Clash of the Titans

[Roki]

Players:
Sureiyaa - female grizzly bear
Roki - juvenile male cougar
Moonseeker - juvenile female cougar
Shadowfrisk - adult female cougar
Ahiga - adult male cougar
Paoro - adult female cougar
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The pouncy bouncy little mountain lion leaps headlong into patches of grass only to come up empty handed again and again. Starting to lose his gungho drive, Roki stops for a moment and looks around. "Geez, why is it always so quiet out here?" He asks to nobody in particular as he takes a glance around. Then movement far down the path catches his attention and off like a little fluffy lightning bolt he rushes in the direction of action! Right towards the huge grazing grizzly.

Sureiyaa continues to dig for more roots when a sound catches her attention, her furry ears perking forward as she hears a sound. The nearsighted bear turns around just in time to see a blur of something coming right at her. Think it intends to attack and rears up and opens her jaws, giving a thunderous roar of warning before dropping back down on all fours, her claws gouging into the dirt.

Roki makes it down to the end of the path into the same open clearing as the bear and squeels to a halt as the monstrous creature rears up and roars at him! "Woah!!" He scrambles back to give it a bit of room but is just way too curious to run like a bat out of heck right back up the path as is his first instinct and probably the best one. "What are you, your huge?" He instead chirps at the bear.

An lean, agile form descends the mesa, her tail swishing and swaying to lend her balance. She's not afraid to take the roughest way down, either. Even from her distance, Shadowfrisk notices the bear... and the cub. Well, this looks like any interesting scene to witness unfold. The cougar pauses to lick her nose, before resuming her downward climb, but a touch quicker.

Sureiyaa tries to get a clear view of what is in front of her but since it's still a distance all she gets is the impression of a tawny blurred form. Still, it's not often something is brave enough to talk to her. She snort in amusement, "I am a bear. Do you not have enough sense to run little morsel?" She asks, beginning to apporach it with slow plodding steps. It is small and foolish, something that must be a prey animal, should it? It only makes sense to the bear's dim mind.

Roki sits right down and looks the bear up and down curiously. "A bear? Im notta Morsel Im a Amaramf!!" The youngster says confidently even as the beast approaches. "Jeez yer big, what are you doin' huntin' here? These are My lands!"

Sureiyaa lifts her head and chuffs in amusement, "Morself or Amaramf!, they should both taste the same." She remarks as she plods towards the unsuspecting cougar. She then rumbles, "Big I am, and bigger I will be after I am done with you. I go where I please, for me there are no boundaries. How can a little thing like you own lands?" She asks, her voice rumbling as she steps closer.

Once Shadow finds solid ground, her body all but flattens. She smiles to herself, amused by the exchange between cub and bear. After a moment of simply listening, she begins to slink towards the back of Sureiyaa. Her paws fall softly against the ground, like one adept in the art of stealth. But she can't actually be doing what it /looks/ like she's doing... can she?

Roki thinks on that one for a moment, this silly bear obviously seems to have him mistaken for something to eat. Hes up on his paws and backing off now at the same speed as the bear approaches at him. "No way! The bigger you are the harder you fall on yer tail!" There's a little hint of nervousness happening in his chirpy voice at this point. The approaching older cougar is doing a very very good job being a sneaky cougar! Roki hasnt noticed her yet but that perhaps is due to the fact that he has something bigger occupying his attention now. "Cuz.. Cuz I marked on that tree over there! Get your nose fixed.."

Sureiyaa scents cougar on the wind, probably from the old cougar, but there is so much scent of cougars in the area that the large bear can't tell. Instead she turns her attention back to the young cougar, pending her head down low to get a better look at it. Realising what she is seeing is just a cub she decides it isn't worth it, lucky for him, "Trust me you don't want me to fall right now, or you would be squished. Where are you parents? Do they not know better than to leave a cub unprotected?" She asks, unaware yet of the sneaky cougar stalking them.

It takes a little while for Shadowfrisk to get as near as she was hoping, delighted that's managed to go unnoticed so far. But she doesn't do anything right away. At first, she crouches motionless, the tip of her tail twitching methodically. Her ears slip back, and her dark eyes gleam devilishly. After what feels like forever to the older cougar, she thrusts her head upward, maw opening wide as she lets out the loudest, ear-rending shriek she can muster.
In Sprawling Mesa, Shadowfrisk screams.

Clever Bear.. Witty and funny bear too! Roki cracks up at the squish joke, even though it might not actually have been a joke. That really could happen after all. Catching his breath from laughing and picking himself up off his side he takes a glance around and hmms. "I dunno, Mom should be round here somewhere. She never lets me hunt very long." He looks up at the bear. "I wish she'd show up, shed be real impressed with me if she saw what I just caught!" The scream happens from the sneaking approaching cougar and Roki flattens down squished against the ground afterall, and then BURSTS forward underneath the bears legs!!

Another cub is making her way down and right towards her brother without knowing about the bear. "Hey ROKI!" She calls out about to swat out at her brother's tail before catching sight of something rather big in front of him. Blinking she lifts her head and just peers back at the bear and tilts her head. She peers after her brother then looks back up at the bear and hehs faintly a bit unsure what to do at the moment so she starts to back up..

Sureiyaa rears up in sudden startlement at the sounds of the scream, the sound making her flatten her ears up against her head. She drops back down to all fours just before the young cougar runs underneath her legs. Her beady eyes widen in surprise as she snorts, "Do you know whatever it is that makes a call like that?" She asks, surprised that she feels protective about the cub when only two minutes earlier she had beeen planning on making a meal of it. Her head swivels around as she tries to catch sight of what made the sound, only to see another cub in her field of vision, "Were you the one making all that noise?" She inquires.

Shadowfrisk lowers her head down again, grinning to herself. Yup, she still has it. But the smile soon vanishes, replaced with a look of confusion. They haven't /seen/ her yet? Well, okay, not a bad thing. Shadow's mind churns for a moment, before she gives up. No point in hiding forever. With a few graceful movements, the older cougar is up and running. In mid stride, she springs casually to leap over the bear and land right infront of her. "Hello there."

Roki looks really confused and suddenly realizes he has a roof of brown fur over him. Gathering back his courage and regaining his composure he strides out from under Sureiyaa and peers around by her hind leg, spotting the sneaky Shadowfrisk and grinning at her. "Hahah, Good one, dint scare me at all though!" He points out, looking to his sister with a smirk as if to tell her not to say NOTHING about it. He still remembers how much fun got made out of him from freaking out the last time a cougar scream was made.

Moonseeker just blinks while peering at the bear not to sure what to say.. She is glad Shadowfrisk is hear. The cub moves closer to the adult and clears her throat while peaking out around the older feline's leg to eye the bear. "What are /you/ doing here.. This is are home.. Not yours.."

There are few scents more horrifying to find around a cougar's den than that of a bear, and Ahiga is already on the verge of enraged panic after hearing the cry of Shadowfrisk. He runs in from the direction of the sloping gradient, and the moment he picks up the scent of Sureiyaa, his ears pin back. The chieftan is notorious for attacking first and asking questions later, and when he spots the grizzly and the small gathering thereof, his lips peel back, and his pace picks up. A bear around cubs is /very/ bad. "Moonseeker!" he bellows. "Roki! Move!" Get away from the bear! The cougar, meanwhile, charges to come up alongside Shadowfrisk, and he fixes the grizzly with the most ferocious of feline snarls ever to grace the face of a cougar. He releases a bloodcurdling scream to go along with it, just to make the threat even more real.

Sureiyaa feels something ruffle her fur above and turns her head to look over her shoulder. When she brings her massive head back down she snorts in surprise to see a cougar right in front of her face. She chuffs in amusement, "Hello there. You sure are fast." She comments before tilting her head to the side, "And who are you?" She asks the older cougar, her voice deep and rumbling. She then rumbles as she looks over at Roki, "No, you don't seem to type to be scared." She agrees, after all he was the one that walked right up to her. At the question of the other cub she snorts, "I was eating those roots underneath that log, that's what I was going. Why do you cubs seem to think you own everything?" She inquires. At the scream she flatterns her ears again, bring her head lower and tucking it against her chest, "Ooooow, cut it out, that's hard on the ears." She grouses, shaking her head as if to clear it of the
sound.

"Shadowfrisk is the name." She responds airily. "And yes, I am fast. It's what I do." When Ahiga breaks onto the scene, Shadow's ears flatten and her body stiffens. Ah, here it comes. Quickly she bares her teeth and places the paw closer to Moonseeker, as if protecting the cub and fending off the bear had been her intention all along. "You'd best be heading along, if you know what's good for you." She warns, adding a slight hiss to her tone. All the same, it sort of fails in the aggressive department.

Moonseeker still watches the bear with wide eyes, she's never been this close to a bear before after all. She leans back against Shadow's paw glad she's here at elast. "Roki.. Get over 'er." The girl calls out to her brother, tail lashing a few times. A glance is offered towards her father rather glad he is here now. She takes in a faint breath and eyes the bear, suddenly a bit braver with her dad here. "Ya.. you better /go/ or else!"

Roki grins at his sister. "Yeahh.. hehe, I already told it that." And then dad bursts onto the scene and the boycub raises his rounded radardishlike ears. "Heya 'Higa! Lookit what I caught!" He puffs up looking so proud of himself. Betcha he never caught anything this awesome before. And then he shouts for him to get out of the way and looks quite confused at that, and then suddenly another cougar scream and Roki ducks down flat and BOLTS in a little poof of dust over to Moonseeker. Man everyone is trying to get rid of his catch, whats the deal?!

The pride of Roki is lost on Ahiga, as the danger of the bear is the most pressing matter of the moment. "It is hard on the ears for a reason, bear," he growls, holding his ground. "Turn around and leave, now, and you might be allowed to /keep/ those ears." He would normally have no qualms about an ursine
on his turf, but not so close to a litter.

Sureiyaa tilts her ears back as she looks at ShadowFrisk, "Well met then, swift ShadowFrisk" She replies before tilting her head to look at ShadowFrisk with her nearsighted vision, "Why should I? All I was doing was eating roots when these cubs came running up to me." She snorts, sounding slightly amused. She then dips her head down to look at Moonseeker, "Or else...they'll scream again? I don't know how you put up with it." She remarks, acting surpringly friendly towards the cub. She watches Roki with amusement, well as much of him as she can see with her shortsighted vision. He looks more like a blur again really. Her attention is then taken by Ahiga and she rumbles deep in her throat, "I am not bound by the boundaries of your kind. I will come and go as I please." She replies, as a point she plants her legs heavily into the ground like the trees they resemble. She then chuffs in annoyance, "Why do you make hollow threats? I am three if not four times your size."

Shadowfrisk's paw moves to push the cubs farther away from the bear. The gesture is actually unintentionally; she's just a /touch/ afraid of Ahiga, especially when he's angry, and it's just the result of her attempts to retreat a few steps back. But she doesn't forget the youngsters. Shadow's head lowers and tilts slightly. "Why don't you two go find your mother, hmm?" She whispers.

Moonseeker moves backwards a few steps while eyeing the bear and glances to her father then to Shadowfrisk. "Might be a good idea.." She murmurs to her brother as she goes, backing up more pondering how far she might get. Her ears flick back at the talk of screaming. "I'd scream at ya to..! If I could.." Darn't she wants to be all screaming at the evilbear but can't cause she's still all cubby.

Roki once again blinks and looks around himself, before realizing it was just another scream again. He vows never Ever to make a noise like that then and there and flickflits his blacktipped tail about in annoyance. He watches his dad threaten his prey and smirks in annoyance and is about to protest again when Shadowfrisks paw pushes at him. "Heyyy.." Protests come forth anyways. "Thats My bear." Yup, cubs own everything..

"Do not underestimate me," Ahiga snarls, eyes narrowing. If Shadowfrisk's urgings are heard, they are ignored. In fact, all the other cougars in the vicinity are ignored. To the chieftan, it's just him and Sureiyaa. "I may not have your bulk, but I am no cub either. You--Roki, stay /back/!" Or maybe he's not so unaware of his surroundings as one would think, but his gaze does not waver from the ursine before him. "You, bear, are too close to the den of my mate, and I will not suffer you to stay. There are other roots and berries to eat in the area; go find them."

Sureiyaa watches as ShadowFrisk shoves the cubs away before lowering he head to look at Moonseeker in amusement, "So you would be a warrior would you? I'm sure you'll grow into it. Though let this be a lesson learned not to run about foolishly on your own." She remarks with a chuff, turning her massive head to look at the first cub Roki, "And that goes for you too. I think you should take the suggestion of the one called ShadowFrisk. Go find your mother." She urges, having a feeling this is going to turn into a fight. She does not want the cubs to get caught up in it. Although she remains pleasant to the others she at last looks at Ahiga and gives a loud bellow, her teeth showing quite clearly as she half-rears up, "Do not underestimate me either. You! Are an irrisponsible parent, you are the ones who put your cubs in danger. If I had not realized they were cubs, it would have been too late." She berates the cougar, surprised that she feels so strongly about the cubs. Maybe it's just natural maternal instinct. But she certainly isn't about to let this upstart cougar lecture her when it was /his/ fault in the first place.

Shadowfrisk gives Roki a glare. "Do I have to carry you?" She threatens, all while trying to keep a straight face. This is probably an awfully bad time, but she can't help but find the whole situation just a little humorous. Yes a fight appears likely to break out, and yes it's potentially dangerous. But it's /funny/. Shadow always did find the oddest things amusing.

Moonseeker blinks at the bear and frowns while lifting her head and watches it. "I will.. And if you hurt my father I'll hurt you when I'm older." She says with a very serious tone for one her age. So much for her still being a cub and carefree on things. At Shadow's threat she turns and races back the way she came to find her mother.

Roki ducks down flat.. Again. Third time today, as his father regains awareness of the other cougars and he gets shouted at. Then as everyone tells him to go find his mom he might have finally gotten the hint and gets back up on his paws again and turns to follow after his sister. He stops and looks back at the grizzly, thinking once again how cool it was to have caught her and then scampers up the path. Only to hide in a patch of grass and watch though, theres no way hes going to miss this.

[Roki]

Despite the bear's threat, Ahiga does not flinch, nor does he look like he's about to back down. He knows that if he was anywhere near Sureiyaa's cubs, she'd be acting no differently than he. The jab about his parenting skills is lost on him as well, for his job is not to babysit--unless Paoro asks him to keep an eye on the younglings for a moment--but to make sure that threats such as this ursine do not get anywhere near the den. That is what he's doing now. "I will not ask you again," he snaps. "Leave this place /now/." He isn't afraid to take on a grizzly.

Sureiyaa lifts her head for a moment and nods to ShadowFrisk in approval for getting the cubs away. She does not wish to have them caught up in this mess. And it does look like it will turn out to be a fight whether she likes it or not. She then rumbles at ShadowFrisk, "Stay clear, I do not want you to get involved in this. I have no quarrel with you." She advised before looking on in satisfaction as the cubs leave. She is unaware that Roki has stayed behind to watch, for as a bear she is very shortsighted. Anything beyond five feet in front of her face is blurry. He head then swings about as she glares at Ahiga, rearing up with a roar that reverbrates through the air, just as loud as their feral screams but much deeper. The sound seems to echo for miles around. She then drops back to all fours with her paws digging into the ground, her teeth now bared, "And I will not tell you again, I do not intend to leave. I will leave when I please, I do not follow cougar boundaries. I did not ask for a fight, but now you force but now you force my claw. Now, either back down or attack and get it over with!" She snarls, her claws ripping up the eath in a display of anger.

Having been on a search for Maulisho's body, Paoro has not been in the vicinity of the mountain until she decided to give up for a bit, her maternal senses nagging on her to check back on her cubs before it gets too late. As she drew nearer to the slope of the mountain, however, the sounds of screams and an ensuing roar strike cold fear through her veins, and she soars up the incline faster than she's run since she was still an adolescent. Skidding to a stop as she arrives at the top of the plateau, Paoro's eyes quickly assess the situation - easily noting the very unhappy bear threatening her family. With one of her own screams piercing the air, Paoro doesn't bother with tactful politics before lunging straight for the ursine; she isn't a violent cougar by nature, but this bear has crossed the line.
In Sprawling Mesa, Paoro screams threateningly.

Shadowfrisk doesn't have to be asked twice. She's a prankster and speed demon, but /not/ under any circumstances or vague definitions, is she a fighter. Besides, she had no particular reason to harm the bear. The female turns, biting back the whim to wish Sureiyaa luck, and follows after, keeping an eyes out to be sure neight cub tries anything, like darting back too close to the confrontation. Paoro's arrival produces a wince from Shadow, and only increases her desire to distance herself from potential bodily harm.

Moonseeker is making her way right towards her mother as she catches sight of her. "Mom!!" Though she is rather sure her mother see's what is going on. The girl turns to look back catches sight of the bear going after her father, a faint whine of worry escapes the girl as she wiggles on her paws very unsure what to do now.

Roki crouches down as low as he can, to be as inconspicuous as he possibly can. This is certainly heating up a bit, and all he can think of is when its all said and done his Dads going to take all the credit for catching the bear. It just isnt fair! He never gets any recogn- hey look its mom! The Scream is let out and Roki BOLTS off to the side of the path and almost into a tree.

The sight and sound of his mate joining the fight spurs Ahiga on to lend his own teeth and claws to the battle. He surges forward, swatting with one forepaw at Sureiyaa's face, claws splayed. There are two things he will defend with his life: his females, and his cubs. Both have been brought into the mix.

Sureiyaa is surprised when Paoro suddenly lunges for her from the side, not having seen the female cougar arrive. The air smells so strongly of cougars that she can't tell one apart from the other by scent. She feels claws slice just behind the ear, drawing bright lines of red blood that darken her fur to scarlet where the scratches were made. Still the scratches are shallow and merely sting, but no more than that. She has little desire to hurt a mother defending her cubs, her anger runs for towards Ahiga. Before she can even move another set of bright lines is drawn across her muzzle, stinging more than a little as the fur there is shorter. She bellows in pain and then puts her head down, simply charging right towards Ahiga with her full weight, attempting to force him to put some distance between him or get mowed down under her weight.

Whether or not the bear is after her in particular, she's after her mate, and that, like Ahiga, is one of the few things that can really set her off. As her claws scratch the bear, she doesn't hesitate before leaping up again, swinging both her heavy paws towards the bear's head in an attempt to cuff her sensitive ears or otherwise injure her. She's snarling and hissing something fierce, not sparing any breath for words against one who would dare to endanger her family.

Shadowfrisk ducks close to the ground and scoots nearer to Moonseeker. "Don't worry, your mother and father will take care of /everything/." She mutters, before realizing she lost track of the other cub in the minor confusion, so that's not good. She glances around for him. "Roki?"

Moonseeker whimpers some as she looks to Shadowfrisk and presses closer to the older cougar not seeming so sure about that. Her ears are pinned back across her skull while she watches wideyed as her parens fight the bear. "I hope so.."

Roki peeks out from some foliage he ended finding himself in after bolting off to the side like that. If everyone doesnt stop screaming he swears hes gonna..!!! well.. do something. Things are getting pretty noisy and the young spotty cub wanders back onto the path and peers at the scene of his parents fighting his already caught bear. He's not going to get any recognition for this at all is he. "Yea?" He asks in responce to hearing his voice getting called out all questioningly. He has no doubt his parents will end up ok from this, they're pretty much super-heros to him.

Indeed, the bear's charge /does/ force Ahiga to move, and move he does. The cougar scrambles backward and to the side to avoid getting plowed over, but he doesn't turn his back on Sureiyaa for a second. Doing so in a fight could prove deadly--unless he was running away, which he has no plans to do in the near
future. Lips peeled back, a hiss rolling from behind his tongue, the chieftan strikes again at the bear, this time aiming for the closest thing to him--likely a shoulder or the side of the face.

Sureiyaa no longer pays attention to anything else around her except for Paoro and Ahiga. Her world seems to narrow and she shifts her head just in time to seeing both of Paoro's paws coming towards her head. She backs up as fast as her large size will allow her to go, which unfortunately isn't quite fast enough, though it does prevent the worst of the damage. Instead her right ear gets nicked, with a small piece of flesh and fur torn right out of it. She growls in pain but doesn't bellow, as the nick wasn't too deep. Though it will forever change her appearance. She continues to hesitate about attacking Paoro even though it may cost her, turning her ferocity on Ahiga instead. As he strikes at her shoulder she half-rears into the air and draws up her right arm and paw, the claws splaying wide as she swipes at the cougar with all the force of her weight behind it, accepting the rake across her shoulder as the cost for her action.

Remaining reared back on her hind paws, seeming to walk towards the bear as she backs up, Paoro continues to slash at the bear, spitting and growling before darting her head forward, striking like a snake, her jaws seeking for purchase as close to the bear's head as she can get, her paws looking to balance her
once she's managed to snag a hold.

Shadowfrisk noses Moonseeker, trying to mimic the method her mother used to use to comfort her. "Trust me. If they really needed any help at all, I'd be fight right along side." Yeah right. When Roki answers back, Shadow chirps bluntly in his direction. "Over here." She orders, at least making *some* effort to do something useful.

Moonseeker hunkers down neat Shadow while just watching. She's quiet and with a very worried look across her face at the moment. A ear twitches to her brother and she just eyes him faintly. "Don't cause a /problem/ right now."

Roki watches the fight for a moment or two more until the ordering chirp calls him over. He smirks and earflicks but wanders over to the two girls. Eyeing his parents taking credit for his bear he mumbles softly as he makes his way over, and then at the snide remark from his sister he just pawbaps her on the head. He's not in the mood it seems and even pouts a bit.

Sureiyaa steadfastly refuses to let the cougar near her head, backing away from Paoro cautiously. Despite her best efforts she still receives a second slash across her muzzle, causing he to bellow in pain and thrash her head. That's when she decides she has to at least fight back or she'll just get more injuries. So she half-rears up and raises her left paw, though instead of slashing down she slashes to the side, hoping to catch the cougar across the shoulder. She then turns her attention back to Ahiga, registering the fact she has wounded him only when she sees the red line across his shoulders. The slash comes for her face but she doesn't want to get slashed again on the muzzle, so she ducks her her and takes the slash across the forehead where the fur is thickher, most of her fur taking the impact though there are some scratches underneath. Instead of attempting to claw the cougar or charge him she does the unexpected and lunged her head to the side, lunging her head around with an open mouth in an attempt to clamp down on the cougar's extended paw.

The paw slashes across the bear's form before it can even reach the side Paoro's on, and so although it hits her, it isn't enough force to send her flying. And certainly not enough to make her back down with her cubs so close by. Resilient, she simply leaps up again, flanking the bear from a diagonal direction
so that even if she doesn't hit, the bear's forced to make herself more vulnerable to Ahiga's direct attacks.

If he is anything, Ahiga is fast. The bears jaws clamp on empty air as the cougar's leg, moving with its own momentum, slips out of reach. He continues to stay low, but rises slightly to give himself room to duck and weave, if the need calls for it, and aims another swipe at Sureiyaa's face.

Sureiyaa accepts the slash to the shoulder with a grunt and glares at Paoro, even though the cougar is out of her direct line of vision. She turns her attention back to Ahiga and sees the paws swiping for her face. She backs up hastily, for once fast enough to prevent herself from being injured, the claws simply swiping through her thick fur. Still, she decides that she's had enough. She doesn't really want to hurt a mother of cubs, and at this rate the fight looks like it could drag on for hours, which she doesn't feel up too. She rears up to her full height and stand on two legs, giving a loud rattling roar before she drops back to all fours, turning an running as fast as she can go at her size. She knows when enough is enough.


As the bear finally retreats, Paoro's boiling blood lessens to a simmer, panting heavily, sweat glistening on her pale coat. Turning to Ahiga, she falls against him in a full embracing nuzzle, using his heavy body for support. But not much time is spent solely with her mate, as she quickly chirps for her cubs to come out of hiding, desperate to see them and make sure they're okay.

Moonseeker is the first to race forward towards her parents once the bear is running off. "Ma.. Dad! Are you alright?" She questions while skidding to a stop in front of Paoro and bounces up onto her hindpaws to try and get a better look of her.

Roki is close after his sister and scrambles up to his mom. "That was MY prey y'know, I caught it first!" He has to make sure they know that and unfortunately for him he doesnt know that he just probably incriminated himself. The young fluffy spotted cub beams with pride and puffs up a little after he finds his parents intact after such an amazing battle. Guess he was wrong, it isn't always so quiet out here after all.

"I'm all right, my little ones," Paoro replies, leaning down to lick each of them affectionately, virtually unscathed even after the fight with the grizzly, mostly due to her mate having deflected all the blows. "I'm glad you're both okay, too." Even if she caught Roki's inference, she's too worn out and grateful that her family is all still unhurt to be upset with him. Turning to her mate, she tenderly noses at his slashed wounds, checking to make sure they're not too deep. She'll probably have Chaeda apply some herbal ointment tonight anyway, just to be safe. "Are you okay, my warrior? We should take turns watching the lands for a while, just in case she comes back."

There's a low rumbling growl from Ahiga when he's nosed, and his ears remain pinned in annoyance. Damnable bears and their damnable thick skulls. He casts a rueful glance over his shoulder, in the direction of the ursine's retreat, before he allows his attention to focus on Paoro and the cubs. "I can handle the lands," he growls. "Just watch the cubs." He says nothing to the younglings, but each gets a glance. There is no reassurance in that gaze.