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The world was shaken by a roar the tore through the winter winds. It was drawn out and shot instinctive fear through those that heard it. It was a visceral fear that had no basis in experience and every basis in instincts that had remained in any person no matter how much they evolved. It made the heart skip a beat and a cold chill trail down the spine as it died away leaving a silence behind that was nearly as terrifying as the roar. Calina felt frozen by it as Kitch launched himself out of the bed and didn't bother grabbing any clothing. He cast a look back at her as he picked up his bow and quiver to shrug over his shoulders. She could see an edge of white around his eyes as he kicked the door open and dropped down to the first step.

"What is it?" She pushed out of the bed, struggling past the pounding of her heart in her throat.

"Be safe, I have to go help. They pushed past the baraen." Kitch flattened his ears back and opened his mouth before the roar echoed again.

He didn't say what he wanted to, instead he bolted as their home rocked under the impact of something. She stared at the still open door and slipped out of the bed as the faint sound of voices filtered through the gathered trees. She pricked her ears up high and tried to piece them together as a few voices were raised up in screams. They were punctuated with low snarls that overrode the sounds of fear and anger. It made her breath catch in her throat as she grabbed her breeches and wriggled into them. She didn't even bother with tying the loops designed to go around her tail. She had her paws on her shirt when the entire tree house shook and she was thrown to the ground. She had to dig her claws into the wood to keep herself from being flung towards the door.

No time, no time for her shirt. She darted towards the opening and snagged up her walking stick as she did so. The short hardwood staff was clenched between her teeth as she ran straight out of the door way and onto the tree limbs. The dark night wasn't truly black, the addition of the snow turned the world silver, black and blue. Thick snowflakes clung to her fur as she noticed splashes of firelight darting through the trees. Squirrels with torches gripped in their jaws were running along the branches towards her tree and several others. And below her a monstrous head tilted up and a loose lipped mouth opened with a thundering roar.

A bear. It's a bear.. She twisted on the branch and launched to a safer tree just in time. The beast slammed one heavy paw against the tree's base and shoved up against it.

"CALINA!" Kitch's voice was sharp and frantic as tree branches stirred above her. "What are you doing?!"

She only recognized him by scent as he dropped down in the shadows. The darkness robbed his coat of the bright red and replaced it with inky black. He held his bow in one paw as he crouched down close to her and peered down at the monster in the dark. A creature so large it seemed as if it might devour the world as the blunt paws clapped down on the bark and scored white streaks in it. The darkness hid part of the creature, but not much. It stood easily three times as tall as she was. The head blocky and heavy, with massive paws that ended in wicked looking claws. It wore something akin to leggings and there was a hint of metal piercings through the nose and along either curve of the ears. The harsh acrid scent of it filtered up through the trees and she wrinkled her nose back.

"Is that a bear?" She swallowed as a roar sounded from further in the village and she realized that it wasn't just one, there were at least three of the towering shapes standing in the snow.

"They raid in the winter months before they den down. The baraen normally cut them off." Kitch crouched down with his breath puffing out in soft silvery clouds. "They're setting up above us to try and drive them off."

"They better hurry." She gripped her staff as the bear that was beneath their tree turned his large head towards one of his fellows who was snapping at a few of the squirrels that had ringed around him.

"Fricka!" Kitch cursed and she suppressed a grin at hearing the word coming out of his muzzle, but the grin was lost as she heard a piercing scream. A limp figure was tossed across the snows in a tumble of fur and swirling snow.

"We need to help them!" She stood up and Kitch put a paw on her arm before shaking his head. His face was drawn with worry.

"I can distract him with my arrows from above. Go to the northern side of our tree, there are others who are going to try and make a run with fire." Kitch stood up and gripped an upper branch to keep himself balanced. "Do not get near their paws. They wish to steal our supplies, but they will eat meat if it happens upon them. They are not like the Lupar that we can hold treaties with. They are..savage."

"You stay out of their reach too." Calina stood up with a frown as he leapt to a branch away from her. "You won't survive what I'll do to you if you don't keep safe!"

Her only laughter came with his laughter before her mate darted through the trees like a streak of darkness towards the bear that was snapping at dancing figures holding torches. Her stomach rolled with worry, but she had her own job to do. The northern side of the trees and the group that was going to be trying to make their own run. Only one question remained in her mind as she gripped her staff in her teeth and ran on all fours along the branches. Where were the baraen? Where were their protectors?

~ ~ * ~ ~

"Down, stay down." Banich's voice was fierce and Calina swallowed as she dropped down to her belly in the snow that was rapidly growing thicker.

Banich had been the one to spot her closing in on their group, but they hadn't prepared torches. Instead, they were being headed by a tall baraen warrior who had a wide bandage wrapped around his chest. Even now it was sluggishly oozing blood as they dropped to the snow at various points and watched one of the Friran tearing into a supply building. The large claws were ripping the walls open easily, but the building was small and squat enough that the beast had to drop to all fours to try and get at the stored grains, nuts, dried fruits and vegetables they had worked so hard to put aside. The baraen, whose name turned out to be Itol, crouched a few feet away from her with his body tense and watching. He was the only one of his kind present.

_Where are they? Is this some sort of gambol to decimate the healthy numbers so they can overtake us all? _ Calina turned her head to glare at the wounded warrior, but he was oblivious to her censure.

"What are we waiting for?" She hissed to Banich as she came up to the older squirrels side. She tried to keep her mind on what they were doing for now.

"Itol's signal." Her mentor whispered softly and they edged forward again. Calina gripped her staff firmly as the Friran heaved up onto his legs and turned his head to roar into the darkness.

The village was in shambles, two of their carefully made and filled storage buildings had been split open. The largest of the group had been barking orders in a strange language towards the other pair of Friran who filled heavy sacks that were slung over their backs. Up close they were horrifying and barbaric looking. They wore badly preserved leather breeches that were held up with woven leather belts that had various pouches and knives hanging from them. The creature that they had surrounded even possessed a wicked looking axe tucked beneath the edge of his belt as he used his paw to crash in part of the wall to expose the barrels of preserved grains.

The beast had piercings, the first she'd ever seen in the world. She was familiar with how people pierced themselves in her own world, but these looked extreme. A great loop of metal was worked around the edges of the soft looking ears. It wound like a spiral through half a dozen piercings on either side and ended in a plug that strained the flesh of the bottom ear lobe. The bridge of the muzzle was also pierced with barbs like a series of ladders that made its muzzle look barbaric. Even in the darkness she could see that there was paint applied around the edge of the muzzle and swirled around the edges of the muzzle. A thick bone ring pierced the muzzle, almost like a bull's ring.

The other bears were being harried as well. The squirrels had been changed into groups, no matter their sabon, they were forced to try and drive the beasts back. She could hear their shouts and cries. She tried her best not to think about her fellows falling and dying around her. Even as she thought it she trembled. Somewhere out there Kitch was fighting the battle as well. Her only hope was that he remained up in the trees where he wouldn't be harmed. She had even more fear for Hatcha, the great female had been seen on one of the Friran's heads tearing at his muzzle and trying to bring him down without the aid of her sabon.

Please, please let her be alright. _ She didn't know what she prayed to or even if she prayed, but she had to do something as she stood quiet in the darkness. _Let them be alright, let them all be alright.

"GO!" Itol's voice was a bark and the wounded male launched himself forward in answer to the signal. Banich didn't hesitate, the old female launched herself forward with a spill of snow and others followed.

Calina followed behind them with a shrill cry that came from her bared teeth. The Friran lifted his large head and turned towards the sound as their group converged together to harry the beast. The plan was simple. The baraen were supposed to be above with some plan or another, Itol hadn't been clear on that, they were supposed to keep the beasts attention on the ground. That meant a lot of quick thinking as they bolted about the large legs and started to leap in to attack. Banich was quick for an old squirrel, she darted in with her knife slicing at the legs. She wasn't able do damage, not with the amount of fur covering the beast, but it did turn the beast about.

Calina used her staff and darted in to crack the beast. She had to leap up, but she could hit the hips with powerful cracks that turned the beast about again. The pierced muzzle was wrinkled back and the yellow teeth snapped at the air before he raised a large clawed paw and tried to take a swipe at her. She darted backwards before he could land a blow and another one came forward to strike a blow in an attempt to force the creature's attention away from her. Distract and harry, dart in and dart out. It was simple, incredibly simple, but it worked. The brutes didn't seem to be as intelligent as they were and the beast ended up turning in circles.

It wasn't as easy as it appeared or even sounded. The beast was fast enough that it didn't always miss when it tried to strike it's tormentors. One of the large grey males took enough hurt that he had been dragged to the side and was still dazed. Banich had a wounded leg, but refused to leave. Another youngster had been slammed hard enough that she hadn't gotten up again and they didn't have time to check her. Even Calina had a bruise over one shoulder that made her limp slightly when she tried to go on all fours. They were being worn out more quickly then they could switch off. They needed more time to relax, but didn't dare take it.

"When are they coming!" She turned towards Itol who was wheezing and holding his wounded chest. The bandage was soaked black in the darkness.

"Soon, soon..." He coughed out and spat out a mouthful of blood on the snow. "Go! Your turn now!"

I shouldn't put my faith in them. It's a trap, it has to be. _ She gave her head a shake and launched herself at the bear again. _They won't come in time, they'll let us be beaten down and then take over the entire village.

_ _

She flattened her ears and launched herself up with a scrabbling of her claws as she hit the furred leg at full speed. The harsh acrid scent of the bear flooded her nose as she launched herself up as the bear swung around with a baritone roar. If they weren't going to come, then she was going to do her best to take the beast down. The twisting form dropped down to all fours and she was tossed up so she clung to the broad back. Her claws sank in as the bear roared out and bucked beneath her. She was nearly being thrown down towards the ground but she kept her grip up. All she could think about was the wild bull riders in a rodeo as the beast twisted around and bucked beneath her. The beast hunched his shoulders so that she was thrown forward before he snapped his jaws back at her. The clattering teeth nearly caught her leg until she tucked them up close.

She would stop the beast, she had to stop it. She wasn't going to let her people suffer because of a corrupt group of warriors that couldn't be bothered to do their sworn duty! She'd never known battle or war or even many fights when she'd been human. She'd seen other practicing in the gym and wrestling. She knew what she'd learned by watching the baraen in secret. She could only hope that she had learned enough to not get herself killed. With a lunge upwards she flung her weight up in a move she'd seen the young males use when wrestling. It twisted her lower body up and her tail cracked forward right over the bridge of the muzzle.

It should have cracked the beast with a wooden ring, but she didn't possess one. It only wrapped right over the bears eyes as it twisted around. It did give her enough time to transfer the grip on her staff and strike downwards towards the legs. She hooked right behind the knee and gave a yank as the beast tried to throw her down again with a roaring cry. She heard her name being cried out, but she flattened her ears to the cries. Her world was narrowed down to a battle between herself and the bear. There was no room for concern for anything else as she twisted the staff down again and this time yanked hard enough that the bear stumbled beneath her. She bared her teeth in fierce triumph as he tried to regain his footing with the strikes of her staff.

PAIN!!! Pain red hot and nearly blinding erupted behind her and she screeched out as the powerful jaws caught the tail she was using to blind the beast. The teeth locked in place and she dropped her staff to hold onto the beast's back. It yanked roughly against her tail and dragged her upwards as her claws dragged along the rise of the back. The pain had to be pushed aside, she couldn't dwell on it or the damage she was taking. She had to take the beast down. She tensed herself up as he yanked harder and suddenly reared up onto his haunches. The world tilted wildly and she found herself staring down at the beast's haunches as her name was screamed out by someone in the snowy night.

She didn't think about what she was doing. She didn't even know she was going to do it until she was already in motion. It was a move she'd seen before, a hundred times, when watching the warriors practice with each other. She had tried it herself, but it had been difficult to practice on her own. It needed a partner to be reenacted properly. Her attempts at using trees and even a hastily made 'scare crow' had failed to have the desired results. But now, her body came up and over the bears broad head and instincts she hadn't known she possessed kicked in. Her arms wrapped right beneath the curve of the jaws as she was tugged forward and her hind legs dropped down and kicked hard beneath the neck. She felt her toes pushing right up against the wind pipe as she launched herself backwards and twisted to one side.

It was designed to flip someone of similar weight, or at least she assumed that was the point, but the Friran was too large. Instead she drove her foot paws hard against the windpipe and felt it being pinched downwards as her twisting upper body suddenly launched the bears head to one side. It gagged and released her tail as the jaws parted with a wave of horrifically scented breath, but it couldn't stop itself from following the natural twist of the head. The press of her paws against the windpipe had stunned the bear as it wheezed and crashed down into the snow with a thud that rocked the world around her.

Calina was tossed away from the bear and cast into the snow with a squeal as her aching tail cracked against something hard. The snow covered her and she struggled towards the surface wildly as a terrible noise reached her ears. It was a screeching sound that vibrated the worlds as she came out of the snow into a world of fire and ice. Her pupils pinned down as she saw warriors tearing through the darkness with fire gripped in their paws and executing it with a grace that was breath taking. One of the bears that had managed to tear down a tree house was being driven back as the baraen launched themselves up the creature's body and cracked it with staffs that were golden with flames that never seemed to burn them.

Others had their tail rings afire and cracked them expertly to drive the beasts back as they shrieked out at each burning strike that brought with it the scent of seared flesh. She swayed on her feet as her tail drooped in the snow as she wildly looked around towards the bear she had brought down. The beast heaved himself up to all fours and suddenly coughed roughly. The pierced muzzle was spread open and the tongue rolled upwards as it gagged a few times and stared around in confusion. It didn't get enough time to get its bearings again. Three of the baraen came at it with glittering strikes of fire that crashed against the muzzle and cracked the teeth. The beast screeched out and reared back up onto its feet before lumbering backwards.

_They came.. how are they not being burnt... _ She swallowed and swayed on her paws before a hand slipped under her own.

"Are you alright?" Kitch's voice was low and urgent as she pulled her in close, "Your tail? Can you move it?"

"What's.. going on?" She blinked and belatedly tried to move her tail upwards. It moved, but it still made her wince with discomfort as the muscles ached. There were gashes beneath the fur that bled red on the white snow.

"STUPID GIRL!" An angry roar brought her attention back to the fight as a large form launched towards them. "IDIOT!"

Anin's features were twisted into a snarl as he approached with his tail ring burning so brightly it made her squint against the darkness. His lips were wrinkled back to show his blunt buck teeth as he made a launch towards her with his neck ruff bristling with rage. He reached out as if he were about to drag her into the snow when an enraged red streak launched himself at the other male. Kitch's voice was an unnatural snarl as he slammed into the larger older male and their bodies went twisting down into the snow. Claws flashed and teeth snapped as they tried to find enough purchase the fight in earnest. Calina's ears folded and she limped forward, raising a hand to try and drag Kitch away, but a blow from Anin's foot sent her stumbling back into someone else.

"ANIN!" The person behind her snapped the world out with a cracking voice as the pair of males became more furious. Kitch's blows weren't as practiced, but his eyes blazed with fury.

"Kitch!" She heard her own shrill voice and winced a bit, but she called again before the pair came to a panting snarling halt. Her gentle mate bristled at the other male with his tail raised up high and his teeth showing.

"Enough, Anin," The hands steadied her back as the male who'd braced her moved around. Chane frowned at his warrior and she felt a start as the older squirrel gave his grizzled head a shake. "You've made your feelings known."

"She could have killed us all. I do not care if her hide had paid the price for her foolishness, but she risked all of us." Anin panted and his tail smoked where his tail ring had been extinguished by the snow. "We were on our way and they were to hold the beasts at bay, not engage them."

"You had waited long enough!" Calina's voice was rough as she limped towards Kitch who had shifted his body to stand in front of her. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Its winter, it's too late for these beasts to come out here." Chane gave her a long look, his dark eyes pinning her in place. "We were not prepared. We had hoped they were all asleep."

"Yes, girl, it takes time to treat our tails and paws so they don't burn. And even more time for us to get a plan of action together, fires set and able to engage them when they've come this far. We sent those we could to rally the village." Anin straightened up stiffly and Kitch stepped back to her. For the first time she got a good look at his tail, damp as it was.

The fur was flat, it almost looked slippery as the fur was slickened down and slimy with more then just water. It looked vaguely rat like. The charred ring was blackened around the tail bone as he flicked his tail back irritably. His paws were similarly coated with some sort of thick unguent that smelled foul this close up. She wrinkled her nose and sneezed it out in distaste. Obviously it was to keep them from being burned whatever it was.

"You have no right to try and attack my mate." Kitch snapped his teeth as he took another step back and wrapped his paw around her waist. "Attempt it again and I will kill you if I must, but you will not attack her."

"Kitch." Chane turned and stared at them. "I doubt your mate needs your protection, she certainly proved as much today."

The old squirrel looked at the kicked up snow that showed the path of her battle with the bear before barking out a command to a few of the baraen that were clambering about over the edges of the trees and peering down at them.

"We have work to do. I'd advise you to help with the wounded as we work on driving the Friran out of our territory." The elderly squirrel squinted down at her with a frown. "I would see to your own wounds as well. You fought well, girl."

Anin gave them a long look before blowing out a sigh and turned away from them both without another world. Calina was left leaning against Kitch and let out a trembling sigh. Her body ached. It was throbbing, especially her tail and shoulder where she had taken injuries. She didn't think they were bad, but now that she was no longer fighting or riding on an adrenaline high she felt herself trembling slightly. Kitch must have felt it, he tightened his arm around her waist and blew out a soft sigh as he deliberately took some of her weight and turned his head to brush against her muzzle.

"Let us go and see how Hatcha fares, and we will treat your wounds as well, Calina." He murmured softly. "There is little enough we can do here."

"And I'd like to sleep." She turned with him and lightened her weight as she noticed that he was limping as well. "Perhaps for the rest of the winter or longer."

Calina was too tired to think, too tired to plot or try to puzzle out the behavior of the baraen. Exhaustion rolled over her as she started to shiver and her teeth clattered together. She didn't fight Kitch as he led her through the destruction of the village. The scent of smoke and burned meat made her nose wrinkle up in distaste. She hoped their home was still standing. She hoped that Hatcha was going to be alright. And most of all she hoped she'd be able to find a warm spot to have Kitch wrap around her as they slept. She couldn't even muster the energy to care she was walking in plain sight bare breasted.

_ _