Annalisa Story/PART 5: Scars
Jessica, Hand-of-Justice, Fostern Philodox of the Children of Gaia and leader of the Path of Purity pack was too stunned to act for an agonizing space of heartbeats as she tried to process what was happening. She was still steadying Marissa Lettercraft in her arms as she was readying to intervene to keep Henry from getting to the foolish, grief-stricken, Annalisa. Hearing an insult so intentionally crafted to pierce the young warrior's honor out of the mouth of a girl whom had always been as gentle as a flower and yet strong as a mountain had been stunning all on its own.
She had never anticipated the white-furred crinos launching itself at Henry. Time itself seemed to have no meaning besides the flash of claw and gleam of fang launched at speeds no mortal eye could follow. Muscle rippled and teeth gnashed and it was hard to figure out which of the two frenzied garou was coming out on top. Jessica had never considered that Annalisa could breed true when the divination had only fallen on one of the two twins. The fury that claimed Annalisa was so primal that it had made even she pause; it was as though a fuse that had been burning for years had finally reached its end.
Crimson splashed as Henry's fur was lain open by Annalisa's claws. The newly changed Child of Gaia had an edge in surprise and raw fury. Like her sister before her, Annalisa had a superb combat balance that seemed to come naturally even if it was nearly untrained.
"She bred true," whispered the blind Marissa, knowing what was happening despite her unseeing eyes.
"Stay back, Marissa," Jessica said gently but with authority, and the older woman reacted in the way most kin did after a life spent around their garou family. She deferred silently, though tears of despair at the loss of her first daughter still poured down her cheeks.
Taking on the form of war herself, Jessica risked a howl. The archery range behind the Lettercraft home was outside the city limits, but she could not wait for help to arrive. Henry was already going to have a battle scar to show for his fight with Annalisa, but he was an Ahroun with more combat experience. Even in frenzy, he was gaining the upper hand and the two of them were intent to kill.
With all of her might, Jessica kicked Annalisa away from Henry, sending the taller but more willowy crinos tumbling end-over-end. It would not take her long to recover, Annalisa had already dug her claws into the earth to tear up massive divots and landed on her feet in all fours.
She took a claw-swipe full-on from Henry across the face, however she had already uttered a gutteral prayer to Luna and her raven fur shone a brilliant silver light that shimmered with sparks as the young Ahroun's claws struck against it like steel. He was winding back for another furious strike when she used another of her gifts of her rank to calm him, taking his rage away even as it boiled.
Soon Henry was a bleeding teenager on the ground at her feet and she rounded to face the onrushing Annalisa. Only to find her nude and weeping, her fury past.
