Shadewood You gonna finish that?

Invassssioooon. @Morgan for that trade shit. @Phex @Gwen anyone else

It wasn't good to keep trespassing over the land marks of the wolf beasts, stealing more like trying to steal  their food, causing chaos. She knew eventually she would get herself killed but for some reason she had a really long streak of unsuccessful hunting and she was starving. She did try to be good. But she couldn't do it. 

So she moseyed right over the borders of Shadewood and tracked down a cache, sniffing at it and digging up the oldest scrap she could find. It was the least she could do, take a piece of meat that was going to spoil soon anyway. Foolishly she sat down right there and gobbled it, unable to help the loud noisy nomming growls that slipped past her maw Probably creating a beacon right to her location.

---

Oh he knew that sound. It was a goddamn- “Cat!” He took off, a heaving mass of pissed off meat and woody fur splaying roughly through the echoing woods. He’d be there soon enough, and rather than even caring enough to sneak like some pussyfoot, the Rider wanted to run it down and break its fucking neck.  
Then maybe give it to Vetty as a soft blanket for the babehs.
He tried following the echoes and pinpointing where the ‘gnan gnan gnan gulp’s were starting out at. 

For all he knew, he wasn’t anywhere near it. Or he coulda passed it. Who knew?

---

Phex trotted along easily, minding her own business as always and enjoying the first day of spring. Soon the Shadewood would come alive properly and there would be plants galore to oogle and study whilst bringing presents to Laroche and @Ehani. 

The girl stopped in her prancing when she heard the most atrocious smacking of lips as someone ate something. Her ears cupped easily to the noise before she silently started to stalk the source. Well, now as we all know Phex isn't really one to make the best decisions when she'd in the mood to play. Especially now when she crept through the undergrowth towards the unsuspecting lynx and lept  at it with a war cry before realising a bunch of things (feel free to imagine Deadpool midway through being blown up at this point)

First thing, this wasn't a very good looking wolf;
Second thing, this wasn't a wolf and it was going to hurt.

The meal had Definitely hit the spot and upon the last bite she was scared shitless by a screaming ball of canine smelling fur. The food hung from her mouth as she hissed and launched Straight up in midair, fur puffing up until she looked like an angry cloud of fur. She landed and skittered backwards, swiping at the air defensively as she horked down the last bite of her food in a seriously panicked fashion, more menacing Nyam Nyam nyammmmmms rising from her throat. 

Gonna roll for defense so that either morgan or Phex can get a hit in

The rush of sprinting paws had ears tilt upon an ivory crown, gaze sweeping the area immediately as a blur of dark timber sped onward into the undergrowth - bewildered, the empress pushed herself from the forest floor and began to weave through the looming trees, only speeding when the scent of feline struck her nostrils, causing a crease to be conjured between her eyes. She took a scrap of a second to analyse the situation, but it didn't take long to place a name to the aggravatingly distinguishable scent: lynx. 

Gwen picked up her pace and (unlike Morgan) carefully followed the wind's calling, the whisper of the source which led her to the place of the daring creature, who'd chosen to erupt into their domain. Phex had darted in a leap toward it. Her lips curled above her teeth, a growl to slide off her tongue to warn off the feral feline - if it chose not to budge, she'd dart forward and snap at the intruder's hide too, attempting to drive it away with the threat of blood. As a hunter, it was her duty to defend the caches she and the other keepers had worked so tirelessly to fill; despite her love of animals big and small, she would not allow her dinner to be snatched away by a thief.

Right now, she was pregnant and the hormones had begun to kick in. The lynx ought get the hell out before her anger rose to the surface and bubbled from her jaws.

Phex landed, springing away from the feline as it lept away from her. She looked at it with bug-eyes full of wonder. This wasn't a cougar so...how dangerous could it be?

"Wicked,"  she murmured, her tail wagging softly. Did cats speak the same language? How can she make friends? Phex plopped herself down, despite the thing swiping at her with venom, and tilted her head with her curiosity. "Hey there, do you understand me?" She grinned, hoping all so much it could. It would be awesome if she could have a cat friend to show Laroche. 
Imagine having a cat and a bear to call friends.

The girl actually heeded her warnings and flopped onto her belly and Bhageera paused mid swat, ears slowly rising with confusion and interest. She slowly lowered her paw to the ground and a low curious Prrrrrrow chirped from her throat. That was when Gwen burst onto the scene and all went to hell, she yowled as she was startled for the second time. Her claws struck out instinctively, slashing toward the poor innocent Phex, which she would feel guilty about if it hit.


She whirled around toward the white she wolf and snarled, hissing afterwards as she slowly backed away though she kept sneaking glances at the food almost desperately. 

you can choose whether the hit makes it or not Sofie

You guys can have the interaction!! Gonna have Morgan go for Gwen rather than even smart pay much attention to the cat.

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After the loopty loo, he finally snatched up a trail and paid more attention this time around. Poor fool was bad at this. But before he even got to frisk around with the cat, the white woman that was Cry’s gurl was what caught his eye. And his intent. 

“Missus’” he began making a start to try to passively block her path. “The Mister tole’ me ta keep an eye out for ya, and make sure you ain’t puttin yerself in no kinda danger. This be one a them times.” He was disciplined enough to not disrespect her, but should she insist, he’d have to get more involved. He hoped maybe @Laroche or someone was around to help, or even that this situation was able to be diffused as soon as possible. 

---

He had heard the growly eating sounds in the distance and slowly began to investigate, hearing the yowls he took off in immediate panic. He saw Phex on her belly and the feline looking freaked out. He then saw Morgan trying to coerce Gwen into leaving it be. He growled and headed for the white furred woman "You have babies coming right? Don't take this risk, let us handle it" he said this gently though his tone was firm enough. He looked at Morgan and then back toward Phex, hesitating on leaving Phex alone with the wild feline.

Phex darted backward as she felt the sharp sting of claws rake through her skin on her shoulder.
She yelped in shock, falling over herself to escape.
Her heart started beating faster, moving to rise. Gwen was there. Morgan, Laroche.
Her ears cupped and she moved forward, her shoulder singing with the sharp pain, blood likely trickling into her fur.

She moved into the path of her Family, facing them. She didn't want them to hurt the cat, it was only trying to survive. It'd hurt her because it was scared and protecting itself. Phex whined softly, distracting the wolves so the Lynx could escape. 
"Don't hurt it, please." Her voice was slightly wobbly from the pain, of which she'd not experienced before, and shock of the whole event.

At first, when the two men chastised her for stepping forth to aid in the riddance of the feline (not that she could blame the creature for its actions, but surely with spring on the way food would have been easier to come across), the empress' lips had curled downward into a deeper scowl, but following this she simply blinked in confusion. She'd never been cast away from dealing with particular situations due to her state, and it had knotted her brows together - perhaps Gwen was simply so adapted to doing things herself, that to have somebody tell her no, was a bit of a punch in the gut. Usually she just got on with the job, regardless of her body's protest, no matter the circumstances; nobody had ever told her to take a rest, or anything of the kind. She had never expected them to.

Clearly Raziel wanted none of her involvement in defensive matters during her pregnancy. 

Her watch faltered, eyes fluttering slowly before her figure dove to slip off into the treeline without another word - though a fraction of her mind was vexed at the idea of doing nothing while the others chimed in to help, she didn't want harm to come to the children she bore. So she'd go... do what, exactly?

The stench of blood dragged her attention away from the snowy wolfess and to the curiously childlike girl who had lain herself down before her. She saw blood rise up along a wound in the shoulder and felt guilty, saucer wide eyes lifting and ears going back as she gave a low growl and without another sound took off into the forest. Her belly was full enough that she'd live another few days at the least, that's all that mattered now anyway.

I think we agreed no order so

Laroche smelled the blood as Phex approached and his gaze shot to his mate's shoulder. He growled deeply hearing Phex beg for the cat's life just as it ran off anyway "It stole our food for its own survival and wounded you in the process, Phex. Things like that don't go unpunished" he said this gently though there was a sharp edge to his tone, a firm one. He moved closer to her and examined her wound "It needs to be cleaned. Moss and a good licking should do it" he said sounding relieved. He looked to Morgan, remembering him and Gwen had been there. Gwen had slipped away and he frowned, glaring at the bushes. How many women here needed babysitting? At least Phex normally had common sense. "We should follow it's scent and make sure it left. I'll get Phex cleaned up and then go see if Gwen wants to help replace what that Stubby tailed theif ate" he paused and looked at the man, expecting him to offer to take up the job of tracking the feline.

---

Luckily he wasn’t the only one who saw sense in the women not being in the fray of this mess. Women was for sittin there bein pretty, rounding up grub and makin babehs. Well that, and tellin a man when he was bein too manly, or when he wasn’t bein manly enough. 

Giving an appreciative chuff to Laroche on his quick action, he turned to the hurtin Phex whom was second in the line of fire and worse for wear. This was what happened when it wasn’t a man doin man things! “He’z right, Phex. That kinda thing don’t happen ta folks who know their place in tha food chain. That damn cat die, it was meant to.” While he wasn’t meant to be all flustered and heated at Phex, his fear for her, he hid behind his anger. 

Turning to the silverpeak male, the mountain told him what he knew of their bunch. “There’s an Amaya, an Iskra, and a Kukutux in this lil Family of ours; pretty sure all them girls know something bout healin.” 

Just in case it got infected- the cat was handling old meat, after all. Coulda scratched its own ass, for all they knew. “Ya need me witcha?” It was directed to the both of them, but his eyes had been on Roche. If not, he was gonna check on Gwen, and make sure there was no hard feelings.

---

The youth huffed at the southerner's harsh words. It didn't have to be that way yet it could be. That's how packs were run. She'd just have to sit back and deal with it, she supposed.
"Doesn't have to die..."  she vaguely murmured, more like a whisper of air passing from her lips. She turned to see that the form had indeed fled. 
​
Phex moved to her mate, pressing her nose to him for comfort. She'd been hurt, the cat was going to be hunted and killed. She took a deep shuddering breath, feigning her grief for the predator for shock. She couldn't seem like a soft-ass now, could she?
"I'll be fine when it's cleaned." She pulled back from Laroche, cupping her ears and willing brightness into her gaze. It wasn't hard to do so looking at him. "It's just a scratch." She turned to lick at it, confirming what she'd felt. It'd hurt a lot but she could handle it. She'd seen worse wounds of wolves that barely grunted.
They were true warriors. Like Laroche.
She grinned properly, remembering that first meeting.

He looked to Morgan, grateful for his support in trying to explain to Phex why the cat had to be chased off. The man asked if he was needed and he shook his head "I got her, thank you" he said as Phex pressed against him, seeking his attention. Immediately he nuzzled the top of her head, placing a few quick licks to her ears and feeling the shaky breath she exhaled on his chest. A squeeze of sympathy made his heart ache and he looked at her, about to suggest they go get her tended to when she spoke up surprising him by trying to hide her pain. He held her gaze for a moment and then felt his lips curve upward in a slow smile as he nodded, letting her have her moment of strength "You're right Sunshine, you just have to get it taken care of. It'll be sore but you're a strong girl, you can get past it" he said this in a proud tone, eyes shining with warmth. 

He turned in the direction the cat ran off from and sighed "I'm sure its gone. It wasn't wounded. I'll leave it be but up patrols for a few days" he said this for Phex's sake. She had wanted the feline spared and surely wouldn't support a trip to hunt it down which even he thought to be a bit too much.

---

A nod ended his presence there, a mumbled ‘I’ll leave ya to it then’ before he took this huge ass to find the little lady. Last thing he wanted was to bite the hand that fed him.

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