And just like that, within seconds the entire mood of the day shifted entirely. The scream that bellowed from near immediately set ice-cold fear into her belly. Oswin’s eyes rolled as she turned herself to look at the figure approaching quickly, putting her body between her young daughters. She would rather take the brunt of whatever this intruder would give than allow any pain or hardship to come upon her newborn child. “Quickly, Móirín, to the jungle.” She hissed, pushing at her daughter’s shoulder to physically shove the girl off the path and toward the ferns. The filly was too young to know her name or to know words, but survival would override understanding, and Oswin was sure she would grasp what she was trying to get her to do.

Despite how weakened her body was with birth, Oswin was not going to be run down by the intruder. She was going to fight, and she did not care how ugly it got.

As the stallion grew close she kicked out at him, adrenaline hot in her veins and able to initially cover the exhaustion in her muscles. She would not be able to fight as much as she wanted, but she would be able to fight - and before her peaceful life as Queen in the Ridge, all Oswin had done was fight. The large stallion had chosen the wrong target.

But then the ground shook and trees broke and cracked, and she knew exactly who was coming to intercept. Her blue eyes flashed as a bit of a wild grin curled across her mouth, gaze catching with the intruder. Now he was truly a fool, to awaken the beast Tyr could become when those he cared for were threatened.

As much as she might have enjoyed being able to kick the stallion a few times herself, Oswin knew her priority needed to be Móirín, who she’d last seen ducking into the jungle where she’d sent her. She trusted Tyr. She knew Tyr would do what needed to be done.

Oswin swerved out of the clearing, making for the trees to find their child just as Tyr surged into the space. She heard the collision at her hind, but did not see it. There was only a cacophony of chaos behind her, and as much as a part of her wanted to be a part, to fight - oh her veins were singing, she hadn’t realized just how much she missed physical altercation - she knew what her responsibilities were now. Oswin trotted into the thick vegetation until she found where her daughter had hidden herself away, shaking and terrified. She huffed a few hard breaths, trying to calm her racing heart, as she reached out to check over the girl and make sure she wasn’t terribly injured.

“It’ll be okay, little one,” she promised, “it’ll be okay.” And she lifted her head, looking back through the path she’d just crashed through, to where the sounds of the fight could be heard.

oswin
this is as brave as I know how to be.
I know it’s gonna hurt you, but please… be a little proud of me.