued north towards the coast. He had mentioned that she lived past blackfeather woods, so she assumed she would at the very least be able to find someone who knew her if she traveled far enough west. She chose to get there by going down the coast rather than crossing the mountains again, figuring it would be a little easier. It was actually not a very good plan, but her rage clouded her judgement. Rage that could only be quelled by blood. 

The malguk moved down the coast with a purposeful pace, not wanting to waste any time. She was so focused on her need to avenge her brother's broken heart and injured flesh, that she barely even gave notice to what was probably a very beautiful ocean. She soon came to a desolate and scorched part of the beach. As she moved through the dead, fire-blackened trees, she was met with the scent of another. Perfect, she thought. Time to see if someone could point her in the right direction. She would of course lie about her reasons for seeking out the female; no need to tip her off. Plus, what if this was a friend of hers? She surely wouldn't give her the correct information if she knew Taki planned to kick Ceara's ass. 

She followed the scent until she found the fire-red girl. With a chuff, she approached, dipping her head in greeting and coming to a stop a short distance from the other wolf.

She could never have a moment to herself, could she?  Life always had some other plan to keep her occupied.  At this point, she should just stop leaving the territory.  Nothing good ever came out of it anyway.

Whatever.  She turned, gunmetal gaze raking across someone she thought was Siarut if only for a split second.  Her eyes visibly widened for a beat before she cleared her throat.  Despite their proximity, the stranger's scent was withheld from her for now due to the fickle coastal winds.

Hey.

She took a few steps closer and offered a curt nod in response to the female's greeting Are you from around here? she asked. She decided that was a good place to start. Normally, she would probably just cut past all the fake pleasantries and get the information she needed, but she didn't want to appear too eager. The question needed to come out in conversation like it hadn't been premeditated. I'm Takiyok by the way, she added. Names were a good way to gain some semblance of familiarity, making it easier to lead the conversation where she wanted.

Oh, amicable Ceara.  She was such an easy target.  She swung a paw in the direction she'd come from, and gestured vaguely with her chin.  That'a way.  The corner of her lip quirked up as she tried to get some kind of response from this stranger.  All work and no play, after all.  I'm Ceara.  It's nice to meet you.

Taki's gaze zeroed in on the stranger when she said her name was Ceara, any friendliness in her expression falling away to reveal only fierce anger. No fucking way. How good was her luck right now? She hadn't even had to muddle through pointless conversations with random strangers. The first wolf she met happened to be just the wolf she was looking for. Ceara? As in the bitch that hurt my brother? she asked, hackles rising. Her lip lifted and contempt painted her face as she glared at the source of the anger that had lived in her chest ever since her conversation with Sia. 

She wasted no time. Her training taught her that the element of surprise always gave her the upper hand, so with a murderous snarl, she lunged forward. Her teeth connected with the side of the female's neck, and she clamped them down with all of the force she could gather. She welcomed the feeling of warm blood in her mouth and she shook her head violently, attempting to deepen the wound.

Oh, fuck —

She didn't have time to think, much less react before the northern woman was on top of her.  Blood pooled from the wound in her neck that was deepening by the second.  It wasn't quite where she'd hit Nashoba but she'd lose her life just as quickly if she didn't do something.  She had to fight back if she wanted to live.  She wanted to live.  

Didn't she?

A halfhearted snarl forms at her lips, and her teeth punctuate the air.  Her limbs strike out feebly against the woman's body in an attempt to free herself from the tightness 'round her neck.  You should've expected this from someone who used to be a part of Blackfeather.

She's too far from home to expect help.  If she dies here, she may not even be found.  She'll just become part of this burned-down forest like some symbolic gesture.  Maybe it'll be easier on Colt that way.    

She snarled as the female's kicks succeeded in forcing her to release her grasp on the girl's neck and stumble back a few steps. She spared only a few seconds to spit blood and fur from her mouth before jumping back towards the other wolf. Her intention was to clamp back down on her neck and wound her even further, but her anger made her sloppy and she missed, instead over-shooting and landing on the female's other side. She lowered her head, a snarl leaving her blood-stained lips. The malguk was ready to block whatever attack came next from the other wolf, her aim to gain the advantage again.

The length of her limbs creates distance between them.  She is graceful and fleetfooted, and her opponent misses as she launches at her again.  Blood spatters the whitewashed sand between them as Ceara lowers herself into a defensive stance, trying to balance her weight against an onslaught that was sure to come.

The Siarut she knew wouldn't have sent his sister after her.  But had she really known him at all?  Come on.  Do it.  Kill me, like I know you want to.  Take my body back to him as some sort of trophy.  You obviously don't wanna hear me out.

Instead of an attack, the woman spouted a taunt at her. Taki fixed her with a piercing glare, releasing a scornful huff at the implication that there were two sides to the story. You're right; I don't give a shit about your side, she spat at the other wolf. She was way past being able to be reasoned with. All she kept thinking about was the smell of Sia's blood mixed with his scent that should have brought comfort and instead caused white hot anger to pulse through her. Not wishing to speak anymore, she lunged once more for the female, this time connecting with her left shoulder and tearing into the flesh. It was satisfying to feel the blood drip from her mouth to stain her chest, like every drop from the female was payment for the hurt she had caused her closest family member. It was fitting that she would now have a wound in the same place she had left one on her brother.

What a fucking psychopath!  She'd given the woman a chance at least to disengage, even if she didn't want to hear what was really up.  Disappointed in herself for being caught off guard again, she launched an attack this time without hesitation.  A flurry of fangs aimed towards the Northern woman's face and neck; head wounds bled a lot and she'd need anything she could get to subdue this crazy bitch.  Her teeth connected with a thick portion of fur and flesh at the base of Takiyok's jaw where it connected with the neck.  She dug in deep and shook her head, droplets of blood spraying the sand.

Part of her was glad that the bitch finally fought back. She barely even felt the the teeth on her neck at first. When the other's bite pierced her skin, she let out a furious growl and attempted to shake her opponent off. She knew it might make the wound worse, but in the heat of the moment, all she could think was that she wanted her fucking teeth out of her flesh. With a wound in such a visible place, there was no way she would be able to hide this from Sia. Oh well, better make it count then, because she knew pissed didn't begin to cover what he would be when he found out she had gone after Ceara behind his back.

Feel free to assign a hit here.

A feral growl worked from her throat as both opponents shook.  The wound in Takiyok's neck was now at least as deep as her own as her fangs rip from the flesh in one final shake.  She bares her teeth, saliva and blood stringing from her lips and launches herself in again.  If her spar with Ambrose had taught her anything, it was that she couldn't rely only on her swift toes.  

She recklessly moved to hit the woman's face, and her narrowed eyes closed as she sunk into something — whether she'd hit her mark or not, she couldn't say.

She felt relief when the girl's teeth were no longer clamped in her neck, and she tried to ready herself to make another attack, but Ceara was too quick. She saw the fiery ball of fur and and teeth with only enough time to turn and protect her face. In doing so, she left the side of her neck vulnerable, and the woman's jaws were soon clamped down in a new spot, blood spreading across her snowy white fur as teeth tore into flesh. Again, she used her weight to try and shake the wolf off since it seemed to have done the trick the first time. Luckily, adrenaline masked any pain, giving her the ability to withstand the sliding of teeth across her skin that was sure to accompany the shaking.

roll

She missed the Northerner's face but latched on instead to the other side of her neck.  She had the same intention as last time — bite deep as hard as she could until she was forcibly torn from her opponent.  

She could feel herself losing blood, but at this point she was confident that she'd win the fight before Siarut's sister.

She fell off a few paces and snarled, waiting for her opponent to either attack foolishly head-on again or retreat, leaving them both injured but alive.

The malguk managed to shake the girl off again and met her snarl with one of her own. She didn't lunge, though. She slowly took a step back. She could try and attack again, but her wounds were deep and her journey home was long, and she couldn't really afford to be injured any further. Her responsibilities would remain the same whether she was able to keep up or not, and she knew the smart thing would be to end the fight now. She knew she had fucked up coming here even though she didn't regret it at all; seeing the other woman bleed was worth the fight she knew was awaiting her when she returned. 

Taki took a few more slow steps back, her snarling subsiding to leave only a watchful glare as she attempted to put as as much distance between them as she could before turning. She would sprint down the beach towards her consequences unless stopped by the other wolf.

She stood victorious.  But she didn't feel the swell of pride that she was entitled.  She stood defensive until the woman was clearly out of view, then made to retreat herself.  Blood pooled freely from her wounds.

She had to make it home.