Why couldn’t cubs just be born smart!? Was that too much to ask for? Matthias found himself thinking this as a clawed paw came close to his head. Narrowly missing the brutal blow, the older wolf dodged sharply just as a younger bark called out next to him. For a moment, his attention was drawn to the figure of the girl as she snarled and challenged the larger creature. He might have been impressed but the situation didn’t allow for it at the moment. The huge animal leapt in to the air, its eyes still focused on the smaller canine, before landing with grace and immediately striking out at the lass.

The smell of fresh blood filled the area as it made contact with her leg. Matthias growled and bound forward, the sheer mass of his form colliding with the cat and sending them both sprawling head over tail. As amusing as it would be to watch the beast chase the helpless child around the clearing, the old brute couldn’t bring himself to watch her die because she couldn’t get over herself. Plus, if there was anything to be learned from this, it was spitting and hissing in front of her.

Old age had made him slower (and grumpier) and he couldn’t hold his attack for too long. Trying to pin the puma down and clamp his jaws around the throat had turned into just scrambling to avoid those nasty talons. Finally, the monster slashed out at Matthias and landed a square hit on his chest, sending him flying with two deep scratches that bleed freely. More scars, fantastic. Then, it turned on the girl again, and wasted no time in assaulting her. She was the real prize here. With a horrifying yowl, it charged forward and slashed out again, just missing her by inches.

"Damn!" Matthias growled as he got to his paws. Running as fast as his aching muscles would let him, the brute skidded in front of the cat and shoved the girl to the side with his rump none too gently. He turned to her, anger and bloodlust in his eyes. "What the hell are you doing? Run!" This was not a fight they could win. He was too old, no longer able to fight with the same might as he could in his youth. She was too young, unlearned in the ways of combat with another predator far bigger than she.

Matthias was buying her time to flee. A kindness he didn’t offer to many others. "I’m getting too old for this shit!" he said, charging forward again and hitting the cat in the chest, knocking the air out of it and sending it back a few paces. For a moment, he thought of charging her parents for bringing her home safely. A smirk appeared on his face at the thought. He was still a mercenary, after all. Fighting for money was his life.