#ww20

“I was excited to hear such a warrior challenge. A would be hero? In these lands? Well, I just had to come see." The spiral alpha's face became hard, mocking. "But here I find two cubs. A white-furred bitch,” he huffed dismissively at No PB&J, he continued “and a grey-furred cuck.” Six jeering voices guffawed with pleasure and insult.

A wolfish grin curled Wayward Howl's lips. “Can’t be a cuck if I’m virgin, you pack of Ripley’s rejects.”

The mocking smile left Madman's eyes. “Aren’t you just full of spunk and sass," he spat. "What’re the sad sack fuckwits callin’ ya?”

“Wayward Howl," sneered the war alpha. "I am the one that challenged.”

A moment of silence seemed to enhance the bays of laughter cut with jeering  taunts of "Wayward Howl? More like: Wha! Worried Howls!" followed by several long whimpering calls of a pup to its mother. Madman let this continue for a moment longer, then threw his predators gaze at the motley gang of walking bile with him. The silence returned. Shaking himself off like a displeased car salesman, Madman grinned at Wayward Howl.  “Well little lost yapper, since you demanded a challenge and I’m in the mood to watch a fool die - and that runty mutt bitch piss herself," snorting derisively, "I’ll take it.” The Spiral alpha stared, steepling his fingers. “Now, if I recall I get to set the rules, right?" This was not how challenges went, but Wayward Howl said nothing. "Yeah," grinned Madman, "you’ll fight two of mine. All. By your. Lonesome.”

No PB&J narrowed cold blue eyes, jaw flexing with outrage as with a shake of his head Wayward Howl chuckled. “I’ll agree to that right now. Let’s get started, shall we?”

Madman flicked his wild eyes left and right. “Go. Skin this mewling pup. We’ll use his fur as a fuck rug for our… dates.” The fire of brutality illuminated his eyes as he licked his lips. Before he could get the slithering thing back into his mouth the Spirals flanking him ad surged forward with a flash of obsidian claws, blacker than the smoke of the forest fire they'd just recently set.

In a flash Wayward Howl took stance, fang dagger at the ready, his own claws gleaming with a razors edge. He could feel the deep searing pain of the enemies poisoned touch as they raked sin and hate against his skin. As blood broke skin, Wayward Howl struck. A crunching, ripping of corded flesh and a stunned expression accompanied the spray of rancor that splattered all nearby as the gleaming blade made its displeasure known. From throat to belly a Spiral lay gutted, his dead expression cast in horrified hues for all eternity.  

Mid charge, the second assailants eyes followed the body of his pack mate as  it fell, then turned towards the target. Shock mingled with bloodlust as they caught Wayward Howl's hard stair. Instinctually the Spiral pulled back from the power of the alpha's gaze, unable to face the righteous power of the uncorrupted. In the seconds it took for the mangled corps to hit ground, Wayward Howl shifted his stance, bringing his claws up. They cut deep. Flicking bits of vital organ off his fingers as the Spiral gurgled black blood, Wayward Howl glanced at Madman as if to say, "That's all?"

Madman lost his grin. The fire left his eyes, replaced by a blackness darker than his soul. “Kill’em.” The four men flanking him didn’t move. His eyes flicked dark command into each of their souls. “KILL’EM!” he shouted. They jumped.

In a booming reply, Wayward Howl demanded counter measures with a single directive. “Strike.”

Three forms drop out of hiding around the Spiral pack. From the forest line Talks to Many bolted like the howling winds, clipping Spiral with his claws, pivoting on his heel, using the movement to rip through the Dancer like paper. The Spiral desperately swiped his claws at the black furred wolf, trying to get away. He failed. Closing his crushing grip about the Spiral's sternum, Talks to Many thrust his arm back. A door to the heart now lay open, but before he could strike it, the Spiral lost his life, bleeding onto the earth.

As blood crept towards his hiding place, Green Venom Toungue lifted his scaled tail to avoid the hissing icor. Blinking one eye, then the other, he saw his chance.  Letting out a hiss as ominous as the back water swamps, the massive Mokolé dropped onto a charging enemy, snapping powerful jaws at a startled Spiral.

Flailing his claws at Green Venom Toungue's armored hide was a mistake. The Mokolé felt little more than the faint itching of something passing by. The Spiral was desperate to get away from the danger. Green Venom Toungue obliged, jaws opening into a cavernous death, sharp teeth sinking into weaker flesh, opening the wound to poisonous toxins. Staggered from the blow, arms flailing, the Spiral tried in a panic to strike at the Mokolé.  A few seconds more as Green Venom Toungue's jaw clicked and crunched,  crushing organs and breaking bones as the Spiral grew still. Black blood dripping from his maw, Green Venom Toungue turned at the sound of Amarguq's howl. It cut thrugh the air like hot thunder. One could expect ancient heroes of old to come storming from the mists of time to take on these would be threats.

Surging from the unseen places,  Amarguq leaped into the air. With a gleam in his eye, he came down on the spiral,  his maw locking around the unfortunate neck. Sinking in ivory fangs, Amarguq clawed savagely across the chest and belly of the foe beneath him. The Dancer never again moved of his own volition.

As viscous blood began to wash the dirt black, a luminous flame, silver and radiant began to wreath itself around the white furred chrinos, casting a bright ambiance into the growing twilight. Her claws found and savagely tore out the side of her quarry as he yowled in pain. Feebly the Spiral swiped at No PB&J, trying to weave and dodge. His eyes failed against the radiance of Luna's Flame.  A final, fluid sweep of her claws arched a bloody trail as his neck was no more.

As the artistic stroke flecked the air with sanguine, Madman's twisted features became confused, his rage and fury now abandoned. His entire pack wasn’t just cut down, they were decimated. Realizing he was the only one left standing he looked to his Gaian counterpart.

Wayward howl watched him as if seeing every flaw, every blemishes in a clear stone. There were so many, he sneered with disgust. “Congrats asshole. Your pack made a mess of the lawn.”

With a gesture of his hand, the gathered defenders  fell upon Madman with a chorus of howls. There was no mercy.

From a vehicle a couple dozen yards away Basil and Heather watched  the violence and savagery as the distant fire illuminated the sprays of black blood, all of it… over in few heartbeats as a storm would rolled in. A great hiss cooled the sizzling foliage as strong winds let loose much needed. The flames soon died away, weighing down the acrid smoke, leaving the fresh scent of rain. The immediate threat was gone, but its scars would require time to heal.

  _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ Credits and Contribution (in alphabetical order) _~_ ~_

_~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_Basil Leandros played by Naberius _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_

_~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ Esadowa "Talks to Many" played by Kjeld _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ 

_~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ Green-Venom-Tongue played by Dehaka _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ 

_~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ Heather O’Connor played by Bridget _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_  ~

_~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ Kiska Yeva played by Capsensis _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~

_~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ Amarguq “Mark” played by DMWolf _~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_ ~_