As a loner she was meant to look out for herself. Survival of the fittest. If hunger and dehydration didn’t kill you, then the rain, or extreme cold or heat would. Not to mention you had to look out for natural predators, and wolves that were alone or in a pack. Let’s not forget those deadly diseases you can pick up from foul food, toxic rivers, plants laced with poison, and of course, unhealed wounds. Really, anything and everything could kill you. However, we shall focus in on this one fact- she knew that as a loner she was the only one that would save her own skin…no one else. And since we are being all selfish this includes not helping anyone else. Yet for some reason she felt the needed to attack this mountain lion rather than watch the feline devour the two white wolves. Again why, she didn’t really know, but after this ordeal she would be giving herself a stern lecture. The entire right side of her face was ripped apart. The cougar’s claws had deeply cut into her cheek, sliding over her muzzle. When the winds picked up she could actually feel the wind buzzing around through them. She could feel his tawny carcass push her away. Releasing her hold on him from her powerful jaws she walked backwards moving side to side as she did, wanting to keep a good eye on him. Her nostrils flared at the scent of her own blood, mixed with the mountain lion starting overwhelm her troubled mind making her shift into a frenzy. Her tattered right ear twitched as both moved to pin against her ebony crown. That wide diamond shaped grey marking was stained with crimson from close contact with the lion’s bloody throat. Sapphire eyes narrowed as her bristled ebony fur stood on end, making her agile frame much large. Sharp ivories, already coated with the lion’s blood, dripped to the soggy ground. She was not a happy camper and at this point, her original plan was to lead the cat awhile, but now she wanted its throat again, all so she could break it.

From the corner of her bloodied eyes she noticed the two male wolves starting to move, and for a moment she assumed they were going to turn tail and cowardly runaway. Yet she was gratefully, even though she would never admit it, glad that they had stayed to at least help her finish off the yowling cat. A low bark escaped her jowls as she kept the mountain lion locked on her, taking a step forward and then side stepping, and then walking back where she originally was, allowing the males to get to the positions they needed to be. A familiar sound reached her audits as the older white male spoke to what appeared, was his son. Her dial raised slightly and for a split second she was shocked to hear that he spoke in a familiar language, the same language that a pompous little pup claimed she wasn’t allowed to know. Well, these two brutes knew it and they weren’t dead…yet. An annoyed expression reached her shredded face, if one could even read through the torn flesh and blood to recognize such an expression, her mind rushed to what the male had said at the Cragis- Angels. Angels were the ones that spoke this language. There was a familiarity of Ayal and these two wolves beside her and using her clever mind she realized perhaps this ‘Angel’ pack was real. Really, they could have allowed her in on this plan and really it was quite rude. If the old man wanted to be a distraction and the young boy wanted to go for the leg then this was her best chance to end this once and for all- and she was more than ready. A cold low drawl slipped out as her voice carried over to the others on either side of herself and the mountain lion, giving a riposte

“Si vos crus ire, sum proficiscar per fauces.”

“If you go for the leg, I’ll go for the throat.”

Teamwork. She wasn’t used to working with others to accomplish something. Yet instincts were kicking in at this point in time. Her fight or flight buzzer was already going off. She was in no way going to run away from this. She was here to fight or die trying, preferably not die. Yet working with others to bring down a predator was new to her. Something inside her was stirring, something was telling her that at this point in time they were not enemies and she didn’t have to attack them- yet. As the old man began to jump around keeping the mountain lion focused on him, she turned her dial towards the younger male giving him a firm not to aim for the cat’s damaged back leg. She would stalk carefully, head low moving steadily towards the old wolf and the mountain lion, trying to make sure that when she had the perfect chance to strike she would take it to keep the mountain lion from defensively attacking her. As soon as the boy would camp his jaw around the injured leg she would bolt forward towards the mountain lion when he tried to strike at the older white wolf. A vicious snarl escaped her throat as she charged towards the mountain lion, dodging sharply to the left as one clawed paw aim for her. Jumping again, this time her teeth found target as she clamped onto the mountain’s other side of his neck, the one not damaged, well…not it was damaged. With the severity of the other neck already injured and now clamping down on his throat once more, it helped that there was more weight as the young wolf had hold of the leg. She could feel a burning sensation as claws ripped from her shoulder down her the right side of her chest. With a mixture of pain and anger she let go of the lion’s throat for a moment, moving her head over to the jugular and biting down hard. She could actually feel his pulse quicken from shock and then suddenly it began to slow down. Her eardrums were shattered by the painful cries from the dying creature, and she did not let go, not until she felt the body go limp. Only then did she raise her head and look down at the cat. Blood spilling on its once beautiful copper fur. For a moment she felt her pride swell, but when the autumn winds blew it caused pain to shoot up in the nerves along her face, shoulder and chest, now exposed. A low growl, not a wince, could be heard as she moved away from the mountain lion feeling pain shoot up her right leg and shoulder. Unable to move forward from the pain she quickly sat down lifting her leg some as she looked to her shoulder and down her chest. Her ebony fur, trimmed with grey, lashed out behind her as she tried standing back on all fours, but when she put pressure on her right leg pain shot up through her once again causing her to clench her bloodstained teeth in pain, lowering her head. Sapphire eyes, tinted with amethyst flecks shifted upwards as she looked to the two males and turning her head she gave a disgusted look to the cat.

“Stulta felis catus.”

“Stupid cat”

With the damage done to her, with the amount of blood trailing down her face and injuries along her shoulder and chest, it was evident that she wasn’t looking good. Although she didn’t look well it was clear that the damages she received could be healed, but not in the wild and not when she was alone. Disease could get her. The loss of blood with unhealed wounds wouldn’t help her last through the cold. Even the damn wind was making her chill. Should any other predator come find her, which they would by the taste of her rotting flesh, she wouldn’t be able to survive attack. The amount of prey would be low and so she would be hungry. There were many ways in which she could die, but there was only one way in which the lone wolf could survive. She had to accept help from others, others that would be willing to do such a thing. Yet, would these members of the Diveen pack, the Angels, do anything to help the one that had aided them? Be quite scandalous really, the nameless girl bearing the scars and damages of helping the Assassin King and his son. If only the girl knew just who she was in the presence of.