illynx,

Something was off. The golden backed Lady raised her head and adjusted the angle of her path to turn her listening ears in the direction of the entrance, an unfamiliar odor that made her hair figuratively stand on edge; dark rimmed and like steady pillars, her ears were raised into full attention and her neck was arched into a graceful and alert posture, her golden eyes scanning the splendorous horizon of her home in the dim light that she had grown so accustomed to that she now dreaded the reappearance of the sun. Impending light induced migraines would have to be worried about later, however, as the scent was still present, drawing closer even, and she found herself inwardly congratulating herself on deciding to make her rounds today rather than taking a few hours to graze upon the vibrant and quite delicious grass and wild flowers that had began to grow in the past week.

Her steps became more slow and thoughtful as she approached the entrance that was not so many yards away from her current position. Clinging to the rims of the valley and the bordering coniferous forests, the deepened shadow they provided darkened her rich brown belt into a muddy black, her golden spine no longer gleaming under the starlight that she normally welcomed. A grim line had arrived upon her face, her gaze narrowed as the smell ahead seemed to be coming from within the land itself. Quickening her pace as much as she could without sacrificing any silence, she drew within sight of the source of the raunchy stench.

An equine.

Her already grim expression suddenly contorted into a soundless snarl, her eyes deepening in their scowl as she found her opponent settled on what could easily be defined as the most defensible hillside in the Basin. The precarious boulders, one of every mountain mother's most dreaded fears for their small and inquisitive children were to her back, Illynx giving a brief glimpse to the entrance near the mare's right flank, wishing she would simply turn back around and leave if no one approached her, and cursing the slick ground even as she decided it would be dealt with when the time arose.

But something in the way she stood, that upright head and watchfulness, perhaps, gave the Lady a clue that this bitch was here on unfriendly terms. No need to delay the friendly greeting, mentally crooned the mynx, her head lowering as she stalked within range of the foolish, white faced mare.

Like an over sized, funny looking panther, the mare leaped from her shadow, charging to close the distance between herself and the equine from the shadow to the right front side of the invader, all cover dropped for the plan that she had quickly concocted after deciding that she would be unable to creep up to the top of the hill to push the boulders down on top of the intruder with any chance of catching her unaware. Salutations! she sarcastically cried, her black tail fanned out and rippling behind her sleek frame, more sleek than it had been before the Gods had gone away, but filling out rather nicely now that there was plenty of foraging to be had. Just before they would collide for what Illynx hoped was a believable straight forward horn charge (albeit a bit naive), her head lowered to angle the tip for use in what she hoped appeared to be an attack towards the chest or face, she abruptly swung hard to the right in a feint and attempted to streak up the steep incline to the right of her opponent and run down her left side between the entrance and the dolt. Her prepared horn rose and struck out towards where she hoped a left hip or back bit of the belly would be, desiring blood for the mare's impudence, immediately dipping her head earthwards after the attack. With her lowered teeth, she snaked out an attempted bite towards the rather painful grip of a gaskin or hock, knowing full and well that such wounds made the leg almost useless, not waiting to assure she had the flesh between her front teeth before twisting her head savagely to the right for fuller effect as well as to better avoid any kicks that may arise from the assault.

Ahead of her, the boulders loomed, seeming to glare upon the two dancers, desiring to feel soft flesh smashing beneath their bulk with one wrong hoof-fall.

[ 1/4 :: 757 words : Illynx charges in with a fake front attack, then feints to the right to send a horn towards her left hip. She then directs a bite towards the left hind leg, hoping to slow movement. ]

No magic used.

intending to burn - pretending to fight it
everyone learns faster on fire