Even with the weight of the armor, Ray found herself running faster than she ever remembered running. She berated herself for not putting more effort into training. She’d shrugged off her combat duties by putting her job at the power station as an excuse too often.

“Darcy!” she cried out, almost collapsing to her knees next to her sister. The Hound grunted, and Ray almost cheered at the fact she was at least alive.

“White Claw…”

“Ran.” Ray quickly stated, glancing worriedly at Darcy’s flaming shield. It was bent inwards. Murisium was not meant to bend. Had the attack landed squarely on the Hound… Ray shuddered at the idea.

Carefully, she moved the arm wielding the shield, and watched Darcy clench and hold back a scream.

“This…”

“Is bad.” Darcy nodded, using her good hand to grasp Ray’s breastplate and pull her closer. “That was not a Tigress.”

“What?”

“She’s a Sabertooth, she must have shifted, there’s no other explanation.” The Hound winced, groaning. “The others…” There was a tremble in her words as Ray helped her sit up. “Three, fuck.”

Ray knew exactly what that number meant. There were only two surviving Doggirls after all. She held back the grimace, reaching into her satchel to pull out a potion. “Drink up.” Putting it on Darcy’s lips and watching the Hound take a heavy gulp, she used the rest to drench the arm with the multiple fractures. “This should keep you able to fight at least…”

“Won’t be using my arm for much.”

“The Lord requests an update.”

Ray flinched, glancing at the two Mousegirls. One had been in her squad, the other in Darcy’s. The duo had spoken in unison, eyes blank and distant.

“Darcy’s in need of healing. White Claws retreated.”

“I can smell the blood on her.” Darcy growled, pushing herself on to her feet, looking around. “Where the fuck is Celine.”

“En route. As is Squad two and the Lord.”

“Why aren’t you closer!” The Hound was already stomping towards the merged squads, looking around and through the darkness. Ray could smell her sister’s fear and anger. That made the Pitbelle’s every nerve stand on edge.

The two Mousegirls turned to glare at the Hound, the first expression they’d shown all night. “If you were able to hold White Claw off and wear it out, we would have no need to hurry. Watch your tongue.”

Ray didn’t bother to think of a response to that. Darcy’s face was loud enough a proclamation already. The Hound had always cared for her squad, and now… Ray pulled out her crossbow and loaded a flechette, coaxing her elemental energy into the small rod and watching it sparkle with the charge of her lightning power.

“We cannot let White Claw close.” Darcy gave the order, looking at the two remaining Doggirls along with the four Elves from Ray’s squad. “It’s too dangerous. Shoot on sight and block any attempts to get close. We need to buy as much time as possible until Bronte and Kimi get here. They’re our only hope to avoid getting slaughtered.”

“Do not kill White Claw.” The mice spoke with a fierce growl. “The Lord commands it.”

Ray flinched at that, seeing Darcy’s expression darken, the Hound remaining quiet. The lack of acknowledgement concerned.

Clink.

Everyone froze as they heard the sound.

“North, North East.” Darcy said, and as one, everyone turned in the direction she’d pointed at.

Ray took aim towards the darkness, shouldering the crossbow as she removed her finger from the trigger-guard, ready to shoot at a moment’s notice. Her hand on the fore-grip held four more flechettes, charging them with her power as she prepared herself in case she missed. She would rather engage in close range, use her powers directly, but there was little option to be had since White Claw was clearly far too dangerous.

Clink.

“What’s that sound?” Ray whispered under her breath.

“Jars, they contain Phoenix feather.” The Hound replied, the growl echoing through her words. “It’s… not moving.”

“What?”

“White Claw’s just there, not attacking.” Darcy clenched her jaw. “Be ready, she’ll-.” Her eyes widened, choking as she began to wildly look around. “It used shadow dash! East!”

Shadow dash? Ray spun in the new direction. Tigresses shouldn’t be able to… no, White Claw was a Sabertooth. They could use the elemental energy of darkness. Where had the maiden learned…?

“Claw copied me.” Darcy growled. “South East East.” The maidens rotated, keeping the tower-shields between the darkness in the direction the Hound was pointing at.

It was clear White Claw was looking for an angle on them. Ray felt cold sweat running down her back. The maiden had been a myth as a feral, claiming many lives of those who’d attempted to hunt it. And now the creature was stronger, and tame. This would be a tight fight to be sure.

Clink.

“Dodge!”

Ray saw the brown blur, and she’d nearly jumped out of the way as it’d been aimed squarely at her head. It was a close call. Fire burst against the forest floor as the jar shattered off in the distance. The Pitbelle tightened her hold on her weapon. That was Phoenix feather alright. Getting the stuff on her face would… be painful.

Wait.

“Have the Hunters… betrayed the Lord?”

“Not our concern right now. North West. Inco- READY TO SHOOT!”

The order made Ray tense, and she saw White Claw approaching. The feline wielded one of the tower shields, the blue tint of the metal a dead giveaway of it being made of murisium. The way that the feline was approaching, however, was concerning. She was keeping the piece of protection up in exactly the same way a knight would.

“Fire!”

Ray didn’t aim for the shield, turning her flechette downwards towards the ground in front of White Claw’s feet. The bolt flew true, unleashing the electric power it had contained all around the area it had struck. White Claw hadn’t expected this, freezing up as the lightning energy coursed through her for a split second.

It was exactly what the Elves needed. Their arrows struck the shield and the ground around their mark. Vines sprouted from the shafts, latching onto the maiden’s ankles and shield-bearing arm. Ray saw the opportunity, the confusion clear on the feline’s face as it continued to try to swipe away at the thickening vines before they could restrain her.

“Keep firing!”

Pulling on the string and prepping the crossbow while the Elves loaded and shot more arrows, Ray put two charged flechettes on the rails. With careful aim, she tensed, looking for the right moment. The feline maiden was fighting the vines while also blocking any direct arrows with the shield with the other hand. Seeing how easy it was to destroy the vines, it was clear their only option was to try to overwhelm her with quantity.

But the Elves didn’t have infinite stamina, delaying would only make things worse.

“I’m going to flank. Look for an angle to shoot and bring White Claw down.”

Ray’s eyes met with Darcy’s. The Hound hesitated. “Do not engage directly, keep your distance. Be ready to bolt back.”

With a nod, Ray rushed to the left, crossbow aimed directly at White Claw. Her fore-grip hand was charging another set of flechettes. If she was fast, she might be able to shoot twice before having to retreat.

If she could safely close in the distance, then… but no, it was too risky.

The chance to shoot presented itself when White Claw had to turn her back towards Ray to swipe at some vines that were trying to crawl their way up her legs. Pulling the trigger, White Claw roared as the two bolts sank into her shoulder. The maiden spasmed, almost falling, but not quite.

Ray realized two wouldn’t cut it, and loaded four more, shooting them just as White Claw had yanked the initial two out of her shoulder. This time, the attack struck true. The Sabertooth spasmed and shook, falling down.

But the maiden wasn’t downed, twitching and still fighting.

In that moment, Ray understood there had not been enough of an elemental charge to her flechettes. The maiden would be up in seconds and the chance to shoot again would likely be gone for good.

“Ray, no!”

Ignoring the order, the Pitbelle rushed forwards, dropping the crossbow and charging herself with as much lightning as she could muster. She only had one chance and if she wasted it, half of them could end up dead before Captain Bronte made it here.

Their prey was lying on its side, twitching even as the vines from the Elven attacks spread up her legs and tried to bind her arms.

Ray lunged, arms extended with every bit of power she could muster.

White Claw spun far faster than someone paralyzed should have been able to. She’d pretended to be hurt.

The last thing Ray saw was a piece of brown pottery crushed against her face.

Then, the world became fire and pain.

“DARCY!”