Familiar and Daemon

For the first time ever, Zoya had wandered completely by herself. Iva's classes were so long and boring! Why should she wait all day for her? Instead of staying like the Russian had asked, Zoya had trotted out and into the forest to chase some squirrels and other animals.

Something moved in the shadows. She tensed, ears ducking down in suspense for the new pray. Her paw steps became light and untraceable as she stuck the head outwards. She was still young and bad at hunting though; a growl rose in her throat, letting the thing know of her presence.

She never thought it would be something that could actually hurt her.

Nightmare had been wandering. She knew when her human needed her, so why bother sticking around? This is how she found herself in the higher branches of a tree in the forest.

Still in cat form, she stepped from branch to branch, keeping her balance easily.

Her ears swiveled forward, even as her nose twitched.

Danger.

She was perfectly content to just stay in the tree, those creatures couldn't climb, that is, until a familiar scent reached her nose.

Cub.

Growling, she perched on the edge of the branch, showing her teeth. Her tail twitched, keeping her balance as she contemplated turning panther. Her bigger form would be more beneficial to them both, but maybe they would go away this time...

Maybe...

Crack.

With a flying bound, Zoya flew backwards with a sharp whine. Something had swung it's giant paw towards the pup, catching the pup's cheek with a rough claw. The wolf bared her teeth, tail tucked in between her legs in fear. Blood was now dripping from above its eye, but she ignored it.

Run?

No, fight.

Zoya growled deeply, taking a step back. Her fur stood on edge, watching the thing it could barely see.

Nightmare leapt the second she heard the cub's whine. Turning easily into her second form, she landed softly in front of the pup with her back to her and her eyes narrowed at the brush. Growling, Nightmare took a step back, forcing Zoya to do the same.

Flattening her ears to her head and lowering herself to pounce, Nightmare bared her teeth at the creature, her nose twitching.

Danger.

If there was anything Nightmare knew, it was that these others, the Unclaimed, did not go anywhere alone.

She was forced to snarl all around her as she caught a scent on the wind.

They were surrounded.

Zoya smelled them too. More than she could ever handle. More than Nightmare could handle. The cat hadn't frightened her; she had noted her scent earlier and thought little of it.

She let out a deep bark, tail forced straight back in the direction she was heading. Pelts pressed together, the wolf let out a low whine for the panther- Panic. Fear.

She was young. She wanted Iva. Or her mother.

Nightmare knew they'd never be able to fight them all.

A snap decision, and she grabbed the scruff of Zoya's neck and leaped, the pup's weight throwing the jump off, but still getting it high enough for her to get her forepaws above the ledge. She lifted Zoya onto the branch and was struggling to pull herself up when the first one tackled her to the ground.

She hit the ground hard, her claws and teeth tearing at the Unclaimed who'd attacked her. Her eyes glancing upward, she made sure Zoya was safe before snapping to her feet, growling.

She smacked a pouncing Unclaimed out of the air with a clawed paw, snarling as she backed up, trying to get the tree behind her. There were three of them in the way.

Snarling, her head whipping to right to left, Nightmare tried to keep them all in front of her.

One jolted forward, causing her to turn and snarl toward that one, only to have it retreat. Another did the same, as did the another two.

They were testing her.

This time as one attacked her, another went behind her and nipped at her back paw, drawing blood but not seriously hurting her.

They were going to tire her out.

She could feel it coming, and she was powerless to stop it.

Stay! she motioned frantically to Zoya, even as she pounced toward the nearest Unclaimed. Tearing into it, she was automatically engulfed by the rest.

Zoya stumbled back on the branch, paws used to solid ground. She manged to stay put though, letting out a whimper of surprise. She doubted she could safely et down to help.

She was stuck, letting the others rip her mommy apart.

One was watching the pup from the shadows, she sensed. Judging her. SHe was a whimp, wasn't she? Being a proud creature, Zoya bent onto her forehand. Pausing, she sucked in a breath. THis was it.

She hoped Iva would be proud if she died like this. Or, at least, it didn't hurt her too much. She was never really happy with the pup anyway.

Then, she lept into the chaos below.

Nightmare panicked.

Cub was down here. Her cub was down here!

Letting loose a wild snarl, Nightmare threw each of the unclaimed off her, tackling the ones that went for Zoya and snapped her jaws closed on it's jugular. She ferociously ripped out the creature's neck and without hesitating went for the next one. She hip-checked Zoya towards the tree, keeping the Unclaimed occupied.

She limped backward, her flank to Zoya, her maul drenched in blood, and her eyes on the three remaining Unclaimed.