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![[Image: hashtags-morgannarenier.png]](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--jY03Xu7SCw/U9NsVjentkI/AAAAAAAAKkE/q3h8xsfvm-k/s0/hashtags-morgannarenier.png)
The woman found herself mid-hunt when Morganna's voice rang across the Scowle. The hare was older, slower than it should have been. How unfortunate that it would live to see another day. It held the promise of becoming an easy meal, but alas, there were other things to tend to. Celandine came to a halt, watching the creature hobble it's way to safety. Next time. Next time for sure.
Turning, the woman set out for her co-lead, slowing ever-so-slightly as she neared the group. Coyotes, of course, but a loner as well? Interesting. Simply offering a chuff in lieu of announcing herself, Celandine wasted absolutely no time throwing herself into the thick of things. It was past time that they show these unwelcome guests out. Out of their forest, out of their lives, out of the Lore completely.
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Miska’s tail swayed behind him with enthusiasm, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his charcoal lips, as he watched the silver pup drag the twisted tree root towards the edge of the water where he was standing. His smile widened into a grin as he noticed how the girl continued to stake her claim over his root. Even as she leaned forwards to stare into the murky water in search of fish, her limbs remained spread over it defensively, as if she were standing over a fresh kill.
When the scent of the coyotes caught his attention, Miska had attempted to remain calm and had tried to distract the pup, making up excuses as to why she should return home immediately. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her and let her in on how potentially serious that situation was. However, the girl was not easily fooled and she was soon posturing aggressively at the three coyotes who had suddenly appeared from the shadows. Furthermore, she demanded that they continue to fish, despite the presence of the hungry scavengers.
Sensing her immediate danger, Miska moved to place himself in front of the girl. His tail rose to stiffen aggressively above his back, whilst his dark lips curled back to display sharp, pearl white fangs. One of the coyotes growled, though before he could respond, a howl rung out and a dark shape emerged from the forest, moving at speed. Amber eyes took a second to focus on the dark female with the peach-orange stare, and breathe in her scent – enough time for him to sense her authority before she began barking orders at him.
Miska wasn’t going to argue.
The male’s attention returned to the silver pup, his eyes wide. “Come on, you heard her, go!” He insisted, turning around to try and nudge the girl with his muzzle in an attempt to get her to move. “I’ll take this.” There was really no time to argue, and allowing the girl the option to carry the tree root would only slow them down. He snatched the root hurriedly between his jaws before glancing back, long enough to catch sight of the pale female and offer her a quick nod, before he began to move away – a muffled bark erupting from him as he paused, waiting for the silver pup to lead the way.
For someone who had been so excited to potentially run across her mother only to be rudely surprised, the girl almost seemed visibly disappointed when her mother barked out her orders. She was big enough to look after herself as far as she was concerned and she didn't need saving. Besides, she had a friend now and if she took him back then he'd probably meet Vareth and Anduin and Caelia and SeeJay and she'd have to share. Sedna was not a fan of sharing.
When he nudged her to get at the stick, she snapped towards his face, that was hers! But he was too quick for her and she missed. With a scowl and a growl her attention was diverted once more. "Hey tha's mine!" She charged forward in the opposite direction to Cela, tail arched high over her back as she tried to jump and snag the end of the branch, missing once again. A pout was clearly marked on her face, no mind paid to the chorus of growls and yelps behind them. Maybe once she got him across the borders he'd give it back? Or maybe it'd be easier to steal it back once he was asleep.
She supposed this made her important though, didn't it? Getting to show the new guy around? Sedna supposed she'd better point out the markers that defined their boundaries, the flat river stones full of holes the first markers. "Looka wish stones! Nearly there, nearly there!"
Three against one weren't great odds, but the Archer had reached her breaking point. Barrelling headlong into the group of three, only one managed to break away, the other having the wind knocked out of it while her teeth found the shoulder of the third. Their eyes were wide, startled shrieks filling the air as her own growls thundered below them. It didn't take long for the coyotes to recover, one attacking her flank while the other was distracted by Celandine. She released her hold on the first, hoping it would take the hint and flee now that it could as she turned to plant her teeth in the side of the neck of the one that had turned to bite her. It was too far away for her to catch anything vital, landing instead on loose skin and fur, but it was enough that she could yank and dislodge it from her hide. A good shove should leave it on its back, but everyone knew coyotes were more likely to flee once they knew the tables had turned and this one was no different, using the momentum to roll over and find its feet, fleeing across the open expanse of the meadow, the Archer's snort sending it on it's way.
Celandine smashed into the closest coyote, her teeth digging for purchase, but she was only just able to slice through the soft flesh of it's cheek. It yipped in pain as the taste of iron splattered across her tongue, but a scar wasn't good enough. She was so beyond sick, and tired, and she hated them. Their time was over, and now they were going to pay for every single time they'd gotten the best of her.
Wild topaz eyes flashed back at the creature, whose blood trickled down it's cheek. There was pure unadulterated terror in it's gaze, but Celandine couldn't have cared any less. It was going to die, and now she would be the last thing that this coyote would ever see.
It spun away from her, scrambling desperately for safety, but the alpha was faster. Pearly white teeth clamped around the coyote's tail, and she managed to rip it back. There was a satisfying crunch as her jaws tightened, but it still wasn't good enough. It would never be good enough.
That's when it turned, jaws parted, aiming directly at Celandine's face. Her grip loosened, and she threw herself back. Nobody would touch her face. Not now, not ever. She'd die first. The creature took it's chance, and sped off after it's friends, to hopefully die. Not that she'd managed to give it any fatal injuries, but a girl could dream.
As the group of coyotes closed in on them, Miska’s worries about hurting the pup’s feelings were replaced with the need to get her out of harm’s way. No matter how tough she thought she was, the silver girl was no match for the three hungry scavengers. Ignoring her loud protest, the dark male proceeded to retrieve the twisted tree root and clamped it securely between his jaws. Lifting his chin up high, he made sure that she would be unable to reach up and grab it. A small growl was given for good measure, just to prove that this time he was being serious.
Focusing completely on the silver pup, despite the loud growls and yelps going on behind them, Miska tried to encourage the small girl to lead him to the territorial borders, as she had been instructed. Following closely behind her, the dark male weaved his way between the trees, away from the fighting. Swiftly they towards an area of uneven ground, hidden away beneath a thick canopy, and scattered with moss-covered rocks. The scent of moss and the way the light struggled to filter down between the cedar trees in some ways reminded him of his old home.
Blinking his amber eyes, he gave a sharp inhale of the marked borders as they approached them and gradually slowed to a stop, pausing a few lengths away from the invisible boundary. Glancing back down to the pup, he offered a small huff to her, his head nodding with encouragement towards the territory beyond. She was safe now. Meanwhile, his attention went back to the two females, and his ears began to flicker atop his head as he listened out for sounds of the fight going on back by the edge of the water, wondering if he should dare to leave the pup alone to get a piece of the action.
Celandine watched as the pathetic creatures retreated, a bitter taste in her throat. She would have liked to skin it, and line her den with the remains, but alas, they were gone. Bright eyes swung at the sound of Morganna's voice, noting the wound that he co-lead received. It didn't seem too concerning, but then again, she didn't know much about healing. "Yeah, you?"
Her attention was quickly shifted back to their company, and she nodded her head as Morganna introduced her. "Pleasure to meet you." Surely there would be time to talk when they were safely within the borders, and they had rabbits from the cache at their paws. Wasting no time, the woman headed off after her inky co-lead, happy to have at least gotten in a round with the coyotes.
(FADE)
Sex: Female
