Aryel gritted her teeth as Lupus's claws pricked her back. Lucky for her, canine claws weren't very sharp at all. As Lupus made a mock snap at her bonded, she jerked her hind end to one side suddenly, as much as she could considered her current situation, hoping to unseat him. t was unlikely to suceed, as she could only move a few inches, and the movement caused her wing to rub against the root painfully. Java barely noticed his snap, more interested in the puppy.

The mare snorted as Lupus spoke. "Big words, pup." she said to him. "I'm sure that you wouldn't be half so cocky if I wasn't stuck. You're as cowardly as he is." she indicated Crowley with a jerk of her head. She turned her gaze to follow the brindle as he circled the roots, suspicion beginning to sneak into her glare. She was all too aware of the prone position she was in. She wrinkled her nose as Crowley's tail carelessly whisked against the cage of roots that surrounded the open space around her front half. She sighed as Crowley inquired why she hadn't simply gone for a flight. "Because, simpleton," she said, seemingly exasperated, "I was trying to get out of the sun. If I was to fly, I would be in direct sunlight. The roots here provide good shade." She strained at her bonds again, trying to push herself backwards with her front hooves scrabbling at the dust. No give whatsoever.

Java, meanwhile, was elated with his new friend. Finally, he had someone to play with! He had heard Lupus's bark, which caused him to jump, but now his attention was focused on the puppy gamboling in front of him. He was nowhere near that agile on the ground, but he could still play. Java matched Talbot's yip with another of his own, and stretched a wing-claw out, trying to make contact with the puppy and groom him like he would another bat. It was only when uncertainty began to creep into the bond link he and Aryel shared that he looked back at his bondmate with faint worry. He couldn't understand bighoof speech very well when Aryel spoke to him, he couldn't understand Crowley at all, but he could still feel very faint bits of emotion from Aryel.

And uncertain Aryel was, as Crowley spoke again. She all-too-easily heard the implication in his words, recognized the threat, as well as the danger she was quite possibly in. Crowley couldn't get to her front half, although Lupus possibly could, but you didn't need to reach the head or neck to kill somebody. All his pseudo-gentlemanly nature was gone as the stallion lowered his head to look directly into her eyes. She raised her head to meet his gaze, attempting to keep the slowly-growing fear out of her expression, showing nothing but contempt. "Because you don't have the guts, Crowley." she said. "You did not have the guts to attack me in the Threshold, and you do not have the guts to attack me now." Previously neutral, her tone became as hard as his. "Furthermore, doing so would bring down the Throat's wrath on your head. They wouldn't appreciate you killing a Sergeant, you know." She tilted her head to one side, daring a faint smirk. She didn't frequently flaunt her promotion, but she supposed she could make an exception for her dear friend Crowley.

(If anyone wants me to sketch out the setting, I could.

Also, now I'm worried as to how she's going to get out of this alive.)

Walk walk walk walk.
"Talk talk talk talk."