"You are certain?", the sphynx's tail twitched irritably, her fur standing on end.

(( Yes. )) Cayndra's tails thrashed, braiding and unbraiding, the stingers clattering against the stone floor. (( Yes, this is something that must be done, as much as I despise it. ))

"Do not expect me to be there when you need me. This is your battle and yours alone."

(( And what a battle it shall be! )) The beast laughed, all four heads curling back and uttering dischordantly rusty howls of amusement. (( Stand below and you shall be showered in their unclean blood. ))

Solana vaulted to the beast's back, talons digging deep into her hide. "Then go."

She pummeled Sarsath with her paws, shrieking her anger. (( Fight me, you imbecile! Are you as gutless as the rest of these fools?! ))

(( What are you talking about? )) The bronze recoiled, hissing in surprise and pain. She didn't do enough to really hurt him, but the minor cuts started to sting when the air hit them. (( You're supposed to go up there and we're supposed to chase you! ))

(( Idiots! )) Cayndra spun, her heads snapping in all directions to see them; not a one had moved for her, not a one radiated any sense of even wanting to fight. Infuriated, she dragged a beast down and tore it to ribbons in her frustration, mocking their own blooded beasts. (( Is this how you want it, then? A battle in the sky? Then so be it! ))

She was skyward in a flurry of wingbeats and a cacophany of howls and shrieks; three heads were occupied watching behind her, one focusing only on the air above. It was her first flight ... but far from her first aerial fight, and she didn't intend to lose this one by any means.

When Bandillier made his move, she twisted upside down and slid out of his grip; with him above, she lashed out with her talons, grazing his belly. (( Not so fast! )) she hissed, then pushed against him, her wings folding as she fell into a dive.

She streaked through Maral's hasty attempt to nab her on the fall down, laughed when Bandillier tried to plummet after her and only got a pawful of Maral's feathers before fully crashing into the Denner. While they sorted themselves out, Cayndra's wicked laughter echoed around them; she had doubled back up, spinning on a wingtip, and used them as a jumping off point to gain more altitude.

(( You are beautiful, you know! )) Sarsath extended the thought to her, perhaps hoping she would calm and choose him. (( Terrible and wonderful in your own way. ))

(( And you're as stupid as the rest of them, )) she retorted, her three heads tracking the mutt's movements. As he struggled to sneak up from below and behind, she slowed and lashed out with her three tails. (( Beauty is in the eye of the beast and, right now, I see nothing but blood! )) With a final strike, the curved edge of her main stinger hit Sarsath strongly across the muzzle and slowed him enough for her to get away. (( You're fortunate that I don't tear those whiskers from your head! ))

Two left. Her heads tracked them easily, and though she'd removed three chasers fairly quickly, the last two would prove to be more difficult. FiertŽ and Polan. Their stamina was commendable; their lack of a desire to fight, however, was not. She doubled over, twisting in the air to fly straight between them and hope to disrupt them enough that she could escape the whole mating process.

FiertŽ wouldn't let a chance like that pass and he reached out in a passionate attempt to ensnare her; two heads locked onto him and she hissed, making an odd retching noise in the back of her throat. (( If I wanted my brood to look like the fetid entrails of a demon, I'd have gone with that hideous purple monstrosity! ))

Slashing with her talons, she tore some of FiertŽ's feathers, and while he grappled with her, she struck with claws, fangs and tails to break free. Shoving him aside in a sudden burst of rage, she was met with the looping coils of Polan. He offered no words, though his claws were at the ready and power crackled in his aura; his own anger, slow to rise, had finally been piqued.

Cayndra chortled, a deep, metallic rasping. She glided in a wide circle, drawing closer as she spoke. (( Now you ... you wanted to dance in the light of hell, to meet death and to conquer it for yourself. Dance with me, then, and we'll see just how many scars you are willing to bear in your search. There are, after all, worse things than death. ))

With a sudden shriek, she lunged and twined around Polan, kneading him with her talons and laughing while they spiralled to the ground in their mating dance.