Winter wasn't expecting it at all. She hadn't even imagined that her daughter would ever attack her, especially in cold blood. So she was utterly unprepared for the sudden assault as the wolf hybrid lunged forward, a paw slamming down on the top of her head and smashing her down. She squeaked with surprise, too shocked to feel anything else.

"What are you doing?" she yelled as best she could under Lyra's paw. The rest of her body struggled strongly, trying to free herself from the weight pressing down on her. Perhaps she was stronger then Lyra had first believed, or perhaps Lyra's hesitance had weakened her hold, but she quickly struggled out of her grip, slipping out from under her paw.

She desperately tried to hold her mother down, but snakes were a lot more slippery then she'd first thought. Of course, she'd touched her mother before, she'd only just been in a tender embrace with her. But her own scales were soft and unlike a true reptiles so she wasn't used to exactly how smooth they were.

Without much effort, Winter was able to slip out of her grip. She took a step back, the bravery that had been apparent a moment ago quickly draining away. Eyes were wide with fear and disbelief that she'd actually done that - she'd actually attacked her mother.

It wasn't that she wasn't used to violence - the world itself was violence. She hunted and killed to eat and survive. She'd seen fights and had been in a few scraps herself. But this was different. This was her mother who would never be able to fight back.

This was so wrong.

As soon as she was free, Winter turned around, eyes wide as she glared at her daughter. "What...what was that for?" The shock was still freezing her entire brain. She didn't think about running because even as she looked at Lyra, who stood there shivering, she didn't see someone that would ever in her life attack. She only saw her gentle, shy little daughter.

She was frozen to the spot. Surely that had been just...a fit of anger, right?

Lyra steeled herself. Shit, she was hesitating too much. If she kept this up then...Winter would escape, probably. She would figure out that Lyra wouldn't let her leave and get away. She couldn't let that happen. She had to hold her here.

She crouched and lunged again, this time, instead of aiming to just hold her down, she aimed at her main body, to sink her teeth into her back. Start ripping up scales and skin so that she would be too wounded to go anywhere. She slammed into the snake and she felt her jaws breach Winter's body, warm blood filling her mouth.

She almost let go with disgust. She wanted to vomit, but knowing that she was doing this to keep her safe, to keep her from dying, was what kept her holding on.

Winter saw it coming this time, but, again, she didn't react more then flinching and standing tall, hood flaring wide. "Lyra!" she screamed as the wolf bit down hard on her body.

For a moment, she went straight into an attack pose. The shock wiped away suddenly as she was suddenly hit by a strong survival instinct. She reared back, opening her mouth to expose her fangs, and hissed furiously at Lyra. She was ready to strike - inject her with venom, make her release her. But...then her senses returned. For an instant, her resolve flickered - that was her daughter right there. That was her. How could...how could she ever think of hurting her?!

She couldn't move. She was in pain - that wound hurt, but she didn't doubt that it would hurt so much more if she hurt her own daughter. Instead, she let herself cry out and struggle. Maybe if she could get away this would end.

The hiss caused Lyra to flinch. Was I wrong?! Her eyes glanced to the side, just in time to see Winter's fangs come out. Oh shit, she was wrong. Of course Winter would attack - she'd been attacked before and almost died, after all! Of course she'd go right to attacking!

It cracked her bravery again. She could have ended it there, ripped open a wound large enough to send Winter into her chrysalis but she hesitated again. Her mother was still locked in her jaws, but she made no more effort to open the wound. Even now, with her blood straining Lyra's muzzle, Winter wouldn't attack her.

Now was her chance - Lyra was hesitating again. Winter began struggling with all her strength against her daughter's iron grip. Her whole body thrashed, trying to free herself from the wolfish jaws, but as she fought, she realized how futile her efforts were. Lyra was way stronger then she'd initially realized.

She didn't get free - all she did was widen the wound that was on her body. It hurt and she cried out in pain, although she continued fighting. This could not be happening. Why is this happening?!

Tears were flooding from her eyes. Her heart was breaking into a hundred pieces, watching Winter in pain like this. Pain that I'm causing. No matter how many times she told herself in her head that this was for her sake, that she was doing this so that Winter would be safe, it didn't make it any less heartbreaking to watch the poor snake writhe against her.

She let out a choked sob as more blood flooded her mouth. She had to finish this. She hadn't meant for it to take long at all. The less pain, the better.

So she pressed her paws against Winter's body, locked her jaws in, and ripped out with all of her strength. With it went a huge chunk of her backside, skin and scales clenched in her jaws. Blood immediately poured from the wound left over.

She opened her jaws to let the bloody chunk fall from her mouth and stepped back, trembling violently as she watched what she'd done. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm sorry I'm so sorry...I just...I can't let you go. I can't..." Her throat suddenly clenched and her words broke. Eyes squeezed shut to hold back her weeping, but it was no good. She let out a choked cry.

What have I become?

The pain was unreal. She had thought that nearly drowning in the crystal river had been bad. She thought that Blackberry's mutated form tearing into her body had been enough. She thought that she had known pain before but this was a full body experience. It wasn't just the agony of having half of her back torn off, but the mental anguish of knowing that it was Lyra - sweet, innocent, gentle Lyra - that was doing it.

She screamed, as best a snake could scream and struggled harder, but that only made all of it worse. Shock forced her body to still and her head thumped to the ground, heart racing and breath coming in small gasps. Her wide eyes moved to look up at Lyra as she stepped away, gasping for breath between continuous waves of agony. "W-w-why..." she gagged as blood welled in her mouth.

But there was no time to feel anything but utter betrayal and anguish before she felt a chilling sensation across her back. The world was going hazy as life flowed out from her backside, held in tightly by the chrysalis growing around her, pulling her into a ball. The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was Lyra's tear-streaked face, mirroring the agony she felt inside.

*exit to chrysalis

She watched as the agate gemstone slowly began to cover Winter's body, every moment more painful then the last. She couldn't believe that she'd done it. That she'd hurt her mother to the point of death. But it was necessary. Now that Winter was in her chrysalis, she couldn't participate in the Trials. She would be stuck in healing, probably until it was over.

Lyra didn't know if the Merchant would be very pleased with losing one of the volunteers. She didn't know if Winter would receive punishment for not showing up. She'd gathered enough information to know - the Masters that ran the Trials were not forgiving. So, she'd take her place instead.

Once the chrysalis was fully formed, Lyra stepped forward, leaning down to nose it and roll it away - towards Canis's wall where it would be better protected. She tried to convince herself that she'd done this for a good reason. That Winter would be safe, now, that she couldn't be in the Trials.

But she couldn't help the disgust and horror of the act. She'd done the unthinkable to protect her family.

I'm so sorry, mom.

*exit