been black and blue before

Her eyes swam with water, head throbbing in time with the shooting pains along her flank. But the fight was still going, and as she blinked the cat back into focus, she saw Nash get brushed aside, the sound of his pained yelp making her cringe.   Almost in time with the dark lad on the other side of their prey, Flair pushed to her feet, ignoring the protest of her bange up ribs – the fight wasn’t over yet! Chan had already turned back around, ignoring his own injury to challenge this beast who had caused them so much trouble. On stiff legs, the fiery woman made to join his barrage, keeping watch for Nash at the same time, with all three of them attacking together, the cat wouldn’t stand a chance.   Chan had already taken a few good chunks out of it when Flair reached them, instantly joining his barrage, snapping and biting at the cougar’s head and neck, mostly trying to draw its attention, leaving the throat open for the brothers to finish the job. ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de, FairieGoodMother @DA & Lakela @DA

Leaving the killing blow open for one of you!

Nash dragged himself in limping steps back up the rocky incline to where his packmates were still wrestling with the screaming cougar. Nash growled and, gritting his teeth, forced himself to ignore the pain in his hip and throw himself at the cat. It was longer than them, and more flexible and so, since his brother and Flair were focused on its head, Nash aimed for the main body, using his weight to try and limit their enemy's movement.

By some miracle, Nash managed to get himself straddled over the cat, head facing forward. It took all his concentration not to be thrown off by its thrashing, and he was sure the only reason it didn't roll was because the other two were still at its head. "It's throat!" he shouted even as he snapped his jaws over the back of its neck and yanked back with all of his might. His paws were barely touching the ground so his teeth were all but the only thing grounding him. He wouldn't be able to hold this for long. He sincerely hoped Flair or Chan would be able to land a crippling blow around the flailing paws.

(m) 'cause i made it a lil graphic

Chan's teeth began to knock against something hard with every tear, and he realized it was the cat's spine. It still writhed with fury and aggression, trying to swipe and twist to escape the three wolves. Nash was back in the fray, and it stood no chance. It's yowling grew even more desperate, and Chan tried not to let thought enter his mind less his stomach roil with disgust.

It was one thing to make a clean kill in order to eat. It was an entirely other thing, for the eldest Eastfall son at least, to be forced to take a life, much less with such savagery.

It's throat! he heard his brother shout, and his relentless bites drifted down, away from thick muscle and to the far more tender skin below where Nash and Flair both ensured there would be an opening. The screams were downed in blood as Chan opened it's throat and effectively ended it's life.

(This post was last modified: Jan 15, 2022, 09:15 PM by Chan.)

Though her ears were flattened protectively against her skull, Flair could clearly here the cougar’s screams of increasing desperation. Nash had made it to the opposite side, effectively blocking the creature from escape, although it didn’t seem at all interested in making a getaway. Despite Chan continuing to tear away flesh, the cat was determined to make a stand, even if it be its last.   And so be it! As Nash leapt onto the beast’s back, the shewolf dove in herself, grabbing hold of one flailing foreleg and clamping down tight. The cougar did its best to swipe at her with the other paw, but Flair was already backing up, dragging the leg with her away from where the creature’s jugular was now exposed.   Chan wasted no time in going for the kill, finally ending the cat’s life in a yowling gurgle. Still, Flair’s teeth remained locked on its paw for a moment more, just to be safe. Then she finally dropped it, spitting a few times in a weak, and useless, attempt to clear the predator’s bitter blood from her mouth. All she achieved was to jolt her ribs, sending sharp jabs through her entire side, painful enough to make her visibly wince. “Mother of…” She muttered under her breath before looking up, eyes moving anxiously between her comrades; “Y’ guys alright?” ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de, FairieGoodMother @DA & Lakela @DA

The screams the cougar made were deafening, but Nash maintained his grip on its neck until its thrashing began to subside. The stench of its blood was suffocating - or maybe it was the sheer amount of it gushing over his nose. Nash's ears pinned back but he held firm until he heard Flair muttering. Nash slowly opened his jaws; they ached from the force with which he'd been holding on. He glanced up at his brother and Flair and nodded. "We did it," he said with a faint grin, stepping back off the cat's body.

Pain screamed through him, starting in his hip and shooting through the rest of him. Nash dropped with a sharp yelp. It hadn't hurt this bad a few moments before, had it? He'd been so focused on killing the thieving feline that he'd tuned the pain out completely. It was probably just a surprise to be reminded, that's all.

Nash hauled himself to his feet and nearly fell again. He whined and held his leg off the ground and close to his body. "Ow," he finally said.

(This post was last modified: Jan 26, 2022, 06:10 PM by Chan.)

It took a moment for life to fully bleed away from the animal. He could feel it beneath his teeth and paws, energy and will abandoning what was soon to be nothing more than a carcass. When he was certain it was over, Chan gratefully released and cleared himself of the slain body. For a moment, all he could hear were the cougar's screams still ringing in his head. He didn't even register the blood dripping at far too steady a pace from his mangled tail, and it took Flair's words to bring him back to his compatriots.

He looked up in time to see Nash buckle and cry out with pain.

Fuck.

Chan moved quickly to provide support to his brother, aligning himself side-by-side and propping the other up with his weight. Then his eyes went to Flair, scanning her over. Her labored breathing told him she was in enough pain for him to be concerned.

"We need to get to Aquene, now."

Nash answered her question with an exclamation of victory, but the truth was soon revealed as he attempted to put weight on his injured leg. Flair’s ears flattened back, worry pinching the corners of her eyes as the younger man faltered. “Nash!” She whined, moving forwards to help him back to his feet, except the sudden shift in breathing send a fresh wave of pain through her side, stopping her instantly; Fuck!   Taking a few more labored breaths through her teeth, she carefully raised and circled first one leg, and then the other, gasping as she jostled her bruised ribs. All the while, she watched Chan rush to support his brother, all the while leaving a crimson stripe in the snow behind him; Damn, damn, damn! Grinding her teeth, she staggered forwards, keeping her left hind-leg stiff to try and spare her ribs. Following Chan’s example, she maneuvered to Nash’s opposite side, leaning her own healthy side into his to give further support.   Then looking across to meet Chan’s gaze, she nodded grimly; The sooner the better! ”Speech" Thoughts

dawnthieves.de, FairieGoodMother @DA & Lakela @DA

Chan didn't seem to pay much mind to his mangled tail, focused instead on his younger brother. Nash grimaced as his brother offered him his weight. "You're hurt too, you don't need to do that," he protested, but when he tried to demonstrate his capability to walk on his own he nearly fell again. Reluctantly, he leaned into Chan's side and sighed when Flair offered her support as well. He hated that he needed such assistance, but the thought of traipsing back own the mountain on three legs made his hip throb all the more.

Aquene was going to be pissed.