ORIGIN

Large ebony paws gripped the earth with haphazard ferocity. He was tired, so so tired now. He had been running as far as his legs could carry. But he could never out run the sorrow, the very pain that shot through his heart. He had been stifling the sobs along the way, choking back the tears. But now they demanded to be let free. In his home Cetus he could cry and scream, nobody important lived here anymore. Nobody cared for him here, at least not how she cared. She was gone after all. Gone forever and he still cried out her name in agony. And he had been searching for her all this time, oblivious to that fact like a fool! All because of HIM. He was a coward, he could have saved her! But he was so young, NO! That was no excuse! Vicktor knew what he should have done! If he had kept her with him back at Pisces! She would be here, running beside him as happy as can be! He never wanted this! He didn't ask for any of this!

With tears falling from his face unrelenting, blinding as he fled himself. Vision was cut down to a minimum. He had been rushing through bushes, tearing some up from the very roots. His daunting size was an ally in this at least. Not much could hurt him right? He had nothing to fear...until he ran through another bush and unknowingly over something!? Something LARGE, something alive!? What ever it was it knocked him from his feet, sending him fumbling into a nearby log.

Bringing himself to his feet, shaking off the moist earth, he began collecting himself. Clearing his eyes of any pesky tears, attempting too at least. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to run blindly through Cetus...

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

It was only a day past the little "tree celebration" thing Hat had put together, and Czernobog sat in the mud and the muck, careful to keep his chest above the waterline - one round of the whole lungs-literally-submerged-in-water thing was plenty for the massive boar. He'd almost dozed off to sleep, comfortable in the knowledge that Isi was nearby - and his judgement day had to be soon, surely. Then it would be settled, and the itch in his hide would go away.

He yawned, set his head on the ground to slumber - and promptly felt something barrel into his side, tripping over his back and rolling to the ground on his other side.

Czernobog blinked, eyes narrowing in annoyance, head lifting to swivel his gaze to - what looked like a half-baby. Not a baby-baby, but not an adult. His ears flicked, tail twitching, and slowly, he rose, swamp goo dripping from his bristles as he trotted to the black cub-adult. He kept his body angled to the side, most obvious wound partially hidden, and snuffled.

"Intruuuuuder," he bellowed, voice low and gravely. "Huuuuurt?"

He could be nice, like Hat wanted him to. Even if Hat might possibly by on the "judgement" side of things, which was Not Good, but then again, she was a good Hat. She did what good Hats did, which was... what was best for Dragon, in Czernobog's mind. So he stood, and tried to focus his magic on his whole tusk in preparation - most intruders were harmless, but the scar on his leg kept the dingo in his memory.

But, of course, because of course, the pull backfired straight into his broken tusk, and the plants that had begun to stir around him withered and died, blackened and decayed, spreading like a plague until the boar and the jaguar were surrounded by a circle of death.

Czernobog focused on the cub.

He could apologize later.

He had finally cleared his watery eyes, looking around for anything out of the normal. Having been tripped and fumbled across the floor into a log would throw anyone's sense of location off. Though when all seemed fine someone, no. Something bellowed behind him. "Intruuuuuder," Its voice low and gravely. Its very tone rattled his sense of safety. Swiftly he turned heel to land his bone white eyes on the beast before him. They were something straight out of one of Clover's stories. Body large and daunting, tusks of a demon and a voice like a monster. How long have they lived here!? Vicktor had ran all through Cetus! Yet never seen something like this! This was terrifying!

Vicktor would have been fine to meet this entity any other day sure enough. He was a loving and nonjudgmental cub! But not now, not while he was breaking inside. Judgement was clouded and fear and anger seemed to radiate from his psyche. Their thorns sprouting up in that once tender garden. Maybe he could run? Running seemed like a fine choice. Except the large boar began to summon something!? Plants began to sprout only to wither and die as soon as they arrived. A perfect circle of death lay around the both of them. This would become a ring for a fight, and the boar was focused on him now.

Eyes wide and feet dug into the earth below, Vicktor was staying put. Not out of choice, but out of fear itself. Ears laid flat and curled lips he bared his teeth. Maybe he could scare them with his saber fangs? Releasing a hiss he thrashed his tail. He didn't want any of this to happen! Why was this happening!? Before he knew it his onyx fur began to bristle, and regrettably he knew what would happen next. The static and small sparks of painful light danced around his fur, tip to tip. This had happened before, an overload of emotion and instincts would kick in. In this case that instinct was to fight. With a loud CRAACK KA'POP he unleashed a bolt from his pelt! Thankfully and regrettably it had hit the boar. Maybe they would run away if he explained he was sorry? Though fate for Vicktor would prove to be very unlucky.

Round: 1/5
Attempt: Shock them out of fear
Defense: None
Injuries: None

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

The jaguar cub-adult rose, turned to stare, and Czernobog huffed at its gaze, eyes narrowing, bristles rippling in anticipation. It was twitching, nervous, and the boar dragged a front hoof across the ground, heard it rasp, like the toll of a bell. A warning. The corpses of his plant friends would act as a battleground, should the cub continue. Something in the pig's blood began to boil at the idea - this was what he was made for; his glorious Purpose, just as Dragon had prescribed so many cycles ago. He was a Guardian. He was built to defend.

To protect.

To defeat.

The intruder's tail lashed, and their mouth opened to reveal glittering teeth, and Czernobog saw red, reared up to bellow - and was struck by something that skittered across his skin like tiny trails of teeth, digging in, made his lungs stutter in their fluid. The bellow turned into an outraged screech, and the pig dropped back to the ground, opened his maw to bare choppy square teeth and tusks at the cub. "Foooooooooooooe!"

His massive, shaggy head lowered to cover the gaping hole that sat under his throat, and Czernobog charged forward, aching to feel skin tear under his might, to trample and rip and kill.

ROUND: 1 / 5
ATTEMPT: Full-body charge to hit with tusks!
DEFENSE: Head lowered to cover chest hole
INJURIES:
- Hole in chest leading to inner chest cavity [previous]
- Electricity burns

The boar's bellow became an outraged screech. Maybe they would understand!? Take pity!? No, there would be no forgiveness. With their maw opened wide he could see the bare choppy teeth. The full extent of those menacing tusks. And within seconds a battle hungry voice. The boar called out exactly what the young jaguar was now. Foe. There was no way Vicktor could get out of this, not while this beast was hungry. He could see the hunger for blood in Czernobog's eyes.

They lowered their head and began their charge. They were coming to trample him, to kill him. Vicktor had to get out of the way. Fear had released his feet and he was scrambling. With luck on his side the boar had missed, Vicktor had made it out from his path fairly unscathed. Sliding to a stop behind the beast he unleashed another hiss. Yowling as his fur bristled up again, he could feel it boil his blood. The very electricity that surged through his bones. He needed to fight back, his life was on the line. This was NOT a game, this was not Clover. This was something more than three times his size. This was an enemy.

With fear and urgency he unleashed another bolt. He didn't want to cause pain, he could only hope it would be over soon...

ROUND: 2 / 5
ATTEMPT: Unleash another bolt of electricity
DEFENSE: None
INJURIES: None

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

Czernobog charged forward - only to see the jaguar dodge the blow, tusks swinging into blank air, and an outraged scream crawled up his throat, echoed through the still swamp as he skidded to a stop, hooves digging into the mud. His head turned to face the intruder again, jowls distorted in an ugly snarl, when the cat hissed again, yowled, and the beast braced himself for more fire. It hit his side like a bullet, dug into meat and made him twitch, electrified the open water buoying his lungs and made him shriek, squeal like a child, like the first time he'd seen Dragon make flames burn hot over the morning mist.

The bolt left charred skin and fur in its wake, and Czernobog shuddered all over, panting and practically snarling, screeching as he turned on his heel and charged again, reared up in front of the cub and aimed his hooves to fall like hammers, crush bone and mutilate, feel organs split under his maw.

For the first time, another Gembound looked like a meal.

"Chuuuuuuurn! Wiiiiiiiill! Kiiiiiiiiiiiill!"

ROUND: 2 / 5
ATTEMPT: STOMP ON FOE
DEFENSE: Body rearing to cover chest hole
INJURIES:
- Hole in chest leading to inner chest cavity [previous]
- Severe electricity burns

That boar's snarl was sickening to Vicktor. To have something approach you with the intention to kill, it was more than unnerving. Czernobog released a shriek squeal that was more than nauseating to the young jaguar. He was in pain. He was in pain and Vicktor caused it. He could feel the bile rise up, burning his esophagus. Vicktor had spaced out, focused on his nausea rather than the fight itself.

Eyes wide, ear laid flat he looked up. The boar was reared up now, his hooves coming down as hammers. He had to get out of the way! Vicktor dug into the soft earth, attempting to scurry underneath the boar. But there wasn't enough time. One of his hooves had hit, smashing into his long tail. A loud crack that ws drown out by a blood curdling yowl that ripped from Vicktor's throat. He had managed to remain unscathed until now. He began to pity his meals all over again. It was a necessity to live, but at what cost. At least the meals died swiftly, it seemed this boar would start by breaking his bones one by one. The vitals ones last of course for full enjoyment...

Lips curled, pain and anger boiling his blood. Throwing himself at the boar's face he latched onto his snout. Saber fangs sinking deep into his muddied flesh. That taste. That taste of sweet ichor. It was invigorating, he had no sympathy now. Eyes shut tight he was prepared to hold on. Biting down with the force of his pain, waiting for his own to stop.

ROUND: 3 / 5
ATTEMPT: BITE HIS SNOUT AND DON'T LET GO
DEFENSE: None
INJURIES: - Broken tail


"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

Czernobog grunted in victory, teeth clacking together as the cat's tail snapped under his weight, the bones breaking like twigs. He almost seemed to cackle, black eyes glinting, mouth opening to bite down on its neck and squeeze, break its spine next, tear open its throat until the blood was mixed with fur, indiscernible. He could almost taste it - and then his prey reared up, and the boar had time to bellow once before it bit down on his muzzle, locking his jaws together. The thing's huge crystalline fangs sunk through skin into muscle, dug down until he could swear they would burst through the top of his mouth. He froze.

And he did something most assumed he couldn't.

He thought.

Beady eyes narrowed, met the cub's dead-on, vicious and thirsty. You're mine. With a dulled roar, Czernobog charged, dragged the cat along with him, headed straight for a tall, thick tree that stood at the edge of their battlegrounds, aiming to smack the cat into it, dislodge him enough to go for his belly next. There would be no mercy, not now.

His mouth watered, wondering what a Gembound's innards tasted like.

ROUND: 3 / 5
ATTEMPT: Remove muzzle!
DEFENSE: Nothing but SHEER RAGE baby
INJURIES:
- Hole in chest leading to inner chest cavity [previous]
- Severe electricity burns
- Bite wounds to snout

He was in a fear laced heaven. The whole world spinning, except for him. That ichor, it pooled in his mouth. Ran over his face. Until the world stopped? Opening his eyes he watched the beast's own. Dark unattractive furious eyes. He was deep in thought, oh boy now that spelled trouble. The boar dully roared at him, dragging Vicktor's body towards...something...

Where was this pig going? Attempting to turn his gaze proved of little help. It wasn't until Czernobog's failed attempt of smashing the young jaguar did he realize what was actually happening. He needed to get off this hellish boar and fast! But if he attempted to just let go he would easily be run down. Gored even! Shutting his eyes he summoned his electricity again. His fur did not raise, there was no dance of light. There would be only pain for the boar. Shooting out from his saber fangs into the beast below he could feel the surge escape his own body into his aggressor. Small sparks crackling up and past Vicktor's face as he finally released his grip. Dropping to the floor and scrambling away as fast as he could. Several feet away he waited behind the beast. Maw open, panting and dripping with the thick heavenly fluid that pumped through Czernobog's veins.

ROUND: 4 / 5
ATTEMPT: SHOCK HIM
DEFENSE: Holding on for dear life!
INJURIES: -Broken Tail

"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

The tree was so close, just a few more feet and - the thought fizzled out as his aggressor bit down even further, teeth digging in, and Czernobog's eyes widened - and rolled back. Pain, liquid and burning, radiating from the fangs embedded in his snout, down his throat and through his sinuses, tapping his brain until all he could smell was bitter burnt flesh, choking him. Bile rose in his throat as the boar let out an animalistic wail, far beyond any higher thought, knees threatening to buckle under the static.

Finally, the cat let go of him, and the boar only managed to take in a single bloody breath before he vomited, pouring blood, burnt flesh and bile onto the ground, moaning as the last of the attack finally subsided. His eyes struggled to refocus, and when they did, he let out a cracking bellow, angry and in pain and - he couldn't. He couldn't hear it.

His pupils constricted, fear flooding to mix with the rage, and he screamed again, felt it reverberate through his chest, cut through the air.

But he couldn't hear it.

Panic made him straighten, shivering with adrenaline, blood pooling in his mouth and draining from his nose, falling from his lips, staining his teeth red. This was not his Purpose. He was not prey. Thought fled, and instinct told him to attack, to destroy - he would not be taken down by a rat in cat's clothing.

Another scream, loud enough that he could almost make it out, and Czernobog charged forward, tusks lowered and mouth gaped wide. He would cut it open.

Feast.

ROUND: 4 / 5
ATTEMPT: GUT HIM
DEFENSE: Head lowered to cover chest hole
INJURIES:
- Hole in chest leading to inner chest cavity [previous]
- Severe electricity burns to side and down throat
- Bite wounds to snout
- Momentary deafness from neurological injury