It is a flaming bodice that spears past him that alerts him to danger. Next is the sudden squawking and then dreadful silence of the local birds, and finally, as the tension and paranoia began to mount in the magnificent stag, there came a bellow.

"NO!

Destrier.

Horror overtook his mind, fighting against the instinct that had taken over when Kahlua had screamed for him to help her. He fought valiantly against it, recalling the horrid feeling of his bones converting to stone, of the tearful begging of his niece and Doctor. How terrified they'd been, of him. But he couldn't. Wouldn't fight it any longer. Destrier was his brother. They had gone through hell together, had fought and trained together, had bled and sweated through every trial they'd overcome to become WingLeaders side by side. Destrier held a place rooted far deeper in his heart than even Kahlua, of a different emotion, but of a longer bond and steeper meaning.

Pupils narrowed. Breaths deepened momentarily until they became rapid, huffing through nares that flared pink. Earthen hooves slammed into the soil as he whipped to the side, gouging furrows into the moist earth and sending it flying with a buck of his legs forward into the cluster of trees. Deep huffs came from his chest as twigs snapped and shuddered with his passing, and as the next clearing came, massive wings snapped out and with a powerful thrust he was airborne. It was like deja vu, anger thrumming like something tangible in his veins, a screaming in his head in a language far different from that of his kin. PROTECT THE FAMILY.

He flies, faster and faster until his body is aching, but adrenaline wipes any awareness from his mind. Wipes everything but kill, protect, kill, protect. Avenge. And as the trees disappear, rapid and snagging at his legs with how low he flies, he sees them. Invading. Harming. They come in multitude. Bears. He sees the grizzly charging, for his Destrier, for his BROTHER. And from his throat it builds, the same horrific, blood-curdling noise that echoed not long ago when he had answered Kahlua's call. He screams. Primal and loud, a challenge, a threat. A promise.

Magic nearly explodes from his being as it builds, hot and electric, until his skin is glowing blue and he sweeps down over the bears and the scream echoes from his voice, tearing through his throat. He has only used it once, in a panic, and doesn't realize what he's doing. But then it snaps, releases all at once, electricity shooting towards every bear in the vicinity aside the cub. Clouds are gathered overhead, thunder crackling like the death knoll, blocking out all sunlight from the summer sky. From the sky he drops farther, faster, all his weight a stone dropping towards the bear charging towards Destrier. Parelia is flighted, can evade the paw swiping harmlessly at her from the earth, but Destrier is not. Destrier is his brother, is about to be killed, in his head.

Hooves aim to come down hard all along the grizzly bear's spine, forelegs poised for the back of the neck, a fatal blow in all intentions and purposes. However it lands, wings thrust hard to get him back into the air, swooping like an avenging eagle between the other bear and Parelia, snarling wildly and kicking hind legs towards its face before circling widely and landing near Destrier, massive frame bulging with tension and war-hardened muscle. Wings stretch into their full expansion, electricity still crackling all along his hide, and his eyes are wild in the same blue glow of his magic. He snakes his head low, a herding motion, threatening. From his throat he bellows, rearing and slamming his hooves into the earth as his wings beat the air.

"HEEFT MIJN FAMILIE NIET AAN!" He bellows. He will kill them if they do not leave, even if it costs him his own life.

---

Translation: Don't touch my family